Mixed Turrets

[Scalding]

For double or triple turrets, on page 147 the rulebook says "A gunner may fire any or all of the weapons in his turret but each turret may only fire once per round."

So if the turret has sandcasters and lasers, it seems to me that the gunner must decide to either fire sand or laser each round, because the reaction to enemy fire most likely does not happen simultaneously with firing offensively.

Do I have this right?

[Edit below]
Also, with multiple-barrel turrets, does the attacker make 1 roll for all barrels of a type, or 1 roll for each barrel?

 

[Fovean]

IMTU a mixed turret can fire "any or all of the weapons" but only at a single target per round. Sandcasters IMTU are slug-throwers that burst a few dozen kilometers away from the ship and so can be fired in tandem with other weapons (the sand rounds need several seconds to reach their burst point).

The original CT had a computer program called Multi-Target that allowed attacking, er, multiple targets :wink: But I don't use that IMTU because it was computer oriented and I like the players to do the work.

The gunner would make a single to hit roll but each weapon fired rolls for damage separately. The ship also gets sand protection that turn (and maybe their opponent too). BUT if there's more than two ships involved, the sand only affects those attacks that come from ships with equal or lesser initiative.

 

[BP]

Note - those rules are under the Firing 'Beam' Weapons.

The RAW is unclear (and perhaps inconsistent) in this - Fovean has some nicely thought out rules.

Turrets as sharable weapons platform would seem to be unable to fire beam weapons simultaneously at multiple targets assuming all weapons move together - but combat rounds are multiple minutes and one could abstract into that the ability to tackle multiple targets. Depends also on the 'justification' for such long rounds. (I use 'time on target' for damage requirements, but I use a more free-form combat).

One could take the 'one shot' per turret, per round to mean no, all shots would go to a given target with one to hit roll (and each damage, as per Fovean). IIRC, sandcasters can also be fired in the same round per the RAW.

Firing missiles wouldn't seem to require a LOS (or time on target) for damage - but might require time for target locking (sensor lock). So I can see firing missile (or salvo) in the same round - though that would be debatable and can see a multi-action penalty applying.

 

[Fovean]

Hmmm, good thoughts, BP.

In the interest of full disclosure, IMTU the length of a space combat rounds varies based on range to target, from 10 sec (IMTU Pers Combat turn length) at about a kilometer to 10 min per turn at 250k km. Weapon ROF is based on a 1 minute turn so at greater ranges you have the possibility of multiple attacks per turn at a -1DM cumulative to hit per additional target. I handwave this as sensors and tracking systems requiring more time as the ranges increase to calculate firing solutions. OTOH, it works at closer ranges because a given defensive maneuver has a greater effect and therefore more solutions must be looked at 8)

Varying length of turns based on range is an idea from GURPS Spaceships that I've brewed in. Boarding actions are frequent IMTU so we needed a way to track and integrate personal and space combat at the same time and 6 second rounds into 6 minute rounds was too big a gap.

Good point about missiles and sensor lock - goes into the cumulative target rule I described above. :wink:

 

[BP]

Yeah, the timing disjoint between combat types is pretty glaring. Varying by range is a good compromise.

You have a system or just handwave missile 'times'?

 

[apoc527]

Fovean, your stuff sounds REALLY fascinating. I don't know if you've got it all written down, but if you do, could you post it? Or email it to me? I haven't engaged in too much space combat with MGT yet, but I suspect that could change and I like your ideas.

 

[Fovean]

You have a system or just handwave missile 'times'?

Yeah, I use the 'Thrust to Change' rule. But my range scales are different (more like the old MegaTrav scale - again trying for more Pers/Space integration) so I have a little spreadsheet built that shows Thrust to Change for each Range band based on 1G acceleration. IMTU Rockets ("light" missiles I guess, hard mounted for small craft, mostly ground support) travel at Firing Ship's Thrust + 2, Missiles at Thrust + 4 and Torps at Thrust + 8. Point defense can begin at the defensive weapon's Optimum range and you may get a second shot at a given missile but usually they're traveling fast enough that they more than close the distance on the next round.

It's still getting the kinks worked out. For instance, I need to use the old acceleration formulas from CT Book 2 on the first turn of combat to get a ship to the next range band, then the super-simple Thrust to Change can kick in... unless the encounter is happening at a range band break point which is generally unlikely. It's a little weird because the formulas presume constant acceleration but the Thrust to Change rule, well, doesn't.

I haven't tried any fleet or squadron level fighting with these ideas, this all player-level stuff, a couple ships duking it out on the way to safety or jump. But I think it would work for larger engagements too.

 

[Fovean]

... but I suspect that could change and I like your ideas.

Thanks!

Wait, didn't you do the 'High Guard Combat Adj' and alternate missile rules? I'd say you've handled more space combat than me! :wink:

I have things on my computer in what I call "reference mode" meaning they're pretty messy and hard to read, except for me. I'm working on the sheets this week so if I get something presentable I'll post it or email it.

Thanks again for the kind words, guys.