Tactical FTL

<David Brewer wrote:>
>FTL, on the other hand, should cost nothing because, tactically, it
>is worth nothing.

Our gaming group uses this slight modification to the disengangement
rules:

	A starship cannot disengage with NS movement alone.  Only FTL
	disengagement is allowed.  It takes time to plot a course and
	also warm up the 'ol engines for jump into hyperspace.	Warships
	cannot disengage until turn 5 of the tactical game.  Merchant
	ships cannot disengage until turn 10.

We're using these rules in our FT campaign to make pirating convey's 
a possibilty.  Yeah, the warships could leave early but the poor cargo
vessels would likely be boarded.  Cargo ships are very valuable in our
campaign games.  Destroying them hurts the enemy but capturing them is
a far better deal if you can do it.  The FTL rule is one we use to
make the cargo ships big FAT targets.  So the FTL drive in our games do
have tactical use, in addition to their obvious strategic (ie. Campaign)
use.

Peter Caron

P.S. Got the idea for this from STAR WARS.  When Luke, Obi, Han and
Chewie
     first leave Luke's homeworld (can't spell it), Han explains in a
rather
     peeved tone that you can't just jump into hyperspace, you might end
up
     in a meteor shower or the middle of a sun... etc.	Sounded good to
me.