Hi!
First, I need to also credit the gdw-beta list for help on the
Lightning design, especially Guy Garnett and John Bogan for their
helpful suggestions, and Allen (Shock?) for his encouragement.
Peter Brenton asked if I was using 20 ton fighters instead of
Ramparts. The ship was designed so that it can carry 20 ton fighters.
I figured this would be more flexible, and also it would fit the
original concept of the gunboats being fired out the launch tubes. My
concept was that the ship would carry 9 ton Ramparts like those in
Brilliant Lances.
The Gunboats are designed to be flexible craft: transport, troop and
fighter recovery, recon, and occasional heavy space support (the
turret in the gunboat is about twice as dangerous as the laser lance
on the Rampart). The Gunboats are not meant to be primarily fighters.
I think of them as being similar to a large helo for a surface ship.
I will post soon the operational aspects of the Lightning Class,
although essentially I've tried to make them as much like the CT
versions as possible.
If all my posts are annoying you, please let me know:
[email removed]
and I'll stop ;-)
although I don't anticipate any more huge posts anytime soon.
Matt