A bit more
Tl8 and 9 MFDs cannot be built out to the range limits on the MFD chart
which allows MFDs with short ranges out to 300,000km (10 hexes)
TL8 and 9 MFDs require a pinpoint RADAR unit attached which at TL8 and 9 has
a range of 60,000km (2 hexes). Personally I also allow the use of LADAR
(which is already a point sensor system) for this sensor add on as well.
Possible fixes either remove the TL8 and 9 MFDs from beyond 60,000km for TL8
and 120,000km for TL9 (If LADAR is allowed as the sensor) or extend the
TL8/9 Radar table out to these sort of ranges. This would be for direction
of beam weapons, for missiles if the missile has its own sensors and a
working comm system then perhaps the MFD does not require the pencil-beam
active sensor so effectively semi-independent missiles can get the benefits
of MFD control when outside the MFDs own sensor range?
Then an addendum to MFDs. Currently an MFD can control missiles only up to
the TLs difficulty rating modifier, so for example a TL9 MFD can control
only 2 missiles. This is patently ridiculous. A partial fix may be to say an
MFD can control any number of missiles (or perhaps up to the Diff modifier
multiplied by some number eg 10) but that the number of simultaneous targets
is limited by the Diff Modifier (this still seems low to me, I'm sure modern
ie TL8 warships can direct and control more than one missile at a time and
direct said missiles to different targets)
For simplicity then how about an MFD can direct missiles to up to 4x its
difficulty number of targets and can control up to 10x its difficulty number
of missiles simultaneously.
Example at TL8 MFD can now direct missiles to 4 targets simultaneously and
can havce up to 10 missiles in its "basket" while doing so. A TL10 MFD with
this could direct 30 missiles to up to 12 targets.
If a target is destroyed or otherwise not a target anymore missiles can be
redirected to new targets provided they have 1. Sufficient maneuver left and
2. do not exceed the MFDs capacity.
Ship's Crews
I like the calculating of Engioneers using power plant volume rather than
power output. What about Fusion Rockets which generate power when operating?
Actually the current rules for Engineering should take in to account power
plant, jump drive and maneuver drive. So add up the volumes of all of these
and use that as the basis. If this still generates too many engineers change
the modifer from 30 to a larger number say 50.
Also I have always assumed that the crew requirements are for a post virus
universe and so have little computerisation. For craft not in such a
universe reduce the computer modifiers, perhaps a half which willl effect
crew requirement numbers through all the depertment except for your bridge
crew.
Antony