Preliminary Rules

[The Rock Doctor]

This is a work in progress.  I'm posting it so you see where my headspace is at.  Note that sections are in alphabetical order by header...

...oh, and tables in my master doc may not come out well here.

[The Rock Doctor]

AIRCRAFT AND AIRSHIPS

The nations of Nova Terra are aware of the significance of aircraft and airships in naval warfare.  However, a combination of factors has prevented any significant reverse-engineering to date:

1.  Lack of an existing civilian user-base from which to draw pilots, manufacturers, etc.

2.  Lack of suitable terrain for aircraft and airship experimentation and utility, given that the cities are sealed and very little expansion to land has taken place.

3.  The presence of large, aggressive flying animals on land, which have frequently attacked and damaged or destroyed experimental aircraft and airships to date. 

Consequently, while modern industry could likely build historical 1930s-era metal-hulled monoplanes, the personnel side of the sector is stuck in the early 1900s – a few particularly bold aviators figuring out how to fly.

Aircraft are not available as military units as play starts.  Players may write about experimental wheeled- or float-plane tests if they wish.  At some point during play, the Moderator will determine that there is a critical mass of military need, available facilities for trials, and trained manpower to allow military usage.

BACKSTORY

Centuries ago, humanity arrived here.

They had left the homeworld in slow ships, cross the void to expand humanity's footprint in the galaxy.  They left united in their cause, optimistic for their future.  They had left war and political division behind.  They had left environmental degradation behind.

It was not until they arrived here that they understood just how difficult it would be.  The fly-by probes that preceded their arrival had accurately measured the land/water ratio, the atmosphere, and noted the relatively weak magnetic fields around the planet.  What they couldn't observe was the lethality of the planet's animal and plant life. 

The world's shallow seas and ancient continents were teeming with relatively simple, yet highly competitive and evolved food-chains.  The continents were occupied by a nightmarish biosphere in which lethal carnivores preyed upon herbivores, the herbivores defended themselves with natural defences, and the plant life slowly preyed upon both. 

The first human colony attempted to settle a temperate continental land mass, and was an abject failure.  Colonists fell to terrestrial and airborne predators, carnivorous plants, wind-blown fungi, and natural hazards they had forgotten how to deal with.  Within four years, the last human from the first colony had perished.

The colonization effort could not be aborted.  Other ships were on their way, and there was no way for them to turn around or continue on to another star... 

CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

This sim will employ a basic set of cultural characteristics to facilitate realistic interaction with NPCs – other nations, as well as the player's bureaucracy and population.  When creating his nation, the player selects a value from 0 to 99, with 0 being "least" and 99 being "Most":

Chauvinism:  A quantification of how the culture views others.  It combines fear of the unknown, eagerness for new knowledge, arrogance, caution, etc.  The higher the RC, the less tolerant and eager for relations a culture will be.

Militarism:  A quantification of a culture's aptness to use military force to resolve difficulties.  It combines ferocity, timidity, military tradition, courage, etc.  The higher this is, the more likely the race is to resort to war in a threat situation, and the more willing it is to accept casualties in war.

Determination:  A measure of cultural obstinacy, and how likely it is to persevere in a course of action once adopted.  It may be thought of as stubbornness and may reduce the willingness of the culture's military units to surrender, but should be confused with militancy.

ECONOMICS

Cities

A player nation consists of a number of cities.  At the start of the game, the player determines how many cities there are, where they are, and assigns economic output and an export product to each one.

A city is an arcuate or ring-shaped structure built on the seafloor in coastal water and extending well above sea-level.  The inner curve of the city's arcuate form, or the interior of its ring, offers protected berthing and harbours for shipping.  Think Waterworld's "atoll", only more high tech and several thousand times larger.

A city is a self-contained, sealed environment for the protection of its inhabitants from the planet's virulent biosphere.  A city is largely self-contained, and would consist of large segments of condominium-style housing, office complexes, shopping malls, vertical farms, and industrial facilities.  Cities are variously powered by solar arrays, tidal power generation, geothermal or hydrocarbons.  They produce their own freshwater, extract nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and argon from the air and water, and produce some quantities of biodiesel from the native biosphere. 

Each city generates an exportable product:

-Biodiesel on a larger scale
-Steel
-Consumer goods
-Soil (for terraforming)

New cities can be created during the Economic Turn of each year.  To do so, pay $10 if the city is wholly underwater, and $1 less per square kilometre of terraformed land or $5 if it is on land.  During this first year, the city generates no economic output, as it is under construction.  In subsequent Economic Turns, the player may assign new economic output to the new city, determines its export, and may install naval infrastructure there. 

National Economy

The national economy is the sum of economic output from a player's cities, plus the value of trade conducted by the nation.

Economic output is changed each Economic Turn according to two factors:  the highest tax rate charged by the player in the previous year, and the global economic trend as determined by the player.  The player assigns the net increase (or decrease, if necessary) to individual cities as he sees fit.

Trade is revenue derived from a formal trade agreement with another nation.  This is worth 5% of the other nation's economic output (that is, his cities) at the beginning of the previous year.  Players can maintain as many trade agreements as they can afford.

If a nation has declared or maintained an embargo against the other nation in a trade agreement, neither earns revenue from that trade agreement during the current year.

Budgets and Taxes

The player's budget is obtained by taxing the nation's economy.  The tax rate is set in the Economic Turn at the beginning of the year.  Taxes may be set at up to 2% per game turn (6% per year) without issue; above this, there is a chance of a popular uprising depending on the circumstances.

A player can run an operating surplus of up to 1% of his economy without issue.  If higher, the Mod rolls against the nation's Cultural Determination; on a failed roll, the entire surplus is taken away by the central government for other stuff (in other words – lost).

A player may not run deficits.  If he needs cash in a crisis, he may borrow from another player, at terms to be negotiated with and enforced by the other player.  Alternately, he may increase taxes. 

Using the Budget

Player budgets represent the military, foreign affairs, and intelligence portions of their nation's overall budget.  He may:

-Build, maintain, repair, and refit ships

-Build and maintain ports and shipyards

-Build and maintain marine units

-Establish embassies and trade and military agreements

-Engage in covert activities against other nations

COVERT OPERATIONS

A nation may undertake covert operations using its budget.  This is reported in game turn reports as "Covert Operations"; a more detailed account is provided via PM to the Moderator.

Options for espionage include:

Propaganda

Technically, this is only "covert" in the sense that the nation deploying it doesn't necessarily advertise what it is doing.  That said, the dollar figure involved – compared to that of other covert operations – will indicate to third parties that something is up.

A dollar spent on propaganda can influence a specific die roll to be made against another nation's cultural characteristics.  This could be used to positively influence a roll by a prospective ally or partner, or it could be used negatively against a roll to be made by a player's rival.  The effect of these funds is not cumulative; it is expended once that specific roll is made.

The occupier of a foreign city may also use propaganda (in this, case, actual media output, cash, bribes, and economic incentives) to change the cultural characteristics of the occupied population.  The effect of usage is ongoing.  This can not be used against populations occupied by other nations unless the occupier specifically allows the player to interact with that population.

A nation can also use propaganda on its own population to change its own cultural characteristics.  This, too, is a permanent change.

Espionage

A covert op costs $0.1.  Players are limited to three such missions per turn in peacetime – five if formally at war.  Four options are available to a player for any specific mission

-Espionage:  Entitles the nation to ask the moderator one question about another nation that can be answered in a strictly factual manner (yes/no, numbers, locations, etc) without the moderator having to "guess" or "characterize" the response.  The Moderator will make a roll and provide an answer which may be correct.  Depending on the outcome, the Moderator may also provide feedback to the target.

-Economic Sabotage: A sabotage mission attempts to damage another nation's economic output.  The player specifies the target city and pays $0.1.  The Moderator rolls to determine what effect the effort has, and advises the player (and possibly the target...) what the outcome appears to have been. 

-Military Sabotage:  A mission attempts to attach a conventional limpet mine to another nation's ship and detonate it at a specific time or place.  The Moderator rolls to determine what effect the effort has, and advises the player (and possibly the target...) what the outcome appears to have been. 

-Arms Supply:  A mission attempts to deliver the equivalent of one company of light infantry weapons, ammo, and gear to an occupied population.  The Moderator rolls to determine what effect the effort has, and advises the player (and possibly the target...) what the outcome appears to have been. 

Counter-Espionage

A nation may mount a counter-espionage operation above and beyond its basic security measures.  This costs $0.1, and must be directed at a specific other nation.  The Moderator will make a roll and advise the player whether or not an espionage mission was detected, and if so, what the outcome appears to have been.  Players are limited to three such missions per turn in peacetime – five if formally at war.

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

Steelworks:  Permits __ amount of shipbuilding
Boutiques:  Produces unique consumer goods such as jewellery, clothes, and books.
Dirt Farm:  Produces a "terrestrial" soil mix for use in terraforming operations.
Construction:  Produces ports, shipyards, or cities away from existing facilities.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Nations can seek out a variety of formal relationships with other nations.  However, establishing these formal relationships generally costs money.  It also requires overcoming cultural differences.  The various possible states of international relations – and their costs and complexities – are listed below.

Hostility

This represents two nations that are at war.  A declaration of war from one nation to another renders all trade and military agreements void.  Should the two nations come to terms of peace again, their relationship will be re-set to Informal Relations.

Occupation

This represents a situation in which one nation has established military control over a city belonging to another nation.

If the garrison of the city is less than one company per $2 (or fraction thereof), the city is at risk of an uprising (determined by the Mod in each turn).  Economic activity is limited to the essentials – food, water, air – and the city produces no actual economic output.  Should an uprising take place, the population will form mobs of lightly-armed militia and use improvised and cached weapons to attempt to drive out the occupiers.

If the occupier maintains a ratio of one company per $2 (or fraction thereof) of the city's economic output, there is no chance of an uprising; the city's (sullen) population remains peaceful, and the city yields one half of its normal economic output to the occupier.  More formal relations (trade or military agreements) can not yet be established with the city, however.

The occupier may use propaganda to change the Cultural characteristics of the occupied population.  Once the occupied population's stats match the occupier's, the occupier may seek a partnership with the occupied city.  In this case, only the occupied city must roll against its Chauvinism and Militarism.  If/when the rolls are made, the occupier pays the normal costs of establishing a partnership, and only then can withdraw his garrison without risk of uprising.

Informal Relations

This is the default setting for any two nations at the start of the sim.  The two nations in question have no government to government interaction with each other:  There are no embassies or consulates, no legal agreements, no formalized processes for discussing trade or defence issues, and no means to exchange knowledge or technology.  There is likely awareness of the other nation, and possibly small-scale business interaction between the two nations. 

A nation may choose to permanently or temporarily suspend more formal relations if circumstances justify it.

Prerequisite:  Nil
Requirement:  Nil
Cost:  Nil.

Formal Relations

The two governments maintain a formal process for interacting with each other, through embassies and consulates.  This allows formal discussion of trade, defence, and other matters.  To establish an embassy in another nation, both the player and the prospective host must succeed a die roll against their Chauvinism.  The player establishing the embassy then pays a one-time cost of $1 to establish an embassy and the formal lines of communication.

Prerequisite:  Nil
Requirements:  Successful Chauvinism Rolls by host and guest nations.
Cost:  $1 one-time by guest.

Non-Aggression Pact

This is an agreement by two nations not to attack each other.  It does not require any positive cooperation and, indeed, may be concluded between rivals.

Non-aggression pacts last for as long as they are specified or honored.

Pre-requisite:  Formal Relations with a PC or NPC
Requirements:  Successful Chauvinsim and failed Militarism rolls by both nations.

Trade Agreement

The two governments permit and even encourage the flow of commerce between each other.  As most states are largely self-sufficient in basic essentials like food or power, the trade generally consists of specialty goods such as consumer goods.  To implement a trade agreement, both nations must set up customs offices, additional port facilities, etc.  In the turn after the start-up fee has been fully paid, each economy receives a bonus to general income of 5% of the other nation's basic economic output in the previous year.

An embargo occurs when one nation unilaterally shuts down trade.  To re-establish trade at a later date, successful rolls will be necessary, but the dollar cost does not need to be re-paid.

Prerequisite:  Formal Relations with a PC or NPC.
Requirements:  Successful Chauvinism rolls by both nations
Cost:  $ = 1% of own economy, by each partner, to implement.

Military Alliance

The two governments vow to come to each other's aid in the event of third-party attack.  They may also choose to cooperate in aggressive activity. 

The two governments will pay a modest cost to establish and maintain military links.

Prerequisite:  Formal Relations
Requirements:  Successful Militarism rolls by both nations.
Cost:  $1 one-time, and $0.10 per turn to maintain

Partnership

The two governments integrate foreign affairs and trade policy, essentially behaving as one unit so far as third parties are concerned.  A PC/NPC partnership essentially sees the NPC taken over as a puppet of the PC.  This is a relatively expensive proposition, requiring the creation and maintenance of diplomatic, trade, military, and other oversight entities and joint governance structures.

After ten years of uninterrupted partnership, the player may formally amalgamate the NPC into his nation, at which point the NPC ceases to become a separate entity in any sense.  At that time, the ongoing costs associated with the partnership are terminated.

Prerequisite:  Trade and Military Alliances
Requirements:  Successful Chauvinism and Militarism rolls by both nations
Cost:  5% of the smaller economy, by the player nation only, and $4.9 ongoing (for a total of $5 counting the pre-existing military alliance).

MARINE UNITS

Marine units are bought in companies or battalions.  Warships are expected to have a minimal contingent of marines aboard as part of their complement – guarding magazines and small-arms lockers, possibly manning a gun.  However, the ship will not have a significant troop-landing ability unless one or more of the units below are embarked.

Light Infantry:  Are equipped with light automatic weapons, grenades, and light crew-served weapons.  These units are configured for urban fighting and boarding or security of warships.  They are highly leg-mobile, and tend to cause limited amounts of collateral damage. 

Heavy Infantry:  Have a much greater proportion of heavy weapons such as heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, and flamethrowers.  These are units configured for holding defensive positions, supporting light infantry, and sanitizing land of local biota.  They are less leg-mobile, and more apt to cause collateral damage.

Headquarters:  This represents command and support leg-mobile elements of a battalion.  Its attack factor represents additional crew-served weapons and the benefits of coordination that a headquarters will bring to up to nine other companies.  Headquarters units may spot for naval gunfire.

APC:   These are general purpose wheeled transports, designed to carry troops or cargo.  They are wholly enclosed against light small-arms fire and are NBC resistant.  They have limited amphibious capability, and generally include a light crew-served weapon for fire-support and defensive purposes.  To mechanize a light or heavy infantry unit, pair it with an APC unit of the same size.

Guntrack:  These are tracked assault vehicles designed to bring large volumes of firepower against fixed targets or uncleared local biota where naval artillery can not be brought to bear.  They typically mount a heavy weapon (mortars, small breech-loading gun, heavy automatic weapon, or flamethrower) with one or two light machine-guns.  They are armoured against small-arms fire and are NBC resistent but their weight precludes them from being amphibious.  In an urban setting, they are apt to cause significant collateral damage.

Unit      Cost   Weight      Attack      Defence   Note
LI Cpy      $0.01   50 t      1      1      100 men + kit
HI Cpy      $0.01   50 t      2      1      100 men + kit
HQ Cpy   $0.02   50 t      1      1      100 men + kit
APC Cpy   $0.03   120 t      1      2      10 vehicles (~VAB/BTR)
GT Cpy   $0.05   120 t      2      3      10 vehicles (~Scorpion/Scimitar)

Players may build battalions from up to ten companies, one (and only one) of which must be a headquarters company.  For example, he might build a mechanized infantry battalion consisting of one HQ, three LI, one HI, and five APC companies ($0.21, AF/DF = 12/15, 850 t)   

Marine Upkeep

Mobilized and fully capable of combat operations:  $ = 5% of build cost, per turn. 

Active and capable of routine police/sentry duty and limited combat ops:  $ = 2.5% of build cost, per turn.

Reserve; incapable of combat duty; a cheap way of maintaining troops on the books:  $ = 1% of build cost, per turn.

Marine Supply

As marine units are substantially smaller than the warships and transports which will move them, supply is disregarded.

Marine Quality

For simplicity, all marine units are considered to have the same troop quality.  However, units will have their attack factors halved in the first turn after they are raised or mobilized from reserve, reflecting some unfamiliarity with effective combat techniques.

Marine Speed

Given the limited terrain and long turns of this game, marine speed is not currently defined.

NAVAL COMBAT RULES

To be determined.

MARINE COMBAT RULES

To be determined.  Generally speaking a comparison of attacker's attack factors to defender's defence factor, accounting for the situation (amphib assault, city fighting) in question.  Probably one combat impulse per week, with effectiveness degrading over time.

NAVAL INFRASTRUCTURE

There are two types of naval infrastructure to be operated and tracked by a player, shipyards and ports.

Shipyards build, refit, and repair ships.  Shipyards have a building capacity, expressed in tonnage per turn, that includes construction, refit, and repair work.  Smaller shipyards will have hard limits on the largest possible ship that can be constructed there, and the types of vessels that can be constructed.

Shipyards may be expanded by paying the difference in costs between current and future price.  Expansion takes two turns per level, or until the cost is fully paid, whichever is longer.  Shipyard building capacity is halved during this time period.

Unused shipyard capacity is not transferrable to other facilities or bankable in any way. 

Shipyard Table:
Size   Build Capacity per turn   Max. Ship Size Possible   Tech Limitations   Cost
S0   1,000   999 t ND   No DD, MTB, SS, CV, or ships with belt/deck armor   $5
S1   2,000   5,999 t ND   -   $10
S2   5,000   -   -   $25
S3   10,000   -   -   $50
S4   20,000   -   -   $100
S5   50,000   -   -   $250

Ports function as bases, and provide operational and logistical support to ships.

These are purchased individually.  Shipyards and ports can share a common location, but are not required to be of equal capability in such a case.

Upon purchase, the Moderator will assign a harbour depth to either a shipyard or a port.  This is the maximum safe drought that any ship in the harbour may have without risking grounding or rock-strikes.  Ports may be dredged at a cost of ($X) * (Port Size) per metre.

Port Table

Size   Support Capacity   Cost
P0   1,000 t   $2 ($0 at a city)
P1   10,000 t   $4
P2   50,000 t   $16
P3   100,000 t   $25
P4   500,000 t   $100
P5   1,000,000 t   $200

SHIP CONSTRUCTION

Ships are built in shipyards.

Warship costs and construction times are based on their normal-load displacement.  This reflects the reality that ships with larger bunkers will have greater physical size than ships with smaller bunkers and the same light displacement.  The length, width, and draught of a ship is irrelevant for determining production costs, times, and which ports may construct them.

Ship Types

Type   Definition   Cost
Warship   Built to 1.00 HS; 2.0% or more of normal displacement is armament and armor, including misc. weight allocated as such.   $1 per 1,000 t normal displacement; round to nearest cent
Destroyer   Built to 0.50 CSHS; Must be 30.00 knots or more.     $1.25 per 1,000 t normal
Submarine   Semi- and full-submersible vessels   $2.00 per 1,000 t normal
MTB   Fast, semi-planing attack craft that can not be simmed in SS    $2.00 per 1,000 t normal
Auxiliary/Civilian   Built to 1.00 HS; less than 2.0% of normal displacement is armament and armor, including misc. weight allocated as such   $0.25 per 1,000 t normal

Ship Construction Times

A ship is completed when a minimum amount of time has passed and their dollar cost has been fully paid.

0-249 t         4 months
250 – 499 t       8 months
500 – 999 t      12 months
1,000 – 1,999 t   16 months
2,000 – 5,999 t   20 months
6,000 – 11,999 t   24 months
12,000 – 19,999 t   28 months
20,000 – 29,999 t   32 months
30,000 – 39,999 t   36 months
40,000 – 49,999 t   40 months
50,000 – 59,000 t   44 months
MTB (all sizes)   8 months

These completion times are assumed to include trails and work-ups.

A ship is considered to be launched at the end of the turn in which it became 50% complete.  At this point it is non-functional, but may be towed to another location.

SHIP DAMAGE AND REPAIRS

Ships are repaired at shipyards.   Repair activity counts against a shipyard's build capacity.

Unless specified by the Moderator in a battle report, they can only be repaired at a shipyard that could have built the ship.

A ship that is in perfect condition is said to be at 100%.  As damage is inflicted on the ship, the percentage rating decreases.  When the ship reaches 0%, it sinks.  However - reaching a state of 0% does not (usually) mean that the ship has been completely and utterly destroyed.  Consequently, it is generally easier and faster to repair a ship than to build an identical ship from scratch.

The cost of repairing a ship is:  (Original Cash Cost)*(% Damaged)*(0.5)

The time required to repair the ship is:  (Original Build Time)*(% Damaged)*(0.5), rounded up to the full turn.

SHIP DESIGN GUIDELINES

Where in doubt, rely on common sense and historical practice. 

This is a "living" document; entries may be added as events or discussions warrant them.

Block-coefficients

0.40 is the absolute minimum.  Coefficients should be reflective of the size and speed of the vessel.

Engine Year

Ships are to be designed with engine year = 1950.  It is assumed that no significant enhancement of turbine technology will take place during the course of the sim.

Hoists

Hoists generally become necessary for a gun at around 150mm bore diameter, where shells are too heavy to lift at reasonable rates by hand.  They may be used in smaller weapons at the player's discrestion.

Hull Strength

Minimum 0.50 cross-sectional hull strength for ships built to Destroyer standards; otherwise, composite hull strength of 1.00 is recommended.  Ships not meeting this criteria are at risk of moderator-inflicted incidents.

Length to Beam Ratio

Ratios should be reflective of the size and speed of the vessel.

Length to Beam Ratios of 12:1 (smaller, faster ships) or 10:1 (larger or slower ships) or less are reasonable and do not risk moderator-inflicted incidents.  Ships approaching circular shape risk moderator-inflicted performance issues.

Miscellaneous Weights

This will be added to as new items are suggested or become available.

Boats:  Typical ship's boats are part of fittings.  Extra boats, landing craft, or attack craft require 2 t of miscellaneous weight per tonne of boat weight:  The difference accounts for cranes and hull reinforcements.

Coalling/Oiling Gear:  Considered part of ship's fittings.

Fire Control:  Assumed to be a part of ship's fittings.

Fluff:  Flag facilities, medical facilities, climatization, extra pumps, and so forth are assigned weight as the player sees fit.  Moderators may assign performance bonuses to the ship under specific circumstances if the facilities warrant it.

Marine Units:  For short-term embarkment (< 24 hrs), assign 1 t of miscellaneous weight per tonne of the unit.  This is basically men or vehicles stuck on a deck with minimal comfort, shelter, or amenities.  For longer-term embarkment, assign 4 t per tonne of unit weight.  Weight does not need to be specified as for infantry or vehicle units; it is assumed the space is multi-functional.

Radar and Remote-Hearing Devices:  25 t per installation is recommended, though the effectiveness of these devices is questionable.

Radio:  Considered a part of ship's fittings.

Torpedoes:   Specify 6 metre length for weapons up to 550 mm, and 7 metres for weapons larger.

Army Units:  For short-term embarkment (< 24 hrs), assign 1 t of miscellaneous weight per tonne of the unit.  This is basically men or vehicles stuck on a deck with minimal comfort, shelter, or amenities.  For longer-term embarkment, assign 4 t per tonne of unit weight.  Weight does not need to be specified as for infantry or vehicle units; it is assumed the space is multi-functional.

Seakeeping

Ocean-going vessels built to warship or auxiliary standards should have a seakeeping value of 1.00 or more.  Smaller vessels on quiet water (rivers) may have seakeeping of 0.50 or more.

Ships built to destroyer standards may have seakeeping as low as 0.50, as SS will not satisfactorily produce historical destroyer designs otherwise.

Shafts

Four shafts are the most that may be installed aboard a ship.

Springsharp

We use SS3.  If the ship can not be designed from scratch in SS3 using our design guidelines and naval technology trees, the design is invalid.

Note that SS3 does not correctly include the weight of torpedos, ASW weapons, and mines.  When designing a ship, note the tonnage of each and duplicate it in the appropriate Miscellaneous Weight field.

Stability

A ship should have stability of at least 1.00.  Higher values will provide protection against flooding-induced capsizing.

Steadiness

Note this is a relative value; a steadiness value does not correlate directly to the same percent of shells hitting a target.  Values of 50% are entirely acceptable.  Values approaching 100% represent steadiness similar to fixed, terrestrial gun emplacements.

Transom Sterns

Transom sterns are valid for use in fast combatants.  They should not be used for slow vessels, and may detract from their performance in SS.

SHIP OVERHAULS AND REFITS

It is possible to overhaul a ship to return it to "good as built" condition.  Alternately, if new equipment is desired in addition to maintain the ship in good order, one can opt to give a ship a basic refit, a refurbishment, or reconstruction.

Overhauls and Refits usually take place at shipyards that could have built the ship, and count against the shipyard's build capacity, but note exceptions below. 

OverhaulsAn overhaul is not a refit - no "new" equipment is installed.  It merely returns the ship to "as good as built" status - retaining the same effectiveness and technology that it did when originally constructed.  It is possible for a ship to go through its entire career undergoing only overhauls, and it will remain just as effective as it did when it was young; however, the ship might well be completely obsolescent in comparison to its newer counterparts.

A ship is due for an overhaul ten years after its date of completion or most recent overhaul or refurbishment. 

An overhaul costs 10% of the original dollar cost of construction.  It requires one quarter of its original construction time, rounding up to the nearest whole turn.

Basic Refit

A basic refit is limited to changing external fittings, specifically:  above-deck torpedoes, minelaying/sweeping gear, simple deck-mounted guns with ammo lockers, radio.  Temporary alterations to superstructure - dummy funnels and disguises, or emergency berthing - are also possible.

The cost of the refit is strictly that of the specific items being changed.  If items are being swapped back and forth and not discarded – say, the dummy funnel – it is only paid for once.

The time required is considered to be zero, though in practice it will last hours to days and the Moderator may rule that refits can be interrupted by combat.

If the equipment can be manhandled or installed with the ship's own cranes, no external assistance is required.  Otherwise, any shipyard, port, or a suitable second ship will suffice.

Refurbishments

A refurbishment is a more comprehensive refit which allows for replacement of obsolete or undesired fittings as well as overhauling any original equipment that remains.  Since a ship can get by on overhauls through its entire career, a refurbishment is never mandatory.  However, a ship that is refurbished is likely to be more effective than a ship that is merely overhauled.

A refurbishment costs 20% of the original dollar cost of construction, plus the dollar cost of new components described below.  Refurbishments take one quarter of the ship's original build time, rounding up to full turns.

See below for a description of what can and can not be done in a refurbishment.  Note that "tonnage" refers to those in a Springstyle report's "Distribution of weights at normal displacement"

Armament and machinery

All deck mounts and casemates, and secondary turret/barbettes, can be moved, added or deleted; main battery turret/barbettes can be replaced by turret/barbettes of equal or smaller roller diameter or other components allowed during refurbishments.  Newer machinery can be installed, but the weight can not exceed the previous set of machinery. 

$ cost = $0.002 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

Armor and functional miscellaneous weight

New armor decks, external belts, and external bulges for torpedo defence (not "torpedo bulkheads") can be added.  Existing armor decks, external belts, or weapon armor can be replaced or removed (not increased).  Functional miscellaneous weight can be added at the expense of non-functional miscellaneous weight or savings from removed components.

$ cost = $0.001 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

Hull, fittings & equipment

The waterline may be raised or lowered by 10%.  The trim may be changed. 

$ cost = $0.0002 * normal displacement, rounded to the nearest cent.

Fuel, ammunition & stores; non-functional miscellaneous weight 

Types of fuel can partially or wholly changed, but overall bunkerage not increased.  Changes to number and size of main-battery shells in magazines, but overall weight not increased.  Non-functional miscellaneous weight can be increased or decreased. 

$ cost = $0.0005 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

Reconstruction

This is the most elaborate type of refit, and marks a comprehensive change to the ship's internal structure or hull form.

The base cost of a reconstruction is 25% of the original cost, plus changes specified below.  Refurbishments take 25% of the ship's original minimum time of construction plus one month per 1,000 t of new components added to the ship, rounded up to a whole turn.

Armament and machinery

Main battery turret/barbettes can be raised.  Machinery spaces can be enlarged at the expense of other components. 

$ cost = $0.002 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

Armor and functional miscellaneous weight

Internal belts can be replaced or removed.  Torpedo Bulkheads can be added.

$ cost = $0.001 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

Hull, fittings & equipment

The bow may be lengthened by up to 5% of overall length.  A new section may be added amidships, up to 5% of overall length. 

$ cost = $0.002 per tonne of change in normal displacement (whether positive or negative)

Fuel, ammunition & stores; non-functional miscellaneous weight 

Overall bunkerage can be increased.  Overall weight of main battery magazine can be increased.

$ cost = $0.0005 per tonne, rounded to the nearest cent.

SHIP SCRAPPING

Scrapping a ship takes 25% of the time originally required to construct it, rounding up to whole turns. 

Scrapping takes place at a shipyard that could have built it, but does not count against the shipyard's build capacity. 

Specific fittings may be removed from a ship for re-use in future ships.  The player must make note of this at the time of scrapping.

The scrap value of a ship is:  0.25 * (ship's original cost - cost of removed fittings).  The player earns back this value in the turn following completion of scrapping.

Components removed from a ship during refurbishment or reconstruction can also be scrapped.

Damaged components removed from a ship during repairs can be scrapped, but their value is halved.

SHIP UPKEEP

Ships require constant minor repairs and material replacements in order to remaining functioning.  This effort increases as the ship spends more time at sea.

There are three stages of readiness, with associated upkeep costs:

Mobilized:  The ship is in all respects ready for immediate military operations, and spends considerable time at sea.  Upkeep is 4% of construction cost, per turn.

Active:  The ship can undertake limited military operations immediately, and will only take a few days to become completely combat ready.  It spends the majority of the time in harbour.  Upkeep is 2% of construction cost, per turn.

Reserve:  The ship is anchored in a secure location, with a minimal cadre of crew conserving its equipment and undertaking essential maintenance.  The ship is not capable of undertaking immediate operations.  Upkeep is 0.5% of construction cost, per turn.

SIM YEAR AND TURNS

The sim year consists of an economics turn and three game turns.

Economics Turn

The Economics Turn is 0 days in duration.  The player:

1.  Determines the actual tax rate applied over the course of the previous year, rounding up to the nearest whole number. 

2.  Is informed by the Moderator of the global economic growth rate for the past year.

3.  Determines his own net economic growth and increases the size of his economy accordingly.

4.  Determines the tax rate to be levied for the current year.

5.  Checks to determine access to commodities, if applicable.

6.  Posts an Economic Report summarizing #1 – 5 above.

Game Turn

The player:

1.  Pays for new construction/refits/repairs, and posts a minimum of length, beam, draught, and # of barbettes for new designs

2.  For ships considered launched, posts full SS report of the ship

3.  Pays for existing construction/refits/repairs

4.  Pays for new infrastructure, reverse engineering of tech, and other expenses, as required

5.  Determines exploration and diplomacy orders

6.  Posts a Turn Report summarizing #1-5 above.

7.  PMs war orders to the Mod.

8.  Posts news (optional but recommended)

9.  Updates encyclopedia

10.  Receives decisions/exploration reports/diplomatic reports/war reports from Mod.

TECHNOLOGY

Most naval technology, at least in the near term, will be reverse-engineering using a combination of some historical data (covering up to Jane's WWII) and some experience with limited operational naval technology.

It is presumed that player states have done the bulk of the basic reverse-engineering work in the years immediately prior to the start date.  It is not necessary for players to track development of individual systems in-game.  This is assumed to be happening in the background.

Pre-Starting Technology

The nations of Nova Terra have had to build ships for mercantile, territorial sanitization, and policing purposes.  Consequently, player nations begin play with the following tech operational on completed ships:

-All Springsharp machinery options, with engine year = 1950
-Breach-loading anti-surface Naval artillery up to 155 mm / 6.1" bore, using deck mounts with or without hoists.  Mounts may be armoured on the face, sides, and around the hoists.  Machine-guns may be considered anti-air weapons.
-HE and SAP shells.
-Starshells and searchlights.
-Hulls built to 1.00 hull strength, with cruiser or transom sterns
-Depth charges and depth charge throwers
-WW1 era sonar/ASDIC and short-range surface radar
-Submarines, with deck guns but not torpedoes [guns needed for anti-critter protection]
-Ramped landing craft
-Army units

Starting Technology

Ships laid down subsequent to the starting date of the game may make use of the following technology:

-Other naval artillery up to 450 mm bore, in deck mounts or turret/barbette, with pre-WW2 era FC.  .
-Armored hulls (Deck/belt/CT, including AoN and sloped belt options and AP shells)
-Non-homing torpedoes up to 610mm diameter; up to quintuple carriages.
-Contact mine warfare (mines and towed minesweeping gear)
-Pre-WW2 type MTBs (all types as one)
-Destroyers of up to 2,000 t light

Tech Not Immediately Available for Research

It is assumed that the development of these systems has not yet been considered necessary, based on a lack of experience to demonstrate otherwise.  When in-game events cause the development of a system to become warranted, the Mod will indicate the time and dollar cost associated with it – and, if applicable, which players may conduct the work.

Torpedo Bulkheads
Capped shells and decapping armor
AA and DP guns
Radar-directed fire control
Missiles and rockets
Hedgehog/Squid/Limbo type ASW weapons
Aircraft
Well-decks
Long range air and surface-search radar
Long-range ASDIC/sonar
Magnetic mines and degaussing equipment
Underway refuelling
Larger destroyers
Newer MTBs

TERRAFORMING

As Nova Terra has its own, competitive biosphere, it is not possible to terraform it simply by planting terrestrial seeds in the grown.  Instead, a player must destroy the existing flora and fauna and then replace it wholesale with a terrestrial flora/fauna package. 

In practice, terraforming a square kilometre of land requires the dedicated deployment of one infantry company, one engineering company, and the support of one Dirt Farm.  There is no specific dollar cost.  The process has a high but not automatic success rate; failure and troop losses can occur.

The actual steps involved – not that a player has to know it – are:

Shoot and Cut

A company of light or heavy infantry provide security and shoot down macrofauna while a company of engineers cuts down trees and other flora.  Time:  1 months.

Fortify and Mulch

A company of light or heavy infantry erects razor-wire fences around the perimeter of the area to keep out fauna while the engineer company burns or mulchs the felled plants and sterilizes the soil.  Time:  2 months

Recover

The infantry unit erects a concrete wall around the perimeter of the area to block plant growth, while the engineers receive soil [sterilized marine sediment, terrestrial compost, seed and insect package] from a dirt farm and spread it over the sterilized native soil.  Time:  1 month.

[The Rock Doctor]

...and I have not updated anything in the past week or so, so not everything we've discussed or that I've agreed upon is necessarily reflect in what's there.  Flooded basement and Christmas parties are my excuse.

[Carthaginian]

LOL... good excuses!
How's the draining of Lake Rocky coming along, BTW? Hope that too much wasn't lost.

[The Rock Doctor]

Lake Rocky is slowly receding - it helps that it hasn't rained much and the ground's starting to freeze up.  That's good, as I ratcheted up my right hand some while hammering through the concrete above what will be the sump hole.  Lost a few jars knocked over, and the potatos in that one bin are iffy (~20 lbs).  Could be worse.

Anyway - thoughts on the rules?  It looks like a lot, but a lot of that's stuff - like International Relations - that helps me as Mod be consistent in my activity.

[Carthaginian]

I know there are some changes coming, so I'll go towards the things that are new:

Point #1: International Relations sound like it's straight out of Civ-series game. I think they will keep players honest with the way that they play their nations, and will make awkward cross-cultural player alliances a lot less likely. It'll also encourage some serious roleplaying in order to change things we might regret.

Point #2: Trade agreements giving players the possibility of extra money for an investment is very good; but it can potentially cause a lot more entanglement in wartime and will quickly cause small wars to become global. This will, as in real life, become a balancing act very fast.

Point #3: Refit costs look affordable... will encourage things to be refitted and reused in an environment that may or may not use treaties to create such an environment. I like that idea.

[Delta Force]

Perhaps technology could start out in the 1920s or 1930s instead of 1950? There is no room for improvement if the ships start with 1950s technology to start with.

[Carthaginian]

Perhaps technology could start out in the 1920s or 1930s instead of 1950? There is no room for improvement if the ships start with 1950s technology to start with.

I think that this is the most logical thing- start in, say, 1920 and then have tech advance in roughly 5-year increments. The trigger could be something in-game... probably an influential city-state trying something new technologically (not a PC state unless some serious die rolls are involved), or a battle that forces a major shift in tactics.

[The Rock Doctor]

I know there are some changes coming, so I'll go towards the things that are new:

Point #1: International Relations sound like it's straight out of Civ-series game. I think they will keep players honest with the way that they play their nations, and will make awkward cross-cultural player alliances a lot less likely. It'll also encourage some serious roleplaying in order to change things we might regret.

It's me borrowing as closely from Imperial Starfire as I can remember.  You can see now why I was interested in the Cultural Characteristics stuff.

Point #2: Trade agreements giving players the possibility of extra money for an investment is very good; but it can potentially cause a lot more entanglement in wartime and will quickly cause small wars to become global. This will, as in real life, become a balancing act very fast.

It'll make for interesting politics; it allows to quantify the use of embargos as a soft-power tool; and yes, it gives y'all extra money once you implement them.

Point #3: Refit costs look affordable... will encourage things to be refitted and reused in an environment that may or may not use treaties to create such an environment. I like that idea.

I'd be down with merging refurbishment and reconstruction into one larger category if folks wanted - a generic, "We're ripping the guts out" deal.

[snip]

So my questions/comments:
Is there a cap on the Cultural Characteristic points, or are we allowed to pick any value that we wish?
Any further thoughts on how the starting number of cities will work?
I like having the option to change CC's with a cash infusion. Would there be a limit on how far a given category could swing?
Is there more info on industrial facilities?
Diplomatic stuff looks good. Same with army stuff.
With the shipyard, is the listed build capacity per turn a per-ship or global limit?
Would a non-type 0 port constructed at a city have a cost reduction for the pre-existing facilities?
Construction rules look good.
Turns are to be in four-month intervals?
No torpedos at game start?
Will we have to pay for the development of different guns and torps as in N3?
Armor on starting ships?
Terraforming looks good.

[The Rock Doctor]

Undecided on CC points.  Starfire just let you pick what you want, as I recall. 

You'll get X economic output, and will allocated it amongst Y cities.  I'll establish some range for what Y can be - don't want players too spread out or too concentrated.  On that note - do y'all want to start with the same economic output, or do you want me to randomly assign each of you a number from a range (say, $3,000 to $5,000)?

A limit on CC change in one year would be reasonable.  Over a long period of decades, I see no reason to limit it absolutely. 

Industrial facilities still in the works - had not factored in the idea of turbine plants, etc as somebody suggested.

Build capacity for shipyards is a global figure.  An S1 could put 2,000 t into one ship, or 250 t into eight ships, etc - with a maximum size of 5,999 t for any one of those ships.

Good question on port costs.  Sounds reasonable at first blush.

Correct, a year will consist of the Economic Turn and three Game Turns.

No torpedos at the start; in the absence of naval combat, nobody spent money on them.

For tech, I'm inclined simply to stick with the list of what's allowed and let you use what you want from that list.  Obviously, we've had discussion about engine years, and I've heard concern about immediately allowing big-arse guns.  We'd have to sort out how industrial facilities play into this.

No armor on pre-existing ships, save for weapons.

[snip]

I like the variable starting economies, but think the range should be smaller as opposed to $2000. Maybe have ~$4000 with a + or - $500 done randomly?

I think that paying for the development of weapons would be a good way to go. For startup how about everyone gets ~2-3 guns of <=155mm for free (to be used on startup ships) and $X for guns (and mounts?) that would be available for new ships at the start with a restriction for guns of the boar diameter must be <=305mm with the caliber no more then L45, and for torpedoes of <= ~450mm (18") diameter. Then a table similar to the one used for N3 would be used for how the guns could be improved. Torpedoes would have increments of development as well. IMO, as long as we keep the concepts that define construction known, and limit needed research to actual items of tech (guns, ect), that requiring there research is not a bad thing.

[Carthaginian]

OK... another small suggestion- allow for greater flexibility in torpedo sizes!
Submarine torpedoes have often been much shorter than their cousins on surface vessels. As we will be 'starting from zero' with our submarine programs, it might be nice to be able to build small subs with shorter range torpedoes initially (and indeed, throughout the game). Here are my suggestions:

TORPEDOES
1.) The length of a torpedo is determined by overall length in METERS (guys like me will just have to deal) and the diameter of a torpedo is determined by overall diameter in CENTIMETERS.
2.) A torpedo must be at least 5m in length, and will have a maximum range of 1000m X length in meters. A torpedo cannot exceed 10m in length, and will have a maximum range of 10,000m.
3.) A torpedo must be at least 400mm in diameter, and no larger than 600mm in diameter. Torpedoes of 400mm-450mm suffer a -1000m penalty to range and torpedoes of 550mm-600mm gain a +1000m bonus to range, if compared to other torpedoes of similar length.

[The Rock Doctor]

That could be the basis for a good, simple torpedo rule-set.

[The Rock Doctor]

Tweaking the Industrial facilities to include a sort of range of options for folks.  I'm not really sure I want to get into the weeds so far as different ship parts are concerned, but this may offer a reasonable compromise.  The arsenal option may offset the need for gun/torpedo R&D, as players will not be able to add new weapons willy-nilly. 

Note the assumption that starting economies are ~$4000, give or take.  There's a balance to be sought between concentration of economic power and ability to have different industries.

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

Any city with an economic output of $200 or more has the efficiency of scale to support one industry with in-game effects.  A player selects these for pre-existing cities, or designates them as the city grows to $200 in-play:

-Aircraft Works:  Can produce aircraft.  At the start of the game, this has no military application; the work is strictly experimental.  Once aircraft are permitted as military equipment, it will allow construction of some quantity of aircraft.

-Arsenal:  Can manufacture guns or torpedos in two specific calibres (in any mount configuration).  Production can be shifted from one weapon to another, but this requires a year of down-time to retool.

-Boutiques:  Produces unique consumer goods such as jewellery, clothes, and books.  Increases the value of trade deals by 1% each (that is, 3% to 4% with one boutique).

-Construction:  Can construct one city, port, or shipyard away from existing facilities.

-Dirt Farm:  Produces a "terrestrial" soil mix sufficient for 1 km2 of terraforming each turn.

-Machinery Plant:  Allows nation to manufacture turbines two years in advance of the nominal engine year.  Must specify whether for 1.00 HS or 0.50 CSHS ships.

-Shipyards and/or Ports:  A city with a shipyard and/or port of Type 2 or larger counts this as its industry.  A city can host both a shipyard and a port, and it does not matter whether the city is smaller or larger than $200.

-Steelworks:  Allows construction of ships.  A nation without steelworks must import steel from another nation with steelworks.