Re: 2nd CanAm

David Griffin wrote:
> 
> --- devans@uneb.edu wrote:
> >
> > ***
> > It seems to me that with a few exceptions (Savasku,
> > games with huge amounts of ordinance, grossly
> > mismatched opponents) FT balances very well, at
> > least in the FB1 era. Why not allow customized
> > ships? To me, building good ships is half of why
> > I love the game.
> > ***
> >
> > Absolutely, but Tom's point is that the NI and IF
> > are not as rigorously
> > playtested against the other three FBI fleets, so
> > playing one FBI fleet
> > against a non-FBI is asking for trouble.

As ECC organizer and scenario consultant, let me throw in a few
points that Chris and I discussed as he was formulating the 
rules for the FT CanAm event.

He was interested in making a balanced scenario that tested 
the tactical abilities of the players and not their ship 
building prowess.  My initial suggestion to him was to require
each side to build a fleet consisting of equal points of
ESU, NAC, FSE, and NSL ships, straight from the Fleet Book.
Chris modified that for his own purposes and the first CanAm
event is in the history books.

Chris could design a set of ships that are available to all 
players that they build their fleets.  Again, the goal is 
to test the players' abilities in fleet manuever, target 
selection, and tactics.

I've run a similar scenario at previous ECC conventions that 
the players play twice, once as the attackers and once as the 
defenders.  The players are given the scenario - a convoy attack -
and a list of cruisers with which to attack.  They choose the
ships and their starting locations relative to the convoy before
we choose who plays which side first.  It's made for some 
highly competitive games.