FTL Fighters (was Re: Carrier design in FT)

>
>Jerry spake thusly upon matters weighty:
>> 2)  Operational reality;  you have to be really careful to keep the
range
>> open, or dedicated carriers tend to pop real easy.  (Much easier than
>> something like the Nimitz would.  On the flip side, I was working on
an
>> extremely small hull; you might have better results with something
more
>> appropriate for a fleet carrier.)
>
>Sounds like you need Warp Packs or some such idea to give you a
>longer operational range and therefore let you operate at greater
>distance from the carriers. Plus a bunch of escorts with ADAF, PDAF,
>batteries capable of engaging fighters, etc. And a CAP to protect the
>carrier (not all strikefighters!). You could do Midway esque wars
>with such systems. Real fighters have ranges that are way long
>compared to FT ranges. Drop Tanks? Consumable Warp Packs?
>
>And how about Pseudo Fighter/PT Boats and their tug/tenders....
>
>(Yes I am an SFB hand-me-down....)
>
>Tom.
>
>/************************************************
>Thomas Barclay

I was just re-reading this, and thinking about adding some ideas for
either
'Strategic' or Tactical FTL-packs to my modular fighter design system,
but
here's a couple of snags:

a) they would have to increase the size of the fighters, making it
harder
to fit in the bays - so it seems they could be good for sending along
extra
fighters with a task force, which after transit dumps the packs, fights,
and hopes to hell there is still surviving carrier or docking facilities
in
the fleet, otherwise they are screwed (unless you want to allow them to
retreive the jettisoned packs - but then you are depending on being in
control of the combat territory)

b) The assumption of FT fighters as short duration craft is they
probably
don't have extended life support facilities. Best case you have a tiny
pressurized cabin, so sending along extra bathroom bags (No, I won't go
into extra detail) and extra MRE's may make it liveable as the packs
could
have extra fuel, air, etc attached to the fighter's existing service
ports.
Worst case you are stuck in your space suit for the duration - again you
probably have service ports on your suit and could jack into extended
support facilities piped through the fighters, but at the FTL
turn-around
times for FT, that's a looong time stuck in the suit.  I suppose you
could
go EVA to get some exercise in between jumps - but I wouldn't spend a
week
with spacesuit recyc tubes attached to me.  The only other solution I
see
in this case is to go EVA to the pressurized outhouse built into the
FTL-Pack.  Could be embarassing to be ambushed while you're in the
can...
Anyway, maybe a small sleeper facility like large trucks have, with
built
in sanitary facilities.  You are still probably flying automatic while
the
single pilot snoozes. So the squadron flies together, rotating sleep
times,
and another squadron guides the sleeper's fighter via remote link (very
rudimentary).

Having said all that, here are my design ideas, which assume the packs
are
relatively small in relation to the mass of the fighters, so the carrier
does need to specifically allocate more mass to carry them.
-With FT 'lots of little jumps as we close' approach, you attach the
packs
and launch fighters just before last jump, they make their single jump
at
effectively begin the game with all fighters launched.
-Fighters cannot be combat-serviced with the packs attached - They may
be
relatively small, but the flight bays or decks are already hectic and
cramped.  If you wish to land and rearm (or just land the squadron in
combat) you must dump the packs.  You dump packs by including in in your
orders, and the drop is active at the beginning of the same turn, but
you
cannot dock until the next.
-No other real effect on the game, except allowing the fighters to FTL
out
if they never dumped packs.  The FTL field would probably be so small
that
there is no real damage to other craft.
-If you get in a fight with the packs attached you'd better pray. I
think
fighters with packs still attached would be pigs (Hey they are FTL, not
normal space engines, right?) So for the FB Max speed 12", secondary
move
6" if any, combat burns endurance at double speed, dogfighting ability
gets
dropped a level (interceptor to normal, normal to attack ftr, attack to
none).
-To give them the packs, and ability to start the game on the board
(assuming the fleet is not surprised - scenario dependant) maybe 2pts
per
fighter? If using my Fighter design rules, 2 pts and Eff 0 (external
addition that encumbers the ship while attached, so does not penalize
Eff).

So, how does that sound?

Jared Noble