Re: needle beam thoughts)

On Wed, 4 Dec 1996, Mike Miserendino wrote:
> I've had good luck with small ships by mounting them with sub-packs,
etc.
> and letting them drop their load from behind a large enemy ship after
a
> quick maneuver.  It helps to use them in wolfpacks since some are
guaranteed
> to be destroyed by passing to close to an enemy fleet.  This method
works
> like the old WWII torpedo boats - go fast and hit hard in numbers.

I've tried fielding ships with massed needle beams once before, and it
was
a total failure -- the range (9") is way too short, and I was more
likely
to damage my opponent's ships' systems by forcing them to take
threshhold
checks than by targeting them with needle beams.

I ended up having my ships chewed to pieces before they had a chance to
fire their weapons. IMO, the needle beam needs some modification before
it
becomes an effective weapon -- longer range, more effective, or
something.

Rick Rutherford       rickr@digex.net	    The above opinions are mine.
"It seems to me that the nearer painting approaches sculpture the better
it is, and that sculpture is the worse the nearer it approaches
painting."
					     -- Michelangelo