The Pentagon War game

by Roger M. Wilcox
Originally begun on 27-December-1983

This webpage was last modified on 9-April-2002


WEAPONS TABLES

All ranged direct-fire weapons are based on a roll of two 6-sided dice added together.  The size class of the target is added to this result.  The dice roll is decreased according to the Universal Range Modifier:
range0123-45-89-1617-3233-6465-128129-256
penalty-0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

LASERS
roll-2 or less-1 to 12-45-78-1011-1314+
damage0123456
The base kill number for lasers against all size class 0 targets is five (5).  (I.e. the sum of two ordinary [six-sided] dice must be 5 or better.)

The base hit number for both proton cannons and electron cannons is six (6).  The damage done varies with range as follows:
PROTON CANNONS
range01-23-45-89-1617-2425-3233-6465+
damage876543210*
ELECTRON CANNONS
range0-12-45-78-1819-3132 or greater
damage543210*
*) cannot hit size class 0 targets at this range.

The base hit number for acid gum guns is also six (6).  Acid gum does 2 points of damage per impulse for four consecutive impulses; only the first impulse's damage may be negated by screens.

LIQUID METAL GUN BOLTS
range123456789101112
damage5045403530252015121051

RADIATION GUNS:

The base kill probability for radiation guns against size class 0 targets is three (3).
dice roll-5/--4-3-2-1/012345 6 7 8 910111213+
damage01234567891011121314161820


DAMAGE ALLOCATION CHART

Roll 2 dice of different colors.  Read the darker-colored die roll along the left edge, and the lighter-colored die roll across the top:
123456
1 Forward
Hull
Forward
Hull
Forward
Hull
Aft
Hull
Aft
Hull
Aft
Hull
2 Cargo Cargo Cargo Engine Point
Defense
Point
Defense
3 Laser Laser Capacitor Radar Missile Missile
4 Gun Gun Main
Control
Auxiliary
Control
Magnetic
Beam
Magnetic
Beam
5 Drone Drone Screen Repair Electron
Cannon
Electron
Cannon
6 Proton
Cannon
Proton
Cannon
Fuel
Tank
Fuel
Tank
Any
Weapon
Any
Weapon

If the system rolled on the chart is not available (doesn't exist on the target unit or has been completely destroyed), roll the dice a second time, discarding (rerolling) them if they generate exactly the same roll as they did the first time.

If the system rolled for the second time is not available, roll the dice a third time, discarding (rerolling) them if they generate exactly the same roll as they did the first or second time.

If the system rolled for the third time is not available, roll the dice a fourth time, discarding (rerolling) them if they generate exactly the same roll as they did the first, second, or third time.

If the system rolled for the fourth time is not available, THE TARGET MUST SCORE THE HIT ON "FINAL DAMAGE".

If the hit must be scored on Final Damage, and no remaining final damage boxes are available, the target is destroyed.


Capacitor Power Management Form

Initial alert status: _____

123 4567 891011 12
1Capacitors Available               
2Radar Invisibility               
3ECM               
4ECCM               
5Double Magnetic Beam               
6Fire Mag. Beam at LMGB               
7Rail Launch Missile               
8Reinforce
Screens
              
9Fire Laser               
10Fire Proton Cannon               
11Fire Electron Cannon               
12Power Lost to Damage               
13Total number of
Capacitors Discharged
(Sum of lines 2-12)
              

Gun Record (check box if the appropriate gun is fired on the current turn)
123 4567 891011 12
Gun A               
Gun B               
Gun C               


Acceleration Record

123 4567 891011 12
1Velocity Component A               
2Velocity Component C               
3Accelerations: Impulse 1               
4Impulse 2               
5Impulse 3               
6Impulse 4               
7Impulse 5               
8Impulse 6               
9Impulse 7               
10Impulse 8               
11Impulse 9               
12Impulse 10               
13Impulse 11               
14Impulse 12               
15Total Acceleration - A               
16Total Acceleration - C               


IMPULSE CHART

Velocity component value —>123 45678910 1112
Impulse 1 1
Impulse 2 111 1112
Impulse 3 1 12 2223
Impulse 4 1 22 3334
Impulse 5 23 445
Impulse 6 12 334 4556
Impulse 7 4 567
Impulse 8 2 345 6678
Impulse 9 3 56 789
Impulse 10 45 78910
Impulse 11 67 891011
Impulse 12 1234 5678 9101112

Catalog each velocity component with which a spacecraft is travelling against the current impulse.  If a number is indicated, the spacecraft moves one hex in the direction of that velocity component (direction A or C) if the component is positive, or one hex away from that component (direction D or F) if the component is negative.

If a number is indicated for both velocity components on the current impulse, it moves in the "resultant direction" of both velocity components.  That is, if both its A and C components are positive, it moves one hex in direction B; if both components are negative, it moves one hex in direction E.


SAMPLE SSDs

Zelta Dee

(unmanned)

Directional Screens
           

#1 Armor
                       
#6 Armor
                 
#2 Armor
                 
#5 Armor
              
#3 Armor
              

Engines
      

Main Ctrl
  
Aux Ctrl
  

Fwd Hull
        
Aft Hull
     

Fuel Tanks
              

Capacitors
                       

Mag Beams
  
Point Defense
     
Missiles
           
F2 Radiation Gun
     
F2 Laser
  
L3 Laser
  
R3 Laser
  
F2 Electron
  
LF+L Proton
  
RF+R Proton
  

Final Damage
         

Radar
665 310

Size Class II

Mass Class II (xxx mass points)

point cost: yyy

Zelta Dee has a mechanical linkage which allows it to combine with Zelta when both spacecraft have the same facing.  The linkage blocks the right side, prohibiting Zelta Dee from firing any weapons into the R arc while attached.

zzz non-Armor, non-Radar boxes

60 Armor boxes


Alpha-Centaurian Fighter

(unmanned)

(Normal) Screens
           

#1 Armor
                       
#6 Armor
                 
#2 Armor
                 
#5 Armor
              
#3 Armor
              

Engines
      

Main Ctrl
  
Aux Ctrl
  

Fwd Hull
        
Aft Hull
     

Fuel Tanks
              

Capacitors
                       

Mag Beams
  
Point Defense
     
Missiles
           
F2 Liquid Metal Gun
     
F2 Laser
  
L3 Laser
  
R3 Laser
  
F2 Electron
  
F3 Proton
  

Final Damage
         

Radar
665 310

Size Class II

Mass Class II (xxx mass points)

point cost: yyy

Alpha-Centaurian fighters have a mechanical linkage which allows them to combine with their Carrier when both spacecraft have the same facing.  The linkage blocks either the left or right side, depending on which of the carrier's fighters you're talking about, prohibiting the fighter from firing any weapons into the L or R arc (respectively) while attached.

zzz non-Armor, non-Radar boxes

60 Armor boxes


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