Re: [OFFICIAL] new ideas!

Jon,
    I've read your original ideas and all of the previous replies and
here's
my .02 Credits worth.
   As an over view I'd like to make sure everyone remembers why we play
Full
Thrust over some other Space Games:  Simplicity.  I do not want to have
to
pass a Bar Examiniation to have fun playing a game.  Nor do I want to
spend
two hours to see if my Star Ship Captain is breathing properly before
battle.
 Full Thrust is great because a large battle with multiple players can
be
completed in less than two hours.  All rule suggestions should be
measured in
that light.

  1)  Ship Classification:  This area of discussion would be removed if
topic
2 is adopted.  The real issue of ship classification was the break
between a
ship of mass 18/19 and 36/37 etc...  This artifical distinction was the
real
flaw in the game design.  I do not agree that increasing the number of
classifications would increase the problem.  While the problem would
exist it
would be mitigated by using the better breakdown, such as the one I
posted
before.

  2) Allocation of Mass to drives etc.	This becomes a real can of worms
real
fast...  While everyone agrees that KE=(1/2)*MV^2  for any mass whether
in
one ship or devided into many, we cannot make the same case for turning
those
ships...  (For ships on the water there are quite a number of issues on
this,
some larger ship's can actually go faster than smaller ones depending on
the
sea state)  This leads to a serious distinction of two kinds of  drives
 (Maneuver and Thrust) and how to calculate them.  Not only have we
added
another element of complexity but gave the battle over to the big ships
since
they can now pack those huge weapons and keep up with the small fry...

  3)  Changing the Mass for certain weapons.  With C Batteries mass
equal to
one with full coverage, B Batteries Mass of two plus one per arc.  A
Batteries take Four Mass plus two per mass.  I like this idea,	this
will go
a long way towards balancing ships and weapons in the game.  However, it
may
exasterbate the issues of small fry versus big ships, if Rule 2 is
adopted.

  4)  Rear-Arcs.  Since Full Thrust is designed to be usable in any
universe,
this rule will have to change (The opening Scene in Star Wars: A New
Hope.....)   I really do belive that Rule 3 will go very far to remove
this
issue...  If you want to have full coverage A batteries, then go ahead,
I can
stuff more fixed B batteries in another ship and we can play Monitor
Versus
Merrimack.  If you don't think that this will be enough place limits on
how
many arcs certain weapons can have.  C Max 4, B Max 3, A Max 2, etc.
 However, the infrastructure cost to 360 As will make them prohibative.
 However, now that you opened this can of worms, check the rest of your
weapons againts the costs for A batteries, everyone could start moving
to
Pulse Torpedoes instead...etc.
  Another option is to make the rear arc cost double its normal value in
points.  Fixed weapons pointing aft cost an additional 25 percent.

  5)  Fighter improvements:  Fighters are very powerfull already, but I
think
that the 36 inch movement will work.  However, to commensate, you need
to
beef up anti-fighter weapons.  Make the effective range of ADAF larger
or
introduce anti-fighter missiles.  As an AEGIS Fire Control Officer, I'd
love
to show my longe range anti-fighter capabilities...

  6)Changing firing arcs:  DON'T.  Your game is nice and simple as it is
and
this adds complexity without adding any benefits.   (I hate the idea of
creating Broadside ships, it goes against everything I learned in Naval
History.)  The Firing arc problem will be compunded by Rule 4 as it is. 
The
combination of the two grows more worms.

  Final Reccomendation:  Add Rule 1 and break the chart down into
smaller
pieces.  This combined with Rule 3 will remove the issues that Rule 2
was
supposed to take care of without adding too much complexity.  Add Rule
4,
Rule 3 will mitigate the super ship issues.  Go ahead and add rule 5 but
give
fighter pilots something to worry about or we'll see nothing but
carriers on
the board some day.  Abandon Rule 6.
  Great Game,  Keep it simple and balanced.
      Phil P.