Scanners vs. Spoofers...

[Braden Campbell]

"Hudson, motion trackers on-line!"

While doing some research on Phase World combat tactics, I re-read the scanners from Three Galaxies. They can detect "life signs" up to 500 feet away.

So imagine I'm fighting with my squad in "Colony X", and my scanner guy says: "there's some life signs hiding in that rubble 300 feet to our left." The boys and I break out the Hi-80s and waste a sniper through a wall.

But what if the enemy is wearing full EBA? Are their life signs blocked from the scanner?

My impulse is to say no, for several reasons. Firstly, the range is only 500', and any good sniper or entrenched position should be able to pick you off before you ever get into scanning range. Secondly, a smart enemy could use spoofers (Juicer Uprising) to fool an enemy's scanners.

Best thing is, spoofers can only be built into a suit of armour with 50 MDC or less. So it encourages PCs to wear lighter armour (which they should be anyway in an urban combat zone so they don't incur Prowl penalties... plus, since most combatants are using carbines with lower damage, you don't need to dish out 3D6x10 MDC... see "carbine" thread).

Detection and counter measures has never really been addressed in rifts... but in Phase World you can't get around it. So is most everyone cool with this "ruling"?

[Greyaxe]

I think in Phase world you can ann spoofer to any armor including ones with integrated force fields. The superior technology would allow for any armor to be modified. Otehr wise I agree with the ruling.

[Braden Campbell]

Oh yeah... force fields.

if you've got one up and running, then Hudson, my scanner guy, should be able to detect it (via some kind of energy signature).

EXAMPLE: "Sir, I'm picking up 3 bio-signs in that burned out building, and one XEME* energy field. Could be force fields, sir. We'd better be careful."

So urban (or jungle) combat becomes about using prowl skills, moving slowly, using scanners, using counter measures to hide from scanners, using camoflauge, carrying lighter carbine guns with lots of ammo, shooting wild at everything, and wearing light body armour.

OR...

we could rule that a force field blocks bio-sign detection... but that the forcefield itself is detectable. So I could hide 8 guys behind a force field, and all you would know is that there is force field up and running, but nothing more.








*XEME: unknown electro magnetic emanation

[glitterboy2098]

Lifesigns... well, just what is a lifesign ? How is it mapped to a sensor ?

probably a sensor able to detect lots of different things.
body heat, the sound heartbeat, the slight EM signature from a muscle being contracted.....
rescue services have been working on getting sensors able to detect this stuff for a long time. usualy it starts as military tech.

thermal imaging can 'see' body heat through any material that's not too thick.
the sound of heartbeat/breathing is distinctive, and all you need is a good microphone and a comp to filter out the other noise.
the EM stuff is trickier.


to be honest though, i would imagine the intent was a 'tricorder'

[Braden Campbell]

Can't pick p promethians... their natural phase fields create interference for 100'.

Also, I would rule that Naruni Cammo Armour blocks out scanning beams... which makes this stuff solid gold! 80 MDC with no prowl lenalty!

Phase Feilds, temporal Magic, and certain psi powers woudl also be great to have in a city fight (ex. Astral travellers who can scout and spot enemy positions).

[Greyaxe]

Can't pick p promethians... their natural phase fields create interference for 100'.

Also, I would rule that Naruni Cammo Armour blocks out scanning beams... which makes this stuff solid gold! 80 MDC with no prowl lenalty!

Phase Feilds, temporal Magic, and certain psi powers woudl also be great to have in a city fight (ex. Astral travellers who can scout and spot enemy positions).

I like that rule I think the Hartigal Combine should have a sale on cammo armor.

Bus seriously why would the camo armor block sensors and how would it do that?

[Braden Campbell]

Bus seriously why would the camo armor block sensors and how would it do that?

Built-in spoofers... of a sort. It already block thermo's and other forms of detection... so I would say that it can block "bio-signs" as well.... or at least reduce the chance of detection to 20%.

On a similar note... chameleon sheets (also from Naruni) wouldn't block "bio-signs", but would make snipers and such really hard to detect.

EXAMPLE:
"Sir, scanners say there's someone in that bell tower."
"I don't see anything. Scanners must be wrong."
"I'm telling you sir, it's there."
"Well, check it agai-" SPAFFF
"Sniper! Sniper! Everyone down! They killed the Sarge..."

The CAF Battle Armour should have the same effect. Poor TGE Legionnaires... they just have to tromp around and get shot at.

[Jefffar]

My issue is - how accurate is the scanner?

Does it detect that a life form is within 500 feet?

Does it provide an approximate bearing?

Does it provide an aproximate location?

Can it be mounted on a weapon scope and used to direct precise fire at unseen objects?

Does it work through walls?

Post Count 10 000 - 34

[glitterboy2098]

I guess that has to depend on the tech level the GM is giving his game.

A Low-tech Three Galaxies game? Brutal...I just somehow can't picture telling my players "Congratulations, you fought off the Elite TGE unit with clubs and pitchforks."

4 million expereince

YUB YUB!

[Braden Campbell]

That's it!

I'm writing a Phase World Urban Combat paper, and when it becomes canon Palladium law, you two will be damned sorry!

[glitterboy2098]

That's it!

I'm writing a Phase World Urban Combat paper, and when it becomes canon Palladium law, you two will be damned sorry!

i feel the same way sometimes. usually half the reason i finish articles.

[Braden Campbell]

...with Naruni Wave 2 we now have a plasma weapon that can do 4D6x10 damage...

We do?

Note: Braden hasn't picked up this book yet, because reviews of it were greatly mixed.

[Braden Campbell]

Naruni has that "gravitic sonar" now. If I remember correctly, there is a suit of power armor in the phase world sourcebook, and a few things in Naruni Wave 2 which have it.
Can anything besides Invisibility: Superior defeat those sensors?

I would say, in my GMing capacity, that an out-of-phase field would do the same. But not a Phase defense field... only the one that makes you intangable.

[Braden Campbell]

In a city, those Phase Grenades were were talking about a while ago would rock mightily!

Just throw one at a building, it goes off... phase blast travels through the wall and catches a guy inside.

Would also affect people in phase.