The World of The Gunny

Good idea! We zero out the Long range damage for air units, give 'em DPs, and presto, we have realistic air platforms!

Will also need to make an air Cap that can add extra DP's to air units.



Cheers, Thor

Add basic DP for the subs as well.

Good catch. Will do.

I added the following Cap to the Naval Doc:

+1 Long ranged Weapons (Missiles)

I reworked the following cap:

+1 Silos

Haegan I just remembered, simple Submersibles and Subs cannot have DP's, since missiles do not come around until WW2, or TL 7.44.



Cheers, Thor

How then to track the number to torps carried unless its part of the DP?

Torpedoes are not Missiles. As per the cap they do a specific amount of damage, if they hit. Torps are handled by the combat routine. So no need to track em. Just missiles like SLBM's, and cruise missiles used on subs.



Cheers, Thor

I felt that Simple Air HQs were getting short shifted, so I added the following to the Air HQs:

Flying Corps: 100 WUs, 5 Manpower be's, 30 weeks training
A Squadron cannot be assigned a mission unless attached to a Headquarters. This simulates the logistical umbilical cord between the field units and the logistics portions of the Headquarters. A Flying Corps Headquarters may have up to 3 Air Divisions and 3 Independent Groups or Squadrons. The Flying Corps type would be designated by the majority of Wings attached, Dogfighter, Scout, Light Bomber, etc, etc.



Cheers, Thor

Added the following units to the Air Doc:

Simple:

Air Land Unit Types:
Airfield Guard Battalion
Air Controller Squadron


Complex:

Air Land Unit Types:
Air Police Squadron
Missile Squadron
Air Control Squadron



Cheers, Thor

While going through the Rocket Type section of the Air Doc I realized that most of those entries were equipment Point types.

So I removed the following entries to the proper Squadron type thay could be, and deleted the rest. Since their costs are listed in the Forts & Facs Doc.

Strategic Aircraft & Satellite Types:
Early Spy Satellite
Reconnaissance Satellite
KEW Warsat
SBL Warsat
Gauss Warsat


Air/spacelift Types:
Aero-Spaceplane
Space Shuttle
Space Plane



Cheers, Thor

Below are three example of the new Unit Construction and Training Rules as they affect Air Units. You you see any uncertainties or discrepancies, or are just plain confused, please ask or point them out.

The Terran player wishes to give his ground forces some air support. Some attack helicopters, some multi-role fighters, and even some AWACS.

For the helicopters he takes the base Type 'Gunship', and creates an apropriate equipment point, which has a cost of 75 WUs, 6 IUU's, size 1, and a construction time of 7 weeks. He decides to take advantage of the armor option and adds one point (+2 WUs and +2 IUUs). Were it a normal aircraft Squadron this would automatically make it either slower or less manueverable. However, for a Gunship Aviation Equipment Point Design, the first point of armor is free of this maneuver minus. The Terran Player decides he wants another point of armor on his Gunship helicopters, another (+2 WUs and +2 IUUs). The design has to pay for this one in performance, and he chooses to make the helicopter design less maneuverable. He also wants some extra heavy guns on his flying tank (+2 WUs and + 2 IUUs), so he takes a final Added Capability. He then takes the base cost of 75 WUs and 6 IUUs and adds in the Cap WU and IUU cost of 6 WUs and 6 IUUs. Then he multiplies this amount by one (the size modifier), and one Squadron of 12 of these attack Gunships costs 81 WUs 12 IUUs and takes 7 weeks to construct.

Now the player must determine how long it will take to train the pilots and ground crews for the new Squadron. He begins by finding the Gunship training time in the above list, which is 22 weeks. Then the player divides his Eng Tech level by two, rounded up, which ends up as 4. Then he adds 9 weeks for the +1 Weapons (Heavy Cannon) cap and the +2 Armor Cap. The time needed for training is 35 weeks. The cost to train the new Attack Helicopter Battalion is 7.5 WU's, 1 Active, or Reservist Manpower BE, and Gunship 1 Equipment Point from the Manpower and Equipment Pools. He then assigns it to the 1/434th Gunship Training Battalion, which has a training slot remaining to be able train the new unit. His Unit Control Sheet would look like the following:

Warlord Gunship
7.5wu/1mp/1 GS ep/ squadron, size 1
AA 0/2 GA 1/9 DR 2/4 EW 1/1
Industrial Upkeep: .2, Wealth Upkeep: .1, Fuel Upkeep: .1
TL7 +2 Armor, +1 Weapons (Heavy Cannon), -1 Maneuverability (Armor effect)


Example 2:
For fighters, the Terran player decides he wants something that can do a host of tasks. For the Fighters he takes the base Type 'Fighter', and creates an appropriate equipment point, which has a cost of 75 wus, 4 IUU's, size 1, and a construction time of 18 weeks. He decides to take one point of Multi-Role (+2 wu and +2 iuu). Any aircraft can drop bombs, of course, but now this fighter is a true fighter-bomber. He then takes the base cost of 75 WUs and 4 IUUs and adds in the Cap WU and IUU costs of 2 WUs and 2 IUUs. Then he multiplies this amount by one (the size modifier), and one equipment point of these attack Fighters costs 77 WUs 6 IUUs and takes 7 weeks to construct. However, the Terran Player wants his Squadron to have 24 aircraft in the Squadron. So he build another equipment point. The total for both equipment points comes to 144 WUs and 12 IUUs.

Now the player must determine how long it will take to train the pilots and ground crews for the new Squadron. He begins by finding the Fighter training time in the above list, which is 48 weeks. Then the player divides his Eng Tech level by two, rounded up, which ends up as 4. Then he adds 3 weeks for the +1 Multi-Role cap. The time needed for training is 55 weeks. The cost to train the new Multi-Role Fighter Squadron is 7.5 WU's, 2 Active, or Reservist Manpower BE's, and 2 Fighter Equipment Points from the Manpower and Equipment Pools. He then assigns it to the 254th Fighter Training Squadron, which has a training slot remaining to be able train the new unit. His Unit Control Sheet would look like the following:

F-16 Falcon
7.5wu/2mp/2 F ep/ Squadron, Size 2
AA 0/10 GA 0/8 DR 4/16 EW 0/0
Industrial Upkeep: .4, Wealth Upkeep: .2, Fuel Upkeep: .2
TL7 +1 Multi-Role (weapons)

Example Three:
Buying his AWACS now, the Terran player takes the Sensor Aircraft based on the Heavy Airlift Type which has a base cost of 50 WUs, 16 IUU's +8 IUUs for sensor aircraft, a size of 2, and a construction time of 40 weeks. He adds in 2 levels of sensor range (+4WU's, +4IUU's), and 1 level of ECCM (+2WU's, +2IUU's) to deal with ECM and stealth. The construction cost will come out to: 50 WU's x 2 (Size) 100 WU's, and 30 IUU's x 2 (Size) 60 IUU's, with a construction time of 40 weeks for 1 Equipment Point of AWACS.

Now the player must determine how long it will take to train the pilots and ground crews for the new Squadron. He begins by finding the Heavy Airlift training time in the above list, which is 48 weeks, which he increases to 72 weeks due to the Sensor Aircraft ability. Then the player divides his Eng Tech level by two, rounded up, which ends up as 4. Then he adds 9 weeks for the +1 ECCM and +2 Sensors caps. The time needed for training is 85 weeks. The cost to train the new AWACs Squadron is 7.5 WU's, 1 Active, or Reservist Manpower BE, and 1 AWACs Equipment Point from the Manpower and Equipment Pools. He then assigns it to the 19th AWACs Training Squadron, which has a training slot remaining to be able train the new unit. His Unit Control Sheet would look like the following:

E3A AWACS (Sensor)
7.5wu/1mp/1 AWACs ep/Squadron, size 2
AA 0/0 GA 0/0 DR 0/0 EW 0/1
Industrial Upkeep: .1, Wealth Upkeep: .1, Fuel Upkeep: .1+.1
TL7 +2 Sensors +1 ECCM

Ken, we need a way to model armor for air units. Also, the unit maker has no way to model the speed modifier for the +2 armor.

I think I will add a Defense Rating for air units. I think it needs it. As for the speed thing, it is just like a Reduced Maneuverability Cap. So that is what should be applied.



Cheers, Thor

Added AR and DR ratings to all bases.



Cheers, Thor

After all due consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I am going to have to add an Armor Rating for Ground Units.



Cheers, Thor

Finished adding the DR ratings to the Air Units.

Finished adding the Armor ratings to the Land Units.



Cheers, Thor

Updated the Air and Ground Unit Templates in the examples to reflect the new ratings they have been given.



Cheers, Thor

After realizing that Carriers do not appear in Simple Navies, I have removed the Naval Aircraft from Simple Air Forces.



Cheers, Thor

After Haegan asked me last night about the first aircraft carriers, and doing a bit more research I found out the following:

1.) I had thought that the USS Langley (CV-1) was commissioned in 1922, but it was commissioned in 1920.

2.) The HMS Argus, the worlds first purpose built Flat Top, was commissioned in 1918.

3. The biggest surprise was that the Imperial Japanese Navy Seaplane Tender, the Wakamiya, conducted the world's first successful naval-launched air raid against the Germans in 1914.

So, with this new data I am going to add back in the simple naval tactical aircraft, for TL 6.98 (1918), add two new caps, one for Aircraft, Seaplane, and one for ships, Seaplane Tender. These new caps will be available at TL 6.94 (1914).



Cheers, Thor

1.) Added the Naval Tactical Aircraft to the Simple Air Force Unit List.

2.) Added Escort Carriers to the Simple Naval Unit List.

3.) Added the new unit the Seaplane Tender to the Simple Naval Unit List.

4.) Added the Seaplane Cap to the Simple Air Caps List.

5.) Added the Atmospheric Only Reduced Cap to the Complex Air Cap List.



Cheers, Thor

Whats your reasoning behind that if I may ask ? .... actually thinking of it, it makes good sense even for foot infantry units. Representing advances in Body Armour and such.

Gav, that is the reason exactly. I was uneasy about not being able to show things like an armor rating difference between, for example, a Roman Militia Cohort and a Legionary Cohort. Or the difference between a WW2 M-3 Stuart, and a modern M1-A1. Then there was no way to show just how tough a Land Battleship and HAA's really are.

Now with an armor rating, which, IMO, does not increase the complexity, We can fine tune the land units to accurately reflect the actual equipment most real world units used.



Cheers, Thor

I finished updating the Air Units doc to reflect the new formation and training rules.

Up next is to bring the Game Maps doc up to date.



Cheers, Thor

Below is the newest version of the introduction for the Game Maps Rules Doc. As Haegan can attest to, I created a new Stellar Coordinate System that we are going to use in BTS! The New Stellar Cartography rules will be posted in the BTS! fora.

As always, comments are requested.

[2.0] THE GAME MAPS

Since the dawn of time as the species of the universe began to spread themselves to other star systems, they learned that stellar cartography was an entirely new level of mapmaking. It is easy for someone to imagine the two dimensional nature of a planet's surface and to draw boundaries across it. Space, however, is three dimensional. It does not fit well on the two dimensional maps frequently used by star nations.

Beyond the Stars! has chosen to make such representations 'top views' of the galaxy, and thus making the 'depth' of the galaxy the Z-axis. But such 2D star maps are, as one might expect, horribly inaccurate.

Just as space is 3D, so are the interstellar borders between Star Nations. A star on one XY-axis coordinate could be in the UST and another star on the exact same XY-axis coordinate, but a few light years away on the Z-axis, above or below, could be in the Numerian Commonwealth. Proper 3D political maps, usually represented in holographic fashion, were generally giant globs of irregular-shaped masses, each with salients into each others space.

Sometimes you could come upon a straight line or 'wall' where expansion treaties or peace treaties from one or two centuries before had cleanly delineated lines of control. But, for the most part, the lines were irregular and misshapen, testimony to the struggle for rich and wealthy star systems amongst the empires.


[2.1] THE MILKY WAY GALAXY

The Milky Way is classified as a Barred Spiral Galaxy, which is roughly 13 billion years old. It is estimated that it has a diameter of 100,000 light years, a core thickness of 15,000 light years and a stellar population of 500 billion stars. It is divided into four quadrants, the Orion, the Scutum-Centarus, the Norma, and finally, the Sagitarius quadrant. The Galaxy consists of four major, Perseus, Scutum-Centarus, Sagittarius, and Outer, three minor, Near 3KPC, Norma, Far 3KPC, arms, and one spur, Orion.

The Perseus Arm has it's beginning on the northeastern end of the Galactic Bar, and is the closest arm to the Orion Spur, where Sol is located, and wraps through all four quadrants. Rimward of the Perseus Arm is the Outer Arm on the southern edge of the galaxy, which stretches through the Orion and Scutum-Centarus quadrants. The Orion Spur, mentioned earlier, is located between the Perseus and Sagittarius Arms. The Orion Spur give this quadrant it's name, the Orion Quadrant and straddles the Orion and S-C quadrant border. The Scutum-Centarus arm has it's beginning at the southwestern end of the Galactic Bar and winds it's way around the galaxy to peter out before it re-enters the Orion quadrant again. The Norma arm begins near the S-C / Norma quadrant borders and peters out before stretching into the Sagittarius Quadrant. The Sagittarius arm begins near the far side of the Galactic Bar from Sol and winds itself around until it peters out just before re-entering the Sagittarius quadrant. The two 3KPC arms are minor arms that begin and end near their respective sides of the Galactic Bar, Near and Far.

The population I stars in the galaxy's spiral arms tend to be young and towards the blue end of the spectrum, while the population II stars in the galactic core tend to be older and towards the red end of the spectrum.

Our local group of galaxies includes two very large spiral galaxies, the Milky Way and the Andromeda or M33, 2.2 million LY away, galaxies, and several dozen smaller, mostly irregular, galaxies that cluster around the two giants. The Large, 179,000 LY away, and Small, 210,000 LY away, Magellanic Clouds are satellites of the Milky Way, while the SagDEG is a dwarf erratic galaxy in the process of colliding with our own. Globular star clusters populate the galaxy's halo, and are concentrated near the galactic core. There are also migrating globular clusters located between the galaxies in intergalactic space.

This was cut down for the rules from this, which is in the Stellar Cartography Doc.

INTRODUCTION


Since the dawn of time as the species of the universe began to spread themselves to other star systems, they learned that stellar cartography was an entirely new level of mapmaking. It is easy for someone to imagine the two dimensional nature of a planet's surface and to draw boundaries across it. Space, however, is three dimensional. It does not fit well on the two dimensional maps frequently used by star nations.

The Terran Galactic Mapping Department, run by NASA (National Astrographic and Space Administration), has since chosen to make such representations 'top views' of the galaxy, so as to show all four galactic quadrants, and thus making the 'depth' of the galaxy the Z-axis. But such 2D star maps are, as one might expect, horribly inaccurate.

Just as space is 3D, so are the interstellar borders between Star Nations. A star on one XY-axis coordinate could be in the UST and another star on the exact same XY-axis coordinate but a few light years away on the Z-axis, above or below, could be in the Numerian Commonwealth. Proper 3D political maps, usually represented in holographic fashion, were generally giant globs of irregular-shaped masses, each with salients into each others space.

Sometimes you could come upon a straight line or 'wall' where expansion treaties or peace treaties from one or two centuries before had cleanly delineated lines of control. But, for the most part, the lines were irregular and misshapen, testimony to the struggle for rich and wealthy star systems amongst the empires.

The United States of Terra, on any map, is the largest entity. Ten thousand light years across at it's widest point, albeit one that stretches across all three dimensional axes, where it encompasses millions of cubic light years. It is centric to the Orion Quadrant, while extending into the Scutum-Centarus Quadrant, Some star nations have begun regarding the UST as a 'galactic superpower' in the making.

On it's S-C Quadrant side are the hearts of the Atheri, Median, Roman, Iskarendi, Nanri, Tsak, Dardanii, Graal'thak, and Denevan space. Although the Atheri have extensive Orion Quadrant holdings, curling under and over as well as, in some areas, around Terran space respectively. The Atheri frontier finally makes contact with the Numerians, separated from the UST only by a collection of independent, hardscrabble colonies settled by the various species.

The Tsak, Graal'thak, and Nanri share common borders with the Iskarendi Confederation. The Nanri border is the smallest, only about twenty thousand cubic light years, while the Graal'thak border is nearly thirty-five thousand cubic light years. Finally, the Iskarendi-Tsak border is well over one hundred thousand cubic light years and very frequently changing due to the frequent border wars between the two powers.

Iskarendi space meets Terran territory, including Dardanian space, and encompasses the Iskarendi portion of the border. Near the other side of Iskarendi space, where it meets Median and Roman territory, are the Denevans, where the shunned but highly-advanced Felinoid species lives.

The Orion Quadrant tends to be heavily populated with many small star nations. Two hundred years ago it had been the 'Hotspot of the Milky Way', as border war after border war cropped up amongst the locals and the newer arrivals to the region, like the UST. The Penamor, the Draugir, the Mortao, the Gomesah Lords, the Ch'thpch Nest, the Halaorian Council, and at least half a dozen more interstellar powers had spent the last few hundred years warring with one another.

A mention must be made of the one galactic power that is, literally, the eight hundred pound gorilla in the galactic playground, the Numerian Commonwealth. As long as you do not bother them, they will not bother you. Non-expansionist and static, they are left alone by all sane star faring powers. But, if you rouse their ire, they will not hesitate to commit genocide. One reason why the Numerians are both feared and despised. Most of the Orion and S-C Quadrants look forward to the day when Numeria is just a word to scare their children into good behavior with.



THE MILKY WAY GALAXY

The Milky Way is classified as a Barred Spiral Galaxy which is roughly 13 billion years old. It is estimated that it has a diameter of 100,000 light years, a core thickness of 15,000 light years and a stellar population of 500 billion stars. It is divided into four quadrants, the Orion, the Scutum-Centarus, the Norma, and finally, the Sagitarius quadrant. The Galaxy consists of four major (Perseus, Scutum-Centarus, Sagittarius, Outer), three minor (Near 3KPC, Norma, Far 3KPC), arms, and one spur (Orion).

The Milky Way consists of the following arms and spurs: The Perseus Arm has it's beginning on the northeastern end of the Galactic Bar, and is the closest arm to the Orion Spur, where Sol is located, and wraps through all four quadrants. Rimward of the Perseus Arm is the Outer Arm on the southern edge of the galaxy, which stretches through the Orion and Scutum-Centarus quadrants. The Orion Spur, mentioned earlier, is located between the Perseus and Sagittarius Arms. The Orion Spur give this quadrant it's name, the Orion Quadrant and straddles the Orion and S-C quadrant border. The Scutum-Centarus arm has it's beginning at the southwestern end of the Galactic Bar and winds it's way around the galaxy to peter out before it re-enters the Orion quadrant again. The Norma arm begins near the S-C / Norma quadrant borders and peters out before stretching into the Sagittarius Quadrant. The Sagittarius arm begins near the far side of the Galactic Bar from Earth and winds itself around until it peters out just before re-entering the Sagittarius quadrant. The two 3KPC arms are minor arms that begin and end near their respective sides of the Galactic Bar, Near and Far.

The population I stars in the galaxy's spiral arms tend to be young and towards the blue end of the spectrum, while the population II stars in the galactic core tend to be older and towards the red end of the spectrum.

Our local group of galaxies includes two very large spiral galaxies, the Milky Way and the Andromeda or M33 (2.2 million LY away) galaxies, and several dozen smaller, mostly irregular, galaxies that cluster around the two giants. The Large (179,000 LY away) and Small (210,000 LY away) Magellanic Clouds are satellites of the Milky Way, while the SagDEG is a dwarf erratic galaxy in the process of colliding with our own. Globular star clusters populate the galaxy's halo, and are concentrated near the galactic core. There are also migrating globular clusters located between the galaxies in intergalactic space.



Cheers, Thor

Finished updating the Game Maps and Pre-Game Setup Docs.



Cheers, Thor

Thor,

Who are these clowns ? " the Ch'thpch Nest "

Sound like fodder for the Draugir ....