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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:55 pm Post subject: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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I know ZzaphodD and I use very similar rules for auto-fire, but has anyone considered applying auto-fire rules to starfighters? I've always thought (based on the high observed fire rates in the films) that TIE fighters might be equipped with blasters instead of lasers, and adding auto-fire bonus dice to blaster-equipped fighters would certainly make it a more balanced weapon when compared to lasers...
Thoughts? _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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ZzaphodD Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 2426
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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crmcneill wrote: | I know ZzaphodD and I use very similar rules for auto-fire, but has anyone considered applying auto-fire rules to starfighters? I've always thought (based on the high observed fire rates in the films) that TIE fighters might be equipped with blasters instead of lasers, and adding auto-fire bonus dice to blaster-equipped fighters would certainly make it a more balanced weapon when compared to lasers...
Thoughts? |
In my games weapons such as the triple blaster and autoblaster has autofire (also a home-made pulselaser).
The problem one has to solve is how to differ between the effect of one powerful blast and a lot of lighter attacks, as there are no 'armour' for ships. _________________ My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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jmanski Arbiter-General (Moderator)
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 2065 Location: Kansas
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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I go back and forth on autoblasters. Sometimes I think they need rules; sometimes I think the dice codes are fine and its just "flavor text". I also adhere to the notion that rolling a set of dice is an "attack" and not one single pull of the trigger.
So, yeah, I could go either way. _________________ Blasted rules. Why can't they just be perfect? |
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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jmanski wrote: | I go back and forth on autoblasters. Sometimes I think they need rules; sometimes I think the dice codes are fine and its just "flavor text". I also adhere to the notion that rolling a set of dice is an "attack" and not one single pull of the trigger.
So, yeah, I could go either way. |
I've gone with auto-blasters being fitted with gyro-mounts and tracking systems. Notice in ANH when Vader's fighter was shooting, his shots tracked away from center, getting consistently closer and closer until they finally hit. IMO, an auto-blaster, in addition to having a high firing rate, also self-adjusts its firing solution by tracking the last of round of fire in relationship to the target. In yet another break from WEG, I think Vader's TIE Advanced was fitted with dual auto-blasters instead of laser cannon, and use the following rules:
Auto Tracking: 2D (When an auto-blaster is fired at a target, in each subsequent round, it receives an additional bonus of +1D to hit, up to the weapon's maximum auto-tracking value).
Combined with an auto-fire rate of 2D-3D, this would make autoblasters a very capable (and correspondingly rare and expensive) starfighter combat weapon. _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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ZzaphodD wrote: | In my games weapons such as the triple blaster and autoblaster has autofire (also a home-made pulselaser). |
That's a nice distinction on the pulse laser. Considering I've lumped Walker and Starfighter into essentially the same scale, its a lot easier to clarify the difference between laser cannon and blaster cannon.
Quote: | The problem one has to solve is how to differ between the effect of one powerful blast and a lot of lighter attacks, as there are no 'armour' for ships. |
Just for clarity's sake, what restrictions do you put on Auto-fire rules, above and beyond allowing the gunner to apply his auto-fire dice on To Hit and/or Damage? _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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ZzaphodD Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 2426
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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crmcneill wrote: | ZzaphodD wrote: | In my games weapons such as the triple blaster and autoblaster has autofire (also a home-made pulselaser). |
That's a nice distinction on the pulse laser. Considering I've lumped Walker and Starfighter into essentially the same scale, its a lot easier to clarify the difference between laser cannon and blaster cannon.
Quote: | The problem one has to solve is how to differ between the effect of one powerful blast and a lot of lighter attacks, as there are no 'armour' for ships. |
Just for clarity's sake, what restrictions do you put on Auto-fire rules, above and beyond allowing the gunner to apply his auto-fire dice on To Hit and/or Damage? |
The only restriction is that at longer ranges you can only add to the 'to hit' roll. Only close up can you concentrate the shots good enough to get be able to put all autofire dice into damage. At medium range you can put half (rounded down) into damage. _________________ My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:07 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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ZzaphodD wrote: | The only restriction is that at longer ranges you can only add to the 'to hit' roll. Only close up can you concentrate the shots good enough to get be able to put all autofire dice into damage. At medium range you can put half (rounded down) into damage. |
So how does that play into the armor question you brought up a couple posts back? _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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ZzaphodD Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 2426
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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crmcneill wrote: | ZzaphodD wrote: | The only restriction is that at longer ranges you can only add to the 'to hit' roll. Only close up can you concentrate the shots good enough to get be able to put all autofire dice into damage. At medium range you can put half (rounded down) into damage. |
So how does that play into the armor question you brought up a couple posts back? |
I havent been able to solve the armour question... Atm Im ignoring it as the PCs have no autofire ship weapons. _________________ My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:42 pm Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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ZzaphodD wrote: | So how does that play into the armor question you brought up a couple posts back? |
I havent been able to solve the armour question... Atm Im ignoring it as the PCs have no autofire ship weapons.[/quote]
So what is the rule you use for armor re: character scale weapons? _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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ZzaphodD Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 2426
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:19 am Post subject: Re: Auto-Fire and Starships |
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crmcneill wrote: | ZzaphodD wrote: | So how does that play into the armor question you brought up a couple posts back? |
I havent been able to solve the armour question... Atm Im ignoring it as the PCs have no autofire ship weapons. |
So what is the rule you use for armor re: character scale weapons?[/quote]
Again, I dont have a rule. In this case mostly because I felt that the complication wouldnt be justified. No characters walk around with armours that are 'blaster proof' in themselves. Also, as most of my automatic blasters only add +1D there is no need. However, the 'gatling blasters' would perhaps need a rule for this as they would have a high autofire bonus. If a 'gatling' does 5D damage with a 3D autofire dice, what is the use of an e-web (which at least in the movie fires one powerful blast)? Making the gatling less effective against heavily armoured targets (both vehicles and living targets) would somewhat counter that. _________________ My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Ok. Your previous posts made it sound like you had some special rule for adjusting auto-fire's effect on characters wearing armor. If that is not the case, then it's all good.
As far as fire rates, I max out at +3D, and that is reserved for extremely high ROF weapons like Gatling guns, beam weapons and flamethrowers. +2D is for fully automatic guns like repeating blasters and riot blasters, while 1D is the equivalent of the three-round-burst setting on a modern military assault rifle. For the E-Web, I would suggest altering the stats to fit the house rule, perhaps dropping the damage 1-2D, then giving it a 2D auto-fire rating. _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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ZzaphodD Rear Admiral
Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 2426
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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crmcneill wrote: | Ok. Your previous posts made it sound like you had some special rule for adjusting auto-fire's effect on characters wearing armor. If that is not the case, then it's all good. |
Ive been working on it, but havent found a good and simple solution.
Its similar to the problem that bounty hunter armour is said to be able to deflect blaster shots, but the that is only the case with 4D STR bounty hunters..
A normal person with a bounty hunter armour will get damaged by a hold out 50% of the time.. I then tried to come up with a 'deflection' level for armours. Attacks weaker than this level wouldnt penetrate, meaning no need for a resistance roll. Again, I found no good and simple way of translating existing armour values into deflection values.
I had an idea that an armour would deflect up to 4x its armour dice code. This would mean that a bounty hunter armour would deflect a normal blaster pistor, but not a rifle.
Edit: The problem with this was that armour dice codes are not linear. So a +2D armour does not double the protection by the game mechanics, but would deflect up to 8D damage, obviously not a good solution. I then switched the deflection value to Armour Dice + 3, meaning that the same +2D armour would deflect a normal laser rifle.
When you have that in place, you can add in autofire... _________________ My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course.. |
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CRMcNeill Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 16281 Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Ok. I can see your point; I guess I'm just not as concerned about it as you. IMO, high end armor (like bounty hunter armor) is rare and expensive, and the odds of coming across a basic (2D Strength) NPC wearing it seems highly unlikely. _________________ "No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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