Hello there everyone,
I really like the idea of escorts finally escorting, so I might as well join in the conversation
![Grin ;D](http://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
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@ Escorts with 2 hits or 2 shields - in general a nice idea btw.:I do not think that they should be considered in this thread, at least not to determine the "basic escorting" rules. After all they are more like the special-kids and not the norm. Guess they should be discussed more in detail later on, probably just exclude them form these rules, not sure ...
@ Massing shields:Bad idea, bad idea, go back in your corner idea and stay there till I call you
![Wink ;)](http://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
. No seriously this would brake with current game mechanics in a rather big scale and could shift balance a lot. To much impact for a nice little addition.
Also it does not make any sense to me
![Huh ???](http://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/Smileys/default/huh.gif)
. So shields are a bubbles, o.k., but where does it say they can be extended to such a degree (escorts protecting battleships), or combined with one another? Apart from that: if I was a cruiser captain I would not be pleased by the idea of an escort vessel, being really close, exploding within my shields
![Shocked :o](http://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/Smileys/default/shocked.gif)
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@ Topic:I fully support brethrens rules so far, because I am the bfg-buddy he discussed them with
![Grin ;D](http://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
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Escorts are simply added (2:1) and then treated as other capital ships regarding the gunnery table, hit overflow and so on. Because these rules are a as-simple-as-can-be addition to the current game mechanics and do not require to change / add lots of new special rules. Yet they allow for all the fun:
- Valuable escorts can be protected by bigger ships.
- Bigger ships can be protected by escorts, at the cost that escorts have to slow down to cruiser-speed and maneuver into the line of fire to "sacrifice themselves". As bigger ships determine the column in the gunnery chart for the whole squadron, makes therefore sense to me.
- Also to attack "hidden/protected escorts behind a cruiser", pure escort-squadrons in themselves might become popular. Who else is better suited to jump to the other side of the cruiser and make short work of the "protected" escorts. So even more escorts, yay!
- This leaves but one problem: different armor values. However that is a given squadron mechanic right now and should be kept for the moment.
Please note:Of course I am well aware that some things do not feel real in this game, but then again: the rules are more an approximation of reality and the current squadron-rules do not help to make it feel more real. However using these rules (with as little abbreviation for escorts) seems to be the best way to come up with a at least "ready to go" test version.