SV: Re:RE-[FT] Starfire bug designs

bif smith asked:

>Do MT missiles require the use of a firecon?, because originally 
>they didn`t (MT saying they had their own AI, this is from 
>memory, don`t have MT to hand at the moment).

They do need a firecon now, and they did back then as well :-/

MT says that the missiles have their own AI for guidance. What it
*doesn't* say is that this means that the ship doesn't need an FCS to
launch them. Some years back - 1995 or thereabouts IIRC - Mike Elliott
relayed a clarification from Jon (who wasn't on-list at the time) which
is now in the FT FAQ at
(http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3565/faq-index.html) and which
says:

"Do missiles require a Firecon?
Yes, one firecon must be allocated during the missile launch phase. The
firecon can be used again for direct fire weapons in the same turn,
this is to prevent the need to track which firecons have been used."

The "have their own AI" bit could simply be an explanation of why the
launching ship doesn't need to guide the MTM all the way to its target
(a la wire/laser-guided anti-tank missiles or SFB drones).

>I`m asking because it would require the alteration of my 
>SBMHAWK pod to include a f.con if they do (reduce thrust to 4). >Would
a lower thrust pod be a better representation of a pod 
>anyway?

Starfire pods are fast compared to ships (though slower than gunboats
or fighters), but their movement is pre-programmed and have a very
short endurance - ie., they can't adjust their movement after seeing
the enemy deployment and they can't move very far before they "expire".
Depending on what rules you use for WP transits, thrust-4 pods could
work OK.

Regards,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."