Web caster question

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:30 pm

Web casters can't be used as a Web Snare.

1) Why? Surely the Web Caster is similar to a Web Generator - and then some?

2) Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to use a Web Caster to stop seeking weapons as effectively as a Snare? ['cos it is pretty impressive, the Snare]

TJolley · Post by **TJolley** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:47 pm

No idea.., but the WEB seems to be superior when facing seeking races..haven't figured out a good way to coutner them yet. Though Casters can be really nasty too, and you do have the option of using them as direct fire weapons

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:40 pm

The reason that web casters cannot work as snares is because, in SFB (where this rule originated), snares *were* web casters. Just really weak ones. (A web caster can use up to five points of energy. A snare could use only a single point of energy.)

However, in FC, the snares have changed, and they operate differently than web casters. I have been trying to get that specific rule changed so that web casters *can* work as snares, but I just haven't had the chance to have that discussion with the Steves. It will be one of the items worked on for the Rev 5 rules.

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:59 pm

That's great - it would make a lot of sense, I think. Thanks, Mike!

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:32 am

Would not the BVP of Caster ships change if they could use snares?

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:56 am

Possibly, but probably not. While useful, the snare function would be the web use for that turn, preventing it from casting a web or using a web fist.

storeylf · Post by **storeylf** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:56 pm

Mmm, I came to the forum to ask Web caster questions following my first tholian game tonight, spotted this thread and got more confused.

My question was going to be,

5M1a - web casters can function as web generators.

5M3 - web generators can act as web snares. Each tholian ship has 2 web generators, one on each side. Each can be used once a turn to stop seekers.

(NB quoting tholian attcak, rather than rule book, assuming that TA is the more accurate and fuller rules).

Q. Do ALL tholian ships (inc neo?) have 2 generators in addition to any other web devices shown on the SSD (5M3 certanly reads that way), that can't be destroyed? I noticed that the tholian patrol corvette didn't have any web generators marked, so assume that the 2 generators talked about here are in addition to any on the SSD.

Q. What side does a Web Caster acting as a web generator cover, when used in snare function? or does it get to be used twice?

This thread howver, indicates that the second question is irrelevant, but where is the rule that casters can't be used in snare mode, can they still be used for the other generator mode (web laying)?

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:12 am

The rule speifically says that you can't use snares.

DOn't feel bad, I missed that one at first too.

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:51 am

The last sentence of (4Q1c) says, "Web Casters cannot function as Web Snares." An unfortunate, but understandable, statement.

As for your questions ...

Q. Do ALL tholian ships (inc neo?) have 2 generators in addition to any other web devices shown on the SSD (5M3 certanly reads that way), that can't be destroyed?

No. A ship only has the web casters shown on their ship card (if any). This means that the PC provided in Klingon Border do not have any web generators and, therefore, have no web snares. Likewise, the Neo-Tholian ships larger than the NFF have only web casters, and do not have web generators. This means that they, too, have no web snares.

(The NFF is an odd duck. It is the one ship in the game that has a single web generator box in squadron scale. A later ruling explains that the web snare on the NFF works the same as a web snare on a fleet scale ship.)

Q. What side does a Web Caster acting as a web generator cover, when used in snare function? or does it get to be used twice?

Again, because of rule (4Q1c), web casters cannot act as a web snare.

That said, if they could act as web snares, they would use the firing arc of the web caster, not the default firing arcs of web snares. This would be true of fleet and squadron scale web casters.

storeylf · Post by **storeylf** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:57 am

mjwest wrote:The last sentence of (4Q1c) says, "Web Casters cannot function as Web Snares." An unfortunate, but understandable, statement.

Ah.. found it.

Suggestion -if they ever re-do that rule section that they put that sentence into 5M1 (where it says that the caster can act as a generator).

Thanks.

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:33 pm

By reviving this thread, can I please respectfully petition that the Snare function be given to the Web Caster?

Ok, the Web Caster is already a great, flexible weapon. But there's ships like the DPW, for instance, which, while having the benefit of an excellent weapons fit including the Web Caster, it is without the seeking weapons protection that the Snare offers.

Surely the Snare function should be available to WC-fitted ships? The Web Caster is a far more advanced weapon than the humble Web generator, and that can do it, so really, why not?

Did it ever get passed up to the Steves? Now's the time to do it, with the approach of Rev. 5, as was mentioned in an earlier posting by Mike......

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:09 pm

I apologize for not updating on this a while ago.

I did present the idea to Steve and, after consideration by he and Petrick, they decided to not make this change.

So, a web caster may not operate as a snare, and is not going to be able to operate as a snare.

Sorry.

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:56 am

Ok, fair enough. Thanks for the update