Fighter Rules - Movement

As promised, I have collected the house rules that we use for fighters.

First, the movement systems.  The primary problem to be fixed here is
to allow fighters to keep up with fast moving ships without giving them
effectively unlimited movement at low speeds.  A second consideration
is to not have a discontinuity between standard fighter movement and
close-escorting movement.

Caps are for emphasis.

For both Simple and Complex Fighter Movement, the following apply:
1) Fighters move AFTER ships.

2) Fighters have a Thrust rating, rather than a fixed movement.  This
is 12 for standard fighters, and 18 for Fast Fighters.	There is
obviously room for a wider range of options, either official or house
rules, such as: slow=9, kinda fast=15, etc..

3) A record sheet is required.	In a column list each of the fighter
groups.  Each turn, their ending velocity is recorded for use the next
turn.

4) LAUNCHING:  fighters are launched after ship orders are written, but
before ships move, at the same time as ordnance, such as missiles and
PB's.  Fighter launches must be writen in the orders.  How far they are
placed fom ships is setting-dependent for us, but would have to be
decided for a generic set of rules.  e.g. in SW and ST they are placed
ajacent to the launching ship, for B5 and BFG they are placed 3MU from
the launching ship (launched by catapult/centrifuge).  Starting speed
is equal to launch ship's V plus starting distance.

5) ESCORTING:  Fighters that move to within 3mu of a friendly ship or
fighter group and have enough T to match V with the ship or group may
declare that they are "Escorting" the ship or group.  As long as they
remain escorts, they move with their charge.  Record their V each turn
to match the V of their charge.  Indicate this by placing the fighters
in base contact with the ship or group, or in contact with other
ecorting fighters if there is not room to place them in base contact
with the ship.	On any subsequent turn, before the ship and escorting
fighters are moved, any escorting fighter group may declare that it is
no longer escorting that ship.	If there is another ship or fighter
group within range, it may transfer to escorting that ship or group
(but does not have to).  If it does not transfer to escort another ship
or fighter group, it moves normally during fighter movement.  If,
during fighter movement, it comes within escorting range of another
ship or fighter group and can match V, it may declare escort status. 

6) ALTERNATING MOVEMENT:  Players alternate moving fighter groups. 
After the first player ("A") moves a fighter group the next player
("B") moves one or more groups whose total fighters are equal to or
greater than the number of fighters moved by "A".  "A" then moves one
or more groups whose total number of fighters is at least 1 more than
the excess moved by "B".

example: A moves 1 group of 6 fighters.  B must move at least 6
fighters.  If none of B's groups have 6 fighters, then B must move more
than 1 group.  In our example B moves 2 groups of 4 fighters each, for
a total of 8.  This is 2 more than A.  It is now A's turn.  A must move
more than 2 fighters, i.e. at least 3.	A moves another group of 6. 
that is 4 more than B's excess 2, so B must now move one or more groups
totalling at least 4 fighters, etc.

SIMPLE FIGHTER MOVEMENT (w/o EF)
Fighters move after ships move.  They may move V(s)+/-T, where V(s) is
their starting velocity, either from last turn or from launch, and T is
the fighter thrust rating.  Note that there is a minimum movement for
fighters whose V(s) is greater than their T.  The fighter may be moved
anywhere in this area, facing in any direction, so long as it moves the
minimum and does not excede the maximum.  Record the straight line
distance moved as the ending V for the turn.  This, along with the
minimum movement, is intentional to force some movement choices on the
fighter player, rather than just running around in circles building V.

Examples:
A fighter group starts with V=6.  During Fighter Movement, it may move
anywhere from 0-18mu.  If it moves 18, then on its next turn it may
move up to 30mu, but must move at least 6mu.

COMPLEX FIGHTER MOVEMENT (w/o EF)
Fighters have a facing and direction of travel.  For those playing
Cinemeatic, both are the front of the fighter counter/base.  For those
playing Vector, this requires a dirction arrow for each fighter group.

Fighters move after ships move.  They move in the same manner as ships,
i.e. expending T for accel/decel and turns/facing changes.  Use either
Cinematic or Vctor, as you prefer.  However, they do not have to write
orders, simply expend thrust as you Accel/Decel and Turn/Rotate them. 
Record the ending V as you would for a ship in the movement sytem that
you use.

ENDURANCE FACTORS
Possible ways to add EF to either of the above systems. EF is untested
by our group.

Endurance represents fuel/life support only.  It does not represent
expendable ammunition or ordnance.

A)  Simple EF:	Fighters expend 1 EF every turn that they use thrust to
accelerate or decelerate.  They expend no EF if they do not accelerate
or decelerate, even if they change direction using Simple Movement or
turn/rotate in Complex Movement.  Escorting fighters expend EF if they
would have to accelerate or decelerate to match V with their charge.
  In any turn that they Dogfight or perform a Close Attack on a ship,
they expend an additional EF.  No EF is expended for making a ranged
attack against either fighters or a ship.

B)  Secondary Movement EF:  Fighters move as either simple or complex
movement and expend EF as for Simple EF above, but move BEFORE ships
(as FB).  After ships move, fighters may spend an EF to move up to 6mu.


J