Re: Sandcasters [My version]

On Wed, 22 Sep 1999, Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:

>	I couldn't figure out how to add a screening ability for
escorted
> vessels and still keep it balanced. If anyone out there has any
ideas...
>	These are cheap and light enough that even escorts should be
able
> to mount one, and freighters can definitely pack two.

Id rather see them used as a smallish template that is placed on the 
table. One would get x number of templates for each load fired. say
three 
or for. If they were an oblong shape of say 3 inches by one inch they 
would represent the "smoke screen" they are meant to emulate. 
Occludes LOS, reduces effectiveness of weapons, etc. It stays on board 
for 3 turns. When a ship deploys it, the player chooses a velociy 
vector for the clouds, it will have that velocity component for its 
duration.

Thus 3x 3"x1" templates (roundish) could be laid end to end depending on

how the deploying vessel was moving. 

ie DD is escorting three merchies. The DD (using vector movement) lays a

screen along a diagonal line from one rear aspect to the other (abaft 
port to abaft stbd) 9 inches long. This would protect the merchies and 
require the persuing vessels to maneuver to avoid the cloud or slow to 
pass through harmlessly. Obviously this would work better against slower

craft. 

This would fill the bill, keep it simple and just like asteroids in 
mechanical form. 

Ships that pass through it at greater than 5 velocity diff would take 
1 pt of damage for every point. (its sufficeintly dense to represent
many 
micrometeorite fragments striking en-masse)

It would make things more tactically interesting and would represent a 
hard object on the table. Red force would have to maneurver to get a 
better shot on the protected vessels. It also closely emulates the DDs
of 
WWII laying a large smoke screen to protect larger high value vessels.

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- Ryan Montieth Gill		DoD# 0780 (Smug #1) / AMA / SOHC -
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