Re: Questions before my rules even arrive, was: Needle fleet

--- Flak Magnet <flakmagnet72@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'm also new to FT, and still looking at buying the
> rules, but this
> question got me to thinking about another one:
> 
> When people say "Smaller ships" are we talking
> fighters or
> Frigate-class ships?

Yes.

> Can these smaller ships be equipped with
> missiles/rockets for a hard
> initial strick then pick apart the damaged foe with
> smaller weapons?

Sure.  If you're willing to take losses.

The main problem with small ships is simple:

If you've got 20 small ships and I've got 4 big ones,
then if I inflict 5% damage on your fleet, you've got
1 ship completely gone.  I take 5% damage, and I've
got no loss in combat power.  Larger ships take more
damage to kill.  It can be done, but they do have an
inherent advantage.

> I would think that the higher maneuverability
> associated with smaller
> ships would help them out... does that concept not
> make it's way into
> FT?

Maneuverability is based on the percentage of a ship's
mass given over to drives.  You can build a thrust 10
dreadnought.  

John

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