Re: [GZG] Screens versus Advanced Screens in Cross Dimensions?

<de-lurk>

My 2 cents:
First, there are some things that I think you have overlooked and second
my suggestions based on tinkering with a wet-navy all-gun battleship
inspired background.

First, K-guns, as well as all other screen-skipping systems, are
balanced vs. beam batteries on the assumption that screens don't affect
them.  If you introduce a new defensive system, whether it's some type
of screen, shield, or integral armor (let's call it Kinetic Defense or
KD), then you have to re-balance all the former screen-skippers by one
or more of the following:

1) reduce points/MASS cost (only effective if you balance games by PV,
not scenario set-up)
2) increase range bands
3) increase hit accuracy

Secondly, how does this new defense system affect other kinetic systems
such as MKP and scatterguns, and also other screen-skippers whose PSB
makes them screen-skippers because they are large mass objects rather
than particles or wavicles, such as human scatterpacks (mini-missiles),
salvo missiles, and p-torps.

Next, it seems to me reading this discussion that there is some
confusion about exactly what effect this Kinetic Defense is supposed to
have against K-Guns.  There are two main effects, but the details are
not agreed upon:

1) reduces chance of doubling damage
2) reduces damage done

For reducing the chance of doubling damage, the fine detail is whether
you subtract the KD level from the *target number* or from the K-Gun
*class* before figuring the target number.  This difference affects the
largest K-Guns.
For example:  a class 6 KG hits a target with KD level 2.  If the KD is
subtracted from the target number, then the hit is doubled on a 5-2=3 or
less (50%), but if the KD is subtracted from the weapon class then the
hit is doubled on a 6-2=4 or less (66%).
This also means that there is now an incentive to use even bigger K-guns
to get maximum chance of doubling against heavily defended opponents.

For reducing the damage done, the fine detail is whether you subtract
the KD level from the KG class before figuring damage or from the total
damage inflicted.
For example a class 4 KG hits a target with KD level 2.  If you subtract
from the weapon class, then the hit is 4-2=2 or (4-2)x2=4 points, but if
you subtract from the total damage done, then the hit is 4-2=2 or
(4x2)-2=6 points.  

In addition you are assuming that KD level will top out at level 2. 
FT2/MT had screens going up to level 3, and the reason this was dropped
for FB1 is spurious at best.  Using both screen level 3 and allowing
Kinetic Defense level 3 allows more variety in your games.  It also
means that the chance to double damage against KD3 does not max out
until you reach Class 8 k-guns (8-3=5).  And incidentally that KD level
3 is immune to class 3 K-guns.

Instead of using kinetic-defeating screens for my big-gun setting, I
used Integral Armor based on the original KV from MT.  This is analogous
to belt armor on battleships.  Ablative armor/carapace/shells from
FB1/FB2 is analogous to double- and triple-hulls, wet and dry
anti-torpedo spaces and the American All-Or-Nothing armoring scheme. 
Integral Armor is also useful for settings without screens or shields
such as Babylon 5 and BSG.

As far as small K-guns being ineffective against heavily armored ships,
I don't mind that at all.  Historically, a lot of battleships were
immune to the fire of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inch guns (and in some cases
even 8-inchers).

If you want to go further, a little tinkering with firecons and beam
batteries allows both Deflector Screens and Kinetic defenses to expand
to a six level spectrum (from 0 to 5).

J

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