Fighter Rules - Fighter Attacks

Part 3: Fighter Attacks

PREMISE
  I prefer the original description of the PSB of fighter attacks from
FT: that they are shooting at range.  The alternate view, that they
make an "attack run" has a lot of problems with it.  In particular, the
following questions arise with the attack run view:
  "Why do I have to return to the same place that I started from,
rather than reform someplace else?"
  "If I can move 6mu, attack a ship and return 6mu, why can't I move
9mu, attack, and regroup 3mu, or vice-verse"
  "If I can make a [FB] 12mu secondary move and then a 12mu round-trip
attack run, why can't I make 2 12mu secondary moves and no attack run?"

FIGHTER ATTACKS: RANGED FIRE
  From the oringinal FT view, fighters are effectively small, mobile
batteries that zip around and shoot things.  Keep this view, but make
the following change:

  Instead of treating each fighter as a battery with a single 6mu range
band and a Fighter Group as a collection of those small batteries,
treat each Fighter Group as a single cumulative battery of a class
equal to the number of fighters remaining in the Group.  Fighter Groups
do their full number of damage dice (depending upon the number of
fighters in the Group) only within the first range band.  For each full
range band of distance between the fighters and the target, decrease
the number of dice rolled by one.  This is exactly the same as for
shipboard batteries.
  When attacking other Fighters, a Fighter Group’s range bands are 2mu.
 Thus, for every full 2mu between groups, reduce the number of damage
dice rolled by one die.
  When attacking a ship, a Fighter Group’s range bands are also 2mu. 
Thus, for every full 2mu between the target ship and the Fighter Group,
reduce the number of damage dice rolled by one die.
  When attacking ordnance, a Fighter Group’s range bands are also 2mu. 
Thus, for every full 2mu between the ordnance marker and the Fighter
Group, reduce the number of damage dice rolled by one die.

PSB:  A ship is a much larger target than another Fighter, but the
small weapons carried by Fighters do not have the power to do
significant damage to a ship at long ranges.
  Ordnance, such as missiles, PBs, etc. are smaller than fighters, but
do not evade like fighters.

Examples:
  A full strength fighter group (6) rolls 6 dice at 0-2mu, 5 dice at
2-4mu, 4 dice at 4-6mu, 3 dice at 6-8mu, 2 dice at 8-10mu, and 1 die at
10-12mu.
  A fighter group with 4 fighters remaining would roll 4 dice from
0-2mu, 3 dice at 2-4mu, 2 dice at 4-6mu, 1 die at 6-8mu, and no dice
beyond 8mu.

  Fighter attack dice are scored as beam dice.	(GZG-setting special
rule: kinetic weaponry of KV fighters ignore screens)

 While this does give some fighter groups an extended range, they have
to get really close to be fully effective.  See also the PDS rules
before ripping the extended range.  This also partly mitigate the
advantages of small fighter groups by limiting their range compared to
larger fighter groups.

FIGHTER ATTACKS: CLOSE ATTACKS
 When a Fighter Group is actually in contact with the center post of a
ship model (or in contact with the center of the target ship’s
counter), then it is said to be at point blank range.  At point blank
range, Fighters may choose to attempt to destroy specific systems in
the same manner as Needle Batteries.  The Fighter Group may declare
that it is attacking a specific target (such as “engines”, “weapon
batteries”, “torpedo launchers”, etc.).  The attacks are then carried
out as normal Fighter attacks, except that for each 6 that is rolled,
instead of a penetrating re-roll, the system named is damaged exactly
as if it had been hit by a Needle Battery attack.  All of the fighters
in a group have to have a single type of attack, either general damage
or specific systems.  Only "surface systems" are eligible to be
targeted.  Systems immune to Needle attacks are also immune to fighter
close attacks.

FIGHTER ATTACKS: ANTI-ORDNANCE FIRE
 Fighters may attack ordnance.	The fighters roll a number of dice as
indicated above.  Effectiveness of the fire is as described in the FBs.
 Fighters that make close attacks against ordnance may add a +1 DRm to
their rolls.  Fighters that make long-range attacks against ordnance
are not subject to the FB "killed missiles kill attacking fighters"
rule, but those that make close attacks are subjet to this rule.

FIGHTER ATTACKS: DOGFIGHTS AND FURBALLS
  Dogfights/furballs are unchanged except for the ability of
dogfighting fighters to tie up larger formations.  When an escorting
fighter group intercepts fighters making a close attack or attempting
to dogfight a charge, they secretly decide whether to "pursue to
destroy" or drive off".  The intercepted group then decides whether to
fight or continue with the attack.  The Pursue/Drive-off intention is
then revealed.
  Groups that Pursue may block no more than twice their own number of
opposing fighters, the rest continue with their attacks.
  Groups that Drive-off roll d6 for each fighter in the group and drive
off 1 fighter for each 1,2, or 3, and 2 fighters for each 4, 5, or 6,
with rerolls on 6's.  Fighters that are "Driven-off" must break off
their declared attacks, but may make dogfight attacks against the
intercepting fighters.	Remaining fighters continue their attacks.

COMBAT ATTACK FACTORS (CAF)
  These rules assume that the discussed fighter attacks are unlimited. 
If you want to limit the number of standard attacks that fighters may
make, then we need Attack Factors.  Each CAF represents the ability to
make 1 standard attack, either ranged fire, close-attacks/dogfighting,
or attacks against ordnance.

ORDNANCE FACTORS (OF)
  Ordnance factors are used to represent ordnance attacks above and
beyond a fighter's standard attacks.  1 OF represents the ability to
make 1 ordnance attack.
  Fighters can be equipped with various sized racks rated by
Hardpoints.  Various types of ordnace take up differing numbers of HP
per OF.
1-HP rack for X points
3-HP rack for Y points
6-HP rack for Z points

TYPES OF ORDNANCE

FIGHTER MISSILES - represent small missiles that may be used against
fighters, ships, or ordnance.  1 OF per HP.  Each OF of fighter
missiles rolls dice and scores damage as a submunition pack.

FIGHTER TORPEDOES - represent P-Torps carried by fighters.  Roll to hit
as for PTs; i.e. 2+ in 1st RB, 3+ in 2nd RB, etc.  Torpedoes launched
in close attacks hit on a 1+, destroying targeted systems on a 6.
Standard Range = 2mu RBs
Extended Range = 3mu RBs
Long Range = 4mu RBs
Extended Long Range = 6mu RBs

Standard Warhead = 1d6 damage
Light Warhead = 1d3 damage
Mini Warhead = 1 point damage

SR/SW = 2 OF per 3 HP
ER/SW = 1 OF per 2 HP
LR/SW = 1 OF per 3 HP
ELR/SW = 1 OF per 6 HP

FIGHTER SALVO MISSILES
Fighters carrying SMs of various sizes TBD.

Size 1 Standard = FB SMs
Size 1 Extended Range = +50% range, 1d3 dam/SM
Size 1/2 Standard = FB range, 1d3 dam/SM
Size 1/2 ER = +50% range, 1 pt dam/SM
Mini SM Standard = FB range, 1 pt dam/SM

J