Topic: Spacemaster Range Discussion

[David Johansen]

Okay, as a point of discussion let's hash out weapon ranges for once and for all shall we?

I suggest the following as a simple progression that maps somewhat to the handling of sensor ranges in that it looks at broad units in a uniform fashion rather than trying to set detailed ranges by mark number and weapon type, which probably is fine since the mark number is added to attack rolls.  I think in a similar vein, the weapon tables should be assumed to be weighted to reflect reduced effectiveness at range due to the base penalty rather than setting ranges by the weapon type.  I know, the tactical wargamer in me is dying a little too.

Point Blank (Visual) < 1 km
Short (Tactical) <  10 km
Medium (Standoff) < 100 km
Long (Hemisphere)< 1000 km
Very Long (Orbital) < 10 000 km
Extreme (Strategic) < 100 000 km

My basic rationale here would be that ships in SMP have really high accelerations with 10Gs being pretty average for a gun boat or transport.  This makes tracking and targeting at long ranges very difficult as sensors and computers have time to compensate and react to sensor activity such as targeting lasers and active radar locks.  Projectiles may carryon indefinately but they can certainly be detected and avoided.

Any thoughts?

[RandalThor]

I don't like the idea of a universal range table. The different types of weapons should have their own ranges, like a lasers ranges would be different from a projectile thrower - probably greater.

But, I do like the fact that you have nice long ranges for space combat - unlike d20 Future which had weapons that could barely shoot the length of the vehicle the weapon was mounted on.....some not even that.

[David Johansen]

Well, I considered having some but the ranges came out so broad and SMP space combat movement is so abstract.  Really for the way space combat is writen you'd probably have a uniform series of 10 km range bands because you can expand or close the range by one band each turn.  Which, I suppose, might be taken as turns that expand in length proportionate to the ranges.

Would these modifiers make you happy?

Lasers x 2
Plasma and Missiles / 2
Torpedoes Unlimited

Or should the modifiers be applied to the attack modifiers making it harder to hit with some weapons than others in keeping with uniform range bands.

In real physics projectiles have longer ranges than beams because projectiles just keep going forever.  Beams on the other hand lose focus eventually, and the spot diameter gets too large and unfocussed to cause damage because there will always be tiny differences in the angle of the individual particles / waves.

[markc]

 I would assign weapons a range by type, ie lasers extream range, Auto Med or Long, etc.


 I was thinking about doing the same thing I am glad you got to it before I did. I had thought about 2 different range brackets 1 for space and 1 for planet fall.


MDC

[David Johansen]

Well, since it's flat factors of ten, we could do the same to the length of a round and assume the wasted shots are simply ignored and the existing range penalties take that into account.

In the book the penalties are uniform for all weapons so I'm thinking varying the weapon ranges will be necessary.

What about:

MK# x WF x 10^B = Range

Where:

WF = 1 for projectiles and blasters, 2 for lasers, and 0.5 for ion and plasma weapons

B = 1 at Point Blank Range, 2 at Short Range, 3 at Medium Range, 4 at Long Range, and 5 at Extreme Range

This would give a MK 10 Blaster:

Point Blank < 100 m
Short < 1000 m
Medium < 10 000 m
Long < 100 000m
Extreme < 1 000 000 m

By way of comparison a MK 30 Laser would have:

Point Blank < 600 m
Short < 6000 m
Medium < 60 000 m
Long < 600 000m
Extreme < 6 000 000 m

In atmosphere I'd probably reduce the ranges to reflect atmospheric difusion and gravitation but I don't have a definative notion at the moment, possibly just divide by a factor of ten.

A related side issue would be weapons over mk 50,  I'd like to suggest a maximum bonus of +100 from the mk# and giving damage multipliers for higher values.
 

[markc]

 IMHO projectile weapons may have an range of a blaster but IMHO it should not have the effective range of a blaster.


 I do not know about Ion cannons or Disruptor's vs Lasers or Blasters and range that might have to have its own discussion.


 I do think an atmo and space range chart is best vs a one size fits all approach. I also think a formula for each weapon is better than a master formula and different weapon factors.


I am torn on weapons over MK50. I have thought to just make them one weapon mount with a damage multiple and no crit caps. IE a MK 60 would be treated as a single weapon doing x2 damage of a MK 30 and x2 crits, and no crit caps.
  But this is something I have not tested or thought much of right now. But I think their might be a way I like better than just the added bonus to the to hit roll.


MDC

[David Johansen]

I based the weapon factors on the range calculation from page 102 of Blaster Law.  It doesn't cover ion weapons but I felt it was the closest cannonical source.