Re: [FT] Scenario for review

On Wed, 19 Jul 2000 18:18:57 GMT, "John C" writes:
>>A ship may put in its orders that it is escorting a certain friendly
ship X
>>(provided it has sufficient thrust to match course and velocity with
X), 
>>and
>>protecting a single quadrant of ship X (F, A, P or S).  Attacks in
that
>>quadrant against ship X count X as having one additional level of
screens
>>(up to a max of two), and a number of dice equal to the amount of
damage
>>prevented by the escort is rolled as an attack against the escort.
>
>The idea is to make excorting as quick and easy as possible, while
still 
>making it effective; that's why I decided not to worry about specific
arcs.  
>With this game in particular, there's going to be so much going on that
I 
>don't want to worry about the fiddly bits.

While 4 arcs might get a little fiddley, I might go with 2 arcs, and
allow 2 escorts.  Where-ever teh escorting model is, it determines a
plane between the two ships, and fire that comes in from that 180
degree arc is intercepted.  Allows the enemy to use fast raiders to
get to the other side of the protected ship.  More options is good. :)

>>The attacker is effectively penalized for trying to fire past the
escort to
>>attack the target, yet the escort can pay a price for doing his duty
and 
>>can
>>also be outmaneouvred or overwhelmed by multiple attackers.  Also, an 
>>escort
>>which is relatively small relative to the target may be destroyed as a
>>consequence of interposing itself against incoming fire.
>
>The escorts *will* be taking damage -- the damage that the ships that
they 
>are protecting would normally be taking (assuming that the escorts have
good 
>rolls....)  And I expect most of the escorts to pay the ultimate price:

>being blown into little tiny bits.

Might also do something like limit the ship being escorted to only
firing at targets withen 12" through an escorted arc.  Wouldn't effect
the merchants with only class-1 beams, but would hurt a warship.

So, summary of what I like (but this is just my opinion):

Ships can escort other ships.  

max 2 escorts for a single ship, each covering a non-overlapping 180
degree arc.

Escorting ship grants the escorted ship level+1 shields.  (for only
one attacker or for all?  If only for one, just fire 2-3 ships at the
merchants.)

Escorting ship takes any damage that the level+1 shields stop, but no
more.  Adds no extra rolls to the system.

Escorted ship is limited to only firing at enemies withen 12" through
any arc with escorts.

This also opens up the idea of escorting an all class-1 BC up close to
the enemy base. :)

-=- Matthew L. Seidl		email: seidl@cs.colorado.edu		
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