Fire Control Systems

Weapon/Defence Archive: Miscellaneous: Fire Control Systems

[Advanced Defence Targeting Control] -[Dedicated Fire Control] -[Focused Fire] -[Grav Compensation Fire Control] -[Long Range Defence Fire Control] -[Raking Fire] -[Structural Analyzer] -[Sustained Fire] -[Targeting LIDAR] -[Torpedo Spread]



ADVANCED DEFENSE TARGETING CONTROL SYSTEM

[Brian K Bell] (GZG-L 19-June 2001)

The Advanced Defence Targeting Control (ADTC) System allows all Point Defence Systems on a ship to target fighters, missiles, plasma bolts, etc. at a range of up to 12mu, regardless of whether the fighters etc. so targeted are attacking the carrying ship or any allied ship. If the range is less then 6 mu, each Point Defence System adds 1 to all die roll results – in a similar manner to Interceptor fighters.

The Advanced Defence Targeting Control System requires 3 MASS, and costs 12 points.

ICON:    Advanced Defense Targeting Control


DEDICATED FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

Dedicated Fire ControlIf a Fire Control System is dedicated to a single ‘normal’ weapon (i.e. one that does not already require a dedicated fire control system, such as Needle Beams) then each range band can be increased 25% (thus if the weapons normal range bands were 12 mu, e.g. beam batteries, they become 15 mu, while if the normal range band were 6 mu, e.g. pulse torpedoes or k–guns, they become 7½ mu), or +1 added to the attack die roll. Each extra fire control system dedicated to any single weapon adds a further +1 to the attack die roll.



Comments/Analysis:

[Noam] The Targeting Lidar is a better system that provides similar effects.



FOCUSED FIRE MODE

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

Multiple batteries, of any type, or other groups of like weapons may be grouped into a single volley and resolved with a single die roll. Roll one die, determine its damage, and multiply by the number of dice that the entire volley of group weapons would inflict together. Any Re–roll dice follow same pattern. Focused Fire can use with Raking Fire.

For Example, two Class–3 Beam Batteries and three Class–2 Beam Batteries fire in Focused Fire mode at a single target 16 mu away, that is a total of 7 dice (2×2 plus 3×1). A single die is rolled, on a roll of 1, 2 or 3, no damage is inflicted, on a roll of 4 or 5, 7 DP are inflicted, while on a roll of 6, 14 DP (2×7) are inflicted, and the die is re–rolled. Were the target to have screens, then the die results would be modified accordingly.



GRAV COMPENSATION FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

The Grav Compensation Fire Control (GCFC) System is a specialized fire control system that compensates for the effects of the 'grav wake' of a spaceship’s Main Drive, allowing weapons that can be fired into the Aft arc to fire effectively even if the Main drive is being used. All weapons firing through the aft arc add 12mu to their effective range to target (i.e. a ship fires a class–2 beam battery at a target that is in its aft arc, and at a range of 10 mu, the shot is resolved as if the target were at a range of 22 mu, close to the maximum range of the battery). The GCFC can also be used as a normal fire control system as well.

The Grav Compensation Fire Control System requires 1 MASS, and costs 6 points.

ICON:    Grav Compensation Fire Control




LONG RANGE DEFENSE FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

The Long Range Defence Fire Control (LRDFC) System allows beam batteries of class–2 or more to be used in anti–missile or anti– fighter roles in the same way that Class–1 beam batteries can. Beams firing on fighter, missile, etc. targets require 1 fire control system per target (where each fighter group or missile salvo counts as one target) in addition to the LRDFC. Fire controls and weapons used in anti–fighter or anti–missile mode cannot be used in normal fire modes that turn.

The effective range bands of the beam batteries are half their normal values (i.e. 6 mu rather than 12 mu), and, due to manoeuvrability of the targets and the slower bearing speed of heavier weapons, the higher class beam batteries can only target fighters in the outer range bands (i.e. class–2 at ranges 6–12, class–3 at ranges 12–18, etc.). Each die rolled is resolved as for the class 1-as-PDS rule (i.e. any roll of 5+ kills ONE fighter or missiles, rolls of 6 may be re–rolled).

Other weapon types can be used in anti–missile or anti– fighter mode if an extra fire control is dedicated to them. Their range bands are halved and their damage dice are the same as above (K–Guns do not get re–rolls on 6s) .

The Long Range Defence Fire Control System requires 2 MASS, and costs 8 points.

ICON:    Long Range Defense Fire Control




RAKING FIRE MODE

  [Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

A Beam–Type weapon can be fired so that it 'rakes' across that target ships hull, inflicting less damage, but with a greater chance of scoring SOME damage. A weapon fired in this mode also has a better chance of finding a weak spot in screens, and so penetrating them.

Only Beam–Type weapons (i.e. Beam Batteries, Stinger Nodes, Pulsars) may be fired in Raking Mode. Firing a weapon in Raking Mode adds 1 to each die roll, but the maximum damage is 1 DP per die, and the dice cannot be re– rolled on rolls of 6, thus, each die that rolls 1 or 2 inflicts no damage, while each dice that rolls 3 or more inflicts 1 DP. If the target possesses either Level–1 or Level–2 screens, then any dice that roll 4 inflict no damage.



Comments/Analysis:

[Charles] A alternative method of resolving Raking Fire against screens; each dice inflicts 1 DP on any roll that is greater or equal to the screen level +3, i.e. a roll of 4+ inflicts 1 DP vs. level–1 screens, while a roll of 5+ inflicts 1 DP vs. level–2 screens. Ok, under this scheme, level–2 screens still protect better than level–1 screens.




STRUCTURAL ANALYZER SYSTEM

[Andrew Ayres] (GZG-L 3-Feb-01)

The Structural Analyser System scans the target ship for defects and damage in its armour and hull. The system would then link to a fire control system and be able to fire say, 1 or 2 standard beams, or maybe link to any number of fire control systems, but only fire one per FCS. The ship would require Superior Sensors as these would be the only ones powerful enough to give the required scan resolution and detail.

A weapon linked to the Structural Analyser System penetrates 1 layer of armour destroying 1 armour box. The rest of the weapon’s damage is done straight to the target ship’s hull. If the target ship has no armour, then say allow re–roll on rolls of 5 as well as 6 to show for hitting a weak spot, but only on the initial hit, all re–rolls are as normal.

The Structural Analyser System is possibly a Core system.

The Structural Analyser System requires 5 MASS, and has a points cost of 25 points.

ICON:    Structural Analyser  (including Superior Sensors)



Comments/Analysis:

[Noam] Too expensive as is - requires Superior sensors, and can only help one weapon or fire control. With these restrictions it could be a 1 or 2 mass system, and shouldn't be Core.
[Oerjan] Too expensive? If the target has no armour it improves the damage from all beam-style weapons by 17%... 5 Mass/25 pts is certainly a bit much for a DD, but it is quite a bargain for a SDN. The description is incomplete. What does "System penetrates 1 layer of armour. Rest of damage is done straight to ship. " mean? The system itself doesn't inflict any damage whatever...?]
[Charles] Maybe ECM, and perhaps Stealth should apply some defence against this? Maybe a sensor roll is requires (I know, added complexity).



SUSTAINED FIRE MODE

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

A single beam weapon that hits (including a hit on screens or shields) on one turn can sustain fire on the target in the next turn, if it remains in arc and range and a fire control system is dedicated to the weapon at the start of that turn. Sustained fire gives the weapon a +2 to attack die rolls. A weapon fired in Sustained Fire Mode must then roll a threshold check at the current level for the carrying ship each turn that Sustained Fire is maintained, should it fail, the weapon burns out and is considered damaged.

It is possible to modify a weapon so that it will not burn out when used in Sustained Fire Mode, this modification increases the points cost of the weapon by 25%.

ICON:    Sustained  (Indicates ability to fire in sustained mode without burning out)



Comments/Analysis:

[Noam] Difficult to game in a rational way.
[Charles] A suggested way to handle this is with coloured and numbered counters, place one on the SSD to indicate which weapon fired, and one with the same colour and number on the ship fired upon, use colours to differentiate weapons, and numbers to differentiate weapons.
A suggested alternative way of handling the Sustained Fire bonus would be to give the affected weapon, say, 50% extra dice.



TARGETING LIDAR SYSTEM

[Noam Izenberg] WotW #6

A Targeting Lidar System is a laser–based active sensor that improves the accuracy of weapons over range.

Each Targeting Lidar System subtracts 2 mu from the effective range for direct fire weapons vs. a single target ship. The effects of multiple Targeting Lidar Systems are cumulative up to a point; a given weapon can receive benefits of ONE Targeting Lidar for each 12 mu (or part thereof) of range.

Point Defence weapons may not use Targeting Lidar Systems, as they are too weak to have their range extended significantly.

Targeting Lidar System are not Fire Controls – a Fire Control System must be used to target a ship normally, and the Targeting Lidar System used in addition.

Examples:

  1. A Class 1 Beam Battery or a Needle Beam using a Targeting Lidar System can fire effectively out to 14 mu, but neither can benefit from more than ONE Targeting Lidar.
  2. A Pulse Torpedo Launcher can benefit from up to 3 Targeting Lidar Systems to make its effective range to target 6 mu closer, extending the 2+ 'to hit' band to 0–12 mu and the 6+ 'to-hit' band to 30–36 mu.

A Targeting Lidar System requires 1 MASS, and has a points cost of 4 points.

ICON:    Targeting Lidar



Comments/Analysis:

[WotW #6] The WotW discussion centered on PSB e.g. normal firecons are probably Lidar or similar, so why should TL be any different?



TORPEDO/MISSILE SPREAD

[Noam Izenberg] (NIFT-Midbar Ghostworks)

Pulse Torpedoes and Salvo Missiles can be fired in 'Spreads' that increase the chance of a hit at a cost of a reduction in damage. For Pulse Torpedo Spreads, the Pulse Torpedo Launcher gains a +1 bonus to hit, while the damage is reduced by one–third, rounded down. For Salvo Missiles, add 1 to the die roll to determine how many missiles are on target, and again reduce the damage for each missile by one-third, rounded down.

For a quick way of determining the reduced damage, ignore all rolls of 5 or 6 on the damage dice, and re–roll the die. Alternatively, subtract 1 if the dice rolled 3 or 4, subtract 2 if it rolled 5 or 6.




Small WDA Title - Weapon/Defence Archive main page
NIFT - NIFT Home Page
New Israel FlagNew Israel Homepage

Last Update May 31, 2002, NRI