(GDW's Game for Starship Combat for Traveller: The New Era)
All Ships, etc., were designed in accordance with v1.1 of Fire, Fusion, and Steel (FFS).
Thruster Plates are permitted at Tech Level 12+.
1. Team
Each player (or team of players)
will be referred to as a team.
In most traditional wargames,
there are two teams.
2. Marker
This is the object class for all of
the cardboard counters
that are placed directly on the map.
(This includes any metal and/or plastic
miniatures used for ships, missiles, etc.)
2.1. Bogey
This is for all Markers capable of
independent movement
(i.e., ships and missiles).
All bogeys have an Owner
(they are owned by the team
to which they are assigned).
| Bogey | False/No Info | Partial Info | Full Info |
| Ship | "It's a bogey." | The displacement and congifuration, plus the basic ship type (if basic ship type is common); e.g., a Ronin-class Scout/Escort would be identified as a 100-dt scout/courier, while a Phantom-class Decoy Ship would be identified as a 200-dt far trader. | The exact ship type (unless the exact ship type is unknown); e.g., a Ronin-class Scout/Escort would be identified correctly only if the sensing ship ever encountered one before. |
| Task Force | "It's a bogey." | "It's a task force." | Number of ships, relative arrangement (i.e., formation, if any), plus partial info of all ships |
| "Fake" Task Force | "It's a bogey." | Knows it's a fake. | Knows it's a fake. |
| Missile/Drone | "It's a bogey." | "It's either a missile or a sensor drone." | Knows whether missile or drone; knows basic origin (i.e., Imperial, Solomani, Hiver, etc.). |
| Salvo | "It's a bogey." | "It's a salvo of missiles." | Number of missiles. |
2.1.1. Ship
This is specifically for individual ships.
A Ship object will always be
comprised of several BlackBox
objects.
A ship must always have at least
one PowerPlant.
A ship almost always has
a SublightDrive.
It might even have two
(both HEPlaR and gravitic
thruster plate, for example).
2.1.2. Missile
This is specifically for individual
missiles.
Each missile has a Controller:
a missile Socket;
a laser-comm or maser-comm
SensorCommo;
or,
a MFD that is equipped with
a laser-comm or a maser-comm.
Because missiles are relatively simple,
a Missile object will be
considered a discreet
(whole, indivisable) unit.
2.1.3. TaskForce
This is for a task force of ships
(a group of allied ships
moving in the same direction
and at the same velocity,
under a unified command).
2.1.4. Salvo
This is for a salvo of missiles
(a group of missiles
moving in the same direction
and at the same velocity,
directed by the same MFD
against the same target).
2.2. Planetoid
This is for a solid planetary body,
such as a planet, an asteroid, or a comet.
It may or may not be moving,
but its movement (if any) will never change.
A ship may enter into an orbit about
a planet, asteroid, or comet,
and may use the planetoid
as cover and concealment,
making it harder for enemy sensors
to detect him.
2.3. EMP
This is for the electromagnetic pulse
(EMP) that results from the detonation
of the thermonuclear bomb that powers
the nuclear-pumped-laser warhead
of an anti-starship missile.
An EMP lasts for about a turn,
and interferes with sensors and commo gear.
3. BlackBox
This general class of object refers to
any of the components
that make up a ship
(basically, any of the components from
Fire, Fusion, and Steel).
Note that this class is a generic class;
all instances of this class must
actually be of a subclass.
Each BlackBox may be PoweredUp
or PoweredDown.
If PoweredUp,
then subtract
the BlackBox's PowerUsage
from the Ship's PowerAvailable.
If PoweredDown,
then the BlackBox cannot be used
this turn.
Note that some BlackBoxes may have
more than one level
of PowerUsage
(different Gs for a SublightDrive,
overpowering a laser Socket,
reduced power production for
a damaged PowerPlant,
etc.).
3.1. SensorCommo
These components are used
by ships and missiles
to establish a target lock
on other Markers,
whether for target identification
and acquisiton (sensors)
or for communications
and control (commo).
Each sensor and communicator
has two damage records:
Internal (for damage to
the actual electronics)
and Surface (for damage
to the antenna).
3.1.1. Broadcast
These sensors and communicators
affect all valid targets
within an area.
3.1.1.1. Active
(ex.: Radio, Radar, Active EMS.)
These sensors are either Active or
Standby.
If Active,
then the sensing ship can be more easily
detected by hostile (PassiveFolding
or PassiveFixed) sensors.
If Standby,
Then the sensor cannot be used.
(For convenience,
Active will be considered
the same as PoweredUp, and
Standby will be considered
the same as PoweredDown.)
3.1.1.2. PassiveFolding
(ex.: HRT Thermal, Passive EMS.)
These sensors are either
Extended or Retracted.
If Extended,
then the sensing ship can be more
easily detected by hostile
(Active) sensors.
If Retracted,
then the sensor cannot be used.
(For convenience,
Extended
will be considered the same as
PoweredUp, and
Retracted
will be considered the same as
PoweredDown.)
3.1.1.3. PassiveFixed
(ex.: HRT Thermal, Passive EMS.)
These sensors can be used at all times.
3.1.2. Pinpoint
(ex.: Laser-Comm, Maser-Comm,
Ladar.)
Each of these sensors/communicators
can affect only one target.
3.1.2.1. MFD
A master fire director (MFD) is used
to improve the accuracy
of starship weapons.
It can have socket weapons
"slaved" to it,
enabling its crewman to replace
the crewmen of the socket weapons
"slaved" to it,
but all such weapons must be used
against the exact same target.
A MFD can instead be used to control
a missile salvo.
3.2. Weapon
Each weapon can be used against one
(and only one) target
each turn.
(Exception:
See PointDefense below.)
Certain weapons
(spinal, laser sockets)
will have the attribute
overpowerAmount.
This is used to calculate the extra power
used when the weapon is over-powered.
Each weapon will have one damage
record: Internal.
3.2.1. Socket
This is for the standard turret
and barbette socket weapons.
3.2.1.1. PointDefense
This type of weapon unique
to my campaign
is a socket equipped with a
specialized MFD and several laser
focal arrays.
The dedicated MFD permits the crewman
to use each of the
point defense lasers against
a different incoming missile;
the MFD does not give
the usual bonuses against DiffMods.
3.2.2. Spinal
This is used for a spinal mount
(meson gun or particle accelerator)
on a large naval vessel
or a laser "lance"
on a fighter craft.
3.3. PowerPlant
Each power plant will have one damage
record: Internal.
Each PowerPlant (that is functional)
contributes to
the Ship's PowerAvailable.
(Handle this by assigning
a negative value
to the PowerPlant's PowerUsage
equal to its power production.)
3.3.1. Solar Power Plant
This subtype of power plant has an extra
damage record: Surface.
3.4. SublightDrive
Each sublight drive will have two
damage records:
Internal
and Surface.
3.5. JumpDrive
Each jump drive will have one damage
record: Internal.
3.x. AllOtherParts
This is another generic class.
3.x.1. InternalParts
(ex.: Computer, Stateroom,
Low Berth, etc.)
Each will have one damage record:
Internal.
3.x.2. SurfaceParts
(ex.: Airlock, Cargo Hatch,
Launch Port, etc.)
Each will have one damage record:
Surface.
3.x.3. KitchenSink
(ex.: ?)
Each will have two damage records:
Internal and Surface.
4. Bunker
This is for static emplacements,
such as a starport, orbital city,
or a "deep site" meson gun.
These emplacements can participate
in starship combat,
but they cannot move,
and they frequently cannot be
targeted or damaged
(e.g., deep sites).
A Bunker can have one or more
BlackBox objects (Weapon,
CommoSensor, and PowerPlant
being the most common).
A Bunker will have a
TargetSizeRating
(comparable to the
TargetSizeRating
of a Bogey).
An extreme value for the
TargetSizeRating
means that the Bunker
cannot be targeted!
5. DamageRecord
Each BlackBox will have
either one or two instances of
this class:
Surface, Internal,
or both.
Each of these records has the variables
Max
(for maximum damage capacity)
and Current
(for current damage level).
6. Skill
Each skill has
a name,
a level,
a controlling attribute,
and an asset
(equal to the level plus
the attribute).
Skills are used to resolve skill checks.
|
public int skillCk( int diffLevel ) { int d20 := [random # from 1 to 20]; int asset2ck := this.asset(); // remember, "this" is actually "[ship].[skill]" if (d20 == 1) // auto. Failure { if (d20 <= asset2ck - 10) { return -1 } // Cat.Fail. else { return 0 } // Failure } else if (d20 == 20) // auto. Success { if (d20 >= asset2ck + 10) { return 2 } // Outst. Suc. else { return 1 } // Success } else if (d20 >= asset2ck) { return 1 } // Success else { return 0 } // Failure } |
(Initiative/Response):
(Movement):
(Communications/Intelligence):
(Offensive Fire):
(Defensive Fire):
(Damage Control):