In the "advanced probe" thread of this section, someone (jokingly?) mentioned about creating a ECM widget for one of the features of the probe. This got me thinking about sonar buoys used in anti-submarine detection methods.

Proposal - Sonar probe

History:

During the height of the General War, electronic warfare was becoming more and more prevalent on all sides. In Y180, the Federation developed a modified probe that, once detonated, would blanket an area and clear out a significant portion of 'electronic noise' generated by ECM sources. This area would basically 'ping' any object within range, canceling out some (if not all) ECM emitted by any target within the blast radius. Within a year, all empires had developed their own versions of this probe.

The probe itself was difficult to manufacture and was deployed in a limited capacity in all empires.

Specifications:

Unless stated otherwise, the 'sonar' probe follows the same procedures as any other probe found in (G5.0), with the following exceptions:

Arming:

Just like a standard probe, it cost two points of energy over two turns to arm the probe. With a rolling delay if the probe is held over for one or more turns turns. On the turn of firing, an additional point of energy is added to the probe to complete the arming cycle. This point can come from any source and could either be allocated from the beginning of that turn or added by reserve power. The moment this last point of energy is added the probe must either be launched or completely discharged by the end of that turn. If discharged THAT probe cannot be restarted until after a one turn 'cool down' period.

Procedure:

The probe can be fired into any hex within 6 hexes of the firing ship. The probe will hit the targeted hex on a 1-6, unless modified by either a 'natural' +ECM shift on the hex and/or OEW applied to the firing ship. This probe does not generate any ECCM for itself but must rely on the firing ships own ECCM. Should a miss occur, the probe will detonate 1-3 hexes in a random direction from the targeted hex.

Effect:

The probe will generate a +3 ECCM burst which will affect all hexes within 1-hex of the burst. The burst will last for one full impulse, from the time of detonation (damage step) to the next impulse same point(damage step). ANY object, with the burst radius will receive a ECCM 'ping', which will be picked up ONLY by the firing ship. Any object which moves out of the burst radius BEFORE being fired upon, will not be affected by the ECCM. Any ship which moves INTO the burst radius before the effect is over, will also receive the ECCM 'pinging' effect.

Deployment:

Because of the rarity, a ship can only purchase these probes as commander's options, with no more than one (size 4) or two (size 3 or higher) on a ship.

Max. total of 3 probes in a squadron of 6 or fewer ships, or 6 probes total within a fleet.

Cost = 4 bpv per probe (each replacing one probe in a launcher's rack)

Any thought's or comments?

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 - 05:00 am: Edit

Make it a Y205 device or something?

By Mike Kenyon (Mikek) on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 - 01:46 pm: Edit

I like it, I can see some interaction issues that would need to be established:

* "Natural" ECM effects - suggest that all ECM generating effects are not reduced by this interaction. Would provide exemptions for the PCG, SC, Asteroids, and the ICG.
* Web - does it "ping" through web, would figure not.
* TE - does it go "up" a TE, would figure yes, to the first level.
* ESG - No interaction? Might be interesting if ESGs shielded you, the Lyrans don't get enough interaction love.
* SC/PCG - Suggest it doesn't affect either of these.
* Lending - Does this ECCM benefit fall under lending limits?
* Cloak - NO clue, you could make it a great sub-hunting weapon by making it flashcube or you could leave it at no interaction and it's a nice bump, but nothing extra-special.

By George Duffy (Sentinal) on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 - 07:27 pm: Edit

Richard,

Why so late in Y205, there is no one to fight against in that time period. It's not an X-tech device just a late war redesign for a probe. I could make it a later arrival but I think Y205 is too late.

Mike K.

In order:

"Natural ECM effects - the probe temporarily dissipates 3 points worth of generated ECM, whether this came from a ship, scout channel, wild weasel, etc. It cannot dissipate natural ECM sources such as asteroids or erratic maneuvering. If something produces "natural" ecm then it is not affected.

WEB - No, the probe cannot penetrate the web, but could reduce ECM signature to any ship caught in the web itself.

TE - Yes, To the first level only.

ESG - the probe itself would be destroyed the moment it entered an ESG field. However, a Lyran with a zero-hex field can still get 'pinged' should a probe detonate one-hex from the Lyran.

SC/PCG - if these units are generating ECM and either using it on itself or lending it to another ship then that would be a... no (BTW- what is a PCG?)

Lending limit - No. Since this can only affect the firing ship and last for just one impulse plus the cost and rarity factors.

Cloak - This one I was up in the air about, I originally wanted it to cancel out the doubling the range effect of a cloak for just that one impulse but I thought it might push it over the edge in being accepted, so I pulled it out. I didn't want it to be to close to a flashcube which the photons can already do.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - 03:11 pm: Edit

You could get a lock-on acquisition attempt.

That's the cloak formula with the -10 at the end.

By Stewart W Frazier (Frazikar2) on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - 08:50 pm: Edit

You could get a lock-on acquisition attempt.

That's the cloak formula with the -10 at the end.

With a 1 shift of EW in the probe's favor...

(Note that cloaked ships CAN have ECM available...)

By Mike Kenyon (Mikek) on Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 12:08 pm: Edit

George,

Sorry, there was some confusion on acronums ... not shocking ...

SC = Subspace Coagulator - Asteroids in a box.
PCG = Particle Cloud Generator - ECM "ink" cloud dropped behind your ship.

Both are Omega systems.