I was perusing my FFE DVD's and ran across Special Supplement 3 - Missiles (revised). In there it actually had a more detailed explanation of on-mount missile storage. Here's what it says:
MISSILE STORAGE
Each standard missile rack can hold one missile ready to fire and two additional missiles
ready for future game turns. The role of the gunner in the turret is to aim and fire the
weaponry in the turret; once the missile racks and ready missiles are exhausted, the gunner
must reload them with new missiles. A gunner can load new missiles into the racks
and still operate the weaponry in a game turn.
The standard turret has room to store an additional 12 missiles in it. Once these missiles
have been used, the turret must be restocked with missiles carried elsewhere in the
ship (usually in the cargo hold).
Restocking a turret with missiles is accomplished during the game turn interphase. If
the gunner participates in restocking, he may not operate weaponry in the turret in the next
game turn. It is possible for non-gunner crewmembers who are not otherwise engaged to
perform restocking instead. One person can restock a turret in one game turn.
In summary:
1) a standard missile masses 48kg, or 105lbs (this is actually located in a different section).
2) a single missile rack can hold one missile in the tube and two in the mount storage magazine.
3) a missile hardpoint can store 12 additional missiles
4) a single crewmember can restock a turret in one turn.
The questions:
1) A standard missile is somewhat analagous to an AIM-9 sidewinder missile. Though a sidewinder outweighs a standard missile by about 75lbs / 34kg. It seems standard missiles are quite small.
2) The one in the tube / 2 in the ready position makes sense. But the 12 in the hard point storage area doesn't jive with the other description of the 1 ton set aside for a hardpoint being fire control machinery. Those explanations seem to contradict one another.
3) The explanation says the "turret has room to store" 12 additional missiles. But the turrets you see in all the illustrations are tiny domed things. In order for this description to make sense the turret itself would have to be much roomier, more like a old-school 5inch gun turret.
4) How in the heck do weapon safety protocols work when you are just stacking missile in the turret and hand loading them? I totally get how a person could lug these things around - control of gravity makes a huge difference in a person luggability - even for something silly like this. Have they not heard of magazines and automated loading machinery? Maybe now we understand why there are so many gunners....
Any comments?
MISSILE STORAGE
Each standard missile rack can hold one missile ready to fire and two additional missiles
ready for future game turns. The role of the gunner in the turret is to aim and fire the
weaponry in the turret; once the missile racks and ready missiles are exhausted, the gunner
must reload them with new missiles. A gunner can load new missiles into the racks
and still operate the weaponry in a game turn.
The standard turret has room to store an additional 12 missiles in it. Once these missiles
have been used, the turret must be restocked with missiles carried elsewhere in the
ship (usually in the cargo hold).
Restocking a turret with missiles is accomplished during the game turn interphase. If
the gunner participates in restocking, he may not operate weaponry in the turret in the next
game turn. It is possible for non-gunner crewmembers who are not otherwise engaged to
perform restocking instead. One person can restock a turret in one game turn.
In summary:
1) a standard missile masses 48kg, or 105lbs (this is actually located in a different section).
2) a single missile rack can hold one missile in the tube and two in the mount storage magazine.
3) a missile hardpoint can store 12 additional missiles
4) a single crewmember can restock a turret in one turn.
The questions:
1) A standard missile is somewhat analagous to an AIM-9 sidewinder missile. Though a sidewinder outweighs a standard missile by about 75lbs / 34kg. It seems standard missiles are quite small.
2) The one in the tube / 2 in the ready position makes sense. But the 12 in the hard point storage area doesn't jive with the other description of the 1 ton set aside for a hardpoint being fire control machinery. Those explanations seem to contradict one another.
3) The explanation says the "turret has room to store" 12 additional missiles. But the turrets you see in all the illustrations are tiny domed things. In order for this description to make sense the turret itself would have to be much roomier, more like a old-school 5inch gun turret.
4) How in the heck do weapon safety protocols work when you are just stacking missile in the turret and hand loading them? I totally get how a person could lug these things around - control of gravity makes a huge difference in a person luggability - even for something silly like this. Have they not heard of magazines and automated loading machinery? Maybe now we understand why there are so many gunners....
Any comments?