THE PROTO SECTOR
NEWTLING SHIPS
(PSR2.1) HEAVY CRUISER (CA):
The Newtling Heavy Cruiser was known for its excellent maneuverability and quick firing seeking weapons. Armed with FIRE and SURGE Torpedoes, all of which could be concentrated to the Bow of the Vessel, the Newtling Heavy Cruiser was a master of seeking weapon combat. Pseudo Torpedoes would be used to misdirect the enemy, while Bolts were used if the range changed unexpectedly. The Newtling Heavy Cruiser possessed a wide variety of Phasers, a trait that led to unique tactics in battle. Opponents of the Newtling Heavy Cruiser were aware that its Wings that could Separate, but most were not prepared for sheer number of Shuttles that the Newtling Heavy Cruiser carried. The Newtling Heavy Cruiser was outfitted with an abundance of Power so that it would no problems arming its FIRE and SURGE Torpedoes in combat.
DESIGNER NOTES:
HEAT Torpedoes posed a difficult challenge. I never liked how Accentuated HEAT Torpedoes were Tied To (and Dependent On) Target Accentuators. Heavy Weapons should operate fully by themselves, like Photons, Disruptors, Plasmas, ESG’s, PPD’s, Fusion Beams, and Hellbores. But here you have a Heavy Weapon (the HEAT Torpedo) which is partially Dependent on a Separate Device (the Target Accentuator) to serve as a Catalyst for its Accentuated Torpedoes. You don’t see Fusions or Hellbores requiring a Separate Device to fire their Overload Function.
Right away, I knew I needed to discard the Target Accentuators. That left the HEAT Torpedo alone with Two Functions, the Basic Torpedo and the Accentuated Torpedo. And then it struck me that these were actually Two Different Weapons. They needed to be Separated. This worked out nicely because, with the loss of the Target Accentuators, there was only One Heavy Weapon Left (the HEAT Torpedo). If I Separated out these Two Functions, there would now be Two Heavy Weapons.
And so I ended up with what would be known as the FIRE Torpedo and the SURGE Torpedo. The FIRE Torpedo handled the HEAT Torpedo’s Basic Function. The SURGE Torpedo handled the HEAT Torpedo’s Accentuated Function.
But the FIRE Torpedo needed something else to make it more Playable. Right now, it was only a Speed 32, Two Turn (possibly Three Turn) Plasma which dealt Damage on par with a Photon Torpedo. However, unlike the Photon Torpedo, it was a Seeking Weapon that could be shot at or distracted by a Wild Weasel. The FIRE Torpedo’s 2:1 Ratio seemed consistent, as it required 6 Points of Energy and scored 12 Points of Damage at 9-12 Impulses of Movement. So hitting at Impulses 0-8 was something of a Bonus, as the FIRE Torpedo scored 16 Points of Damage for 6 Points of Arming Energy (a greater 2:1 Ratio). However, to make the FIRE Torpedo Playable (meaning it offered the Player something significant and tactical), the FIRE Torpedo needed More Options. It needed the Plasma Options of the Alpha Sector.
Therefore, I concluded that the FIRE Torpedo would have Pseudo Plasmas, Enveloping Torpedoes, and Plasma Bolts. This would give the FIRE Torpedo the Tactical Depth that matched Alpha Sector Play. But there would limitations on these options. For example, the Pseudo, Enveloping, and Bolt Options would only be available to the FIRE Torpedo if it armed over Three Turns. If the FIRE Torpedo was Quick Loaded in Two Turns, it could not use the Pseudo, Enveloping, or Bolt Options.
Of course, the FIRE Torpedo would retain its most striking feature, the ability to Change Targets while in flight. This is a remnant characteristic of the HEAT Torpedo which I wanted to maintain. The Ability to Change Targets is mostly used to Negate a Wild Weasel, but it can also be useful in Fleet Engagements.
Because SURGE Torpedoes travel at Speed 64, they cannot Change Targets like the FIRE Torpedo. In addition, SURGE Torpedoes will not have the Pseudo, Enveloping, or Bolt Options. So the SURGE Torpedo remains an Ultra-Fast, Two to Three Turns Arming, Seeking Weapon that scores damage along the lines of an Overloaded Disruptor. Since it has been separated out from the HEAT Torpedo, the SURGE Torpedo can be launched on its own at critical moments during an engagement when it will serve the Newtling Starship best. The Ultra-Fast Speed (Speed 64) of the SURGE Torpedo, combined with the Fast Speed (Speed 32) of the FIRE Torpedo will lead to New Tactics being developed, both for the Newtling Captain and the Opposing Captain. Remember that the SURGE Torpedo has been freed from its reliance on the Target Accentuator.
SURGE Torpedoes (like Accentuated HEAT Torpedoes) are not efficient in terms of the 2:1 Ratio. You put in 7 Points of Energy and score 9 Points of Damage after 9-12 Impulses and 12 Points of Damage after 0-8 Impulses. This is most likely due to the Advantage gained by moving at Speed 64. Still, I may drop the Arming Cost to 6 or 5 Points of Energy to make the 2:1 Ratio a little bit better for the SURGE Torpedo.
Loss of Maneuverability and Wing Jettison are still incorporated into the Newtling Starship, except that there are Four Wings instead of just Two Wings. I really don’t see this coming into play much except if All the Left Warp or All the Right Warp is destroyed. Then the Newtling Starship will Turn a little bit Worse. This won’t happen until near the end of the game. And Jettisoning the Wings is akin to Saucer Separation. While cool in theory, how often does it actually happen in a game? The Wing Jettison will only yield a slightly faster Movement Cost. But Loss of Maneuverability and Wing Jettison were part of the Original Omega Flavor, so these characteristics were retained.
In terms of Internals, the Newtling Heavy Cruiser is now Alpha Sector Equivalent. Interestingly, it is a Cross between a Gorn, a Kzinti, and a Klingon. It has 6 Shuttles (like the Gorn), as well as a suite of Phaser-1’s, Phaser-2’s, and Phaser-3’s. The amount of Hull is close to both the Gorn and the Kzinti. The Plasma Arcs for the FIRE and SURGE Torpedoes have been improved to Alpha Sector Standards so that they can be concentrated forward. Warp Power is the same as the Gorn. Total Power is now the equivalent of the Gorn. Shields are similar to the Kzinti and the Gorn. Yet the Sensors and Scanners match the Original Omega Design.
In summary, it was critical that the Newtling Heavy Cruiser be different in play from the Gorn and the Romulan. At the same time, it had to feature improvements over the Original Omega Design. The FIRE Torpedoes can be Quick Loaded and can Change Targets. This makes them different from Plasmas utilized by the Gorn and the Romulans. They also have the Additional Alpha Sector Plasma Options (Pseudo, Enveloping, Bolt), if they choose to Arm over Three Turns. The SURGE Torpedoes offer a Seeking Weapon that moves at Speed 64, Score Damage similar to an Overloaded Disruptor, and can be Quick Loaded in Two Turns. These attributes are quite different from the Typical Plasmas employed by the Gorn and Romulan. In fact, the SURGE Torpedo is also different from the Paravian’s Quantum WaveTorpedo.
The Internals and Shields are equivalent to Alpha Sector Standards, making gameplay between the Newtling CA and Alpha Sector CA’s equal. The mixture of PH-1’s, PH-2’s, and PH-3’s is different from other Alpha Sector Empires, thereby creating the need for New Tactics based on Phasers alone. But with the Gorn’s Shuttles and Total Power, the Newtling CA should not be underestimated.
Of course, there are also the Loss of Maneuverability and Wing Jettison Rules. While unlikely to be used, they add to the Original Omega Flavor of the Newtling Heavy Cruiser.
I believe the Newtling Heavy Cruiser succeeds in fulfilling the Design Goals set out by the Proto Sector. It can be exchanged for any Alpha Sector Heavy Cruiser in a Scenario and there would be little difference. It can compete against the Alpha Sector Starships in Direct Combat. It retains its Original Omega Flavor. Its Heavy Weapons have been Redesigned to match Alpha Sector Parameters. And the Newtling Heavy Cruiser stands on its own as something Different, which will require Brand New Tactics on the Battlefield in order to be Victorious.
FIRE TORPEDOES (FIRE):
A total of 6 Points of Power over Two to Three Turns is required to arm a FIRE Torpedo. A minimum of 2 Points of Power must be paid every Turn.
If a FIRE Torpedo is Quick Loaded in 2 Turns, then 4 Points of Power must be paid on the First Turn.
FIRE Torpedoes move at Speed 32.
A FIRE Torpedo can only use the Pseudo, Enveloping, and Bolt Options if it has been armed over Three Turns.
A Quick Loaded FIRE Torpedo can be Held for 2 Points per Turn. A Three Turn FIRE Torpedo can be Held for 1 Point per Turn.
FIRE Torpedoes can Change their Targets per (OFP2.331).
FIRE Torpedoes require a Seeking Weapon Control Channel per (OFP2.311)
SURGE TORPEDOES (SURGE):
A total of 5 Points of Power over Two to Three Turns is required to arm a SURGE Torpedo. A minimum of 1 Point of Power must be paid every Turn.
If a SURGE Torpedo is Quick Loaded in 2 Turns, then 3 Points of Power must be paid on the First Turn.
SURGE Torpedoes move at Speed 64.
A SURGE Torpedo Cannot use the Pseudo, Enveloping, and Bolt Options.
A Quick Loaded SURGE Torpedo can be Held for 2 Points per Turn. A Three Turn SURGE Torpedo can be Held for 1 Point per Turn.
SURGE Torpedoes Cannot Change their Targets per (OFP2.331).
SURGE Torpedoes require a Seeking Weapon Control Channel per (OFP2.311)
LOSS OF MANEUVERABILITY AND WING JETTISON: These function as described under (OR6.012) and (OR6.013) except that the Newtling Heavy Cruiser has 4 Wings.
PHASER-1: These function as described in the Basic Set.
PHASER-2: These function as described in the Basic Set.
PHASER-3: These function as described in the Basic Set.
