Re: FT III: ECM. from originator

	John Huber you have a lot to answer for. I have a comp in two
days,
half my fleet additions are still unpainted, I still have to sratch
build a
base and yet this wiskers idea keeps coming back to me. AHHHHHHHH!!! :)
Anyway here's what I'm thinking....

	Wiskers system	 4 mass  20 points. (basic-15, superior 25)
	3 Extra Wiskers  3 mass  10 points.

	Wiskers are pilotless drones that are used to scout for larger
ships. They are represented by a single fighter model. They move 12" in
all
respects as a fighter. They are attacked in the same way as missiles
except
that fighter groups may dogfight them needing 6's to hit. The controling
ship may use upto two wiskers at a time (basic-1, superior-3). The
control
ship only may draw line of sight from the drone but still draws line of
fire
and hence range from the ship itself. If both the target and the drone
are
in debris clouds or nebula a lock-on roll must be still made but at +1
for
the ship controlling the wisker drone. Wiskers have no weapons. They may
ram
mines, destroying both, or ships. If they attack ships they roll two
dice
and do a single point of damage if a double 6 is rolled.     

	I don't agree with Jon (of Abosolutely Barking Stars) that they
would be taken out quickly. It would be nice to do so but I envisage
very
small stealthy drones that would be really hard to spot. The Isrealis
used
drones at the start of the "Peace for Galilee" operation back in the
80's (I
suddenly feel old) for recon work and pinpointing hostile SAM batteries
(most of which belonged to the Syrians) without being noticed. As there
isn't that much "terrain" in FT I still thing these things will be most
usefull in a long range recon role. A good parallel would be the
Japanese
Navy of WWII where the aircraft aboard the crusiers did all the search
and
recon work leaveing ALL the aircraft aboard the carriers free for strike
duty. 
	You might think that this is all just recycled cow fodder but
I'd
still like to hear what you think especially if you use something like
this
in a game. Cheers.

	Tony.
twilko@ozemail.com.au
"Everything has been thought of before,
the problem is to think of it again."
			Johann W von Geothe.