The deployment of ASMs was restricted to size class 3 and larger ships due to the power and size requirements of the launchers. As the Orion civil war was drawing to its close in Y181, Enclave engineers came up with a system to launch ASMs from mechanical linkages similar to the Intercepter connections.
(G?.1) GENERAL RULE
(G?.11) SSD: ASM mech links are denoted on the SSD by tractor beams with this symbol: (see Orion SSD's)
(G?.111) COST: To add an ASM mech-link to an existing tractor costs one point. This does not include the cost of the ASM or any packs, pods or Drones that the ASM is carrying.
(G?.12) OPERATIONS: A tractor beam with an ASM held in its Mech-link may not be used for any purpose except negative tractor.
(G7.35). A given tractor beam cannot use negative tractor beam on the same turn or within 8 impulses of launching an ASM.
(G?.121) An ASM mech link acts as a one shot ASM launcher in all respects except as noted below.
(G?.122) Power applied to an ASM mech link that is holding an ASM must be specified for use as either launching energy or negative tractor at the time of allocation. Both may be allocated, but only one may be used in any given turn.
(G?.13) RESTRICTIONS:
(G?.131) An ASM mech-link can hold one ASM and may not be reloaded under any circumstances during a scenario. (ASMs may be loaded during a scenario, only if the linkage is already present and has never been loaded. This may only be done at a base or other repair facility.)
(G?.132) A given tractor cannot have more than one kind of linkage (e.g. during a given scenario, it can hold either an ASM or a shuttle, not both.)
(G?.133) DESTRUCTION: ASM mech-links are destroyed on tractor hits. The tractor can later be repaired, but the mech-link and ASM are gone.
(G?.2) USAGE: An ASM in a mech-link is launched like a normal ASM with the following exceptions.
(G?.21) HOLDING: ASMs on mech-links may not be held. Any launching energy applied on a turn that the ASM is not launched is lost.
(G?.21A) CAPACITOR: ASM mech-links have no capacitors.
(G?.22) SINGLE LAUNCH: The act of launching an ASM from an ASM mech-link destroys the mechanical linkage, but not the tractor. The mechanical linkage must be replaced between scenarios and cannot be repaired under any circumstances.
(G?.23) AMMUNITION: ASM mech links may use any type of ASM.
NOTE: the owning player must pay any associated costs for upgrading an ASM. ASMs on mech links are not assumed to have any packs. Any legal combination of packs may be loaded on the ASM as long as the associated costs have been paid. This does not count as an ASM prepared for a special mission in (FD?.66)
(G?.231) SP ASMs and other special ASMs can be loaded at the start of a scenario, but cannot be created during a scenario except by a base or repair facility. This counts against the limit of shuttles that can be prepared for a special mission at beginning of a scenario (i.e. this can only be done at WS-III). NOTE: The drones and packs for the SP, Starburst or Shatterstar ASM must be drawn from the ships drone storage or paid for separately at half the normal cost.
(G?.232) ASM PACKS: ASM packs must be purchased separately at half cost and cannot be drawn from the ships storage.
(G?.24) Launching arcs are set before the scenario and may be any continuous 180 degree arc. (e.g. FH, LS, FA+L, etc.)
(G?.25) LAUNCHING RATES: The maximum rate that ASMs may be launched is determined by size class. This restriction includes any ASMs launched by ASM launchers, but only applies to mech-link launched ASMs. (e.g. A size class 3 ship with 4 launchers and two ASM mech links restricts himself to three ASMs per turn if he uses a mech link to launch an ASM. If he uses only his launchers, he may launch four.)
Size class 5: 1 per turn Size class 4: 2 per turn Size class 3: 3 per turn Size class 2: 4 per turn Size class 1: unlimited(G?.26) TRANSFERS: An ASM can be transferred from an ASM mech-link to a shuttle bay as if the ship were using a tractor to recover a shuttle. NOTE: this does not destroy the mech-link.
(G?.261) This procedure cannot be used to load an ASM onto an ASM mech-link.
(G?.3) POST LAUNCH OPERATIONS: On the turn after the ASM has been launched (and at least 8 impulses have passed), the tractor acts as a normal tractor beam in all respects for the rest of the scenario.
(G?.4) OTHER RULES:
(G?.41) TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE: ASMs on mech-links can be detected at level F. ASM mech-links without ASMs loaded can be detected at Level I.
(G?.42) DEPLOYMENT: ASM mech-links may be added to any ship with a tractor including old series Enclave cruisers.
(G?.421) ORION PIRATES: Orion Pirates can take ASM mech links in their option mounts for a cost of 0. This does not include the cost of the ASM. The Orion Pirates cannot add ASM mech-links to their tractors unless it is specified by the scenario or both players have agreed to it in advance.
This site is maintained by John H. Kim, <jhkim@fnal.gov>
Last modified: Mon Jan 12 16:43:42 CST 1998