Nation Building

Nation Building

Nations of the Stellar Empires are complex things, there is no simple answer to colonial rights, and indeed. Many if not most nations end up being forced to share territorial holdings. As such, unlike previous versions of my engine, players may not get entire solar systems to just themselves! (Though they are certain to get one housing their capital to themselves)

Indeed, player colonies will be placed by me on the submission of your sheets into the solar systems! Now don’t get too worried, we’re not going to end up with any Firefly-esque systems with 50 inhabited bodies, at most there will be only three or four inhabited worlds in a system, and rarely will there be more than two people sharing that system.

And so we get to the meat, potatoes and gravy of the nation, their territory.

There are, as before, seven nation sizes to choose from. And your choice may or may not be very important. (Ok, ok, it’s important!)

• Tiny
• Small
• Medium-Small
• Medium
• Medium-Large
• Large
• Huge

A tiny nation doesn’t have much power, hell it won’t even have much of a fleet compared to others! But what it lacks in power it gains in, well for want of a better term, worthlessness, while that nation may have much to offer it is small and will slip beneath the radar of most if not all larger polities, and as the ‘little kid’ will find it much easier to get the protection due to not being a potential threat. Or so they think.

Small nations are in much the same boat as the Tiny nation and will rarely try and climb from that precarious position. But they have a slight measure more power and some more influence, but in return they are more visible to powerful polities.

Medium-Small nations are approaching the average size for space-faring nations and while not militarily significant compared to others they possess some influence and draw.

Medium nations can be considered the ‘universal standard’ most nations fit into this size bracket, they have relatively standard militaries and average influence over galactic politics.

Medium-Large nations are reaching into the higher spectrums. Possessing slightly larger militaries than medium nations some consider them unjustified bullies. Others consider them attractive targets of opportunity.

Large Nations are the big brothers of the galaxy, both implications being true, they can be protectors or bullies and their militaries often give them the edge.

Huge Nations are THE king shits of the universe, the superpowers, the ones with all the power (well not literally) nobody has navies on the scale of huge nations, nor do they have populations to match. However a huge nation has a large area to patrol, and often many enemies. Whether the primary enforcers of the Intergalactic United Nations or despicable Rogue States they are major players. And often the targets of intrigue. (Only IGUN or Rogue States may be Huge, numbers of huge nations are also limited.)

Your Territory

Players have a set number of planets in accordance with their nation size, unlike previous versions the complexity of your planet types is now more homogenous with no ‘direct’ benefits as all such related elements have been homogenized in order to produce a more balanced sheet for people, their navies etc. This was also done in order to open up creativity once more to allow peoples worlds to be ‘how they like’ though naturally people need to consider the fact the traits will decide what they are roughly capable of.

Now, this is written with the LARGEST type world. There will be a small table letting you know how to ‘subdivide’ it if you wish to do so. Note: A minimum of 50% of your territory must be planets (Nomads Excepted).

• Tiny: 3 Planets
• Small: 5 Planets
• Medium-Small: 10 Planets
• Medium: 15 Planets
• Medium-Large: 20 Planets
• Large: 30 Planets
• Huge: 40 Planets

A planet is a roughly earth sized rock in space that will generally house 90% of your population or more. However there are also others.

• Large Moons
• Small Moons
• Large Asteroids
• Space Stations

A Large moon is reminiscent of our own, 1 planet can be used to take 3 Large Moons instead.

A Small moon is about half the size of our own, thus 1 planet can be used to take 6 Small Moons instead.

A Large Asteroid is a rock only a couple dozen kilometers across. 1 Planet can be used to take 25 Large Asteroid Habitats.

Space Stations are space habitats housing people, trade stations, space labs, observatories, orbital brothels and other such. As a rule all Space Stations are unarmed but heavily shielded. According to the history books Space Stations used to be armed until brighter minds realized it was pointless as enemies could just launch their weapons from well beyond the Station’s sensors killing them without ever being exposed to danger.
1 Planet may be used to take 100 Space Stations. No less than 80 must be in orbit around planets or moons. The remaining 20 may be placed in system Lagrange points safely. (No gameplay effect.)

Placement

This is where the real danger lies, you as players have no choice as to the placements of planets and moons of either type. Asteroids and Space Stations will always be in a system you have planets or moons in. However, and this is part of the tension, you can even end up with undesirable situations such as having the misfortune to have a moon in orbit of an enemy planet! (Unlikely but theoretically possible.)

Though it must be noted that nations will be placed in a roughly circular expansion point, thus planets towards the centre (core worlds) will in fact be safer and unlikely to have enemy worlds (or even friendly allied worlds) than those towards the frontier.

That is all... for now.

Trait and Flaw Effects on the Ship Builder

Trait Effects on Ship Building

Relativity is a Bitch: Engines get a bonus 10% Armour receives a 10% penalty. (Both figures round up.)

Ironclad: Armour receives a 10% Bonus. Engines receive a 10% penalty. (Both figures round up.)

Shield Baron: Shields receive a 10% Bonus. Sensors receive a 10% penalty. (Both figures round up.)

We see all: Sensors receive a 10% Bonus. Shields receive a 10% penalty. (Both figures round up.)

Isaac Newton Hates You: Medium and Heavy Kinetic Weapons are -1 and -2 points respectively. Spinal Kinetic weapons are only 5% of the maximum instead of 10%. Energy and Missile weapons increase cost by 1 point.

Who needs to reload?: Medium and Heavy Energy Weapons are -1 and -2 points respectively. Spinal Energy weapons are only 5% of the maximum instead of 10%. Kinetic and Missile weapons increase cost by 1 point.

Macross Missile Massacre: Medium and Heavy Missile Weapons are -1 and -2 points respectively. Energy and Kinetic weapons increase cost by 1 point.

Use the Force: All Strike craft have a maximum 2 higher than normal. (Pilots also count as being more skilled. This is background information players won’t have access to.)

Hangar Queens: All Strike craft have a maximum twice the basic.

When in doubt FIRE EVERYTHING!: All firepower can be directed towards the prow. This can be chosen as an elective action. Note, it takes a turn to redirect weapons to their original facings.

RAMMING SPEED: Ships may be fitted with a ramming module for 5% maximum cost. When used the ship speed doubles but cannot turn and must make a ramming attack.

Hangerize!: You do not have any dedicated carriers. However all ships Escort to Super-Capital may fit Carrier Bays.

Flaw Effects on Ship Building

Creaky Military: All weapons cost double. Armour and Shields receive a 25% penalty. All figures round up.

Shitty Workmanship: Armour and Shields receive a 10% penalty. Figure rounds up.

Sensor Resolution 640 x 480: Your sensors take a 50% penalty. Figure rounds up.

Shieldless: Your ships have no shields attribute.

Armour is for wimps: Your ships have no armour attribute.

Ship Classes

Strike Craft;

• · Fighter Squadron
• · Bomber Squadron
• · Gunship Squadron

Escorts;

• · Cutter Squadron
• · Corvette Squadron
• · Frigate
• · Destroyer

Capital Ships;

• · Cruiser
• · Carrier
• · Battleship

Super Capital Ships;

• · Dreadnought
• · Mauler

Equipping and buying your ships.

Each ship has a combat value maximum and minimum. These are the minimum and maximum values of Industrial Points that may be spent on a ship. Each type of ship has several values.

• Ø Class: *Seen above*
• Ø Value: *Final Cost*
• Ø Engines:
• Ø Sensors:
• Ø Shields:
• Ø Armour:
• Ø Prow Weapons:
• Ø Dorsal Weapons:
• Ø Ventral Weapons:
• Ø Port Weapons:
• Ø Starboard Weapons:
• Ø Special Devices:

Each ships value is divided between everything under value.

Note: Fighters and Bombers have ONLY Prow weapons. Gunships do not have Port or Starboard weapons.

Strike Craft;

• · Fighter Squadron Min 6 IP. Max 8 IP.
• · Bomber Squadron Min 10 IP. Max 12 IP.
• · Gunship Squadron Min 10 IP. Max 16 IP.

Escorts;

• · Cutter Squadron Min 60 IP. Max 100 IP.
• · Corvette Squadron Min 80 IP. Max 120 IP.
• · Frigate Min 120 IP. Max 160 IP.
• · Destroyer Min 150 IP. Max 200 IP.

Capital Ships;

• · Cruiser Min 300 IP. Max 360 IP.
• · Carrier Min 300 IP. Max 400 IP. (Must include room for minimum of 20 Squadrons.)
• · Battleship Min 600 IP. Max 1’000 IP.

Super Capital Ships;

• · Dreadnought Min 1’000 IP. Max 3’000 IP.
• · Mauler Min 4’000 IP. Max 6’000 IP.

All ships power is relative to their own class. For example, a Mauler with 400 points in engines is going to be faster than a Mauler with only 300 points in engines.

Equipping your ships.

This process is not as clear cut as just putting points into the various areas. While that IS the case with Engines, Shields, Armour and Sensors it is NOT as clear for weapons and special devices.

Weapons:

Weapons come in 4 sizes and some with limitations.

• Ø Light Weapons = 1 Point.
• Ø Medium Weapons = 3 Points.
• Ø Heavy Weapons = 5 Points.
• Ø Spinal Weapons = 10% of Maximum ship cost and a maximum of 1.

These weapons must be declared as either Kinetic, Missile or Energy. If you have the trait related to those weapons you may reduce the cost of Medium and Heavy weapons by 1.
Eg: Macross Missile Massacre reduces Medium weapons to 2 points and Heavy weapons to 4 points if they are missile based weapons.

NOTE: Creaky Military doubles ALL weapon costs.

Carriers:

Carriers, and nations with the Hangerise trait, are able to carry Strike Craft Squadrons. A bay for 1 fighter Squadron is 2 Points. A bay for a Bomber Squadron is 3 Points, a bay for a Gunship Squadron is 4 Points.
NOTE: If you have the Hangar Queens trait all bay costs increase by 1 point.
ANOTHER NOTE: Nations with Hangerise have no dedicated Carrier Class as all Escorts, Capitals and Supercapitals have the ability to have Carrier Space.

Special Devices:

Special devices are trait related devices you might have, for example, Cloaking devices. As a general rule a Special device costs 5% of the maximum cost for that ship rounding up.

Final Notice:

Several, if not many, of the traits will effect these rules. Once the traits are completed this will be adjusted with a list of what traits effect it.

XCOM RP

The year is 2005 and the media is in frenzy as increased numbers of UFO sightings are on the rises, for some months the governments of the world dismiss the rumours and calm the public. But the governments of the united nations have been talking the entire time.

The sightings are no longer believed to be the ramblings of crazies and lunatics and Roswell alien worshippers. In a mere three months over seventeen sightings have been confirmed on national radar grids. Eleven had been spotted by military aircraft and three had attacked and destroyed. The stories and reports of missing persons and mutilations are on the rise.

The United Nations have discussed, ratified and acted on these attacks, for all reports have confirmed these craft are not only hostile, but are kidnapping and murdering civilians for an unknown purpose in their strange craft. And so a new organisation was called for, one that would have the best technology, access to the worlds best scientists, engineers and soldiers.

This organisation was to be called the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, or XCOM as it became abbreviated. The nations of the world have come together to support the budget and requirements of this organisation and it has quickly grown from an idea to a reality.

You. You are the commander of one of these bases housed inside the borders of a sovereign nation for the express purpose of combating the alien threat to earth. To study and reverse engineer alien technology, to come up with new technologies in order to counter the alien menace, and one day to secure earth against these invaders and hopefully one day. Take the fight back to them.

Yours is not a simple job. You must manage the base, your budget, research and construction. Additionally it is your duty to send pilots out to risk their lives against this more advanced foe in the hopes of bringing them down to earth where you can recover and salvage their technology. And when the going gets hairy. It is you who have boots on the ground leading the fight in person if you must.

YOU are one of XCOM's command structure in independent control of your facility with only the International Oversight Advisory Board to judge your actions as well as the Government of the country in which you are based.

If you perform well your country of origin may increase your budget allowing you to do more in the fight against the alien menace, perform poorly and watch your budget drain away. Or even take the high road and produce and sell enough new technology to remove the need for government funding.

The choice is yours.

Join Now.