Monday, January 09, 2023

Signal Detection/Emission System electronic warfare system

SDES is a suite of advanced sensors and laser/radio emission systems which detect enemy electronic warfare signals and create similar signals to fool, mislead, and otherwise defeat enemy EW systems.

ECM Effect Strength and EW Strength
The SDES is a new type of electronic countermeasure. It has a variable ECM effect strength. An SDES only affects enemy units and systems if that system's EW strength (listed below) is less than or to equal to the SDES' ECM effect strength.
EW Strength 1          EW Strength 3            EW Strength 5
C3S                    Artemis V                TAG
                       Bloodhound Active Probe  Spotting
EW Strength 2          Watchdog CEWS            Nova CEWS
Artemis IV             iNARC Homing Pod                       
BAP                                             EW Strength 6
C3i                    EW Strength 4            Sensors (+1 to hit)
C3M                    Streak Systems           
Clan Active Probe/LAP                          
NARC Homing Pod                                 

Boosted: +2

Affected unit within radius of allied ECM in ECCM Mode: +1

There are two types of SDES: Mk I and Mk II. Mk I has a base ECM effect strength of 2 and the Mk II has a base ECM effect strength of 4. Other differences are noted below.


SDES Modes
When active, an SDES has three modes: Broad ECM, Targeted ECM, and Full Scan
In Full Scan mode, the SDES acts as an Active Probe. The Mk I acts as a Beagle Active Probe and the Mk II acts as a Bloodhound Probe.
In ECM modes, the SDES prevents affected enemy units from receiving data from those systems.

Broad ECM mode only affects enemy units to which the SDES unit has line of sight and which lie outside of its minimum range.
Targeted ECM mode only affects enemy units to which the SDES unit has line of sight within one hex. It gains a +1 to its ECM effect strength in this mode so long as that unit is outside of its minimum range.

The SDES unit chooses to change its mode and target after the movement phase, but before the weapon attack phase (the same time that TAG attack rolls are made).

Additive Effects
Multiple SDESes of the same type affecting the same enemy unit will gain a +1 to their ECM effect strength. Mk I systems cannot enhance Mk II systems this way.

Stats
Name      Minimum Range  Heat Tonnage   Criticals
SDES Mk I   5             4    3.5        3
SDES Mk II  7             7    6.0        6


Disabling System Receivers
SDES effects disable Artemis systems, Streak systems, and probes in much the same way as conventional ECM systems, albeit with a different effect range. SDES effects stop systems they affect--systems with an EW rating below the SDES' ECM effect strength--from receiving data from other systems.
For example:
A NARC beacon on a friendly unit will still provide bonuses, but enemy units affected by an SDES will not gain those bonuses.
A C3 unit which is affected by an SDES will still provide data to its C3 network, but it will not be able to receive data from that network. A C3M affected in this way will bring down the network.
A unit affected by an SDES can still TAG a unit or spot--even the unit carrying the SDES--but units affected by an SDES cannot make use of that aid.
A unit whose sensors are affected by an ECM effect strength of 6 has its integral sensors partially jammed and suffers a +1 to-hit penalty to weapon attacks.

Miscellany
SDES systems can be targeted by ARAD systems as ECM systems are.
If the SDES does not recognize a unit as friendly, that unit will be affected as though it's an enemy. Much like adding a unit to a C3 or C3i network, this cannot be done on the fly.
With the exception of an enemy being within the radius of one of their allies' ECCM effect area, SDES and ECM do not interact unless the SDES is in Full Scan mode. 

Integrated SDES

An integrated SDES system is a structural and armor system which incorporates radio and laser sensor and emitter's across a battlemech's frame. 

An Integrated SDES is an armor type and a structure type. It provides 15 armor points per ton of armor.

Integrated SDES requires one critical slot in each location except for the head.

Integrated SDES requires at least 1 SDES to be mounted on the system.

Integrated SDES adds +1 to all SDES effects and +1 to range when using SDES in Full Scan mode.

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