Re:Threshold Levels

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Which reminds me of one popular local complaint about FT. There really 
no such thing as a critical hit. You've got to pound the shit out of a
big ship forever, to neutralize or destroy it. Not as satisfying as 
seeing a WWI German cruiser blow sky high on a magazine hit in a game 
of Panzerschiffe the other day. And remember the Hood?

I've always thought it excellent that FT has such a GREAT critical hit
system. You can never tell which systems are going to die when you
go over a threshold. (In short you make critical hit checks all at
once.)
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If you want more critical hits (why???) you could always mark off damage
down
the column instead of across the row. This would give MUCH more critical
chances.

I do agree, however, that capitals have an undue advantage for delaying
criticals. A good rule of thumb would have been:
  Escorts 2-18 tons:	2 rows
  Cruisers 19-36 tons:	3 rows
  Capitals 37-50 tons:	4 rows
	   51-75 tons:	5 rows
	   76-100 tons: 6 rows
  Superships:		1 row for each 25 or fraction thereof.
-or-
  All ships have 1 threshold row plus 1 threshold row per 50 tons (round
up).

While I'm here criticizing the game I love...

It was a shame that Jon didn't spread the classes more evenly. Such as:
Corvette/Gunboat:    1-10 tons	Escort
Frigate:	    11-20 tons	Escort
Destroyer:	    21-30 tons	Escort
Lt Cruiser:	    31-40 tons	Cruiser
Escort Cruiser:     41-50 tons	Cruiser
Hvy Cruiser:	    51-60 tons	Cruiser
Battlecruiser:	    61-70 tons	Capital
Battleship:	    71-80 tons	Capital
Battledreadnought:  81-90 tons	Capital
Superdreadnought:   91-100 tons Capital
  This would have given Escorts and Cruisers more meaning. A 30 ton ship
with an
thrust of 8 is something could be something to contend with! Likewise a
60 ton
ship with a thrust of 6 heading toward your flank is a threat!