Re: [FT] Needle fleet

In message <91CD8D22B204D311AA1D0080AD3867199035C9@ATLAS>
	  Rick Rutherford <Rick@esr.com> wrote:

> johncrim@voicenet.com wrote:
> >
> > Actually, I do havbe a topic that I've been wondering about: has
anyone
> > made a serious attempt to design a needle-heavy fleet?  When I get
some
> > spare time, I'd like to give it a shot and see how well they fare
> > against more standard weapons.
> 
> I tried it once, and I got blown out of the sky. My ships were chewed
to
> pieces, and I couldn't knock out my opponent's systems fast enough to
make a
> difference.
> 
> -- Rick Rutherford

Well, back when the Sa'Vas'Ku giant cheese ship was being discussed, I
did consider the following design:

Mass 14 Fast Needleboat
Fragile Hull (2 boxes)
Main Drive 12
FTL Drive
Needle Beam (F)
Fire Control
TMF: 14
NPV: 46

The basic plan was a) silly, and b) illegal given the parameters of the
scenario (maximum starting speed = 2x main drive), also c) doesn't work
in vector :-) as it relied upon a 'feature' of cinematic movement.

But, say about 6-12 of these backed up with heavier ships might work.

The other idea I've been considering was inspired by something from
"Galactic Patrol", two main ship designs:

'Catcher' aka Pursuit Cruiser: very fast, carries several needle beams,
as much hull & armour as possible:

Roll - 'catch' enemy ships & disable drive systems (could use the fast
needleboats for this)

'Mauler' slow, heavily armed with short-range weapons (B-1s & B-2s,
possibly SMPs), again heavily defended - these then trundle up to the
crippled ships and engage them at close range.

This is probably a lot harder to do than it is for me to write :-)

Charles