Re: FTFB--new fleet design philosophies.

	I've been playing around with the FB design rules quite a bit
lately (I
trying not to think about essays and thesis') and I been thinking about
the
designs I've come with.
	Firstly someone was talking about fire arcs in one post. IMHO
always
upgrade the class 2 to 360 degree firearcs saves worrying about your
rear
all the time. Always give class 3's 180 degree arcs. If you have 3 or
more
class 3 batterys first one fires in the front 180 degrees, one 60 deg
further to port, the other 60 deg to starboard (I think you can see
where
this is going). Fit class 4's in pairs each with 2 fire arcs. Extra arcs
go
one to port and one to starboard. Finally, useless a very specialised
design always mount at least 2 class 1's. They are just too useful for
shooting fighter and missiles.
	Pulse torps are much better now that they can have 180 deg arcs.
Take the
extra arcs. Only use the front 180 unless on a big ship of thrust 2 in
which case stagger the arcs to port and starboard. That way if it comes
down to a circling battle between two heavies (and IME it nearly always
does) you can keep throwing at least one torp at him.
	SML's. I must admit that I'm yet to see them in a game but I
believe that
for best results you'll need 2 salvos on target. If mounted on a small
ship
use 1 launcher, if on a big ship use 2 launchers from the same mag (and
make it a big one). Not used much.
	With my own designs I've found that my big ships (over Mass 150)
all mount
2 screens and at least 8 points of armour and are virtually all thrust 2
on
average hulls. Mass 150 to 50 and they all have 1 screen and 5 points of
armour, usually thrust 4 or better, average but a couple of weak hulls.
The
only difference between the small crusiers and the large destroyers is
that
the destroyers dont have screens. My designs are 50/50 average and weak
hulls all thrust 6, most have no armour but some get 2 or 3 points
worth. A
couple of my designs mount nothing but a pair of pulse torps or an SML
with
4 shot mag.
	How would this work as a fleet? The destroyers are fairly light
but pack a
fair punch, the idea being I don't have to survive your fire if I can
kill
you first. Crusiers tend to be more general prupose except for the
escort
type (2 ADS, 8 PDS, 2 class 1's) with the faster types more suited to
heavy
antiship work (beams plus 1 or 2 pulse torps). Ships of the Line (apart
from carriers) emphasize survivability (hey if the OU every buys things
this big they'll want their moneys worth) but pack a punch at the cost
of
speed. Some of the line are sluggers (one design which I really like had
7
class 3, 2 class 2 and 2 class 1's) or snipers (mouting class 4's
instead
of 3's) which support the main line by being a second line or follow up
wave. Carriers are far more fragile (weak hulls, 6 points armour) but
are
heavily geared for fighter ops (CVL - 5 groups, CV - 8 groups. I want
lanuch control rules in FT3). I am toying with the idea of having my
carriers mount class 4 beams and form a second line to the
Ships-of-the-line.
	I think the new design rules are great and we will see a lot
more
variations in ship and fleet designs reflecting the preferences of the
players more or how much they just want to win :).
 
	Tony.
	twilko@ozemail.com.au