Asteroid fields

Ironduke

Spaceman
Just reread the part of the manual that says asteroid fields block line of sight and line of fire. How do you interpret this?
1) A unit "behind" an asteroid field can't be targeted or fired at.
2) A unit in the same hex as an asteroid field can't be targeted or fired at.
It occured to me that I never intended (2), but the rules are clearly unclear :)p) about this. Now I'm thinking about an improvement (?) for v0.15:

Asteroid fields can provide cover to smaller ships. Anyone firing at a ship hiding in an asteroid field will get a -2 (or -1?) penalty to his rolls, but the same applies if the hiding ship wants to fire at a unit outside the asteroid hex.

As for campaign rules: Units can hide in an asteroid field and power down. As long as they maintain radio silence, they won't be visible on the map. Other fighters/bombers/transports will automatically detect them at a distance of 3 hexes). Corvettes will automatically detect hidden ships at a distance of 12 hexes, while every capship and/or station on the map immediately detects hidden ships.
(Allows for ambush scenarios within a campaign.)

Thoughts?
 
The version I'd like the most is number 2), but since you don't want that, I'd vote for the cover penalty to be at least -2

As for the ambushes, I don't think capships should be able to detect fighters in asteroids across the whole map, maybe up to (max) 24 hexes, it should make the escort stick more to the ship they should protect;)
 
It occured to me that I never intended (2)
Great, now I'm already contradicting myself! :D
I wanted to say that I HAD intended this. (Guess I shouldn't post to the forum and answer a phone call at the same time. ;) )

Concerning the 24 hexes: Have you ever counted how big WCTO's maps are? 24 hexes is almost the complete map... :p
(Besides, in a tabletop game it's getting pretty obvious whenever some people have to count the distance between a certain asteroid hex and the next capital ship. :D)
 
If the version 2 is the intended one, no problems here:cool:

And the capships, maybe you're right, maybe it should see them, maybe I should count the size of the maps :D
 
Personally, I think a combination of "a unit behind an asteroid field can't be targeted/fired at" and "a unit in an asteoroid field gets a +1 bonus to his target roll but also suffers a -1 penalty if it wants to fire out of the asteroid field" would work well.

I wouldn't give cap ships better chances of detecting hidden fighters. IIRC, capships were always taken by surprise in WC by fighters emerging from asteroid fields.
 
"Oh, look, an Asteroid field. Captain, could the Kilrathi by hiding in there?"

"No Lieutenant! What a foolish idea! They would *never* hide in there with bombers, only to pounce when we turn around and reveal our vulnerable side showing just after all the pilots get drunk in the lounge. You're demoted!"

(Kilrathi bombers and fighters jump out of the asteroid field).

I like Mekt-Hakkikt's idea about the bonus/negative (similar to a barrel roll) although it does give added complication to the rules.
 
This is how asteroid field rules work now (and in v0.15 to come):
- asteroid fields block line of sight and line of fire, so no unit behind an asteroid hex can be targeted (missile target locks will be lost; tailing is not allowed)
- units within an asteroid hex can be targeted (and tailed) with a -2 penalty
- they also suffer a -2 penalty themselves when firing at units outside the asteroid field

All other rules apply as mentioned in v0.14 of the game manual. D'accord? :p
 
So, the obvious question now: can units IN the asteroid field tail units OUTSIDE the asteroid field?

Because obviously, I'll want to tail Avacar.
 
Normally, you should be able (with the -2 penalty), but if I get the tailing rules right, you can't tail him now anyway because you're not facing the same direction, nor looking right at him
 
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