Re: Fighters - Rearming and Launching (longish)

On Fri, 13 Dec 1996 BJCantwell@aol.com wrote:

> Full Thrust Purist Beware :).
> 
> We came up with the following system for rearming fighters.  Mind you
we've
> never had the fighters, carrier, and enemy survive long enough to need
to try
> this out though.
> 
> Each fighter bay on the ship produces comes with one deck crew.  Deck
crews
> are assigned to fighter groups being reloaded in the same manner as
damage
> control parties.  Each deck crew rolls one die and if a six is scored,
the
> fighters squadron is ready to launch next turn.  Fighter squadrons of
the
> same type may be combined during rearming and no squadron with less
than four
> fighters may be launched.  Ace or Turkey effects from the squadrons
reing
> reorganized carry over (it is possible to have an Ace/Turkey squadron
this
> way).
>

This is a good idea.  It is easy to modify also.  If you want fighters
to
be able to re-arm a little faster just use 5+.	You can also use this to
show crew quality (veteran deck crews can reload faster, etc).

> Re Launch Tubes and Hangar Bays
> I would like to see a system such as this since it would eliminate the
a lot
> of problems at once.	The carrier definintion would not be needed. 
It's a
> carrier if you call it a carrier, just some of them may be better than
> others.  The biggest problem is that the current system penalizes
large fleet
> carriers.  Fleet carriers (say mass 90+ with six squadrons) must hold
course
> and heading for three turns in order to get their squadrons launched. 
On the
> other hand, If you put you six squadrons into 3 mass 40 escort
cruisers, you
> can launch all of them in one turn.
> I think I'll work on this with the idea of one launch bay/two suadrons
being
> the average (in terms of keeping the mass and cost close to the
orignal).
>  Therefore two standard fighter groups plus hanger bays plus one
launch
> system should be Mass 12 and cost 40 points.
> 
> Something Like This
> Hanger Bay
> Mass:  4	 Cost:	4
> Big open space to store and repair fighters.	One required per fighter
> squadron.
> 
> Launch Bay
> Mass:  4	  Cost:  12
> Space and Machinery to launch and recover fighters.  Each Hanger bay
may
> launch or recover on fighter group each turn.
> 
> Launch Tubes
> Mass:  2	  Cost:  10
> Specialized rapid launch system for ready fighters.  Each set of tubes
> carries all of the fighters of one squadron in launch racks ready to
go.
>  Just scramble the pilots and punch 'em out.	Each tube is connected
to one
> hanger bay and may only launch the fighters from that bay.  Launch
tubes may
> not be reloaded during combat and are not able to recover any
fighters. 
> 
> Fighter squadrons
> Base cost for a standard fighter squadron is 10 pts, plus hangers,
launchers,
> etc.	Advanced fighters add their usual amount to this base cost.
>

Now this is a really good system.  I like this a lot and will use it in
our campaign (the NAC need something).	One thing it might add is that
you
will see launch bays possibly being damaged by Threshold checks, then
the
damage repair crews trying to repair them in time to land fighters -
adds
more of a carrier operation feel.  

Did you consider the systems increased risk to threshold checks when
balancing it out?  Perhaps a lower point cost or mass for some of the
systems. 

 
>
> Comments accepted and appreciated.
> 
> Brian
> 
> 
>  
> 

Good job!

Chad Taylor