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In this case, the assumption were based around the idea of escorts having top thrust ratings of 8, under full military power. Assuming that the thrust rating of 8 represents top Manticorian technology (or Solarian League technology), this presents a reasonable upper limit. In the books, an escort class vessel (frigate,destroyer), can attain velocites upwards of 600+g's. This means that a thrust rating of one comes out to an acceleration of (approximately) 85g's.
I did some calculations, figuring out how far a ship accelerating at 85gs could travel over given periods of time (or one unit in FT scale.) The 'best' results were attained if a ship accelerated at 85gs for 240 seconds (four minutes), covering a distance of 25 000km, from a standing start. (Roughly.) This makes one light second 12 units of distance, and places the powered range of missles around 40 units.
Thus, to summarize: one FT thrust point = 85g of acceleration, and one FT unit = 25 000km of distance. All ranges in this adaptation are adjusted accordingly.
One problem for future revision is the problem of weight. A superdreadnought weighs 10 times what a battlecruiser weighs. Given that a battlecruiser would come in about 40-50 MASS, this poses something of a problem. This has been partly solved by making the higher end weapons more powerful than lower end weapons on a more than linear scale. However, it seems unvaoidable that the really large ships will be superships.
1 Fusion Reactor per Reactor on ship
1 Passive Sensor Suite
1 Active Sensor Suite
1 Gravitic Sensor Suite
A ship can rotate and apply thrust, or apply thrust and rotate, with the following restriction: a ship can rotate as many units as double its thrust minus the amount of thrust it wishes to spend that turn. So, a unit with thrust eight could turn 16 units if no thrust was applied, or 8 units if full thrust was applied, or 7 units if the ship went to full military power. (More on this below.)
The easiest way to add the vectors would be to move the ship according to the previous turns movement, and then move the ship according to the movement order. A straight line between the start point of the ship and the end point of the ship is considered to be the flight path the ship took. (Not entirely accurate, but good enough.)
If the ship has lost/doesn't have its wedge, it can still turn, even though it cannot apply thrust. In this case, a ship can spend up to its thrust in turning. It can also "Roll Ship".
"ROLLING THE WEDGE"
Because the nature of combat in the "Harrington"
Universe, plus the nature of the propulsion systems, a ship can "Roll the
Wedge" i.e. interpose an impenetrable band of gravity stress between itself and
an enemy.
When a ship "rolls", fire against it is resolved normally. After resolution, the attacking player rolls a die, for the check roll. If a six is rolled, then the wedge acts as another layer of screens. If anything but a six is rolled, then all the damage is wasted i.e. no damage is scored.
A ship chooses to roll the wedge against any group of ships within an arc. Any ships firing on the rolled ship, but not within this arc, score damage as per normal. A ship can roll on enemy ships within any arc (even a front/back arc; the roll represents the ship 'climbing' or 'diving'.)
When a ship has rolled the wedge, it cannot engage any ships in the arc being defended against.
Ships in the arc being defended against can only receive gravitic readings from the enemy ship. (The wedge acts as a very effective broad spectrum jammer.)
"ROLLING SHIP"
Rolling the ship involves rolling 180 degrees along the
long axis of the ship, presenting an undamaged side to an enemy vessel. Thus,
a ship with a battered port side can "roll ship" and present an undamaged
starboard side or vice versa. This means all fire and damage is taken through
the starboard side.
"FULL MILITARY POWER"
It is possible to take your drive to "full
military power." When at full military power, your movement factor increases
by one for cruisers and capital ships, and by two for escorts. However, for
every turn at full military power, roll 3d6. On a 3, the grav compensator has
failed, and everything aboard ship has slammed opposite the direction of
acceleration at over 500G's. Needless to say, there isn't much left. (Because
compensator failure is rare, this rule could be taken as optional and just
limit ship speeds to their designed maximums. But this rule makes things SO
much more interesting. (8-) )
GOING FTL
A ship can leave the map at any time (going FTL), if the the ship is
beyond the 'hyper limit' (a question of game scenario), and the FTL system
is still operational.
BASIC TO-HIT ROLL:
A weapon using the basic to-hit roll misses on a 1; one hit on a 2,3,
two hits on a 4,5, and three on a 6. (Or divide by two, round down).
With bonuses, you may get totals greater than six. For every two above
six, add one hit. (Therefore 8 scores four hits, 10 scores five, etc.)
As per batteries, in straight FT, roll 1 die for C, 2 dice for B, and
3 dice for A.
OPPORTUNITY FIRE:
A ship may fire weapons other than missiles in opportunity fire during the
movement portion of the turn. These weapons CAN be used in the correspoding
fire phase, as long as they are not firing at the same target. Weapons
used in this way have their damage reduced by a third against both
targets.
MISSILES:
The primary weapon of Harrington's time is the missile.
Each weapon system requires two purchases; one for the magazine, and one for
the battery. Each battery points in one arc, but a magazine can serve multiple
weapon systems. Salvoes is the number of turns a Large missile battery can
fire before it is out of ammo, per battery e.g. four Large batteries operating
off of one large magazine will empty that magazine in four turns. Also note
that the Large/Small designators for magazines and batteries reflect the size
of the magazine/battery, not the missile (so a A-Small magazine could serve an
A-Large battery.)
The to-hit roll is the same as the basic to-hit roll. Each hit does 1d6 damage, adding the damage bonus for each die.
Large batteries get an additional +1 to their to-hit rolls.
Damage is taken off armour first, then off internal hull, except when the damage roll comes up a six. On a six, six points of damage are taken against the armour, and roll the die again (once.) The second damage roll, halved, applies to internal hull. (Apply the damage bonus as usual.) Disregard this rule if no armour is left.
MAGAZINES FOR MISSILES: Type: A-Large Salvoes: 16 Mass: 4 Cost: 8 Type: A-Small Salvoes: 8 Mass: 2 Cost: 4 Type: B-Large Salvoes: 16 Mass: 3 Cost: 6 Type: B-Small Salvoes: 8 Mass: 2 Cost: 4 Type: C-Large Salvoes: 16 Mass: 2 Cost: 4 Type: C-Small Salvoes: 8 Mass: 1 Cost: 2 MISSILE BATTERIES: Type: A Large Range: 44" Mass: 5 Cost: 24 Dam. Bonus: +2 Type: A Small Range: 44" Mass: 3 Cost: 18 Dam. Bonus: +2 Type: B Large Range: 40" Mass: 3 Cost: 12 Dam. Bonus: +1 Type: B Small Range: 40" Mass: 2 Cost: 10 Dam. Bonus: +1 Type: C Range: 36" Mass: 1 Cost: 4 Dam. Bonus: 0Small batteries consume half the magazine salvo of a large battery (so a small battery firing at std. fire will consume 1/2 of a pt of ammo.) The C-battery is considered a "large" battery for ammo purposes.
A battery can be setup as a "one-shot" battery. Subtract one from its mass and cost. Everything else about it remains the same, except that it has one shot and then it's empty.
A Captain can order rapid fire or std fire. At rapid fire, add +1 to all to-hit rolls, but you consume two salvoes every turn.
A Captain can fire nuclear warheads as opposed to the X-ray bomb warheads usually fired. These missiles require direct hits to do damage, so the effects of Point defence are doubled. However, if a hit is scored, damage is doubled. Nuclear warheads are not subject to the penetrating armour rule.
A Captain can fire sidewall penetrator warheads. These missiles also require direct hits to do damage. However, if a hit is scored, all of a ship's screens on that side go down (as if the player had failed a threshold check on those systems.) No damage occurs to internal systems or armour, except as described above.
Before a battle, if using special ammo, a Captain must specify how much special ammo he/she is carrying.
MISSILE POD:
Mass: 2 Cost: 20 These pods are one shot "disposable"
pods that fire one broadside of missiles, as per a A battery (roll three dice.)
These missiles have a Range of 44", and have a To-Hit Bonus of +1. These pods
are frequently towed by ships into an area of battle, or can be carried around
as cargo and "dumped" overboard prior to use. A ship can "tow" (using tractor
beams) its MASS divided by twenty (round up) of these pods. (All ships are
assumed to have tractors)
If any missile fire is directed at a ship towing pods, then all the pods are rendered useless (even if no hits are scored on the ship.) This reflects the pods vulnerability to "soft kills" from the EMP blast of missile warheads. Likewise, any fire directed at pods drifting in space will eliminate their usefulness.
Because pods are so small and stealthed, they can only be detected by active sensors.
ENERGY ARMAMENT:
The close-in Energy Armament is represented by
Grasers and Lasers. The to-hit roll is std. and the penetrating armour
rule applies.
GRASER BATTERIES Type: A Range: 12" Mass: 6 Cost: 30 Bonus: +7 Type: B Range: 10" Mass: 4 Cost: 20 Bonus: +5 Type: C Range: 8" Mass: 2 Cost: 8 Bonus: +3 Each hit does 1d6+1 damage minus range to target LASER BATTERIES Type: A Range: 8" Mass: 3 Cost: 20 Bonus: +3 Type: B Range: 6" Mass: 2 Cost: 10 Bonus: +2 Type: C Range: 4" Mass: 1 Cost: 4 Bonus: +1 Each hit does 1d6/2+1 damage minus (range to target / 2 ) (round down)ENERGY TORPEDO:
GRAV LANCE:
Mass 3 Cost: 24 Range: 4" Damage: Special
Grav Lances cause screens and other gravitic equipment to blow-out. A ship hit
by a grav lance loses all its screens (like a failed threshold check), and
performs a threshold check on its engine systems, with target numbers
determined normally i.e. which row of the damage track you're on.
MINEFIELDS work as stationary missile warheads; roll the basic To-Hit roll. Damage is 1d6 per hit. Note, you cannot roll wedge against a minefield; a minefield is usually stacked high enough to get a shot at sidewalls. Minefields are also stealthed, so they can only be detected by active sensors, and only at half range.
NOTE ABOUT MOUNTING WEAPONS: On escort class ships, 25% of a ship's weapons (by mass) may be mounted fore and aft. (Total) For cruiser class ships, this is 20%, for capital class ships, this is 15%. This is the TOTAL mass available fore/aft. No weapons can be 'multi-arced' i.e. each battery must point in one arc, and one arc only.
ECM:
Each local ECM installation reduces the to-hit chance by one
for EVERY salvo fired at that ship. An area jamming ECM installation reduces
the to-hit chance by one for EVERY salvo fired into ships in the ECM jamming
area. Note that the maximum modifier for this is -2; eventually ships start
firing a mix of conventional tracking and home-on-jam tracking, so things
eventually start getting through. A ship can only have either one local ECM
installation or one area jamming ECM installation. An area ECM set covers
an area 6" across.
ECM can also be used for sensor deception. When used for sensor deception, a jamming ship can either enhance or weaken its gravitic signature, return false MASS readings. A ship can change its MASS reading by as much as 15%. As well, a ship can changes its emission pattern to make it appear as a ship in a different class e.g. a Class A type destroyer can make itself appear as a Class B type destroyer. Note, that while you can attempt to simulate an enemy ship, you cannot simulate enemy IFF; so you will still appear as a target, even if the jamming roll is completely successful. When Area ECM is being used for deception, it can only affect the ship with the suite. (Can't make a squadron of destroyers appear like a bunch of SuperDreadnaughts. (8-) )
Examine the section on sensors for more information.
BANZAI JAMMERS
"Banzai" jammers enhance a ship's signature so
as to attract incoming missile fire away from other ships by presenting a
"better" target. A "Banzai" jammer is part of a standard ECM suite. (Area
or Local)
A ship can activate its Banzai jammer to attract all incoming enemy fire, if the jamming ship is between a firing ship and its target. The firing ship(s) may attempt to 'burn' through the jamming using sensors.
SCREENS:
Each screen installation reduces the damage from any hit
according to the following.
1 Screen: 2 pts Mass:3 Cost: 25 2 Screen: 3 pts Mass:7 Cost: 60 3 Screen: 4 pts Mass:12 Cost: 100 4 Screen: 5 pts Mass:18 Cost: 150
Screens only protect the side arcs from damage i.e. any damage coming through the front or back arcs gets through with no attenuation. There can be a maximum of one installation on Escort class ships, two installations on Cruisers, and three installations on Capital ships. Merchant vessels mount very light sidewalls for navigation/radiation protection only, and thus do not affect weapons.
Each installation is represented by a port/starboard sidewall icon. When performing threshold checks, check against both port and starboard. It is possible for one to fail independently of the other, or for both to fail at once.
A ship must have an active movement wedge in order to have sidewalls.
ARMOUR:
It is possible to buy extra armour points, at the cost
ratio of 1 mass = 3 pts. These pts. are damaged before any damage reaches
the internal superstructure of the ship. Damage Control cannot repair these
boxes; they can only be fixed at a base or ship with the proper
shipyard/machine shop facilities. 6 pts per mass.
Gravity sensors have a range of effectively unlimited size. (300 units approximately). Gravity sensors are good enough for fire control using global firecons (cannot fire in local control without a passive/active lock), and for the general class of a vessel, if the class has been encountered before and has an active wedge. Otherwise, it is possible to determine the rough size of a wedge. (Mass Range within 10 i.e. 90s, 80s, 50s, etc.) Sensors at this range can determine whether or not a ships wedge has been damaged, velocity and speed of target.
Passive sensors have a range of 36 units. Passive sensors can detect ships that do not have an active wedge, if those ships are either using their active sensors, or are engaged in combat. Passive sensors can determine whether a ships armor has been breached, and whether or not an enemy's weapons are in local fire control. Passive sensors can also confirm the actual class of a ship (Homer class BC vs. Reliant class BC, for example.)
Active sensors have a range of 12 units. An active search enables classification of brand new targets, and a +1 to all to-hit numbers ( a combination of the close range, and real-time updates of targeting information.) They can also determine the damage a vessel has taken in terms of hull percentage (active sensors do a hull map of the enemy vessel). The hull map will determine weapons, active defences (PDAF/ADAF), missile pod bays, and other 'external' systems.
ECM can affect sensors, by creating false MASS readings, or fake ship class readings. It is also possible to mask a ship by placing another ship with an active wedge in front of the first one, preventing a good look at the ships wedge. This prevents class identification, but still allows fire, at a -1. (Treat as fully effective jamming.)
When ECM is operating, roll a d6 for the ECM and a d6 for the sensor suite. Subtract -1 from the sensor suite roll if the suite is gravitic, or passive. Subtract -1 from the ECM roll if the ECM is attemtping to simulate a specific ship class. Add +2 to the Jammer roll if the sensor is attempting to burn through Banzai jamming. Subtract -1 from the sensor suite roll if the ships own ECM and/or Jammers were operating.
If the rolls are within 1 of each other, then the jamming/ECM has partial effect. If the jamming roll is more than one higher than the sensors roll, than the jamming is totally effective. If the sensor roll is more than one higher than the jamming roll, then the ECM/jamming is ineffective.
| Type of Sensor | Information Given | Effects of Jamming | Effects of Partial Jamming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravitic Sensors ( -1 to rolls ) |
Range: Unlimited Ships to be detected must have active movement wedges. Allows Global Fire Control Lock Mass Range for detected ships given. (70-80, 80-90, 20-30, etc.)
|
Jamming Mode: No Mass Readings other than
by hull type (escort,
cruiser, capital, supership). Deception Mode (-1): Mass reading shifted by 20% Fire conducted normally.
Banzai Mode (+2): All fire attracted. |
Jamming Mode: Mass Range given, by 20s. Deception Mode: Mass reading shifted by 10% Banzai Mode: Half of all fire attracted, determined randomly.
|
| Passive Sensors ( -1 to rolls ) |
Range: 36" Ships to be detected must be 'active' i.e. active wedge, fire control, sensors, jamming, etc. Allows Global/Local Fire Control Lock Identify class, if encountered before, or exact Mass if no. Determine Fire Control Status, Hull Status (Intact, Armor Breach, Trailing Atmosphere, Dead)
|
Jamming Mode: No class info other than hull type.
(BC, DD, etc.) No other info. Deception Mode (-1): Simulate a different class
Banzai Mode (+2): All fire attracted. |
Jamming Mode: Exact Mass/ID determined. Deception Mode: As per jamming mode. Banzai Mode: Half of all fire attracted, determined randomly.
|
| Active Sensors | Range: 12" Allows Global Fire Control Lock +1 to to-hit numbers ID New classes (through hull map); determine hull integrity as perecentage, determine external weapons (gunports, point defence, etc.) Mass given.
|
Jamming Mode: No information made available. Deception Mode: Not possible against active sensors
Banzai Mode (+2): All fire attracted. |
Jamming Mode: Mass given, hull integrity given
within 10%. Deception Mode: N/A Banzai Mode: Half of all fire attracted, determined randomly.
|
FUSION REACTORS:
A ship uses fusion reactors to power systems.
A ship has threshold rows - 1 reactors, and requires one less to
operates (with a minimum of one.) Thus, an Escort has one reactor, and
requires it to operate, a Cruiser has two reactors, and requires one to
operates, a Capital ship has three reactors, and requires two to operate,
etc.
A ship may purchase an extra reactor for 10% of the ships mass rating, rounded up. There is no limit on the amount of extra reactors you may purchase
When a reactor fails a threshold check on a 6, another roll is performed. On a 6, the reactor fails catastrophically, destroying the ship.
For every reactor less than the required amount it has, it must either lose that percentage of systems or the required amount, or shutdown the ships wedge. For example, a ship with five reactors, and requires four to operate. Each reactor represents 25% of the total power requirements of the system (four reactors required.) If a ship took damage, and was reduced to three reactors, than either 25% of the systems aboard ship (Captain's choice) must be shutdown, or the ships wedge must be shutdown.
THRESHOLD CHECKS FOR BATTERIES (Laser, Graser, Missile):
Whenever a battery comes under a threshold check, the system is not
crossed off. Rather, the system suffers a -2 penalty to all damage and
to-hit rolls. On a second threshold check, the penalty is -4 (i.e. one hit
only on a six.) On a third threshold check, the system is
destroyed. Do not ignore the to-hit bonuses of large systems when
undergoing threshold checks.
DATALINKS:
Ships can fire on targets that are hidden from view, as long as one friendly
ship within 12 units of the firing ship can see the target. This represents
the sharing of information between ships in the same formation.
DAMAGE CONTROL:
It is strongly recommended that Damage Control Rules from MT be used.
After doing the standard calcuation of MASS available for systems, double it. The ship is still rated at the original MASS; this doubling is only for ship systems. (The same affect is achieved if you halve the MASS of all systems, but this saves the work of dealing with fractions. (8-) )