msprange said:
Missile salvos effectively have a Thrust of 10 and will reach their target a number of combat rounds after they have been fired, as shown on the Missile Flight table.
Missile Flight
Range Rounds to Impact
Short and below Immediate
Medium 1
Long 2
Very Long 3
Distant 5
I have a bit of a problem with this chart -- it doesn't match with the Ship Movement Table on p.156 of the 2e playtest.
Example 1
A missile is launched at a target at Medium range and moves at Thrust 10 for 5 rounds.
Round 1: Adjacent (1) + Close (1) + Short (2) + Medium (5) = 9 Thrust points. It ought to impact on the same round it is launched.
Example 2
A missile is launched at a target at Long range and moves at Thrust 10 for 5 rounds.
Round 1: Adjacent (1) + Close (1) + Short (2) + Medium (5) = 9 Thrust points.
Round 2: Long (10). It impacts on the first round after launch, not the second.
Example 3
A missile is launched at a target at Very Long range and moves at Thrust 10 for 5 rounds.
Round 1: Adjacent (1) + Close (1) + Short (2) + Medium (5) = 9 Thrust points.
Round 2: Long (10).
Round 3: 10 out of Very Long's 25.
Round 4: 20 out of Very Long's 25
Round 5: Impact. It hits on the 4th round after launch, not the 3rd.
Example 4
A missile is launched at a target at Distant range and moves at Thrust 10 for 5 rounds.
Round 1: Adjacent (1) + Close (1) + Short (2) + Medium (5) = 9 Thrust points. (But there's one left over; this is important.)
Round 2: Long (10).
Round 3: 10 out of 25.
Round 4: 20 out of 25
Round 5: finishes the remaining 5 thrust points for Very Long, spends the other 5 plus the one left over from round 1. It now requires 44 more Thrust points to reach Distant, but since it has been 5 rounds,
it is now out of fuel and will never hit its target.
Missiles need to be held to the same standards as ships when it comes to crossing distance. Either the Ship Movement table needs its thrust requirements modified, or missiles need a boost to thrust and/or endurance.