[FT, EFSB] Guardian array = ADS ?

G'day,

	One of the guys here has got himself a Centauri fleet and as
they're his
only fleet we're madly converting them over so he can have a few games
of
FT/EFSB. So far the only system we've had to put any thought into is the
guardian array (everything else has either been covered by existing
conversion rules - thanks guys - or by "well that's a beam 3 equivalent"
etc.). I'll jot some of my ideas down here (feel free to rant as I've
put
all of 2 minutes thought into them), other than that, have any of you
guys
come up with an equivalent of the Guardian array yet? I wouldn't mind
hearing how you deal with it if you have. Thanks.

Idea 1: Make a system that's very much along the lines of EFSB (this
would
be Derek's preference, but then he's played more of it than I have).
Make
it so Centauri can use interceptor grid in an area defense kind of sense
-
e.g. if in same arc of target ship as firing ship and the interceptor
grid
is online (i.e. not damaged in the arcs needed for this operation) and
hasn't been used already then can act for the target ship too (i.e.
pretty
much as of B5 wars, but the symbols and the rest of its function etc are
as
of the interceptors). And make the costs (for FB use) along the lines
of:

System			Mass			Cost
Level-1 array		3 or 5% 		4xmass
Level-2 array		6 or 10%		4xmass

- is a cost of 4xmass enough or should it be 5 (or more)?
- should the mass be more?
- EFSB costs would be as of interceptors + some extra (would have to
look
at how much they cost etc. in EFSB before saying anything here)

Idea 2: I've had little to do with EFSB so far (only just getting a few
Narn ships now) so my first reaction was to make some kind of area
effect
screen. Something like ADFC except it applies to a screen not a PDS. So,
say, must be within 6" of ship you're protecting and then it acts as if
its
got level-1 screen if you're using one area defense screen (ADS) to lend
one of your own normal screens (which then can't be used to protect
yourself) and acts as if got a level-2 if use 2 ADS to lend 2 screens.
The
costs could be something like:

System			Mass			Cost
Level-1 screen		3 or 5% 		3xmass		       
(i.e. as of FB)
Level-2 array		6 or 10%		3xmass		       
(i.e. as of FB)
ADS				3				9 (i.e.
3 x mass)

- I tried to make the mass of the ADS a reasonable size so I wasn't
opening
a loop-hole whereby big ships could be screened at much reduced costs
(as
only paying for the screen of the escort etc.). Maybe I should put the
mass
up higher (if I made it, for arguments sake, mass 9 and cost 27, then
the
mass/cost of the normal screen + the ADS would be the equivalent of
paying
for one screen on a mass 300 ship and so should cover any ship we're
likely
to see in the average game), though the higher the mass the less likely
you
are to see escorts etc. carrying one (let alone 2).

So what do you think guys? Or do you have some even better/more polished
ideas out there?

I was going to muck around with this a bit more and then present it as
an
IAS invention just to see how many ubernation comments I could coax out
of
you guys..... ;)

Is it my imagination or have things gone eerily quiet since Master
Atkinson
departed? Talk about life of the party... ;)

Cheers

Beth

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART 
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au