Siphon Pod Launcher

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ATN082268
04/20/18 11:26 AM
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Siphon Pod Launcher

Overview

The Clans have noticed during the invasion of the Inner Sphere that many of
their opponents fight in a style that is dishonorable to the Clan rules of
engagement. All too often, multiple opponents have ganged up on a single Clan
'Mech. Most Clansmen wish to uphold their rules of engagement, even in some
cases when the enemy violates those rules. In 3055, Clan Coyote scientists
came up with the Siphon Pod Launcher as a solution to the problem.

The Siphon Pod Launcher is essentially a heavily modified Narc Beacon
launcher that fires a round that attaches itself to the target much in the same
way that a narc pods does but drains energy from any unit it hits which reduces
the effectiveness of that unit. Since Clan units generally move faster and have longer
firing ranges than Inner Sphere units, Clan warriors can more easily place themselves
in a favorable position to units that have been hit with the Siphon Pod while dueling with
their current opponent.

The Siphon Pod was designed for use against interlopers during a duel so that
a Clan warrior may at least reduce the effectiveness of the honorless unit
while he is engaging his current opponent in a duel. Alternatively, a warrior
may use a Siphon Pod when they are mismatched in some way such as weight
class to even up the odds.

Tech Base: Clan
Tons: 3
Criticals: 2
Ammo: 4 shots/ton


Heat: 4
Damage: Special (See Below)


S: 1-3
M: 4-6
L: 7-9


Game Notes: Any unit 200 tons or lighter that has been hit with a Siphon Pod can not fire any energy weapon that generates more than 5 heat or fire any Gauss Rifle. The pod itself does no physical damage and the effects last for 3 rounds starting in the physical attack phase after the fire phase in which the unit was hit. After 3 rounds the pod burns out and becomes useless. If a unit is hit with more than one pod, the most current pod burns out all other pods on the unit making them useless. A 'Mech that has a pod attached to it can make a physical attack against it in the physical attack phase at a +3 to their piloting skill number (in addition to any other possible modifiers) to break
the pod which will render it useless.
AmaroqStarwind
04/20/18 12:43 PM
174.235.17.105

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Instant favorite.
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
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Retry
04/20/18 02:20 PM
64.189.130.11

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Neglecting the unlikelyhood of a 250 kilogram pod sapping up all the spare power of a 400-fusion powerplant to run the gauss rifles and large energy weapons (yet no more so than that), would the GR's be then considered "powered down" as per the Tac Ops rule for powering down and thus not explode on taking a critical hit?

Since it's developed heavily from the Narc pod, it might make more sense to just make the siphon pod an alternative munition for the Narc launcher instead. Between its alternatives (Artemis IV, V, and TAG-Homing Combos), Narc could use any edge it can get to make it more appealing.


Edited by Retry (04/20/18 02:20 PM)
ATN082268
04/20/18 02:44 PM
69.128.58.222

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Quote:
Neglecting the unlikelyhood of a 250 kilogram pod sapping up all the spare power of a 400-fusion powerplant to run the gauss rifles and large energy weapons (yet no more so than that), would the GR's be then considered "powered down" as per the Tac Ops rule for powering down and thus not explode on taking a critical hit?



If a Gauss Rifle doesn't have the power to fire, then I'd say that it doesn't have the power to blow up either

Quote:
Since it's developed heavily from the Narc pod, it might make more sense to just make the siphon pod an alternative munition for the Narc launcher instead. Between its alternatives (Artemis IV, V, and TAG-Homing Combos), Narc could use any edge it can get to make it more appealing.



That's a possibility. Good idea.
AmaroqStarwind
04/20/18 04:21 PM
99.203.27.180

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Quote:
Neglecting the unlikelyhood of a 250 kilogram pod sapping up all the spare power of a 400-fusion powerplant to run the gauss rifles and large energy weapons (yet no more so than that), would the GR's be then considered "powered down" as per the Tac Ops rule for powering down and thus not explode on taking a critical hit?


This should also apply to Improved Heavy Lasers, RISC Hyper Lasers, BattleMech Tasers, Blue Shield BFDs, RISC Laser Pulse Modules, and other capcitor-based weapons and accessories that can explode. I would also suggest changing it to also reduce the target's movement speed, and to cause less severe effects on more powerful engines (lowering the damage and range of energy weapons versus disabling them entirely).

Quote:
Since it's developed heavily from the Narc pod, it might make more sense to just make the siphon pod an alternative munition for the Narc launcher instead. Between its alternatives (Artemis IV, V, and TAG-Homing Combos), Narc could use any edge it can get to make it more appealing.


If the objective is to make the NARC more appealing, my suggestion is to create a Clan version of the iNARC with the same mass and volume as the regular NARC launcher, and perhaps to also create some more special munitions for the iNARC.
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
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Edited by AmaroqStarwind (04/20/18 07:20 PM)
Maurer
04/22/18 08:40 AM
45.48.53.140

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I just can't see how this would be realistic. To "siphon" the energy from a unit, the pod would need to make direct contact with the electrical system. I don't see how that would work with armor blocking the pod. Interesting concept though.
"Captain! We're completely surrounded on all sides." - Kiff, Futurama
..."Excellent, then we may attack in any direction." - Zapp Brannigan, Futurama

"A fool fights a war on two fronts; only an idiot defends on one." - Fusilier
ATN082268
04/22/18 10:05 AM
69.128.58.222

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Quote:
This should also apply to Improved Heavy Lasers, RISC Hyper Lasers, BattleMech Tasers, Blue Shield BFDs, RISC Laser Pulse Modules, and other capcitor-based weapons and accessories that can explode. I would also suggest changing it to also reduce the target's movement speed, and to cause less severe effects on more powerful engines (lowering the damage and range of energy weapons versus disabling them entirely).



In my original draft, I had the pod also nullify any jump movement. In any case, the pod should nullify any energy based weapons/equipment that generate more than 5 heat.

Quote:
If the objective is to make the NARC more appealing, my suggestion is to create a Clan version of the iNARC with the same mass and volume as the regular NARC launcher, and perhaps to also create some more special munitions for the iNARC.



That's one possibility. For balance purposes, I did give the Siphon Pod Launcher more heat, less range, less ammo and make it weigh more than a regular Narc Pod launcher. Whether the Siphon Pod is used as a pod for a normal Narc Launcher or used with some new kind of Narc Launcher, I would feel inclined to incorporate it with some kind of penalties/restrictions.
ATN082268
04/22/18 10:22 AM
69.128.58.222

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Quote:
I just can't see how this would be realistic. To "siphon" the energy from a unit, the pod would need to make direct contact with the electrical system. I don't see how that would work with armor blocking the pod. Interesting concept though.



That's the easy part, so long as you keep the realism on par with the other parts of the game One idea is the pod sends out some concentrated dampening field, interfering with energy distribution of a unit.
AmaroqStarwind
04/22/18 02:53 PM
174.235.17.105

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Dampening field? That's a great Star Trek reference! *shot*

It might need to be launched hard enough to penetrate the armor in order to function though...
Discord: Amaroq the Kitsune#1092
Telegram: @Lycanphoenix
MechEngine (Alpha) -- On Hiatus

The Scientist Caste has determined that time travel is dishonorable.
ATN082268
04/27/18 02:45 PM
69.128.58.222

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Quote:
Dampening field? That's a great Star Trek reference! *shot*

It might need to be launched hard enough to penetrate the armor in order to function though...



Probably a poor choice of words but I was thinking about it working more along the lines of a BattleMech Taser. A point of damage could be added but I don't think it would be absolutely necessary.
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