Re: [FT] SMLs and Banzai Jammers

Laserlight wrote:
> 
> >I've found SMLs to be almost completely innefective vs Banzai
> Jammers -

> >Now this may be a good thing. Or not.
> 
> Oh, definitely not.  Otherwise there'd be banzai jammers attached to
> every single ship and no one would carry SMR's.

It's no accident that FSE fleets, despite looking very good, aren't
popular round this neck of the woods. Last CANCON was a mix of mainly
NSL, almost as many NAC, an ESU, but no, none, zero, nada, zip FSE.
  
> >One possibility is that at launch, the firer declares all of the SMLs
> >fired this turn as being either "normal" or "reduced gain".
> 
> Why not allow this choice for every salvo (aside from complexity)?

Complexity is virtually the only reason why. The only other reason is
Play Balance to some degree. This rule negates the usual defence tactic,
and will mean more ADAF and PD are required for a lessened chance of
defence. No longer will the FSE be a push-over. But this should be
balanced by a price - do I "shoot the lot" at the capitals, or are there
many smaller juicy targets on the other side of the board that need
hitting as well? Anything that presents more trade-offs and tactical
judgements is, IMHO a Goo Thing in a game, and makes it more enjoyable.

What makes it _less_ enjoyable is over-complexity. And having an
additionalmn die-roll per SML, and keeping track of which die referred
to what SML, is a game-slower-upper that IMHO is unacceptable.
 
> I agree with the basic idea but I'm not quite happy with the
> implementation.  Let me think about it...

Good Idea Oh Lord. I see 3 possibilities:

1. State the filter value for each SML (on paper) at launch.
Pro:
 No die rolling
Con:
 Book-keeping
 May be too effective, no "down side"

2. Roll for each SML
Pro:
 Feels better
Con:
 1 Die Roll per SML = many extra rolls
 Keeping track of which die referred to what SML slows things down

3. Roll for fleet
Pro:
 1 Die Roll total, no significant change to the game
Con:
 Requires PSB to justify
 Creates tactical difficulties (this may be Pro) for SML users

By the KISS principle, IMHO 3 is best. But I'd be interested to hear
from others, hence the post. Frankly, I think the Banzai Jammer tactic
is so effective that the FSE fleet is Broken as it stands, and that some
fix - either this one or another - is required.
The best thing about it is that for those that disagree with me, this
tactic won't make the FSE or other SML users appreciably more effective.

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