Re: FT-Subs?

Bif Smith wrote:

>
>
> Yes, I was trying for a design within the FT system, without the need
for
> new weapons or systems. A P.Torp system would be good enough against
> freighters, even though more than 1 shot would be required (in my mind
> anyway). Also, a P.Torp is inposible to intercept, which torpedos are
(as
> opposed to SML`s). If conbinded with the cloaking/diving system given
below,
> you could have a very good protracted hide and seek battle between a
> merchant convoy and escorts Vs a "wolfpack".

The system has the same mass as a SML and magazine, but different
effects.  The
problem with using p-torps to represent torpedoes is that the sub never
has to
surface to finish the merchies off with the deck gun.  The reason that
Q-ships
worked was that the U-boats would not waste a torpedo on an unescorted
target.
They would surface and shell the target until it sank.	A merchant ship
is a
much better gun platform than most subs, so a Q-ship does not have to
much
trouble sinking the surfaced sub before it can dive.  As there is no
limit to
the number of p-torps that a tube can fire, it is a poor representative
of wet
navy torpedoes.

Maybe we need to introduce a limit on the number of torpedoes that a
p-torp tube
can launch (say five each [How many FT games last that long?]) with an
option to
sacrifice mass to carry more.

>
>
> > The second problem is solved by creating a battery bank system. 
Each
> battery
> > bank requires 5% of the vessel's mass and stores energy.  Energy is
needed
> to
> > cloak, apply thrust, and fire torpedoes.  There are two levels of
> cloaking,
> > periscope and deep.  Torpedoes can only be fired from periscope
depth, and
> it
> > takes a turn to move between deep and periscope.  Due to an
instability in
> the
> > cloaking device, vessels on deep cloak are lost if they run out of
stored
> > energy.
> >
> > Convoy escorts need a device like a k-gun (depth charge thrower). 
Escorts
> can
> > detect subs passively at a range of six times the applied thrust
(less
> applied
> > thrust of the escort) and can use a firecon to search a single arc
for a
> sub
> > within 24 mu (only twelve when the sub is deep).  Passive does not
work
> aft, and
> > active does not detect a sub within 12 in the forward arc [I do not
know
> why,
> > just that for some historical and technical reason, subs fell off
the
> scope
> > during attack runs in WWII].
> >
> >
>
> The idea for a cloaking system/diving equipment that limits the number
of
> turns/endurance/speed while cloaked I like.