Re: [FT] Yet Another Fighters Suggestion

From: "Oerjan Ohlson" <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com>

> This and and several similar numerical limitations (including Alan's 
> proposal and variants thereof) have already been tested. They all run
into 
> the above problem with making dreadnoughts and larger even more
desirable 
> than they already are; some of them have additional problems as well.
> 
> BTW Alan, you still haven't answered my questions about whether or not
you 
> have actually playtested this proposed rules yourself...?

Here's some of the raw data/notes:

1. 24 Fighter Groups vs Death Star ( with 40 PDS ) - conclusion,
needed to limit PDS per arc as well as fighters attacking.
(Exercise on paper)

2. Marianas Turkey Shoot Revisited: 4 Ark Royals each with 2
Furious escort and no fighters left vs 24 Fighter groups (standard).
a) With existing rules : CVs wiped out with few losses to fighters.
b) With new rules : 1 CV down, all Furious down, 1 CV at 2nd threshold,
others untouched, (needs repeating, as rolls were odd, though my
notes didn't say whether too good or too bad, and it was a long time
ago...
 I recall a lot of 6s and a lot of 1s being rolled)

3. Soap Bubbles vs Dauntless (this one was on graph paper, and showed
the game-breaking possibilities of a supership with aft-firing beam-10,
and how boring the game was as a result)

I've also played a number of battles using these rules, but as no massed
fighters were used (both sides used FB1 ships), they didn't have much
effect. In all cases 4-6 fighter groups ganged up on a CA or BC with no
escort nearby, and as the optimum allocation is 1 PDS per Fighter
group anyway (assuming using morale rules), there was "no change".

One minor thing : it was always better to use "cherry" Fighters vs
the big boys, as sniping off destroyers etc always led to some 
Fighter groups being down to 4 strength due to the odd 6 roll, so
often failed morale - and them taking up valuable slots in the
6-Fighter Group limit. And ADFC ships were always first targetted,
but that meant no appreciable decrease in the enemy's beam strength
until quite ( in fact too) laste.

In cases where only 1 side has 1-2 Fighter Groups, they were always used
as anti-missile escorts, or to snipe Frigates/Destroyers attempting to
get in the aft arc.

NOTE : all battles were on 4ft x 8ft tables using inches, floating map,
cinematic. 

Areas I have done *none or insufficient* playtesting with:
a) Heavy, Attack fighters
b) Co-ordinated Missile and Fighter attack
c) All-ADFC design-your-own fleets
d) Phalons, SV. KV is OK
e) large table, vector etc etc

and no doubt many others. In fact, the only games I'm confident of
are FB1 vs FB1 battles using cinematic.

BTW: To Hugh Fisher : Care to playtest the Fighter rules some time?
How about roping in Andrew K and Matthew H as well? And a big thanks
for helping playtest the OU stuff in the past.