Re: Table positioning, etc...

On Tue, 29 Jul 1997, Joachim Heck - SunSoft wrote:

> If, however, ships are constrained to turn in EXACT
> multiples of thirty degrees, they will always line up with one of the
> twelve COURSEs described in the rulebook.  

This is only true if it was initially placed along one of the 
Official(tm) courses. 

Originally, the thought of using absolute headings instead of relative 
ones never crossed my mind, but having thought about it, I still feel 
relative is superior for a number of reasons:

1) Simplified setup. Place your minis on the table, and that's it.
No need to check compliance with a turning key.

2) Accuracy. Lacking a grid on the table, the nose of the ship is far 
more accurate indicator of heading than a table edge a yard distant. I 
certainly cannot place a miniature somewhere in the middle of a blank 
table and be certain it's heading in an official direction without 
extensive measuring equipment.

3) Realism. Coupled with "zero-speed spin to ANY direction (not any
clock
face)", completely removes the "I can't hit the docking bay, it's at
11:30"	idiocy. 

4) Simplifies fighter movement. This is debatable, ofcourse, but
excluding fighters from the absolute direction restriction while 
retaining it for ship zero-speed spins is IMHO very confusing.

I must admit that if you read the rulebook like lawyer, absolute
headings 
is the interpretation you get from it. Though even the book is a 
bit ambiguous -- it speaks of recording ship course, yet the fleet
record 
sheet has no place for it, turning orders are explicitly given as 
relative to current heading.

But I wonder what benefit absolute directions would give the game? FT
does
not have ANY ship-to-ship rules, IIRC, that rely on relative headings.
If 
it had, say, deflection modifiers for gunnery, the situation would be 
different.

Oh well, play it any way you like it. That's the only really correct
way.

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