This is based on work I and Robert Cole have done in the process of trying to design Frax Midget (PF) Subs. I am posting this on that thread in the New Ships section too for convience.

(EDW1.0) FRAX LIGHT AXION TORPEDOES

With the advent of Fast Patrol Ships, the Klingons decided to include a PF version of the Frax submarines to their scenarios. Unfortunately, the simulated design of the Axion Torpedo was too large and too powerfull for mounting in such a small unit. Their soulution was to design a lighter version of the Axion Torpedo for the ‘Midget’ submarines.

(EDW1.1) DESIGNATION

(EDW1.11) SSD: Each AXL box on the SSD represents one Light Axion Torpedo. Each is recorded and fired separately. The Light Axion Torpedo is a direct-fire heavy weapon. It fires in the Direct Fire Weapons Fire Stage (6D2) of the Sequence of Play (Annex #2).

(EDW1.12) DESTRUCTION: Light Axion Torpedoes are destroyed on Torpedo hits on the DAC (D4.21).

(EDW1.13) COST TO REPAIR: Light Axion Torpedoes cost 5 points to repair. Standard Axion Torpedoes cannot be hastily repaired as AXLs.

(EDW1.14) TECHNOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS: Light Axion Torpedoes are simulator weapons and cannot be used by any non-simulator race. In the simulated Frax universe, Light Axion Torpedoes were not mountable on units larger than size class 5 due to interference from the larger warp fields.

(EDW1.2) ARMING PROCEDURE

(EDW1.21) ARMING COST: Each Light Axion Torpedo requires one point of warp energy on two successive turns to arm. This can be allocated from reserve warp ower. It cannot begin arming during the same turn that it was fired.

(EDW1.22) HOLDING: If a Light Axion Torpedo is not fired by the end of a given turn, it can be held at no cost in a special stasis box. Overloaded Light Axion Torpedoes cannot be held.

(EDW1.23) OVERLOADS: A Light Axion Torpedo can be overloaded; see (EDW1.4).

(EDW1.3) FIRING PROCEDURE:

(EDW1.31) FIRING PROCEDURE: The number of damage points scored by a Light Axion Torpeo is determained by the true range and a die roll. Roll a single die. If the roll is equal to or less than the HIT# listed, the weapon has missed and no damage is scored. Refer to the LIGHT AXION TORPEDO FIRING TABLE below.

Range	0	1	2-3	4-5	6-8	9-10
Hit	1-6	1-5	1-4	1-3	1-2	1
Damage	6	5	4	3	2	1
Overload	9	8	6	5	3	NA

(EDW1.32) TARGET SIZE: Light Axion Torpedo uses a gravitic target location system. This does not work well on small targets. Apply the HIT# penalties listed below when firing at targets of various size classes. Ignore other small target modifiers (E1.7), including firing at drones (FD1.52).

(EDW51.321) LIGHT AXION TORPEDO TARGET FIRING ADJUSTMENTS TABLE

Target Size	0-1	2-4	5	6	7
Adjustment	+1	0	-1	-2	-3

(EDW1.33) LOCK-ON EFFECTS: The Light Axion Torpedo uses a special fire control system, which is not connected to the ship’s Active (D6.6) or Passive (D19.0) Fire Controls and cannot use ECCM while the ship is cloaked. The range is not doubled (D6.123) for the lack of a lock-on. ECM is used by the target unit normally. If the ship armed with the Light Axion Torpedo is uncloaked, it may use ECCM normally if its Fire Control is active. The firing of a Light Axion Torpedo does count as a weapon fired for purposes of (D6.72) if using Low-Power Fire Control. The Light Axion Torpedo rolls to hit cloaked targets at the effective range, but the damage it scores is determined based on the true range.

(EDW1.4) OVERLOADS

(EDW1.41) ARMING: A Light Axion Torpedo can be overloaded by applying 2 points of warp power (total) on the second turn of arming, or by adding two points of warp power to a torpedo being held. This extral can be allocated or reserve (H7.54). A Light Axion Torpedo cannot be partially overloaded.

(EDW1.42) HOLDING: An overloaded Light Axion Torpedo cannot be held. If not fired by the end of the turn, it must be fired into space. This WILL expose the ship (EDW1.44) but does not cause feedback (EDW1.45).

(EDW1.43) DAMAGE: An overloaded Light Axion Torpedo does 50% more damage to the target rounded down.
(EDW1.431) An overloaded Light Axion Torpedo cannot be fired at a true range less than eight hexes.

(EDW1.44) EXPOSURE: Firing or discharging an overloaded Light Axion Torpedo while cloaked reveals the firing/discharging ship, i.e., all units with active fire control within 35 hexes immediately acquire lock-on (G13.401). Units must then roll to retain a lock-on to the cloaked ship under (G13.331) in the Lock-on Stage of the following impulse (6B3). For each overloaded torpedo fired or discharged during a given impulse (after the first), one is subtracted from the subsequent lock-on retention roll. Non-overloaded torpedoes will not expose the ship and do not produce a modifire to retain the lock-on.

(EDW1.45) FEEDBACK: Firing an overloaded Light Axion Torpedo at a range of zero causes one point of damage to the firing ship’s facing shield.

(EDW1.5) OTHER

(EDW1.51) Light Axion Torpedoes are affected in the same maner as Axion Torpedoes are affected under rule (E51.5).

(EDW1.6) TERRAIN

(EDW1.61) Light Axion Torpedoes are affected by Terrain in the same manner as Axion Torpedoes as per (E51.6).

By Robert Cole (Zathras) on Sunday, December 29, 2002 - 08:56 am: Edit

SSD for Midget Subs is here, SSD for Midget Tender is here.

42

By Richard K. Glover (Fahrenheit) on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 10:49 am: Edit

See my comments in the Mini-sub thread.

F°
Mediocrity thrives on standardization.

By Jim Davies (Mudfoot) on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 07:29 pm: Edit

It should be held for a half-point. Else as Fahrenheit's comments (Held overloads should cost one more, not two, OL max R8, a couple of typos, etc).

It's actually rather weak, as it has an effective range of 3, and even two R3 overloads will barely break the shield on a large freighter.

Remember that you're usually firing through a shift, so this won't be much of a threat to a warship. If you try going to R1 for a decent shot, you're presumably going quite fast. As such, if you fire OLs, you'll get tractored and blown to atoms.

You may want to reduce the penalty for shooting at small targets by 1, to make PF/PF duels vaguely practical.

Apart from that, fine.

By Donovan A Willett (Ravenhull) on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 10:06 pm: Edit

Actually, it is in my pretest opinion that the midget subs would be nailed by standard PFs. Remember also that this unit is meant more for surprise attacks and such. I'm gonna be taking a harder look as I write my scenario.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Wednesday, January 01, 2003 - 05:05 pm: Edit

Perhaps it would be good to say that Frax migit subs always use Hidden Movement.

They always disappear off your scanners.

By Donovan A Willett (Ravenhull) on Wednesday, January 01, 2003 - 10:03 pm: Edit

The problem with that is that many people would never play them then. Lets face it, hidden movement is not a casual play style.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 04:50 am: Edit

Agreed,

But what people won't give a Rom on a regular basis, they might give a simulator race's alternate PF design when they play with them.

It's not like we're saying the entire Frax sub fleet always uses hidden movement...

By Richard K. Glover (Fahrenheit) on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 08:59 am: Edit

How about if Light Axions did't expose the firing unit when firing in overload mode?

And a stipulation that normal axions can't be fired as light axions in addition to the comment that they can't be repaired as light axions.

F°
Synonym: word you use when you can't spell the other one.

By Donovan A Willett (Ravenhull) on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 09:21 am: Edit

RKG: Definately on the no download. And part of the reason I was willing to do the stasis box for holding was that had decided not to make these usable on anything larger than a PF.

I do want to keep the exposure risk, for it is a limitation on the commander. The classic 'do I fire light and stay hidden or max and be exposed' delinma. Perhaps exposing them if both fired overloaded withing 8 impulses.