Re: MEKO Ships, OUDF and all that

Robertson, Brendan wrote:
> 
> The basic idea is sound, but what can actually be changed isn't. 
Hull,
> MD & FTL are all integral to the structure of the ship.  Everything
else
> can be moduled or slabbed to the outer hull.

Agreed. The tonnage devoted to Thrust, Hull, FTL and Armour remained
constant, if you looked closely.... only the name of the hull strength
changed, from "Strong (50%) 16 mass" to "Average (40%) 16 mass". But 16
mass it remained.

32 Mass only requires 3.2 ie 3 for FTL, and it had 4. This was justified
using the finest quality PSB in the original, but basically it was
because the Mass 32 Patrol Vessel is a Mass 40 Destroyer, with bits not
fitted, and like you I figured the FTL would not be amenable to
modularisation (modularity? Whatever). In any event, it had 4 for the
FTL.

32 mass with 8 tonnes (25%) devoted to Thrust gives a Thrust of 5. But
40 mass with 8 tonnes (20%) devoted to Thrust gives a Thrust of 4.
Again, the engines don't change, they're just pushing around a heavier
weight. 

> These modules fit the cargo splits (2/2/2/2);
> SMR variant - add 2 SMR (std)
> Aegis variant - add 2 armour, ADFC & 4 PDS
> Patrol variant - add Pulsetorp (F), 2 x class-2 (AP/FP/F, F/FS/AS)
> Carrier variant - add 2 armour & 4 fighters with launch bay (6 mass)

SMR - good idea, but I think an ER rack would be tactically more useful.
I also wanted the OUDF ships to be slightly different from anyone
else's, even the FSEs. Trademarks are/COULD be : SMR(ER) rather than
Magazined MRs, no pulse torps, Fwd-arc only Type 3s, lots of Hull,
Shields, Armour.

AEGIS - I didn't want to add any armour as I figured it wouldn;'t be
modular-capable, so ADFC + 4 PDS + Type 2 (or 2 type 1s?) was my
solution.

Patrol Variant - Very nice, balanced armament. Would make this one of
THE most effective ships in the game. Which I didn't particularly
want... and conflicted with the "no pulse torps" signature given above.
I'm very impressed with this design though, congrats.

Carrier - I thought about this. 8 mass can't give you the full 6
fighters though, and having a carrier of less than heavy cruiser size
would set a bad precedent. Effective though.

OUDF tactic No 1:
Close with the enemy using main battle line, take out all escorts and
ADAF ships, then hit em with the SMR-ERs from the cheap second line
that's 12-24 back from the first. In case enemy breaks through, the
second line has at least self-defence capability.

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