Re: Descriptive design system idea

At 11:44 PM 3/12/97 +0000, you wrote:

>I do think missiles need revision. We can PSB that missiles aren't
>ever likely to get in close for a direct hit (too predicable a
>trajectory vs. point defense) so detonate at a distance. That would
>make a missile like a mine with an engine. Push the damage from a 
>mine up, and drop missiles down.
>

	I think we have to assume that missiles can't get a direct hit
(I
have a little trouble believing these ships could survive the detonation
of
a nuke on the hull...) As for raising mine damage (something that needs
to
be done anyway) and lowering missile damage--if you have specific
numbers
for this, I'd like to know.

>> > Many of the EW systems should probably be pointed higher (like area

>> > ECM). Sensors are a little odd, in that basic sensor are 
>> > indestructable (e.g. have no record sheet symbol) and the
usefulness
>> > of all sensors varies depending whether emplaced on an escort,
>> > cruiser or capital.
>> ...
>> I'd just include 
>> the cost for basic sensors in the FC cost.
>
>I think that that's a fine idea.

	There's an idea I've been toying with from Mekton. You get basic
sensors for free and you put a symbol on the ship to represent them. If
you
improve your sensors by buying better ones, you put that symbol on the
ship
instead. If you sensors get hit by a damage roll, they are downgraded.
Superior and Enhanced downgrade to standard. Standards downgrade to
Backups.
You can't ever lose the Backup level of sensors. And yes, superior and
enhanced can take two hits (the first down to standard, the second down
to
backup).

	Since usefulness of sensors depends on class in the original
system
and we're doing away with that, usefulness of sensors (how many ships
you
can scan a turn, etc.) should be based on number of fire controls. So
with
this system you could build a small powerful ships with a lot of fire
controls and superior sensors and ECM jammers and simulate a small AWACS
or
C3 Orion type craft, which I think is massively cool.

	James
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