BRACKETING FIRE MODE TABLE
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
rect Artillery Attack Phase 1D6 turns after they were fi red, –1 for each Atmospheric Row above the Ground Row to a minimum of 0 (the controlling player makes the roll in secret, without announcing when the attack will arrive, and should write the turn number on a piece of paper and place it face down next to the playing area). If the target has moved out of range since the attack was made, the attack automatically misses. If the die roll result is 0 (due to modifi ers applied for the Atmospheric Row from which the attack was made), the attack arrives on the space mapsheet in the same turn it was fi red.
Spheroid aerospace units can only launch an
airborne-to-•
orbit attack from weapons mounted in the Nose, Fore-Left and Fore-Right locations.
Aerodyne aerospace units can only launch an
airborne-to-•
orbit attack from weapons mounted in the Nose, Left Wing and Right Wing locations.
Surface-to-Surface Fire
Surface-to-surface attacks by capital/sub-capital weapons are horribly inaccurate and generally deemed terribly wasteful of these rare weapons, leaving the instances of such attacks very few and far between.
All the same rules that apply to an artillery attack (see Artillery, p. 179, TO) also apply to a surface-to-surface attack, with the fol-lowing exceptions and additional rules.
Only capital/sub-capital missiles may be used when making
•
a surface-to-surface attack.
The range in mapsheets of capital/sub-capital missiles is
•
equal to their Maximum Range (see the Aerospace Weapon Range Table, p. 235, TW), plus 10 additional mapsheets for each Atmospheric Row they occupy above the Ground Row.
For example, in the Ground Row, a Barracuda would have a maximum range of 50 mapsheets. However, if the unit mounting the Barracuda were at Atmospheric Row 4, the range would be 90 mapsheets [50 mapsheets (standard range) + 40 mapsheets (10 mapsheets per Atmospheric Row above Ground Row) = 90 mapsheets].
Apply a +2 to-hit modifi er.
•
For a unit mounting a capital/sub-capital missile weapon
•
that is making a surface-to-surface attack, apply a +1 to-hit modifi er if the unit expended Cruising/Safe Thrust MP, or a +2 to-hit modifi er if the unit expended Flanking/Maximum Thrust MP in the turn in which the attack is made.
A surface-to-surface missile attack launched from underwater
•
increases the artillery fl ight times (see Indirect Artillery Flight Times Table, p. 181, TO) by 1 turn and applies an additional +3 to-hit modifi er.
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
Standard aerospace combat assumes that electronic combat measures between the participants—sensor probes, jamming and the like—cancel each other out. Players may wish, however, to incorporate this invisible warfare into their games to enhance the detail, albeit at the expense of complexity and speed of play.
These additions only apply to space combat on a space map, not to atmospheric engagements or landed aerospace units.
without announcing when the attack will arrive, and should write the turn number on a piece of paper and place it face down next to the playing area). If the target has moved out of range since the attack was made, the attack automatically misses.
Only Large Craft can be the target of a surface-to-orbit
• attack.
Tele-operated missiles used in surface-to-orbit attacks begin
•
maneuvering in the Movement Phase (Aerospace) once they arrive on the mapsheet; they are placed on the fi rst space hex immediately above the Space/Atmosphere Interface.
Tele-operated missiles do not expend any fuel in the launch phase; they do so only once they begin to maneuver after being placed on the space map.
Only a missile weapon may be launched from underwater.
•
For every two full depths below the surface, apply a +1 modi-fi er to the 1D6 die roll result to determine how many turns it takes to reach the space map, while also applying an ad-ditional +3 to-hit modifi er.
For a unit mounting a capital/sub-capital weapon that is
•
making a surface-to-orbit attack, apply standard attacker movement modifi ers.
Landed spheroid aerospace units can only launch a
surface-•
to-orbit attack from weapons mounted in the Nose, Fore-Left and Fore-Right locations.
Landed aerodyne aerospace units cannot make
surface-to-•
orbit attacks.
The controlling player of a Terran SDS base lofts a Barracuda missile at an orbiting DropShip (the DropShip is large enough for the missile to attack). The missile’s Extreme range means it can travel up to 50 hexes, but each atmospheric hex fi red through counts as 6 hexes and the Space/Atmospheric Interface hex counts as 3 hexes. Therefore, the fi rst 27 hexes of the weapon’s range are lost to the atmosphere, but this still allows the missile to travel another 23 space hexes. The player secretly rolls 1D6 with a result of 3; he writes that number down on a piece of paper and places it face down next to the playing area. During the Indirect Artillery Attack Phase of the turn when the missile arrives, the player turns the paper over to indicate the result, and then deter-mines if he can hit the target. Despite the elapse of three turns, the target DropShip remains in the base’s fi ring arc and is 5 hexes above the atmospheric interface. In eff ect, this means the target is 32 hexes from the launch site (27 for the atmosphere and 5 for space), placing it in the Long range bracket. This provides a fi nal modifi ed to-hit number of 6 [4 (Gunnery Skill Rating) + 4 (Long Range) –2 (missile modifi er) = 6].
Airborne-to-Orbit Fire
Airborne-to-orbit fi re follows all the standard rules for surface-to-orbit fi re (see p. 109), with the following modifi cations.
Apply to-hit modifi ers for fi ring through atmospheric hexes,
•
based on the altitude of the attacker.
Apply a +1 to-hit modifi er for every point of velocity change
•
by the attacker in the turn in which it makes the attack.
Direct-Fire Ballistic Weapon attacks fi red from the Ground
•
Row, or Atmospheric Rows 1 or 2, arrive on the space map-sheet during the Indirect Artillery Attack Phase the turn after they were fi red; if the target has moved out of range since the attack was made, the attack automatically misses. Direct-Fire
These additions only apply to space combat on a space map, not to atmospheric engagements or landed aerospace units.
they were fi red; if the target has moved out of range since the attack was made, the attack automatically misses. Direct-Fire
Ballistic Weapon attacks fi red from the Atmospheric Rows 3 or 4 or the Space/Atmosphere Interface hex arrive on the without announcing when the attack will arrive, and should
write the turn number on a piece of paper and place it face
INTRODUCTION Large Craft: Military JumpShips and DropShips have an
ECM fi eld that extends into adjacent hexes, while WarShips and military Space Stations have an ECM fi eld that extends 2 hexes from their location. A Large Craft’s ECM fi eld aff ects Large Craft as well as fi ghters and Small Craft. Civilian units cannot generate an ECM fi eld.
Mounting an ECM suite, as described above for a fi ghter, on a Large Craft has no eff ect. Unlike a Small Craft, whose systems are compatible, the far more powerful Large Craft integral ECM systems are incompatible with any type of ECM suite; the Large Craft ECM is fl at-out superior to that of smaller units and so supersedes the eff ects of an individual ECM suite.
Stacking and Maximum ECM Effects: No matter how many enemy ECM fi elds are active on the playing area, there is an upper limit to the interference they can impose. The maximum to-hit modifi er generated by stacked ECM fi elds (regardless of Fighter/Small Craft/Large Craft ECM type, or the number of hexes) is +4. Any modifi ers above +4, regard-less of how many hexes of additional ECM modifi ers that lie between the attacker and target, are ignored. If fi ring out of a hex aff ected by an enemy ECM fi eld, count that hex in your to-hit modifi er. Multiple ECM fi elds of the same class (gener-ated by the same type of unit) in the same hex do not stack.
For example, three Large Craft in a single hex only generate a +1 ECM to-hit modifi er. However, a hex can have an active Fighter/Small Craft ECM and Large Craft ECM field at the same time. For example, a hex can have a +1 Fighter/Small Craft ECM fi eld and a +1 Large Craft ECM fi eld, both aff ecting fi ghters and Small Craft. If a fi ghter is attempting to shoot at a Small Craft or a Large Craft in this fi eld, the fi ghter applies a +2 to-hit modifi er, up to the maximum cumulative +4 to-hit
modifi er.
Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM)
The following rules below explain how Electronic counter-countermeasures are used in space combat.
Active Probes: Any fi ghter, fi ghter squadron or Small Craft equipped with an Active Probe (for Beagle and Light, see p. 204, TM; for Bloodhound and Watchdog, see p. 278, TO) or Electronic Warfare Equipment (see p. 310, TO), at the start of a scenario should designate whether the Active Probe is going to operate in the standard-scale Short Range band or Medium Range band (see Aerospace Weapon Range Table, p. 235, TW). If the Active Probe is operating in the Short Range band (6 hexes), the probe’s eff ects cover all arcs out to the maximum standard-scale Short Range (6 hexes). If the Active Probe is operating in the Medium Range band, the probe’s eff ects only cover the Nose arc of the carrying unit. During the End Phase of any turn, the play may announce a switch between the two range bands.
For any hex aff ected by the Active Probe, all friendly units ignore enemy ECM eff ects from fi ghters, fi ghter squadrons and Small Craft in those hexes. Additionally, such units can reduce the eff ect of Large Craft ECM by –2 (to a minimum of 0), per hex in the area of eff ect.
Fighters/Small Craft: A fi ghter with an ECM suite (as well as a military Small Craft, whether it mounts an ECM suite or not) can tune it to act as electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) in order to negate enemy ECM. The ECM loses its nor-mal function when used in this way. The player must announce the switch to ECCM in the End Phase of any turn, or may set Construction: Military Small Craft and Large Craft ECM
gear is an integral part of the structure of military aerospace units, not a design component. Civilian craft do not possess signifi cant ECM gear.
Anti-Ship Electronic Warfare Missiles: If an ASEW missile (see p. 358, TO) successfully strikes an aerospace target, the unit loses its Electronic Warfare capability until the End Phase of the turn following the attack (multiple hits are not cumula-tive in any fashion).
Note: These ECM rules do not have any of the eff ects of any ground-based ECM system, and so do not aff ect any weapons and/or equipment in the same way as ground-based ECM systems.
Electronic Countermeasures (ECM)
All military aerospace units larger than a fi ghter have some form of electronic countermeasures to foil enemy targeting systems, though the ECM of larger units extend their infl u-ence over a greater volume of space and are less likely to be countered.
For every valid ECM hex (including that of the target and the attacker, if close enough) through which an enemy traces LOS in an attack, add a +1 to-hit modifi er (to a maximum +4 modifi er).
Fighters and Small Craft: Fighters only have an ECM fi eld when they actually mount an ECM suite (for Guardian ECM, see p. 213, TM; for Watchdog ECM, see p. 278, TO; for Angel ECM, see p. 279, TO; for Electronic Warfare Equipment, see p. 310, TO).
If a fi ghter mounts an ECM suite, it extends its ECM fi eld over the fi ghter’s own hex only.
Like Large Craft, a military Small Craft automatically gener-ates an ECM fi eld, but it only extends to the craft’s own hex; a civilian Small Craft that mounts an ECM as described above for a fi ghter will generate an ECM fi eld that covers its own hex. If a military Small Craft mounts an ECM suite as described above for a fi ghter, that equipment meshes with its automatically generated ECM fi eld and will extend it to adjacent hexes.
Fighter/Small Craft ECM (regardless of whether or not the Small Craft mounts an ECM suite) only applies to other fi ght-ers and Small Craft, and is ignored by Large Craft.
When using the Fighter Squadron rules (see p. 27), if a single fi ghter within a squadron mounts an ECM suite, the entire squadron has an ECM fi eld.
DW FL
Feng Huang-class Elias Jung (House Liao)
mal function when used in this way. The player must announce the switch to ECCM in the End Phase of any turn, or may set fi ghter within a squadron mounts an ECM suite, the entire
squadron has an ECM fi eld.
Large Craft: Military JumpShips and DropShips have an ECM fi eld that extends into adjacent hexes, while WarShips
For these rules, any ECM fi elds (regardless of how many) in the target hex are ignored.
In the ECM/ECCM Diagram on page 113, an SL-27 Samurai fi ghter and an Aurora-class DropShip in Hex A are trying to target a civilian Mule-class DropShip in Hex J on the BattleSpace map (Joel wants to destroy the enemy’s resupply ship). Both the Samurai and the Aurora in Hex A are 8 hexes away from the Mule in Hex J, fi ring at the nose, and both have Gunnery Skill Rating 4. As the target is at Medium Range from the Samurai, the fighter can only attack with its twin extended-range medium lasers. While the range is the same for the Aurora, the DropShip can fi re its two Gauss rifl es and two ER medium lasers from its nose, as well as two ER PPCs from its right wing.
Before taking into account ECM/ECCM eff ects, the modifi ed to-hit number for all attacks from both units is 7 [4 (Gunnery Skill Rating) + 2 (Medium Range) +1 (attack against nose) = 7].
However, there’s a whole mess of ECM and ECCM action going on between the attackers and the target that will alter the target number.
Joel begins with the Samurai fighter and starts to count along the LOS between the attacker and the target hex to fi nd the ECM/ECCM eff ects.
Hexes B and C are both clear of interference. An enemy fi ghter with an ECM is in Hex D, along with the ECM bubble of the enemy WarShip in Hex M, applying a combined total +2 modifi er. Hex E then applies another +1 modifi er for the enemy WarShip’s ECM bubble.
Hex F would normally impose a +1 modifi er for the WarShip’s ECM bubble as well. However, the friendly Small Craft in Hex L is specially designed to mount an ECM suite, which is tuned to ECCM this turn and so cancels out the WarShip’s ECM.
While the Small Craft in Hex L cancels out one Large Craft’s ECM in Hex G, two enemy Large Craft ECM bubbles are aff ect-ing that hex (from the WarShip in Hex M and the DropShip in Hex K), resulting in another +1 modifi er.
Hex H is a fantastic electronic fi ght. An enemy fi ghter with an ECM suite is there, as is a friendly fi ghter with an ECM system tuned to ECCM this turn, which completely cancels all fi ghter/
Small Craft ECM in Hex H (the friendly Small Craft’s ECM in Hex L does the same thing for Hex H, as it is tuned to ECCM, but it is not needed). The friendly fi ghter in Hex H along with the friendly Small Craft in Hex L cancel out two Large Craft ECM eff ects in Hex H. However, Hex H includes three enemy Large Craft ECM fi elds: the WarShip in Hex M, the DropShip in Hex K and the DropShip in Hex I. As a result, a +1 modifi er is still applied.
A straight +1 modifi er is applied for Hex D because of ECM from the DropShip in Hex I). Finally, a +1 modifi er is applied for the enemy DropShip’s ECM in Hex I that aff ects Hex J; the DropShip in Hex J is civilian and so does not infl ict any ECM penalty of its own.
Adding up all the modifi ers, the controlling player arrives at an additional +7. Luckily for Joel, ECM modifi ers max out at +4, generating a fi nal modifi ed to-hit number of 11 for the Samurai.
Next, Joel takes the same approach with the Aurora.
Hexes B and C have no ECM eff ects. The Aurora, as a Large Craft, can ignore the eff ect of the enemy fi ghter’s ECM in Hex D, but must add the +1 for the WarShip’s ECM in Hex M. Hex E applies another +1, again for the enemy WarShip’s ECM in the suite for ECCM at the start of the scenario. In either case, note
the change on the record sheet of the unit in question.
Such an ECCM fi eld can only counteract the eff ect of enemy ECM in the same hex as the fi ghter or Small Craft, but may negate all ECM bonuses for fi ghter/Small Craft in that hex (regardless of how many overlapping fi elds are present) and reduce Large Craft ECM fi eld eff ects in the hex by –1. Note that a Small Craft’s ECCM fi eld extends out as far as its ECM fi elds, so a military Small Craft mounting an ECM suite would extend its ECCM fi eld into adjacent hexes.
Fighter/Small Craft ECM-generated ECCM can only counteract the eff ects of a single Large Craft’s ECM. As a result, if more than one Large Craft’s fi eld is present in a hex, the fi ghter/Small Craft ECCM will still be aff ected by other Large Craft ECM in the same hex.
Large Craft: Large Craft make an ECCM Control Roll at the start of each Weapon Attack Phase, reducing the eff ect of ECM on its attacks in that phase by –1 for every point of Margin of Success (MoS), to a minimum of 0. This is a straight roll, with no additional modifi ers from the Control Roll Table (see p. 93,TW).
A Large Craft does not lose its ECM eff ect when making an ECCM Control Roll; it can employ both eff ects every turn (unless the systems are damaged; see Damaging ECM/ECCM, below).
Eff ects of Naval C3
Each unit in a Naval C3 network (see p. 332, TO) may make an ECCM Control Roll. The highest bonus is shared among all the units in the network.
Damaging ECM/ECCM
A fighter’s ability to generate an ECM/ECCM field is tied to the actual ECM suite or Active Probe. If a fi ghter’s weapons take
A fighter’s ability to generate an ECM/ECCM field is tied to the actual ECM suite or Active Probe. If a fi ghter’s weapons take