[FT] Enabling "Defense" Scenarios: Eclipsing ships

Here's a first cut at a maneuver modification that makes scenarios with 
the objective of defending a specific target more workable. In FT, 
stationary or slow targets (like bases, freighters/liners, etc) are 
easy prey if the primary objective of one player is just to take it 
out. You can deal with it by simply not having that kind of scenario, 
or you can find a way where allies can divert some of the attack to 
other targets. The base calculation is a little Math-y (it involves a 
fraction), but I wanted to avoid break points.

Eclisping / Ships Screening Ships

A ship may attempt to screen or eclipse another ship or base from 
incoming direct fire.

Requirements:
     Eclipsing and Eclipsed ships must be within 3 MU.
     Eclipsing ship must be closer (even marginally) to attacking ship 
than the Eclipsed ship.
     Eclipsing and/or Eclipsed ship allocates 1 or more thrust at order 
writing to Eclipsing (e.g.  1p1+Ec2). Eclipsed ship may not conduct 
Extreme Maneuvers or other such.

Effects:
     Eclipsing ship blocks all or some incoming fire directed at the 
Eclipsed ship, and all outgoing fire from Eclipsed ship in that arc and 
the two adjacent arcs. Eclipsing ship has the arcs facing the Eclipsed 
ship blocked.
     Fighters may ignore Eclipsing, but Eclispsing ship may use PDS vs. 
fighters attacking Eclipsed ship as if it were the fighter target.
     Weapons targeting Eclipsed ship divide (total) damage between the 
Eclipsing and Eclipsed ships:
	     Base Damage Intercepted = [Hull+Armor (Eclipser)/Hull+Armor

(Eclipser+Eclipsed)] (round down) taken by Eclipsing ship and applied 
normally.
	     Mods = +10 for each point of thrust dedicated to Eclipsing
			     -20 per clock-facing of heading difference 
(i.e. -120 for head on)
			    -50 for Plasma Bolts or other area effect 
weapons. The Eclipsing ship takes full damage from the blast, the % 
reflects only the damage reduction to the Eclipsed ship due to 
"shadowing".
     If Eclipsing ship is destroyed, any overkill (of intercepted 
damage) is aplied to Eclipsed ship.
     Missiles apply BDI percentage + mods when determining number of 
missiles locking on. Salvo targeting roll (# of missiles that lock on) 
is at +1 per Eclipsing ship.

Other:
If using Eclipsing in a scenario, it is probably best to work out the 
various BDI values for the ships you  are likely to use for Eclipsing 
ahead of time.
Thrust allocated to Eclipsing does not have to be used.
Multiple ships may Eclipse any given ship. - A maximum of Eclipser per 
arc of target ship. Effect of eclipsing is cumulative - determine 
intercepted damage for each ship and apply.
Ships within 3 MU of an enemy may attempt to "block" outgoing fire of 
enemy ships by Eclipsing them directly. This is much harder given the 
facing penalties. Blocking ships can block fire only targeting other 
ships in the same arc as they are with respect to the firing ship.

Scenarios that might become more fun with this system include:
	Defend a base/dockyard from attack.
	Convoy/shipping raids.
	Any "Destroy the X" scenario where X is the flagship or some
other key 
hardware.

Ban Zone Grime	   (Why Noam Izenberg showers after leaving the Zone)