Topic: Scout 4.0 Thread Continued, Magnums campaign ?'s

[Skaren]

I started a new thread because our topic has drifted from the original scout topic.  Other reading may wish to hit the bottom of that thread.

In answer to your ?'s about our campaign spy and special development rolls

In our game you purchase a spy network at I think 30 EP and establish it in another players country.  The turn after and each turn thereafter (that it survives) you roll on a table (this roll is generated using PHP randomizing script located in the player log in section) The results of the roll are emailed to the ref and the player sees them displayed.  The tables are 99% the same as the ones found at the end of the rules.doc.  Several rolls may be required all randomly generated.  The results can range from the spy network being shut down and the spying player revealed, (which causes political problems when you catch someone using spys in your country) to tactical info that the ref provides about the target nation, to sabotage, ie bomb on a ship generates 1-100% damage on a random vessel.  There are even some comical results like spy sleeps with wife of the nations leader (results in bragging rights only).  In our game you assume the roll of a single Emperor/Admiral/President and actually locate yourself in the game and on a ship or base but you run the entire nation and all of its fleets.  The death of an Admiral gives the killing nation a 50 EP bonus.  It doesn't mean you leave the game, a new leader is elected, cloned, etc. and you run the new guy.

Once again most all this stuff can be found in the rules.doc downloadable from the web site.

Special development works like this.  You build a research facility on a planet/asteroid hex (X EP cost, I forget).  Once built it can be funded each turn at 20EP  If funded you get to roll on SD table with a 1 in 8 shot of a specail technological break through( again in the player log in section).  The breakthough can range from Metamorph spy +1 spy table results to Super sensor station capable of seeing x number of hexs in the game.  You can again see the list and description of each special at the end of the rules.doc. 


I am thinking so far compared to the Dynaverse,.. our campaign really rocks, but maybe I have had not a good run in the Dynaverse world and will continue to work on  it.  The one catch is our campaign cannot accommodate 100 players.  Yet,..  I am working on a PHP program that handles ship movement on a scale a human cannot do, it may be months away from completion if ever ,..

Feel free to continue with the ?'s

[Skaren]

I cut and copied the spy tables for you..


Spies
A nation may spend 30 EP to produce one spy. (A spy is actually a network lead by one espionage master).  Limit one network per target nation.  Player rolls once each turn on Table 1.  Spy networks become active the turn after they are built.  A network may not be deployed in a target nation until that nation has been met in a zero hex meeting.

Table S1 – Spy Events
2   Death - Spy and his nationality discovered, spy is killed, network falls apart.
3   Torture, then Death - Spy caught and tortured to death, 3 in 6 chance target nation knows spy’s nationality.
4   Big Slip - Spy network goes dormant for next 2 turns, 2 in 6 chance target nation knows spy’s nationality.
5   Little Slip - Spy network goes dormant for next turn.
6-8   No Information or Action
9   Moderate Info Success - roll on table S2.
10   Critical Info Success - roll on table S3.
11   Moderate Action Success - roll on table S4.
12   Critical Action Success - roll on table S5.

Table S2 - Moderate Success, Information
1   Hex location of Admiral at end of turn.
2   Locations of 1-2 random fleets.
3   Location of research facilities and results of any successful rolls for that nation.
4   See target nation’s construction orders for this turn.
5   Learn of other spies in target nation and who sent them.  Learn locations of target nation’s networks.
6   Identify the type of target nation’s Admiral’s ship, fleet, and location.

Table S3 - Critical Success, Information
1   Spy becomes Legendary Spy, permanent +1 to Table 1.
2   List of target nation’s production outlays for that turn and spy locations.
3   Location of 1-6 fleets in target nation closest to spying nation.
4   List of all target nation’s special developments in play and under construction.  Location of research facilities.
5   Spy boards a random ship and will report that ship’s location and fleet information until spy’s owner chooses to stop.  No more spy rolls from this spy until this boarding is ceased.
6   See target opponent’s orders for this turn and last turn.

Table S4 – Moderate Success, Action
1   Cumulative delay in collection of 10 EP from random planet for 3 turns.
2   Destroy 10-30 EP of target nation.
3   Reduce EP max outlay of one random target nation construction site by 30 points for next turn. 
4   Contact with Orion rogue vessel, joins your nation under your control, random ship.
5   Bomb On Board a random ship, 1-60% damage to target.
6   Disrupted Communications, one random fleet receives no movement orders next turn.  Production is unaffected. Fleet defaults to Patrol Intercept.

Table S5 – Critical Success, Action
(These events can be held, but are lost if the spy dies, and cannot be used if the network is dormant.)
1   Delay collection of all EP from a target system for 3 turns.
2   Destroy 40-60 EP of target nation.
3   Assassination attempt on Admiral, 33% chance of success. 25 EP Admiral assassination bonus, stacks with Admiral combat kill bonus.
4   Target nation crown jewels stolen, Queen tapped.    Spy becomes legendary, earns nickname “Bond”.
5   Bomb On Board a random ship, 1-100% damage to target.
6   Disrupted Communications, no fleets receive movement orders next turn.  Production is unaffected.  All target nation ships default to Patrol Intercept.

[Magnum357]

Wow!  These rules are quite involved.  I tried downloading the rule documents on the site, but for some reason it wouldn't allow me to open up the .doc file.  Is this sfbuaw a Lan only type of game, or can people from across the internet allow to play?  If so, do you play on Gamespy or something (GSA is all I can do with OP).  I don't think I have the time to join this, but perhaps in the future.

Another question, it appears you have research facilities develope technologies, in the early stages of a game, are you limited by only the avialability of ships you can purchase, or do you actually have only certain technologies available on the ship (like No Transporters or Tractors if you haven't developed those technologies yet)?

[Skaren]

No, it is not LAN only.  We resolve the battles either with LAN or over the internet for those folks not local.  We do not use game spy, I host the campaign battle on a machine and folks enter my IP address to resolve battles, in doing so I can better control the game, capture a film of it, review the battle film if needed, get the damage results dumped to MY C:.  I mean I trust folks but still as a ref I have to insure everything is on the up and up.

No all ships in the SFC OP 4.0+ ship list are available for this current campaign.  Currently we find everyone builds X ships, so for our next game we may restrict that in some fashion.

The technological goodies cannot impact actual ships or combat, as I am not going to start dinkering with the OP code.  So special development rolls are technology of a campaign nature not a tactical ship nature.  For example one of them is Planet Buster.  If delivered it can destroy a system on the campaign map.  It is delivered with a fleet but it affects the campaign not ship combat.  There are no like super phasers or things like that.

Some folks believe spys and SD are a waste of money and focus on combat ships, other feel different.  It is a matter of choice. 

The actual ship combat is by the book no dinkering with that.  All systems are there at the get go.

Our current campaign is on turn 10, and on turn 15 there is a dramatic event that will may end the game.  Read on the message board thread "Wolf 2215".  Until the game ends I cannot just stick in another nation.  It would also take a while to get you up to speed.  You addition to the next game would be welcomed by our crew.

I am unsure why you cannot download them, they are a word doc.  I did today, and my players do.  I was modding the web page today and that may have f'd with it?

That spy table is just big,.. we "try" to keep the rules simple.  The hardest part is understanding a campaign turn is divided into 3 impulses (like the original SFB).  A player plots for each impulse for each ship at the beginning of the turn.  The turn then gets resolved imp1,2,3 then end of turn stuff.  So in one campaign turn a fleet could technically have 3 battles, not likely but still possible.  I think the total rules run 8-9 pages for the campaign end of things.  Beleive me SFC OP is much more complicated   

[Skaren]

Here is a section of the rules to get you going.  A new release is due out soon that fixs some typos and errors in this edition




Nations
Typically decided by the ref. 

Ships and Starting Assets
Each player will start with a fleet assigned by the ref. 

Campaign Turn Sequence 
1.   Negotiation, typically one to two weeks
2.   Submit orders including production collections and allocations, ship movements, etc. 
3.   Orders resolved, typically two to three weeks during which time battles are done
A.   Production collected and allocated (Note: Building at facilities is spread over the three movement impulses.)
B.   Ship movements (moves, intercepts, disengagement, battles, etc.) are resolved in three separate impulses
4.   Spy rolls
5.   Results returned to player.  Next turn negotiation begins.

Stacking
Facilities (see Building) do not count toward the stacking limit, which will be three ships with the following restrictions:
•   Not more than one leader or command ship in a stack. 
•   Not more than one scout vessel per stack.
•   Not more than one drone cruiser or bombardment ship per stack.
•   No more than one X-technology cruiser (CA) per stack.
•   No more than 2 CA hulls or larger per stack.
•   Not more than one DN per stack.
•   A stack containing a DN sized ship may not contain any any X ships.
•   One carrier allowed per stack.


Stacking Exceptions
Exceptions to the three-ship stacking limit are battles, MAMA, blockades, and cloaked enemy fleets.

Rameyfication Rule (Double Teaming)
If two nation’s ships are combined in a stack, one commander must be chosen to lead the fleet in battle.

Movement
Ship speed in campaign hexes is as follows:

Slipstream Drive   4 (extra hex of movement occurs at the end of the turn)
Normal ship   3
X cloak   2 (see Ship Orders for cloaked movement rules)
Cloaked ship and
Monitors   1 (see Ship Orders for cloaked movement rules)


Ship Orders
Each ship’s orders are broken down by impulse for the three impulses of the campaign turn.  Each player’s ships will be given orders for each impulse.  Ships not receiving orders (because of spies or random events) will take no action that turn.  Impulses of the campaign are resolved individually.  See Sensor Range And Detail for information regarding sensors and movement.

All players should call the referee with any questions regarding a particular move.  The referee will determine if orders are unclear.  If so, fleet patrols (PI) until next turn.

Normal movement example   Imp 1   Imp 2   Imp 3
Turn 1 (start @ 3611)   NM  3712   NM 3812   PI 3812
Turn 2    NM 3912   OC 3912   FB 3812

Cloaked movement example   Imp 1   Imp 2   Imp 3
Turn 1 (start @ C 4011)   CS 4011   PI 4011   CM 3912(1)
Turn 2   CM 3912(2)   CM 3912(3)   OC 3912

In turn 1 of the cloaked example the cloaked fleet comes out of cloak on impulse 2 to view target hex 3912, goes back into cloak and heads to planetary system 3912 beginning on the third impulse.  In turn 2 the fleet finishes its cloaked movement and arrives in the system on impulse 2.  On the third impulse it occupies the system while uncloaked.
 
Legal orders are:

•   Normal Move (NM xxxx) – In this plot, xxxx indicates the hex into which the fleet is moving. 
•   Cloaked Move (CM xxxx) – This move requires three consecutive impulses, with the fleet arriving in the destination hex on the third impulse.  As with any move, long-range sensors are inactive for the duration of the move.
•   X Cloaked Move (XM xxxx) – Same as Cloaked Move, but with a speed of 2 rather than 1.  This movement occurs in impulses 1 and 3 of a turn.
•   Cloaked, Stationary (CS xxxx) – This order is for a fleet that will remain cloaked and stationary.  In this plot, xxxx is the hex occupied by the cloaked fleet.
•   Patrol/Intercept (PI xxxx) – The fleet patrols its hex, scanning surrounding hexes to the fleet’s maximum sensor range.  If a target is detected, the patrolling fleet is informed of the target fleet’s presence and has the option to execute an Intercept move toward the target 1 hex (I phone with that option on the impulse it occurs).  This occurs in the same impulse in which the target is detected.  In this plot, xxxx is the current hex of the patrolling fleet.  See Sensor Range And Detail for a description of the information given to the patrolling fleet.
A fleet containing a ship with special sensors or a Science Officer can execute an intercept move multiple times during a turn due to increased sensor range, but each ship may not exceed its normal campaign movement.
•   Patrol/Fallback (PF xxxx) – Fall back up to one hex per impulse toward a designated location after an enemy fleet enters sensor range.  In this plot, xxxx is the hex to which the fleet will fall back.
•   Pursue Target (PT xxxx) – Pursue and attempt to engage target fleet.  Pursue last known hex location if target fleet moves out of sensor range.  In this plot, xxxx is the hex in which the target fleet was last detected.
•   Occupy (OC xxxx) – Occupy hex xxxx, diverting all of its EP output to the occupying nation next turn.  This diversion of EP lasts until another player occupies the hex.  See Occupation for more information.
•   Build Base (BB xxxx) – This plot indicates that the ship is involved in the initial impulse of base (or sensor bouy) construction.  (See Bases for more detail.) A ship plotting BB is dedicated to base construction and may not take other action in that impulse.  If the base construction hex is attacked, the ship may participate as normal.
•   Power Up (PU xxxx) – This plot indicates that a ship will be powering up a jump drive, with xxxx as the target hex for the jump.  This plot must occur over three consecutive impulses.  If interrupted (battle etc), the plot must be restarted.  See Jump Drive for more information.
•   Wormhole (WH xxxx) – This plot indicates that the ship is in transit through a wormhole found in hex xxxx.  If the wormhole terminates in multiple locations, and a specific terminus is the destination, it should be indicated in the plot comments.

Movement Changes from a plot
A player can break from plotted movement under the following circumstances.  If he does he just sits there, no PI, etc
-After battle a player may continue plotted movement or halt where he is.
-After first contact with another nation a player may halt.  Due to stack limits if the players ally, someone may still have to disengage from the hex (to where they came from, per disengagement rules).  If neither player can agree who leaves they must fight.

Disengagement
Either player may attempt to disengage (flee) before combat begins.  If disengagement fails, combat occurs.
To disengage, both players roll 1d20.  If the disengager rolls higher than the attacker, the disengagement is successful.  Die rolls are modified as follows:

   Disengaging Fleet    Attacking Fleet
Cloak   +4   +3
Legendary Admiral   +3   +3
Per Ship Sacrificed   +3   0
Legendary Captain   +2   +2
Orion   +2   +2
Nebula   +2   0
Legendary Navigator   +1   +1
In An Asteroid Hex   +1   0
 
If both fleets opt to disengage, disengagement is automatically successful.  A mutual disengagement does count as a zero-hex meeting, for spies and communication

If disengagement is successful and a disengaging fleet was moving, it returns to the hex from which it entered.  If it was stationary, it moves into one of the three hexes opposite the attacking fleet(disengagers choice).  If the entire attacking fleet was cloaked, the disengaging fleet can move to any adjacent hex, provided the defending fleet had been stationary for three impulses prior to being attacked.  If it had not been stationary, it moves into the hex from which it entered. 

Retreat: An attacker who fails to win his battle in less than 90 minutes is required to disengage as described above.

Prancing Nancy Rule
Any player disengaging from combat must wear something pink to the next campaign-related social event.

Tactical Combat
Medium sized maps will be used for all SFB computer games (except nebula, which are small maps).  Combat occurs at speed six on a closed border map until one side is destroyed.  A green line in the SFB game interface indicates the border.  Ships exiting combat by crossing that green line are considered destroyed(and actually blow up in the game) .  Any battle that lasts longer than 90 minutes shall be considered a victory for the defender of the hex.  The attacking player must retreat.  See Disengagement for Retreat rules. 

Timetables
The referee will announce each campaign turn’s Battle Stage.  A player has two weeks from that date to complete all battles.  Players failing to complete their battles during that time are in Default, and the referee will attempt to resolve the battles using an A.I. player against the waiting Admiral, during the next week.  A.I. combatants on both sides will resolve battles not resolved in three weeks, with results returned to players.  In this campaign timetables will be strictly enforced.

The Hurstination Rule
(From the Latin hurstus meaning to procrastinate.)  Players are required to make a tactical decision within two days of notification by the referee.  Failure to respond results in no action being taken by the fleet in question.  This means if I call you and ask if you wish to execute an intercept plot,you cannot wait a week to make that decision

Sensor Range and Detail
Sensor range is one hex for all ships, sensor border beacons, base stations, and non-homeworld planets.  Sensor range is two hexes for battle stations, star bases, and home worlds.  Sensor detail level depends on the range from the sensor to the target.  A sensor location is not aware of whether it is being sensed in return.

Distance   Detail Level
0   Same as 1, plus construction type and exact construction progress and damage  on any vessel or base,..no % is told,..just that it is damaged,.. is all you get
1   Same as 2, plus Number of ships and base type  BS,BATS, or SB
2   An enemy fleets presence and presence of a base.  Nationality( Player and race). If planet, who owns it
   
Hull types are reported as FF, CL, CA, and DN.  Players will be notified when someone enters sensor range on the impulse in which it occurs.  A sensor distance of zero implies a cloaked fleet or combat.  Fleet sensor range is reduced to zero during movement, but a fleet will always get a normal sensor scan between turns.   You see exact ship types only when your actually playing the computer game

Scouts 2 Hex look:  If a scout sees someone at range 2 and that fleet or planet does not have the ability to see back.  The scouting player can opt to not contact the non scout player.  If he chooses to contact that player his location is revealed even though he is technically outside sensor range.

If you can see a planet you can tell if it is owned and by who. 

Border Sensor Beacons
These unmanned border stations have a sensor range of one hex and are destroyed automatically by an enemy player if left undefended.  They cost 20 EP and take three impulses to construct and a player must have a ship present at start of construction.  Unlike regular building, they can be started mid turn, 3 impules to finish

Production
Production points, also known as Economic Points (EP), are produced each turn.  A nation owning an EP source is credited with the source’s EP at the beginning of each turn provided that nation owned the EP source at the end of the prior turn.  The movement of a nation’s EP to repair or construction locations is automatic.  Unless otherwise specified, unspent EP is considered banked at a nation’s home world.  EP sources are categorized on the following chart.  No system may ever produce more than 40 EP.  In this game capitals are worth +10

Category   EP   Hex Type
4   30   High output planetary system
3   20   Normal output planetary system
2   10   Low output planetary system, asteroid hex, black hole
1   0   Empty planetary system, empty hex

Loans
One player can make economic loans to another, and the loaned amount must be plotted.  Borrowed money is spent on the turn it is received, provided the loaner correctly allocates it

Raiding  **********************************************
Raiding has been eliminated from the rules, from this point on the only way to get EP from a source is to occupy it and collect next turn.  This was done for a number of reasons, mostly cause it causes changes in EP totals during the game.  This rule was put in for a particular type of Pirate based game long ago and has little use now.  This will also simplify things greatly for ref and players

Occupation
Occupation changes ownership of an EP source.  Occupation must be plotted.  One impulse is required to occupy any EP source.  Occupation fails if the occupying fleet is forced to disengage.  An occupied EP source begins providing EP to the occupying nation on the turn after the occupation is complete.

Home worlds
Each player begins the campaign with one home world.  A base station is present in the home world hex.  If a home world becomes occupied (the base must be destroyed to accomplish this), the occupied nation suffers the following penalties:

•   No EP may be collected, spent, lent, or borrowed.
•   Occupied nation’s spy networks go dormant.
•   No special development rolls are allowed.

If a home world is occupied, that nation may declare a Capitol In Exile on another of that nation’s planets on any turn after the home world was taken.  All penalties are lifted one turn after the Capitol In Exile is declared.  The new Capitol will produce an additional five EP per turn above its normal category EP.

Blockade
If a player attacks a hex containing a star base, battle station, or base station, he may choose not to attack the base and instead blockade the base hex.  Any defending ships would then have the option of coming away from the base for battle or accepting the blockade.  A blockade does not need to be plotted, it is decided by the player when he arrives at a base

A blockaded base cannot receive EP for construction.  Any planet in a blockaded hex is still considered owned by the base player until the base is destroyed, but no ep is collected.  A blockade is an exception to the three-ship stacking limit.

Admiral of Fleet 
The winner of a battle in which the opposing nation’s Admiral is killed receives 50 EP.  An Admiral moves with his ship, and his location must be plotted.  If an Admiral dies, a new Admiral is declared on the following turn.  Unless specified, an Admiral is assumed to begin the game in the nation’s command ship.

Building Restrictions
All ships in a nation’s fleet listing may be built at the BPV listed in SFB Orion Pirates.  Modifications to those ships (fast drones, fighters, etc.) must be accounted for when determining construction cost.  Advanced fighter builds are only permitted when the ship is initially built.  Upgrading of ships is not allowed after they are built

Base Building
The maximum EP output for construction of a base is 100 EP per turn.  Star bases cost 300 EP to build, battle stations cost 200 EP, and base stations cost 100 EP.  All bases are basic bases with no improvements.  Once built, they can only be upgraded by scrapping the previous base, then constructing a new base on the site of the old one.  This is the only instance in which bases can be scrapped, and this can only be done provided the EP is used for the new base.  Scrapping a base can be done instantly during the first turn you decide to upgrade and spend money

If a base is attacked while being built it cannot fight.  Also the commander of the base can self destruct it before it falls into enemy hands if he wishes.

A warship must be present in the construction hex and plot BB for the first impulse of a new base construction.  After that, the base is considered self sustaining.

Ship Building
The maximum EP output of ship construction locations are as follows:  Bases can build new ships at a rate of 100 EP per turn, battle stations 75 EP per turn, and base stations 50 EP per turn.  All construction locations are limited to one project per location per turn, regardless of the number of points spent.

The size of a base determines which hull types can be built there.  A base station is capable of building FF and CL hulls.  A battle station is required to build a CA hull (or smaller), and a starbase is required to build a DN hull or smaller.

Scrapping
A ship or base may be scrapped for 66% of its BPV.  This takes three impulses, counts as one project, and must be plotted.  Points garnered from scrapping are available for new construction on the turn after the salvage is complete.

Scrapping a base can be done instantly during the first turn you decide to upgrade and spend money on a new base.  Technically your not totally breaking down the base, your kinda expanding on it.

Damage and Repair
Damage to ships and bases will be tracked in this campaign using the Sector Assault 1.1 mod.  For instructions on using the Sector Assault damage tracking system, refer to the Sector Assault readme file (ref will handle this).  The ability to import damage is based on the name of the ship.  It now becomes important to name each vessel in your fleet. 

Ships must return to a repair facility to be repaired.  EP must be expended for the repair, and the repair counts as a construction project.  Repairing a damaged base counts as a construction project.  The base cannot build or repair a ship while the base itself is being repaired or upgraded.  A damaged base is still fully capable of repairing a ship, and for this campaign even a 10% health base has full repair.  That will change in the future

In the event a damaged ship should fight again before being repaired, the ship cannot come out of the second battle with less damage than when it went in.  If that should happen, the original damage amount is retained.  Repair during combat can mess with our system, hence this rule.

Player Dropout
If a player leaves the campaign, that nation will be offered first to a player who has been eliminated from the campaign, and then to any other person interested, provided that the majority of remaining players in the campaign agree.  The referee gets a vote, and the referee breaks ties.  If no player takes the nation, all of its ships will move to the nearest friendly planets and steadfastly defend them against all attackers.  All trade statuses will be revoked and the abandoned nation goes to perpetual war status.  Any undefended planets will surrender to the first occupying force to enter the hex.