EA Factbook - Help!!

[Traveller-61]

First: this post in positively, absolutely, definitely nothing to do with national descriptions or feats!

Weapons Questions
When I read the main rulebook on linked weapons I thought the rule was roll once to hit, then individually roll weapon damage for each weapon. So a twin linked heavy laser cannon does 80+8d10 twice. So far so good.

Now reading the EA FB I’m not so sure. Under the weapons for the Orion starbase it lists a single heavy laser as 40+4d10. It seems a bit weak for a weapon that has 3 times the range of the Omega’s.

Also the Thunderbolt entry mentions that the gatling pulse cannon scores more damage than the Starfury’s uni-pulse cannons; and it does: 4d10 to 4d8. But the Starfury carries two of these to the T-Bolt’s single gatling cannon, leaving it looking a little under gunned for a brand new fighter. Add to that the entries for the Badger (rear turret) and the EF Light Shuttle (military version only) both carry a single uni-pulse cannon, with damage listed as 2d8.

Of course all these make sense if the damage for twin-linked weapons is the total for both; but that’s not what the rulebook says!! Or am I just getting totally confused?!! (An easily done thing by the way!! :lol: )

GROPOS
There are a couple of things missing that I would have liked to have seen: -
Standard marine body armour (or are they assumed to use the flak jackets from the main rule book?)
The weapon the Mr. Garibaldi is firing in the time flash in Babylon Squared. It looks like a gatling-type PPG.
Maybe a standard kit list for your average GROPO – useful for equipping your PCs

And lastly an observation – the Hammer Anti-Tank missile seems a bit weak at 10+1d10. Even a Baldur IVF could shrug off several hits (Hp32, DR8), and it would hardly scratch the paint on the Thor MBT!

Despite all this I thought the book was excellent and I’m looking forward to adding the Mimbari one to my collection ASAP!

Comments and explanations would be appreciated from all!!

DW

 

[Greg Smith]

I was never sure whether the armour we see Garibaldi and Sinclair wear is padded or a flak jacket. In 'The Gathering' it definitely looks padded. I have assumed that it is a flak jacket.

 

[Traveller-61]

I always thought that was the Riot Armour, although it did save Sinclair in "Infection" so you could be right.

DW

 

[Greg Smith]

Where is riot armour listed?

 

[Traveller-61]

My memory chip needs replacing again!

In the main rulebook its Padded Armour, not riot armour.

I was getting it confused with the riot armour (which it might very well be) that was written up in the old B5 rpg.

DW

 

[frobisher]

Also the Thunderbolt entry mentions that the gatling pulse cannon scores more damage than the Starfury’s uni-pulse cannons; and it does: 4d10 to 4d8. But the Starfury carries two of these to the T-Bolt’s single gatling cannon, leaving it looking a little under gunned for a brand new fighter.

I know Bruce did the conversions based upon the B5Wars stats for the ships that he helped originate;

In that the 2 linked Uni-Pulse Cannons of the Aurora Starfury do 1d6+4 damage each (front armour of the Aurora is 3 pretty much working like Dr in the RPG). Note that the Aurora only has two guns in B5W, which is based upon the on screen evidence for which guns actually fire.

The Thunderbolt's Gatling Pulse Cannon does 2d6+6.

So I suspect Bruce had assumed that damage for a linked weapon was the total...

 

[Traveller-61]

So I suspect Bruce had assumed that damage for a linked weapon was the total...

That does make a lot of sense.
Still it would be nice if someone (Matt, Bruce, August, the Mongooose.....anyone??!!!! :? ) could confirm the correct damage for a linked weapon!

DW

(Or maybe I should be posting this on the Rulemasters list?)

 

[Agent One]

Shoot, now you've got me all confused. I think I'll let Mongoose tackle this one (and apologies in advance if I got it wrong in the book).

 

[Traveller-61]

No need to apologise! After all I may just be going mad!!

It's a great book: my compliments on it and the Fiery Trial and the B5W stuff etc, etc.

It is just getting a little confusing (!!) when two different books have different stats for the same weapons on the same ship! (Omega's HPCs & Mk2 Interceptors for example) :shock:

It make trying to convert other ships a bit "difficult"! :?

DW