It seems to me that it should be possible to move to a few hundred kilometers from a stationary target and have no chance of missing and a 100% chance of hitting witht he full force of a phaser. I can see that using torpeedos at these ranges would be very dangerous, putting your own ship within the blast radius of your own weapons is a good way to be relieved of command.

So a rule proposal came to mind called Range Zero Point Blank (R0PB) where a ship may approach a stationary target to within a kilometer and all phasers in arc will hit with a die role of 1, less EW effects. All heavy weapons and seeking weapons CANNOT be used at this extreme minimum range.

The moving object must be in the same hex as the stationary unit and either come to a stop (at which point the unit must either claim R0PB or be assumed to be at normal range 0) or be moving at speed 1. If at speed one the moving unit may remain at R0PB for one impulse after which there may be a new shield facing (see next paragraph).

In a player claims R0PB while moving speed one and is already in the hex of the target the available impulse for R0PB occurs between impulse 12 to 16 at the players choice. If the attacking player moves into the target hex he may call R0PB on the impulse he moves into the hex and fire is resolved imediately.

FLYBY: On the impulse after a moving R0PB actions the attacking ship flys by the target, where each shield from the facing shield to the opposite shild on the attacking ship is exposed to the target. The target may fire in any of the three possitions during the flyby which is handled as if the attacker passed by at R1. There is one firing oppertnity only but at what point is up to the target. After which the attacker and target are at opposite shield facings than what they were prior to the move (the attacked has passed the target).

Stationary targets of R0PB can be any unit at speed zero. Base rotation and tactical maneuvers occure befor R0PB and on the second step of the R0PB Flyby.

No die roll is used for phasers fired during R0PB. The die roll is automatically a one less any EW effects.

===============================
Now, this is just a though and I'm looking to the community to comment on wherether it's worth exploring, too complicated, interesting, or not effective enough to bother with.

If interesting what rules interactions would be a problem or be involved?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:19 pm: Edit

I realize that this gets into the shakey ground of sub-hex movement but there are a couple things that do anyway, such as docking. I don't want to open the can-o-worms of fully entering the world of sub-hex movement but I thought this might acknowledge some of the missing tactics of sub-hex movement - abstracting them if you will - without getting too complex. There isn't a lot more one can do at this level of play and with the speeds involved.

I didn't want to give the attacker the opertunity to fire during the flyby since this give him too much offensive potential and lining up the target is easier for the stationary target to prepare for.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:30 pm: Edit

Flyby is stepped as follows:

place a represenative counter one hex back from the target. This is the relative possition for the initial R0PB fire by the attacker. The following impulse the attacker moves counter as follows:

Step 1: side slip forward one hex to either side of the target (owning players choice).
Step 2: move forward one hex.
Step 3: side slip forward in the opposite direction as the slip in step one.

The target may fire facing weapons using normal targeting rules during any of these steps. ALternatively the target can return fire during the initial R0PB impulse with all R0PB firing benefits.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 02:39 pm: Edit

Last but not least: Two ships moving at speed one may mutually choose to use the R0PB against each other. Simply one player announces his attempt to do so and the other player may choose to accept of decline. R0PB may not occur if one side declines (it's just too easy to avoid at SFB speeds, even speed 1).

Should a mutual R0PB pass occure both ships are the attacker and target with both impulses of firing oppertunities available to both ships. The ship with the superior turn mode chooses the pass direction and the other remains stationary. If both have the same turn mode the roll on die and the lowest number wins (keep rolling until there is a winner) the choice of which side the Flyby occures.


REMEMBER: PHASERS ONLY. Arcs and shield facings count. Tractors and transporters are handled normally at their normal place in the sequence of play. The Flyby steps occur during the fire step of the SoP.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 05:25 pm: Edit

What about weapons that can't hit at range 0, like OL disruptors?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 05:39 pm: Edit

I'm not sure I understand you question. Only phasers (in arc) would be able to be used in R0PB.

BTW: When using R0PB the initial approach must be from the forward shield in relation to movement direction (so either the #1 or #4).

No other weapon type can be used in this short of range. All heavy weapons and seeking weapons need at least some room to stabilize. Once R0PB is done any weapon that can be fired normally can be. R0PB takes place in either one of two points in a turn. Either between Imp12-16 (+1 for Flyby) or on impulse 32 (with the flyby occuring on Impulse 1 of the next turn). Each depends on the conditions of approach.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 09:27 pm: Edit

Loren: A future phaser may be prevented from firing at range 0. How would that effect the rule concept? A rule that modifies much of the underlying assumptions of SFB needs to cover all contingencies.

Does this change work on units stuck in tractors, for example, would attempting to land an enemy shuttle by tractor yield increased damage if one fires before completing the landing operation?

Does the damage increase for units in atmosphere shooting at targets also in atmosphere or on the planetary surface? Does this increase planetary bombardment damage; will the rule include any requisite alterations to planetary bombardment damage levels for current scenaries?

How does it interact with shooting at cloaked targets? Sublight Romulans won't be happy if you triple damage inflicted on them, especially since the purported balancing factor of them using the rule back does not apply with their lack of phasers.

(I have other questions regarding how this would interact with docking but I can't seem to get a wording that makes any sense.)

Comments on rule: This would play far to the advantage of steeply curved damage phasers (like the phaser-1) while having minimal impact for flatter distribution curve weapons (like phaser-2s and phaser-3s). Do we need more reasons to install the phaser-1?

This removes most of the impact of scanner damage and EW.

Has beating up on fixed positions and old-style Romulans proved that out of balance that damage inflicted has to be greatly increased?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 11:12 pm: Edit

RWells: First let me say that this is not a result of any imbalance I see in the game only a though I had that was interesting and might add some interest to the game. Another tactical option. Thanks for considering rules interactions though so I'll try to share thoughts on each paragraph. Also, I'm not sure about the rule idea either. That's why I'm putting it out for discussion.

P1: I suppose a future phaser could appear that cannot fire at R0 so an exception would be made at that time. No need to address it here.

P2: Tractors... if a unit was held stationary at zero it could be a target. An enemy shuttle in a tractor would be fighting the tractor or be held in such a way as to not be optimal so the R0PB benefit would not apply.

P3: This is a close in flyby attack run. If both units in the atmosphere agree to R0PB (which since they are both moving speed 1 there has to be according to my rules set above) then this rule can apply. If an object in an atmosphere is at speed 0 somehow it could be a target of R0PB just like in space. Ground units would not be suitable for R0PB since you would crash into the ground on the flyby impulse.

P4: Cloaked targets: Since you don't know exactly where a cloaked target is you cannot make an approach run of less than a kilometer on it. As such cloaked units in all phases of cloak are not suitable targets for R0PB.

P5: Docking. If performing docking proceedures neither ship is set up for R0PB and it does not apply. One cannot dock while performing R0PB flyby since the speed is entirely too great for that.

P6 and P7: Yes, it would be more effective with Ph-1's but a one is alway good. I'd point out that EW does effect the fire (per my rules) so a +1 EW shift would be an automatic 2 instead of a auto 1. A phaser 1 would be reduced while a Ph-2 and 3 would be unaffected. Damage to scanners would apply the same way (just shifting the effective range column). Sensor damage could make a R0PB ineffective if no lock-on is achieved. I should not that lock-on is required.

P8: I addressed this at the top of this post.


ADDITIONAL NOTE: This has me thinking that during the two impulses of the R0PB and the flyby impulse the attacker cannot engage other targets. Note that in the case of a mutual flyby both units could not engage other targets during the two impulses they are involved.

When is R0PB announced? I'm not sure what is best. I think either the impulse before or at the start of the turn. The former is probably best because that is when it becomes clear to the enemy. The flyby is commited to when R0PB takes place. So on impulse 0 of a R0PB attack you could abandon it the following impulse BEFORE fire but once the R0PB bennefit is used you are commited to the flyby impulse.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 03:36 am: Edit

L.K.:

I think your changing your position ( such as all weapons are facing at R0 and then they're not ).

A couple of points.
• Giving up speed2+ to do this, probably isn't worth it. Just think of all the SS and Type V drones that just became more powerful.
• Is a roll of 1 really worth the effect of giving up heavies ( specifically Four 16 point Photons is 64 damage and firing them at R2 looses out 10.666 points of damage)?
• Does this give some ships and adventage based on their equipment ( Hydrans with Gatlings )?
• Are you sure you want to create minihex fire scenario or even something that feels like it.
• Are you sure you want most ships to be unable to take advantage of it by moving so fast.
I say it should done by any ships at any speed. Just determine which impulse they meet ( once one declaires both are in the situation ) and the impulse when they leave. Then check a table that splits the impulses four ways and then cross reference that with sheilds of Sheild #X, Sheild #X+1, Sheild #X+2 and Shield #X+3. This way you know what shield to fire on, but a simpler rule would be:- Declare. If both declare then it occours. If a vessel is moving ten times faster ( or faster ) than the target vessel then it occour if that vessel declares. The declaring vessel then gets to declare which face shields are involved when fire occours.

Pick a shield may well be enough of an advantage, max phaser damage as well is probably too much.


As a side note, I was just thinking to myself that I should proposse a new rules ( I was going to email SPP ) as a new form of critical hit based on the idea that a "good" hit inflicts more damage (Yeah I was reading Hot Dice in CL30 yesterday).
Thus natural ( and unmodified ) rolls of 1 with heavy weapons ( whether hit or miss ( like Photons ) or range of effect ( like Fusion beams ) shall inflict double damage.
Weapons with 2D6 like Hellbores and Maulers should inflict 50% more per 1 for 100% more if you roll snake eyes.
Drones and Plasma and SS would also roll on D6.361 witha roll of 1 inflicting the double damage.

I'm not sure what one should do with the Lyrans, probably just tripple their disruptor damage and have no gain for the ESGs...and I should probably have a tholian rule that their Ph-1s ( and Ph-2s ) have the critical roll and leave their heavies well alone.

Yes, heavy weapon heavy races ( Romulans ) would gain more than Phaser heavy races ( Orion phaser boats ) but the object is to createa game that moves faster due to the added explosiveness.

By Andy Palmer (Andypalmer) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 08:42 am: Edit

MJC. A reply to your balance note: this change helps Ph-1 armed ships the most. They have the biggest delta between rolling a 6 and rolling a 1 at range 0. Ph-2 and Ph-3/G armed ships wouldn't bother with this at all.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 10:07 am: Edit

Hence your earlier comment that "curvy" phaser charts will gain the most.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 12:32 pm: Edit

MJC: How do you come up with all weapons are facing at R0?? Nowhere does my post say any such thing.

There are a few way one could do this, choose speed one when at R1 or R0, or E-decel into the hex at the end of a turn and then choose speed 1 on the following turn. You could also do a MTSC from a slow speed. I would need to come up with rules interactions for that. I believe you should be able to do a MTSC to one after entering the hex, slow to one then after R0PB speed up again. So maneuver isn't fully lost.

GIVING UP HEAVIES: Are you kidding? Who is giving up heavies. The rule simply states that non-phaser weapons cannot be used DURING R0PB maneuvering. That's TWO whole impulses. So ya, I think you can give up heavies for two impulses. Chances are you've already used them. You are at R0 before this after all.

Some ships some advantages: Well, the iea is still being explored but it shouldn't be too much. This does nicely counter sit and spin (starcastling). You have to think about what units you could pull this on. Mainly on Starcastlers really or perhaps a mobil base. Try pulling this on an armed base, even a base station would be suicide as the base gets the same benefit on the approach and a shot on each of your side shields and your aft with normal fire if it wants.

Mini-hex fire scenario: I addressed that in my above posts so I'm not sure why your asking.

Performed at any speed: Absolutly not. You have to give up something and besides, you are talking speeding by something at super close range at FLT speeds. A total no way to that.

Why would you sneeking in your own unrelated proposal into this thread?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 12:36 pm: Edit

Andy: The advantage to the Ph-1 is greater but this does help other phasers resist EW better and in fact cause the Ph-2 and Ph-3 to be realatively unaffected by EW whereas the Ph-1 is still greatly affected by EW. A +1 and +2 reduces the damage caused for a Ph-1 but not on the Ph-2 and 3 when using R0PB. So the reason a Ph-2 ship would use R0PB is to effectively negate EW for a single phaser volley.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 12:47 pm: Edit

RULE ADDITION: Returning for additional Flyby's.

Each R0PB maneuver must be set up by bringing the ship into facing the target in the direction of movement. So either you come about by normal means using your turn mode, sit and tac until you come about, or HET.

=========================

There are a number of interesting tactics I've though of for this too. One might be to specifically put a unit on your aft shield when it would otherwise not be possible. Perhaps you have a down forward shield from a fire exchange. Both you and the target have fired your weapons. A new turn is coming up and you're gonna get plastered so you perform a R0PB with no fire and put one unit behind you on your 4. On impulse one he will not get a shot at your #1 but will get several shots at your side shields and aft shields and perhaps with a few weapons that would normally be out of arc but that is better than taking several hits through a down shield. R0PB for the die roll modifier isn't the only reason to perform such a maneuver. Also, it will put aft firing weapon into arc on impulse 2 which might not have been if you were moving at any speed short of 16 (which would be the case since you were just at speed zero or one).

By Andy Palmer (Andypalmer) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 01:06 pm: Edit

Loren. My point was that the requirements/penalties for this far outweigh the benefits of ph-2/ph-3 fire using this system. I could see a 8 ph-1 Selt doing this for the damage, but slowing to speed 1 for an extra 4-8 points?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 02:29 pm: Edit

The thing is that there is little special about R0 combat and this is a very unique range. Many weapons are useless or dangerous to use but there is little tactical choice involved with this range and at low speeds. I realize that there isn't a lot of extra damage but I didn't think of this as a early game maneuver. Sometimes a games speeds come to a halt and the only real tactical options are to starcastle or get moving again. Also, an extra 8 points at a critical point of the game would be pretty valuable. Those 8 points are so valuable that Probe as a weapon is a rule but how often do you use it? (It's one of the most difficult weapons to employ.) But those 8 points will be meat hits.
Consider that a volley of heavy weapons has just been exchanged but you hold most of your phasers. Then enemy had e-deceled to put out a WW to counter a drone strike. He is a perfect target for R0PB, IF you are willing to slow down too. It is a lot of work to set up tactically but can be the difference of taking out a few more weapons. It also puts your aft weapons into arc once it's all over. Maybe you will need to e-decel too but have time to pull this off. Or maybe you are already slowed by a previous weasle launch.

The bennefits go beyond just the extra damage from phasers but also there are some maneuver bennefits. (see posts above for examples)

Additionally, you have to consider the high value to Ph-2 and Ph-3 in an EW environment. If you have a +2 EW shift and roll a six a phaser-2 does 3 instead of 5 points and a ph-3 does only 1 instead of 3. With R0PB each does 6 and 4 repectively. That is 100% increase in phaser damage from Ph-2 and 3 on a role of six without R0PB. A Ph-1 is more affected at the top end than the low end by EW.

Hydrans with non-forward facing Ph-G's would have to do the maneuver in reverse to use the Ph-G's.

Speaking of the fusion, that may be one non-phaser weapon I'd consider allowing use of R0PB. It's sort of the nature of the weapon.

Lastly, R0PB sounds kind of fun to me which is vital to it being worth the bother.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 02:34 pm: Edit

BTW: I'm only trying to answer questions and debate. Since I came up witht the idea I have to be the one who is on the support side. I totally will to see it broken because if it breaks it's a bad idea. I don't want bad iea in SFB.

It is more complex to set up tactically than it is to perform game wise. It's a fairly simple proceedure I think. I do doubt many people will design their tactics to specifically use it but it would be an option should circomstances occur that make it so and it would once in a while. I can thing of many games that it would have been something to consider. Never in the first turns but around turn 5 or later, quite possible.

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 07:55 pm: Edit

Loren wrote:
>>Now, this is just a though and I'm looking to the community to comment on wherether it's worth exploring, too complicated, interesting, or not effective enough to bother with.>>

I'd have to side with "not effective enough to bother with".

How often are you going to be in a situation where you are attacking a stationary target, while at speed 0 or 1 *and* be in a situation where it is worth trading your heavy weapons for better average phaser damage?

It seems like a lot of verbiage for a situation that will rarely come up.

-Peter

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 08:14 pm: Edit

Peter, I'd just like to point out that there is no trade of heavy weapons for better phaser targeting. Only for the two impulses of R0PB you cannot use heavy weapons. At any other point prior to the R0PB and the flyby (and maybe prior to the announcement the impulse before) you can use any heavy weapon that can fire at R0. You can even use them the impulse after the flyby if they are in arc. I don't know where I mislead the reader into thinking that.

Of course, the rules are a bit disorganized. Perhaps I should come up with a cleaner SFB style rule set?

To answer your question about "when will anyone use this?", well the opertunity will arrise anytime your opponant starcastles which is a problem I've heard happen not too uncommonly.

How?

E-decel on impulse 32 into the opponants hex and take up speed 1 for the first half of the next turn. On impulse 11 announce the maneuver, impulse 12 conduct R0PB, impulse 13 is the flyby and on impulse 14 or later you can accelerate to speed 11 for the remainder of the turn.

By Andy Palmer (Andypalmer) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 10:16 pm: Edit

Loren. If you EmerDecel on imp 32, you have just handed initiative over to your opponent, not to mention the (C8.4) restrictions.

If my opponent is star castling and DOESN'T want me close, he'll tractor me at range 2-3. If he doesn't tractor me, then it means he's more than prepared to duke it out with me at range 0, in which case, by impulse 12, there won't be many weapons left.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 10:46 pm: Edit

Loren, are you going to add a rule that prevents the star castling player from being able to take a response "Range Zero Point Blank fire" shot?

Seems to me that if a ship can decelerate to zero at minimal range, announce speed 1 for the first half of the next turn, take its shot, then resumes acceleration to speed 11, then the target unit (ship, base or non ship unit) should be also able to take a "Range Zero Point Blank fire"?

On a separate example:

What about an announced speed of 0 in the first half of a turn, a mid turn speed change to 1 for the second half of a turn, takes his "Range Zero Point Blank fire", then increases speed the following turn (effectively lowering the hexes traveled in the the example I cite here by 10 hexes per turn compared to your example).

The difference is a player could gain the bonus damage of the RZPBF procedure, and be in a position to follow it up with a next turn alpha strike (this time possibly using any zero hex range heavy weapons such as Photons or disrupters).

I guess I'm just not seeing the rationale for why the target cant take advantage of the same tactical situation that the "fly by" ship created.

By adding the potential of additional damage via your proposal on top of a follow up alpha strike (assuming a 1/4 turn delay for weapons cycling time) your making ships with multiple phaser 1's comparativvely more dangerous than those not armed with multiple phaser 1's (particularly phaser 2's and phaser gatling armed ships).

I am not opposing your idea... just want to make sure that it doesn't have unintended consequences for the game system.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 11:46 pm: Edit

Andy, I'm sorry I want more clear about the E-Decel timeing. You would E-decel so that you finish the post announcement movement in the targets hex so you set up the R0PB Flyby. The mid turn timeing was somewhat abitrary and perhaps I should set up multiple points in a turn?

Tractor's can be countered. He needs batteries or power already allocated. Is the Starcastler going to always be prepared? If so then good, anything that makes starcastling a little harder is a good thing right? Perhaps the htreat of the maneuver is one of R0PB's best things.

Jeff: At the time the attacker conducts R0PB fire the target has the same oppertunity witht the same bennefit. The Target also gets to fire during any of the three flyby steps with normal (unmodified) fire from phasers (still no heavy weapons though).

I've explained that it does bennefit Ph-1 better but in a EW environment the Ph-2 and 3 gain a lot and the Ph-1 gains less.

Naturally you have to choose your attack run timing well. It would be best if the target has already fired and there will have already been fire exchanges. If you pull R0PB maneuver on a fully armed target you are asking for serious trouble. Pull it on an undamaged base and you'll die.

However, it will be an effective counter to the starcastler because all he has to do to stop it is move.

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 11:59 am: Edit

Loren wrote:
>>To answer your question about "when will anyone use this?", well the opertunity will arrise anytime your opponant starcastles which is a problem I've heard happen not too uncommonly.>>

Opponents certainly starcastle, but it is not that common to end up in someone's hex while going speed 0 or 1. And if you get to R0, what is to prevent your opponent from unplotted accelerating to speed 1 or 2 or something just to avoid the whole issue?

>>E-decel on impulse 32 into the opponants hex and take up speed 1 for the first half of the next turn. On impulse 11 announce the maneuver, impulse 12 conduct R0PB, impulse 13 is the flyby and on impulse 14 or later you can accelerate to speed 11 for the remainder of the turn.>>

If you start a turn at R0, it is unlikely anyone will be left by Impulse 11.

Like, I think the idea of making special rules for firing at R0 has an interesting idea behind it, but being at R0, generally, is devestating enough even when you roll dice (heavies hit automatically; phaser 1's do, what, an average of 6.5 or something?) such that it seems unecessary to make a lot of complicated rules that are highly conditional, yet make being at R0 even more devestating.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 01:58 pm: Edit

Peter, there is some good point points there but there is more to this that the one situation you mention. There are other stationary units that healthy starcastling ships. SOmetime there are two heavilly damaged ships fighting it out to the bitter end. Perhaps a ship cannot move, the other with a couple warp and a phaser of two left. The difference between a 1 and a 6 can be the game. There is the e-decel maneuver to put it to use quickly on impulse 32.

I think that people are only seeing this in the light of opening moves but it really would never be an opening move type of thing. I didn't want to add something that healthy ships would use. They put out enough damage already. This should be a maneuver never even considered until mid to late in the game.

Like I mentioned perhaps I should force the maneuver for earlier in the turn, I don't know. I'll have to mess with it more to determin that. Perhaps every quarter turn will be OK (for R0PB oppertunities).

Also, there is the maneuver factor beyond firing weapons at all. After a nomal R0 fire exchange where no weapons were unfired this maneuver would still be useful for putting the enemy on a fresh shield and moving to his aft where (instead of just remaining at each others down forward shield).

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 11:02 pm: Edit

Why would you sneeking in your own unrelated proposal into this thread?
Because your automatic result of ONE rule, reminded me of my own natural roll of ONE rule.
And please drop the attitude. I recognise now that I've been following an R0 misinterpratation of the rules and so some of my comments should be null and void but lose the attitude please.

On speed.
All a speed 1 or zero rule does is force every ship that can; to make sure it's moving speed 2 or faster.
If you want to make people pay for the privelage of being able to make a bigger kaboom at R0 then I'ld recommend you instead allow the ship at any speed to purchase a HET to engage in close combat manouvers to strike whichever shield the player so chooses.
Besides which the physicality is still the same whether your moving past at superluminal speeds or not. I.e. you still have the other ship glide past your LF, L & LR or RF, R & RR arcs at increadibly close range, it's just the possiblity that the phasers can't swing fast enough to deal with the situation that might be a problem.
Better to allow it to be done at any speed and have an EW penalty for ships with speed ( ripped off the cloaked ship table (G13.331) no doubt ).

You know, getting so close that you're in between the ship and it's projected ECM artificial ship signatures and thus being able to ignore ECM shifts might be a better way to get an anti-starcastler attack form than going for an automatic roll of 1.

I'd just like to point out that there is no trade of heavy weapons for better phaser targeting.
There is. If you can not fire Heavies in this mode then you either fire heavies before or after the manouver.
If holding for fire after, you'll loose some heavies from the other guy's fire.
If firing before, expect the other guy to fire before too and thus you'll loose a lot of those phaser's you're trying to hold.
When ships get to R0, people tend to fire everything at that instant, because there's no better range and no better time. If they hold anything, it's only to generate mizia.

However, it will be an effective counter to the starcastler because all he has to do to stop it is move.
Some starcastlers crawl around at speed 6 or 4 or 3, they just arn't referred to as starcastlers.
I don't really see the gain.
You move your D7 against his Fed CA, which clobbers you at R1 with Photons (and you fire off your disruptors because you'll probably have the wrong facing to use them latter ) at R1 and each of you fires off about four Phasers because you'll expect them to be damaged.
You stop in his hex and he HETs unfired phasers into arc (or just plain fires his remaining phasers ) whilst you "manouver" and you both fire phasers, your Ph-2s gain a lot form his ECM being counter shifted and he gains a lot from having Ph-1s.

Apart from needing the klingon to stop and taking an extra impulse or three longer than regular combat, I don't actually see the advantage either side gains over and above the regular events of shooting on through at speed like conventional ships do.

Sometime there are two heavilly damaged ships fighting it out to the bitter end. Perhaps a ship cannot move, the other with a couple warp and a phaser of two left.
If neither ship can move ( or both ships are at speed zero ( not orbiting )) then how can any ship perform a manouver!?!


Also, there is the maneuver factor beyond firing weapons at all. After a nomal R0 fire exchange where no weapons were unfired this maneuver would still be useful for putting the enemy on a fresh shield and moving to his aft where (instead of just remaining at each others down forward shield).
Tacing and Poor Man's HET and not EDing and just shooting through; can all change shield facings.

This might be an antistarcastler idea but it'll make life very difficult for pre-warp Romulans who'll have a much harder time just saying "no" than other ships will and I think that's probably a very bad idea.