OT: mini review B5 Wars - Reply

To considerable interest and much anticipation, Chris Weuve wrote:

>>  In the playtest version [of B5 Wars], ships moved by funnelling
energy
points from the reactor through their thrusters, which generate thrust
points. 
Each reactor point (regardless of the ship) generated one thrust point,
and each
thrust point (regardless of the ship) generated one hex per turn of
thrust. Think
about this for	thirty seconds, max, and you will realize that implies
that ALL
SHIPS HAVE THE SAME MASS. <<

Actually, no -- to me, it implies a couple of other things:

i. If 1 reactor point (RP hereafter) gives 1 thrust point (TP) which (I
assume)
corresponds to 1 hex/turn of movement, then it means that there is a
constant
relationship between RPs and TPs regardless of the mass of the ship. In
effect,
RPs vary with the size of the ship, as do TPs; only the effect of TPs is
constant.
To use an FT analogy, the movement ability of a frigate and a
super-dreadnought
are identical if they have the same thrust rating, but the size of the
SD's engines
would be much greater (and cost a lot more, points-wise), and they would
produce a lot more thrust than those of the FF.
  Of course, this breaks down if RPs have other functions like powering
weapons, sensors, etc., a la Star Fleet Battles. Having never seen B5W,
I don't
know if this is the case. If it is, then Chris' objection stands.

ii. If 1 TP = 1 hex/turn of _speed_, then this is SFB non-inertial
movement all
over again. I can accept this for SFB, because warp flight could well be
non-Newtonian, but not for B5, in which it has been established that
both normal
space and hyperspace travel is Newtonian (in theory, if not always in
"practice",
i.e., what the SFX boys show us). I think I want Chris' replacement
system.

Phil, looking forward to B5 tonight! And to Claudia in "Space Cadets"
immediately beforehand...
-------------------------------------------------------------
"I think... I think I am!	     |	  I think _I_ am:
 Therefore I am... I think..?"	     |	   Phil Atcliffe  
   -- The Moody Blues		     |	(p-atclif@uwe.ac.uk)