Re: MT missiles

On 11-May-00 at 15:45, Oerjan Ohlson (oerjan.ohlson@telia.com) wrote:
> Brian Bell wrote:
> 
> >Unlike Oerjan, I use vector (not for missiles or fighters), inch
> scale, and
> >usually fixed table edges (because of lack of room to do floating
> >edges).
> 
> Uh... "lack of room" is the *reason* for using floating table edges -
> ie, the practise of relocating all models by the same vector whenever
> some of them threaten to leave the table.
> 
> If you have enough room, you don't *need* to use floating edges...
>  
> >Oerjan, Jon, and other play testers, it would be interesting to see
> write
> >ups of the test games (fleets, results, and
> >analysis/observations/conclusions). If anyone has notes of this kind,
> I
> >would gladly provide web space (on xoom) to house it.
> 
> The problem with playtest notes is that they're usually only organized
> into a legible form towards the end of the test period. This legible
> form is usually referred to as "the final product" or something like
> that :-/
> 
> I have most of the FB2 playtest battle reports posted to the GZG
> playtest list, but on reviewing them now I can't remember exactly
which
> version of the rules were used in each battle - not for the ones
posted
> by others, at least - and I no longer have all the old versions of the
> rules :-(. 
> 
> 
> Laserlight wrote:
> 
> [Vector movement is realistic but problematic]
> 
> >Area effect weapons (eg Phalon PBL, wave gun). or Lay down a
> >"minefield" at a distance from the target.  It can attack missiles
> >(destroying them) and rocks (pushing them off course)--anything
> >moving faster than Xmu per turn, select X to suit your fancy.  
> 
> Area effect weapons would work in reality, assuming that you know the
> missiles are coming. Mines, well... as long as they cover a large
> enough volume, yes, they'd work too.
> 
> The problem in Weber's backgrounds is that the missiles come *really*
> fast. "High-velocity" means that the missiles are coming in at 0.99c
or
> thereabouts. Do you have enough time to detect them and launch/trigger
> your area effect weapons before it's too late?
> 
> To use an extreme FT example: my ships approach at speed 4000 (with
> 1000 km/mu and 7.5 minutes/turn, that's equivalent to 0.03c). Since
you
> are a fixed or orbital installation I know exactly where to find you
so
> I can launch my missiles at their maximum range - assuming three turns
> of endurance, that's 12000mu. You can detect me launching those
> missiles (ballistically - they don't need to use their own engines) at
> range 54 or thereabouts. When do you fire your area effect weapons?
> 
> BTW, the only area effect weapon which could possibly work in the FT
> mechanics is the Nova Cannon - none of the others have any effect
> during the missile movement phase, so if the missiles move faster than
> the max range of those weapons you'd need to place the area effect
> templates on top of your base to kill the missiles. OK, it is true
that
> some people wanted the Phalons to use their Plasma Bolts in exactly
> that way as their only missile defence weapon, but it's definitely not
> to be recommended as a standard tactic :-/
> 
> >It isn't much good for a maneuvering fleet
> 
> It is no good at all for a maneuvering fleet, but you can't use
missile
> strikes against a maneuvering fleet anyway. You don't need to either -
> their supply bases and main repair yards are stationary, and no fleet
> lasts very long without supply and repair facilities.
> 
> 
> Roger Books wrote:
> 
> >Anyway, my 3000 point fleet can  handle  your MT missile 3000
> >point fleet.  3000 points, 15% mass in PDS's and 2 ADFCs on
> >each ship nicely removes the problem in a low speed game, as
> >long as my ships stay within ADFC range.  3000 points is roughly
> >what, 800 mass?  That gives me 120 PDSs and still leaves me
> >armed.
> 
> 3000 points of serious pure-MTM thrust-8 boats is somewhere around
> 150-160 MTMs; with average (ie, Average + some armour <g>) hull
> integrities only about a quarter of them need to hit and penetrate
your
> point defences to wipe your fleet out. I'm not entirely sure I'd want
> to rely on heavy PDS suites alone against this threat.

I am counting on the fact that I can make at least a few miss, and,
barring that, force them to come in on two or more turns.  If I can
spread them out over 3 turns that's a minimum of 2PDSs per missile.
Some will get through, but I can tear up missile boats in process.

Roger