3e conversion: Ship combat

Hi gang,

I'd really like to hear what everybody thinks of my idea that pursuit
not be a part of the Spelljammer combat system.  If anybody has no idea
what the Star Wars space combat rules are, I'd be glad to post a
summary.

The things I'm looking at right now are (WARNING:  what follows is complete brain soup):

Renaming the ranges ("sensor range" just doesn't seem appropriate)
I've got (from far to near):
Visual
Long
Medium
Short
Close (this one seems broken;  point-blank might work)

---

Spot check DCs for ships based on size and distance

---

Reworking helms (if necessary);  my main concern is if it violates the
"official"-ness of the project.  If WotC says helms stay pretty much the
way they are, that's easy;  we just make minor adaptations to the rules.
If they say we can bend them, I suggest something like the Alternate
Helm system on Tarkas Brain Lab IV
<http://www.users.qwest.net/~malacoda/TheAlternateHelm.html>.

---

What "attributes" a ship has (this is just what I've come up with off the top of my head):
Tonnage
Cargo capacity
Hull Points
Max people (cramming people everywhere, like a dozen refugees floating across the ocean on a water cracker)
Max crew (for sleeping and feeding purposes)
Standard crew (to make everything work properly)
Minimal crew (to give the ship its full maneuverability; no weapons)
Rigging
Evasion Rating (difficulty of hitting the bugger;  modified by size and maneuverability)
Max Speed
Acceleration (affects Change Speed maneuver DCs)
Maneuverability Rating
Damage Reduction
Air supply (in Man-days)
Water Landing
Ground Landing
Gravity Plane compatibility (is everybody on the same side of the gravity plane?)
Deck Expansion
...I can't think of any more right now.

---

Working out the tables:
What tonnage is which size class?
How fast most ships can go
Do we modify the speed rules?  (It wouldn't be that hard)

---

Do we really wanna go 3D?  (I sure as s**t do.)

---

Do we use Lindharin's ship construction?
 -We definitely need to tweak it
 -To take a look, go to <http://www.telluri.com/lin/dnd/sj-ship-construction.html>

---

Should we allow orbital bombardment?
 -If so, how many hull points does a planet have?
 -How much damage does it take to wipe out all life on the planet?
 -Who the hell is Fiona, anyway?

-------------------------

Wow, that was a bloody great mess of crap.  If anybody needs
elaboration, don't hesitate to post a question.  I get the list in
digest, so it may be a day or two before you hear back, but boy will
you.  Well, Ally McBeal is on in 5.  Good luck and happy hunting.

-Colin vH