Early EA idea - Interceptors Offensive Mode

[Da Boss]

Hi - I don't like the idea of early EA getting emines - does not seem right against the Minbari !?

but they need a little something - not great just OK at Best (like the Centauri)

so how about this: (from AOG / Dilgar War novel) Version Two edited as per suggestion

Special Action

Set Interceptors to Offensive Mode CQ check - Automatic

The vaunted EA interceptor systems can be used in several modes. Whilst usually utalised for defensive fire, they can be reset to put out a hail of close range fire.
The Action must be declared when this ship is activated in ther movement phase. When it is activated in the attack phase it may use its interceptors in a offensive mode. It no longer benefits from its own interceptors for the rest of the turn - although fighters in support duty may intercept as normal. It gains the following additional weapon system until the end of the turn when it reverts to the interceptor trait.

Interceptors Offensive Mode...Range 4" ...T arc.....AD equal to 2x interceptor trait............Accurate, Twin Linked

Only problem is not sure that why later ships would not be able to use............something in the fluff could be designated I suppose - although if only Crusade get the emine missiles than Third Age could use too?

suggestions and comments welcome

 

[Burger]

Sounds good to me! Apart from this bit:

has not declared its interceptors against enemy fire

Since you can't "declare" your interceptors not to fire. Make it a special action, which would be declared in the movement phase. And give it Accurate since they are used to mow down fighters in the series.

 

[Da Boss]

thanks - will have another go

 

[Lord David the Denied]

So you swap interceptors for an increased range anti-fighter weapon? Interesting, but wouldn't it be simpler and probably fairer to just get a light pulse cannon with AD equal to twice the interceptor score?

 

[No. 1 Bear]

That sounds really good, and could have some uses.

 

[CZuschlag]

This is a major heavy weapon against Bluestars, but, more importantly, Drakh Raiders (because the Interceptors were useless before -- all Beams). It also stacks with Antifighter to create even more of an escort effect.

The small range and range bracket means that fleets that use Fleet Action scale with this new setup will have dramatically greater performance than those without.

Fluff standpoint --- why wouldn't all EA ships be able to do this? Do we want to talk aout all EA ships doing this? With the Omega, it's 8 AD Twin-Linked, Accurate for an average of 5.6:6.1 + 1 critical effect against a Drakh Raider. That's a lot!

Unquestioned improvement for Early EA/All EA. Other EA you can talk about the upgrade because they are slight underperforms (until Fusion Missile, at least). Early EA is an overperform; we need to give them something .... very marginal.

 

[Da Boss]

This is a major heavy weapon against Bluestars, but, more importantly, Drakh Raiders (because the Interceptors were useless before -- all Beams). It also stacks with Antifighter to create even more of an escort effect.

The small range and range bracket means that fleets that use Fleet Action scale with this new setup will have dramatically greater performance than those without.

Fluff standpoint --- why wouldn't all EA ships be able to do this? Do we want to talk aout all EA ships doing this? With the Omega, it's 8 AD Twin-Linked, Accurate for an average of 5.6:6.1 + 1 critical effect against a Drakh Raider. That's a lot!

Unquestioned improvement for Early EA/All EA. Other EA you can talk about the upgrade because they are slight underperforms (until Fusion Missile, at least). Early EA is an overperform; we need to give them something .... very marginal.

yeah there are problems as you stay - though shouldn't the Drakh Raiders / Blue stars be able to stay out of range? not sure

I mentioned the problem with "why can't all EA do it myself"

I am bit conused about the FA scale - isn't all gun rnage measured from centre point so not sure why they should matter :? Happy to be enlightned?

 

[CZuschlag]

It's not the post --- you can cram more bases in shorter range of each other because of the bases-can't-overlap rule. The old full-size Olympus base, for example, is huge (1.5" radius?), so there's only so much stuff you can get within 4" of each other and in the same arc.

With Fleet Action scale, it's much, much, much easier; the "radius" is closer to 1/2". This means that not all bases are equal, something Drazi players with range 10 Particle Cannons, boresight restrictions, and huge bases on every ship they own may relate to.

Thus the lack of weaponry on non-stacking things (like ships) that is super-short ranged.

 

[No. 1 Bear]

I feel something like this would be a bit more EA esque.

Fighting to the Last Special Action CQ Check 8

The EA of the era of the earth mimbari war and the dilgar war where outclassed by their opponents ships in virtually every way. The Earth crews did have something that made up for their poor ships; their spirit. The Earth man would fight to the end even against the greatest odds. (See Molari's speech on Humans.)

This specail action allows EA:EY to ignore the effects of being crippled and skeleton crewed for one turn. Please note that this is a special action that a crippled and skeleton crewed ship can take. Furthermore all weapons fired under this speacial action gain the slowloading trait, if it did not allready have them.

I feel that this is quite balanced and it really only allows the EA player another turn with his ships as they will become pretty much useless the next turn.

 

[The_Mhor]

Not sure how even the most valient and inspired crew could overcome Crippled when that represents half of the ship having been blasted away. Skeleton crewed maybe, as they go above and beyond.

Though then it's like a 50/50 chance of flight computers.

And again, I'm not sure why the later humans are less determined, we are after all the race that unites the galaxy agains the first ones... Any SA that relies on the intrinsic human-ness of humans to justify it's fluff would seem to have to cover all three ages as we're the constant through all the fleets (and human allies to the Psi-corps/ISA/AoL (though not necessarily the Psi-Corps themselves, they're the first to claim they're different to Human))...

 

[Greg Smith]

I quite like the interceptors firing offensively idea. However making them accurate would be a significant advantage, since all of those fighters with 4" range can now be shot down with ease.

 

[lastbesthope]

IIRC there were rules for such a thing in the RPG.

LBH

 

[H]

I quite like the interceptors firing offensively idea. However making them accurate would be a significant advantage, since all of those fighters with 4" range can now be shot down with ease.

might redress the stupid fighters issue. every man and his dog is getting fighters that sit outside AF range anyway. I had a corumai under constant fire for 6 turns because the dilgar torpedo fighters just kept swamping it. . . I ended up putting 10 dice at a time into them to get past the 2+ dodge, was just stupid.

 

[Methos5000]

I quite like the interceptors firing offensively idea. However making them accurate would be a significant advantage, since all of those fighters with 4" range can now be shot down with ease.

Unless they are facing Minbari, their main opponent of the era...then they have to break stealth on the Nials first.

And Dilgar, their other opponent of the era can just use Torpedo fighters and sit out at 6" since if they are firing offensive Interceptors they will have nothing to intercept the missiles of the Dilgar fighters.

 

[Greg Smith]

That is true, but we have to consider every fleet the Early EA fleet might face. Allowing the EA to easlily shoot down Tzymms, Rivas, Skyserpents and the like could be a bit unbalancing. Plus if you give such an advance to the Early Era, you pretty much have to allow the later eras to have it.

Now if it were simply a short ranged weapon without accurate, that would be no problem. Or very low number of accurate dice with weak, maybe that would work.

Also consider the effect of B5 doing it.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

Now if it were simply a short ranged weapon without accurate, that would be no problem.

Like I suggested a couple of posts after the OP, you mean? :roll:

 

[CZuschlag]

We could use this across all of EA, and obviate the need for the problematic Fusion Missile if the Accurate trait was dropped. I'm good with it.

Range would be what, 4"?

The race that would get the worst of this is either the Drakh or the Abbai. One of 'em, I don't worry about so much. The other .... well, they might be OK with it, too.

 

[noobdelux]

dont forget the new space station rules and gaim

 

[Da Boss]

Thanks to all contributors - so how about his version

Special Action
Set Interceptors to Offensive Mode CQ check - Automatic

The vaunted EA interceptor systems can be used in several modes. Whilst usually utalised for defensive fire, they can be reset to put out a hail of close range fire.
The Action must be declared when this ship is activated in ther movement phase. When it is activated in the attack phase it may use its interceptors in a offensive mode. It no longer benefits from its own interceptors for the rest of the turn - Fighters on support duty may intercept as normal. It gains the following additional weapon system until the end of the turn when it reverts to the interceptor trait.

Interceptors Offensive Mode...Range 4" ...T arc.....AD equal to 2x interceptor trait............Twin Linked



As I read the new rules stations would not be able to choose as its a SA and it could be used across all eras?

 

[CZuschlag]

This rule would only be present for EA --- it's a candidate for their special trick in P+P.

I would not recommend both this and the Fusion Missile together.