[FT] New Small Craft Rules (long)

> In message <20020605213308.GA1662@firedrake.org>
>	    Roger Burton West <roger@firedrake.org> wrote:
> 
[snip]
> 
> Looks good, but I have one big problem with this: you're ignoring
> multiplicative effects. Looking at it in terms of combinations of the
> classic fighter types, having one Fast group and one Attack group will
> be worth less than having one Standard group and one Fast Attack
group,
> because the Fast Attack group is a more effective weapon - it can get
> more firepower to where it's needed more quickly.
> 
> I'd be inclined to cost custom fighters on the basis of
> (firepower cost) x (movement+endurance+defence cost), with appropriate
> factors to keep the numbers reasonable.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Roger (gradually catching up on the list after having been away for
five
> days)
> 

Ok, I've had a look at it, hows about this:

Small Craft come in three categories:

Agile Small Craft - this manoeuvre like fighters, and have limited
endurance (in fact, they _include_ fighters)

Standard Small Craft - these manoeuvre like ships, but have limited
endurance

Long-Range Small Craft - these function just like ships.

Small Craft are defined as having a hull size of less then 10.

Agile Small Craft
=================

The cost of an Agile Small Craft is determined using the following
formula:

Cost = Attack Factor x (CEF/6 x Secondary Move/12 + Move Allowance/24 +
Defence Factor) + Hull Size.

2 points per hull size are already paid for in the hanger cost.

Where Fighters are assigned a hull size of 1 for convenience.

The Attack Factor is derived from the Small Craft's combat ability
against ships and fighters, thus:

Anti-Fighter and Anti-Ship capabilities have a class:

Class	Effect
1	1 hit on roll of 6
2	1 hit on roll of 5+
3	1 hit on roll of 5, 2 hits on roll of 6
4	1 hit on roll of 4 or 5, 2 hits on roll of 6
5	1 hit on roll of 3, 4 or 5, 2 hits on roll of 6
6	1 hit on roll of 3 or 4, 2 hits on roll of 5+

Where '1 hit' is 1 DP vs. ships, or 1 kill vs. fighters.

The Attack Factor is equal to (Anti-Fighter Class + 3x Anti-Ship
Class)/8

This assumes a 'range' of 6 mu, a size 2+ small craft can mount longer
ranged weapons: range 9 mu weapons are double the cost, and range 12 mu
are 4x the cost.

A small craft can by multiple attacks, just sum to total attack factors,
and see below. Each attack will consume 1 CEF.

Torpedoes add +3.33 to the Attack Factor.

The Defence Factor is 0 for a craft as vulnerable as a normal fighter,
1 for resistance as a heavy fighter, 3 for resistance as a 'super-heavy'
fighter (ignores rolls of 4, only suffers 1 kill on rolls of 6), and 9
for resistance as a 1 hull box ship.

An Agile Small Craft has a cargo space equal to its hull size - 1 per
attack it can make.

Standard Small Craft
====================

These are built using the Fleet Book construction rules, with the
following amendments:

Fighter-level hull integrity consumes no MASS, and has a cost equal to
the Defence Factor given above.

The Main drive system requires no MASS and has a cost equal to:
Hull size x Maximum Thrust/12

The ship requires Endurance Factors (CEF): these consume 1 MASS and have
a cost equal to that of the Main Drive.

The Small Craft can mount a fighter-scale weapon suite, 1 6-arc fighter
weapons suite has a cost equal to its Attack Factor (q.v.), while a
3-arc version is half the cost. Each suite consumes 1 CEF when fired.

A Short-Range Fire Control may be added, this can target out to 12 mu,
requires 0 MASS, and costs 4 points.

Small Craft Weapons are equivalent to ship-mounted weapons, but consume
CEF when fired.

Small Craft B-1 Batteries: 1-arc costs 1 point, 3-arc costs 2 points,
6-arc costs 3 points -or- requires 1 MASS. Consumes 3 CEF per shot.

Small Craft K-1: requires 1 Mass, 1-arc costs 1 point, 3-arc costs 2,
and 6-arc costs 4. Consumes 4 CEF per shot.

Small Craft Pulsar: 1-arc requires 1 MASS and costs 5 points, Consumes
5 CEF per shot.

Long Range Small Craft
======================

Are built as standard Fleet Book ships, but may be fitted with a
Short-Range Fire Control (q.v.) to save space.

They must be fitted with standard weapons, not the unpowered Small Craft
versions above.

Small Craft Rules
=================

When targeting Small Craft with shipboard weapons:

No weapon of a class larger than the hull size of the small craft can
target the small craft.

A small craft targeted by a weapon of equal size has the attack resolved
as if it were a Class-1 weapon firing at fighters.

An agile small craft may not be targeted by a weapon whose class is
equal to its hull size unless it is attacking the ship carrying the
weapon.

For Beam Batteries and K-guns just use the listed Class, pulse torpedoes
are considered class 3, SMPs and MKPs are considered class 2. Pulsars
are considered class 1.

When targeting small craft with salvo missiles, no small craft can be
targeted by more missiles than its hull size (per salvo), the remainder
will seek out other eligible targets in the area.

Charles