Re: [FT] Playtest of Fulton's MT Missile rules proposal

Derek wrote via Beth:

> I see the MT missile being used in two different modes, first a long
range
> weapon system (with a straight line range of 54" over a period of
three
> turns) or a close range 'sprint' mode (hence one reason for the 
> secondary movement, sorry I've just finished re-reading the David
Weber > 'starfire'  series).

You use the same words as Weber/White, but you give them a rather
different meaning. Putting my Starfire Design Studio hat on for a
moment:

"Sprint" mode Starfire missiles are equivalent to Full Thrust
sub-munition packs - ie short range (and accuracy which drops off fast
with the range), but completely unstoppable by point defence. The
long-range Starfire missiles (Capital Missiles, Strategic Bombardment
Missiles and Heavy Bombardment Missiles, so far at least <g>) are all
incapable of sprint-mode fire; only the medium-ranged Standard Missile
is capable of both sprint-mode and regular fire.

Back to FT:

> As I said above I think it should be fairly easy for the missile to
close
> with and attack a ship (provided of course that the ship is not
moving at a
> speed which is too fast for the missile to catch), 

*Fairly easy* are the key words here. As I understand them, they do not
mean *Automatically*.

Put it like this: If my enemy flies at speeds less than 18 (with the
9mu secondary move) and I use these missiles, at least 90% of those
missiles are going to lock on to his capital ships... and not even a
Mass 200+ ship will survive a concentrated attack (9-12 missiles or so
after point defence; call it 18-24 missiles prior to point defence...
that's about 100-120 Mass of ships, and they can launch their missiles
long before the enemy can return fire).

I'd feel like an extreme powergamer if I used such a weapon.

OK, I usually fly faster than speed 18 myself (at least in Cinematic -
in Vector it is more of a median), but I know I'm in a rather small
minority...

Worried,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry