Optional Fighter Movement for FULL THRUST (Very Long Post)

Optional Fighter Movement for FULL THRUST (Long Post)

For comments, opinions, improvements and suggestions 

The rules listed below are our groups attempt to increase the
flexibility
of Fighter groups especially in  their role of protecting other ships
from
Fighter attack. We have 'borrowed' the concept of a 'Reserve move' 
(popular in other miniature wargames rules) and adapted it to Full
Thrust
fighters by introducing the concept of	Fighter Reaction. Fighter
reaction
represents holding back some of your fighter strength to then react to
the
moves of your opponents fighters which are targeting your ships.
Reaction Fighters are given a 12" radius anti-fighter patrol area. How
this
is achieved is explained below.     

In our version of Full Thrust we combine the Standard Full Thrust
fighter
movement system with the optional system in More Thrust. In addition we
have adapted JTs ideas on increasing fighter movement from 12" to 24".

There are now TWO fighter movement phases: Normal Fighter Move Phase and
the Reaction Fighter Move Phase. They fit into the sequence of play as
follows:

1)	Write Movement Orders / place Fighter Reaction Markers
2)	Move Asteroids and other fixed -move bodies
3)	Standard Fighter Move Phase
4)	Move all Ships in accordance with written orders.
5)	Reaction Fighter Move Phase
6)	Combat Phase

Explanation of Phases
1)	After all orders are written any fighter group on the table may
have a
Reaction Counter  placed against it. These fighter groups  may only move
in
the Reaction Fighter Move Phase.

3)	Any fighter group not marked with a Reaction counter may move up
to 24"
in any direction. It may finish its move facing any direction. It may be
placed to touch an enemy fighter group. If it does then follow the
standard
FT dog fighting  rules in this case.

4)	Move all ships as per Full Thrust. Also any fighter group 
marked with
a Reaction counter and within 6" of  its 'Home Carrier' may move with
that
carrier maintaining its relative position to that ship. (Any such
fighter
in a 'dogfight' with an opponent must either stay in place or be subject
to
a 'free shot' from the enemy group.)

5)	Fighters marked with a Reaction marker may now move up to 12" in
any
direction. It may finish its movement facing in any direction.	(Any
such
fighter starting the phase in a 'dogfight' with an opponent must either
stay in place or be subject to a 'free shot' from the enemy group.)

	
6)	Combat Phase: Before any ships fire Fighters on Reaction orders
may
fire at other fighters. (Note a fighter on Reaction may NOT engage enemy
ships only enemy fighters.) If the target is a fighter group on Reaction
orders	then firing and damage is simultaneous. If the target is a
non-reacting fighter then the Reacting fighter shoots first, losses
being
taken by the target before it can in turn shoot back. 
Ships may now fire (using whatever firing order system you wish).  Any
Fighter group not marked with a reaction marker may shoot at a ship
using
the rules as stated in Full Thrust.

Example of Play:
At the beginning of a turn and NAC Fleet Carrier  with all 6 fighter
group
deployed is planning to attack an FSE Light Carrier which has all 4 of
its
fighter groups deployed. Range between the 2 ships is about 24". All
fighter groups are beginning the turn within 6" of their 'Home'
carriers.
 
ORDER PHASE
In this Phase the NAC player marks 2 of his fighter groups with Reaction
Markers.
The FSE Player expecting a Fighter Attack marks all 4 of his fighter
groups
with Reaction Markers.

STANDARD FIGHTER MOVE PHASE
The NAC Player tries to predict where the FSE CVE will end its move and
places his 4 non-Reaction Fighter groups around that predicted point.
These
fighters can move up to 24".


SHIP MOVE PHASE:
The NAC CV and the FSE CVE move as plotted in their orders. The Reaction
marked Fighter groups of both sides are within 6" of their 'Home'
carriers
and so can be automatically moved keeping formation with the carrier.
(They
are assumed to be part of a constant patrol some fighters landing and
taking off all the time.) None were involved in a dogfight.

REACTION FIGHTER MOVE PHASE:
The 4 FSE Fighter Groups can now move as they are all marked with
Reaction
markers.
The FSE can move them up to 12" and places them in range and within arc
to
fire at the NAC Fighters. The NAC player could now move his Reaction
Fighters up to 12", in this case not far enough to be able to fire on
any
FSE fighter groups. They could not fire on any FSE ships as Reaction
marked
fighters cannot engage ships.

COMBAT PHASE:
In this case the FSE Fighters will get to fire first as they are
Reaction
marked. If any NAC fighters were in arc to shoot at any FSE fighters
they
would fire after they had taken any damage from the FSE fighters. Combat
is
resolved and casualties amongst the fighters removed.
After the FSE CVE has fired or at the end of the Combat phase the NAC
fighters get to attack the CVE.

Tactics:
In the above example the NAC fighters were shot up by the defenders
reacting fighter groups, the NAC player could have kept none of his
fighters on reaction and used 2  of them in the Standard Fighter Move
phase
to move adjacent to and dogfight some of the Reaction marked FSE Fighter
groups. (note in Dogfights all combat is simultaneous). The FSE fighters
would either have to dogfight the NAC fighters and stay in place, or be
subject to a free shot against them if they moved away in the Reaction
Fighter Movement Phase. 

Apologies for the length of this post but if you have got this far your
feedback would be welcome,
I've play tested these twice now, am I missing anything fundamental etc.

Thanks for your time.

Roger Gerrish (Nottingham)