A plasma torpedo has been launched in the same hex as its target, with the target facing directly towards the plasma, i.e. with the plasma off its #1 shield.
On the next movement sub-pulse, the target moves directly forwards one hex. I assume that the plasma impacts the #1 shield of its target, as the target tries to move 'through' it, is that correct? And the plasma does not have to HET and follow; that's the main issue.
I'm basing my assumption on the rule where if a seeking weapon and its target mutually cross a hexside going in opposite directions, the seeking weapon will hit.
What do you think?
Same-hex plasma launch question
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Bolo_MK_XL
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Misread the situation --- gave bad info. 
Last edited by Bolo_MK_XL on Fri Jul 18, 2014 6:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dan Ibekwe
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I'm not so sure. This...
"(4F2c) Same Hex: If a seeking weapon is
launched in the same hex as its target, it will not impact until the movement portion of the next impulse
(by which time the target may or may not have moved
out of the hex). See also (3C6d)."
...might suggest that (if the target ship is making speed 24+1) the ship moves *out* of the hex on sub-pulse one, and the torp then HETs and hits her shield #4.
Follow-up question. Do seeking weapons have to move straight ahead on their first hex of movement after launch? I always thought they did, but I can't find the rule and I now suspect that's baggage I'm carrying from SFB.
"(4F2c) Same Hex: If a seeking weapon is
launched in the same hex as its target, it will not impact until the movement portion of the next impulse
(by which time the target may or may not have moved
out of the hex). See also (3C6d)."
...might suggest that (if the target ship is making speed 24+1) the ship moves *out* of the hex on sub-pulse one, and the torp then HETs and hits her shield #4.
Follow-up question. Do seeking weapons have to move straight ahead on their first hex of movement after launch? I always thought they did, but I can't find the rule and I now suspect that's baggage I'm carrying from SFB.
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Bolo_MK_XL
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My bad, after reading it a couple times.
Read right over the Same Hex statement.
Yes, the ship moves, then the Plasma Hets and Hits
the #4 Shield.
Guess it was too early in the morning when I saw the post.
Read right over the Same Hex statement.
Yes, the ship moves, then the Plasma Hets and Hits
the #4 Shield.
Guess it was too early in the morning when I saw the post.
Seeking weapons have a Turn Mode of 1, upon launch they have to satisfy that before they can Turn or Slip. Other than a HET to hit target, they have to move forward.Do seeking weapons have to move straight ahead on their first hex of movement after launch?
The plasma hits the #4.
The ship moves, then the plasma moves its phase and impacts, you don't move 'through' each other in the same hex in that way.
The same with a drone or shuttle, you can move straight out and past it without getting hit even though you have gone 'through' it, and then escape it all together if it isn't moving as well. Plus shuttles can't HET so can't hit anyway in that case.
The must move 1 hex ahead before turning is covered in 2C3b.
The ship moves, then the plasma moves its phase and impacts, you don't move 'through' each other in the same hex in that way.
The same with a drone or shuttle, you can move straight out and past it without getting hit even though you have gone 'through' it, and then escape it all together if it isn't moving as well. Plus shuttles can't HET so can't hit anyway in that case.
The must move 1 hex ahead before turning is covered in 2C3b.
If you are after a hand wavium explanation, then just see it as the firing ship left it too late - the seeker needs a fraction of a second for its guidance system/propulsion to properly kick in after launch during which the target flew past, so when the plasma is ready to go (1/30th of a second later or whatever a subpulse represents) it has to acquire and HET round. Just like modern AAMs, they are least maneuverable just after launch - due to low speed and maximum mass.
The answers given here are correct. If a plasma is launched in the same hex as the target ship, initially facing the ship's #1 shield, and speed 24+1 ship moves straight ahead on the first sub-pulse of the next impulse, the plasma will indeed HET and impact the target ship's #4 shield.
Note that the target ship has to be moving speed 24+1, or the plasma will hit the #1 shield on sub-pulse one (since the ship is still in the same hex as the plasma).
Lee's technobabble explanation is at least as good as anything I was going to come up with.
From a game mechanics point of view, this is different from the "move through" situation as the "move through" involves a ship moving into the hex of the plasma, not starting the sub-pulse in the same hex. And the "move through" does still apply to a just-launched plasma, too. So, for example, if the above ship was in an adjacent hex to the launched plasma (instead of the same hex) and then moved into the plasma's hex, the plasma would still impact before it moves.
Note that the target ship has to be moving speed 24+1, or the plasma will hit the #1 shield on sub-pulse one (since the ship is still in the same hex as the plasma).
Lee's technobabble explanation is at least as good as anything I was going to come up with.
From a game mechanics point of view, this is different from the "move through" situation as the "move through" involves a ship moving into the hex of the plasma, not starting the sub-pulse in the same hex. And the "move through" does still apply to a just-launched plasma, too. So, for example, if the above ship was in an adjacent hex to the launched plasma (instead of the same hex) and then moved into the plasma's hex, the plasma would still impact before it moves.
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