Summary: EFSB questions

Thanks to those who responded to my EFSB questions.  I'd like to see
if I understand your answers by constructing a couple of simple
illustrative examples.

Fighters:

(These examples ignore anti-fighter weapons on ships)

1.  Two groups of Starfuries pounce on a Centauri cruiser screened by
two groups of Centauri fighters.  Each Starfury group must engage one
Centauri fighter group.  The screening fighters will dogfight back
against their attackers.  Any surviving Starfuries "penetrate" to
attack the Centauri cruiser the same gameturn.	Correct?

2.  As in (1), but there are three attacking Starfury groups.  The
third group can "double" up on a Centauri group, or directly attack
the cruiser. If it doubles up, the defending Centauri fighter group
can only dogfight back against one of its two attackers.  In either
case, all surviving Starfuries can attack the cruiser.	Correct?

3.  As in (1), but the Centauri fighters are not actually screening,
but are within range 6 of all attacking Starfuries.  Assume the
Starfuries engage the cruiser and the Centauri engage the Starfuries.
The Starfuries will dogfight the Centauri "defensively", and all
surviving fighters will also attack the cruiser this gameturn.
Correct?

If these three cases are right I don't see a real benefit to screening
per se because (3) gives much the same defensive ability as (1).
There would be a distinct benefit if in (1) the attacking fighters
were unable to attack to attack the cruiser this gameturn.

4.  An unlucky Earth Star Liner takes massive damage as fire from a
single ship does 16 points of damage at once, wiping out four damage
rows.  Roll once for catastrophic damage.  Correct?

5.  As above, but now the Star Liner takes four points of damage from
four separate attacks (different ships).  It'll roll for catastrophic
damage after the second, third, and fourth attacks.  The odds of a
chain reaction are far greater than in (4).  Correct?

If this is right you need to carefully define "single attack", i.e.
all damage from a single ship or energy mines or all fighters.	An
alternative is to simply roll for catastrophic whenever a damage track
fills up in a gameturn, given another track had already filled up.
With this approach you'd roll three times in (4), the same as (5).

6.  An energy mine detonation destroy all fighters within range 6.
This isn't so bad since fighters move after energy mines are placed,
but you've got to watch out when launching new fighters.

Thanks for your time.

Felix Hack	  felixh@netcom.com
ICQ# 9493107 
---
It is caffeine alone that sets my mind in motion.
It is through the beans of java that thoughts aquire speed,
that hands acquire shakes, that shakes become a warning.
It is caffeine alone that lets me roll the dice.