[ACTA:SF] The Mauler Cannon - Unofficial

B

billclo

Mongoose
Since we're all into speculating about new additions to the game, how about discussing the Mauler and how it might be implemented in ACTA:SF?

I'll stat out and discuss the Klingon D6M for starters. For those who are unfamiliar with Maulers, they are basically a gigantic energy cannon that is hooked up to massive banks of capacitors (batteries), and which can also draw power directly from the Warp Engines at the cost of damaging the engines. It is short ranged, with a narrow firing arc, and it is also exceptionally accurate.

They are designed to be mainly used for base assaults, but can be devastating against ships.

A D6M has 2 Maulers - one in each Warp Engine nacelle. The ship has I believe 33 batteries that can feed the Maulers.

Damage is dependent upon range; the Mauler has a range of 10. Between 2 and 5" it delivers one damage point per energy put into the weapon. At 6-10" it delivers one damage point per 2 energy put into the weapon. At 0-1" it delivers 2 (!) damage points per energy point put into the weapon.

Power can also be drawn from the Warp Engines via the Overload Special Order, and one Warp Engine box is damaged for every 2 energy drawn from the Warp Engines. The ship is assumed to take 50% of the available Warp Power and channel it into the Maulers - 15 points of energy / 2 Maulers. Call it 8 per Mauler.

So Stat the Mauler on the D6M thusly:
Damage 16, Accurate +3, penetrates shields on a natural 5 or 6, Precise, Reload, Killzone 2. Between range 5 to 10, damage = 8. Firing arc is a 45 degree arc centered on the Foreward Centerline (ie, 22.5 degrees to each side of the centerline).

Using the Overload Special Action increases the damage dealt by 50% (from 8 to 12), but requires the firing ship to take a Impulse Critical Hit AND internal damage equal to 10% of it's starting value, rounded up. Therefore, a D6M overloading one Mauler takes a Impulse Critical AND 2 internal damage. Overloading both Maulers forces it to take 2 Impulse Criticals AND 4 internal damage. Note that the Critical damage hits can cause additional internal damage (If the Mauler ship had no Impulse Criticals and overloaded both cannon, the second Impulse Critical hit would score an additional 1 damage point).

After firing the weapon, the mounting ship must use the Reload Special Action. Each turn using the Reload Special Action recharges the batteries for sufficiently for 8 damage dealt. Thus the ship must spend 2 turns under Reload restrictions to fully reload the Mauler.

A D6M that manages to close to 1" against a target and overloads both cannon is a scary thing, generating 24 points per cannon (16x1.5 for overload x 2 for Killzone). However it takes substantial damage doing so, and may not survive to reload for a second attack. Needless to say it becomes a primary target for the enemy fleet.

As an option, allow the Mauler ship to use some of it's batteries to strengthen it's shields instead of using them to power the Mauler cannon. Using up the "charge" for one Mauler allows the mounting ship to increase it's shields by 50% of it's original value; using up the "charge" for both Maulers allows it to double it's original shield strength. Doing so also counts as firing a given Mauler, and requires it to be reloaded before it can be fired or boost shields again.

I don't recall the other Maulers well enough to stat them out, and I don't have any SFB materials anymore so I'm statting the D6M from memory. Anyone care to stat out the other Maulers?


***edited to reflect correct damage dealt. ***
 
Sounds like a perfect candidate for the old boresight rule?

Accurate +3 I don't think works as a 1 always misses?

Surely it should be devestating rather than precise?
 
Well, I would point out that people are welcome to find these files for themselves over at the Commander's Circle...

(A lot of the FC material relevant to current discussions is freely available; as noted elsewhere, the only thing you'd need to actually spend money on to get caught up rules-wise is the Reference Rulebook, which is pretty cheap compared to, say, its SFB counterpart.)
 
I posted a possible alternative in another thread. I am going to re-post it below, and keep in mind I was trying to avoid tracking battery levels, etc. I do like what Billclo mentioned above that maybe the Mauler should have to be reloaded after firing. First: my possible control sheet below:


Now my original Post from the marauder thread:

(Long Post Warning)

Billclo kind of stole my thunder while I was writing this, but after looking over my SFB rules and the 'test' rules for FC for maulers, I would stat out a D6M Mauler Cruiser as using the stats shown in the book for a normal D6 but changing these:

1) Replace the phaser-1's weapon entry with phaser-2's of the same arc and AD.
2) Replace the disruptor line with two mauler lines. The lines would be
Type: Mauler
Rng: 10
Arcs: One would be PB and the other SB (More on that later)
AD: Up to 4
Traits: Seeking, Energy Bleed, Multi-Hit D6, devastating +1, Shock

Now, let me explain what this does. (Note that the idea is to use the existing ACTA: SF rules as much as possible and keep the rules simple so large battles do not bog down and yet get the SFB flavor into the weapon. The rest of the post is long, but just because I want to explain my thinking on this so that people do not think I am nuts after reading the above stats.)

Arc PB and SB would be Port Boresight and Starboard Boresight. This is centerline out to the edge of the normal forward arc to either side of the center line. Splitting this out allows fire at more than one target, and widens the arc a bit over just boresight which reflects the rules in SFB. The rules in other ADB products allow firing over multiple impulses, so I think this fits. Basic rules would allow each bank to fire only at 1 target, but advanced rules would allow the 4 AD in each bank to be fired at different targets. Maulers may NOT be used for defensive fire.

The AD is variable as far as the player may fire up to 4 from each bank, but is not required to fire all 4 if they do not desire to. (This will effect the shock trait for the weapon.)

Now for the traits. First off, seeking means that there are no to hit rolls so the weapon is auto hit as per other ADB games. It also means no shield leaks. Lastly, unless the rules were changed to say that Maulers cannot be evaded, it would give a target like a ship a chance to evade using a SA or by going over 12" and not being in the forward arc. Bases (the targets meant for maulers) could of course not evade. If one thinks there should be no chance for evasion, then a simple "Maulers may not be evaded" is all that is needed in the weapon description.

Next, energy bleed gives the weapon limited range as it should have.

Multi-hit gives the weapons the same punch as a plasma torpedo. I know randomness for the Mauler weapon is not something in other ADB products, but it may fit better in ACTA:SF.

Devastating +1 makes it a heavy weapon.

Shock: This would have to be a new weapon trait, but it needs to be kept simple. Here goes: After all attacks (regardless of how the AD are split up) make a CQ check, however, the target number is equal to the number of AD fired from the ship (i.e. total fired from both banks) during the attach phase. If the roll is made, no shock damage is taken. If the check is missed by less than 2, then the mauler has been damaged and may not be fired again until repaired. If the roll is missed by 3 or more, then the ships systems have been overloaded. Roll for a random hit on the systems table for each bank that was fired during the turn (i.e. two rolls on the table if both were fired during the turn).

If you want to allow overloading (I am not sure I do), then max AD would go to 5 per bank, with the shock damage to systems being applied automatically and should require the Overload Weapon SA.

Whew! Looks like a lot but really we are just talking about some firing arc additions and one weapon trait.

Again, just some brainstorming . . . . and I have no idea what the point value would be . . .
 
It seems that the shield values are based on the #2 and #5 shields on each (Squadron Scale) Ship Card; if that is the case, the D6M's should value should go up to 22, in line with the playtest Ship Card linked to above.

(It would have only 1 transporter, also.)
 
The shields on the card above are correct Nerroth. You are forgetting that Klingon shields are the exception to the rule because of there double front shield rule.

Also I will have to look but i think the D6M has a single mauler cannon and the 2 arrows on the SSD are artistic license.

Also how are you going to handle shock.
 
*double-checks*

So it is. (I wonder if there is a set fraction the Klingon shields go down by in order to accommodate the front shield rule...)


There should still only be one transporter, though. (The ones in the aft hull are among the boxes ripped out to make room for the batteries.)


And you are right about the D6M; from (4Z1):

The two mauler arrows on the D6M are one weapon, drawn this way for artistic reasons.
Click to expand...


Just a thought; should mauler ships have the War Eagle's Under Powered trait when firing their mauler cannons?
 
I did make a couple goofs.

1) The Attack value should be 8 points, not 16. I forgot to divide by 2 - a Mauler using 16 pts of energy at normal range should do 16 points of damage, which is equal to an overloaded Photon. So change damage to 8. Changed back to 16 because there is only one Mauler, not 2 as I thought.

As for the Accurate +3, that's to reflect that the Mauler is very accurate. I believe you use 2D6 in SFB and it's a pretty easy to hit number you need. This can be adjusted if need be. No worse than an Accurate +2 I'd say though.

2) I totally forgot shock. I haven't played SFB in quite a long time, and it's been ages since I used anything requiring a shock roll. In F&E the mauler if used for directed damage (uses full power basically), it rolls a D6 and on a roll of 5 or 6 the ship cripples itself. I'm going to defer to others who are more knowledgeable about this.

As for "Just a thought; should mauler ships have the War Eagle's Under Powered trait when firing their mauler cannons?":

The Mauler(s) are normally powered from huge battery banks, and as long as those are fully charged, the Mauler can fire without reducing power available for movement/shields/recharging phasers, etc. It's when you recharge those batteries that things get interesting. Which is why I wanted there to be a requirement for the Reload Special Order. It would probably be more realistic to say that if the ship is reloading, it can't go over speed 6, but I'm trying to keep things simple...sort of.

As for the weapon being Precise rather than Devastating, it occurs to me that all of the "Devastating" weapons - Photons, Plasmas, Drones - are all blast type weapons. The Mauler is a large beam weapon, so it seems to me that Precise would be more suitable. It also gives a higher chance of critical hits, which seems to me to fit better with a very high powered intense bolt of energy hitting a target.

I guess if one wants to complicate things you could allow the ship to divide up it's Mauler damage points among multiple targets in arc, but it's perhaps making things too complicated. I'm neutral on this issue.

I was not aware that the D6M only had one Mauler weapon; I had always thought it was 2. Hmm...that changes things a bit. Change Damage to 16 and only have one shot rolled for. Or if allowing a player to divide up his damage among multiple targets, perhaps allow multiple smaller firings of the weapon at the same or several targets.

It might encourage the Klingon to use 2 or more smaller shots totalling no more than 16 damage at the same target if there is a situation where he might miss (long range, or against an evading target) rather than one huge 16 damage blast that could miss. :shock:

Change the reload special action to read: "After firing the weapon, the mounting ship must use the Reload Special Action. Each turn using the Reload Special Action recharges the batteries sufficiently to allow the weapon to fire again for 8 damage dealt. The ship must spend 2 turns under Reload restrictions to fully reload the Mauler. "
 
I'd have thought the act of firing the thing itself would be a power drain (rather than underpowered) you are literally draining all your power into the weapon.

That woud either force you to fire only the mauler, or only move 6".
 
As it stands, the playtest BoM rules have no shock; though it may be different upon formal publication if needs be.

(What if something like the Orion side-effect for engine doubling was used here; with a degree of critical hit scored relative to how powerful a burst is fired from the mauler cannon?)
 
Precise inplies highly accurate targetting system something a mauler is not. I would strongly suggest using the Devastating Trait based on raw power it pumps out.

The thing to remember is maulers are not intended for fleet to fleet combat like drone ships. The purpose for the mauler as well as the New Jersey class and Gorn Strike Cruiser is base busting. It just so happend they can function in a fleet. They are Shotguns not Battle Rifles.

The New Jersey and I am sure the F6 deal with shock by limiting the number of weapons you can fire in a turn.

Look at combinig the Seeking Trait and Energy Bleed like a Plasma Torpedo on Steriod fulls mating with a Plasma Bolt.. As a bore sighted seeking weapon you will get the auto hit you looking at Energy Bleed will pare the Damage down fast. Max Damage out to 5" 3/4 out to 7.5" and zero past 10.
 
I would stay with one mauler on target myself and relie on a straight up Bore Sight. The reason for the skewed arcs was becase a hex enviroment would make a straight bore sight a rarity. So the cone shaped template was made to cover it and the skew arcs were used to simulate lining up a centerline shot. Something that is not a problem in ACTASF.
 
Okay, after the various proposals and thinking it over, here's the updated Mauler proposal:

Damage 16, Accurate +2, ignores shields on a natural die roll of 5 or 6, Devastating, Reload, Killzone 2. Between range 6 to 10, damage = 8. Firing arc is a 45 degree arc centered on the Foreward Centerline (ie, 22.5 degrees to each side of the centerline).

If the Mauler weapon uses more than 75% rounded up of it's full attack value in a turn, 1 internal damage is scored on the Mauler ship. Multiple smaller firings are added together to determine the total damage fired in a given turn. Internal damage from non-overloaded firing is not cumulative with damage taken from the Overload or Emergency Overload Special Action; the most severe penalty applicable is the one inflicted.

Using the Overload Special Action increases the damage dealt by 50% (from 16 to 24, subject to Killzone bonus), but requires the firing ship to take 2 Impulse Critical Hits, a Dilithium Chamber hit, AND internal damage equal to 20% of it's starting value, rounded up. Note that the Critical damage hits can cause additional internal damage (If the Mauler ship had no Impulse Criticals and overloaded the Mauler, the second Impulse Critical hit would score an additional 1 damage point).

The ship may split up the damage dealt in any way the firing player desires. Multiple targets may be engaged as long as they are in the narrow firing arc. Multiple smaller firings may be made at the same target. The Mauler ship may not fire the Mauler defensively; it is an offensive weapon only.

When the Mauler ship is nominated to fire, it may at it's option, drain some of the power in it's battery banks into reinforcing shields instead of using it to fire the weapon. For every 2 points of offensive damage diverted into the shields, 3 is added to the current shield strength. The ship may reinforce shields in this manner AND fire the Mauler weapon at reduced effect in the same turn.

Add 2 new Special Actions: Reload Mauler and Emergency Overload.
Reload Mauler:
The Mauler weapon has massive banks of batteries feeding the weapon, and fully reloading them requires more power than any other heavy weapon. The ship conducting this order has 2 choices:
1) Move no more than 6" and can only fire phasers and/or drones. This reloads the Mauler weapon to 50% capacity and it may be fired at up to 50% effect next turn. 2) The ship may not move, but may make a normal turn in place, and cannot fire any weapons other than drones or ADD. This fully reloads the Mauler and it may be fired at full strength the following turn.

Emergency Overload the Mauler:
In a desperate attempt to one shot kill the target, the ship mounting the Mauler has the option of using all available power, including that for movement, to fire the Mauler weapon. Increase the original strength of the Mauler by 100% instead of 50% for a normal Overload. Thus a D6M would go from 16 damage dealt to 32, subject to Killzone bonus. The firing ship must take 3 Impulse Criticals and 2 Dilithium Chamber hits, plus hull damage equal to 50% rounded up of it's original starting value. The ship may not move more than 3" or fire any phasers. It may make one normal turn in place instead of moving 3".
 
Another thought for the mixing pot -

How about making firing the Mauler itself a Special Action with Power Drain - and also still keep the Reload trait.

I still think Boresight is the way to go rather than a 45 degree arc - Its likely just firing on stations and maybe adrift ships so you know where they are going to be.

I would go with: (nice and simple and you get to roll a bucket load of dice :) )

Range 10"
AD 20,
Accurate +2, ignores shields on a natural die roll of 5 or 6, Devastating+1, Reload,

Firing arc is the Foreward Centerline

In order to fire the Mauler weapon you must perform the Fire Mauler! Special Action, this has Power Drain but no CQ check.
Firing the Mauler inflicts 1D6 damage on the firing ship, close blast doors protect as normal but shields have no effect on this damage.

When the Mauler ship is nominated to fire, it may at it's option, drain some of the power in it's battery banks into reinforcing shields instead of using it to fire the weapon. For every 2 points of offensive damage diverted into the shields, 3 is added to the current shield strength. The ship may reinforce shields in this manner AND fire the Mauler weapon at reduced effect in the same turn.
 
Da Boss said:
Another thought for the mixing pot -

How about making firing the Mauler itself a Special Action with Power Drain - and also still keep the Reload trait.

I still think Boresight is the way to go rather than a 45 degree arc - Its likely just firing on stations and maybe adrift ships so you know where they are going to be.

I would go with: (nice and simple and you get to roll a bucket load of dice :) )

Range 10"
AD 20,
Accurate +2, ignores shields on a natural die roll of 5 or 6, Devastating+1, Reload,

Firing arc is the Foreward Centerline

In order to fire the Mauler weapon you must perform the Fire Mauler! Special Action, this has Power Drain but no CQ check.
Firing the Mauler inflicts 1D6 damage on the firing ship, close blast doors protect as normal but shields have no effect on this damage.
Click to expand...

2 things. I don't see how you can benefit from the Close Blast Doors special action AND Fire Mauler since Close Blast Doors does not carry over from turn to turn.

Secondly, can someone explain the "Boresight" rules for we non-ACTA players?
 
Opps yeah that makes sense - silly me - i was trying to be think of things that might mitegate...... I'll ddelete the bit about blast doors

Boresight is the same as centrelining with your phasers if that makes sense
 
One reason I wanted to make the Mauler a fixed damage value and not AD per se is that you put X amount of energy into the weapon, it fires and does Y damage (dependent on range). The damage output is not variable per se. It's either you hit the target with Y damage, or you missed.

It's not like a drone or Plasma that might have a near miss detonation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
Called Shot and Sustained Damage
Replies
3
Views
499
Bense
Bense
M
Ion Cannon Bays
Replies
18
Views
1K
MasterGwydion
M
C
The infamous Eurisko fleet from 1981
Replies
8
Views
830
AnotherDilbert
A
Sigtrygg
How jump works
3 4 5
Replies
94
Views
3K
WHULorigan
WHULorigan
S
High Guard Smaller Weapons
5 6 7
Replies
132
Views
6K
Condottiere
C
Back
Top