Actually Detecting a spacecraft

[Nerhesi]

Stealth hull denotes that a -4 applied to all attempt to detect or lock on a spacecraft.
Normally, detecting a spacecraft is automatic based on distance.

Should we be clarifying that with a stealth hull, it is never automatic and some roll is required? Like a Sensor+Int (8+, but with a -4 due to the hull). Since it's not opposed, most decent military sensor operators will detect it trivially, but perhaps not civilian sensor ops?

Example:

Basic military
+2 skill
+1 Char DM
+2 from Sensors type

Therefore, a 7+ is required to be rolled on 2d6.

Meanwhile civilian sensors:
-4 to -0 from sensor type
+1 char
+1/+2 skill

Therefore, a 12+ is required...

Anyways. Just a thought... is detection automatic even with a stealth hull? Do we want auto detect?

 

[Reynard]

"Under normal circumstances, an Electronics (sensors) check is all that is required to detect and identify a target that has moved into range of sensors. What information can be determined from this depends on the type of sensors employed."

Not actually automatic. Sounds like this is your first actual detection that 'something' is there and what initial information you get for the sensor used at that distance. You could blow the detection roll at one range and, if the distances are closing or opening, make it in a different range band with better or worst information relative to start with. I'd say once you know something is there, information gets better as you reach more advantageous range bands without new sensor checks.

If a stealthed ship could pass behind an object that blocks sensors then reemeges, I'd say a new sensor check is required maybe with a boon as your sensor operator was aware of its presence.

 

[Nerhesi]

Ah ok - so thats cool - for some reason I thought it was automatic based on the text that indicated that you only wouldn't be detected due to sensor damage or a sleeping sensor ops guy or so.

Must have been an earlier draft.

 

[Reynard]

"They have limited automatic operation but, as always,..."

Key word, limited.

 

[retrospaz85]

Modern aircraft have IFF Squawk boxes, with a code C for commercial, figure in Traveller any legally running around ship has to have a transponder, ping the transponder and it will squawk back (if within range) ..thats just my point of view this is also from a military standpoint. I also figure space traffic control radar spotting ships and updating local craft on a linked network if within range.

 

[Reynard]

Interesting idea. What is the range of a transponder and how does this effect the normal sensor detection game mechanics for Traveller? Do you actively ping for a transponder when you detect a ship or is active pinging normal? Essentially you are giving yourself away. We usually never really delve on the actual transponder mechanism.

 

[phavoc]

Transponders won't work at a distance, and a star system is going to be too big for that to work. Civilian ships are going to constantly transmitting info, aimed at their destination, their origin, at a traffic sat, or all three. They, usually, want people to know where they are going to be for safety reasons.

Ships not wanting to let themselves be known will keep their transponders off. I don't know if the Imperium would suspect the worse if they found a civilian ship with transponder off and no IFF at least when they actively challenged it. Could be a law against piracy and the ship might get fired upon, though I would suspect they wouldn't do that as a norm, unless local situation had deteroriated to make them always suspicious.

Not sure what the effective range should be, maybe 1 light second?