Re: [GZG] Re: Ship Roles & Classes Part Deux

John Rebori wrote on 05/17/2007 06:18:49 AM:

***snippage of beloved manufacturer's remarks***

> Submariners call their crafts "boats" despite the fact
> they qualify as ships in size because historically the
> first ones were boats. Strikeship crews may well follow
> the same tradition. Aside from that, which would have no
> game effect, I like the ship = FTL /boat = non-FTL
> nomenclature rule.

I didn't think the nomenclature was entirely voluntary. ;->=

Excellent point about tradition trumping reason, though.

I am rather partial to the distinction based on FTL, though it could
just
as well be the difference to a ship with equipment and facilities for
extended intersteller missions, including to the amount of fuel, vs. a
unit
that could only pop in, and, if surviving an encounter, pop right back
out
to home. *shrug*

> By the way, despite the WWII movie title, those of us who
> have crewed modern "strikeboat" equivalents find the word
> "expendable"...........unsettling. :-)

I have to admit the vision of penal units came to mind briefly. However,
I'm sure the brave part was that Jon intended to have the emphasis.

Throwing very small craft at very big ones, while occasionally
successful,
certainly suggested a certain expendability in the minds of the battle
planners. Interesting, that in 'radical' naval thought, there were
periods
when small torpedo craft vied with aircraft as to be the future doom of
big
ship navies.

The_Beast

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