Re: Fighters

In message <F125mh2v8nBmiZDuhn10000b3a6@hotmail.com>
	  "Brian Bilderback" <bbilderback@hotmail.com> wrote:

> >From: Roger Burton West <roger@firedrake.org>
> 
> >The distinction is that in the real world we have an absolute arbiter
of
> >what was a relatively good design. In the FBs, the _only_ thing to
give
> >relative values to designs is the rule system.
> 
> Agreed, but my point remains, that the advantage fighters has seems to
be 
> greater vs FB stock ships than Vs. custom designs.  While I agree with
all 
> else you say, I still don't think the rules should be changed just to
favor 
> those designs.
> 
> >Right now fighters are (IMHO anyway) over-powerful _in relation to
their
> >points cost_, particular in large numbers (because the Nth fighter
> >squadron gives you more extra hitting power than the (N-1)th did). I
> >should be entirely happy to see a rule change which made fighter
power
> >approximately linear with point value, and I cannot see any reason to
> >argue against such a thing. (We can argue over what that point value
> >should be, if you like... :-)
> 
> Perhaps not by changing how fighters work, but by giving newer, better

> defenses against them - thus actually simulating an arms tech race.
:-)
> 
> 3B^2
> 
Heres a (quite nasty) idea - I've recently been re-reading the old
Earthforce Sourcebook...

Replace PDS with EFSB Anti-Fighter Batteries (same symbol :-)

For those without the EFSB, an anti-fighter battery is like a PDS, but
it can attack _any_ fighters in range (6 mu), and each kills 1D6-2
fighters!

Mimbari Beam Projectors in anti-fighter mode are worse - they are like
a re-usable Scattergun that doesn't do collateral damage!

On a related not, heres an idea for the ADFC, that (hopefully) fits its
rather limited usage in FB designs.

Area Defence Fire Co-ordinator

Can co-ordinate point defence fire from _any_ friendly ships within 6 mu
to defend any other friendly ships in the same area.

In otherwords, an escort cruiser could use its ADFC to enable a
destroyer within 6 mu (of the CE) to defend a DN (also within 6mu of the
CE).

Now everyone is going to tell me this is a horrible idea :-)

Its probably going to scrag missiles badly :-|

Charles