Re: [FT] Shields or not

I usually like to play the custom-design game much like you seem to.  In
my
games, we allow any sort of mixed tech (aside from Sa'Vasku), and more
or
less anything goes in design from there.  A typical game that I play is
5000
points worth of custom ships, and our games _are_ of a sort where we're
assuming there's a reason you need to fight each battle (otherwise,
joining
an engagement with a task force of that size wouldn't be necessary), so
getting into a situation where you make a wild guess and have to
withdraw
because you took rock to your opponent's paper is considered an
unmitigated
disaster -- i.e. whatever you come up with is _expected_ to stand and
fight.

That said, whether or not I use screens depends on the function the ship
is
to serve.  There are about four or five different roles ships in my
games
tend to play:

1.  Ship-to-ship combat as part of a fleet that is designed with this as
its
primary tactic.  This sort of ship will usually have at least one screen
and
perhaps armor as well.

2.  Ships designed for longer ranged standoffs with plasma, fighters, or
missiles.  These don't carry screens as often, because they don't
usually
get into toe-to-toe fights.

3.  Dedicated carriers.  These usually remain at extreme range, and as
such
consider screens as a waste of resources that would be better used to
establish better fighter superiority.

4.  Missile decoy escorts.  They're only there to sit around and draw
salvo
missile fire away from more important ships.  _Maybe_ they'll carry some
small weapons of their own just so you don't ignore them with anything
that
doesn't carry missiles, but screens are a complete waste on these.

5.  Skirmisher escorts.  These usually fly ahead of the main force,
often
under cloak, in order to use needle beams, submunitions, or other
specialized weaponry to soften up an enemy before the capital ships join
in
battle.  Screens are usually a waste on these as well... if they're
caught
out of position, they die with or without screens, so the resources are
usually better used on weapons to make sure they do their job before
they
need to break off their attack for self-preservation (if they survive at
all).

Any ships of the cruiser size usually are only effective as larger
versions
of this last type or as small carriers, and they're not usually
considered
big enough to be worth the bother of putting screens on them in either
case.

Hope this sheds a little light on it...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jaime Tiampo" <fugu@spikyfishthing.com>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 7:43 PM
Subject: [FT] Shields or not

> Here's a question for all the vac heads out there. At which point do
you
> consider it cost effective to put shields on ships? 50mass? 80mass?
Only
> if it's planning on getting into beam range?
>