Re: Sa'Vasku Questions

> Beth Fulton wrote:
> > 
> > G'day,
> >		    Has anyone figured out a simple (maybe points/mass
based)
> > method of
> > balancing a scenario involving human and Sa'Vasku ships?
> > 
> > Cheers
> > 
> > Beth

> Beth,
>      I have not made any large effort to improve the Sha'Vasku
> as yet.   Nobody plays them around here.   
> 
> Suggestions:
> Point value- Try four points per point of mass.
> Thrust     - Give the 'S' free thrust based upon the mass of the
>	       'S' ship.   Formula: 100/mass = thrust (Round all
>	       fractions down.)   
>	       Ship mass for the division is rounded up to the 
>	       next '10' value.  (I.E. a mass 12 ship is considered
>	       to be at mass 20 for the calculation.)
> 
>      If you have an interest I will transmit the Campaign 98 
> rules to you, that deal with the 'S'.
> 
> by for now,
> John L.

I'll agree that Sa'Vasku by themselves are pretty crappy.  However,
in a campaign game I was in recently where Sa'Vasku and Kra'Vak could
be hired as mercenaries, we discovered something nasty about the
Sa'Vasku.

At 4 points per mass you can get a 300 Mass ship for 1200 points.
Its average die roll is 30*3.5 or 105.	That is enough to generate
5 drone pods per turn, and the ship has carrier capacity to launch
up to six per turn.  No points need be wasted on shields or weapons
during closing and the extra can be stored in the battery.

As a planetary assault craft, it can't be beat.  It just swamps the
defenses with endless waves of fighters, let alone the possibility
that such a big ship could generate ground troops.

It isn't that bad for planetary defense if you have rules that says
beam weapons can only affect ground targets if the ship is in orbit.
In the 6 or so turns it takes to close from 72" and get into orbit
your grounded Sa'Vasku can put an impressive number of fighters
in the air.

In a running fight or a surprise fight the Sa'Vasku aren't all that
great.

Unlike fighters, drone pods don't have to be retrieved, in fact, they
can't be retrieved, just reabsorbed.

As for Thrust, the Sa'Vasku have the highest theoretical thrust rating
of any ship, independant of their mass.

A 200 Mass ship that spends 70 power points on thrust has a 7 thrust.
If it rolled max and had 20 points in battery it would have a one
turn of 14 thrust!  Adding extra thrust might be unadvisable.

Especially as noone wants to run into 100 mass 2 Sa'Vasku which have
a free 10 thrust and cost only 800 points!!!

Michael Sandy