CT Book 2 Space Combat Ordnance Launch

[snrdg082102]

Hello all once again,

First, my apologies for going over the CT Book 2 Space combat, but I'm trying to get a handle on creating a flow chart in the yED Graph Editor application. My next project is to do the same for Book 5 HG Space Combat.

Hopefully when I have the diagram I'll have a handle on both of them.

Back to the scheduled question.

CT Book 2 Ordnance Launch Phase pages 29-30

During the ordnance launch phase the following actions may occur:

1. Missiles or sand or both may be launched, provided that both launch and target programs are running (in the CPU?).

1A. Ordnance (missile launchers and sandcasters) must be specified during the launch ordnance phase.

1B. Only one missile or sand canister may be launched from a launch rack or sandcaster.

Question 1-1: Can a turret with a dual or triple missile launcher or sandcaster launch more than one missile or sand canister?

2. Lifeboats or ship's vehicles may be launched without programs being necessary.

3. Launched ordnance doesn't actually move until the launching players next movement phase.

3A. All launched ordnance has the launching ship's vector, which must be taken into account.

Question 3-1: Why would a turret launching a missile at any direction but off the ship's bow have the same vector?

4. Missiles or sand launched in an earlier Ordnance launch phase that contacts a target in the preceding movement phase and survives the Native player's Return Laser Fire's anti-missile and ECM programs detonates during the current Ordnance Launch phase.

Question 4-1: What effect does sand have? I can't seem to find the reference.

4A. Missile detonation inflects 1 to 6 hits depending on the range of the detonation. Roll 1D for each missile to determine the number of hits. Roll 2D on the Hit Location once for each hit taken.

Question 4-2: Where do I find the range specifications?

 

[hdan]

I was waiting for someone more knowledgeable to chime in, but some preliminary answers for you:

Question 1-1: Can a turret with a dual or triple missile launcher or sandcaster launch more than one missile or sand canister?

Yes, one per weapon.

Question 3-1: Why would a turret launching a missile at any direction but off the ship's bow have the same vector?

Conservation of Momentum. The acceleration by the launching mechanism is tiny compared to the acceleration of the ship, so even though it wouldn't technically be the same, it's close enough for game purposes.

Question 4-1: What effect does sand have? I can't seem to find the reference.

Sand makes a 1" cloud in the direction of the enemy but moving at the launching ship's velocity. (In other words, stationary relative to the launching ship.) Unless you move away from the sand, it provides a -3 DM to incoming laser fire through the cloud. It blocks your fire, too.

I'm not sure what the official rule is, but we always played that the act of launching the sand established the cloud immediately.

I always imagined sand as being similar in purpose to squid/octopus ink.

Question 4-2: Where do I find the range specifications?

That depends on what rules you're using. Starter Traveller uses "Range Bands", which are defined in the MOVEMENT section to be 10,000km, or roughly the distance that a ship which accelerates at 1g for 1 turn (and then stops accelerating) would be travelling per turn. I think in vector based Travellers, that's 1". The DEFENDER DM's list DMs for ranges of 25 and 50 bands.

 

[snrdg082102]

Howdy hdan,

Thanks for the reply

I was waiting for someone more knowledgeable to chime in, but some preliminary answers for you:

Question 1-1: Can a turret with a dual or triple missile launcher or sandcaster launch more than one missile or sand canister?

Yes, one per weapon.

To be sure I've got this one a dual missile turret can launch two missiles at a target during the ordnance launch phase.

Question 3-1: Why would a turret launching a missile at any direction but off the ship's bow have the same vector?

Conservation of Momentum. The acceleration by the launching mechanism is tiny compared to the acceleration of the ship, so even though it wouldn't technically be the same, it's close enough for game purposes.

Thanks for clearing that one up, shows that I'm not a gunner I just provided the data to fire the torpedo at the target.

Question 4-1: What effect does sand have? I can't seem to find the reference.

Sand makes a 1" cloud in the direction of the enemy but moving at the launching ship's velocity. (In other words, stationary relative to the launching ship.) Unless you move away from the sand, it provides a -3 DM to incoming laser fire through the cloud. It blocks your fire, too.

Thanks once again for the answer and of course I totally over looked CT Book 2 page 30 Defender's DMs; Obscuring sand (per 25 mm or 1 inch) -3.

I'm not sure what the official rule is, but we always played that the act of launching the sand established the cloud immediately.

I always imagined sand as being similar in purpose to squid/octopus ink.

From CT Book 2 page 32: "The launched item does not actually move until the following friendly movement phase."

Here is what I get from the above: The Intruder launches 3 sand canisters during the Ordnance launch phase. The Intruder reprograms the ship's computer. The Native player goes through the five phases. The sand canisters fired in the previous Ordnance Launch phase deploys creating the cloud.

An analogy I hadn't thought about an my part I thought of sand as being something like chaff used to blind radar.

Question 4-2: Where do I find the range specifications?

That depends on what rules you're using. Starter Traveller uses "Range Bands", which are defined in the MOVEMENT section to be 10,000km, or roughly the distance that a ship which accelerates at 1g for 1 turn (and then stops accelerating) would be travelling per turn. I think in vector based Travellers, that's 1". The DEFENDER DM's list DMs for ranges of 25 and 50 bands.

Another question that the answer as right there on CT Book 2 pages 26 and 30.

Thanks for the help hdan

 

[Vladika]

compared to the acceleration of the ship

A small correction. The vectors remain nearly the same do to the relative velocities concerned. If and as the ship and projectile accelerate relative to each other the gap expands (vectors are changing). If neither accelerated they would have the same vector practically forever. This due to a nearly frictionless medium through which they move (vacuum of space).

ANY change in vector, in magnitude or direction, results in an acceleration. The corollary is that any acceleration applied to a vector changes the vector, in magnitude or direction.

Conservation of momentum is exactly correct.

When a plane drops a bomb, the bomb continues in the same direction and speed as the plane, less losses due to air friction. Don't drop a bomb to close to the ground! (In low altitude bombing the plane abruptly accelerates and or changes direction, AFTER the bomb is released.)

 

[snrdg082102]

Morning (PST) Vladika,

Thanks for adding to my very fuzzy knowledge base.

A small correction. The vectors remain nearly the same do to the relative velocities concerned. If and as the ship and projectile accelerate relative to each other the gap expands (vectors are changing). If neither accelerated they would have the same vector practically forever. This due to a nearly frictionless medium through which they move (vacuum of space).

ANY change in vector, in magnitude or direction, results in an acceleration. The corollary is that any acceleration applied to a vector changes the vector, in magnitude or direction.

Conservation of momentum is exactly correct.

I keep forgetting that Traveller has maximum velocity/acceleration is 6G and simplified combat for the relative easy of game play. Of course the 6G limit imposed on Traveller missiles doesn't jib with my small, get ready for it, "real world" knowledge of how fast missiles and torpedoes are compared to the targets the are employed against.

When a plane drops a bomb, the bomb continues in the same direction and speed as the plane, less losses due to air friction. Don't drop a bomb to close to the ground! (In low altitude bombing the plane abruptly accelerates and or changes direction, AFTER the bomb is released.)

I always thought the whle maneuvering thing was to keep the pesky ground fire from putting holes in the plane's fuselage.

 

[hdan]

A small correction. The vectors remain nearly the same do to the relative velocities concerned. If and as the ship and projectile accelerate relative to each other the gap expands (vectors are changing). If neither accelerated they would have the same vector practically forever. This due to a nearly frictionless medium through which they move (vacuum of space).

In this case, I did actually mean acceleration. The "missile launches with the same velocity" rule indicates to me that the acceleration imparted by the launcher is insignificant compared to both the ship's and missile's own drives, and is ignored for the sake of the various vectors involved.

I could have phrased it better though, so thanks for the more friendly interpretation.

 

[snrdg082102]

So much for my editing I miss spelled whole and just noticed.

Morning (PST) Vladika,

Thanks for adding to my very fuzzy knowledge base.



I keep forgetting that Traveller has maximum velocity/acceleration is 6G and simplified combat for the relative easy of game play. Of course the 6G limit imposed on Traveller missiles doesn't jib with my small, get ready for it, "real world" knowledge of how fast missiles and torpedoes are compared to the targets the are employed against.



I always thought the whle whole maneuvering thing was to keep the pesky ground fire from putting holes in the plane's fuselage.