> Fiddling with multi-ability fighters for campaign play (using FT2.5)
Historically multiple ability fighters have fallen to "jack of all trades,
master of none" syndrome (eg the
F-111 was going to replace every other USAF and USN
fighter and fighter bomber). Our rather brief history of spaceships suggests
the same: the shuttle was meant to replace everything, and instead doesn't do
anything particularly well.
And I suspect that the training cost for the pilots
becomes horrendous as well - anyone got any actual
figures/experience for this?
Your cost sounds about right for a "swing role" fighter which can be ONE
ability at a time, chosen when the battle commences or when launched if
feeling generous.
For a genuine combined ability fighter I'd suggest replacing the division
operators by multiplications, so the second ability costs twice as much, the
third three times as much.
cheers,
Please look at the cost of the F18 Hornet. It doesn't carry long range AA
Missles of the F14 nor the bomb load of the A6 or even the survivability of
the lesser ohf the two. It can't jam radar without add on bomb pac loads. The
pilots don't win the world contests either as they are expected to do all jobs
with a minimal training and little practice. What they do well is..... well
fly and die in face of specialized forces.
> --- Hugh Fisher <laranzu@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
> >Fiddling with multi-ability fighters for campaign
http://lists.csua.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/gzg-l
> [quoted text omitted]
> Hugh Fisher wrote:
Not any more. The introduction of advanced computerised FCS technology
has meant that aircraft like the F-15E and F-18 can actually do what the
F-111 was hyped as being capable of doing. The computers allow the
conflicting requirements of various missions (e.g., low wing loading for
high agility vs high wing loading for low gust response at low-level) to
be achieved in the one airframe. Build the aircraft for the most demanding
physical requirements and let the computers handle stability, ride, etc. These
days, if an aircraft lacks a capability, it's because someone has decided that
they don't want it to have it (usually for cost
reasons) or it's overloaded with weapons for another role.
> And I suspect that the training cost for the pilots becomes
<
It can't be _that_ bad, or aircraft like the two mentioned above and the
F-16 wouldn't be so widely used, nor would the F-14 have been given an
air-to-ground role in its last few years of service.
> Your cost sounds about right for a "swing role" fighter which can
Some abilities might be useful in any role -- Fast Interceptor vs Fast
Attack, for instance (what ordinance is hanging off the beast?) -- so
there might be the need for "common" abilities (e.g., Fast, Heavy) vs
"role/weaponry" abilities. The former would be there regardless of which
of the latter were chosen for the current game/mission. And some
"choices" are a bit dodgy: what sort of PSB would justify a Fast fighter
suddenly becoming a Heavy (but no longer Fast) one mid-game? (rhetorical
question!)
> For a genuine combined ability fighter I'd suggest replacing the
as much, the third three times as much. <
I think that would be too costly. There's got to be some middle ground
to make the use of multi-ability craft viable but not ridiculously
effective. I don't claim to know what it is, though....
Phil
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In a message dated 12/7/2006 7:19:47 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> laranzu@ozemail.com.au writes:
Historically multiple ability fighters have fallen to "jack of all trades,
master of none" syndrome (eg the
F-111 was going to replace every other USAF and USN
fighter and fighter bomber). Our rather brief history of spaceships suggests
the same: the shuttle was meant to replace everything, and instead doesn't do
anything particularly well.
Yes, but you are not mentioning the successful mutli-role
fighter.bomber.
The FA-18 Hornet and Super Hornet. Also the F-16 Faclon performed
Fighter and
light bombing missions. The F-14 Tomcat pefromed as both Strike Fighter
and Interceptor to protect the carrier and fleet.
I have already been toying with multiability fighter in games and even
prosented Jon with the idea of it.Even offered it to everyone here
Vince