Re: Core hits and striking the colours (LONG!)

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Hugh,

I follow some of your logic, but disagree with other parts of it.

I think CPV is still the best choice. Yes, the STC means that a big ship
has the same chance as a small ship at being lost. That does
counterbalance
big vs. small to some extent. However, the odds on threshold #1 are not
so
high. You have to get into the 2nd or 3rd threshold before having lost
your
ship to STC becomes decently likely. Thus there is usually time for your
superior mass to play its usual role. I do agree that it slightly
changes
valuation of big vs. small and can (in dice driven particular cases)
make a
big difference from time to time, but I think the big ship advantage is
still there most of the time statistically.

If you want to think of this another way, both big and small ships can
be
taken out on the same values on the die with STC. So effectively, you
can
just consider each battled 1/4 to 1/3rd shorter for everyone. If this is
true, then big ships and small ships both end sooner.

But that's only one bit of the math.... many small ships would not make
the
end of an mixed-ship battle, so perhaps they get their normal in-game
span
of life and the big ship actually has to leave sooner. Lots of ways to
slice this one and not sure which one is most accurate to on-table
results.

I think you might be right on the '3-hull row vs. 5-hull row issue'. I
can
argue a bit to the contrary, but the more I think about it, the more it
feels like your answer is right.

-- 
Only solitary men know the full joys of friendship. Others have their
family; but to a solitary and an exile, his friends are everything.* 
*--
Willa Cather (1873 - 1947)Solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appelunt
-- Publius Cornelius Tacitus (from the book Agricola, attributed to a
speech from Calgacus)