RE: Fleet Escorts

In my fairly limited experience with larger fleets, my escorts played an
important role as I use ADFCs and PDSs to shield the capital ships from
missiles and fighters.	This proved useful as one opponent played a
fleet
with primarily SMLs (luckily with inadequate magazines) and the escorts
literally saved my skin, through the ADFCs or by being closer to the
missiles and drawing them away from the more 'important' ships.  I also
occasionally use them as missile or torpedo boats, with a few destroyers
and
frigates to fend off the opponents small ships, and draw fire when the
opponent realises how dangerous they can be.

As for firing sequence comments earlier in the week, my friends and I
occasionally use simultaneous damage resolution at the end of the firing
phase, thus all ships get their turn, and in some ways it is more
realistic
in that ships don't sit and take turns at firing, they tend to do it all
at
once (this all depends on what aspect you are trying to simulate, eg how
fast responses are, etc).  We generally declare firing orders at the
start
of firing phase, recording them in larger battles where necessary, then
alternate who fires and declares first each turn.

Ultimately, the usefulness of escort vessels is determined by what you
do
with them and wether you make the most of them.  I have to agree with
whoever commented on the common tactic of leading them into the battle.
They
will tend to get in range first, and so ripped to shreds first.  Give
the
opponent something bigger to hit first, that can take it, then bring the
escorts up to take their part ( I led them first in one battle and
learnt my
lesson then ).

Well, there's my 2 peneth worth,

Andrew Ayres