RE: Vector Movement and SML's

The following assumes you know who you're facing and can prepare some -
Most
useful for engagements vs FSE, or my personal favorites of NI vs. SM
heavy
IF.

In vector _or_ cinematic, one or more waves of SM's can be all but
defeated
by popcorn ships. Buy a set of scouts and keep 'em in tight formation
with
the bigger ships. Only a 'direct hit' SM will get through.

Here's what I'm drawing up for New Israel - (Joint design with AI-heavy
Japan, I think)

'AI scout' (Have to find an appropriate name for the function)
Mass 6, Cost 18
Thrust 8 
FTL
Fragile hull
2 Armor

My personal PSB/house rule says the scout can only use thrust 6 if
crewed
solely by AI. Who would volunteer for suicide duty on one of these
things?

You can buy five of them for the cost of a single armed escort. The
armor
keeps them from getting easily picked off by an SM-heavy enemy's few
long
range weapons. Keep 2-3 of them around your cruisers and/or escort
groups,
~4 around your caps. They'll get chewed up rapidly, but then that's the
point.

Noam