* DEDICATED TO FRANCOIS ANGERS *
SECTOR 50
(50R.7.0) PYRIAN SHIPS
(50R7.1) BATTLECRUISER (BC):
The Pyrian Battlecruiser was one of the most deadly and feared Battlecruisers in Sector 50. Armed with Four Offensive Phasers, One 360 degree Defensive Phaser, and Two Variable Fireburst Torpedoes, the Pyrian Battlecruiser was capable of matching any opponent of the same ship size. Increased Auxiliary Power Reactors provided additional power for the Heavy Weapons, but the Warp Engines had to be reduced as a result. The dreaded Fireburst Torpedoes instilled panic in many an opposing Captain due to their ability to quickly strip away all of a starship’s Shields at the same time.
DESIGNER NOTES:
The Pyrian Battlecruiser is roughly Half of the Bizian Hegemony Dictatorial Heavy Cruiser by Francois Angers. The Bizian CA was part of Francois’ Original New Galaxy Games, long before Triangulum was published. I always thought the Bizian CA Design had a lot of potential, but Major Balance Modifications needed to take place to make it fit into Sector 50. The Sector 50 Design Paradigm does not normally call for Heavy Weapon/Device Revision, but this was a special case.
The Original Bizian CA utilized a Fireburst Torpedo for a Heavy Weapon. This Heavy Weapon could be armed from 1 Turn to 4 Turns and fired in either Standard or Overload Mode. At 4 Turns of Arming, the Standard Fireburst Torpedo could score as much as a PL-S Torpedo (30 Points of Damage). When Overloaded, the Fireburst Torpedo damages All 6 Shields with an Enveloping Effect, similar to the Fireballs of the Loriyill. The damage listed is Doubled during Overloads and then Distributed among All 6 Shields of the target. Note that the Fireburst Torpedo is a Direct-Fire Weapon, Not a Seeking Weapon.
One can already see the Balance Issues with the Original Fireburst Torpedo. Scoring 30 Points of Damage is nearly Double what an Overloaded Photon can achieve. This is specifically in regard to the Energy to Damage Ratio, which should always be 1:2 (for the Alpha Sector). Still, even if the Energy to Damage Ratio is justified for a whopping 30 Points of Damage, you have to consider Alpha Strike Capability. The Original Bizian CA had 4 Fireburst Torpedoes. That means that, at 4 Turns of Arming, the Bizian CA can deliver a staggering 120 Points of Damage with its Heavy Weapons alone, which are Direct-Fire Weapons. Compared to a Federation’s 64 Points of Damage from 4 Overloaded Photon Torpedoes, we can see the Bizian’s Alpha Strike Potential is far too much (in my opinion). Even with the 4 Turns of Arming, as opposed to the Federation’s 2 Turns of Arming, the Single Impulse Alpha Strike Capability is Far Too High.
Another basis for comparison for the Firebust Torpedo is the Trobrin’s Implosion Bolt, which can score up to 20 Points of Damage versus the Federation’s Photon Torpedo which can score up to 16 Points of Damage. Note that the Implosion Bolt is a Direct Fire Weapon as well.
I liked the Fireburst Torpedo’s Overload Function of Doubling Damage and Distributing Among 6 Shields. This is a More Powerful Version of the Loriyill’s Fireball. Additionally, the Fireburst Torpedo does a Set Amount of Damage, while the Loriyill’s Fireball does Random Damage (throwing a die to determine the amount of damage).
So the key to Balancing the Fireburst Torpedo for Sector 50 lay in Revising the Standard Damage Amounts. 4 Turns of Arming seemed Excessively Long to me, so that was immediately Deleted. That means the Revised Firebust Torpedo can be armed from 1 Turn to 3 Turns. That Third Turn of Arming is part of what makes the Fireburst Torpedo different from a Disruptor, Photon Torpedo, and other Heavy Weapons.
Reducing the Standard Damage Amounts, I made the 1 Turn Fireburst Torpedo slightly better than a Standard Disruptor, the 2 Turn Fireburst Torpedo slightly better than an Overloaded Disruptor, and the 3 Turn Fireburst Torpedo slightly better than an Overloaded Photon Torpedo. Note that, at Close Range, the Fireburst Torpedo’s Energy to Damage Ratio Improves, reaching 1:3. This is another advantage of the Fireburst Torpedo.
Determining the To-Hit Probabilities was very important for the Fireburst Torpedo. Francois had the Original Firebust Torpedo hitting somewhat like a Photon Torpedo and I thought this was appropriate for a weapon that could Overload to hit All 6 Shields at Once. So only slight modifications were needed for the Revised Fireburst Torpedo’s To-Hit Chances.
When examining the Overload Capability to hit All Shields at Once, comparisons were made between the Revised Fireburst Torpedo, an Enveloping Plasma Torpedo, the Hellbore, the Fireball, the Hypercannon, and the Energy Howitzer. EPT’s were crucial for the comparison. EPT’s require Twice the Energy resulting in their Warhead Strength being Doubled. A Standard Hellbore requires 6 Points of Energy (over 2 Turns) and yields a maximum 20 Damage Points (to be Distributed Among Shields). An Overloaded Hellbore requires 9 Points of Energy (over 2 Turns) and yields a maximum of 30 Damage Points (to be Distributed Among Shields). Note that Hellbores target the Weakest Shield, so they are slightly different than the Fireburst Torpedo and Fireballs.
A 1 Turn Overloaded (Revised) Fireburst Torpedo requires 3 Points of Energy and yields a maximum of 12 Damage Points (to be Distributed among 6 Shields). A 2 Turn Overloaded (Revised) Fireburst Torpedo requires 6 Points of Energy and yields a maximum of 24 Damage Points (to be Distributed among 6 Shields). A 3 Turn Overloaded (Revised) Fireburst Torpedo requires 9 Points of Energy and yields a maximum of 36 Damage Points (to be Distributed among 6 Shields). These numbers are very close to the Hellbore’s numbers. Again, note that the Revised Fireburst Torpedo does Not target the Weakest Shield like the Hellbore.
Overall, I believe the Revised Fireburst Torpedo works. With To-Hit Probabilities similar to a Photon Torpedo, the Revised Fireburst Torpedo can hit like a Disruptor, an Overloaded Disruptor, or an Overloaded Photon Torpedo, depending on the Arming Length. Additionally, the Revised Fireburst Torpedo can Overload to hit All 6 Shields at Once, slowly stripping the target of its Shields and making it vulnerable from a variety of angles. This means that, Tactically, the Revised Fireburst Torpedo is something new, something to be mastered, and something which is not a duplicate of existing Heavy Weapons. The Revised Fireburst Torpedo stands on its own on the battlefield. And the Revised Fireburst Torpedo is Not, in my opinion, Overpowered.
The Original Bizian CA also utilized a variety of Proton Pulse Emitters, which were definitely part of its offensive arsenal. However, upon close inspection of the various Proton Pulse Emitters, I found that the PPE-A was like a PH-3 with More Damage, the PPE-B was like a Short-Ranged PH-2, the PPE-C was like a Long-Ranged PH-2, the PPE-D was like a PH-1, and the PPE-E was in-between a PH-1 and a PH-4. While intriguing, I didn’t see the need to include the various PPE’s into Sector 50, primarily for Balance Reasons. In particular, the PPE-A and the PPE-E looked Overpowered to me (I could be wrong; playtesting would determine that). Therefore, I opted to stick with Standard Phasers (PH-1 through PH-4) instead of using PPE’s.
When designing the Pyrian Battlecruiser, some interesting elements were incorporated. The Shields were left as on the Original Bizian CA, but scaled down for Sector 50. The PPE’s had to be converted into PH-1’s and PH-3’s. The Pyrian Battlecruiser possesses more APR, but less Warp, meaning a slower overall Speed. The Increased APR makes sense to me to power the Fireburst Torpedoes. The Pyrian Battlecruiser has a mediocre Turn Mode and less than perfect Firing Arcs.
Overall, the Pyrian Battlecruiser is an intriguing addition to Sector 50. It is a powerful ship, with one of the greatest Alpha Strike Potentials (due to its PH-1’s, not the Fireburst Torpedoes) compared to other Heavy Cruisers. The Pyrian Battlecruiser’s slow and cumbersome movement make it challenging to fly. But it is the Revised Fireburst Torpedo that makes the Pyrian Battlecruiser different from other Sector 50 empires. This Heavy Weapon, which can fire frequently or arm over several turns, can directly strike the opponent or envelop All 6 Shields at once. However, it could be argued that the Disruptor and the Photon Torpedo are better because they can generate as much damage (while overloaded) in a shorter period of time.
Lastly, the Pyrian Battlecruiser lacks a Secondary Heavy Weapon or Device. Such a Heavy Weapon/Device will have to be developed as more Pyrian Vessels are introduced for Sector 50.
FIREBURST TORPEDOES
⦁ Fireburst Torpedoes are Direct-Fire Weapons.
⦁ Fireburst Torpedoes can be armed from 1 Turn to 3 Turns at the Owning Player’s discretion.
⦁ Fireburst Torpedoes may be Overloaded by paying additional energy.
⦁ 1 Turn Standard Fireburst Torpedoes cost 2 Points of Energy to arm. They may be Held for 1 Point each Turn.
⦁ 2 Turn Standard Fireburst Torpedoes require 2 Points of Energy on the First Turn and 2 Points of Energy on the Second Turn. They may be Held for 1 Point each Turn.
⦁ 3 Turn Standard Fireburst Torpedoes require 2 Points of Energy on the First Turn, 2 Points of Energy on the Second Turn, and 2 Points of Energy on the Third Turn. They may be Held for 2 Points each Turn.
⦁ 1 Turn Overloaded Fireburst Torpedoes cost 3 Points of Energy to arm. They cannot be Held.
⦁ 2 Turn Overloaded Fireburst Torpedoes require 2 Points of Energy on the First Turn and 4 Points of Energy on the Second Turn. They cannot be Held. A Held 2 Turn Standard Fireburst Torpedo can be Upgraded to a 2 Turn Overloaded Fireburst Torpedo by paying the Cost Difference of 2 Points on the Turn of Firing.
⦁ 3 Turn Overloaded Fireburst Torpedoes require 2 Points of Energy on the First Turn, 2 Points of Energy on the Second Turn, and 5 Points of Energy on the Third Turn. They cannot be Held. A Held 3 Turn Standard Fireburst Torpedo can be Upgraded to a 3 Turn Overloaded Fireburst Torpedo by paying the Cost Difference of 3 Points on the Turn of Firing.
⦁ Multi-Turn Fireburst Torpedoes cannot be Downgraded to a Lesser Fireburst Torpedo.
⦁ Overloaded Fireburst Torpedoes damage All 6 Shields at Once. Follow the Damage Procedure for EPT’s under (FP5.3).
⦁ Fireburst Torpedoes are destroyed by TORP Hits on the DAC.
PHASER-1
These function as described in the Basic Set
PHASER-3
These function as described in the Basic Set
