Re: aliens conversion

Excellent post on the Aliens conversions for FT/DS2/SG2!  I was
wondering
when someone would get around to converting the data from the EXCELLENT
sourcebook. 

I do have some comments about your Sulaco stats.
>
>USS Sulaco, Conestoga Class Light Assault Battleship
>
>	"Good captains should have an assassin mentality - prepared to
>sneak up on an enemy and stab him in the back before he can react. 
Almost
>90 percent of space battles are settled this way - without even an
>exchange of fire."
>
>MASS 40, 20 damage points, thrust rating 4.  Fitted
>with SUPERIOR sensors, ECM Systems, Planetary Bombardment System, 2 x
>Missiles, 6 x Class 1 Railguns (2 x forward, 2 x port, 2 x starboard),
>Size 3 Hangar Bay (containing 2 x UD-4L Dropships) 350 POINTS COST 
>
I agree on the basic size and thrust rating.  The railguns, however,
should
be shown as 2 turreted mounts (remember, this isn't the official FT
universe) bearing port and starboard each.  This would leave you some
room
to show the Particle beams (B bttys x2 Fwd) and Laser turrets (PDAF x2
capable of intercepting railgun rounds - on a roll of 4-5 reduce dmg by
1,
on a roll of 6 reduce dmg by 2).  I would recommend showing all of the 8
missiles and agree with your suggestion of minelaying capability.  The
Sulaco is further equipped with decoys that mimic its sensor signature.

As far as the Sensors/ECM are concerned, we may need to get creative. 
The
tech manual gives one the strong impression that space combat in this
universe is much closer to modern submarine combat than WW2 surface
naval
combat as in "normal" FT.  As such, the electronic or sensor battle
assumes
much greater importance.  This could be reflected by rating the sensors
as a
beam battery in their own right with fire results (damage) applying to a
firing solution for the other, real weapons (ie. missiles or railguns).
What do you think?  

Adam Delafield has done some Aliens conversions for SFSFW and so may
have
some excellent ideas on this subject...

Other suggestions?  I like the setting and the different technological
challenge of near-term "hard science" sci-fi.  Let's see how we can
represent it in FT.  More from me later.

Rob