BFG:R Nova Cannon

[afterimagedan]

Does anyone use the rules for the Nova Cannon? We have been trying them out and I think they are too powerful now. Higher than 50% chance to do d6 when locked on. Fighting Admech with 2-3 is hellish.

[horizon]

That's still a good bit lower then the 99,9% chance of hitting my opponent had in the v1.0 guess range rules had. haha

[afterimagedan]

...but still too much. Aren't the current rules be a better option?

[horizon]

I was happy enough with the faq1.5 version, thus the version BEFORE the v1.5 half-a$$ed rulebook came out.

That means 30-60 = 1d6 scatter
60-120 2d6 scatter.

the 3d6 is way to much.

[RCgothic]

I would never take Nova Cannons if I had any spare bits to convert my Dominators into Tyrants. Much prefer torps.

[Phthisis]

We have been using them here since they were proposed.  I agree that LO makes NCs too powerful.I said so when the rule was first proposed. Normally NCs have a 33% chance of hitting.  LO boosts this to a 55% chance.  At long range I've found this somewhat manageable because there is no reason not to brace.  Up clode is where it's deadly.  The direct hit %  in the 30-60cm range, where you roll 1 dice for scatter is almost 90%.  Considering you can fire NCs last with no penalty to accuracy they target ships with shields knocked down.  3 LO NCs at close range average 9.333 hits with a range from 3-18.

I had argued for a limit on NCs of 1 for every 1000pts or part thereof with LO allowed.to  This allows 2 for a 1500pt game.  Also I argued for an option to replace NCs with torpedos for no charge since people seemed to believe that torpedos>NCs. 

 

[Sigoroth]

I would never take Nova Cannons if I had any spare bits to convert my Dominators into Tyrants. Much prefer torps.

Eh? What do you mean? If you want to convert a Dom to a Tyrant the most you need to do is just cut off the NC. Done. Don't need spare bits.

[Admiral_d_Artagnan]

In my rules (not BF:R), I made it more accurate but limited how much you can take it in a certain amount of points. I think it was 1 in 750, IIRC.

[horizon]

Regardless of rules (for a bit) and concentrating on background the Nova Cannon is rare.

Thus I would like to see a nova cannon limit of 1 per 750pts
For AdMech I would go for 1 per 500pts

Problem: the official NC rules are kinda wacky.

BFG:R rules should adapt the restriction.

[AndrewChristlieb]

I agree with the restriction to 1/750 or 500 admech but I don't understand why the nova still isn't subject to reload. Even in rogue trader it must be reloaded and can't be fired until the turn after you reload. On another topic why can you launch ordnance the same turn you load it? They should look into that too, it just makes sense for it to take a turn getting everything into place to launch.

[horizon]

Why? It'll downgrade the ac based fleets more then they should.

Funny note: in our starting games we played like that:
launch AC turn 1
Reload AC turn 2
Launc AC turn 3


But I don't think the NC should reload in the scale of Battlefleet Gothic or/i] the weapon must be more effective.

[AndrewChristlieb]

It wouldn't downgrade ac at all. They already cannot launch once they have reloaded, with the exception of nids. The only time it would affect them at all is if they're within strike distance. If they're that close they have other things to worry about than reloading anyway, like finding who the idiots were that let them get close enough to be hit by guns... Seriously tho the ac fleets should be trying to get behind the guns if they're that close, not reloading while the enemy guns are locking on that's a losing battle.  As for the reasoning behind it this would present it more realistically (it takes a while to get a bomber wing up in the air or torpedo tubes loaded).  It would also help to curb torpedo spam espically with the crap new rule about them only being a 3 wide marker as people would actually have to think about where they will fire and why.  On the nova cannon it only makes sense, it is a hugh shell, and its fluffy because this thing is susposed to take forever to fire.  As other have stated the new rules do make it very effective, when its locked on its even more effective. Reloading, using the skip a turn method, would only help make it work more like the fluff describes it.

[Admiral_d_Artagnan]

AC cannot launch when they have reloaded? Huh? When did this change come up? Or is this BFG:R?

One reason why the NC wasn't subjected to the reloading rule is that it would effectively make all the IN ships' prow weapons subject to Reload Ordnance. Now while I don't mind that happening, changes to the NC should be made if that were to happen. BFG:R does have an effective NC but I think the range limitation should then be removed because it's quite possible for enemy ships to get close to NC ships by turn 3.

[AndrewChristlieb]

wow good call  im a tard   NO thats bad wording what I ment to say is that the ac cannot be launched when reloaded because you cannot have more ac launched than you have launch bays available. Thats why I said it would only affect ac fleets when they are within strike craft attack range.

[horizon]

That's the better wording.

But you don't know how often enemies can take out AC with gunnery at long range.

Torpedo (3 wide marker is a brilliant idea) spam? No problem with it. Only two fleets can try to pull it of.

Nah, I like the reload/launch in one turn.