SV: Gunboats in FT...

Mike Viking wrote:

> New system: Gunboat
> Mass: 2 per Gunboat
> Cost: 15 per gunboat
> Speed:10"
> 
> Gunboats are similar to bombers of the late 20th century. They have a 
> forward firing energy cannon (as a fighter but may only attack ships 
> not fighters due to it's slow recharge rate) two volleys of range 6" 
> submunitions (1 submunition die each) and an anti fighter 
> mount with a 360 degree arc (roll a d6, on a 6 a fighter is killed) 
> The Gunboat may either fire 1 or 2 submunitions or fire it's energy 
> armament. The gunner may fire his mount seperately. A squadron of 6 
> gunboats firing it's submunitions (12 die) at a ship target would 
> average 8 points of damage regardless of shields on the target. 
> Gunboats are built for extended missions and thus have an endurance 
> of6 attack rounds before needing to return to the carrier.

Hm... Lessee:
2 close range dice worth of submunitions = 2/3 MASS
Weak fighter beam				  ~ 1/4 MASS ?
Anti-fighter turret				       ~ 1/4 MASS ?

So, roughly 1.2 MASS is used by weapons, while the rest is engines. The
anti-fighter turret and main beam together almost equal the capabilities
of
an Attack fighter.

C'mon - unless you have LOTS of gunboats (or your enemy lacks point
defence), no squadron will survive 6 attack rounds!

Why do I get the feeling that this is inspired by Weber's "In Death
Ground"? <VBG>

Regards,

Oerjan Ohlson

"Life is like a sewer.
What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry