Rogue Trader - Macrobatteries

[Kaneski]

After a couple more night thinking about the rogue trader macrobatteries vs lance weapons issue... if I were to run a space combat in 40k RPG games (rogue trader, dark heresy, deathwatch), I'd use the following additional rules in regard to macrobatteries.

Scattering
The further the target is away, the less likely the firer can achieve the saturation necessary to score effective hits. After all, space is big. Really big. Mind-bogglingly big. Firing macrobatteries point-blank means smashing most of your projectiles right into the enemy side. Conversely, firing at long range means there are fewer projectiles to occupy relatively the same amount of space.

When firing at a range beyond the Macrobattery listed range, in addition to -10 Ballistic Skill test (p. 220, RT corebook), the effective strength of the macrobattery is halved (rounding up). Alternatively, it takes 2 degrees of success to score additional hits, instead of 1.

Lance weapons don't suffer this drawback.

The goal is to maintain the lethality of macrobatteries at their nominal range, but make lances superior at long range. With the half-strength, or extra degrees, the ship's armor really makes a difference at long range, whereas lances will be able to cut right through and not even notice. This turns lance weapons in opening salvo, snipe and kite weapons. Since it's a giant laser in space anyway...


Thoughts, Darren?

[Chimera]

FYI - for the others - the problem is that macrobatteries in salvos effectively ignore armor for every battery after the first. This ability is the one saving grace of the lance - so it effectively makes lances useless (beyond being quirky).

So your fix will limit it a bit Kaneski. Makes me think about fast strike raiders gaining the advantage of being able to close fast and still take advantage of the rule. So I would only expect to see lances on cruisers with this rule. Below cruisers you still have too much utility from Macro salvos.

[Chimera]

My house rules surrounding the issue are:

Issue - Lance Weapons are underpowered
Mostly stemming from the fact that macrobatteries in a salvo effectively gain armour piercing (salvos after first stack and therefore ignore armour).
1) Clarify that lances are a critical hit weapon and can do crits even if they hit shields.
2) Munitoriums only apply to macrobatteries that require actual ammunition. This specifically excludes laser and plasma based weapons. This has the effect of lower peak damage on these macrobattery systems.
3) Give lances the tearing quality. This means you roll two and take one for lances. Given lances only get one hit it avoids the extreme disappointment of rolling a 1 on the only dice.
4) Utilise an squadron fire rule. Basically, use the squad fire rules from BFK in place of the salvo rules. This is - pick one main battery and use its stats, for every extra battery in the salvo add +10 to hit and + 1 Strength.

[Kaneski]

Don't like #4... gimps them too much IMO. +10/+1 STR is basically giving a free hit, which is a far cry from 2-5 additional hits (depending on weapon). Maybe... something like - pick main weapon and use its stats. Additional macrobatteries in salvo have their strength halved (round up).