Primitive & Advanced Tech options

[Nerhesi]

Quickly becoming my favourite section. I would just like to see more options so I will be doing some research.

A couple of key advantages that should be added however.

Reaction Fuel (Improved) - 1 advantage, 25% less fuel required for reaction drives
Reaction Fuel (Advanced) - 2 advantages, 50% less fuel required for reaction drives

This can either by a Reaction Drive advantage, or a Reaction "fuel" advantage.

Honestly - I really really like this section and think we should flesh it out considerably. Customization upon Customization (optional) is a very enjoyable exercise I've found that players appreciated, regardless of game and genre.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Love it. This one is in.

 

[Belisknar]

I'm also quite enjoying this section but something that I'm curious about in terms of the ability to decrease the size of Jump/Manoeuvre drives... Are they still limited by the minimum size requirement?

For example if a 200 ton Craft was fitted with a Jump 2 Drive at TL-15 could it's size be reduced from 10 tons to 6 Tons using the 4 advantages?

 

[Alqualonde]

There is no advantages specific to missiles and torpedoes. Would it be possible to add some that increase speed or the amount of time their propulsion is active?

Also Advanced Tech is currently limited to +2 TL, for a standard missile (introduced at TL7), this mean that at TL9 or TL15 they have the same capabilities (2 advantages)... But having 8 advantages on a standard missile is maybe too much. Perhaps 1 per 'group' of TL (Pre-Stellar, Early Stellar, etc.), only for advantages (and keep the TL for disadvantages).
A TL-5 standard missile had 2 disadvantages.
A TL-6 stadard missile has 1 disadvantages.
A Pre-Stellar (TL-7 to 9) standard missile has no advantages.
An Early Stellar (TL-A or B) standard missile has 1 advantage.
An Average Stellar (TL-C to E) standard missile has 2 advantages.
A High Stellar (TL-F+) standard missile has 3 advantages.

 

[Nerhesi]

There is no advantages specific to missiles and torpedoes. Would it be possible to add some that increase speed or the amount of time their propulsion is active?

Also Advanced Tech is currently limited to +2 TL, for a standard missile (introduced at TL7), this mean that at TL9 or TL15 they have the same capabilities (2 advantages)... But having 8 advantages on a standard missile is maybe too much. Perhaps 1 per 'group' of TL (Pre-Stellar, Early Stellar, etc.), only for advantages (and keep the TL for disadvantages).
A TL-5 standard missile had 2 disadvantages.
A TL-6 stadard missile has 1 disadvantages.
A Pre-Stellar (TL-7 to 9) standard missile has no advantages.
An Early Stellar (TL-A or B) standard missile has 1 advantage.
An Average Stellar (TL-C to E) standard missile has 2 advantages.
A High Stellar (TL-F+) standard missile has 3 advantages.

It would be cool to have adv/disadv applicable to launchers and missiles. Granted the missile advantages would depend on the Missile TL. The Darrian book has some options for advanced Darrian Missiles/Torps (Stealth, Resilient)

 

[AndrewW]

There is no advantages specific to missiles and torpedoes. Would it be possible to add some that increase speed or the amount of time their propulsion is active?

Advantages/disadvantages for missiles and torpedoes for speed and endurance where written up. So far they haven't been included...

 

[wbnc]

How about externl weapons mounts such as missile/gun pods.

-2 attack DM, not protected by armor. Every time the ship takes a hit there is a percentage chance equal to the percentage of the ships volume the pod takes up that the pod is hit and destroyed.

holds a single weapon only, Fixed mount, can fit bay weapons, but not barbettes.

Tonnage
1 ton minimum volume + ammunition storage, energy weapons require addition of small reactor to the pod with fuel supply.
cost:
non gravity hull hull cost
reactor cost:
weapon cost
fixed single turret cost
ammo purchased separately
+10% surcharge

Carrier vessel requires External weapon fitting MCr 0.25, tonnage 1 ton for fire control.

 

[MongooseMatt]

There is no advantages specific to missiles and torpedoes.

I am not convinced this is the right chapter for them, or whether the advantage/disadvantage system is the way to handle it - it might be 'cleaner' for us to just list better or worse missile types...

 

[phavoc]

To keep it simple with missiles and torps, just give them a +1 damage per increased TL. For a TL 15 missile it would get a +6 to the damage roll, reflecting it's larger warhead due to minaturization benefits. So everyone will be clamoring for the latest tech missile, but it will cost you... and drop the positive damage roll as you lower the tl. You could apply negative dm's too for dropping below, but I would limit that to say a max -3 to keep them relevant.

To balance this you'd want to make tech 15 stuff more or less equal, so maybe a bonus to armor resistance to offset the increased power. It gives higher tl ships a true advantage that they should have in combat situations.

 

[MongooseMatt]

That is a nice, easy solution for missiles. Will look into it!

 

[Nerhesi]

Becareful making missiles magically scale a lot better with tech than direct fire weapons. At best, a tech level increase for missiles should raise your base, not maximum damage.

Just like high-yield does for direct fire weapons.

Missiles/torps already do a lot (maybe too much damage) - adding more may not be the best thing. (yes we have point defense, ammo, etc - none of which matters as long as you win the engagement due to overwhelming damage and missiles launched per hardpoint)

 

[MongooseMatt]

Becareful making missiles magically scale a lot better with tech than direct fire weapons.

That is the one thing that stopped me adding it immediately

I think it may be better if we just had a Super Missile added at a higher TL.

 

[Nerhesi]

Functionally, a TL+2 missile shouldn't be any more revolutionary than a TL+2 beam. They're either more accurate, efficient, more damage on average (high yield), etc... but not whole D6s above and beyond

Super missiles? Sure why not - basically bigger torps. Granted you'd be able to hit them like ships - but I'm all f more meaningful choices

 

[Chas]

Another simple option could be to add 1pt Thrust with each tech level, or 2 tech levels.

 

[Chas]

Just to confirm, and something that could be specifically stated in the rules. There are only 3 advantages that can be applied to a single component at any one time right? Not that you can take say for the jump drive 3 x fuel efficient and 3 x size reduction.

 

[phavoc]

Becareful making missiles magically scale a lot better with tech than direct fire weapons. At best, a tech level increase for missiles should raise your base, not maximum damage.

Just like high-yield does for direct fire weapons.

Missiles/torps already do a lot (maybe too much damage) - adding more may not be the best thing. (yes we have point defense, ammo, etc - none of which matters as long as you win the engagement due to overwhelming damage and missiles launched per hardpoint)

You could apply the same modifiers to beam weapons as well. So everything scaled and it reflects a bonus to higher tech. But you would probably want to scale defenses the same.

Or you do it differently. Assume your weapons and tech level if your ship are tied together. The average tech level is 12, so that's your baseline. A to 15 ship would get a +1 mod per to difference, so against the average 12 ship it would be +3. It would probably be to destabilizing to make it for hit and damage rolls so you could just keep it with damage.

So you now have a real tech bonus built in. While everyone is going to want to run around in a tech level 15 ship, your costs are going to go up because those tech 15 spares and ammo have to be imported, driving up your costs say 30%, using the same + mod, except now it's a full 10%.

This might be better as an alternate rule, as not everyone is going to like it.

 

[Belisknar]

Just to confirm, and something that could be specifically stated in the rules. There are only 3 advantages that can be applied to a single component at any one time right? Not that you can take say for the jump drive 3 x fuel efficient and 3 x size reduction.

This has yet to be stated in either direction. I'd like to see a definitive note on it. But as it stands there doesn't seem to be an upward limit on the number of advantages/disadvantages you can apply to a component.