IKV Avenger's House Rules Thread

[IKV Avenger]

Federation: ASW System:

We have incorporated the ASW (Anti-Seeking Weapon) system on all Federation ships. The ASW functions as per the ADD on the G-rack i.e. the same to-hit and damage on drones. Against a plasma torpedo (or any seeking weapon that operates like a plasma torpedo i.e. QWT) it does 6 points of 'phaser' damage which = 3 points off the plasma warhead. Same to-hit and ranges as per the ADD chart. It does not fire a phaser. The electrical discharge is 'phased' energy that affects the plasma warhead in the same manner as a normal phaser.

The amount of ammunition is the same as an ADD i.e. 8 rounds on the G-rack.

We have play tested this house rule extensively and it works quite well. It is not OP against BP but provides a small measure of defense against plasma users in the same manner as it provides a small measure of protection against drone users. It lends itself towards the ubiquitous nature of the Federation.

[IKV Avenger]

Lyran: ESG interaction with Plasma Torpedoes and Quantum Wave Torpedoes:

Plasma torpedoes consist of matter on the brink of being converted to total energy. They interact, in game terms, with both matter (drones, shuttles, ships etc) and energy (they can ram a ship with shields and will damage those shields prior to damaging the ship). ESG's will damage plasma torpedoes on a 2:1 basis just as phaser damage.

An ESG will interact with a QWT on a 3:1 basis just as phaser damage. A QWT will be damaged in the same manner i.e. the splash elements are taken out first and then the main element. Full damage is required, as per the rules, to take out a QWT.

[IKV Avenger]

Paravian: QWT firing arcs:

Much discussion ensued last year on the FA firing arc of the QWT, both in regards to tournament and regular SFB. ADB made a semi-official ruling that the QWT can only be fired out of the #1 shield facing. The issue apparently had never come up in playtesting. Apparently some playtest groups used only the #1 shield facing and others used the normal FA arc which means the QWT can fire out of the 6/1/2 facings. This is a substantial difference. After the semi-official ruling (which was premature) the Paravian designer stated that it was his intention that the QWT fire out of the normal FA 6/1/2 arc.

Thus the QWT fires out of the normal FA 6/1/2 arc.

APR to AWR refit.

After Y175 all Paravian ships that have APR may have them upgraded to AWR on a 1 BVP per APR basis.

[IKV Avenger]

Seltorian: Modification to the Particle Cannon:

Capacitor has no holding cost.

Firing delay between shots is reduced to 8-impulses.

This has been play-tested and has demonstrated that the improvement was beneficial without being OP.

Combined shot: The PC can be fired as a combined shot i.e. one OL and one standard shot combined. The cost is a full capacitor of 5 points. Maximum range of 8. May be fired at R0. Requires a 32 impulse cool down period before being able to fire again.

This HR is undergoing PT at this time. Initial impressions are that it is not OP and puts it somewhat on the same footing at a partially OL'd photon or OL Ion Cannon. Same lousy range breaks but allows for a somewhat better alpha strike.

"This HR is undergoing PT at this time. Initial impressions are that it is not OP and puts it somewhat on the same footing at a partially OL'd photon or OL Ion Cannon. Same lousy range breaks but allows for a somewhat better alpha strike."

The following was the result of play-testing;

Completed two games today using the Seltorian DD vs. the Klingon F5C. The Seltorian gave up 6 PV which could have been compensated using C.O. such as an increased amount of T.B.

The Seltorian lost in each game. Feed back was gained after each game. The combined shot was used in each game, once in the first and twice in the second. It did not proved to be OP in either game and the range break was what really hurt the Selt whether the shot was standard, OL or combined. The second combined shot (which was the first shot of the second game) was a double miss. So that is a lot of power for nothing, but that goes for any HW that isn't the best hitter i.e. photon. So overall, the combined shot does help the Selt without making it OP.

The downfall in both games was drones. However, my son was playing the Klingon and he's our resident Kzinti player so he knows what he'd doing with drones. I had to get close, too close to have a decent hope of hitting with my initial alpha. I may need to adopt some different tactics such as using some long rang standard shots to soften up some shields. In the 9-15 bracket it is an okay weapon as it is 50% for 3 damage. In this regards it is somewhat comparable, though still inferior, to the disruptor. But a few softening turns may help.

So overall feedback is the combine shot is a reasonable modification and we will incorporate it as a standard HR.

[IKV Avenger]

Hydran: Suicide Fusion OL:

The suicide fusion OL does not destroy the fusion beam box, nor does it destroy an additional box. This is in line with other weapon systems that have a double-overload feature yet don't suffer the loss of the weapon or arbitrary damage.

Further discussion;

This seems to be a seldom used option for the Hydrans. It is expensive, can't be held, destroys the weapon and does and internal point of damage. No wonder it is seldom used. The rationale is that it is a last ditch weapon, but if it's a last ditch situation then the vessel may not likely have the energy to utilize it anyway. In our opinion these are far too many restrictions that aren't applied to other weapon systems that are similar. As a point of comparison, the Sting Torpedo from Omega (Hivers HW) can fire standard, overload and double overload for the corresponding costs of 2, 4 and 7 points of energy (same as a standard, overloaded and suicide overloaded fusion beam). The Sting Torpedo will do 12 points of damage if it hits (within R4) but can fire again the next turn. The Suicide Fusion will do between 16-26 points of damage (at R0) but destroys the weapon plus a random internal. We find them to be a comparable weapon in regards to energy cost as well as potential two-turn damage (when stretched out to two turns).

So our HR is to re-designate the Suicide Overload as the Double Overload. It will continue to cost 7 points of power. It will require the same one-turn cool down as per regular overloaded fusions. It will NOT destroy the weapon, nor cause a random point of internal damage. The high one-turn cost of the weapon combined with the one-turn cool down and required close range is enough of a restriction on this weapon, in our opinion.

[IKV Avenger]

General: Shield repair:

GW era ships are able to repair the shields from turn-to-turn, for free, at half the number of their DC rating. For example, normal CA's have a DC of 4 so they are able to repair 2 shield boxes on ONE damaged shield facing per turn. We do this automatically as a end-of-turn-start-of-turn procedure. There is no energy required as this is a function of the shield generators themselves.

We've been doing this for years. It has had no adverse affect on game play and offers just a bit of assistance that is akin to historical fiction.

[IKV Avenger]

Batteries: Warp energy:

If warp energy is placed into a ships batteries then it remains as warp energy till used. This eliminates the need to continually cycle warp energy which just adds another thing to do that really doesn't add to the E.A. process.

[IKV Avenger]

Weapons: Feedback

We do not use the feedback rule that some weapons have when fired at close range. One hex on the game board is 10K kilometers long, thus even if two ships are in the same hex they are still likely hundreds or thousands of miles apart. So any weapon which would normally have feedback damage when fired at R0 do not incur this penalty.

[IKV Avenger]

General: Damage Control

DC is not limited to the total of the DC rating. As an example, a normal CA has a DC rating of 4, but can repair more than 4 systems during the course of a scenario, time permitting of course.

Repair points are cumulative.

[IKV Avenger]

Federation: Photon Torpedo

JE1.2 Overloaded enhanced photons: Photons have enhanced proximity fuse technology built into the warhead. This does not guarantee a hit, but slightly improves the possibility of the photon detecting enough reflected scanner energy from the target to turn a clean miss into at least a proximal hit due to the warhead exploding. A roll of one over the required to-hit provides this possibility.

Using R8 as an example for an overloaded shot:

Die roll of 1-3 indicates a normal hit that yields full warhead damage.
Die roll of 4 is a miss but has the potential of the enhanced proximity fuse going off as the warhead is passing close enough to the target to provide the opportunity.
Die roll of 5-6 indicates a clean miss by a country mile.

Results of a die roll of 4: Roll a second die. Die roll of 1-3 indicates the enhanced proximity fuse didn't detect enough reflected scanner energy to explode. Die roll of 4 = 2 points of damage as the warhead detects the target and explodes at the farthest point from the target that still allows damage to be scored. Die roll of 5 = 4 points of damage as the warhead detects the target and explodes at normal proximity ranges from the target. Die roll of 6 = half warhead (up to 8 points if the warhead was fully overloaded) as the warhead missed the target but detected the reflected scanner energy of the target very close to the target and explodes.

For a standard loaded photon, same principle applies but as follows:

Again using R8 as an example, 1-3 indicates a normal hit. Roll of 4 allows for a second roll as detailed below. A roll of 5-6 indicated a clean miss.

Die roll of 1-3 = miss
Die roll of 4 = 1 point of damage
Die roll of 5 = 2 points of damage
Die roll of 6 = 4 points of damage

In this way, the to-hit is not changed but does allow for a small possibility that the warhead will be somewhere between slightly effective to somewhat effective. Again, makes the photon less of a one-trick pony and puts a little excitement into it with the second die roll. I think this is a workable proposal.

JE1.1 Enhanced photon proximity fuse: The to-hit is not changed.

R9-12:
Die roll of 1 indicates full damage (8 points) as the reflected scanner energy of the target was strong enough to attract the photon for a direct hit. In other words, even though the photon was fired with a proximity fuse it exploded close enough to the target to cause full damage.

Die roll of 2 indicates partial damage (6 points) as it exploded in VERY close proximity.

Die rolls of 3 or 4 indicated normal proximal hit (4 points)

Die roll of 5 or 6 indicate clean misses.

R13-30:

Die roll of 1 = 6 damage.

Die rolls of 2 or 3 = normal 4 damage.

Die rolls of 4-6 = clean misses.