Bertil Jonnell writes:
> From: [email removed]
> Subject: (2374) Re: Vehicle Computers
(Included messages edited somewhat)
>> It seems reasonable that a computer of starship class aboard your tank
>> (say a model 2 or a model 3) ought to give you some sort of bonus vis-
>> a-vis similar tanks without the computer power. Given the magnitude of
>> the numbers involved in some of these cases <that is, movement bonuses
>> of -6 to -9, hit difficulties of Difficult, computers usually no
>> bigger than Model 3>, I'd say that two or three times the computer
>> size (with a +1 for a model 0) would be an appropriate modification.
>> After all, you get a plus for starship combat, which has to be a more
>> difficult proposition that shooting at a moving tank 20km away.
> Practically all surface or air combat takes place at ranges far
> below 'visual' distance in space combat (50km, I think it is)
> with the exception of the various forms of missile combat. And
> since the DM at visual range in starship combat is:
>
> own computer level - enemy computer level - enemy agility
>
> It would make perfect sense if the DM at shorter range would be:
>
> (own comp * A)-(enemy comp * B) - enemy agility
>
> where B probably would be smaller than A, because the weapons used
> are often speed of light weapons, and the time delay won't be large
> enough to cause problems at those ranges, ie the nonpredictability of
> the target won't be as high. ('Nonpredictability'?:)
> Exactly how this should be modified by range is another matter,
> but I say as I've found that I'll say more and more after reading
> Striker: "When MegaT don't work, try Striker" :)
Well, I like the looks of that in general. I tend to think that A=2 and
B=0 would be reasonable, but I could also see that A=3 and B=1 would give
you some reason to have a computer--otherwise your Computer Model 2 oppo-
nent is almost certain to hit you every time. I don't think there was a
combat benefit in Striker for having a "battle computer" aboard your vehi-
cle. As near as I recall, it was mostly good for ensuring that you could
maintain continuous communications with tight beam communicators while on
the move (which was important in that game.)