Saucer Separation creates two vessels each with a Scale one lower than the base starship. Can each component then support small craft by the usual rules?
Example: A Galaxy-class (Scale 6) can support 5 points of small craft when the saucer is joined. When it separates, each of the two components can support 4 points of small craft, for a total of 8 points of small craft. If the Galaxy-class selected Extensive Shuttlebays, both of these values (joined and separated) are doubled. Even more odd is that it can somehow carry 4 runabouts when separated (2 per section) but only two when joined.
By the wording of the Saucer Separation, since both sections have all Talents, a ship with Saucer Separation can also magically clone a Captainâs Yacht too.
The captainâs yacht is always attached to the saucer section. Separating the saucer section does not automatically create a new independent captainâs yacht on the Stardrive section.
As for the doubling of the amount of supportable small craft, that would be another no. The amount that can be supported is determined by the amount of shuttlebays and available space. Once you separate them, you have effectively cut the available space. The amount of small craft would be split between the two sections, with one fewer.
Saucer Separation does not create two vessels, it splits the current vessel into two independent pieces.
The guys that wrote these rules really donât have a clue on how bad some of things actually read. I find way too many crappy interactions like this in this game, and it annoys me.
You say that, but I just looked to re-read the saucer separation talent, and I donât see how you could have come to that conclusion of the talent effectively splitting the ship into two âclonesâ of one scale lower, which is how your interpretation and question seemed to me.
The ship is designed so that the saucer section can be separated from the engineering section, to operate as two distinct ships. Each section has the same Systems, Departments, Talents, and weapons, but their Scale is one lower than the whole ship (recalculate anything derived from Scale), and each section only has half the Power (round down) that the ship had before separation. Further, if the ship has suďŹered any damage, ongoing eďŹects of that damage apply equally to both sections. The saucer section, which contains the crew quarters and recreational areas, does not have the capacity to go to warp.
Thatâs where I get the âtwo distinct ships, each with the Talents et al. of the original ship.â
Imo both the shuttle bays and hanger bay are both located within the saucer section.
And maybe an other example help:
Iirc Warp engine is after the separation unavailable for the saucer section, so no Warp Speed for this section.
Just remember where systems located in which part of the ship.
The key to that phrase right there is âto operate asâ. Not âBecome two completely different shipsâ.
The separation effectively lowers the resistance, tractor beam strength, and phaser damage from both sections as well as the number of small craft supportable by the ship as a whole by 1. Also, the power is reduced by half (rounded down) for both sections.
Technically speaking, torpedo damage is not calculated by scale, and I do not believe that the saucer section even has torpedo launchers. Those were all on the engineering section if my memory is accurate.
Yet the Saucer Separation rules specifically say both have the same weapons. So the saucer does have torpedoes under the rules of this game. Memory of where they are matters not at all.
Also, it is quite clear that it does not reduce the small craft supportable by the âship as a whole by 1ââthatâs not what it says at all.
I disagree. It matters very much. If it didnât matter, then the saucer section would have warp drive as well. Which it doesnât, because the warp core is located in the Engineering section.
Itâs not necessarily cannon, but http://techspecs.acalltoduty.com/galaxy.html#3.2%20TORPEDO%20LAUNCHERS that does give an explanation as to why both sections have torpedoes. Which I will admit, I could see that⌠we donât often see the saucer separate in the show and actually participate in combat. They mainly use it in order to evacuate civilians before a major engagement, or as a means of evacuating as many people as possible from the engineering section before it explodes.
Yet, in this game where torpedo launchers do not require power, separation can double your firepower (along with Threat accumulation), and your Shields are only slightly less than 2x what they were, making separation a viable battle tactic as long as youâre not planning to run at warp.
Ok, first I was wrong:
If I use the deck plans for a Galaxy from Memory Alpha (for me still the best reference for any Star Trek relevant) it seems, that all shuttle bays are not within the saucer section:
And imo shuttle bays are a perk which depends on the ships size, but not a talent. You may improve your bays with the âExtensive Bayâ talent, but even this wouldnât be affected by separation.
Strictly by the rules as written: When the ship separates, it becomes two distinct ships. Ships can support small craft. No exemption was made on either section being able to do so (as was done with warp travel for the saucer), so each can support small craft as per the sectionâs scale. If the combined ship has Extensive Shuttlebays, then both sections also have it.
It does. Supportable small craft is derived from scale. It specifically says to recalculate anything derived from scale.
(Just noticed that part of the post above.)
I agree, Saucer separation is a viable battle tactic, but it does have itâs drawbacks. For one, it does not increase the amount of actions that the crew has. (Player characters have to split the actions between the two sections, depending on where they are.) While both sections would (according to the above link at least) have all weapons available, unless the ship also has independant phaser supply, they would have half the power available for firing phasers, which in my opinion is where they will do the most damage to another ship to lower the shields.
âIt does. Supportable small craft is derived from scale. It specifically says to recalculate anything derived from scale.â
Yes, you recalculate it, but then each section gets to support small craft according to their reduced scale, not one reduced scale for the whole vessel.
I am not being obtuse, I am being accurate. Yes, the two sections can operate independently as if they were two distinct ships. That does not mean that they are two distinct ships. They are two sections of one complete ship. Supportable small craft and crew support is derived by scale for the whole ship not by independent section.