Stinger firing rates

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:29 am

The Distant Kingdoms rules on Stingers say that although a fusion beam on a Stinger can fire once per turn [without waiting to cool off], a given Stinger can fire only one fusion beam per turn.

Is this correct? Is that really what it's meant to say? I must admit I had to do a double-take on this one once it was pointed out to me...

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:20 pm

Yes - one fusion beam per turn. That was the end result of all of the various play testing that was performed.
I haven't gotten my copy of DK yet (9 more days adn I can pick-it up at Origins), but I assume tthat you can still fire both charges in one fusion beam at the same time, but you can only fire one fusion beam per turn.

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:34 pm

Scoutdad wrote:I assume that you can still fire both charges in one fusion beam at the same time

You can. Stingers [but not ships] can double-shot the fusions and extend the range to 10 hexes [but don't increase damage], otherwise they are limited to three hexes' range.

Thanks for the confirmation about the rules too.

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:39 pm

What's the point in having two beams then?

junior · Post by **junior** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:45 pm

Because it allows the Stingers to fire twice as many shots before they have to return to the ship to reload.

TJolley · Post by **TJolley** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:05 pm

pinecone wrote:What's the point in having two beams then?

2 range 4-10 shots over 2 turns
1 range 4-10 shot and 2 0-3 range shots over 3 turns
4 range 0-3 shots over 4 turns

So anywhere from 2-4 effective turns of Fusion combat..assuming they last that long, but considering the focus on killing them as soon as possible, they probably won't live long enough to utilize the additional charges.

MikePowers · Post by **MikePowers** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:02 pm

pinecone wrote:What's the point in having two beams then?

There isn't one. It's a holdover from SFB, where you can fire both fusions at once (but there are also more ways to kill fighters.)

I find it easier to just say that Stingers have one gatling phaser and one four-shot Fusion Beam.

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:32 pm

MikePowers wrote:I find it easier to just say that Stingers have one gatling phaser and one four-shot Fusion Beam.

Which, quite frankly, works just fine, too. It even works with the fighter check-off graphics as is.

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:38 pm

Have those graphics been changed since Battleships Attack?

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:33 pm

I don't think so. I think the Stinger graphic hasn't changed since then.

defurusu · Post by **defurusu** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:23 pm

A question just occurred to me... is the limit on re-arming a Stinger Fusion applied per weapon, or per fighter? What is the last "it" in rule 5Q2d:

A fighter fusion beam may not be recharged in the same turn in which it was fired, so if a Stinger fires a fusion beam and lands, it cannot be re-charged until the next turn.

?

If, for example, I fire a long range shot from one of a Stinger's Fusion Beams using both charges on turn X, another shot (at either range, it doesn't really matter for the purposes of this argument) from the same fighter's other Fusion on turn X+1, and that Stinger lands aboard a carrier on this same turn X+1, can it re-arm the Fusion Beam which fired on turn X and re-launch the Stinger before the end of turn X+1?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:03 am

I think it refers to the specific fusion beam.

TJolley · Post by **TJolley** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:31 am

Pretty sure it applies to any fusion beam.

For example, if you Fire a Fusion beam on a Stinger on Impulse 1 of turn 2 and land it on say impulse 4 of turn 2, at the end of turn 2 you can NOT reload the fighter. You have to wait until the end of turn 3 to reload the fighter.

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:50 pm

I am pretty sure it is the fighter, not just a specific weapon on the fighter.

defurusu · Post by **defurusu** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 4:34 pm

Thanks. I'm slightly disappointed because I hoped it would be a restriction which only applied to the Fusion which fired on the same turn (that's how it reads to me), but there you go.

For example, if you Fire a Fusion beam on a Stinger on Impulse 1 of turn 2 and land it on say impulse 4 of turn 2, at the end of turn 2 you can NOT reload the fighter. You have to wait until the end of turn 3 to reload the fighter.

Remember that you can re-arm a fighter in the Launch step of any impulse, and don't have to wait until the end of turn. In your example, the fighter can be reloaded and launched on impulse 1 of turn 3.

Under my (apparently incorrect) interpretation you could reload its other Fusion (which I'm assuming was fired on turn 1) & launch on impulse 5 of turn 2, ready to fire on impulse 1 of turn 3.