Can I choose to fire phasers separately?

[billclo]

There is, or was, somewhere in the depths of ACTAs section a consolidated rules document of all of Mspranges rulings up to that point, unfortunately this was weeks ago and therefore hundreds of posts ago.

Perhaps someone could remember where it was.

I have asked before for a sticky thread just to cover the rules according to Msprange as he has made rullings that a week later are 50 topics and two pages back.

That would be my document: http://travellerdocs.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/actasf-rulings-from-matt-sprange2.docx

Alternate Word 97 version: http://travellerdocs.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/actasf-rulings-from-matt-sprange.doc

It's up to date as of Feb 14 or so.

 

[Greg Smith]

If you go back to the designers intentions, I think that each line on the stat block should be classified as a separate attack and its AD rolled alone. I think the choice to combine the rolls to speed game play is simply that... a choice.
My two Quatloos wroth, YMMV.

I will concur with that. Based primarily on the definition of attack from B5 ACTA.

 

[Zarash]

Thanks for keeping with the spirit of how B5 acta is played scoutdad.

 

[Madstoat]

If you go back to the designers intentions, I think that each line on the stat block should be classified as a separate attack and its AD rolled alone. I think the choice to combine the rolls to speed game play is simply that... a choice.
My two Quatloos wroth, YMMV.

I will concur with that. Based primarily on the definition of attack from B5 ACTA.

Sense is talked at last! Whoop whoop!

 

[Captain Jonah]

Thanks Scoutdad for the answer. As long as there is a way to deal with it that doesn't involve a lot of cheese and Klingon shields stopping huge amounts of damage while on one or two points. As long as you are happy with firing phasers line by line till the shield is down then just rolling the rest in a lump :wink:

Thanks Bilco for the answer.

General suggestion. Lets just ban Klingons from the Tournaments. :lol:

Oh how about banning Kzinti as well till someone either beefs up Drone defences or nerfs Drones :twisted:

 

[Sgt_G]

But what about Capt J's example? Fire and hit with 4AD of overloaded Photons into a Forward shield with a score of "1" left, I just do not buy that it can half all the damage. I would be very surprised if that was the designer's intent. And it appears the ruling is you can't split the AD up because it's a single line-item weapon-system.

 

[Madstoat]

In that situation you should fire something else to strip the shields. Tough luck otherwise. Firing by weapon system already makes the Klinks shields that little bit easier to beat, we can't have our cake and eat it...

 

[Madstoat]

Also the RAW for the Klingon shields is pretty specific once you understand/agree what an attack is...

 

[Da Boss]

Thanks Scoutdad for the answer. As long as there is a way to deal with it that doesn't involve a lot of cheese and Klingon shields stopping huge amounts of damage while on one or two points. As long as you are happy with firing phasers line by line till the shield is down then just rolling the rest in a lump :wink:

Its certainly quicker that way but there are effects that can happen when you fire each weapon system indivudally:

ie - Ship fires 2AD phasers at another damaged ship with 6 shields, one rolls a 6 and gets through , scores a Dililthium 1(or 2 or 3) or shields 1 (or 2 or 3) crit and takes out all of the remaining shields and then folows up with remaining phasers.............

Its not going to happen that often and could be ignored in the interests of speed but the possibility is there....................

 

[storeylf]

The above was what I was getting at earlier, definition of attack is important for more than just klingon shield issues. Send shields to zero for the next 'attack' , or take out that cloak on a random trait hit etc.

 

[Da Boss]

The above was what I was getting at earlier, definition of attack is important for more than just klingon shield issues. Send shields to zero for the next 'attack' , or take out that cloak on a random trait hit etc.

Indeed ships on the verge of being crippled are epecially vulnerable to this...........

I don't think you can only loose shields just for the next attack - the crits are normally loose X shields or they drop completely or even just they are bypassed on 4+ rather than 6+

 

[storeylf]

I wasn't meaning for the next attack only, but hitting shields to zero ready for the next attack, or some equivalent (a -5 that means less shields when the next attack hits).

 

[scoutdad]

But what about Capt J's example? Fire and hit with 4AD of overloaded Photons into a Forward shield with a score of "1" left, I just do not buy that it can half all the damage. I would be very surprised if that was the designer's intent. And it appears the ruling is you can't split the AD up because it's a single line-item weapon-system.

I'd have to go with my earlier post here and say that the RAW indicates that the hits received are halved.
Of course, you have the option of not firing all of your photons (if playing under advanced rules ... see splitting fire). You could choose to fire one at the Klink with one shield box and the the other three at a differnet target. Or save them for next turn when you can fire 3 phoitons at the Klink with no shield and not have to use reload.