From: Allan Goodall <agoodall@a...>
Date: 26 Jul 2000 13:22:46 -0700
Subject: [FT] Help Requested: Mixed FB1/FB2 Ship Designs
I'm creating a homegrown universe, and I need some suggestions for the systems used by two sides in the conflict. I intend to mix and match FB1 and FB2 systems. Here are the short ground rules. There are three races, though one will be essentially the Sa'vasku, so we can ignore them. One fleet will be energy based: beams, shields, probably p-torps. The other fleet will be... something else, and this is the one I need some feedback on. One other thing, the FTL travel in this universe is somewhat unique. I won't get into it now, but one of the two human fleets will have FTL capability at first, and the other won't. As such, the one fleet will be mostly system defence vessels and won't be spending mass on FTL drives. I want the universe to have a technological progress stream. Take the first fleet, for instance. The initial ships will consist of class 1 and 2 beams only in Time Period 1. In Period 2, level 1 shields and class 3 beams appear, and thrust levels will increase. In Period 3, p-torps, level 2 shields, and maybe class 4 beams show up. In Period 4, fighters appear. With this in mind, I'm trying to come up with the second fleet. I want it to have a different feel from fleet 1. I would like some comments on the following options: 1) Fleet 2 essentially the same as fleet 1, but with armour instead of shields, and salvo-missiles instead of p-torps. This is easy to do, but also pretty plain and not much different than the first fleet or the ships in FB1. I could beef up the armour, though, by using Phalon layered armour. 2) Fleet 2 consists of salvo missiles as their primary weapon system, and submunition packs as their secondary. Is this viable? Or would this result in a truly unbalanced and hard to play/unplayable fleet? I realize that from a campaign point of view, these ships use ependable weapons. This isn't a problem, as this would be the fleet that doesn't have FTL and so supplying it wouldn't be an issue. Also, without having to buy FTL, they could afford larger magazine holds and more submunition packs. For defence, they use armour, perhaps even upgrading (eventually) to layered Phalon style armour. 3a) Fleet 2 uses Kra'vak K-guns as well as salvo missiles. Again, armour would start off as "normal" and go upwards to layered Phalon style as technology progressed. The ships would NOT have advanced drives, so is this viable? 3b) Same as 3a, but with nothing but instead of salvo missiles, use KV scatterguns. In essence, this fleet would turn out to be a KV fleet but without the advanced drives but WITH armour. Again, is this viable without the advanced drives? Note that for both 3a and 3b, the fleet could be the non-FTL fleet, which would leave them more mass space for weapons, at least until Time Period 4. Any other options, of course, are welcome. I appreciate any and all comments...