[2006.12.04]
[v3.6]

FTCamp0.2: Campaign Round (UN Meeting)

[Campaign Round] : [FTCamp0.2] :: [WikiGaming] [e (2-72) - Introduction] [Gateway]

This is the UN Meeting Phase of each Campaign Round.

The UN Meeting and the Fleet Orders Phase will be performed for each Campaign Round. The Resource and Support Phases are done in secret by each player. The Engage and Battles only occur if they are triggered.

0: Content

1: Submit to UN Investigators (top)

1.1: Why Have Inspections?

FTCamp is a trust based campaign, each player does all their book keeping in secret. All fleet compositions are hidden until reveal, as well as many other things.

The UN Investigators exists for two reason. Firstly, to keep checks on players to ensure no one is actually cheating. This is really a minor motivation, as any player who is cheating is hardly gaining anything by playing in a trust based campaign.

The second, and more important reason, is to check that all players are following the same interpretation of the rules. (As a guide it is recommended that all groups play the first 3 rounds as open book). Since everything is closed book, it may be that players are reading the rules slightly differently. Any problems can then be bought up at the UN.

1.2: When and Who?

The Group must decide upon the frequency of inspections, every 10 rounds for example. Note, this is very dependent upon the number of players, size of map and how much time you have to spare.

The players must then hold a vote for who to inspect, a player may not be inspected again until all other players have been choosen. The player with most votes is then open to inspection, in case of a tie, all players re-vote but only for those involved in the tie.

1.3: The Inspection

The player under inspection must reveal all of their notes and records to all players who ask. This includes: all fleet compositions, craft (with their damage and/or refit status), system loyalty ratings, command bubbles, trade hubs, etc.

Players do not have to inspect everything, and it is probably a good idea to split into teams and focus on specific areas. This means that a players records should be consistent and self explanatory (or near enough).

The Inspectors can only focus on previous rounds, the records for this round are not available (ie. the fleet orders), so there is not gain for this round.

1.4: Consequences

It should be fairly obvious that if you are currently at war with another player and you are then inspected, they will be given all your vital military information.

There then becomes interest in forcing your inspection at a time that suits you. Then, of great importance, if the inspectors for teams, ensuing that your enemys only see non-vital information. (Get your allies to inspect your military records - assuming you trust them).

2: FTCamp Updates and Errata (top)

FTCamp is a complicated system, and it's not always possible to foresee all the interactions and consequences of the rules. To that end, during the UN Meeting any player can bring up any issue they have with the rules.

The issue is then discussed and if necessary vote on. Simple Majority wins. No one may abstain.

Any alterations to fundamental parts of the rules (ie. things that are clearly wrong or do not work) will be added directly into these web pages. Any changes which are to suit the current state of our campaign (eg. adding an increased tax on trading) will be included in the UN Logs.

3: Declare Open Treaties and Hostilities (top)

3.0: Idea

This paragraph will be open for discussion at the next UN Meeting.

Current proposal is to use a treaty system similar to VBAM, with penalties for breaking any open treaties. Diplomats will give bonuses to forming and breaking treaties.

3.A: Secret Treaties

This does not obstruct secret treaties between players, but there are no penalties for breaking secret treaties.

The Support Phase Section discusses loaning groups to other players. This is stricly a secret exchange, but the Owners crew remain to operate the craft, thus there is no chance of stealing them without retaliation from the crews. For both players, it would probably be safer to use an Open Treaty, with fixed consequences for attempting to break the treaty.

4: Common Market Report (top)

4.1: Motivation for the Market

The Common Market is a device to help smooth out the campaign. Not all groups will want to include it. Removing the Common Market would make Inter Power Trade the only viable way to exchange resources.

If all players are using the standard rules (ie. Ore to build craft) then there is less incentive to trade ore.

Put simply, there can be no definite rules for the Common Market, as in real life the system is far too complicated. There are too many conflicting aspects, not too mention how dependent it is on the specific map you are using.

The Suggested Common Market is as follows:

This forms a triangle of exchange, only in one direction. Each conversion requires a ratio to be set. This is the purpose of the Common Market Report, all players gather information on the Market and must decide upon the exchange rates.

For example, at the start of our campaign we had the following:

At the first Common Market Report, we decided to alter the rates to:

A dramatic change.

4.2: How to set the Exchange Rates

This is economics, a basic supply demand curve with the added complication of a non-zero sum system.

A method we use to judge the Market is for each player to reveal the net transactions over the period in question (since the last Market Report). Using these net values, it can be judged whether a particular trade is being used a lot - the demand is high, hence the exchange rate can be made worse (making the exchange more expensive).

There are other factors to consider as well, the Market could reflect the number of wars, since they always affect economies.

While discussing the Market Report, each player should be roleplaying a different person to your UN Delegate. Obviously you want what is best for you, but you must also consider all the information.

Note, Gals are the universal money system, and they can easily be used to tax any specific exchange or even only specific players. (Fair Trade agreements are possible). The extend to which a group role plays and uses the Common Market will vary considerably. Good luck with this bit.

For the sake of forward planning, all alterations to the Exchange Rates Occur after the Resources Phase of this Round. It might also be benificial to make a Report the last action of a gaming session, doing one during a session means players will have to rethink all their exchanges which will slow down play.

4.3: Universal Bank

Importantly, the FTCamp system is not zero sum in relation to resources. Each System produces Gals at a fixed rate every round, thus a player who doesn't spend much will accumulate vast quantities of Gal (and perhaps other resources).

This will lead to players have large reserves without the capacity to spend. Demand will be well below the supply.

As part of the Market Report, these general figures can be bought into consideration. The Guilds control the stock piles of resources at all the Trade Hubs, and it is in their interest not to flood the Market.

To that end, it may become necessary to Tax players based on their savings and stock piles. This will make players wither abandon their stocks or use them up.

Extreme examples include, each Trade Hub being taxed (in Gal) for the amount of Ore and Bio stored there, and the Powers Gal Account being taxed based on income and saving.

5: Stellar Anomaly Report (top)

5.1: Wormholes

Wormholes. They are necessary from a balance point of view, otherwise players would be fairly stuck in their starting regions of the map.

New wormholes, old ones collapsing or moving and other such changes must be discussed before the campaign starts. If any of these options will occur they must happen on pre-defined rounds and according to a set algorithm.

Make any changes now. Note, unlike the Common Market, where it is suggested to leave any Reports until the end of a gaming session, Wormhole alterations are known about in advance; hence it is recommended the changes happen during sessions, meaning players may have to adjust their orders.

5.2: Areas of Special Interest

Used to give bonuses to Research Missions, the possible locations must be agreed before the campaign, along with the algorithm for placing them and their duration.

A suggestion, any Dust Cloud Hex, that is surrounded by a only other dust cloud hexes up to a radius of 4 (ie. not systems or other types of hex).

The Areas of Special Interest should be temporary, and randomly chosen.

6: Submit Craft Designs for Inspection (top)

All new designs must be approved by a vote by the UN Weapons Inspectors. Simple Majority passes the design.

Each Base Design costs 100 TP.

You may submit Variants of any passed Base Design, but not of another variant.

A Variant must maintain the same Total Mass Factor (TMF). You cannot add Stealth or any other modification to the hull (ie. from 4 rows to 3 rows), these changes are significant enough to warrent a new Base Design.

The Tech Point Cost of a Variant Design is:

TP Cost = 10 + ( 100 x ( Mass Altered / TMF ) ).

For example, if I submit a Base Design of TMF[4]: Hull[1], FTL[1], MD[1] and B1[1]. As a variant I wish to remove the class 1 beam and make the ship faster, thus Variant TMF[4]: Hull[1], FTL[1] and MD[2]. I've changed 2 Mass (remove all systems you are going to alter and total their combined mass - I had to remove the Main Drive to increase its size). Hence TP Cost = 10 + (100x (2/4)) = 60 TP.

See the Support Phase Section for rules on copying other powers designs.

For each new design, either base or variant, all craft built to that design suffer a 10% increase in cost (on the NPV only) until at least one craft of that design is finished. Once one example of the design is complete, all subsequent builds of that design are at the normal cost.

7: Voting on Issues (top)

7.1: Voting Recap

So far, players have had to vote on:

The voting systems used are:

plurality, reduce
Each player votes for one other (of the valid set), most votes is chosen. If there is a tie, only those tied are included in a re-vote (the valid set is reduced).
agreement
There is no implied voting, the players must all agree diplomatically. The players may use a vote if desired.
two-thirds absolute majority
Two-thirds of all the players, not just those that vote, must vote yes. (eg. with 8 players, 6 must vote yes to the change).
simple majority
A majority of the players that vote must vote yes. Abstains and absencent votes are not included in working out the majority.
absolute majority
A majority of the players that vote must vote yes. Include all players in working out the majority. (eg. with 8 players, 4 must vote yes).

7.2: Other Issues

Any player can bring a motion to the UN, (assuming all players are members of the top body - in a game with lots of players, more than 20, it may be desirable to create an assembly which elects players to the UN Council).

Types of motion include:

Trade Sanctions
Prevents a player from using any Guild Nodes (stops internal and external trades and use of the Common Market)
Protectorate Systems
The nominated System cannot be claimed by any player.
Peace Keeping Forces
A Group of Players may combine Groups into a UN lead force, where all fleet orders must be agreed by all participating players.

These votes must be passed by either an absolute majority, or two-thirds absolute majority if the action is against a specific player.

These votes are like Open Treaties, they cannot be broken. For example the Trade Sanctions cannot be broken if in place, this is not an option, it is in effect a new FTCamp Rule for that player.

Any issue may later be re-voted if an absolute majority want to. The re-vote must again pass the issue with the appropriate number of votes.

8: Trade Negotiations (top)

All trading occurs in the Resource Phase, and will normally be secret between the parties involved. However, if multiple rounds are to be played in succession, there needs to be a time set aside for these back room negotiations.

At the end of each UN Meeting, all the delegates retire for drinks and closed door meetings, time to stab someone in the back.

There may be open trade agreements, and these will likely be enforced with an Open Treaty.

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