More Laser Goodies

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 00:28:31 -0400
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu>
Subject: More Laser Goodies

Thanks to everyone that had some input as to my question about lasers
and workstations.  Checking over the crew part of the laser design
sequence, it does say that a laser may be ``uncrewed'' if it is tied
into an external MFD.  So, my own question answered in print.  Maybe
next time I should try reading the book!  8)

Anyway, here are two laser sequences that I came up with.  Could
another laser guru out there check them out and tell me if they're
correct.

TL-15 200Mj Tunable Laser Turret
Vol: 42kl    Mass: 75    MW: 5.6    MCr: 1.05
Short: 10:1/14-35    Med: 20:1/14-35    Long: 40:1/14-35    Ext: 80:1/14-35

Design Notes:
    FA=3.6    IE=1000    F=4666    R=156

TL-15 750Mj Non-Gravitic Focusing X-Ray Laser Turret
Vol: 42kl    Mass: 61.74    MW: 4.9    MCr: 1.01
Short: 10:1/22-68    Med: 20:1/13-41    Long: 40:1/7-21    Ext: 80:1/3-10

Design Notes:
    FA=3.6    IE=882    F=3.6    R=12

So, assuming that my designs are correct, which is the better laser to
use?  They both will need an external MFD (and are thus uncrewed).  But
I was wondering, what is the range that most effective ship combat
takes place.  In my opinion, the x-ray laser would be better,
especially for merchants because they could really screw up the day of
a corsair that gets too close (think of this turret as a nasty
suprise).  However, this is only as long as the starship combat takes
place at short and medium ranges.

Now, since I'm not the BL expert, I was wondering how accurate and
effective is combat at long and extreme ranges.  Whenever I've played,
it wasn't until medium range that players even started to hit with some
regularity, but that may just be us.

Any opinions (Chris, Andrew, Merrick, et al) flames or just questions?

Thanks in advance...

        --Jerry

8) Jerry Alexandratos                %  "Nothing inhabits my    (8 
8) darkstar@strauss.udel.edu         %   thoughts, and oblivion (8
8) darkstar@canary.pearson.udel.edu  %   drives my desires."    (8

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 00:55:57 -0600 (MDT)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
Subject: Re: More Laser Goodies

The xray will critical a small ship at short range.  This is a _good thing_(tm).
Other than that, I like the tunable one better in the 20-40 range which is where
your first chance to hit a small ship will be (and lasers like this won't do too
much to a bigger ship).  This means the other guy can pick the range.  I'd put
one of each on the trader :)  Just shoot the tunable until he gets a god shot 
off, then stop shooting it to spoof him in, then critical him... unless you can
get close without getting shot first.  I'd go for high ROF in either case.  I
don't make weapons at less than max ROF unless they're for anti-missile use or
the like.

Now for a Zhodani laser.

Zho TL14 200Mj Tunable/xray Laser Turret
Vol: 56kl	Mass: 86.22	MW: 5.56 (ROF=10)	MCr: 1.404

This turret has one HPG and *two* focal arrays.  One is an xray laser for space
use, the other is tunable.  Both are beefed up for a ROF of 800, all you have
to add is the juice.

xray:  		10:1/11-35 (same at all ranges)
BR stats:	L[-5]10:1 ([] indicate beefed, but not powered)

Tunable:	4:1/11-35	8:1/7-21	16:1/3-11	32:1/2-5
BR stats:	L[-5]4:1-1-0-0

Design notes:  The Zhodani standardized on a larger turret size than the 
Imperium due to their technological lag.  Combat experience had shown them the 
need for their smaller ships to be able to strike at ranges of light-seconds
---otherwise their Imperial counterparts would choose the range and kill them.

The choice of 2 focal arrays allows a flexibility of operations desirable in
small ships which are more likely to find themselves in an atmosphere.

-Merrick