Re: FT-Number crunching required (HELP)

From: "Bif Smith" <bif@bifsmith.fsnet.co.uk>

> If I may be so humble, there is definately a inbalance between SM`s
and MT
> missiles. Ignoring the dammage potential differences of the 2 missile
> systems (which, the laser head equalises), there is the point of the
PDS
> required for intercept of the 2 systems, which work against the MT
missile
> better (or worse, depending on your viewpoint <G>) than SM missiles.
The
> question this raises is that does the greater range of the MT missile
ofset
> this disadvantage, and you would have to compair the chance of your MT
> missile to actually follow the target over 3 turns, especially as it
moves
> to aviod your incoming MT missile.

IMHO....
Provided that the MTM is neither greatly inferior nor superior to the
SM,
and
provided that it's different enough so tactics good vs one aren't
neccessarily
the best against the other, then we've got a feasible system.

I would tend to err on the conservative side - that is, that the MTM be
generally, though not always, just slightly inferior to an equal
mass/pts
cost
of SMs.

Variation I'm currently (solo)playtesting is:

Speed 18, Endurance 3, Damage 2D6, Homing radius 6"/3", secondary move
6"/3". Homes on closest. The variant with a 6" secondary move in Vector
had
a 100% on-target rate at normal (25-40") ranges :-(. This against a
random
evasive pattern, impossible to predict. OK, I didn't have any Thrust-8
or
highers,
those would have evaded sometimes. I think this is Derek's original
version.
It
certainly appears fairly balanced in Cinematic.

This version also has the great benefit of being the simplest - though I
don't like
the kludge of having different secondary moves for MTMs. Anyone do this
for fighters in Vector? Sorry, I play exclusively cinematic myself.. I
just
found
that secondary moves of 12"  (6" for MTMs) in Vector removed all the
uncertainty
unless in fighter vs fighter setups.

My favourite version based on playtesting  so far is the Mk III:

Speed 18, Secondary Move 6", 6/3" Homing on closest target.
Type preselected before the game.
Short Range: EMP or 3D6, 1 Endurance
Medium range 2D6, 2 Endurance
Long range 1D6, 3 Endurance
Mass 2 when from racks, 1 from SML launchers, cost 3 per mass.

The 100% hit in Vector at normal range is balanced by the 1D6 damage -
not a
great yield for 2 mass!. It may be a tadge weak in Cinematic, but not
overly
so.