Re: Space carrier fighter philosphyRe: ADLER TAG AAR

Binhan Lin wrote:

> it looks much more impressive to say you can put up 72 aircraft from a
> carrier, not 48 with 24 spares in case the you lose 24.  In addition,
how
>

I don't think naval policy is formulated with that kind of logic. You
can
project more combat power with 72 AC than 48. If I have a job that needs
a
bigger presence, than you are uncecessarily committing more resources to
the
operational area and more risk. It takes a shitload of planes to suport
even a
small strike against a defended targtet. Tankers, wild weasel, strike
escort,
BARCAP, reception escort, SAR and then oh yeah, the actual mud movers.
blah
blah.

> FT doesn't quite fall into this model since the fighters have a much
shorter
> range (i.e. no FTL) than the carriers.  I would suspect that you might
build
> an auxillary carrier as a storage area for ready fighters - it would
be able
> to launch something like one squadron a turn but be able to carry
something
> like 6 squadrons.  The space would be 2/3 that of normal to reflect
that the
> carrier is sacrificing maintenance capability for added storage space
and this
> would
>

Here's what I been thinking. You have four levels of maintenence and
logistical
support:

1. Level One: Your onboard grease monkeys and wrenches (Known in NAC
parlance as
"dash ten") This is support that can be handled on the ship itself.
replenishment that the ship undertakes on it's won. A good example is
Tom's
spare fighter bay example. Also damage to ships that can be repair (not
emergency repair but fixed good as new) by the crews themselves given
what
resources they have on hand.

2.Level Two. The Fleet Underway Replenishment Vessel (FURV or "dash
twenty"
maint.) This is a combat capable ship, maybe a few level one beams and
PDS,
armored or shielded that acocompanies combat units. Similar to undersea
replenishment ships in today's navies with carrier or surface action
groups. I
would reflect the carrying capacity by giving it a bay of some
certainisze then
figuring out the math on how much that bay holds. For FT purposes we're
talking
spare fighters, SMLs and Capital missiles (Am I forgetting any other FT
expendables?) In real life add POL power core fuel rods (or whatever),
food,
water spare parts whatever. The ships have the abiility to replenish
underway
using autonmatic reloaders. So say for instance you culd have two DD/Ms
pull up
amdiships, dock, and have the reloaded replenish the missles magazines
etc. The
quuestion is how many turns to reload? Also carries major repair parts
like
spare engines for fighters, Main Beam armament capacitors and diodes,
etc.

3. Level Three: Fleet Trains (Dash three)This is a convoy of supply
ships with
specially constructed dry dock ships for major repairs. Yet larger
stocks of
weapons supplies, spare fighters, etc.

4. Level Four: Depot Maintenace (dash four) This is major repais
conducted at
fleet bases and orbital facilities. Had the ass end blown off you ship?
Tow it
home.

Lets use the recent action at Rot Hafen for example. As soon as the
KraVak warp
out the ships establish local security protocols. Crews everywhere are
doing
dash ten stuff. Then in ones or twos while the rest remain on GQ or
conduct SAR,
they pull up to the FURV and replenish SML magazines. The CVs pull up
and draw
any spares they can. As soon as 1st CAF commander has his available
figters
rearmed and his MSLs (and capitals) reloaded, then he can breath again.
The
FURVS continue to hang around and now dispense stuff like modular armor
replacement units to any ship that can until the FURV runs out.

A courier drone or messenger is sent to YANKEE STATION (holding point
for the
Fleet trains and their escort) telling them to come on in Rot Hafen is
secure.
They arrive. The first thing that Cmdr 1st CAF does is offload
casualties and
replenish his FURVs. Plus get as many fighters out of cold storage as
possible
and get them up to speed. The Fleet train has Tugs, so it drags off the
crippled
KRS Friedrich. This SD is a couple damage boxes shy of dead and has no
power
core. Well that thing is on it's way back to te fleet base at Nue
Salzburg. ALso
major end ite repait is conducted where possible. Maybe a whole engine
on a DD
is replaced, whatever. Maybe a ship with major armor damage as well as a
PDS and
two beams out can have that repaired byeth Fleet train. etc etc.

Los