Actually, the Trobrin CC is 175 BPV; though that is not much of a difference. It is a very good ship, but it does have weaknesses. Low warp speed along with the rest of Omega; a poor turn mode; and not as many phasers as some others--though the phasers are very good. On the other hand, being able to fire the IBs every two turns with reserve power (which I had forgotten about) makes then even better.

By Guillaume Williams (Uioor1) on Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 02:44 pm: Edit

I was wondering, is there a set of rules to create an Omega version of the Metamorph(SM15.0)? Would one just use the regular version, or is there some way to convert the weapons to Omega equivalents? Thanks

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, July 25, 2016 - 11:06 am: Edit

Guillaume Williams:

See the Monster Article in Captain's Log #43.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 04:23 pm: Edit

(OR21.F4) Qixa F-4 fighter: SSD in Omega-5 SSD Book (page 2) shows eight damage boxes; Annex#4 in Omega MRB (page 420) lists it as 10.

(OR21.F5) Qixa F-5 fighter: SSD in Omega-5 SSD Book (page 2) shows 10 damage boxes; Annex#4 in Omega MRB (page 420) lists it as 12.

Is the SSD correct, or Annex#4 in the Omega MRB?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Jessica Orsini:

The SSDs are correct.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Friday, July 06, 2018 - 04:56 pm: Edit

Perfect, and thank you!

By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Thursday, November 08, 2018 - 07:32 pm: Edit

On the subject of Omega fighters (in particular, the Qixa), rule (OFD3.252) says that the "Brick"
warhead had general availability, but the description for the F-5 superiority fighter (OR21.F5) says, "They were almost never seen outside of the cloud where their UWM capabilities were of limited value."

Were Qixa fighters unable to use UWMs armed with "Brick" warheads? I can't find a clear ruling in the books for that.


For that matter, I was wondering about hypothetical "Omega Mega-Fighters"

(My guess would be "NO! NO!! NO!!! NO!!!! NO!!!!!" but I have to ask anyway...)

Would Qixa Mega-fighters that are armed solely with Gauss Cannons have an additional FA Gauss Cannon, while Mega-Fighters that carry UWMs have launch rails for an additional pair of them?

How would Hiver Barbs handle Mega-Fighter packs? (and for that matter, how do Hiver Barbs handle WBPs?)

I've also been long curious as to how Alunda would handle WBPs and/or Mega-Packs for their Remoras; it almost seems like a whole new critter with those things...

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, November 10, 2018 - 03:17 pm: Edit

Jeffrey George Anderson:

The statement reflects the general concept that fighters (F-) were used to defend planets inside the cloud. The F-5 was almost never seen outside of the cloud where having to land and rearm the UWMs meant that the Gauss Cannons were not in play during that period. That is say that the fighter when launched can keep going and firing its Gauss Cannons (or Gauss Cannon if an F-5 or F-4 is crippled) until it is destroyed. But if you want to use the UWMs, you have to land and rearm the rails, which is time the Gauss Cannon is not being fired.

At this time, Hypothetical Megapacks would follow the existing rules, and an F-5 would get two additional UWM rails while an F-4 would get an extra Gauss Cannon and any Qixa "A-" fighter would only get two extra UWM rails, whether it has a Gauss Cannon or not.

Mega Packs for Hivers would need more than I can do just now.

As to Warp Booster Packs for Hiver Fighters, see (OJ1.31).

As to the Alunda (and Branthodon) using Warp Booster Packs, right now I would have to say barring any prohibition the normal rules would apply. Mega packs are another issue, and like the Hivers would require more development than I can do just now.

By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Sunday, November 11, 2018 - 12:56 am: Edit

Thank you, SPP.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, and I DO appreciate your spending time with my screwball ideas, but I've been giving the numbers a little thought. While this may be said for other Omegan fighters as well, the thought of Qixa using Mega-Fighter packs turns them from a minor power (at best) to something horrifying.

A dozen fighters on a DDV, assuming F-4, and their Gauss Cannons, with three per fighter (as per your post regarding Mega-pack equipped F-4s) are going to do six points of damage each turn, AVERAGE, at range seven. Seventy two points of damage per turn for the squadron at range seven, AVERAGE. This damage from fighters with ten hit points each AND are able to fly at speed 28. Nobody can take THAT much damage easily, and nobody can run away from them.

May I respectfully submit as my 0.02 Quatloos worth that doing Mega-Fighter packs in the Omega region would cause more harm to its playability than it would add to the experience.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Sunday, November 11, 2018 - 03:04 am: Edit

Jeffrey George Anderson:

Remember that it is also a matter of BPV.

While in the Alpha Octant a mega pack increases the fighter (or bomber) BPV by 50%, if developed for the Omega Octant one would hope the playtesters would find adjustments needed by the technology in that region. A Qixa mega pack that adds a gauss cannon might have a split BPV with a higher combat value but the normal economic value for such a pack. However, as noted the current mega pack rule is pretty clear about how it should work. Actual development would perhaps produce something unique for the Qixa, and perhaps other Omega empires. Right now all I can say is that I did invite an Omega fan to develop Omega bombers (not mega packs) and he declined. Perhaps someone in the Omega sphere might want to look into creating such a proposal as an article for Captain's Log?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Sunday, November 11, 2018 - 10:38 am: Edit

It should be noted that, according to (OJ3.5), warp booster packs do not become broadly available in the Omega Octant until Y196, so any Branthodon WBPs would have to be conjectural (as their ability to research and develop such concepts was curtailed by the fall of Branth in Y189).


In the case of size-3 and/or size-4 bombers (or whatever the Hiver equivalents might be called), I might argue that it would be necessary to take a further look at size-2 heavy fighters (for the FRA, and for others) first.

For example, I might suggest giving the likes of the Mæsrons and FRA one type of heavy fighter per mission - superiority, assault, and missile - yet while the current FRA strike carrier's launch bays would be able to fit a would-be squadron of six heavy fighters, the more awkward layout of the bays on the Mæsron strike carrier may perhaps encourage the Alliance to consider fielding one (or more) dedicated heavy fighter carriers.

(That said, the Aurorans may perhaps have use for a Fed-like "Third Way" scout carrier for anti-RTN work from Y202 onwards, akin to the gunboat tenders being fielded by certain other Omega Octant empires.)

For what little it's worth, I would not be keen to see the megapack concept brought over to the Omega Octant, though I defer to ADB's wisdom in that regard.

By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Wednesday, April 03, 2019 - 04:19 pm: Edit

While re-reading (for the umpteenth time?) Omega 5, I found myself with more questions.

The rules for the Alunda Remora-C fighter (OR9.F4) says of its two Bioelectic Bolts, "The "Fighter" was able to load both weapons with two points of power..."

The rules for the Alunda Remora-D fighter (OR9.F5) call it "The ultimate improvement of the Remora fighter..." but do NOT say anything about how much energy it was able to load its Bioelectric Bolt.

Is it able, as "The ultimate improvement of the Remora fighter," able to load its Bioelectric Bolt with two points of power (provided it does NOT fire on the first turn it's arming the weapon) as a Remora C is able to, or is it limited to only being able to load it with one point of power, as was given as the restriction for the original (OR9.F1) Remora Duel Fighter?

My reason for asking is because of a potential abuse I imagined, not because of any plans to fly an HSV this weekend...

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, April 04, 2019 - 01:16 pm: Edit

Jeffrey George Anderson:

The Remora-C is, as its background explains, an "assault fighter" and was allowed the ability to arm the bio-electric bolts with two points of power (albeit taking two turns to do so).

The Remora-D is, while improved, simply a superiority fighter like the Remora-A and Remora-B. It does not have the ability to load two points of power in its bio-electric bolt.

I hope that helps.

By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Thursday, April 04, 2019 - 02:09 pm: Edit

SPP

It does.

TBH: my biggest concern was what annoying Munchkins might take away from the "Extra Power"

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 05:21 pm: Edit

Annex #4 shows the Probr Admin shuttle to have a year in service of 19. (OR6.02) states the Probr do not have phasers until the encounter with the Ryn. The timeline shows this to be in Y55.

Is there a BPV reduction until Y55?

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Sunday, June 20, 2021 - 10:26 am: Edit

Annex #4 shows the Worb Admin shuttle to have a year in service of 19. (OR16.02) states the Worb the primary phaser is the anitproton phaser which was brought back from Ymatrian space. The timeline shows was in Y135.

What phaser do the Worb use until Y135?

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Sunday, June 20, 2021 - 05:21 pm: Edit

Good questions, Ken.

While I'm NOT qualified to give an official answer, my best guess is that there were NO phasers on those shuttles before the time in question. This is based on two elements, neither of which might apply in this case.

First: In the Alpha Sector, the Early Years ADMIN shuttles have no phasers (I don't have the books open in front of me, but I seem to recall reading something about a "Gorn Fighter Squadron"), and the time period involved for the shuttles you're asking about is, well, it can be regarded as "Early" in the Omega Sector.

Second: Even in the "Main Omega Time Period," Chlorophon have unarmed ADMIN shuttles, so there is precedence for having them.

Another thing with the Chlorophon shuttles is their BPV. If other folks are using identical-in-terms-of-game-mechanics ADMIN shuttles, they'll have the same BPV.

Anyhow, that's just one idjits 0.002 Quatloos worth. Please take it as such.

By Randy Green (Hollywood750) on Sunday, June 20, 2021 - 07:49 pm: Edit

I believe Jeff is correct.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, June 21, 2021 - 01:58 pm: Edit

Ken Kaziinski:

The entry in Annex #4 is the general shuttle providing a shuttle for all empires, some of which do not have ships, such as the word..

As of right now, the WORB did not even have ships until Y133 (year in service date of the White Outpost). We do not know what the ships sere like before that date (none of the ships has a service date of Y133, much less earlier). So currently we do not know when the Work armed their shuttles.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, June 21, 2021 - 04:01 pm: Edit

To try to be clear, the entry for the admin shuttle is a generic admin shuttle for all of the Omega Octant. There is no separate entries by empire (although some empires, such as the Qixa and Bolosco have such entries). The Work would use the basic shuttle as they have no separate entry.

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - 12:23 am: Edit

Hi Steve,

I think you are looking at Annex #4 in the 2007 OMRB, but module O5 (published 2008) and the 2011 OMRB (pg 412) show a admin shuttles for each empire.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - 11:48 am: Edit

And the answer holds. There are no Word ships earlier than the White Outpost.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - 02:56 pm: Edit

Understand, there is not going to be any special shuttle for the Worb before the earliest ship, because defining the shuttle would ipso facto define the ship, and we are not going to do that because we are leaving options open with the Worb. Whatever their ships were armed with prior to the visit by the Drex has yet to be defined, much less what the designs looked like. They may have had nothing and we may design the shuttles in that period as unarmed. But without knowing the Wrob history prior to the Drex visit, there is no defending anything, much less their shuttles in that period.

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 - 10:40 pm: Edit

So for battles in those era's do you just use shuttles with no phasers?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, June 24, 2021 - 02:55 pm: Edit

Ken Kazinski:

It is Y68, form a Worb battlegroup for a battle in that year using legal ships available to the Worb and technology available to the Wrob.,

I do not know why you are trying to force (apologies for the use of the word) me to define the Worb capabilities now when no one has done so. I do not know what phaeers the Worb had in this period, or even if they had phasers or were using warp augmented lasers or what have you. I cannot see defining them unless I am going to go all out to build the Worb pre-Omega 3 data. I only know that when they are defined they will have shuttles.