Re: Bogey Markers

On Tue, 06 May 1997 20:35:07 -0400, you wrote:

>>>I prefer the USN designations, CA, BB, CV, FF etc. but only use the
>>>first two letters, it's real easy to tell that a ship is frigate
sized,
>>>but not exactly what, if any loadout it has.
>>
>>I use these designations on the actual mini, not the bogey.  Placing
it on
>>the bogey still gives too much away.	For example, placing CV on a
bogey
>>might tell the opponent you are carrying fighters.  The general size
>>categorys give a vague idea on size, which is what a bogey should be,
vague.
>>Also, one fleet may designate ships using a different system or have
>>designations based on alternate sizes.  It is helpful to use one that
most
>>players can identify with. I realize that Jon listed suggested sizes
for
>>designating a warship, but there is no reason why one player's fleet
might
>>call some ships frigates, that might actually be the size of another
>>player's cruisers.

Unless the game rules include hidden SSDs (ship record forms) there is
no reason not to justify differentiating between a CVL and a CL, or
whatvever. Otherwise it's all rather pointless.

We do indeed depart from the standard ship sizes but we still have to
use a fixed reference scale. In another game I have a class of ship
which I call "Star Cruiser" which is, in fact, of destroyer size.
Obviously, it gets a DD bogey marker and is replaced with a star
cruiser miniature when it is identified. 

Ideally you want some kind of "tactical intelligence" which allows you
to gradually ID ships with range. e.g.

range
144+	number of ships and size (s, m, l)
96	hull type (escort, cruiser, capital)
48	military or commerical (i.e does it have lots of guns or does
	it have cargo doors)
36	number of 'a' batteries
12	can look at SSD sheet

(Obviously you need to develop the system further and adjust these
range values before the system becomes usable).

Sandy Goh (sandy@artica.demon.co.uk)