Sensor Jamming

[Ning Leihrec]

The RAW says any ship can jam an entire space scene. That seems out of balance. Anytime an encounter isn't going the way a ship wants it can blast every one's sensors blind. I could see a limited range jam from standard sensor packages, maybe equal to the search range. But, I think long range jammers capable of blinding the whole star field should be special equipment.

[Naaman]

The way jamming works in real life (generally) is that certain frequencies are jammed but not others. So, if you had an alternate sensor that operated on a different frequency, then it would bypass the jamming....

At least, that's how it works for radio waves.

I imagine that since radar is a radio based technology, it would be similar.

On the other hand, full spectrum jamming could be a special kind of equipment that you allow at a certain cost.

Also, you could impose a power requirement on jamming o the whole star field such thar hyperseives and/or weapons cannot be operated while the jamming is ongoing, requiring 1D rounds to "warm up" after jamming has stopped.

Of course large enough ships could have a separate power supply for jamming and weapons/hyperdrive.

[Ning Leihrec]

That's a cool idea. A slip-scanner that overcomes being jammed by using frequency gaps in the static.

Medium Range Jamming Device
Range 100

Long Range Jamming Device
Range 1,000

Slip-Scan Sensor Package
Jammer and scanner make opposing sensor rolls. If scanner wins the sensors slip through the static and function at -1D.

[CRMcNeill]

This is something I formulated as part of my Starfighter Combat System, but never got around to actually codifying. Basically, the idea is to allow a starship to use its sensor dice as "anti-sensors", as it were. Not all ships will be equipped to do so (only military vessels are equipped stock, although civilian vessels such as smugglers or pirates may be upgraded after-market). On a successful Sensors roll, the jamming ship adds its Sensor dice to the difficulty of the targeted ship's Sensor rolls. The jamming vessel's range is equal to 1/2 the range of the sensor mode being used, and the jammer can choose to jam either all around (Scan mode), a single fire arc (Search mode) or a single target (Focus mode).

Actually, since the RAW allows all ships to jam, I'd probably limit civilian ships to Scan mode only (all-around).

Also, scale modifiers would apply, so Capital Scale jamming would be overpowering against starfighter and the like.

I'd also consider factoring in the success of the sensor operator's skill roll, adding 1 point to the jamming penalty for every 3 points by which it beats the base difficulty (with the same allowed for the sensor operator of the target ship to sense through the jamming), possibly even re-rolling every round as the two opposed operators grapple with each other across the energy spectrum.

There could also be ships with augmented EW suites that receive a general bonus to jamming attacks.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[garhkal]

Big thing to remember though, while jamming ALL are affected, even the PC's doing the jamming.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

That might work for transmitting a burst comm out, but not imo for sensors.. Take radar for instance. you have to send Out the pulse and wait for returns, same with sonar, and i think active sensors..
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

But, if the sensors and jamming are synchronized to operate together, the window in the jamming will last long enough to get a return from active sensors. Otherwise, they wouldn't be synchronized.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

Also, on my above idea, I would allow jamming to work on sensors and communications only, not fire control. The reason is that, with scale modifiers added in, capital ships would become almost impossible targets for starfighters. As an explanation, I'd just say that standard jamming actually counteracts itself against fire control, with any degradation counteracted by the fact that the jamming also highlights the jamming ship as a target.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

I know. In the source material, it was randomized.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Zarn]

In the really real world, with a lamentable lack of lightsabers and (so far) Force powers (though Spooky Action at a Distance is ... well, spooky), jamming stuff makes you the biggest target on the battlefield - because you're radiating energy.

Of course, there's heaps of types of jamming - my personal favorite is likely DRFM jamming, where you're essentially jamming ... your fingers into the eyes of the opponent. Figuratively speaking.

What was described RAW is similar to barrage jamming, i.e. jamming of multiple frequencies at once by a single jammer.

[CRMcNeill]

Jamming actually takes on added importance in my Starfighter Combat system since sensors are integral to the use of guided weapons (although some of the more advanced weapons include a backup home-on-jam ability). This is part of my explanation as to why unguided missiles and torpedoes are still in service; they can't be spoofed by jamming.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Naaman]

We used to jam our local area (Iraq) preventing cellular signals, while our comms worked jist the same.

Wherever we drove, cell phones didn't work. No cell phone = no KABOOM!

Eventually, the bad guys used alternate means of timing their detonations, but we had counter measures for those, too.

[CRMcNeill]

Something else on this topic...

Electronic Warfare consists of both Electronic Counter-Measures (Jamming) and Electronic Sensory Measures; using passive sensors to observe an enemy's active emissions (sensors and communications). One of the interesting facets of ESM is that, in the case of sensors, active sensor emissions can be detected at greater range than they can detect.

The example I liked best was that of using a flashlight in a dark warehouse; you can see fine within the scope of the beam, but the beam of light can be seen from much further away than it allows you to see.

I haven't really fleshed out the rules yet, but the basic idea is:

When a ship is using its Passive Sensor mode to detect a target using its Active Sensors, the first ship's Passive Range is equal to its own Passive Range, plus the Active Range of the second ship.

For example, a Mon Calamari Cruiser with a Passive of 40/1D could detect the Scan of 100/3D on an Imperial I ISD at 140 SU's, instead of 40)

Passive would also be used by the sensor operator to detect a target's frequency changes and such, allowing him to alter the jamming signal to continue the effect.
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index