Re: Fire Control lock-on (was: Re: [FT] squadron suggestions)

>  >> Perhaps a small change in perspective: let the defending ship try
to
>>>  "break" the lock-on of a ship that is attacking it.
>
>...
>
>>  I think I kind of like this.... what does everyone else think?
>
>..."roll to hit, roll to wound, roll to save, each WITH (possible)
>modifiers and special automatics (auto hit or auto wound or no
save)..."
>
>It keeps the defender playing during the other person's turn, so you
are
>not 'only waiting' til your turn, which is prolly why it's part of the
Evil
>Empire(tm) mechanic. But it's still an extra roll, so I'm against it.
>Please note, the range band adjustment will add time of varying amounts
>depending how quick the players are, too, but it's not a separate step
in
>the process.

As those on the playtest list will already know, I'm VERY much 
against the range band adjustment idea, mainly (being entirely honest 
here) on grounds of personal taste. I know it does work, but I find 
it messy and counter-intuitive in the context of FT. YMMV, of course.
I can live with a very simple modification like doubling or halving 
range bands, but when it gets to taking one, two or more mu off each 
band, I really, really don't like it. I firmly believe that the time 
taken to roll a die under a simple, streamlined lock-on rule will be 
MUCH less that the time it takes a lot of players to work out the 
altered range bands for each and every type of weapon as it fires.

;-)

>
>Is the concept of alternate, or even complimentary, systems right out?
>Could you see offering each as an option, and pointing out that mixing
and
>matching the extra die rolls with range adjustments would make a
fiendishly
>complex system, which may be what some folks seek?

I'm wary of offering too many alternate systems because, as someone 
else mentioned, you then end up with everyone playing a different 
version of the game - OK until you want to play with a different 
group or enter a tournament....
You really can't please everyone, no matter how many options you give 
them - I recall reading a review of a rule sets several years ago 
where the reviewer criticised the designer for offering (IIRC) two 
different methods of initiative sequence, saying that it made it look 
like he couldn't make his mind up which one worked best and so put 
both in to cover himself....  :-/

Jon (GZG)

>
>The_Beast