Re: [FT] Fighter thoughts

Grant A. Ladue wrote:

 >While I'm reading through FT and the new beta rules for fighters, I'm
seeing
 >what I think is a potentially dangerous omission.  As I read the rules
right
 >now, there is no limit to the number of fighters that can "screen" a
ship. I
 >think this lends itself to the following tactic:  A force with a large

carrier
 >could include a small vessel with large drives and negligible
armament.  At
 >the start of scenario, the carrier can launch all of it's fighters,
have 
them all
 >"screen" the small vessel and then have it drag all of the fighters
ahead
 >of rest of fleet to the enemy.  This would allow the fighters to
attack the
 >enemy while the main fleet was still closing.

This tactic has been perfectly legal for the past six years - ever since

FB1 introduced fighter screening moves in 1998 - yet so far I haven't
heard 
of anyone who actually found this tactic a balance problem on the gaming

table. There have been a few theoretical worries like yours, but that's 
all. If it hasn't caused any problems until now, I don't think it'll
cause 
any problems
under the new fighter rules either... particularly not since the new 
fighter rules makes it more worthwhile than before to coordinate the 
fighter attacks with your larger ships :-/

 >It seems ridiculous to allow say 36 fighters to "screen" around a
courier.

About as ridiculous as strictly forbidding more than 12 fighters from 
following a fast-moving enemy scoutship, which is what your proposed
rule 
does <shrug>

Regards,

Oerjan
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
-Hen3ry