More Missiles for Traveller: The New Era By Bertil Jonell with Guy Garnett. Contributions from Leonard Erickson (penetration in terms of cratering damage) and the Traveller Mailing List (general kibbitzing). Featured missiles: Cannister, SFF, KE, KE(HE), proximity nuclear, and the LGB pseudo-missile. The detonation laser missile referred to in some cases below is the normal space combat missile, as detailed in Traveller: The New Era, page 349. The cannister missile is a kinetic energy weapon which releases a large number of small spheres which form a cloud approximately 750m in diameter. The SFF missile uses the self-forging fragment phenomenon to produce a small number of penetrators, which do damage due to their kinetic energy. KE(HE) missiles are an inexpensive multirole weapon, which can damage the target by kinetic energy or explosive effects. Proximity nuclear missiles use a nuclear device as the warhead, and can damage their target by exploding on impact or by radiation effects. The LGB pseudo-missile allows a starship missile launcher to deliver laser-guided bombs against a ground target, when operating in support of planetary combat. Assumptions: Normal missiles are assumed to have a 150kg detonation laser warhead, 100kg of electronics, actuators etc., and 6750kg of engine. The engine consists of 6000kg of reaction mass and 750kg of structural components and power plant. The laser rods represent the largest part of the price of the detonation laser missiles. After that comes the nuclear warhead, the electronics and the engine which is a lower efficiency, and thus cheaper, model of the basic ship thruster. It is also assumed that all missiles weigh 7000kg and occupy a volume of 7m3. Kinetic Damage: If two solid objects collide at speeds measured in tens of thousands of kilometers per hour, parts of them will instantly vaporize into a very brief 'fireball' of plasma. If the objects are very dissimilar in size, as for example a missile and a spaceship, the missile will vaporize completely and blow a crater in the hull of the ship. The diameter of the crater in centimeters is equal to the damage rating given for the missile on the 'Kinetic Damage Table'. Kinetic Damage Vs Surface Targets: An atmosphere figure of 1+ will cause a missile going at these speeds to break up and disintegrate before reaching the surface, so worlds with atmospheres are protected against attacks with KE and cannister missiles. Missiles carrying an explosive warhead like the KE(HE), SFF, proximity nuclear and the laser detonation missile can choose to enter the atmosphere slowly enough to survive until impact. If a missile inflicting kinetic damage hits a surface target on an airless world it will do the stated damage and create a crater of the given size. The vaporized material rushing out from the point of impact will also create a concussion effect similar to that generated by an explosion in an atmosphere equal to half the penetration. Depending on the surface, it is possible (although unlikeley) that a fragmentation effect will be generated as well. Kinetic Damage Table Impact Speed Damage by Warhead Type (G-turns) KE KE(HE) Cannister SFF 1 1-1020 1-1280 1-34 1-68 2 1-1560 1-1960 1-51 1-102 3 1-2000 1-2500 1-65 1-131 4 1-2360 1-2980 1-78 1-155 5 1-2700 1-3380 1-89 1-178 6 1-3000 1-3780 1-100 1-198 8 1-3560 1-4300 1-118 1-236 10 1-4080 1-5180 1-135 1-270 15 1-5200 1-6560 1-172 1-344 20 1-6200 1-7980 1-205 1-408 30 1-7800 1-9940 1-262 1-522 Direct Kill: (optional) If a ship is hit with a weapon with a large enough penetration, the weapon will simply 'penetrate away' the entire ship. Consult the table below. If the ship's displacement is less than the number given, it will suffer the effect. Destroyed ships are probably blown into several large parts. Annihilated ships are vaporized. Direct Kill Table Maximum Displacement Penetration Destroyed Annihilated 250 5 - 500 40 1 1000 300 5 1500 1000 15 2000 2300 40 2500 4700 80 3000 8000 130 4000 19000 300 5000 37000 580 6000 64000 1000 7000 100000 1600 8000 150000 2400 9000 220000 3400 10000 300000 4600 12000 500000 8000 18000 1700000 27000 25000 4500000 75000 Cannister missile This missile releases 15000 10g 10mm tungsten spheres into a cloud to ensure that at least one of them hits the target. The cloud is usually released, three seconds before impact (typically at a range of 50km). The exact range is automatically selected to achieve the maximum probability of a hit based on the closing velocity between the missile and the target. Cannister missiles may be used in an anti-missile role. The procedure is the same as attacking a ship, although most missiles are Micro or Sub-Micro sized, which will make them more difficult to hit. The damage comes from the kinetic energy of the spheres. The specific damage depends greatly on the closing speed of the missile and the target (see the 'Kinetic Damage Table'). When used against surface targets on airless worlds the cannister missile attacks as a 3 round burst of automatic fire against each 10mx10m square in a 400m radius. Each hit has a damage and penetration given in the 'Kinetic Damage Table'. The missile must be modified before it can be used in this manner. These modifications are a Formidible task against the Gunnery (missiles) asset. A Difficult test of Electronics can be used to enable this task, since the modifications are primarily to the guidance package. The warhead of this missile weighs 150kg and the 100kg electronics package is assumed to contain simple terminal guidance, the mechanism that disperses the spheres and a proximity fuse. Hitting a target with this missile is two levels more difficult compared to a normal laser detonation missile. As with a normal missile, apply the given damage 1D6 times. TL Price G-Turns 8 50k 10 9 50k 12 11 45k 12 13 40k 12 15 35k 12 SFF missile This missile uses the 'self-forging fragments' phenomena to generate several 100g metal fragments that hit the target. A few kilometers from the target the missile deploys and detonates several panels consisting of explosives on the back and metal that will form the fragments on the front (facing the target). SFF missiles may not be used in an anti-missile role (or against any other Micro or Sub-Micro targets). The damage comes from the kinetic energy of the fragments. The specific damage depends greatly on the closing speed of the missile and the target (see the 'Kinetic Damage Table'). When used against surface targets, the panels don't deploy. Instead the metal forms lethal fragments similar to how a normal artillery round works. In this case use the 'Surface Damage' ratings below. The warhead of this missile weighs 250kg and contains 150kg of explosives and 100kg of metal. The 100kg electronics package is assumed to include simple terminal guidance and a proximity fuse. Hitting a target with this missile is three levels more difficult compared to a normal Laser Detonation missile. As with a normal missile, apply the given damage 1D6 times. TL Price G-Turns Surface Damage 8 55k 8 C:100 B:60 Pen:50C 9 55k 11 C:100 B:60 Pen:50C 11 50k 11 C:100 B:60 Pen:50C 13 45k 11 C:100 B:60 Pen:50C 15 40k 11 C:100 B:60 Pen:50C KE missile This missile has no warhead. Instead it uses the impact of its dead weight at high speed to cause damage. The specific damage depends greatly on the closing speed of the missile and the target (see the 'Kinetic Damage Table'). The KE missile may not be used in an anti-missile role (or against any other Micro or Sub-Micro targets). When used against surface targets on airless worlds, use the procedures given above under 'Kinetic Damage Vs Surface Targets'. The lack of warhead means that the dead weight only consists of the 100kg electronics package and the 750kg final weight of the engine and structure. The electronics package is assumed to include simple terminal guidance. Hitting a target with this missile is four levels more difficult compared to a normal Laser Detonation missile. On a successful hit, only apply the damage once. TL Price G-Turns 8 35k 12 9 35k 14 11 30k 14 13 25k 14 15 20k 14 KE(HE) missile. This missile has a 1000kg High Explosive warhead optimized for use against surface targets. When used in space combat its explosive effect is ignored since it is so minuscule compared to the kinetic energy of the impact. The specific kinetic damage depends greatly on the closing speed of the missile and the target (see the 'Kinetic Damage Table'). KE(HE) missiles may not be used in an anti-missile role (or against any other Micro or Sub-Micro targets). When used against surface targets, the exposive warhead is detonated on impact, similar to how a normal artillery round works. In this case use the 'Surface Damage' ratings below. The warhead of this missile is a 1000kg HE charge. The 100kg electronics package is assumed to include simple terminal guidance. Hitting a target in space combat with this missile is four levels more difficult compared to a normal Laser Detonation missile. On a successful hit, only apply the damage once. TL Price G-Turns Surface Damage 8 40k 4 C:100 B:75 Pen:175C 9 40k 4 C:100 B:75 Pen:175C 11 35k 5 C:100 B:75 Pen:175C 13 30k 6 C:100 B:75 Pen:175C 15 25k 7 C:100 B:75 Pen:175C Proximity Nuclear missile This missile carries a nuclear warhead intended to detonate at a pre-selected distance from the target. When a nuclear weapon detonates in space, the major part of the energy will be released in the form of so-called 'soft' x-rays. This radiation is absorbed by almost any solid object and creates, through thermal expansion, a shock wave inside the object. Proximity nuclear missiles may be used in the anti-missile role. The procedure is the same as attacking a ship, although most missiles are Micro or Sub-Micro sized, which will make them more difficult to hit. Any hit, at any detonation distance, will destroy a missile. When used agains surface targets, the nuclear warhead can be detonated as an airburst or on the surface. The effects of nuclear weapons on ground targets is outside the scope of this article. Several warheads of different yields are available. All of the warhead available for this missile weigh 250kg or less. The 100kg electronics package is assumed to include simple terminal guidance and a proximity fuse. It is possible to choose the detonation distance of this missile. Closer range increases the damage inflicted but makes it harder to achieve a hit. There are three basic distances: contact, close proximity, and far proximity. Contact: hitting a target in space combat with the missile is four levels more difficult compared to a normal laser detonation missile. Close Proximity: Hitting a target in space combat with the missile is three levels more difficult. Far Proximity: Hitting a target in space combat with the missile is two levels more difficult. On a successful hit, only apply the damage once. Missiles TL Price G-Turns 8 35k (+warhead) 10 9 35k (+warhead) 12 11 30k (+warhead) 12 13 25k (+warhead) 12 15 20k (+warhead) 12 Warheads Damage by detonation distance Yield Price Contact Close Prox Far Prox 50t 10k 1-570 + 4H + R 1H + R 1h 100t 15k 1-810 + 6H + R 2H + R 1h 500t 20k 1-1800 + 13H + R 3H + R 1h 1kt 30k 1-2500 + 19H + R 5H + R 1h 2kt 50k 1-3600 + 27H + R 7H + R 2h 5kt 70k 1-5700 + 42H + R 11H + R 2h 10kt 100k 1-8100 + 60H + R 15H + R 1H 20kt 200k 1-12000 + 85H + R 21H + R 1H 50kt 500k 1-18000 + 135H + R 33H + R 2H 100kt 1M 1-25000 + 190H + R 47H + R 3H Damage is handled a little differently than normal space combat. The H and h ratings are the number of major or minor hits that are inflicted on each location facing the blast (consult the picture on page 319 in Traveller: The New Era). Locations facing away from the blast will take one quarter of this (drop fraction). If the target hasn't decompressed, there will also be an airshock in the form of a concussion. The concussion will have the force of 1D per minor hit and 2D per major hit. It will affect all personnel that are in the affected locations. If the missile detonated in contact or in close proximity, it will also inflict radiation and EMP damage if it were a particle accelerator. See Traveller: The New Era page 322. LGB pseudo-missile This is, as the name states, not a real missile. Instead it is a missile-shaped container with 6 1000kg laser-guided bombs. There is empty space inside the container but the weight of the bombs limits their number to six. The container is fired as a normal missile and the communication laser of the missile turret can be used to designate a surface target from up to 10,000m altitude. Above this altitude (or if bad weather on the surface will obscure the laser) another unit closer to the surface will have to handle the designation. The individual bombs are not capable of atmospheric re-entry in any atmosphere thicker than Very Thin. If they are used to attack a target on a world with thicker atmosphere, the ship has to be inside the atmosphere at the time of launch. A version carrying 6 bombs where each bomb has an ablative heat shielding that enables them to be deployed from orbit over worlds with an atmosphere of Dense or thinner is available for twice the cost. The spread can be chosen: The bombs can either all hit at the same time or with up to 5 seconds of separation. This type of 'missile' can *not* hit a ship unless it stands still on the ground. TL Price Surface Damage 8 22k C:190 B:80 Pen:90C 9 18k C:190 B:80 Pen:90C 11 14k C:190 B:80 Pen:90C 13 12k C:190 B:80 Pen:90C 15 10k C:190 B:80 Pen:90C Using the Missiles Space combat: Because a range band in space combat is so large, even when compared to the 'far proximity' range of a nuclear device, the missiles described in this article have the difficulty of their to-hit rolls increased. These increases are summarized in the 'Missile Difficulty Table' below. A Master Fire Director may ignore some or all of these difficulty increases. In order to intercept their target, missiles must maneuver to arrive in the same range band as their target (first maneuvering to get the closest approach distance to zero). Once in the same range band, the missile begins its terminal approach. In order to successfully intercept the target during this terminal approach, the missile must have more G-turns of fuel remaining than the target's current G rating (maneuver performance). This fuel is spent achieving an intercept, compensating for target evasion, and for course corrections during the terminal approach. Once a missile is in terminal approach, any beam weapons that are ready to fire may fire at it before it intercepts the ship. This pre-emptive defensive fire takes place during the missile's terminal approach, before it reaches the target ship. This fire is resolved as any other beam weapon fire. Nuclear dampers may be used against proximity nuclear missiles during their final approach; resolve this the same way as against normal detonation laser missiles. The terminal approach may last longer than a single phase. In this case pre-emptive defensive fire may take place during any or all of these phases. Consult the 'Time to Impact Table' below to determine the number of additional phases during which pre-emptive defensive fire may be conducted. Missile Difficulty Table Class Used by Difficulty Distant Detonation Lasers -- Far Proximity Cannister, Proximity Nuclear +2 Near Proximity SFF, Proximity Nuclear +3 Impact KE, KE(HE), Proximity Nuclear +4 Special Modifier: -1 Difficulty if the missile is launched and will intercept the target in the same turn. Time to Impact Table Closing Time in Speed Phases 1 10 2 5 3 3 4-5 2 6-10 1 11+ 0 Planetary combat: Those missiles which can attack a surface target do so as laser Designated artillery, except for cannister missiles. See Traveller: The New Era, pages 282 and 278. Cannister missiles are orbital indirect fire, and cannot be designated. See pages 280-281 of the Traveller rules. Notes The kinetic damages were computed using the tables on crater size in 'The Effects of Nuclear Weapons'. The penetration was assumed to be equal to the crater radius in hard dry rock from an explosion developing the same energy as the kinetic impact. The 'Direct Kill Table' was developed from noting at what point the crater diameter due to the damage of the weapon exceeded the diameter of the notional standard target ship (assumed to be a sphere) of a given tonnage. Nuclear weapons prices was taken from Striker but modified somewhat in the lower end of the scale. Proximity nuclear effects in space were calculated based on the assumptions that the only way of damaging the target was by radiation, that most of the energy of the explosion is in the form of 'soft' x-rays, and that the nuclear weapon could be treated as a point source of radiation. wildstar@quark.qrc.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Science-Fiction Adventure In the Far Future