Yeah, I'd go with around 260 to 265. The two drones and one photon make up the bulk of that, but having four 360 phasers is pretty nice, too. You don't loose any, but the arcs for two of them are doubled. Could be a counterpart to the Klingon DXD, I suppose.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 12:10 pm: Edit

Should the #2 and #6 shields have two more boxes each?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 12:33 pm: Edit

No. 32 is right.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:26 pm: Edit

Proposal: The next step in X technology before X2.

(R2.---) GSX-I Federation Advanced Inter-Galactic Survey Cruiser: The Federation had continued developing X technology after its introduction in Y181. After discovery of the RTN the Federation GSX and GVX ships were used to great effect finding and destroying the RTN network. The Federation started development of an advanced GSX (GSX-I) when the source of the Andromedan threat was determined to be the LMC. Proposed YIS 196

This new ship incorporates several new advanced technology features over the current CX class ships. These are: A new power management system box (PMB) enhanced special sensors (A SEN) a sensor and systems integration center (SIC), and a fleet tactical data system and long range communication (part of the SIC). These new systems give the advanced GSX-I the capability to scout ahead of the fleet in inter-galactic space.

The GSX-I carries a new fighter the FA-18 EM. This fighter has a special mega-fighter system installed. A X technology capable EW pod (EWX) was built into the mega-system that allowed fire control of X drones. Also 2 Phaser 3s 360 were installed. The maximum speed with the new type of mega-system attached is 28 but the DFR was only reduced to 1 to 2 (YIS 196). The lead ship was named the USS Ascultare.

Outline of possible rules changes:

(XG24.---) Advanced Scout Function Channels

(XG24.11) Advanced scout channels are represented on the SSD “ADV SEN”.

(XG24.13) Only blinded for 24 impulses.

(XG24.14) Energy each channel: 0 points in passive mode (PM), 1 point in active mode (AM), and 1.5 points in long-range mode (LRM).
(XG24.142) Active channels maybe turned off to avoid blinding by the ships owns weapons fire. The power is considered spent. On the next impulse reserve power maybe used to re-energize the channel. On a die role of 1 or 2 the channel resumes it previous scout function. On die role 4-6 it fails to resumes it previous scout activity and (G24.13) applies. A channel may be activated on any impulse using reserve power from the PMB.

(XG24.21) Maximum range for lending is increased to 25 for a single unit (or when operating as a carrier its fighter squadron only). Offensive EW maximum range is 25 hexes. LRM is anything over 15 hexes.

(XG24.22) Maximum range for breaking lock-ons is increased to 25.

(XG24.36) Tac-Intel. A scout channel in PM can detect hidden units at rage 6.

(XD2*-**) Advanced technology Systems

(XD17.25) Prolonged observation.
After a specific target has been observed within one level of information range bracket (scout column) by a ship with advanced sensors for a cumulative period of two turns in during a period of three turns, the observing ship receives the next two levels of information.

(XD17.3) Ships with advances sensors add 50 hexes to the ranges listed on the scout column for levels A to D.

(XD2*.**) Sensor and systems integration center (SIC).
Scout Ships: This functions as the control center for the advanced sensor channels. It is damaged on bridge hits and if destroyed advanced special sensors function as regular channels.
Non-Scout Ships: Two SIC boxes can provided limited scout capabilities. These functions 25 to 29. One SIC that replaces a lab box will provided the same limited scout capabilities.

(XD2*.**) Power management system box (PMB).
Is an advanced battery. It holds 3 points of power and releases power per (XH5.1). As an exception to (G24.141) the (PMB) battery can be used to power advanced sensor channels. Additionally the PMB may draw one point of power from the phaser capacitors per turn and this power can used as reserve power.

(XD2*.**) Fleet tactical data system and long range communication.

[just listed as an idea] There will be a lot of uncontrolled space after the GW. The distance ships will have to travel from and between friendly bases will increase. The trip to the LMC will a magnitude greater in distance than anything seen in the GW. LR communications for fleets will be needed. For Op unity the route to the LMC between bases would be marked with navigation and communications relay buoys. The advanced scout would lay these as the ship moved forward. The advancing fleet would follow these. This line of buoys would maintain communications and supply would be traced through these. The advanced scout at these long ranges would serve as the tactical data and communications relay point for the squadron.

http://www.vorlonagent.com/sfb/x1/joecarlson/Fed_XGS_v1.GIF

(The SSD has the rear shield at 28 it should probably be 32.)

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:31 pm: Edit

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If your logic is the state of affairs, then there is nothing to stop any race from building a from-scratch, built-form-the-keel-up BCX hull with Y180's X-technology.

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It could cloak off battery power alone. Isn't that reason enough, not to let it be made?

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No. 32 is right.

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By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:32 pm: Edit

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Power management system box (PMB).
Is an advanced battery. It holds 3 points of power and releases power per (XH5.1). As an exception to (G24.141) the (PMB) battery can be used to power advanced sensor channels. Additionally the PMB may draw one point of power from the phaser capacitors per turn and this power can used as reserve power.

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By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:52 pm: Edit

I like it as well. It's commonsense and innovative.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 04:16 pm: Edit

Would it cause a problem tracking quality of reserve power?

By that I mean, the difference between generic power (such as battery or impulse or APR) and reserve warp power?

I have to admit I like some of the features, but if this is going to be a third catagory of reserve power that would require additional bookeeping, it might not be worth the effort.

By R. Brodie Nyboer (Radiocyborg) on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 04:30 pm: Edit

Dang, Joe! You got there before me. I like the advanced sensors, and the PMB made me think of my version of X2 batts (only you went a different direction thank God). That's a pretty cool ship. Is it intended to be a Magellanics-only unit or Fleet-wide? I like your CIC (or was that MCIC?) . . . er, I mean SIC concept too.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 06:37 pm: Edit

The PMB is a battery so it has the same record keeping requirements. I intended the PMB to be advanced so it can take energy from multiple sources and convert it to power the advanced sensors. The PMB is intended to be very limited in number as in this ship 2. Mischief will result if the concept is stretched to far. Another use would be to help power an advance X repair box.

It is a lead ship perhap 1 or 2 more might be built.

Anyone figure out what the name means?

Any comments on the fighter?

Thanks all for your kind remarks.

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 06:54 pm: Edit

The PMB would need its own record-keeping in some way. Perhaps something as simple as a X/Y entry at the battery where X is normal battery power and Y is PMB power.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 12:25 am: Edit

John, the simple accounting sounds fine to me. Does that work for you Jeff W?

RBN. I also though the improved GSX would explore the LMC after the Andros are defeated (or appear to be). Letting my imagination wander it would be a good ship to go chase rumors of some new treat posed by an supposedly new race (Xorks). There would also be the Andro rumors to investigate.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 01:23 am: Edit

Why are we so fixated with putting X BTTYs in MAULERS!?!


What if the X improvement for Maulers was simply that the mauler no longer require all power held in the batty arry to be fired in one shot...thus a mauler with 32 batter is five arrays, could fire off ( if it so chooses ) one point of per impulse for the entire turn!?!

In this way the mauler's wouldn't suffer shock unless the captain really wanted an alpha strike.


We can leave the 3 point BTTY maulers for X2 vessels and the non mauler BTTYs can be Xed without much of a problem.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 02:35 am: Edit

Why wouldnt they stick X Batteries in a Mauler?

Surely if any X ship should would have them, it would be a Mauler.

You would need some kind of silly rule that says X Batteries dont work in Maulers because blah blah blah.

I dont think arbitrary bans work all that well.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 02:46 am: Edit

Well I actually put forward that the mauller did get X-BTTYs just not in those BTTY SSD boxes that are linked to the mauler via the thick black lines.


We could easily say that X BTTYs weren't installed in the mauler mechanism because of a hardware clash that took so many years to overcome that they appeared in the X2 period if at all and then used only X1 BTTYs instead of X2 BTTYs.

By Peter David Boddy (Pdboddy) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 07:47 am: Edit

Yes, you could easily say that. It would be cheesy, but you could.

Why are we fixated on putting X-BTTYs in Maulers? Two words: Bigga BOOM!

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 09:19 am: Edit

Oh, I don't know. As long as you make them operate in big groups instead of each battery being a group of its own - something that, IMHO, should remain and Andromedan only ability - it shouldn't be too bad. Figure normal shock SEP's if you draw one point from each battery, and an increase in SEP's if you draw more at one time. Draw all three for the super-mauler blast, and you'd have a really good chance of suffering shock.

I'd go with a very few X-Maulers; like maybe a Rom X-version of the Flamehawk. This would, of course, be an X1R thing...not an XP one. XP should not be open to maulers, IMHO...it's just too much. The ship would need to be built from the ground up for this.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 10:12 am: Edit

Remember that a ship subject to shock doesn't take damage on the shot that puts it over the Shock Rating. The first time it has a chance of taking damage is when it fires the applicable weapon, after it has exceeded the Shock Rating. So an X-Mauler with 30 available batteries, for example, could dump all 90 points of power into one knockout punch. It would accumulate shock points but as long as it didn't draw any power from engines/reactors, the X-Mauler itself would take zero actual damage for that shot.

Also, batteries tied to the mauler weapon can still be used for other purposes. This is what makes ships like the FlameHawk so dangerous. They have enormous reserve power for things like tractor auctions, shield reinforcement, or changing EW status, while retaining effective non-mauler weapons.

Now consider Mike's FlameHawk-X with 31 total batteries (28 tied to mauler weapon). Assume a Fed CX centerlines it at 4 hexes and Alpha-strikes with 4 full overloads and 12 Ph-1s. If the Fed rolls a 1 on every single die it will do 124 points of damage. A 40 point Romulan front shield and 93 points of reserve power stops 133 points. In other words, that FlameHawk-X can take the absolute maximum possible Fed CX Alpha-strike (not counting drones, which the Romulan Phasers can deal with) at 4 hex range and be guaranteed to not take any damage. In the meantime, the Romulan still has his Plasma-M torps and most of his Phasers (and some of his batteries) available.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 - 11:42 pm: Edit

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Remember that a ship subject to shock doesn't take damage on the shot that puts it over the Shock Rating. The first time it has a chance of taking damage is when it fires the applicable weapon, after it has exceeded the Shock Rating. So an X-Mauler with 30 available batteries, for example, could dump all 90 points of power into one knockout punch.

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Now consider Mike's FlameHawk-X with 31 total batteries (28 tied to mauler weapon). Assume a Fed CX centerlines it at 4 hexes and Alpha-strikes with 4 full overloads and 12 Ph-1s. If the Fed rolls a 1 on every single die it will do 124 points of damage. A 40 point Romulan front shield and 93 points of reserve power stops 133 points. In other words, that FlameHawk-X can take the absolute maximum possible Fed CX Alpha-strike (not counting drones, which the Romulan Phasers can deal with) at 4 hex range and be guaranteed to not take any damage. In the meantime, the Romulan still has his Plasma-M torps and most of his Phasers (and some of his batteries) available.

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By Kenneth Jones (Kludge) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 05:28 am: Edit

MJC,

I fully agree that keel up Maulers would have fewer batteries. (IMO it should be roughly 50-66% the std GW amount of total batteries). Gining it anywhere from a 50-150% increase over the GW amount of stored power.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 10:56 am: Edit

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Unfortunately as an MC 0.66 vessel her 30ish points of power will take four turns to fully recharge, which is long enough for the Fed to re-organise Photons and then some.

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By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 06:54 pm: Edit

M.R.:

Are we talking about the SPF-X!?!

I don't recognise the Flamehawk-X.

An MC 1 X ship could recharge 130 odd points of BTTY but it'ld still take 3 turns which would be long enou' for the CX to re-arm.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 07:12 pm: Edit

The Flamehawk-X is what he was talking about. It's the ship in the above link; a very simple x-upgrade of the Flamehawk.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 07:29 pm: Edit

Okay...


I tend to find that the maulers do tend to get built on second rate hulls, the Rom FAL maxes out at a speed of 21 and the Klingon D6M is built on a D6 hull.

28 three point BTTYs is good, it's better than 36 of `em, although I wouldn't mind seeing a pair of pairs as they tend to be used for killing drones and the like and would probably be kept in the design ( killing admin shuttles no doubt ) for continuity's sake.

So basically I think it's far more likely that the sparrowhawk-X would be the basis for the Romulan's one and only X-mauler ( maybe a FAL-X ).


As to Kah-BOOOOOM.
Maybe the X maulers are everything maulers are cracked up to be in F&E!?!

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 10:40 pm: Edit

here's an X-mauler solution:

Take them off batteries altogether. Sort of.

Give them 2-point batteries arranged as a massive capacitor (no battery banks).

Standardize dual mauler systems like the FlameHawk or D6M with 10 capacitors (20 points of power) per mauler or 20 (40 points of power) for a single mauler like the Falcon (Falcon is used as an example. I don't expect many--or any--Falcon-X's to actually exist)

Each cap box is killed on a battery hit and is available for reserve power, etc.

Sound good?

If it's not powerful enough, more caps can be added, up to standard-tech battery density.