Re: FTL Kamikaze (was:Re: cm scale)

Ground Zero Games wrote:
> 
> >On Fri, 21 Nov 1997, People who actually *do* things with their lives
- next
> >time, on	 Geraldo! wrote:
> >
> >> >Btw: Has anyone seen someone try out the "FTL-out suicide bombers"
> >> >strategy? I.e. take Mass 2, Thr8, FTL ships, start at max speeds
> >> >towards enemy. Order FTL out. Watch the enemy suffer. Mega-lame,
but I
> >> >think it could work in a competition.
> >>
> > I played a game where micro carriers were allowed.	24 mass 12 micro
> >carriers all carrying Attack fighters.  Half unloaded at the
beginning of
> >the game then accelerated towards the enemy fleet and FTL'd when they
got
> >close, then the first wave of attack fighters swept through, then the
> >second wave of carriers launched and accelerated, FTL'd then the last
wave
> >of attack fighters, then the carriers that didn't ahve an FTL target
the
> >first time had swung around and made another pass.  The carriers won
with
> >5 carriers left and 12 squadrons of fighters still viable. 
Definitely a
> >cheese thing to do.	Culdn't do much about it unless you specifically
bann
> >this tactic since the opponent a) still had viable FTL ships on the
board
> >b) the fighters had a place to rearm and recover the pilots.
> >
> >But I feel that such cheese tactics should not be allowed to become a
> >regular part of the game.
> >
> >--Binhan
> 
> Agreed. When we wrote FT, we made the mistake of not anticipating the
> hordes of munchkin players.....
> A suggested (simple) fix, that will in all probability be adopted in
FTIII,
> is to leave the FTL proximity damage rules as they are , except for
> removing the bit about damage to other ships - so that a ship engaging
FTL
> too close to something else will still damage/destroy ITSELF, but not
harm
> any other vessels.
> IMHO this still preserves the feel of the intention of the rule (that
you
> can't safely FTL if you are close to another object) but instantly
removes
> any benefit of FTL Kamikaze tactics.
> 
> Jon (GZG)

TWIMC,
     It might also be useful to consider the FTL jump to be
stratigic movement that takes the ships 'off board'.

(NOTE: If a ship can jump every other turn to relocate on the 
board, then why buy thrust greater than one?)

How about a required surrender for the fighters if they
no longer have any chance of being picked up by a friendly ship?

Just some thoughts,
John L.