Re: [FT]Random Musings

On Mon, Dec 10, 2001 at 06:59:13PM +1100, Alan and Carmel Brain wrote:

Lots of stuff, which I'm looking at interestedly. I'm picking holes in
some of it below, but I like many of the ideas...

>Technology Rating

This is probably reasonable. But I continue to dislike mixed-tech on
aesthetic grounds, I'm afraid. (Not to mention the nightmares of making
_anything_ work with S'v tech - how many power points do you need to
energise a class-4 beam?)

>Level 5 between Human fleets of different
>powers (eg ESU using PTs, NAC using Needles)

Yowch! That's one way of enforcing FB designs, I suppose...

>1. Fighters and Missiles - missiles that home in on targets and
fighters
>that attack target ships or fighter groups ( ie the target lies within
6"/3"
>after movement) are placed next to the target. Their position during
the
>attack is deemed to be the target's position.

>Consequences:
>This is a change insamuch as fighters now no longer have facing,

As far as I can see from FB1, this is the case anyway.

>and that
>fighter vs fighter combat always involves a dogfight.

Why is this a good thing?

>Also, all fighters
>"escorting" the target ship are coincident, and a dogfight will ensue
if
>there are any.

Why is this necessary when we already have screening fighters?

>Finally, the Phalon Plasma Ball will be a sovereign
>protection against fighters and missiles -
>take 1D6 (+) damage and become immune - if they don't shoot up the
plasma
>ball.

True, but that's a pretty broad-headed tool.

>2. At the time of PDS firing, any ADAF-equipped ship may fire at any
fighter
>or missile within 6". This means that an ADAF ship effectively
"escorts" all
>ships within 6".

I have no problem with this. (Though actually it would fall out of your
#1 above...) I think this makes a lot of sense.

>Consequences:
>Simplification of ADAF rules. It also means that ADAF ships can fire at
any
>non-attacking fighters or missiles within 6", so can effectively be
>Anti-Fighter weapons when screening at a distance.

I do miss the ability that ADAFs used to have, of firing at fighters in
free space. Under FB1/FB2, as far as I can see, the only way humans have
of stopping fighters when those fighters aren't attacking is to send
more fighters after them.

>3. Up to 6 fighter groups may attack any one target per turn. [PSB
Section :
>they get in each other's way, and it doesn't matter much how large the
>target is - maybe change this to "up to 1000 mass or part thereof"]

Umph. I can see your reasoning, but I really hate this sort of arbitrary
limit. Is there a way to express it which doesn't have the numbers? Some
sort of gradually-increasing risk of collateral damage, like fighter
attacks on missiles...?