Build:Sensor Systems
8.9 Sensor Systems
Sensors are a starship’s “eyes”. They allow it to detect not only phenomena visible to humanoid sight, but an enormous number of electromagnetic and physical phenomena which humanoid senses cannot perceive. Every starship has many different types of sensors (Explorers, Scouts, and Research/Laboratory vessels tend to have more or better sensors, for obvious reasons), divided into four types: long-range; lateral (or short-range); navigation; and specialized. Sensors are rated for three characteristics: the range over which they work accurately; their “gain”, or efficiency relative to their power input (represented in game terms as a bonus to Shipboard Systems (Sensors) Test Results); and their strength, or ability to overcome interference.
Caveat: Standard Star Fleet sensor technology, as extremely sensitive as it is, does not detect some 15,000 substances. The regular sensor settings do not include certain unusual, rare, and/or exotic materials. It excludes these from the standard analysis routines because they occur so infrequently that it’s inefficient to search for them all the time. Crewmembers can re-calibrate sensors to detect many of these substances, but this usually requires them to “blind” the sensors to something they normally register. Detecting the other types of exotic particles requires special sensor equipment and/or analysis programming.
Active and Passive Sensing
An important distinction between different types of scans involves active versus passive sensor use. Active scans require the ship to project some form of energy, then read what happens to that energy (how it reflects back to the ship or dissipates) to locate and track objects and phenomena. Active scanning gives a ship control over what it’s detecting (or trying to), but reveals the ship’s position to other ships. Passive scans, on the other hand, involve receiving and analyzing forms of energy or other phenomena which come to the ship on their own—the energy projected by a star, for example. Ships have less control over what a passive scan can detect (if the target of the scan is not emitting any radiation, the ship can’t perceive it), but don’t run the risk of detection just for sitting there with their “eyes and ears” open.
Active sensor scan pulses typically travel at Warp 9.9997. At this speed, it takes about 45 minutes to perform a long-range scan at 17 light-years.
House rule: Use the long-range package’s listed high- and low-resolution range bands for either active or passive sensing. Passive detection requires suitable emissions from the target to reach the receiver; being within a listed range does not itself make the target detectable.
Exceeding a Sensor's Range
All sensors have a maximum effective range. For ease of game play, it is assumed that beyond that range, a sensor’s effects or readings become so attenuated or vague or contradictory that they’re useless. If they prefer, Narrators may instead impose substantial Test Result penalties for scans beyond a sensor’s maximum range: -5 for every 0.25 light-years beyond maximum for long-range sensors; -20 or greater for other sensors. The further beyond the sensor’s range an object is, the greater the penalty to Tests made to detect it, and the more vague the data recovered.
8.9.1 Long-Range Sensors
(Required)
Cost: Varies (see tables)
Power Requirement: 5 Power per round of use; 1 for pre-subspace sensors
The long-range sensors, located in a series of eight instrument bays behind the deflector dish, include narrow- and wide-angle active electromagnetic scanners, a parametric subspace field stress sensor, a gravimetric distortion scanner, a variable frequency electromagnetic flux sensor, a lifeform analysis instrument cluster, a passive neutrino imaging scanner, a thermal imaging array, and a (2+ meter) gamma-ray telescope.
Long-range sensors usually involve active scanning. They work better at high resolution (+10% to Crew Skill Test Results), but this limits their range to five light-years (as of 2273). Their maximum range (at medium-to-low resolution) is typically in the 14-17 light-year range. The arc of detection is usually about 45 degrees in front of the ship, though this narrows slightly at longer ranges.
Beginning in 2271, significant advances in sensor technology, coupled with similar advances with navigational deflectors, offered dramatic leaps in effective capabilities and the nomenclature system was altered to reflect the changes.
Coverage: Standard ship sensors cannot detect about 15,000 substances and effects unless they’re calibrated for them. However, a ship can reduce this number by -1,000 substances for every 3 SUs (thus making its sensors better), or increase it +1,000 substances for every -2 SUs (thus making them worse). TOS-era ships using the Mark series cannot detect about 23,000 substances and effects unless they’re calibrated for them. However, it can reduce this number by -1,000 substances for every +4 SUs (thus making its sensors better), or increase it +1,000 substances for every -2 SUs (thus making them worse). See Table 8.9.1d: Sensor Coverage for specific coverage exclusion ranges.
The accompanying table indicates the range, gain, strength, and SU cost for long-range sensor packages. Range includes Point Blank, Short, Medium, and Long for high and low resolution use of the sensors (high resolution provides a better “picture” and more information). The base Difficulties to detect an object at those ranges are 97 / 92 / 58 / 17 (for the Mark series: 92 / 83 / 42 / 8), respectively, and are enhanced by the Strength Package. Many circumstances (interference, the size or quality of the target, and so forth) may modify this Difficulty. (If the rules give a standard Difficulty for performing a task with sensors, such as detecting a cloaked ship, use that Difficulty or the Difficulty for range, whichever is higher.) For every 0.25 light-year beyond Long range, increase the Difficulty to detect a target by -10%.
Note: The Pre-Warp long-range sensors have been replaced by Pre-Subspace sensors that operate via radiated energy limited to the speed of light. Based on my calculations, a sensor system that predates the use of subspace for detection would have a maximum effective range of approximately 407,000 kilometers. This assumes a 45-minute round-trip signal time: 22.5 minutes for the emitted signal to reach the target and another 22.5 minutes for the return signal to reach the originating vessel, the time allowed for a long-range scan conducted by modern subspace sensors. The base Difficulties to detect an object at those ranges are 72 / 58 / 17 / -.
Tables
| Package | SU | Range: maximum range (Point Blank / Short / Medium / Long) lys |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Subspace | 1 | High Res: n/a Low Res: 407,000 km (122k / 123k-244k / 245k-366k / 367k-407k) |
1989 |
| Mark 0 | 1 | High Res: 1 ly (0.3 / 0.4-0.6 / 0.7-0.9 / 0.91-1.0) Low Res: 3 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-2.0 / 2.1-3.0) |
2063 |
| Mark I | 2 | High Res: 2 lys (0.3 / 0.4-0.8 / 0.9-1.5 / 1.6-2.0) Low Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-5.0) |
2077 |
| Mark II | 4 | High Res: 3 lys (0.3 / 0.4-0.8 / 0.9-1.5 / 1.6-3.0) Low Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-5.0 ) |
2090 |
| Mark III | 6 | High Res: 3 lys (0.3/0.4-0.8/0.9-1.8/1.9-3.0) Low Res: 8 lys (1.0/1.1-3.0/3.1-6.0/6.1-8.0) |
2137 |
| Mark IV | 8 | High Res: 4 lys (0.5/0.6-1.0/1.1-3.0/3.1-4.0) Low Res: 10 lys (1.0/1.1-3.0/3.1-7.0/7.1-10.0) |
2162 |
| Mark V | 10 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5/0.6-1.0/1.1-3.5/3.6-5.0) Low Res: 12 lys (1.0/1.1-3.0/3.1-8.0/8.1-12.0) |
2215 |
| Mark VI | 14 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5/0.6-1.0/1.1-3.5/3.6-5.0) Low Res: 13 lys (1.0/1.1-3.5/3.6-9.0/9.1-13.0) |
2225 |
| Mark VII | 18 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5/0.6-1.0/1.1-3.5/3.6-5.0) Low Res: 14 lys (1.0/1.1-3.5/3.6-10.0/10.1-14.0) |
2238 |
| Mark VIII | 22 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.7 / 3.8-5.0) Low Res: 15 lys (1.0 / 1.1-4.0 / 4.1-12.0 / 12.1-15.0) |
2245 |
| Type 1 | 4 | High Res: 4 lys (0.5 / 0.6–1.0 / 1.1–3.0 / 3.1–4.0) Low Res: 10 lys (1.0 / 1.1-3.0 / 3.1-7.0 / 7.1-10.0) |
2271 |
| Type 2 | 8 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-5.0) Low Res: 12 lys (1.0 / 1.1-3.0 / 3.1-8.0 / 8.1-12.0) |
2273 |
| Type 3 | 12 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-5.0) Low Res: 13 lys (1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-9.0 / 9.1-13.0) |
2274 |
| Type 4 | 16 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-5.0) Low Res: 14 lys (1.0 / 1.1-3.5 / 3.6-10.0 / 10.1-14.0) |
2275 |
| Type 5 | 20 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.7 / 3.8-5.0) Low Res: 15 lys (1.0 / 1.1-4.0 / 4.1-12.0 / 12.1-15.0) |
2275 |
| Type 5a | 22 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6–1.0 / 1.1–3.7 / 3.8–5.0) Low Res: 15.5 lys (1.0 / 1.1–4.5 / 4.6–12.0 / 12.1–15.5) |
2296 |
| Type 6 | 24 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.7 / 3.8-5.0) Low Res: 16 lys (1.0 / 1.1-5.0 / 5.1-12.0 / 12.1-16.0) |
2315 |
| Type 6a | 26 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6–1.0 / 1.1–3.75 / 3.85–5.0) Low Res: 16.5 lys (1.0 / 1.1–5.5 / 5.6–12.5 / 12.6–16.5) |
2237 |
| Type 7 | 28 | High Res: 5 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-3.8 / 3.9-5.0) Low Res: 17 lys (1.0 / 1.1-6.0 /6.1-13.0 / 13.1-17.0) |
2355 |
| Type 7a | 30 | High Res: 5.5 lys (0.5 / 0.6–1.0 / 1.1–4.15 / 4.25–5.5) Low Res: 17.5 lys (1.0 / 1.1–6.25 / 6.35–13.25 / 13.35–17.5) |
2376 |
| Type 8 | 32 | High Res: 6 lys (0.5 / 0.6-1.0 / 1.1-4.5 / 4.6-6.0) Low Res: 18 lys (1.0 / 1.1-6.5 / 6.6-13.5 / 13.6-18.0) |
- |
| Gain Package | SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 3 | +10% |
| Class Beta* | 6 | +19% |
| Class Gamma* | 12 | +27% |
| Strength Package | SU | Passive | Active Scan | Active Search | Active Focus | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 2 | +0 | +0 | +3 | +3 | 1989 |
| Class 2 | 4 | +0 | +3 | +3 | +5 | 2077 |
| Class 3 | 6 | +3 | +3 | +5 | +1d6 * 2.5 | 2084 |
| Class 4 | 8 | +3 | +5 | +1d6 * 2.5 | +(1d6 + 1) * 2.5 | 2090 |
| Class 5 | 10 | +3 | +5 | +(1d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +(1d6 + 2) * 2.5 | 2162 |
| Class 6 | 12 | +3 | +1d6 * 2.5 | +(1d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +2d6 * 2.5 | 2215 |
| Class 7 | 14 | +5 | +1d6 * 2.5 | +(1d6 + 2) * 2.5 | +(2d6 + 1) * 2.5 | 2245 |
| Class 8 | 16 | +5 | +(1d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +2d6 * 2.5 | +(2d6 + 2) * 2.5 | 2272 |
| Class 9 | 18 | +5 | +(1d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +(2d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +3d6 * 2.5 | 2285 |
| Class 10 | 20 | +5 | +(1d6 + 2) * 2.5 | +(2d6 + 1) * 2.5 | +(3d6 + 1) * 2.5 | 2307 |
| Year | Exclusions |
|---|---|
| 2064 | 36,200 |
| 2077 | 35,200 |
| 2090 | 34,300 |
| 2137 | 30,900 |
| 2162 | 29,000 |
| 2215 | 25,200 |
| 2225 | 24,500 |
| 2238 | 23,500 |
| 2245 | 23,000 |
| 2271 | 21,100 |
| 2273 | 21,000 |
| 2274 | 20,900 |
| 2275 | 20,800 |
| 2300 | 19,000 |
| 2315 | 17,900 |
| 2330 | 16,800 |
| 2355 | 15,000 |
| 2360 | 14,600 |
| 2370 | 13,900 |
| 2376 | 13,500 |
8.9.2 Lateral Sensors
(Required)
Cost: Varies (see Lateral Sensors - Strength table); gain additions add to cost
Power Requirement: 5 Power per round of use; 1 for pre-subspace sensors
Lateral sensors, so called because their sensor pallets are usually located along the edges or sides of various parts of a ship, are short range systems which can detect a wide range of phenomena from any direction around the ship. The individual sensor pallets are located all over the ship’s hull to maximize signal gain and system flexibility, and to provide redundancy in case some pallets are damaged. On most starships, standard Star Fleet sensor packages occupy the majority of a ship’s lateral sensor pallets, but the remainder are open for mission-specific sensor packages. The standard Star Fleet science sensor array consists of six pallets, each containing one to six specific sensory devices, which include the following:
- Pallet #1
- wide-angle EM radiation imaging scanner
- quark population analysis counter
- Z-range particulate spectrometry sensor
- Pallet #2
- high-energy proton spectrometry cluster
- gravimetric distortion mapping scanner
- Pallet #3
- steerable lifeform analysis instrument cluster
- Pallet #4
- active magnetic interferometry scanner
- low-frequency EM flux sensor
- localized subspace field stress sensor
- parametric subspace field stress sensor
- hydrogen-filter subspace flux scanner
- linear calibration subspace flux sensor
- Pallet #5
- variable band optical imaging cluster
- virtual aperture graviton flux spectrometer
- high-resolution graviton flux spectrometer
- very low energy graviton spin polarimeter
- Pallet #6
- passive imaging gamma interferometry sensor
- low-level thermal imaging sensor
- fixed angle gamma frequency counter
- virtual particle mapping camera
Lateral sensors are both active and passive. Among their many uses, they are employed extensively in combat situations to monitor enemy movement and activities. Their maximum active range is approximately one light-year; for every 0.25 light-year beyond maximum range, increase the Difficulty by -20. Their gain depends on the gain package taken (see table). The SU cost for the gain package adds to the base cost of the lateral sensors, as indicated by the Lateral Sensors - Strength table.
Planetary Facility: The general (non-scientific) sensors installed on a planetary facility are rather similar to the ones that comprise a ship's lateral sensors. A facility may also have long-range sensors or scientific ones, depending on its mission.
Tables
| Gain Package |
SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 3 | +10% |
| Class Beta* | 6 | +19% |
| Class Gamma* | 9 | +27% |
| Strength Package | SU | Strength Rating | Year Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 0 | 1 | +0 | 1989 |
| Class 1 | 2 | +3 | 2077 |
| Class 2 | 4 | +5 | 2084 |
| Class 3 | 6 | +8 | 2092 |
| Class 4 | 8 | +10 | 2153 |
| Class 5 | 10 | +13 | 2215 |
| Class 6 | 12 | +15 | 2229 |
| Class 7 | 14 | +18 | 2236 |
| Class 8 | 16 | +20 | 2268 |
| Class 9 | 18 | +23 | 2282 |
| Class 10 | 20 | +25 | 2304 |
(Required)
Cost: Varies (see Navigational Sensors - Strength tables); gain additions add to cost
Power Requirement: 5 Power per round of use; 1 for pre-subspace sensors
Navigational sensors, which help the flight control officer steer the ship in the proper direction and avoid space debris, include a quasar telescope, passive subspace multibeacon receivers, stellar graviton detectors, a Federation timebase beacon receiver, wide-angle IR source tracker, narrow-angle IR-UV-gamma ray imager, high-energy charged particle detectors, galactic plasma wave cartographic processor, and stellar pair coordinate imager. The ship’s guidance and navigation (G&N) relay handles the flow of sensor data and converts it into usable information with three- and four-dimensional flight motion software which feeds directly into the flight control system.
The accompanying table indicates the strength, gain, and SU cost of navigational sensors. The gain bonus applies to Shipboard Systems (Sensors) or (Flight Control) Tests to detect an object in a vessel’s flight path, determine where the starship is located, chart a course, or the like.
Tables
| Gain Package | SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 2 | +10% |
| Class Beta* | 4 | +19% |
| Class Gamma* | 8 | +27% |
| Strength Package | SU | Strength Rating | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 0 | 1 | +0 | 1989 |
| Class 1 | 2 | +3 | 2077 |
| Class 2 | 4 | +5 | 2081 |
| Class 3 | 6 | +8 | 2096 |
| Class 4 | 8 | +10 | 2162 |
| Class 5 | 10 | +13 | 2211 |
| Class 6 | 12 | +15 | 2236 |
| Class 7 | 14 | +18 | 2240 |
| Class 8 | 16 | +20 | 2265 |
| Class 9 | 18 | +23 | 2286 |
| Class 10 | 20 | +25 | 2313 |
- Note: The bonuses indicated here have been updated to the 1d100 standard.
Tasks
- Update the lateral sensor strength table to match the capabilities of the long-range sensors.
SFC Technology Index
Sensor Systems: