[2006.12.11]
[v3.8]

FTCamp0.2: Campaign Round (Support Phase)

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

This page covers the Support Phase Rules.

0: Content

1: Enact Build,Rebuild,Unbuild,Repair and Make Orders (top)

Now is when new craft are built and old ones repaired or decommissioned. Obviously in a logistic based campaign like FTCamp, this phase is of great importance.

1.0: Interrupting Order

You are not always able to carry out the Hold-Special Order given to a group. If the group is in a contested hex, then it will have appeared in the Engage Orders Phase.

If the group is engaged, then is may not perform its action (too busy preparing for the attack). If the group itself takes an engage it may not build, even if all targets either retreat or standoff.

If the group retreated it cannot perform it's action.

Only if put on standoff orders, and successfully standing off can the group perform its order.

1.1: Building (Build)

Builders are either mobile or static and either civilian or military. They are the only way to produce new craft, thus if you lose all your builders you are effectivly knocked out (unless an ally offers to give you a builder).

There is no difference between civilian and military builders (as far as building is concerned).

In order to build a craft, it must be able to fit within the available Workshop Space of the Builder. If not, then the craft may be constructed outside - though here is an importance point.

Statics may build craft externally without penalty - it is assumed they have vast external gantrys. Mobiles however must, prior to beginning any external build, spend one round on Hold-Build without building anything externally (they are setting up temporary external gantrys); they may build anything in their Workshop Space.

Once a Mobile has spent one round setting up (which has no cost), the temporary gantrys remain - so there is no need to waste another round. They remain only at the current location, if the Mobile Builder is moved, even just within system, it must waste another round on Hold-Build.

Each design has a Nominal Points Value (NPV), this does not include fighters or drones which are added afterwards (though it does include the cost of their respective bays). The NPV must be paid in Ore to build the craft.

New Designs have a 10% increase in their NPV, this applies to all attempts to build the new design until at least one is finished. (Thus you could build two in parallel, but both would suffer the 10% extra cost. If neither were finished this round and you start to build another next round, it too would suffer the 10% extra cost since one has not yet been completed).

Each Construction System has a Rating, this is the number of Ore it can convert into craft per Round. This need not be directed all at one craft, a builder can have multiple builds going on at once.

Builders that are in the same Orbit AND Sector can combine their build rates on any external craft (effectively the two work together to build it).

External constructions are more vulnerable should there be a battle, see the Battles Section for more details.

Once a craft is built there are several options. It can be left in orbit around the Builder that built it. It is a special exception to the Fleet Grouping Rules, any craft in orbit with a builder can be considered part of the builders group - thus they increase the EP Rate of the group in the next Campaign Round.

In any Round, at this point, any/all of the craft in orbit around a builder can be formed into a new Fleet Group (the type depends on the craft involved, see the Fleet Orders Section). This allows you to build larger groups without having to waste subsequent rounds with Hold-Reorganise Orders.

You must Crew the newly built craft AND supply them with EPs. If they remain in orbit then the EPs for the start of next Rounds Fleet Orders come from the builders group. If they form a new group (which must conform to the group limits and group structure rules) then they must provide their own EPs or suffer.

1.2: Repairing (Rebuild, Repair)

During operations, craft may take damage, this can be repaired. There are three types of damage: destroyed hull/hull space, destroyed systems, disabled systems. (See Battles Section for the difference between destroyed and disabled systems).

[Essentially, disabled systems can be fixed by the on board Damage Control Parties. Destroyed systems can only be fixed by being repaired or rebuilt.]

The reason Repairers are much cheaper than Builders is two fold: firstly they cannot build new craft, but most importantly repairing a craft introduced fatigue.

Continually patching a damaged craft will eventually lead to it been unusable. Thus the concept of Fatigue, it works as follows. Repairers can replace any destroyed system at its point cost (ie. to replace a destroyed Class 1 Beam costs 3 Ore). Once you have performed all repairs, calculate the percentage of the craft repaired (minimum 1%). This is the percentage of Fatigue for that set of repairs, Fatigue is cumulative over all repairs.

Keep a record of the cumulative Fatigue of a craft, it may exceed 100, though such a ship will have been extensively repaired.

Rebuilding does not give any Fatigue, in addition it can remove fatigue if desired. The extra cost to remove is:

Extra Ore Cost = 1/2 x (Fatigue / 100) x NPV

Fatigue affects rolls to fix disabled systems at the end of battles, any failed rolls mean the system is destroyed.

Repairers and Builders fix disabled systems for free.

Repairing and Rebuilding do not replace lost Crew Factors.

1.3: Unbuild

If you wish to reclaim Ore from older craft you may Unbuild them at a Builder. You reclaim the NPV less any Fatigue Extra Cost.

Unbuilding captured craft gives you half their NPV in Ore.

Unbuilding uses some of the capacity of the Builder, it cannot perform both simultaneously.

1.4: Make

The Make order is used to make everything else using Ore: Fighters, Drones, Missiles, Decoys, etc. Every Consumable.

You do not have to issue a separate Hold-Make when building a new craft. If it has consummables, they are fully built (at their cost) by the Hold-Build Order. Similarly, if the craft requires fighters/drones they can be built during the Hold-Build.

The Hold-Build Order can also be used to perform Make Orders. Similarly so can Hold-Repair. It exists as a separate Order for clarity, it will normally never be given, instead the Builder/Repairer will multi-task and be given their respective Hold-Special Orders.

Consummables made can be stored in Workshop Space, however once removed they cannot be placed back.

1.5: Refits (Rebuilding)

A craft that is bought back to a Builder may be refitted, though there are the following restrictions:

Given the above conditions, you may refit the everything except:

To Refit you must first Unbuild any systems you wish to change, but you DO NOT reclaim the ore from these systems (an exception to the unbuild rules). You then must build the new systems.

Note, altering the type of fighters/drones/missiles etc does not count as refitting, they are ordnance based weapons.

Refitting a lot of ships as opposed to submitting a new base/variant design is a trade off on time and simplicity of build orders.

Refits allow the possibility of Q-Ships. However, be warned that arming civilian craft may lead to other players attacking your real civilian targets.

1.6: Transfering Ownership

The final Building related orders concern donating craft to other players. There are two types of donation and then several options for the receiving player.

1.6.1: Temporary Loans

One power may lend another fleet groups for a fixed term. The Fleet Group marker changes to the receiving players colour on the map.

The Owners Crew will remain on board and operate the ships, but they accept their orders from the Borrower and externally appear to be a group belonging to them.

The Borrower cannot order the loaned groups to attack the Owning Player.

The Borrower takes over all responsibility for maintaining the groups (ie. EPs and repairing/rebuilding) but cannot re-crew them.

Once the fixed term is over, the group will revert to the Owners colour on the map, unless the period is extended.

1.6.2: Transfering

Alternatively, the Owner may transfer the craft/group permanently.

The Owners Crew must be returned to a system/location controlled by the old Owner. The New Owner must supply their own crew.

The Group marker changes colour in the Fleet Orders Phase after the new owner puts aboard crew.

1.6.3: Design Stealing

If you recieve either temporarily or permanently, a craft from another power with a design unknown to you, you may take the craft back to a builder. Once there you can study the design. In subsequent rounds you may submit that design at no cost (in tech points).

Note, captured vessels can never be studied. It is assumed the crew will have sabotaged the craft before it was captured.

2: Enact Restock Orders (top)

The Hold-Make Order (more commonly a parallel project under a Hold-Build/Repair Order), makes the consummables. However it is not trivial to reload craft sized missile launchers (etc). Thus they must be given a Hold-Maintain Order as the target of a Hold-Restock Order.

Note, if a craft is at a Builder, the builder can be given Hold-Build, the craft Hold-Maintain; then the builder can restock the craft directly. There is no need to make the consummables then in a subsequent round stock them on the craft.

2.0: Interrupting Order

As for the Build/Rebuild/Unbuild/Repair/Make Orders, the Restock Order can be interrupted. However it is not an automatic failure.

On a Retreat for either target or source of restock it fails.

On a successful StandOff it succeeds.

If Engaged, the craft can choose to either abandon the restock and begin the battle as normal (but without ammunition); or it can begin in a lower state of readiness fully restocked, except each restocked system begins disabled.

In either event, the source craft will have had to give StandOff orders. If the latter is choosen, then the source craft must start in the battle. See the Battles Section for more details.

2.1: Restocking

Consummables can be transported as Cargo, they all have a given mass (ie. Fighters are 1 mass, AMTs are 2 mass, etc.).

If the Orders were sucessful, the target craft is restocked as expected.

3: Manage Secondary Resources (top)

The Primary Resources are described in the Resources Phase Section, here we describe what can be done with them.

3.1: Troops

3.1.1: Recruiting

The People Rate (PL) of a given hex has been discussed (including how to increase this with Civilian Statics).

Troops are used primarily to affect Loyalty Rating, though they can be stationed on craft to repel boarders (not very common, since boarding actions can only be carried out by Boarding Pods).

Troops on board craft have been used this Round in the Resources Phase, they are resolved first in order to calculate the current Loyalty of each System.

Here we make Troops, where 1 PL = 1 Troop. Note Troops can only be stored in Troop Space - so any excess Troops generated will be lost (as excess People are also lost).

Recall, in the Resources Phase you may conscript people by expending Loyalty. Thus extra Troops may be raised.

3.1.2: Home Defense

Round Sequence is important here - if you lost a system due to its Loyalty Rating being reduced, then it would not be able to perform the Resource or Support Phase for you. So ignore the following.

As discussed briefly in the Resource Phase. If a system is being invaded, you can use Troops in a 1-1 annihilation battle. You can do this now.

Note, if you have a Trade Hub, you can move PL from nearby Systems to an invaded system in the Resources Phase and convert them into Troops now - then send them into battle.

[In relation to the above paragraph, recall that if the Node is contested (which it will be since you are being invaded) then the Hub can only move resources to you from nodes directly connected.]

Obviously, if you are not being invaded, you can pool your People into one system (by use of a Trade Hub), convert them to troops and increase the Loyalty of that System.

3.2: Crew Factors

The craft you built at the start of this Phase need crew. They can come from any where in the hex the group is on - and the group doesn't need to take any special orders.

5 PL = 1 Military CF

2 PL = 1 Civilian CF

3.3: Researchers

Researchers are People (PL) assigned to Research Projects. They are labelled such for clarity in the Researching Paragraph that follows. There is no difference between them and PL otherwise.

3.4: Endurance Points

Finally, for the secondary resources, Endurance Points. The lifeblood of the Fleet Groups, all groups require EPs are the beginning of EVERY Fleet Orders Phase (yes, thats every single Round).

As discussed previously, systems have a free allowance of EPs that they provide each Round.

If you exceed that, or send groups away from systems you control (or where an ally is supporting your group) you will need to give them EPs.

1 Bio = 1 EP

1 EP supports 100pt worth of craft

The amount of EPs each group can store depends on their EP Rate and the Type of Group.

4: Create/Maintain Civilian Infrastructure (top)

The rules for Empire Management.

4.1: Trade Hub

Trade Hubs are the key element in effective resource management, they allow you to pool the resources of several systems as one; and place them where ever you want within the reach of the Hub.

4.1.1: Setup

Read 4.1.2 as well before setting up any Hubs.

Each Hub requires a Trade Centre (the hex where the whole Hub is controlled from). This may be either a system OR a hex with a Civilian Static in it. If the latter the Trade Centre is the Civilian Static, it's destruction or removal destroys the Hub.

Then decide the other hexes you wish to include in the Hubs control. These become the Nodes. Nodes may be systems or Statics not on a System Hex - nothing else.

You must then link all the Nodes and the Trade Centre together with links. Links may go from any node to any other node (or the Centre), but every Node must be able to follow a set of links and reach the Centre. Label all the links: 1, 2, 3, etc.

The setup cost is paid in Ore, and is as follows:

Cost (Ore) = 20 + (length of link 1) + (length of link 2) + etc

A Node CANNOT be part of multiple Trade Hubs. You cannot add a link that would result in a direct path from one Trade Centre to another.

In any subsequent round you can add new nodes and links.

To Move the Trade Centre, you must shut it down in 4.1.2, then next Support Phase setup a new one. That means that next Resources Phase there will be no active Hub.

4.1.2: Maintenance

Trade Hubs require maintenance, this is paid in Gal and is a function of the size of the Hub.

Calculate the radius of the Hub. This is the distance from the Centre to the furthest Node; ignore links, this is the direct distance. (If the Hub consists of only the Trade Centre then the radius is zero).

Cost (Gal) = 2r + (number of Nodes) + (number of links)

2r is: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,... for r= 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,...

Note, it is the number of links, not their length in the maintenance formula.

A Trade Centre on it's own has a maintenance cost of 1 Gal. It has radius zero with no nodes and no links.

To remove a node or link from a Hub, do not pay it's maintenance, then next Round in the Resources Phase it will not be there.

The pooled resources of each Hub are assumed to be equally distributed across all its nodes and the Trade Centre

4.1.3: On the Map

Trade Hubs are visible on the Campaign Map, but too a limited degree.

For each Node and the Trade Centre (which despite it's name, need not be at the physical centre of the hub), draw a temporary ring at radius one (1), this include the Outer System hexes of a System (but Nodes/Centre don't have to be on a system). Link these rings to form a larger irregular shaped polygon.

This outline is then drawn on the public Campaign Map. None of the nodes are explicitly stated, nor which one is the Trade Centre.

4.2: Guild Member

Guild Nodes allow you to make internal and external trades (see the Resources Phase Section).

There is no setup cost, instead the upgrade a Trade Centre you pay 5 Gal extra per Round in the Maintenance step.

Guild membership fee takes effect for the next Round, and can be discontinued at any time provided there are no resources on route to that Trade Centre. If there are then you must continue to pay membership until they arrive - or you will lose the shipment.

If you move the Trade Centre, and goods are on route, you must also upgrade the new Centre to Guild Membership.

4.3: Research

Research is used to generate Tech Points (TPs). There are two ways:

Recall: your Homeworld generates 50 TP per round and your Primary Systems generate 10 TP per round.

4.3.1: Projects

Projects are funded and produce Tech Points directly. (Analogous to the Common Market).

2 Gal = 1 TP

You can only fund projects if you have a Homeworld.

4.3.2: Missions

Missions have much higher yield, but require more investment and direct control.

You must have a craft with Research and Passenger Space. It must take a Hold-Research Order in the Fleet Orders Phase.

The craft generates TPs according to the following:

TPs Generated = (Research Capacity / 10) x (Researchers /25) x Factor

Each term above is rounded down, so less than 25 researchers produce no output.

The Factor depends on the type of Hex the order is given in:

Hex typeFactor
System0
Outer System0
Deep Space1
Dust Cloud2
Area of Special Interest5

Areas of Special Interest appear randomly within Dust Clouds. They are announced by location and will appear in d6 round, lasting d6 rounds.

4.4: Diplomats

Diplomats at first seem odd in a GM-less campaign, since there is no way to secretly obtain information without you opponent knowing.

Unfortunately there is no real solution to this problem, but one of the concepts of this campaign is that there is no GM. Thus we return to trusting the other players.

To that end, diplomats perform a range of functions that make them targets. Should a player begin killing diplomats the UN must enforce significant penalties. For example: no access to the Common Market, trade restrictions (which are obviously hard to enforce), joint operations to enforce the decisions of the UN, etc.

4.4.1: Restrictions

Diplomats are characters, as such they take up no mass on board the craft they are on.

Under the UN treaty, all craft carrying diplomats have diplomatic immunity, however the group may not give engage orders at any time unless it is defending itself.

You may only assign a number of Diplomats to another power in proportion to it's importance and strength. One diplomat per: Homeworld and Primary System.

You may have excess diplomats within another powers space, but only the above number can be assigned missions on any given round.

4.4.2: Diplomatic Missions

Diplomats can perform a range of missions. Many require Gal, TPs and/or PL to be attempted. Thus diplomatic couriers commonly will have passenger space for the diplomatic staff.

Diplomats are essentially spies under FTCamp.

Possible Missions: (not yet fleshed out)

4.4.3: Reveal Trade Hub
4.4.4: Reveal Command Bubble
4.4.5: Reveal Loyalty Rating and Planetary Projects
4.4.6: Bribe Guild (Steal Resources)
4.4.7: Negotiate with Guild (Cheaper Trade)
4.4.8: Terror Cells (Reduce Loyalty Rating)
4.4.9: Summit (Inter Power Talks)
4.4.10: Turn Diplomat (Betrayal)

5: Create/Maintain Military Infrastructure (top)

The Military Machine.

5.1: Officers

Officers have two functions in FTCamp: they run the Command Bubbles and if present in a battle they can allow multiple craft to fire at the same time (breaking the alternating firing sequence). See the Battles Section for more details.

5.1.1: Training, Restrictions

Each Officer has a rank and a grade, which cost Gal and TP. An Officer may be promoted at anytime, as long as it does not break the Chain of Command (if it does, then this must be resolved). You must expend the difference in Gal and/or TP. (Note, promoting by Rank, without spending extra TPs means the Officers grade will drop by one).

You may remove or demote an Officer, however for each rank you demote, all rolls involing officers are at -1/rank (ie. Patrol Rolls and Command Rolls in Battles). Maintenance is based on rank, so you never demote grade. This side effect lasts of (9 - grade) Rounds.

The restrictions on Officers are an obvious extension of rank, you must obey a Chain of Command. Higher ranks cannot be placed under lower ranks.

The Costs are as follows:

Rank Max. Point CP gen. Cost (Gal\TP) for Grade
12345
15010 50\5050\100 50\15050\20050\250
210020 100\100100\150 100\200100\250100\300
315030 150\150150\200 150\250150\300150\350
10500100 500\500500\550 500\600500\650500\700

...and so on. In general:

Gal Cost = (Rank x 50)

TP Cost = (Rank x 50) + ((grade - 1) x (50))

Max Point = (Rank x 50). CP gen = (Rank x 10).

Ranks affect the largest craft, by point cost, that the Officer can be assigned to. This only affects the use of Officers in Battles, they may be transported by any military craft and while in command of a Command Bubble they may order any craft to intercept.

Similarly the CP gen column can be ignores. See the Battles Section.

There is one other important thing about Officers. At Rank 14 and above, they are Flag Officers. In order to be used in a Battle they require a Flag Officers Bridge.

[Essentially (for Battles): The Rank determines how big a craft the Officer is stationed on. The Grade determines how many other craft the Officer can command during a battle. The CP are Command Points, used to issue commands to other ships.]

[Essentially (for Command Bubbles): The Rank determines how many groups can be assigned to the HQ/Outpost. The Grade determines the radius of the Command Bubble. Their sum determines how many sensors you may place.]

5.1.2: Maintenance

Officers require higher pay than standard crew members. Thus they have a maintenance cost.

Cost (Gal) = Rank

This must be paid every round. Failure to do so will result in the Officer being demoted to a level you can afford. This is done automatically by your military budget committee, best keep a tab on your expenses.

5.1.3: Restrictions

Officers are characters, they may be assigned to any ship provided it is under their maximum mass and for Flag Ranked Officers there is a Flag Bridge present.

However, they cannot be assigned to any group. This rule is to limit Officers in Battles, it has no effect on Transporting them - they hitch a ride. If their ride enters a battle then the officer is of no use, he's not in command.

The cost of each Officer is in Gal and TP, combine these to give the Officers Value. An Officer cannot be assigned to Command a Group if his value exceeds the Groups Limit. Multiple Officers can be assigned to the same group, their total value cannot exceed the groups limit. (ie. a Task Force can have Officers whos total value does not exceed 500).

Finally, you cannot increase the Grade of an Officer indefinitly, they will eventually hunger for promotion, as is their right. To that end the maximum Grade is capped at ten (10).

5.2: Command Bubbles

Command Bubbles are regions of space that contains sensors and an HQ/Outpost with assigned groups. These groups are used to intercept anything that triggers the bubble.

They are a manner of covering areas of space, something that is impossible otherwise. They also allow a centralised response to invaders.

5.2.1: Setup

Must have an Officer assigned to the Bubble HQ and to each Outpost. These Officers are NOT assigned to the Groups on Patrol Orders. If you want extra officers for them you must pay extra.

The Officers Rank is the number of groups that can be assigned to Patrol Orders at the HQ/Outpost where he is. His Grade is the Maximum radius of interception and placement of sensors/outposts.

An HQ costs 30 Ore, this may be on a System or a Military Static. Choose this location first.

Assign an Officer to the HQ, this defines the maximum radius. Within the radius you may place (Rank+Grade) sensors, each costing 10 Ore. The HQ has a free sensor array.

If you want, you may add an Outpost, 15 Ore. This must fall within the Command Bubbles radius. It must have another Officer assigned who is of lower rank (or same rank, lower grade) than the one assigned to the HQ. The Outpost has a free senor array.

Repeat the placement of sensors for all Outposts, conditional on the Outpost Commander. This allows areas of overlap that can be heavily sensored.

Different Command Bubbles CANNOT overlap in any way. The extent of the Bubble includes all the extensions from Outposts.

HQ - 30 Ore. Outpost - 15 Ore. Sensor - 10 Ore.

The rules for Incepting are in the Fleet Orders Section and the Engage Orders Setion.

Note, it is common to have the HQ and/or Outposts as Nodes in a Trade Hub, so you can supply EPs to all the groups on patrol orders.

5.2.2: Maintenance

Command Bubbles require a lot of maintenance. This EXCLUDES the cost to maintain the Officer(s) and the Group(s) on patrol.

Maintenance = 5 Ore per sensor (except the free senor with each HQ/Outpost).

Note, this maintenance is paid in Ore - different to most which are paid in Gal.

5.2.3: Assigning Officers

Officers are assigned to specific HQs and Outposts. Within a Bubble you may move Officers around within their own radius.

Note, do not move an Officer to find that in his new position he breaks the Chain of Command.

5.2.4: Assigning Groups

A number of groups equal to the Rank of the Officer may be assigned to each HQ/Outpost. They are given the Hold-Patrol Order. They may be moved to any other Outpost/the HQ within the radius of the one they are currently stationed at.

Since Bubbles cannot overlay, it is impossible to move a group on patrol duty at one HQ to another.

Each Round the group can only be reassigned to a valid Outpost/the HQ within the Officers radius - this stops rapid secret movement of military assets.

5.2.5: Using Patrols

Patrols are not certain to Intercept an Enemy. They are mainly intended to act as area cover and initial meeting of an invaing force to gauge their strength.

Given the intercepting roll in the Fleet Orders Section, it is best to have a moderately quick group. Since if they are successful, the other groups may arrive via FTL in the battle (calling in support, as described in the Engage Orders Section), a larger heavier hitting group may also be helpful.

5.2.6: On The Map

Command Bubbles are completely secret, they do not appear on the public map in anyway - though it would be wise to have a private copy of the map with them all drawn on, as well as their respective sensor locations.

6: Initiate Planetary Projects (top)

The ability to redirect the effort of a System, adjusting the output of resources.

6.1: Setup

As discussed in the Resources Phase Section, under Loyalty Rating, when the Loyalty reaches certain levels, you may shift a percentage of your Ore or Bio or Gal production into Ore/Bio/Gal.

Choose one of O/B/G, calculate the amount according the the percentage shift, this is the amount of productivity to be redirect. You can redirect any percentage up to the maximum shift allowed. This alters the output of the system for the next and subsequent rounds.

The setup cost is twice the amount shifted, in the target resource.

Example: a 120 Ore, 30 Gal, 15 Bio system has maxium shift of 50%. You need more Gal, so you choose to shift 40% of the Ore, which is 48. Thus us costs 96 Gal to setup. Next Round the System will produce: 72 Ore, 78 Gal, 15 Bio.

Note, when calculating planetary projects, the production bonus is applied first. A percentage of zero is still zero, no free resources I'm afraid.

There can only be one Planetary Project per System at any one time.

6.2: Maintenance

There is no maintenance costs for a planetary project. It remains in effect until it is stopped.

Obviously, in a maximum of two rounds you will have recovered the cost of setup.

7: Tidy Up (top)

Last things to do book keeping wise, if there are no battles from the Engage Orders Phase, proceed to the next Round.

7.1: Left over Resources

TPs and Gals have no form, so excess are placed in your Galactic Bank Account.

Excess PL and Troops are lost.

7.2: Trade Hubs

All the resources in a Trade Hub are assumed to be equally distributed among the Nodes and Centre.

Calculate the amount of Ore and Bio stored in each Hub and divide it equally among the Trade Centre and Nodes.

This is only necessary if an invader disrupts part/all of the Hub.

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