Sensors and Engagement Ranges

[kilemall]

I'm sure a lot of Star Cruiser was in the back of my mind for a lot of this.

I don't believe in jamming in HG/Traveller simply because the jamming itself is a data point, if one uses jammer drones they are also reflecting energy off the hull and become another sensor source, there are so many spectrums to work targeting solutions off of that your best bet is to expand and obscure rather then overpower.

I figure EW is baked into the computer model DM in HG and presumably more advanced ECM/Evade/Predict programs in CT computers, no need for double jeopardy with the lockon, which is all about getting it down to within 5 meters of current position and just as importantly accurate information about the target ship size and maneuver capability which feeds into where it could be 3 seconds from now between the last sensor return, calc, and outbound fire hits.

 

[kilemall]

Oh, and I am assuming EMF signal is far greater for weapons capacitors then constant power plant output.

Power plants of course would output a lot of heat but I am assuming secondary thermogenic generators for feeding the life support system that is absorbing a lot of the excess heat, even for civilian craft.

Went with computer model as detection so players can get top notch detection, if they pay for it, it's TL limited as well as cost, so they aren't going to be cramming a Model/8 into a TL 9 provincial A trader, and the TL for tracking just seemed a nice way to double that, or even give a Type S TL15 ship some nice capabilities for 'free'.

The detection ranges also play into the realm of Utter Terror closing to less then 100,000 km entails, especially sneaky passive and silent ships. If they aren't active, they likely aren't nice, and there will be VERY little time for most player ships before they are in Very Painful range.

Prompts fleets to deploy with screening escorts too and that TARGETLINK business makes ACS escorts functional (more rules on that with the main group of rules).

It lets players detect a battle, stay passive and see what's happening before making a move.

All in all, pretty happy with this, unless somebody sees something glaringly wrong wrong (as opposed to 'not in my universe').

 

[kilemall]

I'm guessing most people missed the TARGETLINK program in all this.

That would be what I would use to implement both Aramis' beloved fighter battery weapons delivery, AND to link in higher computer levels so the fighters are not shooting at their limited Model carry/power/cost capacity.