A question on Ship point defense

[Kedrith]

when a beam weapon on a ship attempts to engage a missile or torpedo on the turn of impact does the point defense shot use a range DM? If yes at what range?

 

[locarno24]

The rulebook says that when using a laser for point defence:

The gunner must make a Gunner (turrets) check against the missile. If successful, the missile is destroyed.

It doesn't actually say point defence is making a ship combat shooting attack, merely a Gunner (turrets) check, which I take to mean unmodified by range (as, by comparison, the 'firing a beam weapon' rules do mention modifiers for range).

 

[Kedrith]

Thanks for the answer and thats the way I was leaning on it.

 

[locarno24]

If you don't ignore it it is (as you noted) awkward to answer. What range does the PDL engage at? Will it be further for (faster) Long Range Missiles? Closer for (slower) Multi-warhead missiles?
If there was an intent to use a range band, one should have been given.

The two main arguments, other than those above, are:
If you have to put a range band on it, the obvious one is adjacent. Which is a penalty to hit for all laser types, which have a hard enough time as it is fending off big missile spreads (it's rare any one defense turret will stop more than two in a row unless you've got a seriously good gunner).

Secondly, the fact the point of the bomb-pumped laser is that it detonates at a stand-off range. This is modelled by a flat DM to the normal point defence rules (and not getting the radiation hit as you do for a contact nuke).

 

[F33D]

The two main arguments, other than those above, are:
If you have to put a range band on it, the obvious one is adjacent. Which is a penalty to hit for all laser types,

Which is bizarre itself as it is/would be exactly the opposite.

 

[nDervish]

The two main arguments, other than those above, are:
If you have to put a range band on it, the obvious one is adjacent. Which is a penalty to hit for all laser types,

Which is bizarre itself as it is/would be exactly the opposite.

"Exactly the opposite" how? Are you assuming that lasers should all have bonuses to hit at closer ranges? If so, then not necessarily... It depends on how they're mounted and whether they can traverse fast enough to hit an evading target at very close range.

 

[barnest2]

It depends on how they're mounted and whether they can traverse fast enough to hit an evading target at very close range.

This. To be perfectly honest the range modifiers should be affected by mounting as much as weapon...
There is a reason a quad 16" was no good at shooting down dive bombers...

 

[locarno24]

Agreed. Of course, in the case of point defence it doesn't matter, as the only weapons capable of point defence don't exist as bay-mounted versions.

 

[barnest2]

Fair point...
Pondering redoing mounts a little to have an impact on hit modifiers...

 

[F33D]

"Exactly the opposite" how? Are you assuming that lasers should all have bonuses to hit at closer ranges? If so, then not necessarily... It depends on how they're mounted and whether they can traverse fast enough to hit an evading target at very close range.

As in, easier to hit something at 5 km than 10,000 km. Until a missile gets within meters (too late at that point anyway) the turret can traverse FAR more quickly (covering more space) than a missile can maneuver with the G ratings given. Since we can do it at TL 7, I doubt that the tech has degraded at TL 12...

 

[locarno24]

As in, easier to hit something at 5 km than 10,000 km. Until a missile gets within meters (too late at that point anyway) the turret can traverse FAR more quickly (covering more space) than a missile can maneuver with the G ratings given. Since we can do it at TL 7, I doubt that the tech has degraded at TL 12...

However, there's also the question of rate of fire and the time it takes to line up on a given bearing (which is important when you're trying to hit something at 10,000 km) - remember that, ill-advised as it seems, traveller ships use what are essentially ship-to-ship six pounders against missiles as well.

 

[F33D]

As in, easier to hit something at 5 km than 10,000 km. Until a missile gets within meters (too late at that point anyway) the turret can traverse FAR more quickly (covering more space) than a missile can maneuver with the G ratings given. Since we can do it at TL 7, I doubt that the tech has degraded at TL 12...

However, there's also the question of rate of fire and the time it takes to line up on a given bearing (which is important when you're trying to hit something at 10,000 km) - remember that, ill-advised as it seems, traveller ships use what are essentially ship-to-ship six pounders against missiles as well.

It would STILL be easier, with speeds given, to hit something with a laser that is closer rather than farther. The range mods are totally nonsensical.