Mines

Hello,
    I've been looking at the original rules for mines, and while I've
known this has been discussed before, I'd like to re-open the subject,
especially in light of the Fleet Book.	To review, the Mines in Full
Thrust and now Fleet Book take up one mass each and cost two points
apeice.  The Mine Layer masses two points plus one per mine with a cost
of 6 per layer and 2 per mine.	Mines do 2D6 BEAM damage when they
attack a ship with an expected effect of .67 points damage.  The best
mine sweeper still remains a ship with two screens!
    Meanwhile, a More Thrust Missile with a Mass of 2 and an endurance
of three turns does 2D6 Torpedo damage with an expected effect of 7
points damage.	We can assume that roughly half of the Missile is
devoted to propulsion.
    A Salvo Missle Salvo takes up two mass per Salvo.  Each missle that
hits does 1D6 damage.  So a single missile weighing about 1/3 mass does
1D6 Torpedo damage with an expected effect of 3.5 points damage.
    A Torpedo on a fighter does 1D6 Torpedo damage.  If we assume that
the weapon system on a fighter takes up roughly half its mass then a
torpedo wieghing 1/2 mass does 1D6 damage with an expected effect of 3.5
damage.
    Since we can see weapon systems that do 1D6 damage per 1/2 mass
devoted to the warhead, Why not let this carry over to an advanced mine
system?

    Enhanced Mine: Mass: 1    Cost: 3  Does 2D6 damage to contact within
3 inches that does not satisfy IFF challenge.
    Additional mines could include the same effect as More Thrust
Missile Warheads to include Needle [targeted system set at time of drop]
and EMP.
       Sand mine:    When it blossoms it generates a debris cloud 1 inch
in Diameter.  Ships, fighter, missiles, etc. that fly through this cloud
take appropriate damage.  Sustained by a magnetic field for up to three
turns or when impacted by something that explodes or in some other
fashion disrupts the field pattern (ships, fighters, missiles, etc)

    I would argue that the Mass 2 of a mine layer is a little much. 
Perhaps it should be Mass 1 plus each mine.

    Mine Launcher:    For those who enjoy Babylon 5, this is what they
meant.
    Mass:    3 (1 arc) plus 1 per additional arc (3 max).  Cost 3 * Mass
    Must be attached to a mine rack with Mass 1 per mine.
    For Newtonian games:  Flings a Mass one mine down a set angle (don't
forget to add the ship's current momentum...) at a velocity up to 12MUs.
    For Cinematic Movement:    Places a mine out within arc within 12
inches of the ship.
    Launched during combat phase, arms and takes effect during next
movement phase.