Re: Mines

In a message dated 7/9/99 11:33:17 AM EST, schoon@aimnet.com writes:

<< 
 I kind of like the idea of beefing up a mines a bit, but before we go
 hog wild with this we should look at what we want mines to really do.
 
 
 A 2d6 mine IS beefed up, but it also has the capacity to obliterate
 anything up to a Frigate in one blow. Do we want this?
 
  >>

A Naval mine is able to take out a frigate in one blow right now, today.
Is 
it unrealistic to have it do that in the future? I don't know. Back in
the 
days when we played a lot of Star Cruiser ships had "sub munition
dispenser" 
which dropped "mines" in the area of the target which engaged the target

which one shot x-ray detonation lasers. Very effective one shot weapon.
These 
were NOT capable of taking out a ship in a whack. Mines that simply blow
up 
are not likely to be effective in space warfare, because too much of the

blast effect goes in directions that do not focus the damage against the

target.

By using a detonation laser instead as the weapon in the mine, in FT
terms 
you would have a one shot high power beam weapon that would attack the
target 
when it moved into range and be expended with that attack. That should
not 
overbalance the game, I should think. It might be the best way to look
at 
"mines" in space. IMHO. of course.