227 replies to this topic

[Damocles69]

How dose this guy still have a job?

Competency must be measured differently in Canada

[Cimarb]

Damocles69, on 29 April 2014 - 08:13 AM, said:

How dose this guy still have a job?

Competency must be measured differently in Canada

The same reason you still have a job (assuming you do have one): no one more qualified has taken it from him yet. Whether you like him or not, if he is doing what his employer expects of him and no one better is offering to take over, then his job is secure. Apply for the job and see how you do.

[Hellen Wheels]

As much as I want to vilify Paul, I think I can sympathize with his unfortunate position (which currently seems to be scapegoat.)

In my job, I have to answer to

-->Government regulators, who don't see things the same way as my
-->Corporate Overlords, who don't see things the same way as our
-->Internal Auditors, who don't see things the same way as
-->I or my staff would like to see, but nevertheless wouldn't be the things that
-->Our end-user customers would like to see.

One of the reasons my career has such high turnover. It is literally a job suited only for one the likes of Procrustes.

I really feel like the guy is hamstrung in a lot of decisions he has to make happen: they might not even be his decisions, but he has to implement them, and none of them can please everyone.

Just my 2 c-bills.

Edited by Hellen Wheels, 29 April 2014 - 11:23 AM.

[Cimarb]

Hellen Wheels, on 29 April 2014 - 11:07 AM, said:

As much as I want to vilify Paul, I think I can sympathize with his unfortunate position (which currently seems to be scapegoat.)

In my job, I have to answer to

-->Government regulators, who don't see things the same way as my
-->Corporate Overlords, who don't see things the same way as our
-->Internal Auditors, who don't see things the same way as
-->I or my staff would like to see, but nevertheless wouldn't be the things that
-->Our end-user customers would like to see.

One of the reasons my career has such high turnover. It is literally a job suited only for one the likes of Procrustes.

I really feel like the guy is hamstrung in a lot of decisions he has to make happen: they might not even be his decisions, but he has to implement them, and none of them can please everyone.

Just my 2 c-bills.

Being in corporate web/graphic design, I completely understand. Working in the automotive field makes it even worse, as you have the dealers that want yellow starbursts and blinking neon text on every page, 2-3 pop ups per click, and don't believe in turning off the caps lock to save their lives...

[DirePhoenix]

Koniving, on 29 April 2014 - 08:12 AM, said:

Though truth be told, PGI did that with SRMs when they made 'em dumbfire.
SRMs are guided.
Guided and locked according to TRO (but lock is not required to fire).
According to the story books (that I read so far), they are soft-locked (just hit R and fire) but are easily distracted by larger heat sources. i.e. if you target Player A but player B has a larger heat source and is closer the missile goes after the wrong target. Or they go after pits of lava instead but in the books I've read they haven't ever been dumb-fired' just easily distracted. (Mind you I've read 7 of them so far out of more than 50 so yeah).

What TRO are you reading that suggests SRMs are guided and locked? They've always been dumbfire (or more accurately, "direct fire" - you shoot it straight at the target, no locking). Even in my old Master Rules it describes SRMs:

"SRMs are direct-trajectory missiles with high-explosive or armor-piercing explosive warheads, They are accurate only at ranges of less than 300 meters but are more powerful than LRMs. Clan SRMs are lighter and more compact than the Inner Sphere models, but otherwise function identically."

[Thorqemada]

It is very simple, if SRM would be true Dumbfire Missiles they would not get benefits from the Artemis System - SRM do get benefits from the Artemis System so they have at least sort of a Basic Targetting/Guidance System and thus be no Dumbfire Missles.

A Direct Fire Mode is only that - a Mode.

Edited by Thorqemada, 29 April 2014 - 01:24 PM.

[Strum Wealh]

DirePhoenix, on 29 April 2014 - 01:08 PM, said:

What TRO are you reading that suggests SRMs are guided and locked? They've always been dumbfire (or more accurately, "direct fire" - you shoot it straight at the target, no locking). Even in my old Master Rules it describes SRMs:

"SRMs are direct-trajectory missiles with high-explosive or armor-piercing explosive warheads, They are accurate only at ranges of less than 300 meters but are more powerful than LRMs. Clan SRMs are lighter and more compact than the Inner Sphere models, but otherwise function identically."

"Direct-fire" is not the same thing as "dumb-fire".

Basic/Default SRMs in BattleTech were "direct-fire" weapons possessing minimal (radar-based?) guidance systems and maneuverability (but still able to benefit from use of Artemis IV FCS and Narc Missile Beacon systems).

Moreover, standard SRM launchers did have the option of a variety of alternate ammo types, some of which were characterized by the use of alternate guidance systems, including:

• Artemis-compatible missiles (more expensive than the munitions equipped with "standard" guidance systems)
  
• Narc-compatible missiles (more expensive than the munitions equipped with "standard" guidance systems)
  
• Anti-Radiation Missiles - developed by the Free Worlds League in 3066 (and Clan Smoke Jaguar in 3057)
  
• Heat-Seeking Warheads - developed during the mid-24th century, retained since
  
• Listen-Kill Missiles - introduced in 3038 by the Federated Commonwealth

In fact, unguided SRMs - so-called "Dead-Fire Missiles" - were actually an alternate munition type, separate from the "standard" (e.g. guided) SRM munitions.

Quote

Dead-Fire Missiles were prototype weapons developed by House Kurita to offset the increasing cost of military hardware. To reduce cost, the guidance systems of standard long range and short range missiles were removed and replaced with larger warheads.

Moreover, the Streak system - which also fires guided munitions - is not so much a guidance system as an ammo-conservation system.

Quote

Originally developed in 2647, the Streak SRM Launcher is relatively similar to the standard SRM launcher but linked to a unique Targa-7 fire control system. This system is designed to guarantee a hit against any target onto which the pilot can get a lock, a special feature of this system preventing the weapon from firing at a target when there is no lock-on, saving ammunition by preventing shots that would miss anyway.

-----

Unlike a standard SRM whose shotgun effect may result in some misses and some hits, Streak guidance gives the lighter launchers the effective average firepower of the heavier and more wasteful SRM systems, but with considerably less variation in damage effects. The only disadvantages are that Streak launchers are incompatible with other missile target acquisition technologies such as the Artemis IV FCS and Narc Missile Beacon, their specialized ammunition is much more expensive, and some users are willing to accept partial hits rather than not be able to fire on demand.

-----

Like many pieces of advanced Star League technology, the Streak system disappeared during the technological decline of the Succession Wars. The Clans retained and championed the technology, and as an example of their drive towards avoiding waste, expanded it to all three SRM launcher types. Thanks to the Helm Memory Core the Free Worlds League rediscovered the ability to produce the Streak SRM-2 again in 3035, and using this and Clan-tech salvage the Draconis Combine was able to produce Inner Sphere versions of the larger launchers in 3058.

By contrast, it's MRMs (introduced by the Draconis Combine in 3058) that canonically use "dead-fire" (e.g. unguided) missiles as their "standard/default" munition.

Quote

Compared to other missile types, Medium Range Missiles are dead-fire missiles that are fired more like autocannons and lasers, but the removal of guidance systems makes each missile more compact, reducing cost and allowing more missiles to be packed in compared to SRM and LRM launchers of similar size and weight.

Edited by Strum Wealh, 29 April 2014 - 01:55 PM.

[Koniving]

DirePhoenix, on 29 April 2014 - 01:08 PM, said:

[/size]

What TRO are you reading that suggests SRMs are guided and locked? They've always been dumbfire (or more accurately, "direct fire" - you shoot it straight at the target, no locking). Even in my old Master Rules it describes SRMs:

"SRMs are direct-trajectory missiles with high-explosive or armor-piercing explosive warheads, They are accurate only at ranges of less than 300 meters but are more powerful than LRMs. Clan SRMs are lighter and more compact than the Inner Sphere models, but otherwise function identically."

Specifically TechManual and the Total Warfare series, not a TRO sorry about that.

From what you quoted note those are military terms: Direct fired (straight at) as opposed to ballistic launch angle (up and over). It's the similar to the difference between an RPG and a mortar. One is direct fire and the other is ballistic launch. A Javelin is ballistic launch (it's fired at an upward angle versus the grounded target) but a Stinger (fired at the target) is considered direct fire. Doesn't mean the Stinger lacks guidance; quite the opposite.

SRMs do have a shotgun-like spread, as Illusions of Victory mentions that SRMs would attack each other's heat sources if they did not spread.
They are described as less sophisticated; mainly "not as smart" but not necessarily dumber.
Artemis overrides this by giving them a beam to track, allowing them to tighten.

The "Streak SRM" is similar to a standard SRM except that it has a Targa-7 fire control system that will not permit it to fire unless it is 100% guaranteed to get a hit. (Not that locking is unique).

All objects that can mount Artemis are guided. Those that cannot either have their own guidance systems or are NOT guided.
Streaks don't have it because they have no use for it.
LRMs have guidance.. but like TAG and NARC-enabled LRMs they improve.
MRMs cannot as they have NO guidance.
SRMs have guidance and feature NARC and TAG-enabled SRMs.

Quote

The Narc Missile Beacon is a missile homing utility that can be planted on enemy targets, causing friendly SRMs and LRM missiles (even those that do not traditionally have homing capabilities) to lock on to them. They are particularly useful when used in tandem with LRMs.

Some SRM ammunition is specifically mentioned to not have homing capabilities. These are special kinds of ammo and all of the affected ones specifically mention it. Regular SRMs have no mention for this category.

Now for TT given that missile systems which are explicitly stated to lack guidance systems have a to-hit penalty in TT it is almost irrefutable that the standard SRMs have a guidance system. Add the books which describe them as heat-guided (one explicitly used a mech jumping over a flowing pit of lava to have enemy SRMs change course in favor of the hotter heatsource instead of himself),

There's this as well.
Compared to other missile types, Medium Range Missiles are dead-fire missiles that are fired more like autocannons and lasers, but the removal of guidance systems makes each missile more compact, reducing cost and allowing more missiles to be packed in compared to SRM and LRM launchers of similar size and weight.

The lack of a guidance system and unique nature of MRMs means that they are incompatible with special munitions and advanced guidance systems, though they can be prepared as a single-shot system. The inherent inaccuracy of MRMs is reflected in game terms with a +1 to hit. MRM

SRMs are compatible. Thus, guidance system.