NationStates Jolt Archive

I see alot of threads of military istings like:

20,000 f-10s
10,000 f-343s
45,000 q-45

my question is, I know f-343's and crap are military things but how do you figure out how much you have? I know you make the number up but what is an f-343? and what's so different between an f-1 and f-2?

are you supposed to look on military websites for specific jets and stuff or make up your own models?

You can use the GDP calculator, (which I don't have the link to, I'm sorry) which is a website where you enter your nation's name, and then you see what your GDP is. I once saw one where you can calculate your military budget too, but I can't find that. I go around looking for pictures on the internet, (Google image search is a beautiful thing) and one day I'm gonna make one of those lists. There are storefront threads where you can buy stuff from people, such as F-18s or the spaceship Enterprise. 8)
Usually they have names like: RANDOM MILITARY STOREFRONT!!!!
or:
GRUGHENEERS CLASS CARRIER FOR SALE!!
or:
BUY MY GUNS!
Lots of new people use storefronts, they're a good way to get started.

a note about storefronts:
http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=80256

You can either build or buy equipment, it can either be real or realistic creations of your own.

If you are a new nation with a not-so-good economy you might have problems making state-of-the-art equipment right away. This isn't to say you can't build good equipment, it will just take longer to make it in large numbers. If you wish to build your own aircraft and are a social democracy or liberal communists we'll be willing to assist.

A lot of people try to make their military equipment unique in one way or another- hence the fictitious designations for aircraft and other hardware. I do this myself, but I try to keep the designations fairly plain (my primary Air Superiority fighter is designated AS-12).

Take care using the GDP calculators. Gross Domestic Product is the value of everything produced, sold, and services rendered by everyone in your country for a year. This is not the same as your budget. Your budget will be far less than the GDP, and your military budget will likely only be a small fraction of your national budget.

When you start building a military, first decide what tech level you wish to roleplay. Star Trek-style FTL cruisers and handheld energy weapons? Elves, swords, and magic? Breech-loading cannons and steamships? This decision will begin to shape your military.

Having decided on a tech level, now you can customize a miltary force to meet the needs of your country. To keep things simple, assume that a Roman-era trireme would cost as much as a modern-era battleship, which would in turn cost the same as a Galaxy-class starship.

Using these rough equivalents and your military budget, post something to the effect that your national shipyards have begun construction of the BFS Humongous, which is expected to be commissioned in 8 months. A few days later, post something to the effect that Humongous has completed sea trials and include a brief list of capabilities (similar to the unclassified listings in Jane's Fighting Ships). Mention that several sister ships are also under contract.

In order to avoid that ubiquitous curse of the n00bie (Godmoding), make sure that you avoid buying or building too much. A brand new country will not have a fleet of anything- including rowboats. Brand new countries are extremely unlikely to have any capital ships at all. Start small and build up. If you are roleplaying modern technology, instead of building a battleship (which would totally bankrupt your country), start out by building several coastal patrol boats and maybe one or two destroyers. Later on, (when your country is in the 60 million + range), you can announce that the older ships and boats are being replaced by a new class of cruiser, along with newer destroyers and some antisubmarine ships (corvettes or frigates, in modern useage). Now you have the nucleus of a fleet.

This same process applies to aircraft, ground warfare equipment, spacecraft, etc. Something you should pay close attention to is the fact that a large part of your military will not be actual combatants- they'll be support personnel, making sure that the warfighters have the equipment and supplies they need to do their jobs. This holds true whether your primary assault force is dragons supported by Elven archers or starships with planet-busting beam weapons.

BTW, you really ought to read the sticky at the top of the first page in the NationStates forum called, "New to NS? View these great threads". Here's the link:

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29774

There are lots of good posts by a wide variety of authors there to help you out. In fact, I recommend reading all the stickies.

Feel free to ask if you have more questions.

a note about storefronts:
http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=80256

You can either build or buy equipment, it can either be real or realistic creations of your own.

If you are a new nation with a not-so-good economy you might have problems making state-of-the-art equipment right away. This isn't to say you can't build good equipment, it will just take longer to make it in large numbers. If you wish to build your own aircraft and are a social democracy or liberal communists we'll be willing to assist.

Alright. I'm not exactly a military expert or anything, so sometimes I look at a storefront thread and am just boggled by all the different terms. Therefore, trying to start my OWN storefront would be difficult, mainly because I wouldn't know what specifications (for the vehicles, ships, planes, etc) would be considered... un-godmoding? I made up a word, but whatever. So, is there maybe a guide to this sort of thing, so that people who want to make their own storefronts know what to include, what not to include, how prices should be (that's another thing I forgot to mention), and how not to godmod? That would be really helpful!

Bump!

Alright. I'm not exactly a military expert or anything, so sometimes I look at a storefront thread and am just boggled by all the different terms. Therefore, trying to start my OWN storefront would be difficult, mainly because I wouldn't know what specifications (for the vehicles, ships, planes, etc) would be considered... un-godmoding? I made up a word, but whatever. So, is there maybe a guide to this sort of thing, so that people who want to make their own storefronts know what to include, what not to include, how prices should be (that's another thing I forgot to mention), and how not to godmod? That would be really helpful!

Try reading the sticky at the top of the first page in the NationStates forum. The title is, New to NationStates? View these great threads.

Here's the link:

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29774

You'll need to read most of the stickies- both on NationStates and International Incidents. A lot of your questions will be answered there. A lot of basic terminology for equipment is explained in books like Jane's Fighting Ships. They're expensive books, but your local library ought to be able to get 'em for you (in the US, anyway. Overseas, you may have to buy the books).

If you really want to start roleplaying war, you will need to become familiar with standard military terminology and some jargon. Come to think of it, that's a pretty good idea for a post. I'll start working on it. Until I get it posted, you may wish to read Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. This will give you a child's primer of basic military terminology. Another good source for squad level interpersonal jargon can be found in the Military Dimension by David Drake. Unlike Clancy, Drake is an actual veteran who served in Vietnam. The dialogue in the stories reflects Drake's combat experience.