Re: Mines

In a message dated 97-02-07 01:28:48 EST, you write:

>   There is something truly wrong when most players use large heavily
shielded
>  ships for mine sweepers.... and they rarely are affected.
>    Given these facts I propose that mines do 3d6 beams worth of attack
>  instead.  With their already reduced detection range of 3 inches,
this
rule
>  would already offset the cost difference of a an active system versus
a
mine
>  that stays on the board.  Additionally the 3d6 beams attack has only
1 in 
> 216
>  chance of inflicting 6 points of damage while a torpedoe has 1 in 6
chance

> of
>  inflicting 6 points of damage.
>    All those in favor say aye.  Althose not in favor make your counter
>  arguments.

I agree that mines as written are truly worthless.
Our group uses the following mines:
Standard Mine Layer:  1 Mass. 3 Points	 May drop 3 mines and three
decoys.
 Each mine is 2d6 detontation beam weapon exactly as written in the Full
Thrust rules.
Large Mine Layer:  3 Mass, 10 points	May drop three large mines and
three
decoys.  Each mine is a 6d6 detonation beam wepon and is activated as
normal
mines.
Powered Mine Layer:  3 Mass 10 points	May drop three mines and three
decoys.  Each mine is a 2d6 beam weapon with internal power supply
capable of
firing for the entire duration of the average game.  Mine is activated
as
normal, but is not removed after firing.

We assumed that each mine is individually small enough to be effectively
invisible to sensors, but also so small as to not have the surface area
to
mount sufficient passive detectors for target tracking, etc.  Therefore
each
mine has a small active emitter and detector rig, which makes the mine
visible to ship sensors.  Decoys are simply emitters that mimic the
mine's
active emmitter.  A ship cannot tell a decoy fro a real mine until
within
detonation range.  It is also impossible to distinguish mine types
outside of
the detonation range.  Mines emplaced around bases and similar
installations
may be command activated.  These mines (and equal # decoys) are not
placed on
the table to start the game.  They may be activated in the end phase of
any
turn and begin emitting  Mines are then placed on the table and are
active
for the next turn.  Cost is the same as dropped mines.

These rules have worked out OK when players have used them.  One time a
player laid minefields around his support ships which were armed only
with AA
batts.	I got to him though with fighters, which the mines cannot engage
:).
 Another time the same player equipped some of his ships with a
minelayer
each (large or standard) and dropped them in front of fast moving enemy
vessels.  One of my destroyers got caught moving to fast to avoid the
screen
of mines and so I guessed at which one was a decoy and tried to shoot
through.  I guesses wrong and a large mine rolled well and completely
wasted
the destroyer :(.

Comments?

Brian