Meson weapon description clarification

[Chas]

In the High Technology chapter it specifically states Meson weapons' radiation affect can ignore radiation shielding in ships. It only states they ignore armor for spinal weapons. Does the meson spinal weapons radiation effect also ignore radiation shielding?

 

[MongooseMatt]

This needs thought - when you see the new spinal mount rules in the next draft, please revisit this point!

 

[Nerhesi]

Yeah - I would think if Radiation damage from Mesons needs to be affected. Otherwise we've got instant-gibbing by radiation happening.

 

[MongooseMatt]

At the moment it is (2D x 100) -500 rads from a meson hit, ignoring any shielding beyond the hull. A massive problem?

 

[Nerhesi]

At the moment it is (2D x 100) -500 rads from a meson hit, ignoring any shielding beyond the hull. A massive problem?

If Radiation Shielding applies as well, further reducing the rad adjustment to -1000 then we are good... if radiation shielding doesn't apply? Then we have a massive problem

But I dont think you've stated anywhere that it doesn't? so we're good? lol

 

[hdan]

The fiction of Meson weaponry is that the particles don't interact with normal matter until they decay, which they do inside the hull of the target.
So they bypass armor, rad shielding, etc. The only thing that stops them is the appropriate screen. If you don't have that screen, your ship is doomed.

 

[Nerhesi]

The fiction of Meson weaponry is that the particles don't interact with normal matter until they decay, which they do inside the hull of the target.
So they bypass armor, rad shielding, etc. The only thing that stops them is the appropriate screen. If you don't have that screen, your ship is doomed.

So perhaps that needs to be the approach then Matt. A Meson screen will remove the radiation trait from the meson weapon - regardless of how many screens.

 

[hdan]

So perhaps that needs to be the approach then Matt. A Meson screen will remove the radiation trait from the meson weapon - regardless of how many screens.

That seems eminently sensible. The screen (traditionally) works by modifying mesons' velocities, which when successful, makes them decay outside the ship's hull.

(In older edition fluff, meson guns work by speeding up decaying mesons to relativistic speeds, timed so that their (subjective) decay time happens inside the enemy's hull. Nothing in MGT contradicts that, though it's no longer spelled out as clearly.)

Meson Screens should definitely reduce radiation damage, at least to the extent that it blocks the shot from doing damage.

 

[Sigtrygg]

One of the oldest suggested fanfixes for HG was to have meson screens also count as armour vs meson guns, reducing both the extra internal hits and radiation hits (many people forgot the rad hits alone would mission kill the crew without the need for the fuel tanks shattered result which would also be an instant mission kill.

A long winded way of saying that having meson screens in the new rules reduce normal and radiation damage gets my vote.

 

[Nerhesi]

One of the oldest suggested fanfixes for HG was to have meson screens also count as armour vs meson guns, reducing both the extra internal hits and radiation hits (many people forgot the rad hits alone would mission kill the crew without the need for the fuel tanks shattered result which would also be an instant mission kill.

A long winded way of saying that having meson screens in the new rules reduce normal and radiation damage gets my vote.

They do As it stands now, they reduce damage.. we're recommending they remove the radiation trait as well

 

[Chas]

As a note here, radiation shielding still works by RAW against meson spinals.

We have the meson weapon description saying it by-passes armour, not saying shielding. While under radiation shielding in Ship Design the text still specifically states that it includes meson weapons in its protection.