Jammer and ECM

[GarethL]

I notice that only military sensors and better have Jammer, but the consequences of this aren't explained in detail.

Does this mean that civilian ships can't use EW attacks against missiles?

 

[Vormaerin]

I believe jammers are for blocking enemy comms? So civilians can't stop other civilians for calling for help.

 

[Vormaerin]

Mind you, civilian ships may as well not have ECM given that its a Sensor check and they are -2 to sensor checks. They are going to roll the spots off the dice to stop any missiles if they even have crewman to assign to the sensor ops role.

 

[GarethL]

Mind you, civilian ships may as well not have ECM given that its a Sensor check and they are -2 to sensor checks. They are going to roll the spots off the dice to stop any missiles if they even have crewman to assign to the sensor ops role.

True enough,

That was kind of my thinking too, but desperate circumstances and all that...

At the same time it makes a lot of sense for civilian equipment to have no capacity for EW.

 

[Condottiere]

Maybe aftersale addon, a specialized sensor workstation.

 

[Saladman]

I would let them make the roll, but that's a sensibility going to back 1e, I don't know what the official rule is in 2e. I can certainly see going either way as a campaign/setting decision rather than a rules decision, though as a player I'd prefer to know sooner rather than later.

 

[Vormaerin]

There is nowhere in the core rules or High guard that I can find that actually says what "Jammers" do in terms of mechanics. There is definitely nothing in the Sensor Ops actions descriptions for electronic warfare and sensor lock that says Jammers are required.

In T5, jammers appear to be a hardware bonus to the ship's defense. "Jammer is an anti-sensor. The device scrambles or distorts the transmissions and readings of other sensors. It essentially scrambles location data and provides a protective Mod on the Weapons Task."