From: rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org (Felix S. Gallo)
Subject: Re: This has gone too far.....
Followup-To: rec.games.netrek
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 19:56:51 GMT

rubin@pterodactyl.cis.ohio-state.edu (Daniel Rubin) writes:
>
>You have got to be kidding!  A couple of torp hits and maybe a single phaser
>hit and the scout is toast.  I love it when a scout tries to dogfight me in
>a DD, I just tractor on to him and SMACK - easy kill.

First, a disclaimer: I suck.  Now, an ego trip: even if I'm dumb enough
to get in your tractor range, you are most likely dead like Elvis if
you tractor me -- and I'm usually not dumb enough to get tractored.

The optimal ranges for scouts are at just-out-of-tractor-range where
they  can pelt all they want (and dodge with ease) and diving-into-the
heart-of-the-sun where their torps can't be detonated effectively.
Good scouts can make the 1 second kamikaze dive more than 60% of
the time.  With the added benefit of an enemy tractor, a simuldeath
is almost guaranteed (and to the advantage of the scout, as he gets
back faster most of the time).

The thing about scouts is that they're phenomenal at escaping pain
whenever they get uncomfortable.  Since no ship can accelerate
towards them without giving them a good shot at getting away, they
can all-but-dictate distance.  Add to that the penalty of turning
towards a scout with more than minimal momentum, and you've got
yourself a tough nut to crack.

As the best scoutbomber in existence, I find that destroyers are
usually quite crunchy.  A scout that has to kill a destroyer can
pick its moment; the destroyer has to stay on its toes and wait
for the scout.  On the other hand, scouts don't usually have to kill
destroyers, and can wait for the cavalry to show up and get the free
kill.

>Although I may be in the minority I believe DDs are the BEST dogfighters.  I
>will take a fast manuverable ship over a slow ship any day.  Scouts and DD
>are both fast, but at least DDs are not made out of balsa wood.  DDs are 
>more like pine...

Scouts are made of paper and rubber cement.  I think scouts and DDs
are about equal in standard netrek combat situations against anything
but BBs and ASes; they can fight each other down pretty well, depending
on personal skill, but neither can do well against a CA of equal
quality.

>Whatever!  A scout is history with a CA in any dogfight situation.  A DD will
>most certainly survive a dogfight with a CA if he remembers not to get in
>tractor range and is a halfway intelligent dogfighter...

Well, no, you're completely objectively wrong.  If the DD can stay out
of tractor range, then the scout can too.  The scout can walk away from
the CA to lick its wounds whenever it feels like it, whereas the DD might
get caught by a quick turn.  

But if you don't believe me, I'm sure there's some scout out there
with connectivity (unlike me, currently) who will be more than willing
to show you the dance of death.

>
>Love live DDs and watch out for Super~Dave... He is dangerous...

I consider myself warned.  Really. :)

>             Daniel Joseph Rubin     rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu 
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Felix Sebastian Gallo                              rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org
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