A weapon to encourage a more positional game

[mutantmagnet]

Fitting Rules:
Can only be placed in a torso.
Can only be used with fusion and fission engines.

Rules:

This weapon can only target a hex.

Each hit increases the cost to enter any hex that isn't water or swamp by +2.
A hex affected in this manner requires a piloting skill roll to leave that hex.
Each hit increase the piloting skill target number by +1.
Each hit decreases the targeting modifier against any unit ending their turn in that hex by -1.
(this target modifier doesn't apply if the target becomes immobile)

These effects stack 4 times.
It takes 2 turns of the hex not being hit to remove 1 stack.

A unit that hovers is unaffected by these terrain effects. Any unit that is airborne while moving through this hex is unaffected.


Any unit firing this weapon will have their speed reduced by a percentage (rounding up). This reduction will depend on their engine rating. It will come into effect the next turn until they stop firing this weapon.
Rating | Speed reduction
000-100 | 100%
101-200 | 75%
201-300 | 50%
301-400 | 25%
401-500 | 0%

Those are the basic rules. It's a support weapon that is supposed to help emphasize the strengths of more mobile units. What I'm unsure of are the basic stats of the weapon itself. What range should it have?
How much mass and volume should it take on?
etc. etc.

[Prince of Darkness]

I would make it some kind of "Bunker-buster" artillery shell.  Can only be fired from Long Tom or Sniper artillery launchers (or can be dropped via aerofighter) and can turn any hex into rough terrain.  Would also produce smoke hexes.

[CloaknDagger]

So you both just invented Thunder ammo?

[mutantmagnet]

So you both just invented Thunder ammo?

I knew I forgot something. It's actually supposed to destroy any mines placed on the hex by the second hit. I'm envisioning this as an energy weapon hence why it has such an adverse effect on the unit firing it. Whether or not the energy should by an unlimited wave attack or an ammo style plasma is another matter.

Personally I think it should be a plasma weapon.

[CloaknDagger]

I knew I forgot something. It's actually supposed to destroy any mines placed on the hex by the second hit. I'm envisioning this as an energy weapon hence why it has such an adverse effect on the unit firing it. Whether or not the energy should by an unlimited wave attack or an ammo style plasma is another matter.

Personally I think it should be a plasma weapon.

So it's Thunder and Mine-Clearance ammo at once?

Okay.

[mutantmagnet]

That isn't constructive.

[CloaknDagger]

That isn't constructive.

Well, if you want it to be an energy weapon, it would either have to be a plasma or widebeam laser type weapon.

Maybe have it actually double as a weapon?

Think of a continuous beam laser. Good for clearing areas of small stuff, bad for pure damage.

[pfarland]

Each hit increases the cost to enter any hex that isn't water or swamp by +2.
A hex affected in this manner requires a piloting skill roll to leave that hex.
Each hit increase the piloting skill target number by +1.
Each hit decreases the targeting modifier against any unit ending their turn in that hex by -1.
(this target modifier doesn't apply if the target becomes immobile)

These effects stack 4 times.
It takes 2 turns of the hex not being hit to remove 1 stack.

I think having a hex that costs +8 movement points to enter, with a +4 PSR, and give a -4 to hit a bit nasty. 

A Plasma weapon wouldn't really do this (or just this depending on the plasma type).  A low temp plasma would have to have MASSIVE energy and amounts of generated plasma to do this.  And if you did fire enough of it, you would have large secondary electrical effects also.  (think of running about 2 or 3 Angel ECMs)  A high temp plasma to do this would just turn it into molten rock, along with electrical effects, though not as severe.

Now a way to do this could be some sort of magnetic pulse device.  (Not talking about an EMP, just a high gauss magnetic field.  Though this would also have secondary ECM effects.  None of these would cause a unit inside the area of effect to be easier to hit (other than maybe from just standing still).  In fact, it might cause them to be HARDER to hit with anything other than laser and flamer weapons.  ACs, missiles, MGs, and PPCs would be interfered with enough to decease their accuracy in such a high rated gauss field. 

I would suggest 20 tons, 18 crits, and an ammo load of 3.  Very high, but with the added effect of an ECM system understandable.  Plus while very powerful, this limits the usage of it, thus helping to preserve game balance.

[mutantmagnet]

So the ECM should be added on top of the movement penalties pfarland?

I agree that it should be a high tonnage high crit item. I'm still curious about to what degree most people would think that fitting requirement should be.

Well, if you want it to be an energy weapon, it would either have to be a plasma or widebeam laser type weapon.

Maybe have it actually double as a weapon?

Think of a continuous beam laser. Good for clearing areas of small stuff, bad for pure damage.

If that was your concern I wasn't thinking of this as an actual weapon that damages a unit. My apologies for not making that clear before.

The only problem would be explaining away how something that could deform terrain so profoundly doesn't harm units. My only concern was making a tool that gives faster units better space control.

[evilauthor]

I think having a hex that costs +8 movement points to enter, with a +4 PSR, and give a -4 to hit a bit nasty. 

A Plasma weapon wouldn't really do this (or just this depending on the plasma type).

I don't think a NUKE could do this! Anything powerful enough to turn a ground hex into molten lava or whatever (this weapon works HOW exactly?) would/should one shot any mech ever made and do quite a number on Dropships. That strikes me as a tad unbalanced.

[VanVelding]

Those are the basic rules. It's a support weapon that is supposed to help emphasize the strengths of more mobile units. What I'm unsure of are the basic stats of the weapon itself. What range should it have?
How much mass and volume should it take on?
etc. etc.

Given that you've already made the rules and you're only looking for feedback on the range, tonnage, crits, etc., I'd suggest basing it on an existing a weapon.

If you use the LRM 10 as a template, then it's a handy weapon that you can tack on to a lot of designs. On the other hand, heavies and assaults can mount them in pairs, trios, or even quads to create "walls" of difficult terrain and shepherd the mobile forces you're trying to showcase (though I'm not sure if the movement penalties for firing it are cumulative). It would certainly enable it to see some action when you're playtesting it.

A PPC or AC/5 as a template would be my recommendation. Hitting at 18 hexes out is still respectable, but you're now in "main weapon" range. Sure, heavier 'mechs might mount them in pairs or Awesome it up, but they have to give up a main weapon to do so. Lights and mediums have to do the same thing, but they can afford to be dedicated support platforms with a few SRMs or Medium Lasers to back it up.