• Registered: 2007-12-17
  • Posts: 331

Topic: Area of Effect question

Area of Effect weapons target a hex and then make to-hit rolls against that hex and all adjacent hexes. What is the range used? The hex targeted or the location of the target? This has both ramifications for the to-hit roll (i.e., is it short or medium range?) and to whether there is even a to-hit roll made (i.e., a range 15 area effect weapon hitting a ship at range 16).

It seems to me that an area effect weapon with a range of 15 can damage ships at range 16 because the weapon reaches to 15 and the blast radius reaches to 16. But does that mean that a target hex at range 10 results in a medium range to-hit roll against a ship at range 11?

  • Registered: 2006-01-17
  • Posts: 740

Re: Area of Effect question

My guess is that the to hit number required is based on the hex that is in the center of the area off effect; the target hex.  This would be because the weapon seems to detonate there and any attacks on ships closer to the firing ship come from that hex. Note that these AoE attacks may hit a shield not facing the firing ship.  For those with faceted shields this can come as a suprise...
Also, a weapon with a miximum range of 15 could hit ships that are 16 hexes away with Area of Effect.  Given the cost of such a weapon ability, this is not unreasonable. 8-)

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: Area of Effect question

MadSeason wrote:

Area of Effect weapons target a hex and then make to-hit rolls against that hex and all adjacent hexes. What is the range used? The hex targeted or the location of the target? This has both ramifications for the to-hit roll (i.e., is it short or medium range?) and to whether there is even a to-hit roll made (i.e., a range 15 area effect weapon hitting a ship at range 16).

It seems to me that an area effect weapon with a range of 15 can damage ships at range 16 because the weapon reaches to 15 and the blast radius reaches to 16. But does that mean that a target hex at range 10 results in a medium range to-hit roll against a ship at range 11?


I think anyone who would suggest such a thing should suffer an immediate penalty of -5 to hit on any such shot  wink

Kidding. I agree with BeowulfJB, and hate myself for it  :cry:
Erik