Space Combat

[mike wightman]

Simple CT rules for EW (ECM/ECCM) and sensor drones.

These are derived from Striker and a few bits borrowed from Brilliant Lances

Active sensor jamming
A ship inside the active sensor range of an opponent may try to fool his active scans by running the ECM program. This actually consists of broadcasting false returns etc. using their own active sensor.

The attacking ship has to roll 12+ to obtain a sensor lock.
DMs:
+ 1 per level of gunnery skill (or navigation -1)
+ targets reflected signature
+/- 1 per relative TL
+/- 1 per relative computer model

If the attacking ship runs its own ECM program in ECCM mode then it gains a bonus of +4 to the roll to obtain a sensor lock.

Sensor Drones
A sensor drone is a specially modified missile with its warhead removed (or downgraded) and an active/passive sensor system installed. It maneuvers the same as a normal missile.
The drone's sensors have half the range of the equivalent ship mounted sensors, and the drone can only go active a limited number of times depending on TL. The TL also determines the maximum model of sensor that can be installed. If the drone does not use its maneuver drive it may deploy a folding array to increase its sensor range to the same as that of an equivalent ship mounted system.
Number of active scans equals TL/3 round down.
Maximum sensor model equals TL/5 round down.

 

[mike wightman]

Simple CT rules for EW (ECM/ECCM) and sensor drones.

These are derived from Striker and a few bits borrowed from Brilliant Lances

Active sensor jamming
A ship inside the active sensor range of an opponent may try to fool his active scans by running the ECM program. This actually consists of broadcasting false returns etc. using their own active sensor.

The attacking ship has to roll 12+ to obtain a sensor lock.
DMs:
+ 1 per level of gunnery skill (or navigation -1)
+ targets reflected signature
+/- 1 per relative TL
+/- 1 per relative computer model

If the attacking ship runs its own ECM program in ECCM mode then it gains a bonus of +4 to the roll to obtain a sensor lock.

Sensor Drones
A sensor drone is a specially modified missile with its warhead removed (or downgraded) and an active/passive sensor system installed. It maneuvers the same as a normal missile.
The drone's sensors have half the range of the equivalent ship mounted sensors, and the drone can only go active a limited number of times depending on TL. The TL also determines the maximum model of sensor that can be installed. If the drone does not use its maneuver drive it may deploy a folding array to increase its sensor range to the same as that of an equivalent ship mounted system.
Number of active scans equals TL/3 round down.
Maximum sensor model equals TL/5 round down.

 

[mike wightman]

Sensor Decoy Drones
These are missiles that are modified to exactly mimic the passive and reflective signatures of the launching ship.
Their warhead is removed and replaced with extendable radiator panels and vanes that are designed to radiate the same heat signature and provide the same target profile as the reflected signature of the launching ship.

Once launched the drone(s) and the ship should be replaced with identical counters. Each then maneuvers separately and provides a problem for the attacking ship.
To identify a bogey as a drone or the ship roll 10+ on 2d.
DMs:
+/- 1 per relative TL
+ 1 per level of gunnery skill (or navigation -1)

Alternatively, just shoot them all ; the decoy can only take one hit.

Area Jammer Drone
this is a missile modified to transmit as much white noise as possible to confuse active sensors. If the line of sight to a target passes within 0.1 light seconds of the drone then the active ship must roll to penetrate ECM as for active jamming, above.
If the target ship is also using ECM jamming then the active ship must make two roles to obtain a target lock.

 

[mike wightman]

Sensor Decoy Drones
These are missiles that are modified to exactly mimic the passive and reflective signatures of the launching ship.
Their warhead is removed and replaced with extendable radiator panels and vanes that are designed to radiate the same heat signature and provide the same target profile as the reflected signature of the launching ship.

Once launched the drone(s) and the ship should be replaced with identical counters. Each then maneuvers separately and provides a problem for the attacking ship.
To identify a bogey as a drone or the ship roll 10+ on 2d.
DMs:
+/- 1 per relative TL
+ 1 per level of gunnery skill (or navigation -1)

Alternatively, just shoot them all ; the decoy can only take one hit.

Area Jammer Drone
this is a missile modified to transmit as much white noise as possible to confuse active sensors. If the line of sight to a target passes within 0.1 light seconds of the drone then the active ship must roll to penetrate ECM as for active jamming, above.
If the target ship is also using ECM jamming then the active ship must make two roles to obtain a target lock.

 

[Beck's]

Hmm. Quite simple indeed. The good thing is, that we've got a sensor ops skill in our house rules. But so far I didn't use the computer rules, as I thought it was a bit ridiculous to be limited to running a few programs simultaneously. Maybe it's time to rethink this. Gosh, falling back to the original rules more and more...

 

[Beck's]

Hmm. Quite simple indeed. The good thing is, that we've got a sensor ops skill in our house rules. But so far I didn't use the computer rules, as I thought it was a bit ridiculous to be limited to running a few programs simultaneously. Maybe it's time to rethink this. Gosh, falling back to the original rules more and more...

 

[Badbru]

Gosh Sigg, All this work you've put into CT starship combat. Looks to me like you've created "Brilliant Lances" for "CT" sans the maneuver fuel/g turns expenditure? CT ships don't concern themselves with maneuver fuel do they? Only been about 16 years since I've looked at CT so tell me have you also made a detailed hit location and damage resolution chart up?

 

[Badbru]

Gosh Sigg, All this work you've put into CT starship combat. Looks to me like you've created "Brilliant Lances" for "CT" sans the maneuver fuel/g turns expenditure? CT ships don't concern themselves with maneuver fuel do they? Only been about 16 years since I've looked at CT so tell me have you also made a detailed hit location and damage resolution chart up?

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Christopher:
Hmm. Quite simple indeed. The good thing is, that we've got a sensor ops skill in our house rules. But so far I didn't use the computer rules, as I thought it was a bit ridiculous to be limited to running a few programs simultaneously. Maybe it's time to rethink this. Gosh, falling back to the original rules more and more...

I was going to suggest Sensor Ops skill next
I think it was first introduced by DGP in their Grand Survey supplements and defaults to Navigation -1 (hence its inclusion in the rules above). You may even want to think about having dedicated EW personel

By the way, if you think the smaller computers are too limited in the number of programs they can run then treat each fire control station as having a limited model 1 computer (limited in that it can only run offensive programs - the main computer is still needed for all others).

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Christopher:
Hmm. Quite simple indeed. The good thing is, that we've got a sensor ops skill in our house rules. But so far I didn't use the computer rules, as I thought it was a bit ridiculous to be limited to running a few programs simultaneously. Maybe it's time to rethink this. Gosh, falling back to the original rules more and more...

I was going to suggest Sensor Ops skill next
I think it was first introduced by DGP in their Grand Survey supplements and defaults to Navigation -1 (hence its inclusion in the rules above). You may even want to think about having dedicated EW personel

By the way, if you think the smaller computers are too limited in the number of programs they can run then treat each fire control station as having a limited model 1 computer (limited in that it can only run offensive programs - the main computer is still needed for all others).

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Badbru:
Gosh Sigg, All this work you've put into CT starship combat. Looks to me like you've created "Brilliant Lances" for "CT" sans the maneuver fuel/g turns expenditure? CT ships don't concern themselves with maneuver fuel do they? Only been about 16 years since I've looked at CT so tell me have you also made a detailed hit location and damage resolution chart up?

It's been a labour of love

As to CT ships and maneuver fuel, according to LBB2 1st edition, a fully fueled power plant has 288 accelerations

For damage charts I use a modified version of the LBB2 damage charts plus the radiation damage charts from the missiles special supplement.

Hit locations I only do if I've got deck plans. In which case I draw a "bulkheads" only version and divide the ship into compartments. I then assign numbers to each compartment and write in each compartment what can be damaged, which can be randomised later. Large compartments are allocated more than one number. Hopefully the highest number corresponds to a type of die, if not I write in the % chance of hitting the compartment.

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Badbru:
Gosh Sigg, All this work you've put into CT starship combat. Looks to me like you've created "Brilliant Lances" for "CT" sans the maneuver fuel/g turns expenditure? CT ships don't concern themselves with maneuver fuel do they? Only been about 16 years since I've looked at CT so tell me have you also made a detailed hit location and damage resolution chart up?

It's been a labour of love

As to CT ships and maneuver fuel, according to LBB2 1st edition, a fully fueled power plant has 288 accelerations

For damage charts I use a modified version of the LBB2 damage charts plus the radiation damage charts from the missiles special supplement.

Hit locations I only do if I've got deck plans. In which case I draw a "bulkheads" only version and divide the ship into compartments. I then assign numbers to each compartment and write in each compartment what can be damaged, which can be randomised later. Large compartments are allocated more than one number. Hopefully the highest number corresponds to a type of die, if not I write in the % chance of hitting the compartment.

 

[Beck's]

I'm gonna let the capacities as they are.
Makes the battles more interesting from the gaming perspective.

Just watching Red Planet.

 

[Beck's]

I'm gonna let the capacities as they are.
Makes the battles more interesting from the gaming perspective.

Just watching Red Planet.

 

[Badbru]

Sigg,

Clearly you're familiar with both (BL and your BL for CT)

At the risk of starting some kind of flame war which is a: better and b: preferred by you?

I ask mostly because I like BL but its complexity makes having a quick combat between a few ships quite an involved affair, otoh, CT and HG seem too
(dare I say it on the CT board) Simplistic for me.
However your BL for CT might be a good compromise if only I were more familiar with CT.

 

[Badbru]

Sigg,

Clearly you're familiar with both (BL and your BL for CT)

At the risk of starting some kind of flame war which is a: better and b: preferred by you?

I ask mostly because I like BL but its complexity makes having a quick combat between a few ships quite an involved affair, otoh, CT and HG seem too
(dare I say it on the CT board) Simplistic for me.
However your BL for CT might be a good compromise if only I were more familiar with CT.

 

[mike wightman]

Hi Badru,
in my humble opinion Brilliant Lances is one of the best board games for modelling ship to ship combat.
As you say, it is a bit complicated and can take a while to play. Taking bits from Battle Rider helps (the Mayday/LBB2 like vector movement), but the damage resolution remains somewhat detailed for multi-ship engagements.
High Guard is OK for fleet on fleet engagements, but is too abstract for my liking.

So my preference is for LBB2/Mayday like combat, modified for the use of sensors etc. as I have written about above.

I have also written house rules for using Power Projection for PC scale/small ship Traveller use and one of these days I'll send Dom the sensor rules above converted to PP (there are problems with difference of scale, converting tasks etc.).

 

[mike wightman]

Hi Badru,
in my humble opinion Brilliant Lances is one of the best board games for modelling ship to ship combat.
As you say, it is a bit complicated and can take a while to play. Taking bits from Battle Rider helps (the Mayday/LBB2 like vector movement), but the damage resolution remains somewhat detailed for multi-ship engagements.
High Guard is OK for fleet on fleet engagements, but is too abstract for my liking.

So my preference is for LBB2/Mayday like combat, modified for the use of sensors etc. as I have written about above.

I have also written house rules for using Power Projection for PC scale/small ship Traveller use and one of these days I'll send Dom the sensor rules above converted to PP (there are problems with difference of scale, converting tasks etc.).

 

[The Oz]

For role-playing I think Sigg has it right on the nose: a mix of LBB2/Mayday with some stuff grafted on from BL/BR would be a good system.

What I'd like to see is a fleet-level combat system that's about "half a step" down from HG. BR and PP:F are too detailed for the level I'm thinking of. I want to be able to handle squadrons of capital ships, flotillas of escorts, and wings of fighters, with a little more detail in movement and electronic warfare than HG, but with a combat system that doesn't bog things down too much when resolving damage.

 

[The Oz]

For role-playing I think Sigg has it right on the nose: a mix of LBB2/Mayday with some stuff grafted on from BL/BR would be a good system.

What I'd like to see is a fleet-level combat system that's about "half a step" down from HG. BR and PP:F are too detailed for the level I'm thinking of. I want to be able to handle squadrons of capital ships, flotillas of escorts, and wings of fighters, with a little more detail in movement and electronic warfare than HG, but with a combat system that doesn't bog things down too much when resolving damage.