RE: FT : EW & Boarding Parties

I like it - very nice indeed...

First question - what have you done about BP Factors under the Fleet
Book?
My thought is to tie it directly to Crew Factor.
Perhaps a total Marine/Security Factor equal to current Crew Factor, of
which only half could be sent to Board an Enemy vessel.  (or remove the
artificial one-half limitation altogether).  Maybe is should only be
half
of crew factor.

Second, how do transported Marine forces translate into Defensive
factors.
I don't know about you, but anyone boarding my troop ship is in for a
world
of hurt, especially if they don't realize it's a troop ship.

Fifth, (third sir!) uhhh, third - How about that 'prize crew' thing? 
Does
it reduce my BP Factors, how about my ship's crew factors.  How do BP
casualties tie in to crew casualties.

Hit-and Run Raids and Targeting.
First off, Targeting.  This is basically allowing an objective to be
declared. Roll a die. On 1-5, the die was ineffective.	on 6 the
objective
was achieved and reroll.  Only on the reroll are normal combat
casualties
counted. (i.e., after the objective was achieved)

Hit and run Raids
Take BPs and declare their objective to be the damage/destruction of a
specific ship system, instead of inflicting casualties.  Teams on Hit
and
Run Raids are the last to take casualties from normal combat (The
standard
boarding parties can form a convincing diversion).

Attacking Raiding Parties
Every 6 the defender rolls may be used so specifically target ONE
hit-and
run party, otherwise the 2 casualties must be taken from other BPs
first.

Now we just need a way to board the ship when things are still hot.  How
about boarding cutter?	Basically a missile with guys in it.  Launch it,
move it (haven't decided on speed), if you end within 6", regardless of
speed or facing, you close and board (much like the missile on terminal
attack run).  Of course you are still subject to PDS fire, and if you
miss
you are hanging out in open space just waiting to blasted to pieces, and
any old class-1 beam is probably up to the job, but that's why you are
careful and plan ahead.

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker <schoon@aimnet.com> on 11/06/98 05:58:17 AM

Please respond to FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk

To:   FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk
cc:    (bcc: Jared E Noble/AAI/ARCO)
Subject:  RE: FT : EW & Boarding Parties

>Using crew size as your boarding factors does work, but in FTFB you
have
>a LOT more boarding factors than MT, so the difference between a light
>cruiser & a heavy cruiser is usually overwhelming.  Law of averages
>kicks small ships in the teeth.

I drafted these alternate BP rules a while ago. They give the little guy
a
slightly bigger chance...

Alternate Boarding Rules

     Although the boarding rules from MT provide a simple and quick
method
of resolving such actions, I believe that an alternate set of rules can
do
so with no additional complexity, more "realism," and taking into
account
the new core systems rules.
     Using the old system, any BFs that were severely outnumbered could
not
possibly win, nor could they hope to inflict any casualties. Even a two
vs.
four situation was virtually hopeless for the defenders, contrary to the
example in MT.
Boarding actions take place after Step 9: Ships Fire in the sequence of
play. To be eligible for a boarding action, the ships in question must
be
within 6" and have a difference in velocity no greater than one. If
using
the Cinematic Movement System, the course may vary by no more than one
clock face than that of the target ship, or, if using the Vector
Movement
System, by no more than 30ø off that of the target vessel.
     Each BF is assigned to either offensive of defensive status.
Offensive
BFs are those that will assault the enemy ship, and defensive ones will
defend their own.
     Any ship assaulted by enemy BFs will have a boarding action. Both
offensive and defensive players roll one die for each BF, and score it
in
the same manner as a beam weapon, including re-rolls on a 6. The result
is
the number of casualties inflicted on the opposing force. For example,
if
two defensive BFs were assaulted by four offensive BFs, they would roll
two
and four dice respectively. If the rolls were 2 and 5 for the defenders,
and 1, 4, 3, and 6 (re-roll of 4), the casualties would be 1 and 4
respectively. The defenders have died gloriously, but at least they took
a
"bad guy" down with them.
     If, after casualties have been removed, there are still BFs on both
sides, another round of combat will ensue on the following turn. A ship
could potentially be in contest for some time, with both players making
an
effort to reinforce their side in the intervening turn.
     The defending player has the option of giving up a core system
instead
of a casualty. The effects of giving up the system are exactly the same
as
if it has failed a threshold check, with the exception of the power
core.
The power core will not explode (unless that is the assault team's
objective), but simply acts as if it had been dumped upon a roll of 5-6
(FB
pg. 5). For example, a defender with two BFs takes two casualties from
offensive forces. Confident that he can get reinforcements from friendly
ships next turn, he removes one BF and gives up life support. The other
player rolls one die (as if life support had failed) and gets a two.
Whatever happens, the defender had better hope that the action is
resolved
within the next two turns.
     Note that with this system, a ship can drop off an assault force
and
then thrust away to do other things. Likewise, a defender, who has any
capacity to do so, can limp closer to friendly forces in hopes of help.