A few questions...

I'm new to the mailing list and admit to having rummaged around in the
archives a bit, but please bear with me: I'm learning.

I recently came across a _MARS: Adventures in Miniature Gaming_  
(Volume 1,
number 2) with an article "Even More Thrust", which has some interesting
FT
advice, technology and aliens in it. 
I'm curious as to the rest of the mailing list's opinion of this article
if
they've read it. 

Has anyone played with any of these optional rules? I'm particularly
interested in the spinal laser?

Also the "Maniacs" an alien race in the article carry their fighters on
racks
not bays which allow instant deployment of the fighters, even if they
are more
vulnerable. Has anyone tried this one out on the gaming table yet?

Finally, if FB2 will be aliens is there any chance that FB3 will be of
the
minor, or unmentioned, powers in the FT universe?

Thanks much and I hope to her from y'all soon.
Trey Palmer