Yolu Weaponry problem.

[WickedE]

Since tinkering with the Hyach, I've started messing around with the Yolu, and I think I have almost all their weapons stat-ed out..except the Molecular Flayer.

Molecular Flayer
When fired, this weapon burst upon a target’s hull and strips away the outer layer of armor on the facing side. It scores no actual damage, but every system on the facing side loses its armor protection immediately leaving it open to further attack. The size of the weapon is considerable, and it finds targeting small vessels very difficult, with fighters and even OSATs out of the question. It is, however, fast firing and very effective when used en masse.

I got this description off a website a while back, can't remember the URL offhand, but I'm unsure as to how to represent this in ACTA. An Opposed CQ check with the result being a -1 to the hull?

 

[Court Jester]

That certainly reads like something that deserves its own special rule. However I am not sure what that rule should be. I'll think on it, but no doubt there will a plethora of answers before I get back to the PC...

 

[WickedE]

I think it should lower the hull on the target. How I've been reading the Yolu weaponry is that it's very hard hitting, but not big on penetrating armor. As is, it's the close range weapons, such as the Fusion Cannons or Moleculor Disruptors, that even have the AP trait.

 

[captainsmirk]

Personally if you went with the reduces hull theme i'd make it a 1 attack dice thing with only its own special rule (Possibly quite short ranged as well). You fire it at your target first then if you manage to score a hit then all other weapons fire from the same ship counts the hull as being one less for the rest of the turn (i would avoid permanent hull reductions simple because if your opponent had multiple ships of the same sort it would be too much hassle to remember which ones have had their hull reduce and which hadn't). By keeping it to a single point reduction and only helping the ship that fired the flayer it shouldn't be to overpowering.


Nick

 

[blackphoenix]

Well even in B5Wars the flayer was a longer ranged weapon. What about something like this?


Molecular Flayer:
Range: 24"
AD: 2AD
Traits: Weak (doesn't penetrate, just strips armor)
Special: If the flayer hits a target with any number of dice it has its armor reduced by 1 for the remainder of the turn.


Not ideal, but otherwise after a couple turns you'd have expensive hull 6 ships flying around with hull 4 or worse!

 

[Triggy]

Well even in B5Wars the flayer was a longer ranged weapon. What about something like this?


Molecular Flayer:
Range: 24"
AD: 2AD
Traits: Weak (doesn't penetrate, just strips armor)
Special: If the flayer hits a target with any number of dice it has its armor reduced by 1 for the remainder of the turn.


Not ideal, but otherwise after a couple turns you'd have expensive hull 6 ships flying around with hull 4 or worse!

Pretty much what I was thinking on it's stats/rules with the added note that any reductions in Hull are not cumulative (from a gaming point of view, that would be too powerful a mechanic).

 

[Mr_Punch]

In B5W it was a core part of the Yolu's fleet doctorine, which is primarily defensive in a "peace through superior firepower" kind of way.
Reduce the capability of the enemy at range, and by the time they get close enough to exchange fire it will be suicide for them to do so.

I'd go with a modified version of blackphoenix's model:

Molecular Flayer:
Range: 24"
AD: 1AD
Traits: Weak (doesn't penetrate, just strips armor)
Special: Each flayer hit reduces the target ship's hull value by 1 for the rest of the game. No ship may have it's hull reduced in this fashion below 3. This damage may be repaired as per the critical repair rules.

This way the weapon has a potent (but recoverable) effect, even though hits will be infrequent. The 1AD is per gun on the original model, so something with two facing fwd for example the Yuan would have 2AD.

john

 

[Silvereye]

Reading through the Yolu fleet list posted elsewhere, I would have to ask is the 'Flayer interceptable? As the majority of the Yolu weaponry is not interceptible (being mostly Mini-Beam or Beam) enemy ships with interceptors will make this weapon system practically useless.

Duration of the Hull reduction. And how would Self-Repair and Adaptive Armour interact with it?
If the reduction is until repaired, it makes the system very powerful, limited only by a cap of the maximum amount of reduction. Automatically 'healed' in the end phase by Adaptive Armour/Self-Repair?
If the reduction is for the remainder of the turn, I think it remains a potent but not overpowering system with good fleet potential.
If the reduction is for the remainder of the firing ships activation, I would consider allowing any squadroned ships to benefit from the reduced Hull. As squadrons operations and mutual defence seem to fit nicely into the Yolu fleet fluff as written.

 

[WickedE]

I thought of adding the Mini-Beam trait to be sure, but I figured the Molecular Flayer isn't interceptable.
As far as Adaptive armor and Self-Repair Goes, I'd have to think on that...

 

[Alexb83]

I think lowering hull is a pretty horrible weapon, for anyone to have - many fleets already have fragile enough hulls as it is!

If this were to worm its way into the game (please, please don't - wont someone think of the Hull 4 and 5 ships?) - then Adaptive armour should mean that it can only ever be lowered by 1 point (the armour learns the weapon) and self repair would remove it at the end of the turn. In following turns, it would have no effect as the adaptive armour negates the weapons' effects.