RE: [FT] Tugs and Q-ships.

It would partially depend on how excessive you want your q-ships & tugs.
 
If you're willing to sacrifice ALL your cargo space, the easiest (&
deadliest) would be to load up a tanker with SMR(er) launchers.  A
standard Bulk Transport can carry 28 of these & still have room for an
extra 9 PDS.  Perfect Q-ship material, capable of fragging entire raider
forces (if you can hit).  The easiest way to protect your cargo is
annihilate raiders before they reach weapon range.
An ADFC system amongst transport could almost be considered a waste.
Any force large enough to overload a transports PDS is usually military
in nature & carries class-3s, Pulsetorps, SMLs & large fighter
complements; whereas a normal pirate would have class-2s, needlebeams,
almost never have SMLs (due to resupply problems) & fighter maintanence
would be an uphill battle (unless they're only pretending to be pirates
or are VERY well financed.)

'Neath Southern Skies
http://users.mcmedia.com.au/~denian/
*****
Cmdr Robertson - GCV Southern Skies
Fleet Admiral Doyle - ESU Vesuvius (La Fayette invasion force)
Gunslinger, Emperor & all-around demigod. 

-----Original Message-----
From:	John Crimmins [SMTP:johncrim@voicenet.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, March 03, 1999 2:01 PM

 I figure that by pairing Tugs armed with
extensive ADS systems, with converted tankers that have lots of big
guns, I
should be able to create a pretty effective combination.  The tugs will
be
able to protect both the Q-ship and the rest of the convoy while the big
guns will engage the enemy at long range--hopefully preventing him from
closing and damaging the valuable cargo.  Does this sound excessively
cheesy, or just sensible? 

John X Crimmins