utilae wrote:In any case it seems that since combat will not take place in any area bigger than a solar system, we safely say that accuracy will not be a problem for lasers.
No Accuracy wil always be a problem (although attentuation would be more of a problem for REAL LIFE* lasers)
Basically those are the two issues that you have with a weapon system regarding distance
Sensors+Target Size v. Stealth+Range
and
Weapons Speed to Target+Target Size v. Ship Evasion Movement+Range
(There's also Target Resolution Time...How fast the computer processes the data +Target Size v. Ship Evasion Movement)
*Emphasized to remind us that it doesn't matter (although it might be good for the technobabble)
As for Combat scale, there are 2 measurements of Combat scale
1. the dimensions of the Field that ships will move around in during combat
2. The ranges of Weapons, Sensors, etc.
If 1+2 are close in size it becomes first to fire wins (little opportunity for manuever, hiding, etc.
If 1 >>> 2 then the game becomes more about movement and coming into the battle in the right orientation and formation (and allows running away and other strategic concepts) ... disadvantage=potential search time.
I prefer 1>>>2 with
1= System (about a dozen Light Hours)
2= less than Earth-moon (fraction of a Light Second)