> Hello all Starmada players,
> 
>      I have been designing Starmada X ships using the 
> computer program that is available thru the
> mj12games/Starmada website.  I  have noticed that under
> weapon abilities the "Extra Crew Casualties" option  seems
> very powerful.  If every weapon on a ship is given this
> option, all  other starships could be rapidly defeated
> because their weapons will be  hitting the other ship's
> weapons, special equipment, engines as well as  hull.  But
> every hit they take would cause a crew casualty and the ship 
> whose weapons will cause Extra Crew Casualties could rapidly
> erase the  crew of the opposing ship.  I notice that there
> are options such as Armored  Hull, Armored batteries, 
> Organic Hull & Resonant Shields to  protect a ship's hull,
> weapons, and shields from being readily destroyed.  However
> there does not seem to be anything to prevent ships  whose
> weapons cause Extra Crew Casualties from too easily wiping
> out their  opponents who aren't similarly armed and even
> capturing their ships. 
>     
>      StarmadaCompendium had "Extra Crew" as an  equipment
> option.  Is there a need for an "Extra Crew"  as special 
> equipment in Starmada X?  This "Extra Crew" could have as
> it's description  that, if a ship is required to take a crew
> hit, a die roll of 5 or 6 means that  it takes no crew hit,
> (Similar to Armored  Hull, Armored Batteries  & Resonant
> Shields)  As a new player, I may be over-estimating the 
> effectiveness and power of these Crew-eraser types of Weapons. 
> 
>     I would appreciate any advice from other players about 
> this.  I enjoy this game a lot and am having fun designing ships.