Re: CanAm Questions

> > CanAm Questions:
> >
> > Fleets of 6000 points. This is per side (as opposed to per player)?
> 
> Yes--that way if we have, say, 6 Americans and 3 Canadians it doesn't
screw
> us up too badly (and don't gripe to me about time limits, it gives you
a
> chance to prove you're brighter than the other side).  6000 was
selected as
> an easily-divisible figure.

What if you have 7 players on one side?  ;-)

> > Are Rolls permitted (ship maneuver, not pastry)?
> 
> Both, as long as there's no chocolate (I'm allergic to chocolate). 
Popovers
> go well but fresh croissants are even better.

I'll be happy to take any chocolate pastries that Laserlight cannot
consume.  :-)

> > Floating table edges or fixed?
> 
> I've got a mucking great planet in the middle, I'm afraid it's going
to have
> to be fixed.	But I think there'll be room enough.

Barring that you can probably use one of the sideroom floors if need be.

> > What ESU ship had Needle Beams? (just curious) Your government
design
> > restrictions seem based on the FB1 ships, but I could not find the
Needle
> > Beam.
> 
> I'm not sure any had it, but it seems a ESU thing to do and I wanted
people
> to have the opportunity to take it (and/or worry about it).  Other
> restrictions are indeed per FB1 designs.

No *FB1* ESU ship has needle beams, but as Jon has said many times in
the 
past, the FB ships are only a guideline, and that many other types of
ships exist for each power (so no reason the ESU couldn't have needle
ships - or SM ships, or p-torp ships, or...etc	:-)

> > Comments:
> >  1) Order writing seems long. At 5 minutes per orders, I doubt that
we
> will
> > get more than 4 turns in the 2 hours. I would prefer to have a
shorter
> order
> > phase (2 minutes). A smaller order phase encourages fleet movement,
which
> is
> > essential for large combat.
> 
> Comment from the other experienced conventioneers (ie not me--I said
> "overconfident neurotic" with reason)?  I want it to be short enough
to be
> "pressure" but not so short as to be impossible.  Not quite
impossible,
> anyway.

>From my experience setting a time limit of 5 minutes to write orders is
about right (though I've almost never had to enforce it). And you'll get
more than 4 turns in 2 hours. At first things will go quickly, but as
soon
as the fighting starts, things slow down while the die are rolled. Once
a
few [dozen] ships are reduced to zero combat effectiveness things go
quickly again.

> >  2) A lot of interesting ideas here (gravity, FC Markers). But it
seems a
> > little overcomplicated for a large encounter. I know that you
indicated
> > experienced players. But just taking a knee-jerk (or is that just
jerk?)
> > reaction. Take the FCMs, for example. Ships are already in tight
formation
> > (using cm will place many of a fleet miniatures toughing or stacked
to
> > remain within ADFC range); then add markers FCMs before the ships
move;
> keep
> > track of which FCMs were placed on which ship seems like it will add
a
> fair
> > amount of time to the game.
> 
> I'm hoping the FireCon Marker cuts fire resolution time because you
don't
> have to do ship A, then return fire from Z, the B, then Y, etc.  All
of
> Group 1 will be simultaneous, then all of group 2, etc.

I think the FCMs it will help to cut down fire resolution time.

> >  4) <snipped>
> >   5) I would prefer vector if you are taking preferences.
> 
> In theory I am taking preferences but I'm thinking cinematic might be
faster
> to play.

Agreed; I think cinematic will play faster than vector. And you'll have
fewer counters on the table/board/whatever to deal with (assuming you
use
vector counters ;-)

Indy