[FT] Islamic Fed, was Re: [FT] OU & IC & FB3

Nathan said
> > Finally, just to throw a new idea into the FB3 pot, has
> > anyone considered IF suicide crews in the past?
> > These would not need to roll a 6 to ram, but would
> > only be found on very small vessels

Alan said, probably with malice aforethought:
> Make it a 5 or 6. But only ships with no warp capability.

Of course, *most* IF ships have no FTL capability.  Under the Ship
Doctrine section, I'm going to propose something like this:

"IF ship designs favor speed and striking power as the priorities, and
ships are typically outfitted to emphasize one weapon class—normally a
heavy load of salvo missile racks or beam weapons—and main drives of
thrust 6 for all but the heaviest ships.  Most vessels below Heavy
Cruiser class are not FTL capable; the Sultanate feels limited
strategic mobility is balanced by the reduced risk of coups by
over-ambitious amirs.  IF designs are somewhat less sturdy than the
ships of other nations, but make up for this with extensive armor and
point defense suites.	Carriers are quite fragile, relying on their
consorts and  large fighter complement to keep them out of trouble."

For most designs (above Corvette), the starting point I've been using
is:
Hull about 25%,  armor roughly 7%, main drive 6, no FTL, at least 3
PDS (usually more and often ADFC).  Weapons are usually either beams
(B2 and B3, some B4 on the Saif al Islam BB's) or SMR.	The IF feels
that carriers and battleships have separate roles and they're better
off not trying to substitute for each other, so BB's seldom carry
fighters and carriers stay away from the action if at all possible
(and carriers who get in trouble have been known to FTL out and write
off their unrecovered fighters).

I'm hoping the weapons mix of SMR/fighters + stingboats + lots of