November 2010

Ask Admiral Growler (Continued)
Fighters

     Robert Eddy asks: If a SWAC or PF Scout goes wild, how do asteroids affect the signal?
     ANSWER: Asteroids do not affect wild SWACs of PF Scouts.

     Robert Eddy asks: A carrier can lend EW to all of its squadrons. Is each squadron's EW paid for separately or do you pay one cost for all squadrons? Example: A carrier pays four ECM and four ECCM to be lent to squadrons. Does the full amount affect all squadrons or only can be lent to one.
     ANSWER: According to (J4.933), you generate and pay for electronic warfare points separately for each squadron.

     Randy O. Green asks: Can chaff distract a QWT fired in a dogfight as it can a type-VI drone?
     ANSWER: A QWT is not distracted by chaff (YFQ1.51).

     Jeremy Gray asks: Can a Federation CVA operate A-20s in place of its A-10s?
     ANSWER: Rule (J10.111) permits the replacement of standard fighters with heavy fighters if desired.

     Jeremy Gray asks: I am moving along at Speed 18. I grab an admin shuttle in a tractor, planning to death drag it. When is it dead? When I grabbed it, or when I move next?
     ANSWER: The shuttle dies when you move next. See rule (G7.541).

     Andrew Harding asks: Can Speed 1 suicide shuttles turn on their first move? Relevant rules include:
     (C3.33) Speed 1 units may turn and move one hex
     (F2.123) Seekers must move forward on first move
     (J1.26) ...shuttle turn modes are not satisfied upon launch.
     I have always assumed that the ". . . must move forward upon launch . . ." restriction is created by not having a satisfied turn mode, but (F2.123) does read otherwise.
     ANSWER: As you say, the original rule was probably an artifact of the assumption that all seeking weapons would have a speed greater than one. However, that does not change the fact that (F2.123) is a blanket rule that overrides the normal movement rules. A specific rule always trumps a general rule. So, even a Speed 1 suicide shuttle must move straight on its first move. (Steve Petrick did review this and decide not to change it.)

     Robert Eddy asks: For a carrier to loan its fighters electronic warfare must it have its fire control on or not disrupted? Must they have a lock-on to their fighters?
     ANSWER: Rule (J4.921) only requires that the fighter have a lock-on to its carrier. It imposes no requirement that the carrier have a lock-on to the fighter.

     David Kass asks: A few questions on built-in EW pods (on heavy fighters and the Stinger-X). I have been trying to find any relevant rules [(J1.0), (J4.0), (J10.0), (J11.0), (R1.F0) . . .], but have not been able to find any and would particularly appreciate any pointers.
    Q1. Do these pods affect the fighter's speed or DFR?
    A1. Built-in pods do not affect speed or DFR. That is the primary advantage of being internal.
    Q2. Can the pods be dropped? [Note that by (J1.322), the pods are not dropped when the fighter is crippled, but just cease to function.]
    A2. You cannot drop built-in pods.
    Q3. How many pod rails does the Stinger-X have? Rule (R9.XF1) says it can carry one additional EWP, but is not clear if this is due to (J11.22)-since it is neither an EWF or heavy fighter-or because it only has one additional rail. I am assuming, lacking anything to the contrary, that heavy fighters have two pod rails like any other fighter.
    A3. A Stinger-X still has two external rails [although (J11.22) limits the number of EW pods, and this ruling clarifies the rule].
    Q4. Is there an EWF version of a Stinger-X? Can a Stinger-X be converted to an EWF using (R1.F7)? Looking at the SSDs for Hydran X-ships does not show any EWF Stingers (including the ones for bases which do have Stinger-E for the non-X fighters). If they can, how does the conversion interact with the limit of one EW pod plus the built-in one?
    A4. Data is unclear on whether there is, or could be, an EWF Stinger-X, but it seems that Hydran doctrine does not make use of them. Perhaps they might be considered in future.

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