New threshold levels.

Date sent:  19-NOV-1996 10:46:59 

OK. A point was raised yesterday about Large ships hardly ever taking
critical damage. Here is a proposal for new damage layout that should
alter this. It gets away from the three class split and defines a ship
purely on the bulk/hull integrity.

Escort. Mass <= 18, Two rows of 5, 1 Fire con, Cost as Escort

Cruiser. Mass > 18 to <= 36, Three rows of 6, 2 Fire con, Cost as
Cruiser

Line. Mass > 36 to <= 56, Four rows of 7, 3 Fire con, Cost at 50/50
						      Capital/Cruiser

Capital. Mass > 56 to <= 80, Five rows of 8, 4 Fire con, Cost as Capital

Flag. Mass > 80 to <= 108, Six rows of 9, 5 Fire con, Cost as Capital

Mauler. Mass > 108 to <= 140, Seven rows of 10, 6 Fire con, Cost at
50/50
							   
Capital/Super

Supership. Mass > 140 to <= 176, Eight rows of 11, 7 Fire con, Cost as
Super.

All further brackets add one column and one row for the maximum mass,
that's 
9 x 12, 10 x 13 etc, and add an extra fire con. Cost as Superships from
MT.

Cost as 50/50 means it falls between two types, so pays for half it's
thrust
as if it were one type, and half as another.

The real bonus of extra firecons is the extra free damage control teams
if using those rules. (I always use the 'tournament' damage control
rules from MT). With the earlier and more criticals, you are going to
need
them. (Quick note for those without MT. Fourth and further criticals are
rolled for 4+ on 1d6 (as is the third) and does not get worse than
this).

So what do you all think? Does this make big ships more balanced, or too
vulnerable? Too many critical tests in a game?

And JT can include this in any future suplament he likes (and I think he
should, because it's a great idea).

+-------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Adam Delafield, I.T. Officer	      | Bolton Institute,  |
| #include "witty_saying"	      | Eagle Tower,	   |
| E-mail : ad4@Bolton.ac.uk	      | College Way,	   |
| Phone  : +44 1204 528851 (ext 3163) | Bolton, UK.	   |
| Fax	 : +44 1204 399074	      | BL3 5AE.	   |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------+