Star Smash - Observations By The Game Master
Combat Efficiency

Everyone has agreed that there are some very serious problems with the Combat Efficiency (CE) values as computed from the Ship Construction Manual.

What has become clear is that for any given total Combat Efficiency, the ships from different nations or races will not have equivalent combat capabilities; that is, two fleets with the same CE may or may not be equal in combat.

Assume the following four fleets with approximately equal CEs:

Nation: |  | Federation (297.9) |  | Orion (295.2) |  | Klingon (298.0) |  | Gorn (298.5)

Ships: |  | Thunderer Mk III Nelson Mk III Nelson Mk III |  | Guardian Mk I Guardian Mk I Guardian Mk I Guardian Mk I Guardian Mk II |  | D-19B Viper's Tongue NC D-19B Viper's Tongue NC D-19B Viper's Tongue NC D-19B Viper's Tongue NC D-19B Viper's Tongue NC
D-11D One Wing
D-11D One Wing
D-11D One Wing
BH-3 C
MA-14 A
MA-14 A
MA-14 A
MA-14 A
PD-1 A
PD-1 A
GX-1 A
GX-1 A
GX-1 A

CE: |  | 297.9 |  | 295.2 |  | 298.0 |  | 298.5
Superstructure: |  | 81 |  | 125 |  | 155 |  | 234
Power: |  | 136 |  | 190 |  | 440 |  | 350
Damage: |  | 108 |  | 196 |  | 496 |  | 562
Spare Power: |  | 32 |  | 70 |  | 152 |  | 46

Is there anyone not able to see which two fleets are obviously superior? And of these two (Klingon and Gorn for the dense), the Klingons should (barring the presence of a totally inadequate unit commander) win most fights.

What this shows, as any experienced player should know, is that the Combat Efficiency (CE) value generated by the ship construction rules is totally unusable as a method for comparing the fighting capabilities of ships or squadrons of ships.

Sorry, more explanation is needed here, but time isn't available for that.