[FT] SMLs, Type 3 & Tactics

I've personally come to the conclusion that SML's are either..... pack 
the fleet to the gills with them and wipe out the enemy fast or flee 
trying.  My mixed fleets usually didn't have the sml fire power to over 
come the enemy's defenses enough to compensate for the loss of 
sustainable fire power.  Unfortunately if I raise the sml weapon mixture

beyond about 30-40% of the fleet firepower mix... I start to manage to 
seriously disrupt my opponents formation, but don't seem to quite have 
enough beam/torp firepower to eliminate the cutoff elements to make up 
for the serious loss in sustainable firepower.	In fact I seem to do a 
lot worse then my all sml fleet when I break the enemy's formation.  
Anyone, have similar experiences with sml's?  Anyone have any really
good 
tactics then pick on the slow movers/big targets who's enemy commanders 
don't create ships with 12 pds on them?

Dear All

Been lurking for a while, but as my major opponent uses buckets of SMLs
I though I'd comment - perhaps I'll pick up some good ideas to use
against him!

OK back ground - we use the FB rules with vector movement and have a
FLOATING TABLE ie when ships look likely to move off the edge we move
everything on the board a set distance back towrds the middle.

John - my opponent likes the SMLs, however the ships in the FB just
didn't do them justice - I wopped his ass every time. So he re-designed
the ships, dropped the the speeds so they were all 4. The SML armerment
stayed the same, but all the beams became type 3s. Suddenly thigs were a
lot more even. Players can not afford to prat around and evade at the
24" mark (no fake "end runs") as they will get hammered by the Type 3
beams, there is no option but to charge through. (OK you could design a
fleet with no SMLs and just type 3's to counter it but it would be at a
disadvantage against other fleet types)

To enhance this tactic John has some "Auxilery Carriers" with one or two
fighter squadrons on and one or two type 3 beams so they can snipe. They
have thrust 2 and hulls made of tin foil so they need to hide behind his
main force. The combination of fighters with SMLs is very unpleasant
further diluting the defenders point defences. Moreover the fighters can
strike beyond the 24" range of the SMLs putting further pressure on an
opponent to get close (thus pass in to SML range)

____

My response embodied in my Peoples Republic of Mars fleet was to build
Thrust 6 ships so as to be at the mercy of his long range fire power for
the shortest time. The big ships all have 6+ PDS with an area fire
control so they can cover each other, and there only beams are type 1.
They have a big battery of Torps for crunching the enemy ships.A type 1
screen mitigates his type 3 beams

Using a judicious side thrust of 3 you can usually avoid some of the
SMLs. Make sure all your ships are within 6" of each other so they can
cover each other.

Tactially you want a high speed approach, use the highest starting speed
ypur opponent will let you have. Get within 12" the torps and Class 1
give you a massive fire power superiority. Try to slow down as you get
close. Pass through the enemy fleet. This is a delicate manouver and you
may find your torps don't bare but probably neither will his type 3 or
SML and you have the class 1 batteries. On the other side you will need
to slow down which means you are still thrusting towards the enemy so
your torps face him. However as the SMLs are placed before movement, the
turn after the pass through the enemies SML are facing the opposite
direction to you ships so can't fire!

_____

These design/tactics pretty much even them selves out, and games temd to
go to the last ship.

_____

The PRM nemisis fleet would be Thrust 6 all armed with Type 3, my ships
would never get close enough to fire. The the nemesis would be
vulneranble to fighters.. Best thing about FT there is no "correct" way
to build your ships.

Cheers

Bob Mackenzie