Re: [GZG] PDS flak

I haven't seen this particular one, but predictably, I don't like it, or
any other system that affords a way to attack all fighter groups that
are striking a ship that doesn't have a strict limit on the upper end of
its effectiveness.  It's always just a matter of "how many PDS do I need
to make all incoming fighters and ordnance useless?"  In this case, it's
around 20-25, which is probably low-to-average in the custom games I
see.

Counterexample:  the close-in defense system ("lightning shield") that
Indy posted from the playtest list.  Its upper end is only able to kill
half the fighters coming in, and it takes 15% of a ship's mass to do it.
 If anything, I think the mass cost might be a little too high -- 15%
mass is a _lot_ for a passive system, and it's even steeper on a capital
ship, where putting too much into passive defenses can leave you with a
pretty toothless ship.

E

-----Original Message-----
>From: Brendan Robertson <southernskies@pacific.net.au>
>Sent: Oct 30, 2010 1:33 AM
>To: gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
>Subject: [GZG] PDS flak
>
>I can't remember if this has been put forward before, but I had a
thought
>about PDS.
>
>PDS (standard mode) = as per FTFB
>ADFC = as per FTFB (PDS can only fire in standard mode)
>
>PDS (flak mode) = every squadron/ordinance attacking the ship is
attacked by
>1 die.  5-6 = 1 kill (no reroll).
>
>For standard fighters, this gives a break point of 3 squadrons before
flak
>is more effective.
>Eg. A ship with 3 PDS (fairly average) normally scores 2.4 kills
(regardless
>off # of attackers).  If attacked by 8 squadrons, it would instead
score 8
>kills using flak mode.  The ship would probably still die horribly, but
>there would be a lot less fighters to attack the next target.
>
>If -1 DRM for heavy fighters is still applied to flak, the break point
>shifts to 5 squadrons of heavy fighters.  This also means that the -2
DRM
>for plasmabolts makes flak mode ineffective.
>
>
>
>
>Brendan
>'Neath Southern Skies
>http://home.pacific.net.au/~southernsk/ 
>
>_______________________________________________
>Gzg-l mailing list
>Gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
>http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-l

_______________________________________________
Gzg-l mailing list
Gzg-l@mail.csua.berkeley.edu
http://mail.csua.berkeley.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/gzg-l