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