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ffs_uo_errataOne of the best tools for Traveller ever made is FF&S. However, it has a few short comings and it has been error riddled in many ways. However the help is here. After short but furious discussion on the TNE Mailing List a few good solutions was aired.
Donald McKinney which frequents CotI and are the administrator for the T5 pre purchase forum on CotI requested both official and un-official erratas for the TNE line for the TNE CD1 which has recently been released. And the reaction came swiftly. The official erratas made it to the CD, but some voiced concerns about shortcomings about the FF&S rules was not added. Mostly because these was not official and probably the long term effect of the suggestions aren't readily apparent.

Even though FF&S are probably the bst gearhead tool ever made, it does have a  few problems. Mostly when things are designed out of context i.e. maxed or minimized beyond the intended scope like fusion wepaons are downscaled to a handgun rather than a heavier portable support weapon requiring a battledress. Or when someone manages to construct a meson rifle. The !d of damage won't kill you, but the resulting radiation will eventually do you in. Likewise lasers upscaled beyond turret or barbette configurations makes any other starship beam weapon a moot point as it both outperforms a mesongun in effect and volume consideration.

I have dealt with small arms energy weapons before, so I won't mention them again here.

As many people contributed to these suggestions I have listed their names below. When possible, I have tried to include some pros and cons about the errata suggestions. Maybe the prevalent con is that an errata suggestion breaks previous TNE canon designs. So it will be up to the individual referee to decide wether to use the suggestions or not. many of the suggestions I have no personal experience with so I can't comment on them even if I like to. However, if you have any experience with that particular subject, feel free write your comments below.

death_star_2Death Star Laser

Maybe one of the most glaring oversights in FF&S is the possibility to build a death star laser. FF&S gives no limits to the size of the lasers that can be designed. This was noted early on and an unofficial fix was soon suggested on TML. Limit the effect of a given laser to TLx50Mj.

If no limits was imposed on the laser,  it would outperform a mesongun. A LAser of the same volume at the same TL of a meson gun will outperform in effect and range (dependent on array size). Moreover a laser would only require one person for crew regardless of size.

The argument used to limit the laser size is that the array itself won't be able to handle higher power levels. As High TL lasers can have several arrays in one mount. Specially if using x-ray lasers you could rule that each array installed handles x MJ, but combined they do damage as x MJ arrays times y arrays. Effectively circumventing the rule.

I would rather double the array volume if the TLx50Mj limit in effect was reached. At TLx100Mj double it again and so on.

If y arrays was used to increase the laser performance beyond the TLx50 limit. Multiply number of arrays times 3 and reduce the overall effect by than number in percent before calculating the damage. All arrays needs to be in the same mount. For instance an barbette got 5 arrays all firing at TLx50Mj. The total reduction would be 15 percent MJ before damage is calculated for the mount. At TL 15 laser with 5 arrays would have 3750Mj effect. However reducing it with 15 percent would give it a final effect of 3187Mj. Still a lot.

Larger and more complex lasers would likely require more crew. A quick fix would be adding one for each 6 tons of displacement. Thus a barbette would require 1 crew, but a 50 ton bay would require 8 men.

My main concern about lasers is that TL 9 and 10 lasers won't be effective unless you mount them in a 100ton bay to reach one hex of combat distance. A TL 10 laser may be mounted in a turret, but won't have range nor much of an effect. And at TLx50Mj a TL 9 laser uses only a fraction of the bay volume will be utilized. They could then use the Array oversize rule to impose limits on the weapon. Of course, you can install the laser as a spinal mount/lance, but then you won't have much firing arc and making the weapon largely ineffective.



Last Updated (Sunday, 25 October 2009 11:05)