This was going to be an X2 suggestion but I thought I'd toss it out there for general consumption.

Unable to widen the photon torpedo's firing arc, Federation engineers fitted SC3 ships built after Y203 with a small turret capable of reorienting the ship's photon torpedo armament at the cost of some damage to the ship if the photons were not properly locked down when fired.

The standard SC 3 turret design could incorporate as many as 4 photons. SC 2 turrets were introduced in Y207. SC4 ships were never upgraded to turrets.

Any resembelence to the Quari turret is purely coincidental since I don't have the rules in front of me. Unlike the Quari version, the photon turret has no effect on the way damage is allocated.

The photon turret can be rotated 60 degrees every 4 impulses while fully unlocked (see below)

The photons in the turret fire normally when the turret is locked down. If the turret is not locked, the ship incurs shock equal to 1d6 + 2 x the number of photons fired. Most SC3 ships have a 12 shock rating.

Locking a photon turret take 4 impulses, during which it is considered to be unlocked for DF-firing purposes. Unlocking takes the same amount of time. The turret is considered to be unlocked for DF-firing purposes as soon as the unlocking proess begins.

Every time the photon turret shifts 60 degrees, the firing arcs of the photons shift accodingly. The turret can be rotated in any direction but cannot fire into the LR and RR firing arcs. Since photons are mounted on the underside of the saucer, any warp drive that was lowered to give LS/RS phaser would be in the way of the rear photon arcs. When pointing directly astern, photons may fire using a rear-pointing mauler firing arc.

When the ship has sustained more than 2x its shock rating in shock points or fails any breakdown roll, the turret freezes in its current position (and lock state) and may not be moved. The turret may be repaired for 6 points.

SC2 turrets function in all ways like SC3 turretrs except they are slower and require 6 impulses each to unock, turn 60 degrees and lock down.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 10:19 pm: Edit

John, there is already a historical photon turret that nearly destroyed the ship. All plans were scrapped after that.

I don't recall exactly what publication that was it but it is historical.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 10:24 pm: Edit

Really? Didn't know that.

By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Monday, May 19, 2003 - 12:49 am: Edit

Yup yup. I think the resulting explosion put them off the idea for good

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Monday, May 19, 2003 - 07:18 am: Edit

I do believe it was in Star Fleet Times #33. The Feds built a "Turret Cruiser", whose major historical notation was that the Turret blew off when all 4 photons were fired fully overloaded.