Massed Fighter issue.....

 
> The gist of the argument is this (as I read it):
> 
> Fighters are immune to all but selected weapons aboard ships. 
>  In effect, they exist in a 'dimension' or 'game space' where 
> only PDS, other fighters, and a few select weapons can effect them.
> 
> If your opponent puts 80% of his resources in attacking 
> through fighters and you haven't put all weapon mass into 
> anti-fighter weapons, you lose (and don't even enjoy it).
> 
> To shift the balance back to allow balanced fleets to battle 
> fighter-heavy fleets, you need to make fighters harder to use 
> or targetable by all weapons (albeit at reduced capability).
> 
> But Jon definitely feels some settings demand fighters that 
> are immune to anti-ship weapons, and leans towards making 
> fighters harder to use.  And making them harder to use 
> without making the game hard to learn is a challenge.
> 
> Oerjan's take would likely be more detailed and accurate.
> 
> 
>

Evidently, the problem is not necessarily with fighters, per se, but
with massive amounts of fighters overwhelming a single ship?

So then, perhaps the solution resides in preventing or deterring overly
large massed fighter attacks.

I haven't looked in the archives on the main list, and I'm not a member
of the playtest list, so I don't know if this has been suggested
before.....

But what about a short ranged EMP style weapon, something similar to the
weapon found on the 'hovercraft' in the Matrix?

Create a one shot weapon that people can mount on their ships that they
can detonate that affects all fighters within 6" of the ship, disabling
their craft based on a target number roll, or some such mechanic.  (I
have no idea what would be a fair number, I'm just bouncing a
concept.....)

That way, the defender has one saving grace shot.  If a small amount of
fighters attack, the defender can choose to use PDF to engage, the EMP
bomb (for lack of a better term) being a waste to use for such a small
return.  If a large amount attack, the ship has a chance then.

Forces the fighter playing character to make more tactical decisions
than just the en masse attack.

Options......

1)  If you don't want another weapon system, base it off of shields. 
The defender 'overloads' his shields for an area burst attack, however
his shields are destroyed for the rest of the encounter (or perhaps
reduces a level 2 shield to a level 1 shield).	This restricts this kind
of tactic to larger ships that normally equip a shield.

2)  The EMP burst affects everything, not just fighters.  Possibly
requiring a straight threshold check for all systems if caught within
the EMP blast.	The EMP causing ship, being in the 'eye', is safe from
such thresholds.  (Or maybe not, it being a last ditch effort....)  This
gives an interesting 'near ram' attack.  Also could cause problems to
friendly ships if everyone gets too close together......

Again, I don't know if such an idea has been brought up before.  If it
has, my apologies.