[FT][DS][SG] Interface

There has been some discussion on the list recently about the interface
between Full Thrust
and Dirtside II. With the changes in the FB this interface needs a
little
rework. The
following are some suggestions on how to modify the interface in MT to
bring it in line with
the FB.

This is not official, but its probably all you’re going to get for a
while...

1. FB ships designs are more "massive" than equivalent designs in FT/MT.
An
 analysis of the
7 "standard" ship classes shows that, on average, a FB ship design is
2.4
times the mass of
an equivalent FT/MT ship design. For simplicity and ease of calculation,
lets call it a
factor of 2.5.

2. The primary conversion factor in the MT interface to DS2 is the
mass/cargo space ratio.
In MT this is 1 MASS = 50 CS.
If 1 FB mass = 2.5 FT mass then:
1 FB MASS = 50/2.5 = 20 CS

3. In the FB it is SUGGESTED that 1 MASS is equivalent to 100 tonnes.
This
is background
dependent and just happens to be what we have chosen for the GZG
background. If you use a
different background then this factor may well be different....

Assuming then that 1 MASS = 100 tonnes, then 1 CS = 5 tonnes. A Size 3
vehicle takes up 12 CS.
This equates to 60 tonnes which seems about right.

4. The other factor required in the interface is "How many CS can a
dropship of given mass
carry?"
In MT it states that it takes 1 MASS to transport 10 CS from orbit to
surface. This means
that to transport 50 CS would require a drop ship of 5 MASS. Put another
way, dropship
efficiency is 20%. This ratio should also be background dependent
(although
 it doesn’t say so
in MT).

For use with FB designs, I would suggest that dropship efficiency be
increased to 25%. A
MASS 5 dropship can now transport 25 CS - room for 2 size 3 vehicles or
a
leg platoon of 24
men - a standard "platoon lander"

The Assault Transport shown on	FB p42 therefore has a troop capacity of
32
 * 20 = 640 CS
and has 4 MASS 5 platoon landers.  This ship can comfortably carry a
mechanised infantry
company complete with its vehicles and stores.

As an aside, please note DS2 Capacity points (CP) and FT Cargo Spaces
(CS)
are NOT the same
thing:
A Size 3 vehicle requires 12 CS but has 15 CP. Therefore 1 CS = 1.25 CP

To summarise:

1 FB Mass = 20 CS
Dropship efficiency = 25% ( It takes 1 MASS to transport 5CS from orbit
to
surface).

These are the ONLY changes needed to the interface. Everything else in
MT
still applies.

Mike Elliott