Federation Commander

The Hellbore rules explain (4K3e) what happens when a HB hits a target with *two* shields, and what happens when one hits a target with *no* shields.

Ground Bases have *one* shield, and I haven't been able to find anything on what happens if one is hit by a Hellbore.

I'd guess only the first part of the damage counts, the rest just warms up the ground around the base?

Anyone?

The Version 6b of the Reference Rulebook has this sentence at the end of (4K3e):

If the target has no shields, such as a shuttle or drone, apply the total damage (first number plus the second number) to the target
as one volley.

Thanks Jim, I saw that. AFAIK, Ground Bases have 'one' shield.


The question came up after reading the 'Rescue' scenario in CL48; I'd selected a Hydran fleet (two Iroquois, two DWH, three Stingers, 492 points) but didn't get round to submitting it.

Since my tactics depended on getting to range one and unloading at the end of turn two (and then backing out to range four on turn three to be out of range of the bases' Gats waking up at the start of turn four), making sure that an average of three non-overloaded HBs at range one could silence each base was rather important.

Is Mike West on holiday?

I would go with all damage on the one shield as a single volley.

To me it's basically the same as a unit with no shield.

In general, a unit with one shield is going to treated as a unit with no shields. So, a unit with one shield will take damage against that shield, and whatever penetrates is internals.

Now, there could be an argument that as a small ground base, it should not take the full damage. However, there is not such rule for that, so the full damage is applied to a ground base.

Sorry for the delay in response.

That's fine, Thanks Mike

In the case of a small ground base, half of the damage is applied to the shield and the other half is expended uselessly against the planetary surface having no game effect.

That's currently only in SFB. We need to make sure that is added to the base rules, because it isn't there now.

I added it to the master file so if we ever do revision 7 it will show up there. For now, the Q&A ruling will suffice.

That would apply to PPD and QWT splash damage too, wouldn't it?