Found my Original Starfire I...

[RedInTheMorning]

some thoughts on naval gaming and how ship firepower tactics work - what is more satisfying for players?

http://redinthemorning.blogspot.com/

For Starfire, some thoughts on squadron rules and how they'd affect the game.

[Cralis]

Interesting article. It doesn't seem like you have played 3rd edition or later Starfire. As technology changes, so do tactics. Especially in 3rd edition (what we now call Classic Starfire) where major tech changes are HUGE.

In fact, around TL 8 or 9 there is a new tech called Dz -- datalinked point defense that allows members of a datagroup to help defend each other...

[RedInTheMorning]

@ Cralis - quite correct, I'm just re-playing my Original Starfire thirty years later.

Third scenario up, "The Wrath of the Khanate", with four plays and some analysis, including the changing tech.

Per Cralis' post, tech changes things a lot. Missiles were key in scenarios 1 & 2, and in 3 they are largely negated by Point Defense so a switch to closer ranges and Gunfire.
http://redinthemorning.blogspot.com/

[aramis]

The engine differences between pre GKW and GKW-onward* don't make much difference in how the game plays out, since it tends to be relatively balanced...

It's really interesting to compare SVC's two ship combat games from the era - Starfire and SFB. SFB with proportional movement, randomized damage, separation of systems and their power sources, and energy allocation. Starfire with fixed damage allocation, power assumed to be adequate for all systems. Even when in the movement process one rotates the counter for fulfilled turn modes.

* while the multiple hit engines were originally presented in Nexus, they became the standard in GKW.