Re: [FT] Ship morale

In a message dated 7/19/99 8:35:11 AM EST, books@mail.state.fl.us
writes:

<<  Since we are playing a "fiction"
 game I don't see many places in fiction where part of your battleline
 runs.	See, there is this problem, cowardice in the face of the enemy
is
 often a hanging offense.  If you think of the David Webber books, what
 I consider _the_ space combat books, I can only think of one time when
 an individual ship broke and ran.  The CO busted out, and the reason
for
 not hanging him was political.  >>

Any number of actions under sail ended in a "sauve qui peut" type
situation. 
When the battle has been lost the individual captains choose to
surrender, 
run or fight to cover the withdrawal of others. A ship involved in a
general 
evacuation of course does not fight and the hulk may be salvageable. A
fleet 
that has been broken becomes a collection of individual ships whose
command 
structure responds in different ways. To have a fleet morale is a
reflection 
of reality, not a game mechanic.