Re: FT-Command & control

Despite the way this is about to sound, I like the idea of a flag
bridge,
I'm just quibbling with the details.

Quoth BIF:
> >Reasons for using Flag Bridges-
> >1-Any fighters can use any hanger on any ship for reloading/rearming

Can't see why a Flag Bridge would confer this.

> >2-Allows the side with flag bridge to pass writen messages between
each
> >other without the other side being able to intercept them.

slows the game down

> The side without
> >any (operable) flag bridges must only pass messages verbally, so the
side
> >with the flag bridge knows what the other side is doing (represents
the
> >co-ordination possible between the ships of a squadren or fleet).

actually that would represent a good cryptoanalysis team--very good, if
they
can read it in realtime, and even better if they can intercept a message
laser.

> >3-Allows sensor infomation from any ship to be shared between any
ship in
> >the squadren/fleet. So, if one ship has improved sensors, it can
share
this
> >info with it`s collegues.

How would you simulate a ship NOT sharing info?  ie when a Bogey gets
close
enough for the Sensor-S ship to identify, why would the other ships not
routinely get that information?  Or did you mean "targeting info"
instead of
sensor info?  If so, why is it likely to be more accurate through having
been delayed in processing by being routed through another ship?

> >4-If more than one ship in a squadren/fleet has a flag bridge, if one
is
> >destroyed/disabled, the other one(s) may take over immediatly, with
no
> >pause/disruption in communications between ships.

I don't see that--if the admiral is killed, it's going to take a certain
amount of time to transfer command effectively, regardless of whether
there's a flag bridge or not.

Suggestion--in a multiplayer game, you could require each player to have
a
flag bridge, and if that ship is killed or the flag is disabled, then
you
could require that player to bow out and the remaining players from his
team
would need to take over his squadron.  In a F2F game with timed moves,
that
would simulate the extra load of the commodores' decision-making
capacity.
In a PBeM game, where you have plenty of time, it wouldn't work.  And in
a
F2F game, I don't think I'd much enjoy it if I were the one who had to
bow
out on turn 2 and just wait for the next 8 turns to be played.

Suggestion--if you have ships that break off due to morale, the flag
bridge
could carry with it the possibility of rallying broken units.