Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindmark71
A "should" without a very good "why" is of no value.
Also, a SWC is identical in nature to a cyberlink: one crew, one (non-smart) linked set of weapons.
For everything else, including smartlinks, there's the normal targeting computer (and hi-res).
Drive offensively.
Curt
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Not sure which comment this is directed at, but as I seem to be one of the dissenting voices.
The rules for smartlinks were fluid and seem to vary depending on the editor of the day. I am not happy with the conclusions of the last man out of the door, so I am applying logic rather than citing precedence.
A smartlink can slave a weapon to another weapon with
no targeting computer and acquires all the to hit modifiers of that weapon e.g. range, smoke, gunner skill, tracer etc. Ergo targeting computers play no part in the operation of the smart link, regardless of how you target that single weapon, the smart link must follow suit.
In effect you are slaving the weapons to one another by complex algorithms in the smart link itself i.e. if weapon 1 is at azimuth 15.034 and pointing at bearing 234.456 then the smartlink works out where in spherical coordinates it is pointing and calculates where to move the slaved gun to hit the same point. This has nothing to do with the targeting computer as it all works fine without one (and for other bonuses like tracer).
All the targeting computer does is enable you to get the optimal aim point for the first weapon.
There is no particularly logical argument for no SWC with smartlinks and the ruling is almost certainly in place instead because of that perennial favourite - Game Balance (which is why different editors have had a different take). In fact there is already plenty of balance The benefit of having a regular computer rather than a single weapon computer is that you can aim the slaved weapon independently of the smartlink and you will benefit from the computer. Note also that if your SWC weapon can only trace LOS through smoke, then you have to apply that negative as well and may end up missing with both that weapon and the slaved one rather than being able to hit with at least the smartlinked weapon had you aimed it independently. You can also aim other weapons that are not even connected to the smart link and benefit from a regular computer. Of course the killer argument in all Game Balance arguments is "everyone is allowed one" - there are no faction dictated equipment lists in CW.
SWC + Smartlink should be a perfectly valid combination for small vehicles with only a couple of linked weapons. Nine times out of ten you would still probably be better-off buying a regular computer, but if you manage your fights to mitigate the inherent weakness more power to you.
Cycberlinked cupolas with smartlinks are hideously expensive and require expensive platforms to mount them on.
You can play whatever rules you like, but I prefer my rules to have a grain of common sense in them ;)