I see your point about more intensive sorties but i still think that quantity of attacks over quality, so to speak, is the best way to go.
and when you say that stuff must die I think that a frigate constantly being attacked and therefore constantly having to be repaired would consume far more supplyes and equipment then no frigate at all. I know the ultimate objective is to destroy it but in this instance when you want supplies consumed as fast as possible making sure you don't completly destroy it is a great strategy.
oh and go Tev's
This is great if we take a very narrow view of the affair, a simple 'How does the GTVA maintain its operational tempo for 6 more months?' statement, but we have to look at the campaign we're undertaking here, and how this piece of the puzzle fits into it. And that's not meant to be a condescending introduction, but merely a fact, that the supply issue is only one part of the campaign.
Now, the campaign has a strategic objective: the capture of a planet, let's say. Now in this, the GTVA must commit a number of Offensive Operations: OFFOPS to achieve the strategic objectives. These consist of things like the denial of a tactical or strategic asset, or the acquisition of an entrance or facility. Opposing this, is the UEF's ability to commit its own OFFOPS and DEFOPS. The two most relevant factors that facilitate the execution of these operations are Fleet Integrity, and Supply.
And so looking at the relationship of the operations, fleet integrity and supply tells us that whilst the integrity of the fleet falls, the supply is more evenly distributed amongst the remaining vessels. This is a bad thing when we look at the war as the simple statement I begun with because the rate at which supply decays falls, but interpreting all of these factors tells us that a decline in the integrity of the fleets means a decline in the UEF's ability to wage successful operations (increased probability of an operational failure).
But, a ship's contents of beans, blankets and bullets also represents a slice of the overall supply in itself. By destroying a vessel, the GTVA not only hampers a fleet's integrity, but also the overall state of supply.
Thus, the most favourable outcome from GTVA OFFOPS is the destruction of UEF warships. Even better than this, are transport vessels.