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Carrier Ops
Some of my players got their hands on the Dominion War Netbook and want to play fighter pilots. I'm not adverse to it as they're about to be transferred to an Akira-class cruiser which is more a cruiser/carrier.
The only problem is that I'm wondering would carrier ops from starships be similar to the carrier ops on wet navy aircraft carriers? I suppose they would but of course landings would be easier using tractor beams than tail hooks and arrestor wires.
Also how would you keep them interested in the plot of your standard trek adventure. The Dominion War is over after all so I doubt there'll be any big battles in the near future.
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Here's a thought...just because the DW is over, doesn't mean that there is no need for miltary ops.
The Federation's resources were pushed to their limits and beyond in fighting the Dominion. In our campaign, the aftermath of the War took a nearly half a game decade to work out...battling pirates emboldened by Fed weakness...challenges from the Tholians and others who saw opportunities to be had from the chaos...etc. A little thought and I'm sure you'll be able to come up with lots of similar ideas to keep your fighter pilots busy...
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Deo Vindice!
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When I came with the Carrier systems for Spacedock I assumed that recovery operations would be as simple as possiable hence an arresting system was included to lesson power use and provide a means in the advent of power failue to tractor beams a method for fighters to land with out them. The post in Spacedock should still be there will have to go a'hunting.
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A carrier can also be used in a mission of mercy;the flight deck could, in a pintch serve as a additional quarters for evacuees from a disaster, for example.
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Best speed to Gallifrey!
Commodore Horatio Richard Jaeger
CO, USS Audacity,NCC-85901
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Beings that my campaign started out with a Carrier/Explorer class vessel, I've had to deal with the same problems you're running into. I've used tractor beam assisted landing mechs, along with anti-grav units and low-grade force fields. You have to jump the logical, modern-day approach alot of times and just go with plain Science Fiction. Also, instead of steam catapults, I've been using slight repulsor-like tractor beams to launch the Valkyrie fighters.
As for keeping the game hopping for the fighter jocks, I've combined the ideas of Space Marines from Space: Above and Beyond and Top Gun. On the "hairy" away missions, the Marines are assigned as primary units of the away team. Also, they make for added punch in fighter mode during ship-to-ship combat. I consider my PC character fighter pilots the 24th Century equilivant of the Navy S.E.A.L.s
Blow the hell out of them and ask questions later!!! Not very Starfleet, but they've saved some serious bacon when it needs saving.
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Captain Scott Taylor
U.S.S. Guardian
NCC-1738-B
"No, no! I'm chaos. He's Mayhem!"
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/startrekgamersstation
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I found some of my old Starfleet Battles material. I discovered something interesting. Apparently the SFB universe Federation built a class of survey cruisers which doubled as light carriers in wartime. In peacetime they use the fighter complement is reduced and the fighters have most of their weapons replaced with sensors and serve as the eyes of the ship. Anyone got a recon fighter worked out yet?
I like the Space Above and Beyond idea though especially if the PCs are all not command crew officers. I was thinking of a special away team like the Prime Teams of the Prime Directive RPG (which is being published as a GURPS supplement). Maybe that's the way to go. Any more ideas, please post.
One question though. Fighters are warp capable but is it necessary to drop out of warp to conduct flight ops. I would think it would be necessary as I think it'll be near impossible to perform landing manuveres at warp speeds.
If we do have to conduct flight ops, would it mean we'll have to add a CAG (Commander Air Group); Air Boss (basic an air traffic controller); and Landing Signals officers who co-ordinate landing procedures - especially if we're using tail hooks and arrestor cables.
[This message has been edited by ghosty (edited 09-24-2001).]
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Hey Ghosty-
My ship, the U.S.S. Guardian, is more like the ship you're taking about. Although it runs just like a normal SF vessel, it's implemented alot of new crew positions.
-Flight Operations just for the fighters, shuttles and scouting craft. They direct landings, take-offs, and flight patterns for the fighters, along with deck controls for parking and the like.
-Tactical Flight Engineering is primarily used for fighter technical/repair support.
-Tactical Flight Operations Manager is in essence the Commander, under the Captain, that controls and coordinates the Fighters and their movments. During away missions, the Marines switch over to the standard command chain on board the ship.
Hope this might help too. Are you fixed on the idea of using the Akira as a carrier? Otherwise I'd be happy to post the Sentinel-class' stats.
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Captain Scott Taylor
U.S.S. Guardian
NCC-1738-B
"No, no! I'm chaos. He's Mayhem!"
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/startrekgamersstation
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I came up with the concept of a prototype aircraft carrier ship for Starfleet. Its name is the U.S.S. Armarda. Basically, I picture it similiar to the aircraft carrier ship in the cartoon Voltron (the one with the air, sea, and land vehicles, not the lions) or maybe the Tiger's Claw from Wing Commander. It has pulse cannons and photon launchers to defend itself and carries at least 200 fighters.
No, I never came up with stats because I never have the time to do it. I know the ship would have to be much, much larger than the Enterprise-E and it would require a lot of power to even get it to move, let alone hit warp.
But, the players loved it the first time they saw it. I mostly use the ship as a support vessel since there is a major war in my game. If someone wants to take a crack at creating it using Spacedock rules, I'd love to see it.
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I thought the reason we used fighters during DW was to counter Dominion Fighters, ...
Now introducing a full time space fighter based military doctrine is not a 5 minutes job.
Keep in mind that it was the same with RRT (I would imagine) the Admirality did not sat down and said ... "We need RRT and then it was."
I would say the very first RRT outfit was a specialized security force on trial exercises, probably heavly used by Starfleet Intelligence as well, then the training doctrine and profiles were developed based on their experiences and suggestions and after a decade we had first boys and girls coming out from RRT schools.
Remember these first pionieers for new line of duty had to be damn good and experienced so they could provide a vaulable feedback.
So it would work the same for fighter pilots, first you get a group of pilots from small, fast vessels who know their stuff, you put them through team work training, deploy on exercises, try to test in real action, then the most important part, TAKE NOTES of the whole thing, refine and you have yourself a fighter pilot schooling program for Starfleet.
Then you can put a legend into your campaign (as I have done with RRT in mine) sort of ... "hey did you know that this guy/gal was in the first fighter wing/RRT unit ... I have to get to know him/her"
Plenty of roleplaying ...
Even better, get players to work on developing the training and operational doctrines and that way you get a clearer picture of what they expecting from the fighter-ops.
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Commander Alexandra Polanski ( ex-RRT http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif )
[This message has been edited by Polanski (edited 09-25-2001).]
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Carrier Ops . . . :-)
Been a while since I've played . . .there's no group down here in San Diego, CA that I've found to play with . . . but maybe this may help in your dillema
http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/For...ML/000897.html
http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/For...ML/000785.html
http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/For...ML/000275.html
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