quote:
If someone Boards a ship with self-destruct (SD), then the SD destroys both ships. Even if the boardee is an escort and the boarder is a mother ship!
So, if SDs are so powerful, why can't a ship that is clearly doomed move up next to an enemy ship and initiate the SD, thereby taking out the hated enemy? (Or at least doing a heck of a lot of damage.) After all, you can commit noble suicide by ramming, and you can even plan for it with explosive warheads.
A rational SD should only be powerful enough to destroy the ship that carries it. Collateral damage should occur to ALL other ships next to it, and should be rated according to the size of the ship with the SD.
Consider that the boarding ship has
lowered its defenses and has moved close enough to
dock with the SDD ship. Also, the SDD is designed with the boarding problem im mind, so it would be way overpowered.
Consider a typical ship. Supply storage is enough for at least 100 nukes. Tons of Antimatter torpedoes. Let loose the antimatter or detonate all 100 nukes when the unshielded enemy ship sits 1meter from your hull, and ask yourself how well it would take that kind of a beating.
Blammo.
But ships at range have their shields up, and are mobile, so you can't reach them from where you are
I would suggest giving your SDDs a warhead ability, so they can do 1500 or so damage during a ramming. Your ship will be destroyed, but you get to do extra damage by delf-destructing.