I tried to build a robot brain (using CT LBB8) for it (just with Pilot 1 skill), but it would take a mínimum of 20 littlers (probably some more). The missile could afford it by forfeiting the densiometer and using a termal detector...
TL 10 Kinetic kill missile
- Thread starter Carlobrand
- Start date
Are you asking me or the OP?
My take is I want a missile that can accept guidance to keep a lead on the target ship so it can't maneuver out of the engagement envelope thus allowing for a drift range of several 100000 kms, then terminally close at high Gs.
McPerth, I would tend to go with Gunnery as the skill, that would give you either Gunnery-1 at half the space, or Gunnery-2 for the same.
I wouldn't feel badly about paying space for a robot brain as the missile is then a 'smart' missile with an inherent plus to hit, possibly not be spoofed (maybe electronics or ship tactics skill for that aspect).
I wouldn't feel badly about paying space for a robot brain as the missile is then a 'smart' missile with an inherent plus to hit, possibly not be spoofed (maybe electronics or ship tactics skill for that aspect).
I understand. I'm a little more willing to mix and match to see what kind of interesting chimerae pop out, but that does take one out of canon, by definition.
In this instance, the only thing MegaTrav lacks for completing the circle is a way of turning sensor information into control surface responses. A man behind a control panel is the traditional way of handling that. A robot brain is another. Neither seems to be what is going on in the canon missile, which has very little space available to begin with, and a brain is overkill as I said. You want to take signals from a sensor to make control surfaces keep the thing pointed at the thing the sensor's looking at. Clearly something of reasonable size exists that they use in missiles, but it isn't identified. I can't help thinking, certainly at TL 10, that some wiring and a chip the size of a quarter could do the job, but the game is silent on that point.
I'd say the launcher needs Gunnery skill to aim the shoot, but the missile itself, being de facto a Kamikaze, would need Pilot, as he's in fact manuvering the craft to collide with the enemy...
Hmm so a gunner executing a guided missile attack is a pilot?
So, a pilot trying to collide à la kamikaze is a gunner?
I guess there's a point where both intesect...
As I understand it, the one who fires a missile uses gunnery skill, but one that guides it as a kamikaze, not so sure, and anyone trying to pilot a craft (be a missile, a fighter or whatever) to collide with a ship uses pilot skill...
I don't see gunnery skill adecuate for the guidance system of a missile, as it is, in fact (IMHO) piloting it to a collision point, not aiming any weapon.
A laser shot or an artillery barrage is nothing but arranging a collision, whether energy or impact. Also, it just is ultimately an impact course, not all the other code that would be needed for takeoff, landing, docking and other piloty duties.
<Shrug> suit yourself. Just seems a logical way to reduce that robot brain.
<Shrug> suit yourself. Just seems a logical way to reduce that robot brain.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Ship's boat skill is only 2 slots compared with 4 for pilot - gunnery is 2 slots too, as is grav vehicle (which is what the OP is defining this as - a 50kg unmanned computer controlled vehicle).
Pilot is for vessels 100t and over.
Pilot is for vessels 100t and over.
But in this case you maneuver the missile to achieve the collision...
You're right, ship's boat, not pilot, would probably be the right skill
Okay, damage. I can't see any way around making it random: a random bonus to the damage roll. Too many variables: attacker coming in fast to minimize exposure, attacker coming in slow to retain the ability to reverse and minimize damage. Worse if the launching platform is a ship rather than a planetary defense site. 2D6?
The tables in HG and MT are the same, but the order is changed:
In MT as written (compared with HG):
- higher rolls are more damaging. DMs for pulse lasers are +2, and the DM for spinals is +6 is rating is A+. Armor DM is -1 per 3 AF over 40.
- The results go from 2 (no effect) to 21(equivalent to the 2 in HG). Results are reversed
Practical meanings:
- I don't know how can you achieve a 21 result, as the máximum DM you may have is +6, and the roll is 2d6...
- On an "interior explosion" result on the surface explosión table, as the roll is unodified, you cannot achieve the Fuel Tanks Shatered result* (result 19)
Errata changes the tables so that results go from -2 (no effect) to 18 (equivalent to a 2 on HG), so making most results achievable (and so more logical), though the impossibility to produce a FTS result on an interior explosión result keeps on*
* note: I don't say this is good or bad, just point it
Well, as I promised, I designed it:
- CPU: 5 parallel + 7 linear
- Storage: 12 standard
- Fundamental Logic Program: High Data
- Fundamental command program: Basic Command
- Application program: Ship's Boat 1
This Robot brain would be INT:0 EDU:1, would need 9.9 l volume (0.0099 kl). wight 2.4 kg (0.0024 tons) and cost 60900 Cr
So, it seems the main drawback is cost, as for the rest it could well fill.
And IIRC, the CP multiplier for a 0 INT robot brain was set by OjnoTheRed at 100, so a single electronic linked panel would suffice (0.0005 mw, 0.01 kl, 0.05 ton, 200 Cr). A computer linked panel would cost Cr150 more, but will reduce the weight by 0.004 tons...
If you change the densiometer for a passive IR sensor, it could all fill in (but at an increased cost). I guess you could even forfeit the radio and laser commo if the missile is fire and forget.
If so, as it does not need exterior guidance, I guess the range could be quite higher than what you told, as it could just accelerate until 2-3 minutes of battery remain, keep then the course and speed until near the target, and then using th remaining power to maneuver for PD evasion and impact.
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
Great!
I agree the communicators are superfluous.
I would not exchange the densitometer, since I guess an IR sensor is easier to jam or spoof.
You could power down the drive, but you would still have to accelerate as much as the target. You are probably not following directly from behind, but approaching at an angle aiming for the projected impact point. As the target accelerates the projected impact point moves, so you have to continually accelerate too.
Glad you like it. I'm not sure the accountant will, though...
The missile is set at 0.1 kl, and, with the densiometer, it has 0.016 kl free. The brain occupies 0.0099, while the panel 0.01, so, united they need 0.0199 kl. They don't fit in the missile unless you reduce the volume used, and the densiometer uses 0.02...
And I don't believe the IR (that is a termical sensor) is easy to jam, against the cold of space.
OTOH, the missile itself, unless fired through atmosphere (where I guess it will become quite hot) can be cold enough not to really emit them (or very few), and having no power plant, it emits no neutrinos.
I guess it must be quite difficult to detect by passive sensors, though with MT rules this is not true, as the pasive detection capacity depend exclusivelly on the densiometer, target size, temperature, etc being irrelevant.
Using the rules as written, the densiometer of a battleship is more likely to detect those small, fast appraching missiles wiht the densiometer than the missiles to detect the huge, hot battleship with its IR sensor. In fact, there are no rules to use the IR sensor to detect/pinpoint.
So, I guess this would need some extra referee work and assumptions...
You're right if you ue them to pursue, so to say, but I was thinking more in using them against approaching crafts...
AnotherDilbert
SOC-14 1K
I haven't read the entire rules, but couldn't we make do with Low Data? That would be much cheaper?
Yes, but, being TL10 (so -2 to INT), 5 more CPU modules must be parallel instead of linear to have another +1 to INT, and thats 1.5 l (and Cr 46500, so offsetting any savings). Otherwise, INT is negative (and I guess that's not posible, or at least it would have no PC multiple, forcing to use electronic (not linked) control pannels, of wich you'd need some, getting again over your volume limits.
Designing large crafts is quite easy, but when you're limited to small volumes, things become funny...
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I don't have a problem with spending 65,000 CR if the skill package yields a + to hit.
I'm not hearing that CT mini movement is being moved, if you were I would say work out a relative vee hit based on the SS3 formula.
Assuming this is abstracted to some degree, I offer this approach-
1d6 base damage
+ 1d6 if missile near end of run and accelerated.
+ 1d6 if target is traveling towards missile.
+ 1d6 if craft launching missile is at a high speed to impart velocity.
- 1d6 if target is traveling away from missile.
If the target is traveling at a high velocity away the missile is likely not to catch up.
If this is too high a damage threshold for your tastes or you want the kinetic missile to be a special use weapon, eliminate the base damage die.
I'm not hearing that CT mini movement is being moved, if you were I would say work out a relative vee hit based on the SS3 formula.
Assuming this is abstracted to some degree, I offer this approach-
1d6 base damage
+ 1d6 if missile near end of run and accelerated.
+ 1d6 if target is traveling towards missile.
+ 1d6 if craft launching missile is at a high speed to impart velocity.
- 1d6 if target is traveling away from missile.
If the target is traveling at a high velocity away the missile is likely not to catch up.
If this is too high a damage threshold for your tastes or you want the kinetic missile to be a special use weapon, eliminate the base damage die.
