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 strength and 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.
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
The long-range sensors, located 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 (+5 to Shipboard Systems (Sensors) 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.
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).
The accompanying table indicates the range, gain, strength, and SU cost for long-range sensor packages. Range includes Point Blank, Short, Medium, and Long ranges 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 -15, -20, -35, and -50 (-20 / -25 / -40 / -55 with the Mark series), 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 -5.
Tables
| Package | SU | Range: maximum range (Point Blank/Short/Medium/Long)(lys) |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Warp | 1 | High Res: n/a Low Res: 1 ly (0.3/0.4-0.6/0.7-0.9/0.91-1.0) |
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-.8/.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 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) |
2278 |
| 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) |
2283 |
| Type 8 | 32 | High Res: 5 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) |
2288 |
| Gain Package | SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 3 | +5 |
| Class Beta* | 6 | +10 |
| Class Gamma* | 12 | +15 |
| Strength Package | SU | Strength Rating | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 2 | +3 | 1989 |
| Class 2 | 4 | +5 | 2077 |
| Class 3 | 6 | +8 | 2084 |
| Class 4 | 8 | +10 | 2090 |
| Class 5 | 10 | +13 | 2162 |
| Class 6 | 12 | +15 | 2215 |
| Class 7 | 14 | +18 | 2245 |
| Class 8 | 16 | +20 | 2272 |
| Class 9 | 18 | +23 | 2285 |
| Class 10 | 20 | +25 | 2307 |
8.9.2 Lateral Sensors
(Required)
Cost: 2 x Class for basic sensors; gain additions add to cost
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.
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; 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, which is 2 x Class.
(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
| 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 |
| Gain Package |
SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 3 | +5 |
| Class Beta* | 6 | +10 |
| Class Gamma* | 9 | +15 |
(Required)
Cost: 2 x Class for basic sensors; gain additions add to cost
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, and various IR and UV imagers and trackers. 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
| 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 |
| Gain Package | SU | Test Result Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | +0 |
| Class Alpha* | 2 | +5 |
| Class Beta* | 4 | +10 |
| Class Gamma* | 8 | +15 |
- Note: The bonuses indicated here have been updated to the 1d100 standard.
SFC Technology Index
Sensor Systems: