Proposed Changes to Fighters

[Randy]

I do think that some type of DCQ is possible though but used as bonus to reload time rather than tracking individual deck crew actions.

  I don't propose to use it to track actions. I suggest that it determines the speed the actions get done in general. You also do need to account for the "unload action" - if the missiles currently loaded are to be removed and replaced with a different kind.

  It should take longer to switch missiles that to just load new ones.

  Ie fighter lands with 4 missile "A" onboard. A second fighter also lands at thesame time, but no missiles left.
  You want both to be launched carrying 4x misslie "B". The first fighter should take twice as long to get ready to launch as the second.

   And what about refueling time? How long does it take to refuel a fighter?

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

I do think that some type of DCQ is possible though but used as bonus to reload time rather than tracking individual deck crew actions.

I don't propose to use it to track actions. I suggest that it determines the speed the actions get done in general. You also do need to account for the "unload action" - if the missiles currently loaded are to be removed and replaced with a different kind.

  It should take longer to switch missiles that to just load new ones.

  Ie fighter lands with 4 missile "A" onboard. A second fighter also lands at thesame time, but no missiles left.
  You want both to be launched carrying 4x misslie "B". The first fighter should take twice as long to get ready to launch as the second.

At the moment the game mechanics are based on the launcher getting ready to reload. Once it is ready, it can switch missiles whenever it likes. As you say it would be more realistic to have to unload first if you want to change missiles. I'll take a look at that.

  And what about refueling time? How long does it take to refuel a fighter?

At the moment, all refuelling and resupply of magazines is done instantly. I need to look at that too for v2.6

Steve

[Brian Neumann]

How are the changes to missiles going to effect the combat ability of fighters.

Brian

[SteveAlt]

How are the changes to missiles going to effect the combat ability of fighters.

They will still be very similar in the v2.6 changes described above. The main differences will be using the new rules for missile fire control and carrying more capable missiles. Here is the updated Eagle class fighter for my current campaign. The Fire Control system is designed to shoot at targets of 2250 tons or greater and has the best range that can be achieved for that type of target using a 1 HS system. The Falchion missile has minimal fuel but matches the range of the fire control, allowing the bulk of the missile to be devoted to warhead and engine. This missile is a short-ranged (for the new rules) ship-killer. Missiles are going to be generally faster in v2.6, partly because of the 25% increase in missile power but partly because I am finding less space is being devoted to fuel. Although you can now create very long ranged missiles if you want to add a large fuel tank, targeting them becomes the issue.

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Eagle class Fighter    250 tons     12 Crew     35.9 BP      TCS 5  TH 24  EM 0
4800 km/s     Armour 0.5     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/0/0/0     Damage Control 0-0     PPV 1.8
Magazine 12    

Fighter Nuclear Pulse Engine FN-1 (1)    Power 24    Efficiency 70.00    Signature 24    Armour 0    Exp 25%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres    Range 1.0 billion km   (59 hours at full power)

Mk 3 VLS Single Cell Launcher (3)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
APG-1 Fighter Fire Control (1)     Range 16.2m km    Resolution 45
Falchion Anti-Ship Missile (3)  Speed: 17500 km/s   Endurance: 15.3 minutes    Range: 16.1m km   Warhead: 10    MR: 10    Size: 4
There is a significant impact on carriers, which can now carry only 25% of the ordnance and 42% of the fuel they could carry before. Therefore the redesigned Ark Royal has had to sacrifice some engines to keep the strikegroup at 12 fighters while retaining only 40% of the magazine space. That ordnance is more considerably capable than before though. I think underway replenishment ships are going to become very important for fleet deployments and I will look at some specialised replenishment tech.

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Ark Royal class Carrier    10000 tons     654 Crew     1068.6 BP      TCS 200  TH 560  EM 0
2800 km/s     Armour 1     Shields 0-0     Sensors 5/5/0/0     Damage Control 0-0     PPV 0
Hangar Deck Capacity 60     Magazine 410    Replacement Parts 10    

Nuclear Pulse Engine E7 (14)    Power 40    Efficiency 0.70    Signature 40    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 310,000 Litres    Range 79.7 billion km   (329 days at full power)

Falchion Anti-Ship Missile (102)  Speed: 17500 km/s   Endurance: 15.3 minutes    Range: 16.1m km   Warhead: 10    MR: 10    Size: 4

SPS-150/75 Active Sensor (1)     GPS 1500     Range 15.0m km    Resolution 75
SQS-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km
SE-1 EM Detection Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

Strike Group
12x Eagle Fighter   Speed: 4800 km/s    Size: 5
Steve