Re: Fw: Weapons for Newtonian based FTIII

Mikko Kurki-Suonio writes:
@:) On Wed, 14 May 1997, You're an annoying bunch...but you're cute.
wrote:
@:) 
@:) > If you want to open the 'pick your ships, etc' up to your
@:) > players, that'll put you where you don't want to be.
@:) 
@:) In other words, you agree it's not doable in a campaign with
@:) freely selectable forces?

  Well this question wasn't addressed to me but I won't let that stop
me.  In my opinion, the situation you're talking about isn't doable in
a one-off scenario with freely selectable forces, but it is doable in
a campaign.  In a one-off scenario (attack the base) the aggressor can
choose any combination of weapons systems.  Missiles, for example.
There's no penalty paid for the fact that missiles are single-shot
weapons because, in the scenario, you only need to fire them once.  In
a campaign, however, things are different.  In a campaign, expendable
munitions need to be restocked before the ship can use them again.
That means that the former defenders, now unthreatened due to the
unarmed status of their opponents, can rush into enemy territory and
destroy the supply depot from which the munitions come.
Interestingly, this leads to another "attack the base" scenario, only
with the sides reversed.

  So yes I think this can work with freely selectable forces in a
campaign.  If you rely too heavily on expendable munitions (not just
missiles but also fighters, submunitions, scatterguns) you run the
risk of having your supply lines cut by a fleet that can operate
independently of any logistical support.

-joachim