Running a team in a campaign isn't that easy, as we have found with our LAN campaigns with SFC 1.
We have a stand alone computer workout where everything is, deciding what has encountered whatelse, the economics, tactical intelligence from scouts and economc, etc.
However, as a team (Klingon Empire), initially we had problems operating as a team outside of actual SFC LAN battles. The main problem was folks issuing conflicting orders to ships on the campaign computer to one group of ships and o being left sat idle (or in dodgy locations) as they'd not received orders.
For instance, player (A) has a troop convoy he wants to escort to an objective and maybe secure a star system prior to an invasion. He arranges that his troop ships will meet the warships he's selected at coordinates X - Y.
Player (B) has had a run in with the enemy and his CVA battlegroup lost a couple of escorts, which he wants to replace quickly to return to the fray. He scans the campaign computer's inventory and finds a group of suitable escort vessels close by to his CVA battlegroup's location, and so orders them to join his battlegroup.
Later on in the camapign, player (A)'s troopships are at the meeting point wondering where the feck the escorts are.
We've had numerous instances of this occuring on both sides.
We instigated a portfolio system under which players have sole responsibility for issuing orders and managing various elements of the team's units.
I manage all frieghters, tugs, auxilaries, trawlers and light commerce escorts (Q-Ships, corvettes, etc.)
My son Robert manages all naval warships.
Dave manages all fighter squadrons, PFs, patrol craft (skiffs, gunboats, PT boats, etc.), troop movements and troopships, etc. Yes, he does control the antics of any F5G, D5G and D6G that we have.
This is just for issuing orders on the campaign computer. We all still have our "favourite" warships which we fly if they happen to be in a battle, or fly whatever needs to be flown given a combat situation.
The "Portfolio" system has ended the confusion with issuing orders that existed before and has improved our overall tactical ability in the campaign so far.
Everyone has to put forward their case for the spending of hard earned revenue points on the units they believe that they believe they need. It goes to a vote and a lot of bargaining, concessions, etc. goes on.
Meanwhile, our Kzinti oponents, judging by the arguements, are sticking to the traditional Kzinti methods of squaballing amongst themselves and we sometimes wonder if yet another civil war is about to break out.
Campaigns can be fun and are best fought on LAN in small teams.
Topic: What happened to SFC Direct Play?? (Read 3745 times)