Large Ships, Reduced Crew, and Additional Sensor Stations

[AnotherDilbert]

So isn't that what the gunners are for? Interpreting the sensor data and deciding on firing solutions?

The sensor operator refines a picture of where the target was and its heading a short time ago.

The gunner predicts where the target will be when the weapon impacts, and generates a firing solution.

The EW operators need their own EW suite.

By RAW: no.

Pilots of F35s are pilots, navigators, gunners, sensor and EW operators, all in one workstation.

Fighter pilots are notoriously busy, and selected for multitasking capability.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

That works on small ships and its why Sensops are optional on Adventure class ships. They only get one action, though.

Traditionally the Navigator is the first sensor operator in combat.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Small salvoes have problems.
One good EW action can wipe out the salvo.
Small salvoes will often miss with a few missiles, which can be a noticeable fraction of fired missiles.
PD batteries don't care about salvoes, they kill missiles from any number of missiles.
Finally, the best anti-missile defence, Fragmentation missiles, don't care about salvoes, they just kill the stated number of missiles.

True, but if there are a lot of them and not enough sensops, then no EW action against them.

 

[Arkathan]

Traditionally the Navigator is the first sensor operator in combat.

Well, the astrogator doesn't have a lot to do unless you are losing.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

True, but if there are a lot of them and not enough sensops, then no EW action against them.

Agreed, but with a hang time of 7-10 rounds, there is plenty of time to target the salvo.

Small salvoes (~ten) can be wiped out by a single EW action, but are less likely to be targeted.
Medium salvoes (~hundred) are the most vulnerable to EW; they will be targeted and will lose a sizeable fraction of its missiles each turn.
Large salvoes (~thousand) are barely notices EW at all.


What you have discovered is that warships potentially needs a lot more than a few sensor operators, more like a few hundred.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Well, the astrogator doesn't have a lot to do unless you are losing.

Agreed, so he becomes the co-pilot, sensor operator, and bridge gofer.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Agreed, but with a hang time of 7-10 rounds, there is plenty of time to target the salvo.

Small salvoes (~ten) can be wiped out by a single EW action, but are less likely to be targeted.
Medium salvoes (~hundred) are the most vulnerable to EW; they will be targeted and will lose a sizeable fraction of its missiles each turn.
Large salvoes (~thousand) are barely notices EW at all.


What you have discovered is that warships potentially needs a lot more than a few sensor operators, more like a few hundred.

And that mirrors what I was envisioning as necessary. Or a dedicated EW ship packed with them.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Worse than that:

Each Hornet can launch many salvoes...


Theoretically the Referee can force the Hornets to form "fighter" squadrons, cutting down the clutter.

Good catch! I missed that.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Good catch! I missed that.

I wonder what size these squadrons would be.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I wonder what size these squadrons would be.

Now we are back to needing someone who is an expert in MgT2 Fleet Combat rules. lol

 

[Arkathan]

Agreed, so he becomes the co-pilot, sensor operator, and bridge gofer.

Bad eyes. First read, I saw a guy in a shipsuit trying to put a ball in a coffee cup on the other side of the bridge.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Bad eyes. First read, I saw a guy in a shipsuit trying to put a ball in a coffee cup on the other side of the bridge.

Now I have to design several new ships. One with a mini-golf course. One a 9 hole par 3 course. One with a full 18 holes. and the big one with a full 72 holes of up to par 5 in a multi-environment area. Not sure what the Aslan would make of that much "Land" flying through space. lol

 

[Arkathan]

Now I have to design several new ships. One with a mini-golf course. One a 9 hole par 3 course. One with a full 18 holes. and the big one with a full 72 holes of up to par 5 in a multi-environment area. Not sure what the Aslan would make of that much "Land" flying through space. lol

Incorporated with biodomes to make life support free.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

And that mirrors what I was envisioning as necessary. Or a dedicated EW ship packed with them.

As you already made, yes.

Each warship will want to have a number of local sensor operators to establish sensor locks, and break the enemies locks.

 

[MasterGwydion]

As you already made, yes.

Each warship will want to have a number of local sensor operators to establish sensor locks, and break the enemies locks.

Can Virtual Crew software do this? Or hardwired robotic brains?

 

[Terry Mixon]

Scanning the book, while groups of ships are called squadrons, the rules only seem to reference fighters. 1,000 ton warships, not so much.

I know CruRons are 4 ships (I think) so even that isn’t too bad for taking down their effectiveness. The need for lots of sensops is still there.

 

[Arkathan]

Scanning the book, while groups of ships are called squadrons, the rules only seem to reference fighters. 1,000 ton warships, not so much.

I know CruRons are 4 ships (I think) so even that isn’t too bad for taking down their effectiveness. The need for lots of sensops is still there.

HG22 talks about breaking the fleet into squadrons on pg 105 and 115.
If all elements of the fleet are not within short range of each other, they have broken off into a new squadron or individual ships.

 

[Terry Mixon]

HG22 talks about breaking the fleet into squadrons on pg 105 and 115.
If all elements of the fleet are not within short range of each other, they have broken off into a new squadron or individual ships.

I’ll admit that I didn’t see it on either page, but I did see the range chart. If the Hornets are a bit more than 1500km apart, like a wall of ships, they could still keep their mojo.

I’m not really trying to break the system. Just emphasize how important a lot of sensops and sensor actions could be.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Can Virtual Crew software do this? Or hardwired robotic brains?

Yes, and yes.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Scanning the book, while groups of ships are called squadrons, the rules only seem to reference fighters. 1,000 ton warships, not so much.

Fighter squadrons are not explicitly limited to sub-100 Dt craft. Hence I said: Theoretically the Referee can...

I know CruRons are 4 ships (I think) so even that isn’t too bad for taking down their effectiveness. The need for lots of sensops is still there.

Traditionally a capital squadron is 8-10 ships.