Pg 303 and 320 briefly discuss tracking weapons, but it's pretty brief. A few questions:
1) If you fire a tracking weapon and it hasn't yet impacted the target, can you fire another missile/torpedo from that launcher or is that launcher (and/or its sensor) "tied up" with the first missile/torpedo? If you CAN fire another missile, does that mean you could theoretically have 5 missiles (for weapons with lim fire 5) from the same launcher all trying to chase the target until/unless they lose TL?
2) Additionally, is there a max 'range' on tracking weapons (like, say, 3 rounds) or will they keep following a target the entire length of the solar system as long as they never lose TL?
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Pg 303 and 320 briefly discuss tracking weapons, but it's pretty brief. A few questions:
1) If you fire a tracking weapon and it hasn't yet impacted the target, can you fire another missile/torpedo from that launcher or is that launcher (and/or its sensor) "tied up" with the first missile/torpedo? If you CAN fire another missile, does that mean you could theoretically have 5 missiles (for weapons with lim fire 5) from the same launcher all trying to chase the target until/unless they lose TL?
2) Additionally, is there a max 'range' on tracking weapons (like, say, 3 rounds) or will they keep following a target the entire length of the solar system as long as they never lose TL?
1. You can fire one per round. So yes, you can have a ton of missiles out there chasing the target.
2. No max range after the first round. Also, no range penalties after the first round.
Interesting. I thought when you had to do a gunnery check vs TL to fire the 2nd, you'd find the launcher's targeting already tied up with the previous missile.
Thanks
Why would my computer continue to recalculate this? Missiles in today have their own guidance system. So there is nothing to say that missiles can't guide themselves once fired. Some could even be equipped with the ability to be controlled to detonate early, or be designed not to hit and explode and cause damage.
If they didn't have their own guidance system then I start to question Paizo and their ability to use futuristic stuff.
Again, just clarifying the rules on this because they're not clear. FWIW, many current missile systems DO have limits on how many missiles they can keep guiding and many other starship combat systems DO have limits on how many missiles a given launcher/ship can control.
Alternately, most missile systems intended for ship-to-ship (or air-to-air) combat DO have a finite range that the missile can get from the launching ship before it simply dies, whether due to missile range or some safety to prevent it just 'going rogue' and crashing into something other than the target. For example, if friendly fighter were to engage a target over the US and the target is able to outrun the missile, the missile will NOT keep following the target 1000 miles back to its base.
