• Registered: 2010-09-25
  • Posts: 63

Topic: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

These are missiles that have no warhead. All they consist of are a homing device and an engine that propels them at near light speed. Since E=MC[size=85]2[/size] when they hit their target their mass is awesome.

HVKM, RANGE 15, ACC +4, IMP 1, DAM 1
Inverted Range Mods - the further it travels the longer the onboard targeting sensor has to get a better lock.
Inverted Dam. Mods - the longer it travels the faster it accelerates - giving more mass and damage.
The ships usually have a limited supply of these missiles available. Give it an ammo limit.

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

What is the reason for such a missile?
If the missile is so powerful, maybe you could add something else, like piercing or ignore shields.

Marc

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

Re: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

warrenss2 wrote:

These are missiles that have no warhead. All they consist of are a homing device and an engine that propels them at near light speed. Since E=MC[size=85]2[/size] when they hit their target their mass is awesome.

HVKM, RANGE 15, ACC +4, IMP 1, DAM 1
Inverted Range Mods - the further it travels the longer the onboard targeting sensor has to get a better lock.
Inverted Dam. Mods - the longer it travels the faster it accelerates - giving more mass and damage.
The ships usually have a limited supply of these missiles available. Give it an ammo limit.

Sounds a bit like the high drive missiles from David Drake's Leary-Mundy books. In fact, earlier generation missiles with only a single converter/drive would have the Minimum range trait as they couldn't get up to speed fast enough to engage a target at point blank range. The only difference is that those missiles are "dumb" and fired on a purely ballistic trajectory.
In general, I think that if you are in a "merely" Newtonian space combat setting, a purely kinetic energy round would be just about the most efficient ship killer.
Erik

  • Registered: 2010-09-25
  • Posts: 63

Re: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

Sounds a bit like the high drive missiles from David Drake's Leary-Mundy books.

-- This is were I pretty much got the idea.

The missiles are for long range engagements for the most part, since they hit better and do more damage at the long range band.

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

Re: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

warrenss2 wrote:

Sounds a bit like the high drive missiles from David Drake's Leary-Mundy books.

-- This is were I pretty much got the idea.

The missiles are for long range engagements for the most part, since they hit better and do more damage at the long range band.

I've been torn about how to best represent high drive missiles from this setting. In some respects they are standard weapons, with arcs and a limited number of launchers. On the other hand, they are Seeker-ish as they take (relatively) a long time to reach their target at max range and they can be shot at with plasma cannons, which can vaporize enough material from them to alter their course and make them miss. Now that I think about it, a compromise might be to use a variation  plasma torp rules from Romulan Armada which only allows them to fire in torpedo mode and uses ammo each shot. Just a thought.
Erik

  • Registered: 2010-09-25
  • Posts: 63

Re: Hyper Velocity Kinetic Missiles

I had thought about making them seekers, but since the only thing they are carrying is a homing sensor/targeting package and a massive (for their size) drive... why not make them fast enough to be direct fire weapons.

Their targeting sensor has more of a chance to make minute corrections to the flight path of the missile the longer range it covers... That's why the Inverted Range Mods. Plus, with the longer ranges meaning the missile had longer to accelerate, it does more damage nearer to the end of it's flight... Inverted Damage Mods.

I'd recommend using the limit ammo option because I don't want these ships thinking they can just stand off at a long range and sniper the enemy into defeat.

Now that I think about it, a compromise might be to use a variation plasma torp rules from Romulan Armada which only allows them to fire in torpedo mode and uses ammo each shot. Just a thought.

--- I like this ideas too, now that you mention it. I still like the Inverted Range Mods idea so maybe the missiles hit with a 6+ on the 1st turn, 5+ on the 2nd, and a 4+ on the third?