Re: SMLs/The GZG Digest V1 #608

Rob wrote:

> First, I don't think that weapon or ammo costs should be
increased--all 
> weapons in Fleet Book cost 3x mass so why change that?  

Because changing the Mass of a weapon is a pretty blunt instrument -
particularly for smaller weapons. I strongly suspect that many FB2
weapons will have different costs than 3xMass.

However, since the current SM may be underpowered - we'll know in a
couple of months when people start developing anti-granaatscherven
tactics - it may not be necessary to change the cost or mass for
improved performance.

> The way I see it, there's two good solutions:
> 
> 1.  increase the mass of each SM salvo by either one point or double 
> (depending upon what playtesting reveals).  These increased-mass SM >
can be fine tuned to only hit the LARGEST vessel within 6 MU of the >
target point or

Largest as an option, or always the largest?

> 2.  allow a ship to use reduced radius missiles that can be set to
ignore > all ships below size 50--and a ship must use either these or
the old 
> ones.  

Why? A ship can mix ER and normal salvoes now. 

> By reduced radius, I mean that the targetting radius of the SM is 
> only 3 (or 4, once again determined by playtest) MU instead of 6 MU.

And in Vector? 3" is the recommended SM engagement radius, though many
people use seem to use 4" instead - but reducing the templates further
still would make it somewhat tricky to score any hits on faster ships
:-/

Also, 3- and 4-mu templates are rather useless against thrust-4 or
faster ships in Cinematic, so variant #2 doesn't solve the
granaatscherven problem when you go up against eg an NAC battlegroup
screened by Harrisons or an ESU BDN battlegroup screened by Lenovs.

> The benefits:
> 
> #1 would reduce the missile load out of ships, but still not make the

> missiles too awsome (after all, an opponent could use a sacrificial
BIG 
> ship during the approach to effective beam range--backed up by some 
> ADFC/PDS equiped ships like the area defense version of the Kronprinz
> Wilhelm).

Try this in a campaign where ship size influences building and repair
times. Besides, BIG decoy ships are very expensive if you want to bring
your own "real" heavies.

> #2 would allow for easier dodging of missiles (or rather, would allow
NSL 
> heavies to at least have a chance of dodging), yet would allow the 
> missiles to ignore escort class vessels.

Depends on how fast you fly, and what movement system you use. Flying
thrust-2 ships at speed 16 is doable, but they're still fairly easy to
hit :-/

Regards,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry