RULES FOR SCENARIO #6
Having now faced direct combat with a ship as powerful as your own, you are ready for an enemy that is just as dangerous and twice as devious. The Romulans use powerful plasma torpedoes as their main weapons; the rules for which are below. The Romulans use the cloaking device to make their ships difficult to target. This device reduces their electromagnetic emissions to such a low point that the scanners on enemy ships cannot lock onto them. Rules for the cloak are included below.
(FP1.0)
PLASMA TORPEDOES
A plasma torpedo is a ball of matter on the brink of being converted to
energy. The weapon is extremely powerful. It is used by the Romulan Star
Empire, Gorn Confederation, and InterStellar Concordium. Plasma torpedoes
are seeking weapons represented by counters which move (like drones) and
follow their targets.
(FP1.1) LAUNCHERS
(FP1.11) Each "TORP" box on the SSD represents one plasma torpedo tube and can arm one plasma torpedo at a time. In the Cadet Game all torpedoes are "type-S." The Vassal module has added extra ships so has added G and F torps as well.
(FP1.2)
ARMING
(FP1.21) Each plasma torpedo requires three turns to arm. Energy must be
allocated to the specific launch tube on each of three consecutive turns.
The arming energy can come from any source.
(FP1.22) The energy to arm a plasma-S torpedo must be applied over a three-turn period in EXACTLY these increments:two points on the first turn, two points on the second turn, and four points on the third turn. If not launched on the third turn, the ship must allocate two points of energy on the next turn to hold it (allowing it to be launched on that fourth turn) or the torpedo is ejected harmlessly into space. For an advanced technique, see Reserve Power (H7.2) on page 44.
EXCEPTION: A ship may, in effect, delay the launching of a plasma torpedo by only allocating two units of energy on the third turn of arming. If done, the first turn's energy is lost, and the second and third turns (two energy points each) become the first two turns of the three-turn arming cycle. This is known as the "rolling delay."The only reason to do this in cadet is if you have insufficient power to compete arming. In the full game the are other firing modes, Shotgun and Enveloped which double the final turn of arming cost but also make the torpedo unstable and unable to be held into the next turn. They must be used or are lost.
(FP1.23) Ships do not begin the scenario with torpedoes armed(except F torps), but must arm them during the scenario. The robot ship is something of an exception.
S 2,2,4,(2)
G 2,2,3,(1)
F 1,1,3,(0)
(FP1.3) LAUNCHING
Each plasma torpedo may be launched during the Launch Seeking Weapons Step
of any impulse during the third turn of arming. If it is not launched
during this turn, it may be held over and launched during any subsequent
turn. However, holding an armed S torpedo requires paying two additional
points of energy each turn. Plasma torpedoes CAN be launched in the same
hex as their targets. The torpedo must move directly forward on its first
impulse(or HET if using the HET rules).
(FP1.4) MOVEMENT
Plasma torpedoes are seeking weapons represented by counters and move by
rule (F2.0). As the type-S plasma torpedoes in Basic training have
an endurance of 25 hexes, they may (if launched late in the turn) be on
the board during parts of two turns. All plasma torpedoes move at the
maximum speed allowed in each scenario (8 in Scenarios #1-#3, 16 in
Scenarios #4-#6, and 32 in Scenarios #7-#12), so the torpedoes are
actually MORE dangerous (i.e., they stick around longer) in the early
scenarios with fewer impulses a turn.
(FP1.5) WARHEAD STRENGTH
The warhead strength of a plasma torpedo is determined at the instant of
impact, based on two factors: the distance that the torpedo has traveled
(it grows weaker the farther it travels) and damage done to it by phasers
and (possibly) other effects. The warhead strength after traveling a given
range is shown on the plasma chart (Info tables, Weapons, left side second
from the bottom. It is also under the Plasma sheet tab at the bottom
left). The damage is applied to the target during the Resolve Seeking
Weapons Step (exactly as with drones).
(FP1.6) FIRING AT PLASMA TORPEDOES
Plasma torpedoes may be fired at only by phasers (of any type) just as any
ship may be. Every two points of damage by phaser fire reduces the warhead
strength by one. Record hits made against a given plasma torpedo, and
adjust the strength of the weapon accordingly on impact. No other weapon,
including another plasma torpedo, will damage a plasma torpedo.
(FP1.7) SPECIAL COMBAT RULES
If a plasma torpedo has been armed, and the torpedo launch tube is
destroyed, the torpedo may still be launched during the next 1/4 turn;
otherwise it is lost. It cannot be held. If the 1/4-turn period extends
into the next turn, no holding energy is required. Destruction of the
plasma torpedo systems box on the SSD destroys the ability of the ship to
produce new weapons, but not its ability to launch the one it has already
created.
(FP1.8) FEEDBACK
If the torpedo is launched in the same hex as its target and hits its
target before the target(or the launching unit) moves to another hex, the
launching ship receives "feedback" damage on the shield facing the target
equal to 25% of the warhead's strength (multiply by 0.25 and drop any
fraction less than 0.50, raise fractions of 0.50 to the next whole
number). This does not reduce the warhead's strength on the intended
target. This feedback damage does not affect any other unit in that hex.
(FP2.0) TYPES OF PLASMA TORPEDOES
The Standard Game or full SFB includes several other types
R,M,S,L,G,F,D plasma torpedoes. Only S,G,F are used in Cadet.
(FP3.0)
FIRING ARCS AND LAUNCHERS
During the Launch Seeking Weapons Step in which a plasma torpedo is
launched, the counter for the torpedo is placed on top of the launching
ship. The direction that the counter is faced depends on the launcher.
There are two types: fixed and swivel.
(FP3.1) FIXED LAUNCHERS
This type of launcher is used on all the Romulan Cadet ships (FA arc)
except the DN, FF, Qship, and base. It is fixed in position and will only
launch a torpedo directly ahead; the target must be in the ship's FA
firing arc or the torpedo cannot see it and will be lost. If no target is
within the valid arc, the torpedo cannot be targeted (a plasma-R, which
cannot be held, would have to be ejected into empty space). The counter
must be faced in the same direction as the ship.
(FP3.2) SWIVEL MOUNTS
These are used on the Romulan DN, FF, Q and base. This section can be
ignored until you complete Scenario #6, but will be needed later. Some
ships have "swivel" tubes allowing their torpedoes to be aimed at targets
within a larger arc. In Advanced Training, the full scale Romulan KR uses
this system. (The Cadet KR used in the Cadet Game uses a fixed launcher.)
The left torpedo (LF+L)can be launched in directions 1, 5, and 6 (relative
to the ship) and can be locked on any target in the LF and L firing arcs.
The right torpedo can be launched in directions 1, 2, and 3 (relative to
the ship) and can be locked on any target in the RF and R firing arcs. A
slightly wider tracking arc is available to LF+L plasmas called LP which
would add RF arc to the tracking ability but not to the launch direction
1,5,6. There is also FP, RP, AP, LPR, RPR, and LS/RS so other ships and
tubes.
(FP4.0) PLASMA TORPEDO GUIDANCE
Plasma torpedoes are self-guiding. Once launched, they do not require the
assistance of any ship to find their targets.
(G13.0) THE
ROMULAN CLOAKING DEVICE This is a simplified digest of the
somewhat complicated cloaking rules. It will be adequate for all of the
scenarios in Cadet Training Handbook. If you do not want to use the
cloaking device, or if you want to learn the above rules first before
adding the complexity of the cloaking device, then skip these rules and
play Scenario #6 immediately. Use the KR cruiser.
(G13.1) At the start of each turn, after the Energy Allocation Phase, the Romulan player announces if his ship is cloaked or uncloaked. If cloaked, change the label of the counter to add the word CLOAKED. If cloaked, the ship remains cloaked for the entire turn; if uncloaked, the ship remains uncloaked for the entire turn. While vassal does have invisible and conceal as options refrain from using these. Conceal would be ok in a single ship duel, but invisible does not allow your opponent to see the counter at all and this is not what is intended. Conceal would be more accurate for Fog of War or full tactical intelligence rules not used in Cadet.
(G13.32) If the Romulan player wants to cloak his ship, he must pay points of energy (per turn) to activate the device. A KR-class Cadet ship for example pays eight points of energy (per turn). The costs are now on the SSD for each ship.
(G13.33) If the Romulan ship is uncloaked, it operates normally. If it
was cloaked during the previous turn, it cannot fire or launch weapons on
the first impulse of the turn it is uncloaked.
(G13.34) If the Romulan ship is cloaked, it cannot fire any weapons. If any direct-fire weapons are fired at it, take the actual range in hexes (true range), double it, and then add five. Use this range (i.e., the effective range) to determine the damage scored by the weapons. If any drones or plasma torpedoes (launched before or after the ship cloaked) targeted on the cloaked ship enter its hex, roll one die. If the result is 1-4, the seeking weapon misses and is removed from the game. If the result is 5-6, the weapon strikes normally but does only half the normal damage.
Note: See (E3.31) when firing disruptors at a cloaked ship.
Full Game Cloak
Once you start using the full game cloak rules continue using them even if
using cadet ships. Consider the cadet abbreviated cloak rules as a one
time intermediate step just for learning. Once you are into the full cloak
rules they are complicated enough to keep straight so don't confuse
yourself by going back to cadet cloak.
RULES FROM
PREVIOUS SCENARIOS USED IN SCENARIO #6
This scenario uses these rules from earlier scenarios:
#1: the movement, turning, combat, and phaser rules.
#2: the shield, seeking weapon, and photon torpedo rules.
#3: the impulse, shield, drone, and disruptor rules.
#4: the energy allocation rules.
#5: the damage allocation rules.
#6: the rules for this scenario given above.