KamikazeJohnson
07/13/14 08:13 PM
50.72.218.68
|
So how would this work? I'm thinking something along the lines of the PPC Capacitor, where it's an Add-On for a specific weapon, and at a cost of tonnage, space, and (perhaps) heat, and adds range. It would probably need to be incompatible with Capacitors and Targeting Computers for balance reasons.
Energy weapons only.
I'm thinking:
PPC Range Extender
Level 1: 0.5 tons, 1 crit. Adds 1 hex to the Long Range bracket.
Level 2: 1.0 tons, 1 crit. Adds 1 hex to the Medium Range bracket (shifting the entire Long Range bracket up 1)
Level 3: 1.5 tons, 2 crits. Adds 1 hex to the Short Range bracket, and an additional hex to the Long Range bracket.
I dunno...that's probably massively underpowered, but there's probably a happy medium there somewhere.
Perhaps it automatically applies to all energy weapons, and the tonnage is based on total tonnage of applicable weapons. Such as 1 ton, 1 crit per 5 tons, adds 1 hex to each range bracket. That seems overpowered...try it on massed Medium Lasers...
Thoughts?
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
Cray
07/14/14 06:57 PM
67.8.171.23
|
I like where you're going, and agree they're underpowered. I'd recommend range extenders something like this:
Level 1: 0.5 tons, 1 crit. Adds 1 hex to the Long Range bracket.
Level 2: 1.0 tons, 1 crit. Adds 1 hex to each the Medium and Long Range brackets.
Level 3: 1.5 tons, 1 crit. Adds 1 hex to each the Short, Medium, and Long Range brackets.
Some suggested clarifications:
Note 1: only available to PPCs and large lasers. Smaller weapons do not have enough basic range to see a significant range extension, while the Heavy PPC evaporates range extenders.
Note 2: only available to standard weapons, not pulse or ER. ER weapons already include similar equipment, while pulse lasers are not compatible because of [TBD technobabble  ].
Note 3: While tonnages and crits are identical, range extenders may not be swapped between PPCs and lasers. Range extenders for each weapon type operate on fundamentally different principles - improved optical mirrors with jitter correction, versus improved magnetic lenses with dispersion reduction (or some such).
Discussion:
I considered your idea of a variable tonnage system, but the problem was rounding and the small tonnages of range extenders. If you did something like "weapon tonnage / 5, round up" for Level 1, "weapon tonnage / 4, round up" for level 2, and "weapon tonnage / 3" for level 3, you'd either end up with fairly heavy range extenders or (for larger divisors like /10 or /8) lots of range extenders with the same tonnage but different effects.
So, for a first cut of range extenders I kept them specific to PPCs and large lasers. That's how ER weapons started out.
That's my 2 bits, take'em or leave'em as you like.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
|
ghostrider
07/18/14 01:27 AM
66.74.190.226
|
I would think a way to extend the range of energy weapons would be a better targeting system. To my knowledge, the er is better focusing system, which I do not understand why it is not standard yet, while a targeting computer gives a better to hit.
I would think software combined with hardware would do the trick.
Now I hate to say it, but I would figure short range would improve before long range.
As it was said before. A laser limit is the horizon. They supposedly dissipate and can't hold on one spot for enough time to do damage at that range. Maybe a system that allows more stability in the weapon being fired or maybe even the mech itself.
Maybe a whole mech packaged system would be the idea.
Still the proposed system would be good for a trial or beta of the finished system. Maybe use fluff to branch off the er upgrades.
|