I've never actually done it all but it could be instructive to tabulate the various system's SDB 'factors' from the old GDW TU boardgame '3rd Frontier War'.

As I recall, in that game, the 'factor' represented the # of SDB's & they were always the same TL as the system they defended.

A chart was used to determine their combat performance & it very heavily favored higher TL's.

Hence, Porozlo's 500 TL10 SDB's, by themselves, were only a minor hindrance to the Zhodani with their TL14 Regular Sqd's & TL13 Colonials, while Rhylanor's 50 TL15 SDB's were a formidable force that could deal a telling blow all by themselves &, esp with Imperial Fleet support, could defend the system quite well.

From: Tim <xxxxxx@little-possums.net>
To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2019 3:59 AM
Subject: Re: [TML] SDB and system defense organization

On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 07:01:29PM -0800, Evyn MacDude wrote:
> Hum, SDB organisation is going to depend a lot on what their primary role force that
> is and system geography.

It's also likely to be very different between otherwise similar
systems that have very different populations, TLs, and government
types.

A pop-4 TL-6 system might have a single third-hand ex-mercenary boat
that mostly stays on the patch of dirt they call the planet's primary
starport. A pop-A TL-F system might have thousands of boats and
larger craft up to battleship size and firepower, in rotating
schedules that provide continuous coverage of the mainworld, other
planets, habitats, strategic points, and on patrols.

If the system is balkanized or has other internal problems then they
might be protecting from each other as much or more than any external
threats.

- Tim

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