 Launch System or Not, Needed when equiping a missile launcher? |
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 Jan 23 2006, 01:41 PM
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#1
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Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 175 Joined: 15-July 04 From: Imperial Japan Member No.: 6,483  |
Yesterday I was sitting and for the first time in years literally created a rigger and designed a drone and customized a vehicle, when a question popped up in my head. As a GM I have always seen the Launch Systems required when you wanted to be able to fire missles/rockets from internal/external mounts but wasnt needed if for instance you installed a generic rocket launcher in a turret. Is this assumption correct or is a launch system needed in both cases?
Being a player again pops up a variety of new/old forgotten questions ;) |
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Jan 26 2006, 12:42 AM
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#2
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
I believe this to be the case, but can't confirm until I dig out my copy of Rigger 3.
~J |
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Jan 26 2006, 02:31 AM
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#3
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
In the descriptions in the weapons section, when it gives the rundown on the new missiles and rockets, it tells you which launch control system (medium or heavy) it requires. So by my reading, if you want rockets or missiles, you have to have launch control systems, regardless of how they're mounted. Also, it states that in an initiative pass, a vehicle can fire as many rockets or missiles as it has launch control systems. |
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Jan 26 2006, 02:39 AM
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#4
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
Exactly. Regardless of how rockets or missiles are mounted, you need Launch Control Systems to fire them. |
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Jan 26 2006, 02:57 AM
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#5
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Were I to have to rule on this in my current game, I think I'd just write up launch control systems at various ratings, and make them capable of launching a number of missiles up to their rating, rather than saying that a vehicle has multiple launch control systems. This due to the fact that in my head, a "launch control system" is just a computer module that takes in various sensor information, plots firing formulas, and fires the missile. Why have several different ones, physically? So yeah:
Honestly, I might not even bother making the CF and Load larger with each upgrade. Sure, the CF and Load numbers are for "balance", but the vehicle design rules are just wonky enough that I don't think it would matter. |
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Jan 26 2006, 03:41 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 175 Joined: 15-July 04 From: Imperial Japan Member No.: 6,483 |
After I posted I looked at the Faq (Why didnt I do that first, I dont know) But according to it, if you mount a launcher (except for the Balista) a launch system isnt needed.
In a man portable launcher the computer and so on are present already (I guess, no expect here) so mounting it on a vehicle is mostly about wiring and adapting the firing control of the vehicle to the launcher. But if you attach rocket/missile mounts to your vehicle there isnt any form for firing control present so you need the lauch system ... I need to check things like that before I posted ... sorry to waste your time |
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Jan 26 2006, 11:53 PM
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#7
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
you only need a launch system if you're attaching rockets/missiles to the vehicle itself, with racks or whatever. as pixel read in the FAQ, if you're mounting (say) an IWS Multi-Launcher, you don't need a launch control system--the launher is the launch control system; all you have to do is hook it into the vehicle's electronics.
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Jan 27 2006, 12:07 AM
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#8
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
mfb is absolutely correct, sorry about the confusion.
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Jan 27 2006, 01:59 AM
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#9
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
So as far as:
goes, do you just rule that the vehicle can fire a number of rockets/missiles up to the amount of launchers it has? Seems a bit silly, all in all, considering that a squadron of Apache's can loose something like 36 Hellfires per bird in less time than it takes to read a DS post. (I know, I know, game balance.) |
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Jan 27 2006, 10:35 AM
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#10
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,073 Joined: 23-August 04 Member No.: 6,587 |
I always used the logic PiXeL01 found in the FAQ, as to the number that can fire in an initiative pass that is fixed at one. Just as a vehicle with 2 turrets can only use one at a time a vehicle with 2 missile launchers can only fire one in an action.
Edward |
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Jan 27 2006, 12:27 PM
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#11
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
mmm, ripples. |
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Jan 27 2006, 12:39 PM
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#12
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
That'd be a really cool trick, seeing as how they can only carry 16 per bird. The Longbow FCR can track 16 priority targets at a time, but I can't be bothered to figure out if it can actually engage them all at the same time. I agree, though, that the launch system restriction is very silly and seems antiquated considering the 30-year-old AWG-9 radar of the F-14A/B could engage 6 targets at at time. |
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Jan 27 2006, 12:46 PM
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#13
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
he may be thinking of the unguided rockets whose name i can't recall. 5.75mm, i think. those can, indeed, be fired 36 at a time. purty sight.
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Jan 27 2006, 12:52 PM
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#14
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
2.75" FFARs, which can be fired at least 38 at a time, maybe even 76. Of course, you could just declare the M261 Light Weight Launcher a separate launcher system which doesn't require Launch Control Systems.
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Jan 27 2006, 12:55 PM
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#15
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
or that it is, itself, a launcher. i knew there was a .75 in there somewhere.
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Jan 28 2006, 05:11 AM
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#16
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
I was indeed. My bad. I get all blustery when I talk about the Apache. It's so pretty. Outside of Austere's need to nitpick when the meaning was obvious, my point stands. Game balancing? Yes. Silly? Very.
They can. When the Delta first made it's appearance, I managed (as a PFC) to walk up in between an bunch of Colonels and other brass and receive a briefing from some pilots about what it's new systems were capable of. Put a couple of Kiowas at the ridgeline to feed the battlefield map to the squadron, and it's "pick things and kill them" time. MMmmmm. (That briefing was fun. When it came time for everyone to climp up and check out the cockpit, the Major that flew it in goes: Afternoon sir, how are you Major, yes, that's correct sir, good afternoon, Private... :D) |
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Jan 28 2006, 05:33 AM
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#17
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,283 Joined: 17-May 05 Member No.: 7,398 |
Isn't impersonating an officer a crime?
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Jan 28 2006, 06:58 AM
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#18
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Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714 |
Yes. Luckily, being in a room with them is not.
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Jan 28 2006, 01:08 PM
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#19
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
Sorry. It's a reflex. |
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Jan 28 2006, 07:32 PM
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#20
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
It's hard to impersonate an officer when you're wearing a uniform with your name and rank on it. ;) @AE: I know, just messing with you. No offense taken/intended. |
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