| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Friday, March 01, 2002 - 11:20 pm: Edit |
FD___.0 SEAHORSE DRONES
FD___.01 After the Kzintis developed their "FAST" drones in the year 178, they found that their standard tactic of traveling at or close to the speed of the drones and delivering a second wave close to the first was becoming unworkable.
The obvious solution was to build drones that could travel as a "MEDIUM" speed drone until it was required to travel as a "FAST" drone and then would somehow become that "FAST" drone.
Many Kzinti research bodies attempted to find a solution to the situation, one unsuccessful design was in coporated in the Type VII and Type VIII drone motors.
One design team started with a highly minimalistic requirement: give a type I drone the ability to move at "Medium" speed and then at "Fast" speed.
The design utilising a concept from Earth's 20th Century seemed to require the least radical change to drone motor design. It was the multi-stage rocket.
FD___.1 CONTROL
The tactical calculation required to develop a drone capable of determining the correct time to change speeds is beyond the capabilities of programmes to programme and thus the Seahorse drone must use one of four control methods.
FD___.11 A standard Seahorse drone can be controled only by the Alpha method.
FD___.12 A Seahorse drone with ATG can be controled by the Alpha, Beta & Gamma methods but the selection of the which stytle of control must be made at or before the instant of launch although if Alpha control is selected then Beta G gamma styles can also be selected at the instant of launch and then the drone can be passed over to it's own controls as per the ATG rules.
FD___.13 A Seahorse drone with the Advanced ATG guidance computer can be controlled under the Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta control method. It can pass over control from Alpha to either Beta or Gamma or Delta as per the ATG rules. Both Beta and Gamma may pass over to Delta as per the ATG control rules.
FD___.2 CONTROL METHODS
FD___.21 ALPHA
FD___.211 The Alpha control method requires that the drone be controlled by two drone control channels. The first to control the drone by the regular method and second to control the command signal that orders the drone to change to the next drone motor.
FD___.22 BETA
FD___.221 The Beta control method requires that a drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG controls the guidance of the drone by the regular ATG rules and the actual control channel to control the command signal that orders the drone to change to the next engine.
FD___.23 GAMMA
FD___.231 The Gamma control method requires that the drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG guidance computer can be reprogrammed with a simple programme at the instant of launch that allows the ATG computer to control the drone motor changes.
FD___.24 DELTA
FD___.241 The Delta control methiod requires that the drone have an Advanced ATG Guidance Computer, which will control the guidanace of the drone as per a conventional ATG guidanace system but also control the drone's motor changes as though the ATG were in control of that function aswell.
FD___.25 ATG ENGINE CHANGE CONTROL
FD___.251 When ATG is programmes to control the engine changes of a seahorse drone ( Gamma & Delta methods ), the following rules shall be applied.
FD___.252 The drone shall change motors with the least amount of time before it reaches it's final motor. When the burn period is complete the drone shall begin motor change until that motor's burn period is complete where the drone shall move to the next motor ( if any ).
FD___.253 Once the last drone motor mounted in that drone is reached, it shall continue to movwe under the power of that drone motor.
FD___.3 MOVEMENT
FD___.31 There are two segments to consider when dealing with the Seahorse drone; the Burn Period and the Change Period.
\bFD___.32 CHANGE PERIOD}
FD___.321 When a Seahorse drone recieves a command to change to a different drone motor, either from the specially programmed internal computer of from the controlling vessel, then the "change period" shall begin.
FD___.322 The change period consits of stopping the current motor's function, shutting off the fuel valves, withdrawing the spcially designed mechancial arms that place the fuel lines, unclamping the engine mounts, activating the ejector prongs, lowering the new drone motor via a rack and electric pinion system, reclamping the engine mounts, reinstalling the fuel-lines via the mechanical arms opening the fuel-line valves and igniting the new motor.
FD___.323 The "drone motor change period" takes 8 impulses to complete starting at the resolve seeking weapons step of one impulse and ending at the resolve seeking weapons step eight impulses latter. It can not be speed up or slowed down ( although highly advanced X drones might take six impulses ).
FD___.324 If there is no new drone motor to replace the current drone motor then a drone motor change period will not be entered into by that drone.
FD___.325 Once begun, the drone will complete the drone motor change process. The process can not be reversed once activated. However destruction of the drone prior to completion may well render the drone motor change process a mute point.
FD___.326 During the Change Period, a Seahorse Drone can not HET.
FD___.327 The only drone motor that can be brought into position is the NEXT drone motor.
FD___.33 BURN PERIOD
FD___.331 The burn period is the time where the drone moves to it's full speed for the motor that is propelling it.
FD___.332 The Burn period must be a minimum of eight impulses. If the drone motor changes are controlled by a computer then the drone will imediatly start on changing to the new drone motor as soon as the minimum 8 impulse period is reached but if the drone motor changes are controlled by a control channel then the drone will continue to use this drone motor as it's drone motor until ordered to change by the controlling vessel.
FD___.4 CONSTRUCTION
FD___.41 Seahorse drones must store the extra motors inside the drone. This requires the replacement of 0.5 internal spaces with each drone motor after the first.
FD___.42 The Seahorse drone can not mount any extended range fuel tankes.
FD___.43 The Seahorse drone consists of there basic parts; the motor change mechanism, the drone motors them selves and the guidance system.
FD___.431 The Motor Change Mechanism which comes in two designs. The Original design which allows for only 1 extra drone motor beyond the primary drone motor and the more advanced design which is not limited in the number of drone motors that can be passed along it's rack and pinion system.
The Original design Motor Change Mechanism cost 1 BPV because of the highly specialised mechanicals arms and electic pinion system.
The Advanaced deign costs 1 BPV plus 0.25 BPV for any drone motors beyond the primary motor and the first change motor.
FD___.432 The motors themselves will cost some BPV to buy as per the table below. The Primary Motor which is the motor the drone is launched with, shall be bought as a regular drone motor, only the additional drones shall use the table below.
| GENRAL | DRONE MOTOR PURCHASE |
| MOTOR | BPV |
| SLOW | 0.25 |
| MODERATE | 0.5 |
| MEDIUM | 0.5 |
| FAST | 1 |
| POUNDAL | DRONE MOTOR PRUCHASE |
| Type II & V | 0.5 |
| Type IIM & VM | 0.5 |
| Type IIF & VF | 1 |
| X Drone | Motor Speed table |
| Speed setting | BPV |
| 8 | 1 |
| 12 | 1 |
| 20 | 1 |
| 32 | 1 |
| By Kevin M. McCollum (Sfbl5r) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 12:03 am: Edit |
As MJC has proposed many silly (almost idiotic) ideas, I propose that he be banned from making any more proposals.
| By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 12:41 am: Edit |
MJC should kept proposing ideas. I just wish he would playtest some before proposing. Rid it of most of the clutter. This rule is rather confusing and would have been better as a simple abstract to show what is supposed to happen. I got confused reading it.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 12:46 am: Edit |
K.M.McC:
By SILLY I hope you mean the, Divinely Gifted old English definition of silly.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 12:50 am: Edit |
Quote:EXSPENSIVE:- A simple conversion of type IVM drone to a Type IV MtoF drone will cost ( 0.5 + 1 + 1) 2.5 BPV.
Quote:EXSPENSIVE:- A simple conversion of type IVM drone to a Type IV MtoF drone will cost ( 1 + 1) 2 BPV.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 01:09 am: Edit |
R.W.:
Sorry about that.
An example basic idea in use is...
You launch through a thin band of Dust Cloud from sections A or D or the map, with the Dust Cloud in sections B & E and the Enemy in section C or F.
Well call the dust cloud 16 hexes wide ( even though it's actually 14 )
So a speed 32 drone will take 3 points of damage passing through the dust cloud but a speed 20 drone will take just two points of damage to pass through the dust cloud.
So if we launch a Type IV FtoMtoF drone under the command of our vessel using two control channels...
We can move close to the edge of the Dust cloud, drop down to speed 20, pass through the Dustcloud at speed 20, and once out, jump back up to speed 32 so as to be fast enough to chase down the enemy vessel.
The drone will eventually impact into the target for 12 points of damage.
Now if you want to spend ( 1.25 + 0.5 + 1 ) 2.75 BPV to turn your Type IVF into a Type V FtoMtoF and have it suck up two control channels and only yeild a mere 12 points of damage, then do so.
You may find that having taken 2 points of damage instead of 3 is the difference between getting that drone to strike the enemy vessel for those twelve points of damage or not striking for zero damage.
I realise that, that deployment is not the original reason for the design of these drones, but there are several advantages to varriable speed drones.
I hope the above example will give you a better under standing of how it works in play...I see how it could get confussing, for such a little concept it is a lot of typing.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 02:19 am: Edit |
FD___.1 CONTROL
The tactical calculation required to develop a drone capable of determining the correct time to change speeds is beyond the capabilities of programmes to programme...
should read
FD___.1 CONTROL
The tactical calculation required to develop a drone capable of determining the correct time to change speeds is beyond the capabilities of programmers to programme...
FD___.12 A Seahorse drone with ATG can be controled by the Alpha, Beta & Gamma methods but the selection of the which stytle of control must be made at or before the instant of launch although if Alpha control is selected then Beta G gamma styles can also be selected at the instant of launch and then the drone can be passed over to it's own controls as per the ATG rules.
should read
FD___.12 A Seahorse drone with ATG can be controled by the Alpha, Beta & Gamma methods but the selection of the which stytle of control must be made at or before the instant of launch. Although if Alpha control is selected then Beta G gamma styles can also be selected after that instant thus the drone can be passed over to it's own controls as per the ATG rules.
FD___.221 The Beta control method requires that a drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG controls the guidance of the drone by the regular ATG rules and the actual control channel to control the command signal that orders the drone to change to the next engine.
Should read
FD___.221 The Beta control method requires that a drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG controls the guidance of the drone by the regular ATG rules and the actual control channel is to control the command signal that orders the drone to change to the next engine.
FD___.231 The Gamma control method requires that the drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG guidance computer can be reprogrammed with a simple programme at the instant of launch that allows the ATG computer to control the drone motor changes.
Should read
FD___.231 The Gamma control method requires that the drone have ATG and be controlled by one control channel. The ATG guidance computer can be reprogrammed with a simple programme at the instant of launch that allows the ATG computer to control the drone motor changes. The drone control channel is to guide the drone by regular drone guidance.
FD___.251 When ATG is programmes to control the engine changes of a seahorse drone ( Gamma & Delta methods ), the following rules shall be applied.
Should read
FD___.251 When ATG is programmed to control the engine changes of a seahorse drone ( Gamma & Delta methods ), the following rules shall be applied.
FD___.253 Once the last drone motor mounted in that drone is reached, it shall continue to movwe under the power of that drone motor.
Should read
FD___.253 Once the last drone motor mounted in that drone is reached, it shall continue to move under the power of that drone motor.
FD___.322 The change period consits of stopping the current motor's function, shutting off the fuel valves, withdrawing the spcially designed mechancial arms that place the fuel lines, unclamping the engine mounts, activating the ejector prongs, lowering the new drone motor via a rack and electric pinion system, reclamping the engine mounts, reinstalling the fuel-lines via the mechanical arms opening the fuel-line valves and igniting the new motor.
Should read
FD___.322 The change period consists of stopping the current motor's function, shutting off the fuel valves, withdrawing the specially designed mechancial arms that place the fuel lines, unclamping the motor mounts, activating the ejector prongs, lowering the new drone motor via a rack and electric pinion system, reclamping the motor mounts, reinstalling the fuel-lines via the mechanical arms opening the fuel-line valves and igniting the new motor.
FD___.327 The only drone motor that can be brought into position is the NEXT drone motor.
Should read
FD___.327 The only drone motor that can be brought into position is the NEXT drone motor as expressed in the drone record track on the SSD.
FD___.43 The Seahorse drone consists of there basic parts; the motor change mechanism, the drone motors them selves and the guidance system.
Should Read
FD___.43 The Seahorse drone consists of three basic parts; the motor change mechanism, the drone motors them selves and the guidance system.
The Original design Motor Change Mechanism cost 1 BPV because of the highly specialised mechanicals arms and electic pinion system.
should read
The Original design Motor Change Mechanism cost 1 BPV because of the highly specialised mechanicals arms and electric pinion system.
FD___.4323 Each drone motor must be either one level higher or lower on the table above ( FD___.432), than the engine it is sitting next to, this includes the primary motor.
FD___.433 The drone motor changes can be controlled by specially ATG computer or by the Advanced ATG guidance computer with it "hardwired" drone motor change programme.
FD___.4331 The Programme is held in the ships computer and a duplicate is passed into the drone at the instant of launch if standard ATG is to control the drone motors changes. The adding of this Programme to the ship's compoter cost simply 1 B.P.V.
should read
FD___.4323 Each drone motor must be either one level higher or lower on the table above ( FD___.432), than the engine it is sitting next to, this includes the primary motor.
FD___.433 The drone motor changes can be controlled by a specially programmed ATG computer or by the Advanced ATG guidance computer with it's "hardwired" drone motor change programme.
FD___.4331 The Programme is held in the ship's computer and a duplicate is passed into the drone at the instant of launch, if standard ATG is to control the drone motors changes. The adding of this Programme to the ship's computer costs simply 1 B.P.V. reguardless of actual seahorse drone numbers.
FD___.52 In Y195 the Type VII & Type VIII Sehorse drones became availible at Limited Avilibility.
These becomes Restricted Availibilty in Y197 and General availibilty in Y199.
Should read
FD___.52 In Y195 the Type VII & Type VIII Sehorse drones became availible at Limited Avilibility.
These become Restricted Availibilty in Y197 and General availibilty in Y199.
FD___.61 With the advent of the Type VII and Type VIII drones, the Seahorse drone became simpler to construct as each drone motor was simple a Type VII or Type VIII drone motor mounted in the location where the rear explosive modules once sat.
Should read
FD___.61 With the advent of the Type VII and Type VIII drones, the Seahorse drone became simplier to construct as each drone motor was simply a Type VII or Type VIII drone motor mounted in the location where the rear explosive module(s) once sat.
FD___.62 These engines are set at their particular speeds at the time of launch and each new engine is brought into position under the convention rules and operates at the speed for which it is set.
Should read
FD___.62 These engines are set at their particular speeds at the time of launch and each new engine is brought into position under the conventional drone motor change rules and operates at the speed for which it ( that drone motor ) is set.
FD___.71 It is unclear as to whether or not the Kzintis every developed such a drone but the FRAX had been using such a drone since the inception of Medium speed drones in Y165 and perhaps on the FRAX and Kzinti Simulations at the Klingon Academy are the only cases of such a drone ever really existing.
should read
FD___.71 It is unclear as to whether or not the Kzintis every developed such a drone but the FRAX had been using such a drone since the inception of Medium speed drones in Y165 and perhaps the FRAX and Kzinti Simulations at the Klingon Academy are the only cases of such a drone ever really existing.
| By Jessica Orsini (Jessica) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 01:22 pm: Edit |
As simply and clearly as possible:
We...Have...Enough...Drones.
| By Paul Rae (Soapyfrog) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 02:14 pm: Edit |
You can never have enough drones!! 
Cute idea though... imagine that speed 20 drone wave 2 hexes off that you were perfectly confident of outrunning suddenly accelerates to speed 32!
Limiting them to the FRAX seems quite reasonable. That way you don't ruffle any "real world" feathers as you seem to have. After all the FRAX simulations are DESIGNED to teach Klingon captains to deal with unexpected tactical situations...
| By Jim Davies (Mudfoot) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 02:59 pm: Edit |
We do have enough drones.
And more to the point, why does this have to be so infernally complicated? You can write a rule for a multi-speed rocket in about 3 lines. Along the lines of:
A seahorse drone's speed plot is decided at the point of launch. It can change speed as though a shuttle with at least 8 impulses between changes. Its duration is limited to 3 turns, regardless of speed.
| By Jonathan Dean (Nightshade) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 04:11 pm: Edit |
Well, the main catch is that the number of seeking weapons which can change speeds is pretty small, all things considered. The only one I can think of really is the ECM drone, and it can only change speed in response to its target. No even a suicide shuttle can change speed.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 09:56 pm: Edit |
J.O.:
W...H...Y...
P.R.:
Never get enough drones.
You must be a Kzinti!
J.D.:
It would have been a lot simpler if standard seahorse drone control ( Alpha method ) had been the only method propossed.
Preplotted drones, unfortunately become like "Lay in waiting drones " and overpower the target through massed numbered except "the catch is" that you have to be "Good at" guessing your oppoent's moves to get it to work well.
Weapons that make life more easy for the very competant and not so for the less competant, are just a bad idea...they destroy the fun.
J.D.:
I think it's just the ECM drone and the Deathrider.
Unfortunately a varrible speed that allows ECM drone levels of accelleration will disrupt game balance too much...or even fighter levels.
In overall.
This is a rule for those that really want a varrible speed drone.
The Cost in warhead reduction, control channel availibility and BPV all makes this weapon dreadfully ineffective but at that exspence grants the flexibility that some players are seeking form varrible speed drones.
In truth the correction of the original problem of drone wave break up caused by speed 32 drones is most correctly corrected by mid-turn speed changes in the last quarter turn to speed 31.
Which was the eventual Kzinti correction to the problem.
| By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Sunday, March 03, 2002 - 03:26 am: Edit |
Too many drone types and this one is very specialized and very complex. Unless one knows beforehand the ship will be in a terrain that requires it, or can configure clever tactics that require opponent to assist, they won't be useful. I am not opposed to them but these might work out better as an X2 drone.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Sunday, March 03, 2002 - 09:13 pm: Edit |
That was basically my intention.
Everybody proposses Varrable speeds drones or some other method easily getting larger drone waves.
The problem being that they are too good at getting huge drone waves to hit.
These on the other hand, trade warhead for the ability change speed and thus do not as radically change the threat potential of massed drone waves.
Coupled with the limited number of drone control channels that a ship has, they will not generate the unbalancing that that varrible speed drones would otherwise produce.
If speed 40 X2 drones come to be then they might work as an X2 design but I would assume X2 have some kind of varrible speed as an extention to the selectable speed of X1 drones.
| By Jeff Williams (Jeff) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 01:22 am: Edit |
Somewhat of a borderline proposal. I could see it's tactical advantages in confusing drone defenses.
But honestly, if I'm in a time period where fast drones are available, than I would be HIGHLY suspicious of any speed 20 drone launch. Those get HIGH lab priority in my book. Possibly even probed, if I've got one hot(which has been known to happen if I'm short of labs around a drone-chucker). Short of that, then it's REALLY high on my priority list for ADD fire or t-bomb dropping.
The real trick of course would be to simplify the rules to avoid abuse. The way they are now allows for too much flexiblity by the drone user. I'd suggest either a factory pre-set timer on the speed change or make it set at launch. Alternatively, you might require it to use ATG and have it change speed at a set range from the target. Either factory pre-set or set upon launch.
Of course, this would require MUCH play-testing.
| By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 02:05 am: Edit |
We have enough drones........we really really do. Next thing ya know, someone will propose drones with shields.
| By Alan Bloniarz (Madmax) on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 09:54 am: Edit |
There are at least 1,137 drone types available using the drone construction rules. Do we really need any more?
That being said, if I wanted to build a speed changing drone I would do it by adding external armor that could be dropped on a timer or on command.
| By David Kass (Dkass) on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 08:49 pm: Edit |
From the brief description, it sounds like an interesting drone concept. I think it needs to be vastly simplified. I do realize that the need to cover all possibilities will make the rule longer than otherwise. On the other hand, I find it is easier if the idea is first presented in a compact form, and only later post a formally written up set of rules (or instead just send them to ADB).
In this case, I think part of the problem is in making the drone too flexible. IMHO, any new drone types should be marginally useful, otherwise they start drastically affecting SFB history. On the other hand, one cannot have too many types of drones (spoken as a true Kligon--in my experience, Klingons actually get more use out of special drones than Kzinti do).
I'd suggest two motors (the first taking up one warhead space). The first motor has its endurance set at launch (maximum 32 impulses) and is unaffected by bus modifications. The endurance of the standard (second) motor is measured from the time of launch. The extra motor costs 2 BPV (net 1 BPV) plus its speed upgrade. Introduced in Y178. Always a limited item, treated as a bus modification, not a payload space. If the first motor's endurance is exahusted within 2 hexes of the target, the drone instead goes inert.
Other changes/restrictions should be based on playtesting. Some possibilities include: the drone must have ATG, or higher cost, or requires 2 control channels or some other restriction.
I don't see why the particular name was chosen.
| By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 12:26 am: Edit |
MJC like sea creatures.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 02:03 am: Edit |
Seahorses have the ability to hover and then dart off.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 02:53 am: Edit |
(FD___.0 ) SEAHORSE DRONES COMPACT RULES.
Rule 1.
The drone requires two control channels.
The first to control the drone and the second to control the motor changes.
Rule 2.
Apart from the regular drone motor, the drone will need to make room for additional drone motors by the removal of 0.5 spaces of warhead space per additional motor after the primary.
Rule 3.
The drone motors are listed in a "line" in the drone record chart on the SSD.
When a drone motor change begins the drone motor to be used after the change MUST BE the NEXT drone IN LINE.
Rule 4.
No motor may be mount in that line Next to a drone motor that doesn't corrispond to the following:
No FAST motor may be mounted NEXT TO any motor other than a MEDIUM MOTOR.
No MEDIUM motor may be mounted NEXT TO any motor other than FAST or MODERATE.
No MODERATE motor may be mounted NEXT TO any motor other than MEDIUM or SLOW.
No SLOW motor may be mounted NEXT TO any motor other than a MODERATE motor.
Rule 5.
There are two stages of seahorse drone travel, the Burn stage and the Change stage.
Rule 5A.
The Burn stage. When launched a Seahorse drone must use it's motor for atleats 8 impulses before it may change to the next motor. It will continue to BURN until ordered to change.
Rule 5B.
The Change Stage. The Change will take 8 impulse and will begin when the drone is ordered to change to the next motor.
The ONLY motor a Seahorse drone may change to is the NEXT IN LINE motor as indicated by the seahorse drone record in the drone record track of the SSD.
During the Change Period a Seahorse drone may not HET.
At the end of the Change period the drone will imediately begin the burn period of the next motor.
Rule 6.
All seahorse drones have an Endurnace of 3 turns except those that in any stage mount a Moderate Speed Motor.
Rule 7.
All drone motors mounted in place of warhead spaces will be bought on the following table.
| MOTOR | BPV |
| SLOW | 0.25 |
| MODERATE | 0.5 |
| MEDIUM | 0.5 |
| FAST | 1 |
| By David Kass (Dkass) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 03:33 am: Edit |
The forced 8/16 impulse periods are very difficult to understand and the written rule conceals how the drone actually works.
Don't focus on how the drone is recorded (different people will use different methods). Instead focus on how it works. Be sure to keep the two separate.
The order that the motors operate in appears to be undefined (in particular, is the builtin drone motor the first or the last one?)
Rule 5 can be condensed to:
The first motor operates for 8 impuleses after launch. All others operate for 16 impulses, but the drone cannot perform a HET during the first 8.
Likewise, rules 3 and 4 can be condensed to:
The motors are installed in a predefined sequence that is set before the scenario. The builtin motor is considered the first motor in the drone. In all cases, the speed of adjacent motors cannot change by more than one speed step, nor can they be identical (steps are the standard drone speeds: 32, 20, 12 and 8).
In the compact form, it is at least possible to understand fairly quickly how the drone is supposed to operate.
Rule 6 appears to be redundant, since the drone will presumably burn out after using all of its motors.
The interactions of extended duration needs to be specified (probably that extended duration cannot be added to the drone).
I think I understand the cost:
To replace a IV-F drone with a IV-M drone with a F, M, F set of motors appears to cost -0.5 + 1 + (1 - 0.5) + (0.5 - 0.5) + (1 - 0.5) = 1.5 BPV. It would go speed 20 for 8 impulses, followed by 16 impulses of speed 32, 16 of speed 20 and a final 16 of speed 32.
While I understand the desire to start out weak, I think this goes overboard. The sum of the lack of HET, fixed duration, restrictions on adjacent motors, and needing 2 control channels is going to make it effectively useless. Don't worry too much about fancy situations like asteroids and such, concentrate on the open space drone wave assembly. Unless playtesting shows the need, I'd suggest dropping the 2 control channel restriction. With it, it becomes necessary to add ATG to the drone (and since it is already at least restricted availability, there is no further rarety penalty, just the 0.5 BPV penalty). Otherwise no ship use the drones to build 2 turn drone waves at reasonable speeds.
I do like the idea, although there is going to have to be some work on the balance between larger drone waves, BPV value and warhead sizes...
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 05:20 am: Edit |
Basic use would be.
Kzinti with 4 A racks and double drone control moves at speed 20 toward a target and launches 4 Type IVMtoF drones on Impulse 16.
And orders the change to occur on impulse 17.
The drones move 10 hexes and the ship moves 10 hexes to be in the same hex.
On Impulse 1 ( after the move seeking weapons step ) the Seahorse drones Jump up to speed 32 and the Ship launches it standard Type IVF drones.
Total drones 8.
Total drone control channels used 12.
Advantages over launchiing two waves of Type VIF with impulses 25 to 32 spent by the ship at speed 31.
5 points of warp power saved.
Disadvantages.
24 points less damage produced by the drone waves.
4 BPV more cost. ( 5 if full rules followed ).
Launch first drone wave 8 impulses earlier.
Just to follow the basic outline of what the drone should do.
| By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 05:37 am: Edit |
Rule 6 isn't really redundant.
The Drone simply can't move to another drone motor if their is no done motor to move to.
The Built in Motor is refered to as the PRIMARY motor and is the motor that ignight when the drone is first launched. I'm sorry if that isn't clear. I'm also sorry if it's not clear that each new drone motor brought in to interface with the fuel lines/engine-mountings/etc must be the drone in the rear most warhead space...and then the next half space forward of that and then the next half space forward of that.
| By Dwight Lillibridge (Nostromo) on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 10:07 am: Edit |
of all the drone-ing idea's the only drone upgrade or mod I would wish to see is a drone bus/ warhead combo that puts the drone as a sleeper in a sense. A drone that goes at one speed then when in atg range goes to a faster velocity. example would be a speed 20 drone that when at ATG range goes terminal with an all or nothing burn at speed 32 for the 8 impulse burn out. once in ATG range the motor burns up reguardless of any remaining endurance, and after the 8 impulses it expires and is removed from play.
this is simple, playable, and for simplicity could be called "Overburn"
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