Re: FT: Squadron Question

On 16/02/2013 00:02, Roger Burton West wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 06:54:18PM -0500, Doc wrote:
>> 1 of our group wants to build a carrier with only 3 launch bays, but
put 1 to 2 extra squadron in per bay at Mass 6, and use them like
"Missile launcher bay" and rotate them up, so they can launch and be
recovered at 1 squadron per launch bay pre turn.
> Not possible under the standard rules. A fighter squadron needs a
fighter bay in order to be deployed in combat.
PSB justification for saying no: the Mass for the bay is not just the 
launch and recovery system, but also the space and equipment for 
maintenance, storage when not deployed, accommodation for the crews and 
engineers, etc. -- in short, everything needed for a squadron to be 
operational that isn't fighter. So, depending upon setting, little to 
nothing significant is saved by the reloadable bay concept. You'd need 
house rules for separate launch and recovery systems to make the idea
work.

Interesting thought, though. You could have simple L&R (open a hangar 
door and let the kids out and back in under their own power, or 
release/apply external mounting clamps), or various varieties of launch 
tube or similar device according to setting, with resulting 
benefits/problems for the fighters. In fact, it might be preferable to 
separate launch from recovery as many settings do, and allow the 
possibility of multiple launch methods -- use a tube or go out the 
hatch, with maybe fighter type A doing one and type B doing the other...

and so on.

The above is just the product of a little free association at 
oh-far-too-early on a Saturday morning, and I'm sure lots of people have

already got such rules for themselves, but it could be an idea worth 
looking at for those who don't; the Mass and point costs should be not 
too different from the standard ones, but enought to reflect the good 
and bad points of doing it that way.

Phil