Re: [FT]SML question

----- Original Message -----
From: Richard and Emily Bell <rlbell@sympatico.ca>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 1:38 AM
Subject: Re: [FT]SML question

>
>
> Ryan Gill wrote:
>
> > At 9:46 AM -0500 6/16/01, David Rodemaker wrote:
> > >
> > >If were are going to look at "reality" then you might want to
examine
the
> > >issues behind why *we* don't have a Navy full of PT boats for
assault
and
> > >patrol purposes... ;-)
> >
> > We (the US and the USN) don't fight in our own littoral waters. We
> > fight in other people's space. We project power. Small combatants
are
> > useful in your own littoral. The US does have 13 Cyclone class
> > coastal combatants. They are operated for the SEALs or by Coast
Guard
> > Detachements. 
(http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/usa/littoral.htm#pc)
>
> Non-FTL vessels are not similar in role to coastal combatants, they
more
> closely resemble towed artillery.  They can only usefully defend
targets
> within six hours (the minimum time between jumps) of their current
location
> (or the attackers will jump out before their arrival), and they cannot
charge
> out to meet attackers before they approach the defended target;
unless,
they
> can be assured that the attackers cannot jump past them.  Essentially,
non-FTL
> equipped vessels can only defend one small volume of space.  Even FTL
equipped
> ships have supreme difficulties defending multiple targets in the same
system,
> as the defenders must guard against being caught out of position, due
to
the
> minimum time between jumps.
>
>
This also asumes there is no limit how deep into the gravity well of the
star you can actually use the FTL drive. If you cannot use a FTL within
a
certain limit of the star, a whole new tactic opens up relating to
attacking
a fleet as it travels in system (or being able to see what is coming
towards
you and running before you`re killed <G>).

BIF

"Yorkshire born, yorkshire bred,
strong in arms, thick in head"