NationStates Jolt Archive

Manpower requirements
Space units require 4,000 people for each unit. Maintenance is a percentage of their cost (see spacecraft units) and must be performed at a shipyard.

For each Army Division or Brigade, a total of 50,000 troops are needed (which includes the troops in the unit, plus support personnel just like the Space Navy). For each Marine Regiment,10,000 personnel are needed (includes the troops in the unit plus support troops) for Marine Regiments. For each Marine battalion or Army Defense battalion 2,000 are needed (actual strength is really closer to 500 for Marines and 1000 for defense battalions, but factors in overhead).

Military budget overhead
Overhead costs are included in the maintenance and purchase costs of units, including intelligence gathering and analysis

Your military budget is what you have to spend on units and maintenance. You can then add in income from offplanet outposts and factories (which can also be used for your colonization budget).

Range and distances
When sending orders, it is always assumed that a fleet will move to as close to the 5 AU limit as possible in order to get to the inner system as quickly as possible. However, you may choose to have a fleet jump for the outer system, and refuel at one of the gas giants located out there. Be specific if you want this to occur.

Ships with a speed of 10 - 12 move 1 AU a day, speeds 5-6 move 1 AU per 2 days, Speeds 3-4 1 AU per 3 days, Speed 2 move 1 AU per 4 days, and Speed 1 move 1 AU per 5 days.

Space combat ranges
Fleets generally locate it other at detection range (under 1 AU apart), then if battle is sought, close to extreme range. Following that, they attempt to move into long range, and then if they wish, short range and then small craft can close to close range. Fighters and Small craft generally have a range of 1 AU (and are a lot faster then warships so can get there and back generally).

Extreme range - no beam weapons, missile factors are halved.
Long range - missile factors normal, high intensity missile fire doubles missile factors (but uses up all missiles for the duration of the battle).

Short range - missile factors halved, beam weapons normal
Close range - beam weapons and missiles for fighters (only) are doubled.

In other words, a fighter wing has to survive being shot at from extreme, long and short range before it can close to close range.

Fighters can also provide close escort protection, effectively adding their beam, missile and defense factors to the ship they are escorting (limit 1 fighter wing per unit or ship). They suffer the same fate together (if destroyed) as the ship they are escorting.

Planetary bombardment and assualt ranges
Ships start out in the outer system, then move to the inner system at their movement rate. Once at the world they are approaching they move to it as follows:
1. Far Orbit - cannot be fired on
2. Close Orbit - can be fired on by PD units and can fire at ground targets.
3. Set down - can be fired on by PD units, cannot return fire.
leaving works the same way.

Generally your Admirals and commanders will act as appropriate for the tactical situation

New units can be found here
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12406699&postcount=27
.

Space travel things to know
Jump drive is explained here:
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12269144&postcount=5

Once a ship comes out of jump space, it moves according to normal rules of physics. However, space craft use Gravity control technology (Also known as grav, anti-grav, or contragrav). The gravity control produces both weight neutralization and thrust. At higher tech levels smaller vehicles such as submarines, aircraft and ground vehicles gradually get replaced by grav vehicles.

Jump Gates
If available, a ship using a jump gate uses its fuel just as if it were making a jump 1. This has signficant strategic advantages to those star nations that have jump gates.

Maintenance
Starships must undergo maintenance at a shipyard because the have to completely remove and recalibrate their jump engines to ensure reliability. Failure to do so every 12 months means that an increasingly dangerous potential for a fatal misjump exists.

In addition, maintenance can only be conducted at a shipyard of the same tech level as the starship. Mainly this has to do with part availability and training of the technicians. You would hardly expect a Model T repair shop to have the parts or expertise to fix a 2007 Ford Pickup and its computer controls. Nor is a modern Ford repair shop likely to have parts available for a 1966 Ford Mustang, much less a Model T. However, a higher tech level shipyard can provide maintenance for a lower tech ship, but maintenance costs are doubled for each tech level difference (Tech 10 fixing Tech 9, doubled, Tech 11 fixing Tech 9, quadrupled).

Space Combat ratings
Warships and civilian ships are rated as follows:
Beam / Missile / Defense / Jump / Carrier capable C (if applicable)/ speed value

Upgrading ships
Warships are built according a careful balance and once constructed, changing that is extremely difficult. The main issue is fuel tankage and overall architecture of the ship, as well as the amount of space required for electronics. New types of weapons also become available, as well as certain types of energy shielding.

So generally speaking, upgrading a tech 10 ship to tech 11 will result in an increase in jump drive by 1, but a decrease in beam and missile factors by 33%. Which means its really only cost effective for ships the size of cruisers or larger. Therefore, only Medium or larger starships can be upgraded.

Light Battle Stars cannot be upgraded, as too much of their interior space is devoted to space for their small craft, but you can instead convert them into an scout cruiser (CE) (2-2-2-2-5), while a Fleet Battlestar can be converted into an assault carrier (LPH)(4-0-4-2-5, 1 assault shuttle wing, 1 marine battalion, 1 interface squadron, essentially sacrificing the fighters for more fuel). Heavy battlestars have similar issues, and have to sacrifice 2 wings in order to get the increased fuel capacity for greater jump. You can however choose to keep the same jump number for a battle star and give them the S designator (see below).

Higher tech ships fighting lower tech ships get a bonus to both their attack rolls and lower tech ships get a minus in their attack rolls against them.

Upgrading a warship costs 50% of its original purchase price and takes one year.

Tradeoffs
You can choose to sacrifice armor or defenses from a warship to increase its fuel tankage. This will allow a warship to make 2 jumps instead of just one from its fuel. Trade off however reduces its beam and missile factors by 33% OR its defense strength by 50%. This can only be done at the time of construction. Give ships designed this way a additional designator of L (so a CG would be a CGL)

You may also choose to reduce fuel tankage. By reducing the jump number by - 1, you get either a + 33% increase in missile and beam factor, OR +50% increase in defense factor. Once again, only available at time of construction. Give ships designed this way an additional designator of S (so a CG would be a CGS).

Spacecraft units
Combat ratings
Beam / Missile / Defense / Jump / Carrier capable C (if applicable)/ speed value
Available at Tech Level 9
Unit type cost maintenance build time combat rating

Small Craft
Orbital Fighter Wing $100 billion 10% 1 year 1-1-1-0 –C-12
Assault Shuttle Wings $50 billion 5% 1 year 0-0-1-0-C-10
Interface Shuttle Squadron $10 Billion 1% 1 year 0-0-0-0-C-6

Small craft can operate in either atmosphere or in space, but have a short endurance (24 hours, or roughly enough to patrol a few tens of thousands of kilometers around a fleet). Fighter and Assault Shuttle wings have 75 spacecraft, while Interface squadrons have only 15 space craft. Generally, each outpost and military base should have an interface squadron, as should each spaceport. Assault Shuttles and Interface squadrons can carry 1 battalion of troops. Fighters are roughly the size of a modern F22, assault shuttles are the size of a V22 Osprey, and Interface Shuttles are the size of C123 transport aircraft (minus the wings of course). Small craft have a crew of 2 and Assault Shuttles can carry 24 passengers or cargo, while Interface shuttles can carry 60 passengers or cargo.

Small starships
Corvette / Scoutship squadron (ScoutRon)
Cost $100 Billion, maintenance 5%, build time 1 year, combat rating 1-1-1-1-6, consists of 12 corvette scoutships organized into a squadron. Used for patrol, scouting and exploration missions and always operate in squadrons for mutual
support. Can also be used (and frequently are) as couriers. Crew of 8.

Light Transport group (AKLron)
Cost $200 Billion, maintenance 1%, build time 1 year, combat rating 0-0-0-1, consists of 12 light transport ships about the size of a C17 transport aircraft that can land practically anywhere. The Civilian economy will have 1 light transport group for every $100 Billion of GDP that can be used in emergencies (that you don’t have to pay for). Light transports have a crew of 4

Assault Light Transport Group (AAKLron)
Cost $400 Billion, maintenance 5%, build time one year, combat rating 1-0-1-1-4.
Essentially armored and faster versions of the civilian light transport, and cost twice a much but are more useful in combat. Can carry 1 brigade of Drop troops or up to 5 battalions of drop troops or defense battalions.

Courier Group (ACKron)
Cost $1 Trillion, maintenance 5%, build time one year, combat rating 1-0-1-1-6. Essentially modified assault transports with bigger engines and more fuel, enough so that they can make 3 consecutive jumps before having to refuel. An ACKron can support steady weekly flow of information going back 4 jumps from a fleet or between worlds. They can also carry a handful of uncomfortable passengers and limited cargo (like mail).

Destroyer squadron (DesRon)
Cost $300 Billion, maintenance 20%, build time 2 years, combat rating 2-2-2-1-6, consists of 4 destroyers the size of a Los Angeles class submarine. Used for patrol, armed scouting and fleet escort duties, as well as attack duties. Generally carry a squad of troops for security, scout or special operations missions plus a crew of 50.

Missile Boat squadron (Patron)
Cost $400 Billion, maintenance 10%, build time 1 year, combat rating 1-3-2-0-C-6, consists of 12 missile boats the size of a B1 Bomber. Used for patrol and attack duties and a squadron of these can substitute for a fighter or assault shuttle wing aboard a carrier. Can land anywhere and also hide underwater.

Small starships can operate inside the atmosphere, and can also land anywhere.

At Tech level 9 these starships have a Jump 1, which increases to Jump 2 at tech level 10 and Jump 3 at Tech 11.

Medium sized starships
Light Battlestar (tech level 9) (CVL)
$500 Billion, maintenance 10%, build time 2 years, combat value 2-0-2-1-5
The size of a World War II aircraft carrier, and can enter atmosphere. Carries a large number of point defense lasers, but its main weapon is it fighter wing. Crew is 500. Tech level 10 version is jump 2, and Tech level 11 version is Jump 3.

Light Cruiser (CL)
$600 Billion, maintenance 10%, build time 2 years, combat value 3-3-3-1-5. The size of a World War II cruiser, and can enter atmosphere. Crew of 500, and the workhorse of the fleet in conjuction with destroyers. Tech level 10 versions are jump 2, and tech level 11 versions are jump 3. Ideal for exploration and scouting missions in defended areas as well as show the flag missions.

Missile Cruiser (CG)
$800 billion, maintenance 10%, build time 2 years, combat value 2-7-4-1-4. The size of a World War I battleship, and can enter atmosphere, but rarely should (has to ease its way in unless is a trace atmosphere). Crew of 600, and ideal for bombardment and strike missions. Tech level 10 versions are jump 2, and tech level 11 versions are jump 3. Generally held with the fleet, or used as flagships for light cruiser / destroyer task forces.

Transport (AK)
$100 Billion, maintenance 5%, build time 2 years, combat value 0-0-1-2-2. The size of a large 20th Century tanker or passenger liner, and the workhorses of the economy. Generally the civilian economy will have 1 of these for every $200 Billion in the GDP which can be used in emergencies. A liner can carry 4000 passengers, while cargo versions carry large amounts of cargo from place to place. Can be converted for military use, in which case they can carry 1 division or 1 planetary defense unit or 3 brigades. Can also be used as tankers, in which case they can refuel 2 medium or 4 light starship units.

Battle Rider (BR) tech 10
$300 billion, maintenance 10%, build time 2 years. Combat value 6-6-7-0-5. The size of a Missile cruiser, but far tougher and better armed. However, these ships do not have jump engines or jump fuel and either remain on home defense duties or are carried into other star systems aboard tenders (modified Large Transports, which can carry 2 BRs). However can take on an armored or heavy cruiser and win, and even survive against a Dreadnought or Battlecruiser. Tech level 11 versions are 7-7-8-0-5

Medium and Large starships can only land and operate from Spaceports.

Large starships
Battle Star (tech level 10 version). (CV)
$1 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 3 years, combat value 4-1-4-2-5. These ships are the size of a World War II North Carolina class battleship, and generally do not enter the atmosphere. Generally have a crew of 3000, and can carry an interface squadron, and either an assault transport wing and a fighter wing and 1 battalion of troops, or 2 fighter wings. Tech Level 11 version is jump 3.

Armored Cruiser (tech level 9 version) (CA)
$1.3 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 3 years, combat value 5-5-4-1-4. These ships are very large, the size of a 20th Century nuclear powered aircraft carrier, and generally do not enter the atmosphere but can. Generally have a crew of 2400, and can carry a battalion of light troops, an interface squadron and an assault transport wing. Jump capability 1. Tech level 10 versions are jump 2.

Heavy cruiser (tech level 11) (CH)
$1.2 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 3 years, combat value 6-6-6-3-5. The improved tech level 11 version of the Armored Cruiser, but otherwise similar. Tech 12 version is jump 4, otherwise the same, and tech 13 version is 7-7-7-4-5

Battlecruiser (tech level 9)(BC)
$1.4 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 3 years, combat value 7-5-5-1-4. These ships are very large, the size of the 20th Century battleship Yamato, and are as fast as an armored cruiser but tougher. They have a crew of 3000, and carry an interface squadron, and either a fighter wing or a assault shuttle wing and 1 battalion of troops. Tech level 10 versions are jump 2, and tech level 11 versions are jump 3 and have a speed rating of 5.

Improved Battlecruiser (Tech 12)(BC2)
$1.5 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 3 years, combat value 8-8-8-3-5. The improved version of the BC, with meson guns, meson screens and more missiles. Tech level 13 version is 9-10-9-4-5

Monitor (tech level 9)(BN)
$300 Billion, maintenance 10%, build time 3 years, combat value 7-7-7-0-4. These ships are the size of a battlecruiser, but lack jump engines and jump fuel. The savings in tonnage allows them to have armor nearly as thick as a battleships and the same weapons, and allows for larger maneuver engines. Ideal for defending a single star system but cannot be moved. Tech level 10 versions are 8-8-8-0-4 and tech level 11 versions are 9-9-9-0-5

Huge starships
Dreadnought (tech 10 only)(DN)
$1.8 trillion, maintenance 25%, build time 4 years, requires an orbital shipyard (for each one under construction), combat value 4-9-8-2-3. These ships are huge, the size of a super tanker, and generally do not enter the atmosphere (and then only VERY carefully). Generally have a crew of 4,000, and can carry a battalion of light troops and an interface squadron and assault transport wing. Jump capability is 2.

Battleship (tech 11) (BB)
$2 trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 4 years, requires an orbital shipyard (for each one under construction), combat value 7-12-9-3-4. Jump capability is 3. These are the same size as a dreadnought but armed with power particle accelerators as well as immense missile batteries and also carry an interface squadron, an assault transport wing and a battalion of light infantry. The most powerful warship in the Diaspora. Tech level 12 versions are jump 4, as are Tech level 13 versions (but Tech level 13 version is 12-12-9-4-4 and cost $2.5 Trillion)

Battlestar (tech level 11 only) (CVA)
$1.5 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 4 years, requires an orbital shipyard (for each one under construction), combat value 6-1-9-3-5. Jump capability is 3. These are the toughest carriers in the Diaspora, and can carry 3 fighter wings, 1 interface squadron and 1 assault shuttle wing and 1 battalion of light troops, or trade in 2 fighter wings for 2 more assault shuttle wings and their troops. Have a crew of 4,000.

Heavy transport (tech level 10)(AKH)
$200 Billion, maintenance 10%, build time 4 years, combat value 0-0-1-2-3
These huge transport ships can carry an outpost AND a planetary defense unit but are mainly used to carry huge amounts of refined or unrefined ore from asteroid and moon mining facilities. Nations get 1 free for every $1 Trillion in GNP IF they have an orbital shipyard. Tech level 11 large transports are jump 3

Easily converted into a tanker unit, and if used this way, carries a light transport squadron that it uses as refueling lighters. One of these as a transport can refuel 1 huge, 2 large, 4 medium or 6 light starship units.

Heavy Monitor (Tech 13)
$1 Trillion, maintenance 20%, build time 4 years. Combat Value 12-12-10-0-5, Carry 3 fighter wings, 6 interface squadrons and also act as a naval base. Also have 1 battalion of marines aboard and 1 assault shuttle wing. Cannot jump, but provide a powerful defense of a gas giant or other critical location.

Huge starships can only land and operate from large lakes and bays but usually never come to the surface of a world in any case.

Reserve Fleet
If your nation has an orbital shipyard, it can place medium, large and huge starships into mothballs. They are deactivated and in a parking orbit near the shipyard, and only cost 1% a year for maintenance. However, to bring them back into service takes 1 year, and costs 25% of their original cost.

Small starships and small craft units can be placed in mothballs at any naval base, and cost the same for maintenance and reactivation as larger starships.

Temporary Jump capability
Tenders
Small, Medium and Large non jump capable ships can be moved by Tenders. These are essentially medium, large or huge starships with nothing more then a bridge, jump engines, and lots of fuel. Tenders cost the same as a transport of the same size, but transports cannot be converted into tenders normally. This does allow you to move non jump capable ships around however. They have the same jump number as a transport of the same tech level. Tenders can carry 2 ships that are one size smaller, or 5 ships that are 2 sizes smaller)

Drop tanks
At Tech level 11, you can attach drop tanks to any starship. Drop tanks allow you to jump without using your internal fuel, BUT jump range is halved (greater mass). Drop tanks are one time use, and cost 10% of the purchase price of the ship they are being used for.

Jump Tugs
At tech 13, you can also use jump tugs. These are large starships (cost the same as a transport), and 4 of them can move a huge ship that doesn't have jump engines their standard jump range. Transport can be converted into tugs. They can also move a huge starship using their fuel, allowing the huge starship to use its own fuel to make another jump (thus stretching its range).

Special Note:
You buy small craft SEPERATELY from the ships that carry them. So Battlestars etc are bought, and also their small craft, and the maintenance and cost is combined.

Things to Remember about ground units and scale
Remember, a turn is a year, and planets are well.. planet sized and damned big. So combat is somewhat abstracted because of that. Grav units are capable of crossing continents in days, and the air / ground / sea spectrum merges together with grav units.

Supply
Ground units are always in supply on their primary world (home world for this purpose).

Units not on their homeworld must be within 6 jumps of their homeworld (if using military transports) or 3 jumps of a friendly civilian starport.

You can use civilian shipping to supply your ground units (assume price is part of your maintenance cost but add an extra +10% to the maintenance cost of that unit reflecting the inefficiency of this approach).

A light transport unit can support 1 regiment or 5 battalions, a transport can support 1 division sized unit or armored brigade. A heavy transport can support up to 5 division sized units.

Ground units are always in supply the year they first arrive at a system (not for a year, but for the year they arrive.. mainly for simplicity)

Planetary defense units
Fighters are particular useful against Planetary defense units, and get a bonus attacking them, while PDs get a negative attacking fighters. PD units get to attack up to 10 enemy spacecraft that approach into close orbit of a world. (see Drop troops for exceptions) and then shoot again at any spacecraft that attempts to land on the world they are defending (so yes, they get to shoot twice).

Drop Troops
Can be carried by assualt shuttles or by assault light transport groups. If carried by those units, PD units are at a negative shooting at the transports or shuttles involved. Other units can carry drop troops but can be shot at normally. Once dropped, PD units cannot fire at the Drop Troops. However, once on the ground, ground combat forces like divisions, brigades and battalions can do battle with them.

(in other words, the shuttles and light transports don't have to attempt a landing to attack the planet. They would however to evacuate the troops afterwards, which makes raid particularly risky. Its also a good idea to have some ground of other ground unit with your PD units to defend them, as in ground combat PD units are at a serious disadvatage)

Defense battalions
Generally, during ground combat, I group battalions into groups of 10 to form de facto divisions. The big advantage that defense battalions have is dispersal. Orbital bombardment must be conducted at the individual battalions, meaning more targets (and greater dispersal of damage and more ships required to inflict it) as compared to divisions and brigades, which are more easily targeted by orbiting ships. So a world with a lot of defense battalions is likely to have more survive to group together as divisions. They aren't as combat effect as divisions and brigades, but might survive better.

Ground Forces
Typically organized into a Marine branch to operate aboard starships, carry out boarding actions and inspections and used for raiding, and an Army branch for defense of a world or securing a world.

Marine units come in 2 types
Marine battalions carried aboard the heavier starships. Each battalion is 500 men, and costs $10 Billion to build, maintenance is 50%, and it take one year to create.

Marine Regiments are used for large scale landings and are brigade sized, with 5000 men. They cost $50 Billion to build, maintenance is 50% and it also takes one year to create them.

Marines are equipped with powered armor, carry high energy weapons as well as advanced firearms, and can be dropped from orbit using Drop Capsules (in essence the Mobile Infantry of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers).

Jump drops are far less vulnerable to planetary defense fire then troops carried down by assault shuttles. They require pickup afterwards, but generally they target planetary defenses first in order to make that possible.

Army forces come in several types
Planetary Defense Units are division sized, with 25,000 men equipped with particle accelerators, heavy laser cannons, surface to orbit missiles, and are emplaced in fixed defenses. They are also hard to spot from orbit and can usually only be identified after they open fire. They are capable of attacking up to 10 enemy spacecraft and starships in orbit as they are spread about the planet to provide coverage. Cost is $250 Billion, maintenance is 20%, and they take one year to build. Maximum stacking is 1 PDU unit for every 1,000 KM of main planet diameter, 1 PDU unit maximum for any moon, and no more then 5 PDUs on a terrastrial planet that has an outpost on it that isn't a primary world.

Garrison divisions are mechanized forces equipped with grav, tracked and wheeled vehicles and designed to defend specific portions of a world or a small world. They are division sized units of 25,000 men, cost $10 Billion, and maintenance is 20% and take 1 year to create. 5 Transports or 5 light transport groups are needed to move them.

Lift Infantry divisions are mechanized forces equipped with Grav vehicles and gunships and operate much like helicopter air cavalry of the 21st Century. They require the same lift as a Garrison unit, are 25,000 in size, cost $25 Billion, and maintenance is 50% and they take one year to build.

Armored brigades are equipped with heavy hover tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and like Lift Infantry can cross continents in days. They require 2 trasnports or 2 light transport groups to move them, are 5000 men, cost $50 Billion, and maintenance is 50% and 1 year is needed to create them.

Defense battalions are equipped as garrison infantry, and are frequently found on smaller population worlds. Cost is $1 Billion, and they have 1,000 men. Defense battalions only count as 2000 men for manpower purposes. Maintenance is 10%.

Ground combat modifiers
A unit that is higher tech has a combat advantage against lower tech units (about a 50% advantage).

Paying higher maintenance will give you a better force as well. Paying twice the normal maintenance will result in a 50% increase in combat value for all Marine and Army units in ground combat. (making them from Regular to Crack troops) and paying triple maintenance will provide elite units.

Additional Ground Personnel
For each Army Division or Brigade, a total of 50,000 troops are needed (which includes the troops in the unit, plus support personnel just like the Space Navy). For each Marine Regiment or Battalion, 10,000 personnel are needed (includes the troops in the unit plus support troops) for Marine Regiments, and 5,000 for Marine battalions

Price adjustments
If your your NS military budget exceeds 10% of your GDP - all ground units except planetary defense units are 50% cheaper and maintenance is halved.
If your nation has conscription - 10% reduction in cost, maintenance is - 5%

Special Weapons:
Tech 11 - Meson Guns become available.
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Meson_Accelerator

Game effect: Tech 11 Planetary Defense units and any warship with a beam factor of 6 or better are considered to have Meson Gun spinal mounts. (a spinal mount is a very large weapon that is mounted along the keel of the warship and has a fixed arc of fire. Only one spinal mount per ship is possible as it takes up a very considerable portion of the mass of the ship).

PD units get a bonus against ships without meson screens. In naval combat, if attacked by a ship with meson guns, the defending ship has an effective defense value of 1.

Tech 12 - Meson screens become available. Ships with a defense value of 4 or better are considered to have meson screens.
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Meson_Screen

Other technologies in effect
Tech 10 - Nuclear Damper technology
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Nuclear_Damper
At Tech 10, all outposts and primary worlds are assumed to have large nuclear dampers assigned to prevent an enemy from attacking using nuclear weapons. They have no effect against deadfall ordinance (but that is usually easier to shoot down with PD units).
At Tech 11, all warships are assumed to have nuclear dampers, and all ground forces as they are now small enough to carry around in vehicles.

Can we build Military Shipyards and Naval Bases on non-terraformed planets?

Parthini;12322784']Can we build Military Shipyards and Naval Bases on non-terraformed planets?

yes, as long as you have an outpost on that world or moon and pay the maintenance of course.

Can we simply drop a Marine Regiment from a Transport in drop capsules?

Also, will drop capsules automatically cause casualties (eg capsules going really fast and smash into the ground, etc.)?

tag

[OOC- T to the izzle, Ag to the rizzle.]

Can we simply drop a Marine Regiment from a Transport in drop capsules?

Also, will drop capsules automatically cause casualties (eg capsules going really fast and smash into the ground, etc.)?

you can, but its more vulnerable to ground fire then assault light transports or assault shuttles

and yes, some are killed by misadventure, but not enough to effect the unit in a game sense

you can, but its more vulnerable to ground fire then assault light transports or assault shuttles

and yes, some are killed by misadventure, but not enough to effect the unit in a game sense

So Assault Shuttles drop the capsules into space? Are interface Shuttles AND Assault Shuttles needed to drop a marine Battalion?

So Assault Shuttles drop the capsules into space? Are interface Shuttles AND Assault Shuttles needed to drop a marine Battalion?

you can use either, doesn't have to be both types

assault shuttles are however less vulnerable to ground fire and fighters (note the higher defense value)

Special Weapons:
Tech 11 - Meson Guns become available.
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Meson_Accelerator

Game effect: Tech 11 Planetary Defense units and any warship with a beam factor of 6 or better are considered to have Meson Gun spinal mounts. (a spinal mount is a very large weapon that is mounted along the keel of the warship and has a fixed arc of fire. Only one spinal mount per ship is possible as it takes up a very considerable portion of the mass of the ship).

PD units get a bonus against ships without meson screens. In naval combat, if attacked by a ship with meson guns, the defending ship has an effective defense value of 1.

Tech 12 - Meson screens become available. Ships with a defense value of 4 or better are considered to have meson screens.
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Meson_Screen

Other technologies in effect
Tech 10 - Nuclear Damper technology
http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Nuclear_Damper
At Tech 10, all outposts and primary worlds are assumed to have large nuclear dampers assigned to prevent an enemy from attacking using nuclear weapons. They have no effect against deadfall ordinance (but that is usually easier to shoot down with PD units).
At Tech 11, all warships are assumed to have nuclear dampers, and all ground forces as they are now small enough to carry around in vehicles.

new information

An example of a big fleet action

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12363054&postcount=42

some minor rule changes and clarifications being posted today... be sure and review the rules

also, be sure and read over the example of a big fleet action provided in the link in the post above

also added a new warship type (heavy monitor) and some useful support ships

prices for assault shuttles and interface shuttles cut, as well as price for light transport groups and light assault transport groups

prices for assault shuttles and interface shuttles cut, as well as price for light transport groups and light assault transport groups

does the price cut effect our pre-builds too?

does the price cut effect our pre-builds too?

yes

also clarified rules for tenders (how many ships they can carry around)

Hey GB, how many Interface Shuttle Squadrons do we need per Outpost, Starport, Orbital Starport, Factory, and Shipyard?

Hey GB, how many Interface Shuttle Squadrons do we need per Outpost, Starport, Orbital Starport, Factory, and Shipyard?


starports provided by the civilian economy don't cost you anything, military interface shuttles however do cost you something.

Figuyre at least 1 per base, and you can have as many as 6 for orbital, and 12 for ground bases (number of shuttle squadrons are how many ships can be refueled at one time, and fueling takes about 6 hours) That could matter at some point depending on the tactical and strategic situation

How fast can Battle Rider Tenders deploy their battleriders? Can they jump into a system and do so in time for battle?

How fast can Battle Rider Tenders deploy their battleriders? Can they jump into a system and do so in time for battle?

How fast can Battle Rider Tenders deploy their battleriders? Can they jump into a system and do so in time for battle?

a few minutes at most, so yes, in plenty of time for battle

catch is trying to redock with their tenders while under fire as tenders are fragile

New units
Ground forces
Defenses
Hardening - if you double the base maintenance cost of a ground unit, it is considered to be based in hardened facilities. This reduces the effect of orbital bombardment and ground attack fire by -1

Entrenchment - if a combat engineer brigade or construction division is colocated with a armored brigade, marine regiment, lift infantry division or garrison division it provides the effect of temporarily hardening that unit (no cost) for the duration of whatever ground combat that unit is in.

Fortifications - if you pay double the purchase cost and maintenance cost for a ground unit, it is considered fortified. These are eleborate defenses, many underground at a significant distance, hardened and buried communications lines, multiple redundant backup communications links etc. Plus of course bunkers and similar defenses. Orbital bombardment and ground attack fire is reduced by -2.

Combat Engineers - a brigade sized unit that if used in conjuction with an infantry division, marine regiment or armored brigade allows the attacking unit to ignore hardening and entrenchments for one target unit, and reduces the effects of fortifications by half. Treat as a lift infantry division for transportation space requirements. Cost and maintenance is the same as an armored brigade.

Construction engineers - a division sized unit with heavy equipment (takes the
same space as a lift infantry division for transport purposes). In addition to assisting with entrenchments, can build a starport immediately after landing or repair one. Cost and maintenance the same as a lift infantry division.

Naval Forces
System Wide Sensor Grid - base cost is $5 Trillion plus $1 Trillion for each planet in the system, and another $1 Trillion for each gas giant (yes, you pay twice as much for gas gaints.. they are REALLY big). Effect is to prevent any naval ship from arriving in the defended system by surprise. The same effect can be had by having 25 Scoutrons/Fighter wings/PatRons in a system (as they can move faster and longer). Maintenance is 20% of the entire cost.

Orbital Forts - Half the cost of a Monitor but same offensive capability, defense is increased by +2, and they have only the capability to maintain station (very small engines, limited fuel). They can however be moved from the place of construction the same way monitors can (using huge tenders)
maintenance is also half the cost of a monitor.

Base Stations - Half the cost of a Heavy monitor but same offensive capability, defense is increased by +2 and also can only maintain station. They too can be moved the same way heavy monitors can. They also act as a naval base and can hold the same small craft and marines a heavy monitor can. Available however at Tech level 11 (instead of 13). Maintenance is half that of a heavy monitor.

Classs B worlds and their military forces now available in the NPC thread

basically, they generally have enough to deal with piracy in their local space and sometimes in their outer system (depending on the size of their fleet) and invading them will require significant effort.

Class C and smaller worlds can defend their planet against pirates but not their local space and are very vulnerable to invasion by a major power or even second rate B power.

Ground Forces
Price adjustments
If your your NS military budget exceeds 10% of your GDP - all ground units except planetary defense units are 50% cheaper and maintenance is halved.
If your nation has conscription - 10% reduction in cost, maintenance is - 5%

a bone for those who are stuck at 100% tax rate and can't adjust it

a bone for those who are stuck at 100% tax rate and can't adjust it

this also applies of course for any nation that has because of NS issues exceeded the 10% GDP cap