KV Playtest Designs/Fighters

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:

...Snip...JTL
> >I proposed a cost structure:
> >
> >		   MASS Point Cost
> >Standard (H)    6	MASS x 5  30
> >
> >Interceptors    6	MASS x 5  30
> >Attack	   6	MASS x 6  36
> >Long Range	   6	MASS x 6  36
> >Torpedo	   6	MASS x 7  42
> 
> I'm assuming that these are all K'V variants. If so, I'd say that you
got
> it in one! All those prices check out (balance wise with the FB)
perfectly.
> 
> Schoon

Hi All,
     Yes I shall stand up and take the credit/blame for this one!!!
When I made the original suggestion, I was very greatly suprised to 
learn that none of the players had ever had any contact with the idea!!
     (I acquired the concept by reading the rules.  I know that is a 
strange concept, but you will adapt.)

     OK, back to the discussion!   (I will recycle a couple old
comments,
to make a couple of points.)

Heavy fighter for free:   I feel that this is a game device to to allow
      'K' fighters to have a form of superior maneuverability (the 'K'
      strong point in the rules) without making a lot of strange special
      fighter rules for the 'K' fighters.

Not all types available:  I feel the book rules should be tried as
written
      first,  IF necessary, changes can be made to balence the fighters
AFTER
      the knowledge has been gained and evaluated.   Or to put it
another way:
      DON'T FIX IT IF IT AIN'T BROKE.

Tims cost table:   Having just looked at the table, the price seems to
be about
      100 percent higher than the human cost.	Unless the combat
effectiveness
      of the fighters is 100 percent greater, the cost is totally out of
line.
      (Reguardless of how warm and fuzzy it 'feels'.)

Comments on the 'K' ships:     (All of the following comments are
evaluations
      based on looking at the 'K' ships on Tims site.)
      1) The cost of the 'K' is up by about 30 % (more or less).
	 (As the person who developed and pushed the three Kra'Vak to
two
	 human points ratio, I can only approve.)
      2) The same firepower is contained in the ships as in MT.   This
is
	 acceptable.   The problem is that the firepower is divided
across
	 five areas instead of three. This means the firepower will be
reduced
	 across the primary area by 30 to 40 %.   This reduction coupled
with
	 the SML and EPT increased effectiveness, armor and additional
hull boxes
	 will cause most human ships to survive for a much longer
period.
	 During this period the ships will continue to fire and do
damage to the
	 'K" long after they would have been destroyed in the MT rules.

Questions/comments:
      Q) Did anyone playtest the new Kra'Vak rules prior to now?

      C) An additional FCS on all 'K' ships would have been helpful
	 to offset the firepower reduction.

      C) The torpedo (H) fighter cost should have been 48, not 42.

      
I am still in shock that no one has ever suggested/used different types
of
fighters for the Kra'Vak.

Bye for now,
John L.