FT-Sub systems

Heres my first idea for a sub diving/cloaking system (IE-Needs input as
it`s a first draft, so critisize away<G>).

Subs require a cloaking system at 10% mass of vessil with a minimum of 2 mass
and a cost of x10 mass (set at this size to make small subs of 20mass viable).

Subs require a energy storage system to use thrust or weapons while submerged.
This masses 5% of the ships mass, and can store x10 it`s own mass in energy,
with a nmin mass of 2 and a cost of x5.

A sub can maneuver while submerged, at a cost of 10% of it`s mass per thrust
point. This includes thruster pushes. A sub has 3 dive levels, surface,
periscope depth and deep diving. On the surface, the sub is used as a normal
FT ship, and can recharge the energy storage system at a rate equal
to it`s thrust rating remaining (even if the thrust/drive is being
used).

 To dive/surface between the different levels requires 1 power point
from the storage system, and requires the player to specify the turn before
when
diving/surfacing. A sub can exicute a crash dive/surface, at double the
power cost and a roll against the energy system and cloaking device with a
thresthold roll minus 1 of the present threshold (IE-If undamaged, will
fail
on a roll of 6). A crash dive/surface can be between any levels
(IE-surface
to deep), and doesn`t require it to be decided the turn before, only in the
turn it`s exicuted movement orders.

If a sub fails it`s dive roll, it stays at the level it was at, but uses the
energy anyway. A sub is undetectable at deep level diving, and if detected
before diving to the deep level, will remain detected for 1 turn at the deep
level.

A sub can attack other ships at periscope depth with certain weapons, and
when attacking other ships will always have the first attack (IE-can
attempt to sink a escort before it can respond, or do a hit and dive attack).
A sub will remain undetected at periscope depth until it fires, the can be
tracked by active sensors until it dives deep (thinking different detection
ranges for different sensor levels).

If the cloaking device or the energy system is hit by enemy fire, the enrgy
stored is released, and causes 1 point of dammage per power point per energy
point.

The only weapons able to be fired while at periscope depth are P.Torps
(requiring 4 power points to be used), SM`s or missiles (at 1 power point per
missile fired). Any weapon may be fired at a detected sub at periscope depth,
although the sub is treated as being 1 range band furthere away than
it actually is (except for missile/area effect weapons).

Just some rough ideas, a little involved, even though I tried to keep them
simple. Awaiting feedback.

> Subs require a energy storage system to use thrust or weapons while

My big complaint with this is that FT has managed to keep energy management
out of 2/3 of the races at this point. UNless you are proposing that
subs be
a race-specific ship type (not a bad idea BTW, but I would rather that
cloaking variants be available to all) I would really prefer to keep it that
way...

Anyone thought to reversing things? Make the cloaking/sub system so
large
(18+ Mass) that it has to be mounted on a capitol ship-sized frame and
leaves little room for any thing else (in capitol ship terms)?
Would/could
make an interesting economic limitation on building it and looking at the
scales of ships that seem to be talking about in FT I think that the PSB is at
least as good for that as for fitting it only on little ships...

The other point on cloaking/sub systems is that they really are an
example of a systems that needs it's counter to play with. Without a set of
sensor
rules cloaks/subs are not and will be be balanced.

[quoted original message omitted]