The basic idea here is to put a NON-RELOADABLE(except by your base carrier) torpedo in the bay of the F-111/FB-111. The rule is this, this pod was designed to fit into the bays of the FB-111 and F-111 it takes 2 spaces and can fire 1 photon torpedo. The pod can only be recharged by the carrier.

By Randy Buttram (Peregrine) on Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 07:48 pm: Edit

Well, the bay in the B-1 and B-2 bombers can carry one photon torpedo in a single bay space, with a max of two torpedoes per bomber, loaded by the bomber base as the photons on the A-20 and the A-10. There is apparently a reason why the F-111/FB-111 can't carry a photon in their internal bay while the bombers can.

By John Pepper (Akula) on Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 08:31 pm: Edit

The photon is the fed's primary weapon, as such there replacement for the PF should be able to have this weapon. It also creates a lot of new tactical options and this doesn't create any game balance option.

By John Pepper (Akula) on Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 08:35 pm: Edit

On the bombers, the mega A-20 can now carry 4 photon charges the A-10 2, my feeling is that the FB-111 looses a lot of fire power with the deletion of the F-111 ADD rack and that the mega F-111 is woefully under powered compared to the A-20 when it goes into certain types of combat where direct fire weapons are necessary.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:01 am: Edit

Uh, John, there is a world of difference between the F111M and A20M.

Namely POWER.

The A20M has 4 Photons, taking 16 power over many turns to recharge to reload it.

The F111M take 0 power to rearm. In addition it has what, twice the drone firepower. The A20M has 4 specials+2 Type-I's. I can't recall what the F111M has, but I know it's a boatload, considering a 3-space bay and 2 from the Mega-fighter pack.

By John Pepper (Akula) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 01:16 pm: Edit

You are right regarding power, but at the same time the I think the F111M takes longer to reload with all those drones, my argument remains that the photon, being the feds primary weapon, should have the option of being on there PF replacement fighter. This option doesn't create any game balance issues, and it is a fair trade.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 01:38 pm: Edit

OK, I've looked up the F-111, I have it as:
2 Type-3
4 Type-1, Mega will add +2 Type-1
2 Type-6
Add-6
3-space bay

Total: 14 spaces of drones (not including ADD)
compared to a A20FM

4Special
2Type-1
4Photons
Add-6

Total: 6 spaces of drones (not including ADD+photons)

Since I can't remember the time it takes to load a 'charge' I can't comment on that, but the problem with reloading "mega-assault fighters" if I remember correctly, is that the 'ready-racks' don't get extra charge warmers, so once you load up 2 photons onto the A20FM, it has to wait 2 turns to get the other charges (at least that is what I remember from reading the Mega-fighter rules and I noted no change to ready-rack rules.)

By David Kass (Dkass) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 02:55 pm: Edit

I seem to recall that heavy fighter mega-sleds do not get extra drones (or is it something else they do not get?)

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 03:16 pm: Edit

its bombers don't get extra weapons, just the extra damage+speed increase

By Randy Buttram (Peregrine) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 04:36 pm: Edit

But energy weapon (e.g. photon) armed fighters don't get extra drones, only extra charges for the heavy weapons. So the A-20M doesn't get the additional type-I rails that the F-111M does.

By David Kass (Dkass) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 05:22 pm: Edit

Thanks Scott. That'll teach me to reply before going and checking my rules...

By Spencer Rathbun (Spencerr) on Saturday, May 29, 2004 - 12:37 pm: Edit

Personally, I would love to see a small repair pod, a small shield pod, and a torpedo pod for the F-111. And the ability to slap some onto a ship for casual "PF replacement" flotillas....