Here's a suggested revision of the methods for calculating FFW ratings for HG ships. The changes are in
bold face.
*************************************
Rating HG ships and squadrons for FFW
Definitions:
Main ship - A ship of the same type as the type of squadron; battleships and battleriders are the main ships of BatRons, cruisers are the main ships of CruRons, assault ships are the main ships of AssaultRons, tankers are the main ships of TankRons, and scouts are the main ships of ScoutRons.
Capital ship - A ship carrying a spinal mount, intended for the line of battle. Capital ships are usually armored and of high acceleration and Agility, carrying the best computers available.
Escort - A ship without a spinal mount, but intended for combat.
Fighter - A combat ship of less than 100 tons.
========================Calculating ratings==================
Attack rating: each spinal mount provides part of the Attack rating according to the table below. Add up the points from all the main ships in the squadron to get the total Attack rating, rounding fractions up.Divide spinal PAW ratings in half, rounding fractions up. The minimum rating can be zero but not less than zero.
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Wpn Value
A 0.1
B 0.15
C 0.15
D 0.25
E 0.3
F 0.35
G 0.4
H 0.5
J 0.55
K 0.6
L 0.65
M 0.7
N 0.75
P 0.8
Q 0.85
R 0.9
S 0.95
T 1.0</pre>[/QUOTE]Modifiers (applied after the total squadron rating is calculated):
</font>
- -1 if total squadron escort tonnage is not at least 10% of total main ship tonnage.</font>
- -1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.</font>
Modifiers can reduce a squadron's Attack rating to zero, but not below zero.
===================================
Here's a suggestion for calculating the FFW Bombardment rating of a squadron of HG ships. The main assumption underlying these formulas is that battleships are too valuable to risk fighting SDBs or planetary defenses while cruisers can be more readily risked in such action. The same holds true for fighters based on ships in battleship squadrons; those fighters are assumed to be needed for screening the capital ships and therefore not to be expended.
Note: To find the number of "effective missile batteries" on a ship with turret missile racks, count the total number of missile racks (not turrets, not batteries, actual missile racks) on the ship and divide by 30.
For capital ship squadrons with main ships of size R or larger (battlecruisers, battleships, and dreadnoughts):
Bombardment = (# effective missile batteries/400), rounded to the nearest whole number, + (# fighters in the squadron/1000), rounded to the nearest whole number. It is possible for the result to be zero, but not negative.
For capital ship squadrons with main ships of size Q or smaller (cruisers, battleriders):
Bombardment = (# effective missile batteries/100), rounded to the nearest whole number, + (# fighters in the squadron/300), rounded to the nearest whole number. It is possible for the result to be zero, but not negative.
Modifers:
</font>
- +1 if the squadron is prepared for Bombardment action. To get this modifier the squadron must have had some of the weapons removed from its weapons bays and deadfall ordnance placed in those bays. I would think that the Zhodani BatRons in FFW have had this done.</font>
- -1 if the total escort ship tonnage in the squadron is not at least 10% of the total capital ship tonnage in the squadron.</font>
- -1 if the total cargo hold tonnage in the squadron is not at least 5% of the total capital ship tonnage in the squadron.</font>
- -1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.</font>
Modifers can reduce a squadron's Bombardment rating to zero but cannot reduce it below zero.
========================================
Here's my suggestions for how to figure the Defense value for HG ships/squadrons in FFW terms.
FFW Defense rating: Base value (sum up points for all capital ships in the squadron, and round up)
1 point for every capital ship hull of 30ktons or larger.
0.5 point for every capital ship hull of less than 30ktons.
Modifiers (applied to squadron value and are cumulative).
The minimum any squadron Defense rating can be is 2: enough capital ships must be in a squadron to bring the Defense rating to a value of 2.
</font>
- -1 if the squadron does not have escort tonnage of at least 10% of the capital ship tonnage.</font>
- -1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.</font>[*]-1 if the average capital ship Agility rating is less than 5.</font>[*]-2 if the average capital ship Agility rating is less than 3.</font>[*]-1 if the average capital ship Meson Screen rating is less than 7.</font>[*]-1 if the average capital ship Nuclear Damper rating is less than 7.</font>[*]-1 if the average capital ship Armor rating is less than 9.</font>[*]-2 if the average capital ship Armor rating is less than 1.</font>
Here's the same ships as before, but with their FFW squadron ratings calculated according to the revised scheme. The Defense ratings are much better here. Squadron ratings were done with 8-ship squadrons (unless stated otherwise), with sufficient escorts, but not prepared for Bombardment and only the capital ship's inherent cargo tonnage.
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Ship
Class Attack Bomb Defense Notes
Gionetti CL 5 1 5
Arakoine CS 6 5 5
Ghalalk CA 2 2 6
Azh Hi Ltng FI 2 2 2
Atlantic CR 6 1 7
Skimkish LC 0 7 2 14 ships in squadron
Wind SC 3 6 7
Antiama FC 0 10/1 5 Bomb is as cruiser/battleship
Tigress BB 8 10 8
Plankwell BB 8 0 7
Kokirrak BB 8 0 8
Nolikian BR 6 0 4 20kt, 7 Nolikians in squadron + 1 BT </pre>[/QUOTE]</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Ship
Class Attack Bomb Defense Notes
Anzha BR 8 0 2 28kt, 8 Anzha in sqdn + 4 BTs
Idlev BH 8 6 6 560kt, 80 fighters each
Shianzpla BB 7 1 4 300kt, TL13 design, Jump-4
Viepchakl BB 8 1 6 200kt, basic BB
Vrapkenchkinj BC 8 1 5 56kt, factor-S meson gun
Kefchenzh CA 3 1 5 52kt, PAW spinal
Driafria CS 4 9/2 5 100kt, Bomb as cruiser/battleship, 240 fighters each
Zhdavidlits CL 5 0 2 14kt, 12 ships in squadron</pre>[/QUOTE]