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REVISED FIGHTER RULES
UNOFFICIAL BETA LIMITED PUBLIC RELEASE
[Basic idea: Jon Tuffley, development: Oerjan with lots of input from both
of the mailing lists]
Background:
One of the biggest gripes players
have had with Full Thrust is that fighters don't work very well. Either
you have too many of them relative to the enemy's point defence strength
in which case you win, or you have too few of them in which case they get
wiped out without making any impression on the enemy (and in each of these
cases the game is pretty much decided when you choose the fleets); in
addition the rules are complex, self-contradictory in some areas, and
rather inflexible compared to how fighters behave in TV shows and movies.
The basic problem - the delicate
balance between fighters and point defences - stems from the fact that
fighters can only be engaged by point defence weapons, and most of those
point defence weapons are rather useless against larger spaceships. The
easiest solution (which was Jon's suggestion) to this to allow any weapon
to shoot at fighters; however, since this would make fighters extremely
vulnerable they need some way to evade incoming fire.
The turn sequence is re-shuffled
once again (the fighter parts of it were changed both in MT and FB1...) to
improve playability. Solutions to several other trouble spots in the
fighter rules have been worked into this proposal as well.
BEAM DICE:
The term "Beam Dice" or "Beam Die" (BD for short)
is used to denote the
standard way of reading FT beam dice, regardless of whether or not the die
roll is related to the firing of a beam weapon or not:
Result if target:
Modified
D6 roll |
Screen Level |
| 0 |
1 |
2 |
| 3 or less |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 6 or more |
2 |
2 |
1 |
If the game mechanic says that
re-rolls are used, any unmodified roll of '6' is read off the table above
AND allows a "reroll" - roll an extra die, read it off the table
above and add the result to the previous score. If this reroll is ALSO a
six, then roll another die, read it as above and add the result to the
score. There is no limit to the number of rerolls you can make if you keep
throwing sixes.
If the game mechanic states that
it ignores screens, the roll is always read in the "Screen level
0" column. If it does NOT say anything about screens, any active
screens or equivalent the target may have will affect the roll.
Beam Die rolls can be modified up
or down by die roll modifiers (DRMs); thus it is possible to score less
than 1 and more than 6. Note that the DRMs are applied to the DIE ROLL (ie.
before you read the table), not to the final score! [FT2/MT already uses
DRMs, namely the modifiers applied to Interceptor and Attack fighter
attacks. This is a formalization and extension of that feature.]
BD Notation:
[n]BD[DRM][*] means "roll n Beam Dice and apply the DRM to each of
them before reading the result in the above table". An asterisk, if
present, means that natural rolls of "6" score re-rolls in
addition to any result already achieved. NOTE: while this may seem
complex, it is actually just the die rules already used in Full Thrust
gathered into one single place and given a formal description.
Examples: "1BD-2" means "roll
1 Beam Die with a -2 DRM" (thus inflicting 1 hit on
rolls of '6' only) while "6BD+1*" means "roll 6 Beam
Dice and apply a +1 DRM to EACH of them; any natural
rolls of '6' score re-rolls" (an attack by an intact
Interceptor fighter group against other fighters, for
example).
RE-ROLLS and DIE ROLL
MODIFIERS: * Re-rolls are only scored on NATURAL rolls
of '6' (ie., before any DRMs are applied). * Any DRM
to a to-hit die roll which is related to the FIRER
(eg. the +1 for anti-ship fire for Attack fighters) is
also applied to any re-rolls. * Any DRM or similar
modifier to a to-hit roll which is related to the
TARGET (eg. the evasive manoeuvres DRM for fighters,
or the reduction of beam dice due to the target's
screens) is only applied to the INITIAL roll. (Yes,
this includes the "Heavy" modification for fighters.
Don't interpret the re-roll as "inflicting damage
inside the fighters' armour"; in this case it simply
represents the number of fighters killed)
Example: An Attack Fighter
(1BD+1*) shoots at a ship with level-1 screens. The
initial roll is a beam die with a +1 DRM on the
"level-1 screen" column of the beam table. Any
re-rolls still get the +1 DRM, but are read on the
"level-0 screen" column - ie., they are NOT reduced by
the screen.
Separate "HITS"
From "DAMAGE"
Some of the newer direct-fire weapons - eg. large K-guns, or Grasers - are
able to inflict massive amounts of damage per shot. In the new
fighter/missile proposal all direct-fire weapons are able to shoot at
fighters (though they may have problems hitting); but if these high-damage
weapons are allowed to count each damage point as a separate
"hit" they
become *very* effective in anti-fighter/missile roles...
Fortunately these high-damage weapons all have two-stage hit/damage
resolutions: first you roll to see if you hit (or in the Graser case to
see
how many D6s of damage you inflict), and then you roll to see what the
actual damage is. From here it is a pretty short step to call the first
set
of rolls the "to-hit" roll, determining the number of hits
scored, and then
say that "each hit inflicts X damage on a target ship"; and
furthermore say
that each hit can only destroy 1 fighter/missile/PB level - ie., if you're
shooting at fighters or ordnance you only need to roll for the number of
hits, not for the amount of damage they inflict.
In order to avoid confusing rules
wording, extend this concept to normal beam batteries,
SMPs etc. that only roll beam dice to determine the
number of damage they inflict: they now inflict 1 pt
of damage per hit, so the beam die roll determines the
number of hits just as for the larger weapons. (IOW
there's no *actual* change in the way these older
weapon types work on the gaming table; it is only the
rules wording which changes in order to be consistent
with the newer weapon types.)
"Ordnance" is used to mean "any kind
of missile or plasma bolt".
An "ordnance marker" is one SM salvo
marker OR one individual Heavy Missile OR one Plasma
Bolt OR one Anti-Matter Torpedo (AMT).
"Missiles" without any further
specification refers to both Salvo Missiles and Heavy
Missiles (Heavy Missiles are a working revision of the
2-Mass Missiles from More Thrust).
Beta Fighter Rules Proposal:
All weapons can fire at a fighter groups and ordnance markers, but unless
the weapon fires in a special Point Defence mode (PD-mode) the
fighters/ordnance can use Evasive Manoeuvres to reduce the effect of this
incoming fire. Those weapons that are able to fire in PD-mode are referred
to as "PD weapons"; some examples are human PDS and B1 batteries, Phalon
Pulsers and Kra'Vak Scatterguns. Note that many PD weapons have very
different ranges and firepower values in PD mode and anti-ship (AS) mode;
eg. the standard human B1 battery, which has 12 mu range and a firepower
of 1BD* in AS mode but only 6 mu range and a firepower of 1BD*-1 in PD
mode.
Fighter groups and Heavy Missiles have
a number of Combat Endurance Factors (CEFs) which can
be expended on various things.
The turn sequence is:
1) Write orders
2) Roll for initiative
3) Fighter/Heavy Missile primary move.
Fighters within 3 mu of a ship may declare that they
are screening that ship; fighters within 3 mu of a
friendly fighter group may declare that they are
escorting that group.
4) Launch fighters and ordnance
5) Move ships and screening fighters
6) Fighter/Heavy Missile secondary
move
7) Fighter groups/ordnance markers
declare attack runs against enemy *ships* (only) and
evasive manoeuvres
8) Ships fire: players alternate
firing one ship at a time, including that ship's
anti-fighter/ordnance fire
9) Fighter and ordnance attacks:
a)
Fighter-vs-fighter/ordnance attacks: Those fighter
groups that did NOT declare attack runs in phase 7 may
fire at enemy fighter groups and ordnance markers
b) Fighter-vs-ship attacks:
Those fighter groups, which DID declare attack runs in
phase 7 now execute those attack runs
c) Plasma Bolts, AMT's
detonate
d) Surviving missiles attack
10) Turn end (ship repairs, remove
markers, etc.)
==========================================================================
Let's take a closer looks at the various phases:
Phase 3: Primary Moves
The players alternate
moving one fighter group or Heavy Missile; the player
who LOST initiative moves first.
Heavy Missiles pay 1 CEF
for each PRIMARY MOVE they make. Heavy Missile Primary
Move is 18 mu.
Fighters do not pay CEF for
making primary moves.
A fighter group within 3 mu of
a friendly or enemy ship at the start of phase 3 may
declare that it is "screening" that ship instead of
making a primary move. The fighter will not move in
phase 3, but will instead follow the ship it is
"screening" during phase 5 (Ship Movement). The
fighter group ignores its normal maximum primary move
distance, and must stay within 3 mu of the ship
throughout the ship's movement. It may move to any
other position relative to the ship as long as it
remains within 3 mu from it. [NOTE: This replaces the
old "screening" rules. Due to the turn sequence, these
fighters will automatically get to fire at enemy
fighters or missiles before they can attack the
screened ship. Allowing fighters to "screen" enemy
ships stops the silliness of fighters being unable to
keep up with enemy ships that zip around at high
speeds.]
A fighter group within 3 mu of
a friendly fighter group may declare that they are
escorting that fighter group. Both groups must then
move into base-to-base contact during the primary
move, and must remain in base-to-base contact
throughout the turn. We'll return to "escorting" in
phase 9a. Excorting fighters move at the same time as
the group they are escorting (they don't count as a
seperate group of their own in the iniative order). An
escorting fighter group cannot itself be escorted.
Phase 4: Launch fighters and ordnance
The players alternate
choosing one ship each to launch its fighters and/or
ordnance; the player who LOST initiative goes first. A
player may not "pass" a ship in order to delay his
launches until after the enemy has launched his
missiles; once one ship on a side has passed up the
opportunity to launch, no other ships on that side may
launch any further fighters or ordnance this phase.
Fighter groups launched
this phase are placed in base-to-base contact with
their carrier. They may not make a primary move on the
turn they launch, but they may immediately declare
that they are screening their carrier. Ordnance is
launched as per the current rule (place the marker
anywhere within range and arc of the launcher). Heavy
Missiles count their launch move as a Primary Move
(and thus have to pay 1 CEF) unless they are placed
directly under the launching ship's base.
Phase 5: Ships' Movement
Remember that screening
fighter groups follow the ships they're screening.
Phase 6: Fighter/Heavy Missile secondary
movement
Fighters and Heavy Missiles
may make Secondary Moves to get into a better attack
position or to get out of dangerous spots by paying 1
CEF each. Fighter secondary moves are 12 mu; Heavy
Missile secondary moves are 6 mu. The players
alternate moving one fighter group or Heavy Missile;
the player who LOST initiative moves first. Escorting
groups move with the groups they are escorting, as in
Phase 3.
Phase 7: Declaration of attack runs and
Evasive Manoeuvres
First some PSB blurb:
An "attack run" is what
happens when a fighter group or missile marker attacks
an enemy ship. Plasma Bolts and AMT explsoions
effectively attack everything in their area of effect,
and may be targeted by PD fire. Declaring an "attack
run" is necessary to allow a ship's PD weapons to
engage fighters attacking that ship before the
fighters get to fire, without having to track which of
the ship's individual weapons fired in what phase of
the game.
"Evasive Manoeuvres" are performed by fighters and
missiles jinking madly in order to reduce the effect
of any defensive fire directed against them. This
doesn't any significant effect (read: too small for
the game mechanics to notice it) against PD-mode fire
since the range is so short and the volume of fire so
high, but it seriously reduces the danger from AS-mode
fire (which fires fewer but more powerful shots).
Again, Plasma Bolts and AMT's don't make any "evasive
manoeuvers" as such, but they are small and tough
targets so get a similar level of protection.
Now the game mechanics:
Attack runs:
*
A fighter group that begins this phase within 6 mu of
enemy ships MAY declare an attack run against any one
of those ships.
*
Fighter groups may "break off" from a declared
anti-ship attack at any point prior to actually
resolving the attack, except during the resolution of
enemy point defence fire against the group. (Ie., if
the target has already allocated PDSs to fire at the
group without using any FCSs to guide the fire, the
group can't break off until the fire has been resolved
- it obviously didn't break off soon enough!) Fighter
groups whose declared target gets destroyed by
ship-to-ship fire also count as having broken off.
*Fighter groups that have broken off an anti-ship
attack (or whose intended targets have already been
destroyed by ship-to-ship fire) may NOT declare new
attacks against other ship targets this turn. They may
however attack enemy fighters or ordnance in the
fighter-to-fighter/ordnance phase (9a) if they want
to.
*
A missile marker that begins this phase within 6 mu of
enemy ships MUST declare an attack run against the
CLOSEST of those ships. This does not cost any CEF,
but the missile will destroy itself during the attack.
*
A Plasma Bolt marker that begins this phase within 6
mu of ANY ships (friendly or enemy) MUST declare
"attack runs" against ALL of those ships.
*
An Exploding AMT effectively declares attack runs as a
Plasma bolt, even though it's radius of effect is
smaller.
Evasive Manoeuvres:
*
Any fighter group or Heavy Missile may spend any
remaining CEF points on evasive manoeuvres. Each CEF
point spent gives a -1 "evasive manoeuvres" target DRM
(ie., it only applies to the INITIAL to-hit die) to
any non-PD-mode fire against the group/missile.
(PD-mode fire is not affected by the Evasive
Manoeuvres.)
*
Salvo Missile, Plasma Bolt, and AMT markers
AUTOMATICALLY gain a -3 target DRM to any non-PD-mode
fire against the marker.
Phase 8: Ships fire
Starting with the player who
WON the initiative roll in phase 2, each player
alternates in firing any/all weapon systems on ONE
ship at one or more targets (ships, fighter groups
and/or ordnance markers) subject to available fire
control systems and weapons. All fire from a single
ship must be declared before any is evaluated. As
normal, no single weapon may fire more than once per
turn, nor split its fire between multiple targets. Any
damage inflicted is applied immediately at the end of
that ship's firing, before the target is able to
return fire.
Fire against ships is handled
as per the normal rules: 1 FCS per target (or target
system if you're using Needle Beams), etc. PD weapons
firing at ships MUST use their AS mode (the PD mode
shots being too low-powered and too widely scattered
to harm full-sized starships).
Any weapon (including PD
weapons) may engage a fighter group/ordnance marker
using AS mode fire provided that the target is within
the weapon's arc and AS-mode range and that the firing
ship devotes an FCS to each such target (multiple
weapons engaging the same target may of course share a
single FCS). Any Evasive Manoeuvres DRM the target has
is applied to the weapon's to-hit roll. Each HIT
inflicted destroys one fighter or missile, or one
strength level of a plasma bolt.
A PD weapon may instead engage
a fighter group or ordnance marker within its arc and
PD-mode range with PD-mode fire. PD-mode fire ignores
the target's Evasive Manoeuvres DRM, but Heavy Fighter
groups, Plasma Bolts, and AMT's have a -1 target DRM
against PD-mode fire. Each HIT inflicted destroys one
fighter, missile, or AMT, orone strength level
of a
plasma bolt.
If the fighter/ordnance target
has declared an attack run against the firing ship (or
against a ship covered by an ADFC aboard the firing
ship) this turn, no FCS is required (the weapon's
on-mount fire controls are sufficient).
If the fighter/ordnance target
has NOT declared an attack run against the firing ship
(or a ship covered by an ADFC aboard the firing ship,
the firing ship must dedicate an FCS to guide PD-mode
fire against it. (The same FCS may also guide AS-mode
fire from other weapons on the ship against the same
fighter/ordnance target.)
An ADFC (Area Defence Fire
Control) aboard the firing ship may cover ONE friendly
ship within 6 mu of the firing ship per turn. This
allows PD weapons aboard the firing ship to engage
fighter groups/ordnance markers that have declared
attack runs against the covered ship with PD-mode fire
as long as the fighters/ordnance are IN ARC, even if
they are outside the weapon's normal PD-mode range.
Kra'Vak Scatterguns and Sa'Vasku Interceptor Pods may
not use ADFC guidance.
This is both the core and the
most complex part of these rules, and it is explained
again below in the "Quick Summary" section.
Phase 9: Fighter and
Ordnance Attacks
Phase 9a: Fighter
attacks vs. fighters and ordnance
Starting with the player who
WON the initiative roll in phase 2, each player
alternates in firing ONE fighter group which has NOT
declared an attack run against enemy ships. Attacking
costs the fighter group 1 CEF. The fighter group may
only fire at enemy fighter groups or ordnance markers,
but each fighter in the group may engage a separate
target. The fighters MUST use their PD-mode firepower,
ignoring any Evasive Manoeuvres. Fire against Plasma
Bolt, AMT's or Heavy Fighters suffers a -1 target DRM.
A fighter group that is
ESCORTED by another fighter group may not be attacked
by enemy fighters unless:
* the escorting fighter group
has fired OR
* the escorted fighter group
has fired OR
* the attacking fighter group
targets each escorting fighter with at least one of
its own fighters, with only the remainder able to fire
on the escorted fighter group OR
* the attacking fighter group
is prepared to take fire from the escorts immediately,
out of initiative order, before its own attacks are
calculated.
Note that once either the
escorting or the escorted group has fired, the effect
of the escort vanishes and the escorted group may be
attacked normally by other fighters in the normal
sequence.
Phase 9b: Fighter
attacks vs. ships
Fighter groups that have
declared attack runs against enemy ships now fire at
those ships, using their AS-mode firepower. All
fighters in the group must fire at the same ship. All
fighter attacks from all fighter groups against a
single ship in the same turn are resolved at the same
time and counts as one single salvo for threshold
purposes. Attacking costs each fighter group 1 CEF.
(NOTE: The restriction on fighter groups to attack one
single target is to keep the book-keeping managable.
All fighter attacks against a single ship are resolved
at the same time to speed up play; since all units
which can fire at these fighters have already done so
the initiative order is irrelevant in this phase.)
Phase 9c: Plasma Bolt,
AMT detonations
All plasma bolts detonate
simultaneously, inflicting (remaining level)*D6 points
of damage on every unit within their volume of effect.
Human-style screens or equivalent ignore rolls of '6'
if level 1, or rolls of '5' and '6' if level 2. Roll
the damage separately for each unit hit. Any fighters
or missile markers within the volume of effect are
automatically destroyed.
AMT's also detonate now.
Phase 9d: Missile
attacks
Any surviving missiles that have
declared attack runs against enemy ships now carry out
those attacks. All missile attacks against a single
ship are resolved as a single salvo. Salvo Missile
salvoes hit their target with 1D6 missiles, minus one
for each hit inflicted on the salvo during the
previous phases; each missile that hits inflicts 1D6
pts of damage.
===========================================================================
Summary of Point
Defense (PD) weapon stats:
These are weapons which are
capable of engaging attacking fighters or missiles at
point-blank range relying on their own on-mount fire
control; but their relatively high rate of fire and
slew rates also make them better able than other
weapons to hit fighters at longer ranges when guided
by the ship's central FCSs. PD weapons have two
different sets of to-hit rolls and damage mechanics:
an anti-ship mode, and a point defence mode (or PD
mode).
The most common PD weapons are:
PDS:
Anti-ship mode: Range 6mu, scores 1BD-2* hits, 1 pt of
damage per hit (yes, this means that PDS needs to
succeed with a re-roll in order to damage a screened
ship!)
PD mode: Range 6mu, scores 1BD* hits
B1:
Anti-ship mode: Range 12mu, scores 1BD* hits, 1 pt of
damage per hit
PD mode: Range 6mu, scores 1BD-1*
hits
K1:
Anti-ship mode: Range 30mu, standard K-gun to-hit roll
and damage, ignores screens
PD mode: Range 6 mu,
scores 1BD-1 hits
Scattergun
(single-shot):
Anti-ship mode: Range 6mu,
scores 1BD hits, ignores screens, 1 pt of damage per
hit
PD mode: Range 6 mu, scores 1D3 hits
Note: Scatterguns may not use ADFC guidance.
Pulser:
Anti-ship mode depends on tuning:
L:
Range 36 mu, scores 1BD* hits, 1 pt of damage per hit
M: Range 24 mu, scores 2BD* hits, 1 pt of damage per
hit
C: Range 12 mu, scores 6BD* hits,
1 pt of damage per hit
PD mode for any Pulser:
Range 6mu, scores 1BD* hits
Spicules:
No Anti-ship mode
PD mode: Range 6mu, scores
1BD* hits
Note: Spicules may not use ADFC
guidance.
Interceptor Pods:
No Anti-ship mode (or you could say that the IP is the
Pod Launcher's "PD mode")
PD mode: Range 12 mu,
scores 1D6 hits
Note: Interceptor Pods may not
use ADFC guidance
Fighter Armament
Options:
Standard:
Anti-ship mode: 1BD* hits, 1 dmg/hit
PD mode: 1 BD*
hits
Interceptor:
Anti-ship mode: None
PD mode: 1 BD+1* hits
Attack:
Anti-ship mode: 1BD+1* hits, 1 dmg/hit
PD mode: 1
BD-2* hits
Torpedo:
Anti-ship mode: Roll 1D6: '1'-'3' = miss, '4'-'6' = 1
hit, scores damage equal to the to-hit die roll
PD
mode: 1 BD-2* hits
TARGET DRMs FOR
ANTI-FIGHTER AND -ORDNANCE FIRE:
| Normal fighters, Heavy Missiles: |
| vs Anti-ship
mode fire: |
- Evasive Maneouvers |
| vs PD-mode
fire: |
None |
| Heavy fighter: |
| vs Anti-ship
mode fire: |
- Evasive Maneouvers |
| vs PD-mode
fire: |
-1 |
| Salvo Missile Salvoes: |
| vs Anti-ship
mode fire: |
-3 |
| vs PD-mode
fire: |
None |
| Plasma Bolts: |
| vs Anti-ship
mode fire: |
-3 |
| vs PD-mode
fire: |
-1 |
***
Comments and Observations:
First, a reminder: these rules
are an UNOFFICIAL BETA LIMITED PUBLIC RELEASE
This proposal completely
changes the nature of Full Thrust fighter operations.
Instead of having large numbers of fighters smash any
enemy who hasn't massed enough ADFC-guided PDS with
virtual impunity and any number of fighters dying like
flies if the enemy *has* massed enough ADFC and PDS,
fighters now become vulnerable to anti-ship weapons as
well unless they spend combat endurance on evasive
manoeuvres - which severely reduces the amount of
combat endurance the fighters can spend on *shooting*.
Under this proposal you're unlikely to see fighters
being able to attack a target for more than two turns
in a row before they have to return to their carriers
to refuel (unlike the FB1/2 situation, where they
could potentially attack things for up to six turns in
a row)... and while the fighters are re-fueling, the
carriers are vulnerable to the enemy's counter-attack.
With the fighters vulnerable
to anti-ship weapons as well as PD ones, the defending
ships don't need to mass as many ADFC-guided PDSs in
order to survive. Sure, the fighters will still be
very vulnerable to a fleet which *does* bring this
heavy point defences, but that PD-heavy fleet will be
at a disadvantage against fleets with weaker PD suites
(and more anti-ship weapons) which still are able to
take on a fighter swarm (and its carriers) with a
reasonable chance of success. (Under the FT2/FB1 rules
the PD-heavy fleets are also at a disadvantage against
fleets with less PD, but the PD-weak fleets were
totally wiped out by massed fighters - kind of "paper,
rock, sub-machinegun", whereas these fighter rules
give a more "paper, rock, scissors"-ish situation)
Being vulnerable to anti-ship
weapons also means that the fighters need to take
enemy arcs of fire into account. Good fighter
manoeuvring (using secondary moves, usually to get
into the target's (A) arc or similar) can often reduce
the amount of fire the fighters take considerably;
similarly the fighters can no longer afford to ignore
enemy light ships, so good defensive ship tactics -
eg. use of manoeuvrable escorts to protect the rear
arcs of the capitals - can have a significant impact.
Coordinating fighter strikes with ship attacks can
also pay off quite handsomely. This closely resembles
most examples of fighter/ship operations seen in
contemporary SF movies, shows and literature.
Heavy Fighters become quite a
bit tougher against PD-mode fire (their -1 target DRM
is equivalent to level-2 screens) in order to
compensate them for being just as vulnerable to
AS-mode as normal fighters are. Their cost remains
unchanged (+2 pts per fighter).
Plasma Bolts used to have
their own special set of rules for how weapons could
shoot at them; now they don't. This makes them a fair
bit easier to shoot down; this is both a reaction to
all those players who have complained that they are
too difficult to shoot down under the FB2 rules and a
way of simplifying the rules.
Scatterguns are toned down a
lot against fighters (going from 1D6 vs standard
fighters and 1D3 vs Heavies to 1D3 vs standards and
1D3-1 vs heavies), but they are more or less unchanged
against missiles (where they usually scored a lot of
overkills anyway) and slightly improved against Plasma
Bolts (where they go from 1BD to 1D3-1). They have
lost their inherent ADFC capability, which was quite a
bit over the top - they can of course still be used
for area defence, but they need FCS guidance to do so.
K-guns (and P-torps) become
surprisingly effective anti-fighter weapons. In the
tests so far this has pretty much compensated the FB2
Kra'Vak designs for the reduced power of their
scatterguns.
The entire dogfight rules
complex is GONE. All that remains of them is the bit
about "each fighter in a single group may fire at a
different fighter/ordnance target". Much simpler that
way, much less confusion, and it works just as well,
although you can no longer force an enemy fighter
group to stay and fight, and you don't get any
"parting shots" when it leaves, it usually isn't a
problem to catch the enemy fighters - one side or the
other will usually want to attack the enemy ships, and
when they do so they will get close enough for the
other side's fighters to attack!
Similarly the fighter morale
rules are GONE. They were always dubious from a PSB
point of view (why would robotic fighters be scared of
being destroyed?), and with the above proposal they're
also unnecessary.
***
Quick Summary:
Fighters/ordnance are
attacking firing ship:
* PD-mode fire: no FCS needed,
(A) arc restrictions do not apply, ignore
evasion
* Anti-ship mode fire: 1 FCS
per fighter/ordnance marker, (A) arc restrictions and
evasion apply
Fighters are attacking other ship
nearby:
* Each ADFC allows PD-mode
fire against any number of fighter/ordnance attacking
ONE other ship within 6mu (even if the
fighter/ordnance markers are outside the normal range
of the firing ship's PD-mode weapons fire)
* If no ADFC, PD-mode fire
requires 1 FCS per fighter/ordnance marker attacked,
ignoring evasion (as if the fighters were not
attacking anything)
* Anti-ship mode fire: 1 FCS
per fighter/ordnance marker, (A) arc restrictions and
evasion apply
Fighters are not attacking anything:
* PD-mode fire: Requires 1 FCS
per fighter/ordnance marker, ignoring evasion *
Anti-ship mode fire: Requires 1 FCS per
fighter/ordnance, (A) arc restrictions and evasion
apply.
And yes, the 1 FCS per
fighter/ordnance marker can be shared between weapons
firing in PD-mode and those firing in anti-ship mode.
Note that PD weapons may
engage fighter/ordnance targets with AS mode fire (in
which case they are degraded by the target's Evasive
Manoeuvres) instead of PD mode fire if they want to.
(Reasons to want to use AS mode fire are eg. that the
fighters/ordnance is outside the weapon's PD mode
range, or that it doesn't evade enough to make PD mode
fire more effective.) PD-mode fire is ineffective
against ships.
(*) I count the SV Interceptor
Pod as the Pod Launcher's PD-mode rather than as a
weapon type in its own right. Currently, the known Pod
Launcher anti-ship modes are the Lance and Leech pod
types.
So, summarizing the summary:
- PD-mode fire always ignores evasion
- PD-mode
fire does not require FCS if the fighters/ordnance are
attacking the ship, or attacking a nearby ship covered
by the ship's ADFC
- In all other cases, PD-mode
fire requires 1 FCS per fighter/ordnance marker
engaged
- Anti-ship mode fire against
fighters/ordnance always require 1 FCS per
fighter/ordnance marker engaged, and is always subject
to (A) arc restrictions and evasion.
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