Re: Alternative forces (i.e., non-canon aliens ships)

G'day Glenn,

 >The Whistlers - Avians who gave up flight for Intelligence.

I know you've based this on some existing scifi somewhere....but I
wouldn't 
have rated the ratites as more intelligent than the parrots or raptors
;)

 >"The Birds"  - the Whistlers - ....
 >
 >*Very* big on fighters...Those ships not 'nesting' use
 >a lot of SMR/SML backed up by PT's.  Some beams,
 >almost always class 2 or class 1....Nothing stronger then
 >Standard.  Period.  Next to no use of Armor.	High
 >mobility values.

Do they only use speed as a defense? Or do they use screens and PDS too?

 >The Nektons - *Very* Big on Needle Beams,
 >only less os on PT's.  Moderate amount of screens
 >used on cruisers and larger ships.Average Hulls, some
 >armor. Average to High mobility....Largest ships
 >have 6-8 PDS (based on recent war with Whistlers)
 >but DD and less generally have no PDS -
 >Nektons consider fighters as 'trash fish'
 >and only recently made the concession of putting
 >ADFC and multiple PDS's on their largest ships.

So PDS suites on large ships is actually rare? How do you intend on 
supporting the Needles with PTorps (what kind of ratio)? Too heavy on 
needles may actually leave you a bit weak on fire power, especially at 
range. I guess the most needle heavy ships would also be the ones with
the 
armour etc as you're going to have to risk getting close?

 >The Mertuns - Use lots of multiple
 >smaller beams instead of fewer big
 >beams (love those arrays of class -1's)
 >strong hulls, and liberal use of screens...
 >Absolutely *love* PDS's.  Have a /thing/
 >about 5 arc Class-3/Class-4 -
 >big guns need lots of ability to target
 >stuff.  Cruisers and capital ships use 1 to 2 screens.

OK I'm a bit confused you say they use lots of small and then say they
have 
a thing about very big??

 >Klackons - call themselves
 >"The People of the Seven"....

So all hull masses will be in multiples of 7..... ;P

 >Ships often come with Two Large
 >Beam Guns (for the class) and
 >multiple smaller support beam guns....
 >Klackons have average to good mobility,
 >use strong hulls almost exclusively, and a
 >s much armor as they can squeeze on
 >once the main guns and other vital systems
 >are in the design....

The concept sounds OK < well alien enough ;) >. Not sure how it will
play 
though, I have a feeling you're going to feel rather frustrated with the

lack of flexibility of response. What kind of coverage (arc wise) will
the 
big beams get?

 >Feedback on this and the individual
 >designs is desired,  The purpose of
 >the designs is to reflect the fighting
 >styles of the race not to max/min
 >or munchkinize the ships.  Certain
 >less efficient design traits may be
 >included to reflect the 'thinking' of the alien race.

As a first cut they seem pretty good, though I have a feeling some of
the 
most extreme aspects will be tempered by play...their equivalent of the 
admiralty calling for refits ;)

Cheers

Beth