Fireworks ammo

Fireworks ammo is ammo intended to explode into fireworks on the sky.

Fireworks are just intended to boost allied morale and diminish enemy morale. They normally deal no damage.

LRM fireworks
Fireworks ammo is normally launched into the sky and provides a +1 initiative bonus for any allied unit. This applies in that hex and a three hex radius. Enemy units in that radius get a -1 initiative penalty. LRM Fireworks ammo can be indirect fired.

LRM fireworks use artillery scatter rules, but in the sky of the hex rather than on land.

The unit firing LRM fireworks ammo can't make normal attacks that turn.

Aerospace units in that hex and a 2-hex radius receive a +1 penalty to any Piloting skill checks to be yet made that turn and the next one.

Despite not dealing damage to enemies normally, LRM fireworks explode for 1d6-1 ammo explosion damage to the unit per remaning shot if they are critted.

The efficiency of one set of LRM fireworks ammo increases with size of the launcher, contrary to normal ammo, since their effects are always the same:


 * LRM-5 fireworks shots: 5
 * LRM-10 fireworks shots: 10
 * LRM-15 fireworks shots: 15
 * LRM-20 fireworks shots: 20

Even one-shot launchers are benefitted, being able to carry more than one charge, for an extended "show" (thus bypassing their alleged "one shot" nature):
 * LRM-5 "one-shot" fireworks ammo: 2
 * LRM-10 "one-shot" fireworks ammo: 5
 * LRM-15 "one-shot" fireworks ammo: 7
 * LRM-20 "one-shot" fireworks ammo: 10

Advanced rules
In the sky hex that they hit, firework LRMs may damage units with an armor BAR less than 10 (all standard armor has 10; this applies to some types of Primitive and Industrial/Commercial units). This is calculated in the following way: Note that this is total, as there is no "cluster hit" with this ammo type.
 * LRM-5 fireworks impact: 1 damage
 * LRM-10 fireworks impact: 2 damage
 * LRM-15 fireworks impact: 3 damage
 * LRM-20 fireworks impact: 4 damage

Thumper Fireworks
Thumper fireworks have +1 hex radius effect compared to the LRM version. They are available both for the Thumper Cannon and the Thumper Artillery.

Thumper firework ammo carries double the shots per ton compared to regular Thumper ammo.

Thumper fireworks, unlike LRM ones, can shoot as fireworks at the same turn as other weapons are fired.

Despite not dealing damage to enemies normally, Thumper fireworks explode for 1d6 ammo explosion damage to the unit per remaning shot if they are critted.

Advanced rules
Much as Firework LRM's, in the sky hex that they hit, firework Thumpers may damage units with an armor BAR less than 10 (all standard armor has 10; this applies to some types of Primitive and Industrial/Commercial units). This is calculated in the following way:
 * Thumper cannon: 1 damage
 * Thumper artillery piece: 2 damage

Forced firing
Fireworks can be improvised to be fired as damage-dealing artillery to either air or ground, with a -2 penalty to the hit roll (otherwise it will scatter to an adjacent hex). Fireworks fired this way deal a pitiful 1d6-2 damage (to a single hex, choosing beforehand either ground or air) as an artillery shot for LRM of any size, and 1d6 for Thumper. The initiative effects are not applied when the ammo is fired this way, though the area penalty for Aerospace piloting is, if the fireworks are launched to air.

Weaponized fireworks are considered Incendiary ammunition (for the purposes of starting fires) when shot this way to the ground; though they are not heat-inducing weaponry.

Combining this way of using fireworks with the shooting of other non-fireworks weapons generates a +1 penalty in the hit targets of the other weapons.