Re: FT III alternative rules

Craig Mitchell wrote:
>As an alternative means of encouraging the use of B- and C- batteries
we
>tried the adoption of minimum ranges for each class:
> C Battery unrestricted
> B Battery minimum 6 inches
> A Battery minimum 12 inches
> AA Battery we didn't try this but 18 inches would seem about right
>      do you really want to try using it at this sort of range anyway!
>
>This means that if you close against a ship with only A batteries it is
> helpless against you and means that lower batteries become essential (
or
>possibly those escorts will have to live up to their name and provide
close
>in fire support for the heavy guns fitted on the larger ships. The
rationalle
>behind this being that the heavier the beam the more beam ( and
heavier)
>projectors that must be focussed on the target and each may only be
depressed
>by so much.

This could be true if we looked at the beam weapon with a close
resemblence
to todays turrets cannons, but the actual mass of the weapon might be
allocated as follows: 90% in non-moving mass(barbette containing energy
generation/storage, etc.) with only 10% used for the actual turreted
weapon.
I don't think gun elevation will make a difference in FT unless the
weapon
is quite huge(or your playing wet-navy).

Mike Miserendino