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	Archive through May 18, 2022	25		05/19 11:18pm

I don't know how to phrase this exactly (I'm having a few of my off-and-on brain problems this week), but two ships jumped out at me when I read the post regarding Plasma Torpedo sizes; the Klingon RKL (R3.63) and Romulan KDR (R4.61).

Don't get me wrong; I like BOTH those ships, but they don't fit with the hard rule (1.3 spaces for a Plasma-S and 0.7 spaces for a Plasma-F) just posted.

May I respectfully suggest that we go with a nebulous, "This looks good," and clean things up with playtesting instead of trying to make "Perfect" at the outset?

By Richard Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - 11:38 pm: Edit

It's not a hard and fast rule.

However, generally you get move cost one ships with 100 pts of plasma (2S 2F). The KE essentially has an R instead of two S, ISC CAs and CCs are monster ships with more plasma fire power (plus PPD(s) ).

Move cost 2/3 sometimes go with 2S 2F (Gorn) ISC CLs have 2S 4!Fs) and sometimes less (Orion BR Gorn/Rom CWs). I forget what the ISC CW has except vague memory that it's a non-standard monster of a CW.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Thursday, May 19, 2022 - 07:30 am: Edit

As Richard says, it isn't a hard and fast rule. Also, even if it was a hard and fast rule, there are still a lot of ships that would break that rule. Without typing out a long essay about SFB ship design, let's put it this way: SFB ships are designed around relative balance, and that isn't done by counting boxes on the SSD. Any attempt to compare ships using different technologies by just counting boxes is going to fail. Heck even within a single technology, what would be thought of as the exact same box is not the same. (For example, the four disruptor boxes on a D6 are different than the four disruptor boxes on a D7. This is seen by how they are converted to plasma on the KR and K7R.)

There are "rules of thumb" that give a starting point when modifying ships and converting from one technology to another. It isn't a hard rule; it is a starting point that likely requires further refinement. To quote a famous (fictional) pirate, "... the code is more what you call 'guidelines' than actual rules."

By Randy Green (Hollywood750) on Thursday, May 19, 2022 - 05:10 pm: Edit

Mike, I HEARD that. ;)

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Thursday, May 19, 2022 - 11:18 pm: Edit

Having a plasma armed take on the FRAX has planted an evil thought in my (alleged) brain; what about a plasma version of the Britanians?

Been thinking about that quite a bit today and would like to share some thoughts.

One thing that occurred right off the bat was the potential shock impact of a full "Hunnred points of Plasmaahh" from one broadside immediately (after a HET) followed by a second "Hunnred points of Plasmaahh" from a second broadside.

(EYEWW!!)

To prevent that, I was thinking that the Saurapis (a combination name from the Serapis, which IIRC was the name of the ship the U.S.S. Constitution defeated in the battle that gave her the nickname of "Old Ironsides," and the Greek term "Sauris," in reference to the plasma using Gorn)...

Where was I? Oh yes...

The Saurapis only have Plasma-F torpedoes; none of the larger ones. I'm picturing CAs with three on each broadside, DWs with two, and DNs with four.

I know it seems light at first, but think about it; a CA can, if it can volley off BOTH broadsides, still be sending a Mizia with no less than 120 potential points of plasma at an opponent.

To do it, though, it'll have to risk a pretty close range return shot against some thin shields in the #1 or #4 arcs.

Maybe it's just me, but that "Feels" like a good exchange...

Anyhow, these torps would bolt (and/or Carronade) in the L or R arcs, but launching in seeking mode (IMO, the preferred way to use them ) leaves me at a loss for how wide of an arc they can track on; my opinion, still limiting it to L and R arcs is too tight, but I don't want these ships to be able to launch all those Plasma-F torpedoes straight ahead or behind.

Anyhow, what do you all think of the Saurapis?

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Friday, May 20, 2022 - 08:17 am: Edit

Where such a ship would shine is closing behind it's broadside of F torps and then going to Carronade range....

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Friday, May 20, 2022 - 12:45 pm: Edit

Jeff,

Using all Pl-F would be particularly nasty because one of the limitations of the Britanians (and Hispaniolans) is the sheer costs of charging the weapons. So, while a Britanian *could* fire a broadside, rotate, and fire a second broadside, the power costs pretty much prevent that. That is NOT the case if using Pl-F, as all of those plasma are just sitting there waiting to be used.

As an alternative, use Pl-G instead. This will give the ships somewhat better range and force at least holding costs to be used. It also lets them use two-turn Pl-Fs after the first salvo if they need it. The one thing they lose is the carronade. But ... this is a simulator, so maybe *their* Pl-G torpedoes can use a form of carronade. (Either capping the input power to 5, losing the rest, or allowing them the potential to use all 7.)

Just a thought.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Friday, May 20, 2022 - 06:34 pm: Edit

Mike G., that's a very reasonable tactic. As I see it, the only possible flaw with it is the relatively low damage potential for the Carronade; no more than four points of damage on its first turn of arming. While it is a reliable amount of damage, IMO, it would leave the Saurapis at a disadvantage against other ships in overload ranges.

Mike W,. you read my mind...

In all seriousness, I did give quite a bit of consideration to using Plasma-G torpedoes both with and without rules for allowing them to be upgraded to Plasma-S.

Things are, Plasma-G torpedoes can be shotgunned and (given that this is for a simulator race) I fully expect that anyone interested in this ship would likely have the Stellar Shadows Journals and use scattergun and buck-and-ball with the Plasma G torpedoes.

(Guilty admission here: I sure as heck would... )

In fleet actions, that would mean SO much plasma flying around that one might think it was a hockey game without the red cells.

In addition, the Canon rules for the Britanians allow them to hold their disruptors for zero power cost; something reflected in the rules for Plasma-F Torpedoes.

As far as the low number of Plasma-F torpedoes goes, it was also a reflection of their relatively low power cost to arm; these ships, when NOT in their final turn of arming their torpedoes, are going to either be fast OR have the extra energy available to reinforce the characteristically weak #s 1 and/or 4 shields.

Anyhow, that's what I thought (at least at first). I could be totally off base with all of it.