Re: FT tryout

On Mon, 28 Feb 2000, Oerjan Ohlson wrote:

> Anthony Leibrick wrote:
> 
> >This Sunday I'm going to tryout FT at my club. Can anyone suggest
> >what ships what be suitable. They should have a wide range of
tactical
> >options and the fight should be short but not too quick.
> 
> NAC vs ESU, 1500 points. Eg:
> 
> NAC, 1495 pts:
> Inflexible-class CVL + 4 standard fighter squadrons
> Victoria-class BB
> 2 Huron-class CL
> 2 Ticonderoga-class DD
>
> ESU, 1500 pts:
> Petrograd-class BB
> Voroshilev-class CH
> Beijing/BE-class CE (Note: this is the ADFC-equipped "defensive
> close-support variant" described in the Beijing notes, *not* the ship
> shown on the Beijing data panel!)
> Tibet-class CL
> Volga-class DH
> 4 Warsaw-class DD

now, i'm no expert on FT (unlike Oerjan), but i have two criticisms of
this setup. firstly, it may be too big. six ships a side, of which about
two are capitals, is really too much for a first game. secondly,
fighters
are unnecessary complexity at this point.

> I've deliberately avoided things like Salvo Missiles and fighter
> variants (extra complexity can be fun, but not if it is your first
> game IMO),

are thought vectors have the same direction, but different magnitude :).
complexity is bad here, and even standard fighters are too complex for a
first game. now, fighters may be a vital part of FT, but i think it's
worth bringing them in later. i'd bring in SMs about the same time, too
-
they seem popular with some people.

> as well as thrust-2 ships (virtually unmaneuverable in
> Vector)

a very good point.

> and Vandenburg-class Heavy Cruisers (which always die horribly
> whenever anyone around here tries to use them :-/ ).

it's a shame about the Vandenburg - i can't verify this trend, but it
looks like the NAC lack a working CA.

anyway, i would say that NAC vs ESU is probably good (you could even use
NAC vs NAC to keep it really simple, and say one side is FCT rebels!).
i'd
suggest using the classic FT starter scenario of 2 CL + 3 DD (or is it 3

FF?):

NAC: 2 Huron CL, 3 Ticonderoga DD; 634 NPV
ESU: 2 Tibet CL, 3 Warsaw DD; 603 NPV

the difference is 31 NPV (5%), enough to buy a scout for the ESU; you
might want to give them an edge somehow, eg giving them to the best
player
and the NAC to the worst. alternatively, give the ESU the initiative on
the first turn (say it's an ESU ambush).

you can use these fleets in your first game to get the hang of the
rules;
you should be able to fit in one battle with these ships and still have
time for something more filling. you could run the battle again with the
benefit of new experience, or keep the jam going by adding in more ships
to each side - maybe some FFs, or swap a CL for a CA. a good idea would
be
to use unequal forces - on top of the 2 CL + 3 DD core, the NAC could
have
4 FFs or 3 FFAs and the ESU could have a CA.

the main point i would stress is that you should start with small,
simple
fleets, fighting the classic ships-beams-shields battle. once you've
grasped the rules, play with the fleets, sticking to beam weapons as far
as possible, and once you've got a feel for fleets, throw in the other
weapon systems: p-torps, fighters, SMs and PDSs are probably the most
important.

tom