Black Holes and Displacement

[mojo jojo]

Can an Andro self-displace within 2 hexes of a black hole? The DD is a quasi-direct fire weapon and DF weapons are prohibited from firing if LOS passes within 2 hexes of a black hole.

[Bolo_MK_XL]

Wouldn't think anything would affect "Same Hex" LOS

[mojo jojo]

If the ship is within 2 hexes of the black hole, its LOS will by definition fall within 2 hexes, even to itself.

[terryoc]

It may also be required to draw LOS to the target hex, in which case the LOS between its current location and the target will pass too close to the black hole.

I suppose the real question is, can an Andromedan use its disdevs to escape a black hole or is it dead like everyone else?

I suspect this may need a Mike ruling.

[mjwest]

I was hoping someone would say something that sparked an "obvious answer" in my mind.

By the straight reading of (6G3d) and (5U3a) I have to say, no, the Andromedan may not self-displace. Fundamentally, (6G3d) pretty much means that *no* direct-fire weapon can ever be used by a ship within two hexes of a black hole. That would include displacement devices.

[Kang]

I'd agree. For direct-fire weapons, even if the target is in the same hex, there is still a LOS, just it's only 10km rather than 10,000km.

Therefore it follows that a direct-fire weapon may not be fired even at targets in the same hex where that hex is within 2 hexes of a black hole - is that right, Mike W?

From this it would follow that because a DD is a direct-fire weapon, it cannot be 'fired' even at the ship itself.

If you want a technobabble reason, why not say that the same spatial distortions that cause the disruption of the direct-fire weapons' targeting do the same for the displacement device's targeting. In essence, it's not the type of weapon that is important but the fact that the targeting is screwed up. That's always been my take on it, anyway.

[Bolo_MK_XL]

Then you fall into the case, that a weapon may not target a friendly vessel (3A3),
so in that vein you take the DD out of the Direct Fire Weapon Category ----

Simple is not always so simple ---

[mjwest]

Then you fall into the case, that a weapon may not target a friendly vessel (3A3),
so in that vein you take the DD out of the Direct Fire Weapon Category ----

Simple is not always so simple ---

That is a general rule that is (obviously) overridden by the specific rule of the Displacement Device. It happens. Besides, the Displacement Device is described as being "in effect" a direct-fire weapon. It's all a special case, no matter what. Regardless, it is specifically stated to operate within the broad confines of direct-fire weapons, with a few exceptions (e.g. can "fire" on friendly units, causes no direct damage).

Regardless, I still think (6G3d) effectively prevents any direct-fire (or direct-fire-like) weapon from even being fired if within two hexes of a black hole.