Not A Snark

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====== Babylon 5 ======
{{ :ft:b5:b5-banner.jpg?nolink |}}
Babylon 5 Wars is a space combat war game from Agents of Gaming. The rules used, though okay for small battles, tend to be too complicated for fighting with large fleets. For this reason, I've decided to convert them to full thrust.

The [[designs|ship designs]] given here have been designed using the Fleet Book.

These rules are still in beta. You'll need copies of Fleet Books one and two in order to use them.

====== New Rules ======

===== Ship Classes =====

To help rough conversion from Babylon 5 Wars to FT, the following guidelines are suggested for hull sizes for different types of ships. //Capital Ships// tend to be the default ship class in B5 Wars, so can be quite small in FT scale.

^ B5W Class           ^ FT Mass ^
| Medium ship         | 1-49    ^
| Heavy Combat Vessel | 50-69   ^
| Capital ship        | 70+     ^


===== Tech Levels =====

The different races within Babylon 5 have quite different levels of technology. To some extent, this is simulated with different systems being available to certain races (the Narn's energy mines, the Minbari's jamming systems). In other ways, it is simpler to provide a few tweaks to the existing systems.

==== Armour ====

At tech level +1, a ship has an extra 50% armour (rounded down). This extra armour does not cost any mass, though the point cost of the (base) armour is doubled. For example, a Centauri warship with 10 points of armour, costing a base 20 points and 10 mass, would have 15 armour circles on the SDS, and the
total cost would be 40 points.

The extra armour is placed in a row above the standard row of armour circles. Damage is applied to the extra
armour first, and penetrating damage goes through to the primary armour layer rather than onto the hull. A second roll up will penetrate through to the hull.

Extra armour is treated as shell layers as for the Phalons, as described in Fleet Book 2. A better description of how it works as regards damage is given there.

At tech level +2, armour is doubled. Armour cost is 4 points per point of armour, which costs 1 mass. However, for no extra point or mass cost, there is a second layer of armour equivalent in strength to the first.

==== Beam Weapons ====

Higher levels of beam technology improves the chances of doing extra penetrating damage in an attack.

At tech level +1, beam weapons roll up on a 5 or 6 on each die. A roll up of 5 does 1 point of damage, plus
a reroll which penetrates through armour just as a roll of 6 would. The cost of a tech +1 beam weapon is double
normal cost.

At tech level +2, beam weapons roll up on a 4, 5 or 6. The cost of a tech +2 beam weapon is quadruple normal
cost.

==== Pulse Torpedoes ====

Pulse torpedoes are treated as beam weapons in that each extra level of tech increases the changes of rolling up on damage. At tech level +1, a pulse torpedo rolls up on a 6.

At tech level +2, a pulse torpedo rolls up on a 5 or 6.

==== Drives ====

Drives get smaller and more efficient as technology increases. At tech +1, a drive gives 1.5 thrust (rounded down) per 5% ship mass. At tech 2, they give 2 thrust per 5%.

Centauri have tech +1 drives, and Minbari have tech +2 drives.

==== Jump Drives ====    

Minbari jump drives only take up 5% of ship mass.


===== New Systems =====

==== Interceptors (Earth Alliance) ====

An //interceptor// is a human invention, combining  point defence capability with a limited directional energy shield. An interceptor has a mass of two and costs 10 points. Each interceptor covers three consecutive arcs, and can be used in one of two modes each turn.

In offensive mode, it can be used as a point defence system, shooting down attacking fighters. In this respect, it is treated exactly like a normal point defence system. It does not require  a fire control, but it is limited to operating in its arc of fire.

In defensive mode, an interceptor is treated as a level one shield, though only against a single attacking ship or fighter group. Two or more overlapping interceptors can be stacked to give the effect of a level two shield.

==== Energy Mines (Narn) ====

An energy mine is treated much like a salvo missile system, though it is somewhat more deadly. An energy mine has a range of 24", and is fired during the //Launch Salvo Missiles// phase of a turn. The mines automatically detonate immediately after step 6 - after all fighters have made any secondary moves. This provides fighters with a chance to escape the blast sphere of the mines, since any caught by the blast will almost definitely be
destroyed.

When a mine detonates, it does 6d6 damage to all ships within 1" of the detonation point. This is straight damage, and there are no roll ups, so the damage range is from 6 - 36 points. Fighter groups caught within this range loose an equal number of fighters. At this range, there is no chance that a fighter group will survive.

Each 1" beyond this, the damage is reduced by 1 die. Out to 6", the damage is only 1d6.

^ Weapon System          ^ Mass   ^ Points   ^
| Energy Mine Launcher   | 5      |  10      |
| Energy Mine Magazine   | 4/mine | 5 x Mass |
| Energy Mine Rack       | 6      | 30       |



==== Minbari Jammers ====


Minbari jamming systems prevent lock on by enemy ships. Ships can user multiple fire control systems to give themselves an increased chance of locking on however.

A jamming system has a mass equal to 5% hull mass, and a cost equal to the mass of the ship.

Any ship that tries to fire on a jamming vessel has to roll a d6 if they are beyond 6" range. Up to 12", they need 3+. Up to 24", they need 4+. Out to 36" they need 5+. Any range beyond 36" needs a roll of 6 to lock on.

Multiple fire controls give multiple rolls.