Classed Weapons was Re: Technology levels

Laserlight wrote:

>>Unfortunately, there is a deliberate attempt to limit the size of
>>the standard battery to C3 or C4 by making C4 and larger
disproportionately
>>expensive in terms of size (mass) relative to their combat potential
>>
>true
>
>>class 3 etc.	However, this is NOT done with other open-ended classed
>>weapons, like the KraVak K-gun or the Phalon Plasma Bolt Launcher.
>>
>Not true, at least for the K gun.  I've never bothered to work out the
>calculations for the PBL.
>
1-arc K-guns:
K3 = 5 mass
K4 = 8 mass (+3)
K5 = 11 mass (+3)
K6 = 14 mass (+3)

and from FB2, pg. 9, right column, "Kinetic Guns (K-Guns)" Section, 2nd 
to last paragraph:
"Larger classes of K-gun are possible, and the mass required rises by 3 
per additional class."
So K-guns increase their mass linearly at a rate of +3 mass/class.

 From FB2, pg 36, left column, "Plasma Bolt Launcher" Section, 14th 
paragragh (2nd to last):
"A Plasma Bolt launcher system takes up a MASS of 5 times the class of 
the launcher."
So PBL's increase their mass linearly at a rate of +5 mass/class.

 From FB1, pg. 7, left column, "New Beam Battery Designations" Section, 
5th paragraph:
"Basic MASS requirements of a given battery starts at 1 for a class1, 
and DOUBLES for each class increase..."
and 6th paragraph:
"Class 3 batteries and above have only 1 arc fire (60 degrees) at their 
base MASS cost; adding additional arcs of fire requires 25% of the base 
MASS of the battery per additional arc covered..."
Note that caps are part of the quoted text, not mine.
So Beam Batteries increase their mass geometricly, and for B3+ they all 
have the same arcs.

J