Ship combat Arc of Fire

[jayouzts]

I am reading the ship combat rules and note that the sections on turreted weapons make no reference to arc of fire.

Am I to understand that any weapon can fire at any target in range regardless of direction?

 

[jfwking]

The rules as published don't say either way.

I use turrets with a 5 hex arc, bays and barbettes with a 3 hex arc and spinal mounts with a 1 hex arc (front or back only).

Jim

 

[Vanguard]

Since a turret can cover one half of a sphere through elevation and rotation, and the 2D combat grid doesn't take into account the ship rotating along its long axis, a turret should be able to cover any firing arc. However, a ship with turret "dead zones" (where a firing arc is blocked by some other structure on the ship) could be an interesting handicap for a ship.

A battery of turrets may or may not be able to cover any arc, depending on the size of the battery, the positioning of the turrets, and the size and rotational speed of the ship.

I agree that Bay weapon arcs should be limited, and 2 or 3 hexes sounds about right...however, because of the axial rotation discussed earlier, the arc should be "mirrored" on both sides of the ship.

I agree with Capt. Jonah that a spinal should have a one-hex arc, either foreward or rear facing, chosen at the time of ship construction.

 

[tjoneslo]

The reason none of the weapons have firing arcs is given the time scale of the combat any ship should be able to rotate to any facing to allow firing any weapon at any target, in one round.

If you want to follow CT lore, ships over 100,000 tons can't fire all of their weapons at the same target.