The Mechanics' Guild: An RP(G) Community

[Esternial]

I had an idea for a mechanics-based RP focused on space travel/warfare.

Basically you'd manage your own spaceship. Explore, react to random events, manage your resources (power, etc.).

Still in the works but I'll keep you guys updated.

[G-Tech Corporation]

I had an idea for a mechanics-based RP focused on space travel/warfare.

Basically you'd manage your own spaceship. Explore, react to random events, manage your resources (power, etc.).

Still in the works but I'll keep you guys updated.

As I said, I'm interested. Are you thinking of a fleet-based type of RP, or more of many separate adventures?

[Esternial]

I had an idea for a mechanics-based RP focused on space travel/warfare.

Basically you'd manage your own spaceship. Explore, react to random events, manage your resources (power, etc.).

Still in the works but I'll keep you guys updated.

As I said, I'm interested. Are you thinking of a fleet-based type of RP, or more of many separate adventures?

I've had different ideas. One is more story-driven, the other more mechanics/faction-based.

I've decided to focus on the second, where each player has their own ship (~faction) and crew. I'd reduce the entire crew's contribution to the ship's functions to a single value, which can increase as the crew becomes more experienced or as more crew members are added (which costs more supplies). This would reward people that choose for to nurture small but experienced crew vs. those that purchase new members willy-nilly. I might made it more elaborate so long as it doesn't draw too much attention away from the central focus, which is the ship itself.

I'd also include seperate crew members that add little to no contribution to running the ship but act as a boarding party. These folks would have their own stats.

The ship itself will have stats ranging from hull strength, shields, maneuverability. Certain functions (e.g. life support) will draw a base power requirement while others (shields, weapons) can be turned off to conserve power. The reactor can be upgraded to increase power output and other functions can also be boosted (shields, ADS, engines, etc.) or replaced with better counterparts (weapons).

There's a rough outlines of what I had in mind. Still working on how to partically put that into effect.

[G-Tech Corporation]

As I said, I'm interested. Are you thinking of a fleet-based type of RP, or more of many separate adventures?

I've had different ideas. One is more story-driven, the other more mechanics/faction-based.

I've decided to focus on the second, where each player has their own ship (~faction) and crew. I'd reduce the entire crew's contribution to the ship's functions to a single value, which can increase as the crew becomes more experienced or as more crew members are added (which costs more supplies). This would reward people that choose for to nurture small but experienced crew vs. those that purchase new members willy-nilly. I might made it more elaborate so long as it doesn't draw too much attention away from the central focus, which is the ship itself.

I'd also include seperate crew members that add little to no contribution to running the ship but act as a boarding party. These folks would have their own stats.

The ship itself will have stats ranging from hull strength, shields, maneuverability. Certain functions (e.g. life support) will draw a base power requirement while others (shields, weapons) can be turned off to conserve power. The reactor can be upgraded to increase power output and other functions can also be boosted (shields, ADS, engines, etc.) or replaced with better counterparts (weapons).

There's a rough outlines of what I had in mind. Still working on how to partically put that into effect.

I like the crew experience idea. As for the general RP, I remember an old RP here that might give you ideas about how to work through implementation.

[Harkback Union]

For the record, I too have been working on a similar RP for the past 2 months.

It should be released within the next couple of days.

[G-Tech Corporation]

For the record, I too have been working on a similar RP for the past 2 months.

It should be released within the next couple of days.

Swanky. Wondered what happened to you

[Harkback Union]

For the record, I too have been working on a similar RP for the past 2 months.

It should be released within the next couple of days.

Swanky. Wondered what happened to you

I have decided to properly set up a roleplay for once, instead of building tech trees and rulebooks on the fly. I might even prepare events and exploration results in advance. Lets hope it won't be a massive flop like that last civilization thing.

[G-Tech Corporation]

Swanky. Wondered what happened to you

I have decided to properly set up a roleplay for once, instead of building tech trees and rulebooks on the fly. I might even prepare events and exploration results in advance. Lets hope it won't be a massive flop like that last civilization thing.

I do find that the more freedom I give people, the quicker my roleplays die, because people are lazy about choosing their own paths

[Harkback Union]

I have decided to properly set up a roleplay for once, instead of building tech trees and rulebooks on the fly. I might even prepare events and exploration results in advance. Lets hope it won't be a massive flop like that last civilization thing.

I do find that the more freedom I give people, the quicker my roleplays die, because people are lazy about choosing their own paths

Too many options and people get lost.

I did make a detective RP once with little to no mechanics and the liberal-minded players, instead of looking for clues and interrogating suspects opted to burn down crime scenes and kill half the town.

It was still a lot of fun though.
Especially when I had to completely re-plan the plot after each page.

[Shadowwell]

What type of mechanic driven system would you guys suggest for a Fighting oriented rp?

[Harkback Union]

What type of mechanic driven system would you guys suggest for a Fighting oriented rp?

Rock-scissor-paper basics, both sides plan move at once.
Possible Combos for extra damage but at the price of greater risk of failure
Environment effects, weapons, health bars

[Shadowwell]

What type of mechanic driven system would you guys suggest for a Fighting oriented rp?

Rock-scissor-paper basics, both sides plan move at once.
Possible Combos for extra damage but at the price of greater risk of failure
Environment effects, weapons, health bars

WEll I am asking for a Chinese Martial arts oriented rp I have been planning for a while. On one of my other rp sites someone brought up that isue, so i thought i would pose the question here.

I Dont want to restrict the rpers too much, thus why i wasnt going to list all weapons and styles, though i could i suppose.

[The Knights of Azorea]

APP:
#2424

Nation Name:
Experience: A longtime Warhammer player (Fantasy and 40k), along with various table top games, mostly Pathfinder, 3.5e and WFRP. I've also written a system for this, then tried and failed to run it before completely rewriting it, and been in attendance for a few of these sort of things on here previously.
Preferred Level of Detail: Not one page, but not fourty. Eight pages of rules is my happy medium. If it involves equations, it's usually beyond my interest range, but I do love a good bit of dice rolling and addition.
Activity: Daily.
RP Example: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=394111, viewtopic.php?f=31&t=396206

Well, after the mixed response to Polis, I have completely rewritten the system for a second attempt, currently attempting a test game on another forum with unfortunately very little interest. Perhaps I'll be around asking for some assistance ironing out the specifics of the game, because I really am inspired to make it work every time I read any Greek history (Which, being an ancient history student, is frequently).

[Harkback Union]

Rock-scissor-paper basics, both sides plan move at once.
Possible Combos for extra damage but at the price of greater risk of failure
Environment effects, weapons, health bars

WEll I am asking for a Chinese Martial arts oriented rp I have been planning for a while. On one of my other rp sites someone brought up that isue, so i thought i would pose the question here.

I Dont want to restrict the rpers too much, thus why i wasnt going to list all weapons and styles, though i could i suppose.

Whenever the players encounter a new weapon in their surroundings, you could add a detailed description to your post that explains what moves/attacks the weapon enables. So instead of having the players to dig through a big list of weapons rules, you hand them the knowledge they need in the IC.

Unless of course, you want them to start out with weapons, in which case you'll probably need to come up with a bunch in advance.

[Shadowwell]

WEll I am asking for a Chinese Martial arts oriented rp I have been planning for a while. On one of my other rp sites someone brought up that isue, so i thought i would pose the question here.

I Dont want to restrict the rpers too much, thus why i wasnt going to list all weapons and styles, though i could i suppose.

Whenever the players encounter a new weapon in their surroundings, you could add a detailed description to your post that explains what moves/attacks the weapon enables. So instead of having the players to dig through a big list of weapons rules, you hand them the knowledge they need in the IC.

Unless of course, you want them to start out with weapons, in which case you'll probably need to come up with a bunch in advance.

That could work.
I was going to allow rpers to start with weapons, but i might change that. i could list different categories of weapons, and list general rules for each, then for more unique weapons specify more Ic'ly.

[Harkback Union]

Whenever the players encounter a new weapon in their surroundings, you could add a detailed description to your post that explains what moves/attacks the weapon enables. So instead of having the players to dig through a big list of weapons rules, you hand them the knowledge they need in the IC.

Unless of course, you want them to start out with weapons, in which case you'll probably need to come up with a bunch in advance.

That could work.
I was going to allow rpers to start with weapons, but i might change that. i could list different categories of weapons, and list general rules for each, then for more unique weapons specify more Ic'ly.

Is it going to be Player vs Player or against some other characters the OP controls?

[Shadowwell]

That could work.
I was going to allow rpers to start with weapons, but i might change that. i could list different categories of weapons, and list general rules for each, then for more unique weapons specify more Ic'ly.

Is it going to be Player vs Player or against some other characters the OP controls?

Both, as the premise of the rp will be a lawless city, bordering powerful kindgoms, with one of the Kingdoms moving something of great value through the city to another Kingdom. The forces in the city and rivals of the mepire will all move to secure the thing being moved, which will create lots of chaos in the city and lots of fights will happen, more than normal.

[Plzen]

Sounded like a cool idea, Plzen.

I just realised that there was someone else working on a very similar idea, so I decided to redraft the concept instead of trying to compete.

There is a nice alternate-history thing that I developed as an English writing project once, so I'm going to use that as my new concept.

[Plzen]

Eh. I can't think of another idea at the moment. I'll just keep the colonisation of the Solar System idea, but set it a hundred years earlier - in 1925. I've also pretty much given up on my 1,000-word limit.

How does this look so far? I have a bunch of unrevised notes, but I'm only posting the portion that I've revised and made human-readable.

Apologies for not putting the entire thing under a spoiler, but the forum doesn't support nested spoilers.

---

1. The Concept

These rules build around the concept of international competition in space exploration and development. Players will each represent a state, which may represent a major power or a collection of minor powers, and attempt to out-compete the other players not only through researching technology, building a military and colonising space, but also through handling internal dissent and politics, managing the economy, and maintaining an active diplomatic policy. Time passes in turns, each of which represents one year of development.

Today, the sickle-and-hammer flies over Vienna. The Great War is finally over, the German imperialist abomination is finally dead, and the Great Powers of the world are, finally, once more at peace. The world has again been drastically rearranged. Many of the old guard, the former Great Powers that used to dictate terms to vast colonial empires from London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels have now been reduced to secondary powers, mere pawns in the great game of international diplomacy, while new superpowers have risen to fill the gap. Tensions, however, are again rising. With the Central Powers buried into the depths of history and the colonial empires dissolving into irrelevance right at this moment when the frontiers of space are opening up, the new superpowers of the world no longer have anywhere to point their extensive armaments at… except each other.

With the colonial empires of Western Europe falling apart or already dissolved, the industrial might and international prestige of the United States of America have allowed it to become the premier power of the Western World. There can be no doubt that the entrance of the United States in the Great War in 1918, following atrocities committed by Germany against civilian shipping in the North Sea and the Atlantic, was the key event that decisively turned the tide of Great War in favour of the Entente forces. Supported by unimaginably vast industries in its productive homeland, the most extensive navy and air force on the planet, US-educated intelligentsia that sit in Presidential offices throughout Africa, and its firm alliance with the ageing but still influential United Kingdom, the United States freely exerts vast influence around the world. Now, with the first successful ventures into space, this influence is even extending beyond this world. The United States' insistence on creating puppet regimes in former colonies and firm support for British attempts to install friendly governments in their former colonies, however, have made the United States deeply unpopular in the poorer regions of the world, with terrorists groups from Dakar to Jakarta calling for the destruction of this country.

The Americans, furthermore, are now forced to face the rising threat of communism compromising its influence in Europe and threatening its ally Britain. A new rising power born from the ashes of the Great War, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was the true victor of the war. They refused to agree to a final peace settlement during the temporary ceasefire negotiated between the Imperial German Government and the Provisional Government of Russia, while Moskva hosted the Serbian government-in-exile during the long years of occupation. Their role in liberations of entire nations won it the approval of the European working class while their role in relieving pressure from the western front has made the Soviets the natural diplomatic partner of France in this new world. There are many who feel, rightfully so or not, that it was the vast Soviet armies, supported by armaments provided by Britain and France, that won the war. As the largest producer of the newly-discovered element Stalinum that space programs depend on, the Soviets are well-poised to jump into the space race. Although their influence outside of the few communist states made out of former Central Powers is reliant on elected socialist governments and hence vulnerable to future electoral shifts in the many democracies of Europe, there can be no doubt that for now, governments across Europe, from Amsterdam to Bucharest, look to the Soviet Union for leadership.

Soviet influence in East Asia, however, remains constrained to a few minor movements. Against the might and influence of the upstart Republic of China, communism shatters like waves against a cliff. After centuries of humiliation and unfair treaties forced upon it by western powers, China is once more rising to take what some claim is its rightful place as the supreme power of eastern Asia. Co-operation with the Republic of China from various minor states in eastern and southeastern states are not demanded, but simply expected the way one expects the sun to rise in the morning. Unwilling to provoke a conflict with their much larger, stronger, and rapidly-industrialising neighbour, the various states in the region, even including states such as Japan which have been extremely hostile to it a mere decade earlier, have been willing to freely give the co-operation that was expected of them, including the transfer of technologies developed by the nascent Japanese space program to the Republic of China. However, not everything is as they seem. Although the Pan-Asian Pact of Cooperation appears at first peaceful, populous, and strong, it barely conceals the seething resentment of suppressed communist revolutionaries and anti-Chinese nationalists that bubbles barely under the surface.

Between these three competing but peaceful spheres of influence lie what is colloquially known as the Neutral Zone, occupying most of central and northern Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia. Seen, perhaps rightfully so, as a mere playground for the three new superpowers of the world, the Neutral Zone is a haven for war, corruption, instability, and crippling poverty for all. Because of the region’s relative poverty and post-colonial nature, the Neutral Zone, where something approximating a third of the world’s people build their lives, is the new battleground where ideologies clash with one another with force of arms. Interference and meddling by the three superpowers acting under the banners of conservatism, socialism, and anti-colonialism have ensured that almost every country in this region suffers from guerrilla insurgencies or sometimes even outright civil wars thanks to dissidents receiving ample support from whichever two superpowers the country doesn’t happen to side with at the moment.

The year is 1925, and the date today is the 7th of November. Today, the sickle-and-hammer flies over Vienna. The Great War is over and the Weltpolitik insanity has been crushed once and for all. The new superpowers are finally victorious in restoring order to chaos. Now, the final frontier is finally opening up, and there is nothing to be done except peace in our time.

But before the ink has even properly dried on the treaty of peace that the German Provisional Government signed one year ago on this date, the superpowers are already swiveling their guns and turning their arms against one another. In the chaotic lands of former colonies, the battles of ideology continues to rage on - a battle that now threatens to spread across the Solar System.

The world is not truly at peace.

Since the days of the ancient Greeks, men have fought for the right to be free. To be free of unfair taxation, of political repression, of religious intolerance, of public disarmament, or any of the other ways in which the State seeks to take away the right of citizens to be citizens. Even today, powerful forces seek to undermine the individuality of all people under the laughable and pathetic excuses of social progress.

This Association was born in the fires of the Great War. With German Armies within artillery range of the Eiffel Tower and chemical weapons poisoning villages across the Western Front, the democracies of the world have banded against this existential threat against human rights. So from the first meeting of the Association of Free Nations in Birmingham in 1918, where the representatives of just three nations were present, the goals of the Association has always been one and the same: the establishment of free and democratic governments respectful of human rights, whether they be the right to believe in the God of one’s conscience, the right to live in one’s own home, or the right to speak one’s mind. None can exist without the others.

This fundamental principle has guided the actions of our governments since the very beginning. This is why we are replacing the Reichstag with the Bundestag. This is why we held plebiscites on every border change we insisted on making to Germany. This is why we send our sons where authoritarianism of any stripe has taken their hold. Sometimes, we succeeded. Sometimes, we have failed. But we have never given up.

The Delhi coup d’état of 1921, inspired by the unethical and blatantly false propaganda of the German Empire inciting the Indian people against the United Kingdom and the legitimate administration of its colonies, not only stopped India’s contribution to the fight against German fantasies of Weltpolitik but also replaced the Home Rule governance of the British Raj with an autocratic military regime, which itself fractured into squabbling warlords for whom the lives of their people are worth less than an extra farm within their borders. This is but one example.

Now we must address our failures, for billions still live under the heel of statism. Military regimes still rule in China and much of the former colonies. Absolute kings of the Middle East continue to purge any and all who dares to oppose or protest their absolute power. Socialist regimes in Russia and much of Eastern Europe has suspended the basic rights of travel and ownership. Even in countries that insist on their democratic nature, governments driven by pure mob rule continues to burn churches and exact intolerable taxation from the productive members of their increasingly restrictive societies. I ask you this: how can a man be free, if he is not free to feed himself?

This is why this Association continues to exist and fight.

We here, at the Association of Free Nations, have gathered here today to say this. We stand for the right of the people to be free! We shall fight for the right of the people to live in accordance with their sacred traditions and democratic desires! In the name of liberty, astronauts, charge!

The tale of human history is the tale of the upper classes: their creation, their reign, and their demise. From the sun-kings of ancient times through the feudal lords to today’s capitalist and imperialist parasites, the upper classes have always stolen from those who wield the hoe, shovel, hammer, or pen. Against the tide of history, against the dignity of mankind, they have always resisted.

The necessity of the Great War and the upheavals that came with it may have made temporary allies of the Association and the Socialist International, but the Association and the damnable imperialists working from London and Washington D.C. have never ceased to undermine the Soviet project from the very start.

During the time of the Provisional Government and the ceasefire, the British have lobbied, successfully, to remove the Communist Party from the Provisional Government of Russia. But this, we have overcome. The Provisional Government meant nothing when the Communist Party had the support of the people! Entire armies defected to the cause and the uprising stormed Petrograd. Thus the first truly free nation was born.

But the imperialists never gave up. It was Japan that funded and aided the imperial and capitalist rebels in the Siberian Provinces, and when we confronted the governments of the Entente about this gross breach of our national sovereignty, our ambassador was not even heard by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We still persevered. Soon came the time of liberation for our comrades. People’s governments now rule from Poland in the north to Bulgaria in the south, and our friends in France and in Scandinavia have joined arms with us in making the world a better place for all, in giving people a right to human dignity.

But even while our young men were dying at the front to help the Entente cause against the German Weltpolitik, what did the capitalists do? The British had the gall to insist that we do not install governments of the people even in our very neighbours!

This is what the Association speaks of when they refer to their cooperation. This is what the Association means when they are speak of their help that we have supposedly betrayed. This, comrades, is what the Association calls peace with justice.

If that was the help that the Association gave us, we have not betrayed it. We are merely repaying it a hundredfold. To the merchants of destruction, there shall only be death. To the oppressors of the people, we shall provide no mercy. To the conquerors of nations, we shall exact just revenge!

Now, finally, the workers and peasants across Europe are now seeing what we see. We have banded together in solidarity. The people will rise up at last.

We, here at the Council for Collective Security and Assistance, have gathered here to say this. We shall stand against the bonds and chains that bind labour to poverty! We shall fight for right of the all people to stand proud, with the recognition that we are all human! In the name of equality, cosmonauts, forward!

For these many years, the glorious civilisations of Asia and Africa had to endure crushing humiliation under the tyrants of Europe who, on no better justification than the fact that they coincidentally happened to industrialise one century early, built the most repressive of empires ever seen on this world. From Japan to the Congo, proud men were told by foreign abominations that they were inferior, that they should be ashamed merely for believing in their rich and ancient cultures.

They sought to break our will. They sought to break our national aspirations and ways of life as they have broken the Japanese to their ways half a century ago. But in this, they never have succeeded, nor will they ever succeed. What does Europe’s shallow cultures know about the world? They know nothing of civility – only of imperial conquest. They know nothing of social harmony – only of endless greed for endless material goods. They know nothing, indeed, of our peoples. They know nothing, yet they insist that they are the wisest. How fitting of hypocritical tyrants to speak of wisdom without humility.

To add insult to injury, they have tried to do break us by simply mobilising people who, by any sound logic, should be our friends. They invaded our countries and committed atrocities against our people by forcing the oppressed masses of European colonies and European puppet states to fight us. We fought back.

The Entente accused of us aiding the Central Powers. The Entente insisted that by liberating French Indochina, we were violating our responsibilities as a neutral power in this Great War. To which, we say, nonsense! The ignorant Europeans see nothing of their own hypocrisy, and sees only hostility in our love for our brother peoples. Was it not a violation of all established international codes of conduct that they themselves agreed to when they forced the Vietnamese to bow to a foreigner who had no right to rule beyond his willingness to massacre every man of good conscience who tried to tell him that he was wrong? Was it not a violation of all established international codes of conduct when the British and American “neutral observers” stayed silent while their Japanese puppets lined up thousands of men, women, and children against the city walls in Shanghai and had them shot, tortured, and speared for sport? Now they are the ones who are outraged when we say: ‘no more’? When we say that we will not stand by while foreigners starve our brother peoples to death?

Enough! We will no longer tolerate the subversion of our cultures. We will no longer put up with the frustrations of our national aspirations. We will no longer merely watch while the western powers use us as mere pawns in their game. Our industries may be small and our militaries inexperienced, but even the weak can together create strength. Last year, we have emerged victorious against the aggressors, and we have eliminated undue foreign influence from our Japanese brethren. Be sure that this is only the beginning. We will not stop until every nation reclaims its right to self-determination.

We here, at the Pan-Asian Pact of Co-Operation, have gathered here in solidarity to say this. We stand for the right of men to be proud of their rich heritage! We shall fight for the liberation of all nations and homelands from outsiders! In the name of justice, taikonauts, advance!

2. The Solar System

2.1 Locations. Locations represent a stable orbit, a celestial body, or other such significant location. One player’s commitment on one location is considered to be a province. Provinces are home to a player’s infrastructure, population, ground-based units, etc. Provinces are created when a player that did not have a commitment on a location creates one, destroyed when a player that had a stake on a location removes that commitment, and merged when one player owns and controls more than one province in one location. Provinces are considered owned by the legitimate owner of the province, and controlled by whichever player state militarily occupies it at any given moment. Infrastructure in provinces only counts towards a player state’s total if the province is both owned and controlled. Each location has a size rating.

2.2 Regions. Regions represent groups of locations that are physically located close together. An example is the Jovian System. Movement between locations in the same region costs zero movement (that is to say, a unit can visit any number of locations in one region in one turn). Each region has one “interception orbit” location, in which player commitment may not be made but in which space-based units may be placed to block hostile movement in or out of that region.

2.3 Super-Regions. Super-regions represent groups of regions that are reasonably close to each other. Movement between regions in the same super-region costs one movement. Movement between super-regions also cost one movement. Units that enter a new super-region are not considered to be in any particular region, and must spend more movement to move to specific regions and locations in that super-region.

2.4 List of Super-Regions, Regions, and Locations. Bolded are super-regions, normal text are regions, and in italics are locations. All orbits are considered to have a size of 1.

Sol Super-Region
Low Sol Orbit

Inner System Super-Region

Mercury Region
Mercury (+Low Orbit), size 8

Venus Region
Venus (+Low Orbit), size 16

Earth Region
Earth (+Low Orbit, Geocentric Orbit), size 20
Luna (+Low Orbit), size 6

Mars Region
Mars (+ Low Orbit), size 10
Phobos, size 1
Deimos, size 1

Asteroid Belt Super-Region
Vesta, size 3
Pallas, size 2
Juno, size 1
Ceres, size 5

Jovian System Region
Low Jupiter Orbit
Amalthea, size 1
Io (+Low Orbit), size 5
Europa (+Low Orbit), size 6
Ganymede (+Low Orbit), size 6
Callisto (+Low Orbit), size 6
Himalia, size 1

Outer System Super-Region

Saturnian System Region
Mimas, size 1
Enceladus, size 1
Tethys, size 1
Dione, size 1
Rhea, size 2
Titan (+Low Orbit), size 5
Iapetus, size 1

Uranus System Region
Low Uranus Orbit
Miranda, size 1
Ariel, size 1
Umbriel, size 1
Titania, size 1
Oberon, size 2

Kuiper Belt Super-Region

Neptunian System Region
Low Neptune Orbit
Proteus, size 1
Triton, size 2
Nereid, size 1

Plutonian System Region
Pluto (+Low Orbit), size 5
Charon (+Low Orbit), size 3

Haumea, size 2
Makemake, size 2
Eris, size 2
Sedna, size 2

3. Infrastructure

3.1 Construction. The construction of infrastructure in a province is done by dedicating the required number of civilian industry for one turn. The number of civilian industry required goes up by one for every number of infrastructure equal to the size rating of the location, owned by any player, already on the location. For example, if there is 50 infrastructure on Earth, new infrastructure will suffer a +2 cost each. Construction may only be done in a province owned by the player state. Construction costs twice as much if there are no population in the target province.

3.2 Destruction. Infrastructure may be destroyed for any reason by the player that owns the province in which it exists. Only one-half of any given type of infrastructure present in any given province, rounded up, may be demolished per turn. Infrastructure may also be removed due to other reasons. Regardless of reason, the destruction of infrastructure is non-reversible, and no refunds are provided.

3.3 Types of Infrastructure. Several types of infrastructure may be built, providing several different kinds of benefits.

3.3.1 Commercial Industry. Civilian industry are the backbone of any state’s economic power. These cost 6 civilian industry to construct, and provides the state with the ability to create more infrastructure, satisfy the populace, pay upkeep on various items, and negotiate with other player states.

3.3.2 Military Industry. Military industry are the backbone of a state’s military power. These cost 6 civilian industry to construct, and provides the state with the ability to create and maintain military units.

3.3.3 Spacefaring Industry. Spacefaring industry are the backbone of a state’s ability to project power across locations. These cost 6 civilian industry to construct, and provides the state with the ability to create and maintain spacefaring units.

3.3.4 Military Base. Military bases improve the province's ability to defend itself against a direct invasion. These cost 6 civilian industry to construct, and automatically generates one garrison unit (see 7.4.1). Garrison units are immediately regenerated after battles.

4. Society and the People.

4.1 Population. Population are abstract units that represent the state's pool of intelligent, trained, or otherwise useful labour. These may represent anywhere from a few million people to a few hundred million people.

4.2 Population Growth. If the total population present on a location is less than ten times the size of the location, every province in that location with at least one population gains one population every turn. However, population does not grow in orbits.

5. Politics

5.1 Political Statistics. Dissent represents the level of resentment the populace has at the government. Political violence represents the level of armed resistance against the government. Dissent is changed each turn depending on a variety of factors, including policies (see 5.5.1 and 5.5.2) and natural decay. The natural decay of dissent is equal to -1% plus an additional -1% per turn per 10% dissent already present. Dissent cannot be decreased below 0%. If dissent is higher than the democratic tolerance of the state, then dissent is decreased to the democratic tolerance and political violence is raised by one-fifth of that amount. Dissent is tracked in units of 1% and political violence is tracked in units of 0.2%.

5.2 Ideologies. 15 different ideologies are represented, sorted into four different categories. These include 6 democratic ideologies, 3 socialist ideologies, 3 nationalist ideologies, and 3 anarchist ideologies. Each ideology has a differing stance on political, internal, or foreign policy and a rating for support that reflects how influential that ideology is within the populace.

5.3 List of Ideologies.

5.3.1 Democratic Ideologies
Conservatives - Enact Foreign Policy
Populists - Enact Political Policy, Enact Social Policy, Enact Foreign Policy
Social Democrats - Enact Social Policy
Social Liberals - Repeal Political Policy, Enact Social Policy, Repeal Foreign Policy
Liberals - Repeal Political Policy
Market Liberals - Repeal Political Policy, Repeal Social Policy, Enact Foreign Policy

5.3.2 Nationalist Ideologies
Bureaucratic Authoritarians - Repeal Social Policy, Enact Foreign Policy
Reactionaries - Enact Political Policy, Repeal Social Policy, Enact Foreign Policy
National Populists - Enact Political Policy, Enact Foreign Policy

5.3.3 Socialist Ideologies
Communists - Enact Political Policy, Enact Social Policy
Radical Socialists - Enact Political Policy, Enact Social Policy, Repeal Foreign Policy
Syndicalists - Enact Social Policy, Repeal Foreign Policy

5.3.4 Anarchist Ideologies
Social Anarchists - Repeal Political Policy, Repeal Foreign Policy
Anarcho-Liberals - Repeal Political Policy, Repeal Social Policy, Repeal Foreign Policy
National Anarchists - Repeal Political Policy, Repeal Social Policy

5.4 Policies. Policies are a set of positions that, depending on which position a particular state has, gives a variety of advantages and disadvantages. If the total support of all ideologies that support a change in one direction of a policy exceeds 50%, a policy change will occur and the position of the state will shift one step in the desired direction. The ideologies in support of the change made will lose a combined 12% support to the ideologies in support of change in the opposite direction. To enact a policy means to move one step downwards, and to repeal a policy means to move one step upwards.

5.5 List of Policies.

5.5.1 Political Policy.
Open Society
Peacetime Dissent: +4% per turn
Democratic Tolerance: +100%
Limited Society
Regime Change Margin: 10%
Democratic Tolerance: +80%
Peacetime Dissent: +3% per turn
Restricted Society
Regime Change Margin: 20%
Democratic Tolerance: +60%
Peacetime Dissent: +2% per turn
Authoritarian Society
Regime Change Margin: 30%
Democratic Tolerance: +30%
Peacetime Dissent: +1% per turn
Totalitarian Society
Regime Change Margin: 40%
Research Speed: -10%

5.5.2 Social Policy.
Laissez-Faire
No effect.
Interventionism
Dissent: -1% per turn
Civilian industry: -10%
State Capitalism
Dissent: -2% per turn
Civilian industry: -20%
Hybrid Economy
Dissent: -3% per turn
Civilian industry: -35%
Socialist State
Dissent: -4% per turn
Civilian industry: -50%

5.5.3 Foreign Policy.
Isolationist
Peacetime civilian industry: +50%
Peacetime military industry: -75%
Defensive
Peacetime civilian industry: +40%
Peacetime military industry: -50%
Balanced
Peacetime civilian industry: +30%
Peacetime military industry: -30%
Assertive
Peacetime civilian industry: +15%
Peacetime military industry: -15%
Aggressive
No effect

5.6 Political Shifts. Each turn, two randomly-selected ideologies will lose 2% support and two randomly-selected ideologies will gain 2% support. The predominant category of ideologies define the regime type of the player state, which has implications in various diplomatic measures. If the total support for a different category of ideologies exceeds the total support for the category of ideologies currently defining the regime type by a margin defined by the political policy, then there is a regime change and the regime type is changed. This usually represents some sort of a coup. In a regime change, dissent is increased by a random value between 5% and 14%, and political violence is halved. The ideology with the highest support in the category of ideologies that define a state’s regime type is considered the ruling ideology.

5.7 Effects of Dissent and Political Violence. High dissent or political violence produces a host of negative effects.

5.7.1 Protests. If dissent is equal to or higher than 40%, a protest is in effect.

5.7.2 General Strikes. If dissent is equal to or higher than 60%, a general strike is in effect.

5.7.3 Riots. If dissent is equal to or higher than 80%, a riot is in effect.

5.7.4 Terrorism. If political violence is equal to or higher than 10%, terrorism is in effect.

5.7.5 Guerrilla Insurgency. If political violence is equal to or higher than 25%, guerrilla insurgency is in effect.

5.7.6 Civil War. If political violence is equal to or higher than 40%, civil war is in effect.

6. Economy and Production

6.1 Civilian, Military, and Spacefaring Production. To calculate the amount of civilian, military, and spacefaring production, the following procedure is used. First, the base number of industries owned (see 3.3) is totalled. Then, any modifiers from policies (see 5.5) and political status (see 5.7) are applied. Required upkeep of units (see 7.2 and 7.4) are subtracted. The remainder are production that may be freely used by the player.

6.2 Commercial Spacecraft.

6.3 Research.

6.4 Prosperity and Recessions.

7. Warfare and the Military

7.1 Space-based units.

7.2 List of space-based units.

7.2.1 Battleships. Battleships represent the heaviest firepower wielded by a state's astro-military. These cost 20 military industry to produce and 4 per turn to maintain. They cannot, however, target small gunboats efficiently.

7.2.2 Carriers. Carriers are able to ship ground troops from one location to another and, therefore, are essential to offensive warfare. These cost 10 military industry to produce and 2 per turn to maintain. They are extremely vulnerable, however, to battleship fire.

7.2.3 Gunboats. Gunboats are small and agile craft designed to contest battleships' dominance in battle. These cost 5 military industry to produce and 1 per turn to maintain. Gunboats, however, struggle to penetrate the intensive point defence carried by carriers.

7.3 Ground-based units.

7.4 List of ground-based units.

7.4.1 Garrisons. An extremely cheap and weak defensive unit, garrisons are produced and, if destroyed, replaced automatically by military bases (see 3.3.4). Cannot be transported.

7.4.2 Motorised Brigade. A versatile unit good for static defence that can also be used for offensive purposes. These cost 5 military industry to produce and 1 per turn to maintain.

7.4.3 Assault Brigade. An excellent unit to force planetary landings with. These cost 5 military industry to produce and 1 per turn to maintain.

7.5 Space battles.

7.6 Ground battles.

7.7 Occupation and Control.

7.8 Movement of units.

8. Scientific Development

8.1 Research.

8.2 Available Technologies.

9. Diplomacy

9.1 War and Peace.

9.2 Ideological Blocs.

9.3 Bilateral Relations.

9.4 The League of Nations.

10. Initial Conditions

11. Sample Turn Sheets

11.1 Sample Turn Report

11.2 Sample Turn Orders

[Harkback Union]

Since me and Plzen had very similar idea for a theme but different mechanics, I decided to postpone Spacekrieg for the time being and instead work on a mechanics-y supernatural detective game.

Would anyone be interested in that sort of thing?

[Lanternton]

Since me and Plzen had very similar idea for a theme but different mechanics, I decided to postpone Spacekrieg for the time being and instead work on a mechanics-y supernatural detective game.

Would anyone be interested in that sort of thing?

Sounds cool. I've also been working on two things for a while now:

Marcher Lords: A game where the players are the aforementioned "Marcher Kings," who have to simultaneously defend the kingdom from the invading Rostlander armies and compete against each other to earn the most prestige--at the end of the game, the Lord with the most prestige becomes the next king for the following game.

Operator Expendable: A Shadowrun/XCOM game based on tactical combat, where each player controls a mercenary "Black Group," and fight a secret war between megacorporations in a colonised solar system.

[Esternial]

I've had different ideas. One is more story-driven, the other more mechanics/faction-based.

I've decided to focus on the second, where each player has their own ship (~faction) and crew. I'd reduce the entire crew's contribution to the ship's functions to a single value, which can increase as the crew becomes more experienced or as more crew members are added (which costs more supplies). This would reward people that choose for to nurture small but experienced crew vs. those that purchase new members willy-nilly. I might made it more elaborate so long as it doesn't draw too much attention away from the central focus, which is the ship itself.

I'd also include seperate crew members that add little to no contribution to running the ship but act as a boarding party. These folks would have their own stats.

The ship itself will have stats ranging from hull strength, shields, maneuverability. Certain functions (e.g. life support) will draw a base power requirement while others (shields, weapons) can be turned off to conserve power. The reactor can be upgraded to increase power output and other functions can also be boosted (shields, ADS, engines, etc.) or replaced with better counterparts (weapons).

There's a rough outlines of what I had in mind. Still working on how to partically put that into effect.

I like the crew experience idea. As for the general RP, I remember an old RP here that might give you ideas about how to work through implementation.

Indeed gives me some ideas. I'm not going to allow any self-reliant production, though, given the ship you'll be controlling would be fairly small (e.g. VSS "Normandy").

Drawing inspiration from FTL, I've settled on several "systems", though there are a lot more upgrades, which are system-specific (vs. FTL's general "augmentations")

As opposed to Hark's mothership, there won't be the possibility to build duplicate systems and there will probably be a limit on systems and their upgrades.

Currently I've settled on the following "main" systems:
- Cockpit/Bridge
- Engines
- Reactor
- Subsystems (which implicitly includes life support & other small but essential systems)

Then the following will be optional:
- Shield Generator
- Weapon Control
- Drone Control
- Medbay
- Teleporter

The FTL fans among you will notice some absences. Well, I've reduced some of FTL's systems to "modules" to be installed on the systems outlined above.

For instance, stealth can be achieved via the "Internal Emission Sink" module for the engines, which allows you to temporarily mask your heat signature.

"Hacking" has been replaced by modules such as "ECM" and "Chaff Launchers".

I've also been trying to include modules such as "docking computer" that would allow you to avoid a possible accident whilst docking, or a "target lock" upgrade for the teleporter to avoid losing your boarding party in the emptiness of space.

All-in-all it's still a huge WIP. I've yet to determine the best approach regarding weapons and drones, and I don't even want to think about a balanced economy yet. There won't be any production on the ship itself, meaning you'll have to continuously move and scavenge/trade to survive, which I'll have to keep in mind when determining costs and such.

I'm probably going to leave boarding mechanics for a possible DLC (huehue), IF I get everything else done in the first place.

[Esternial]

I've been fiddling with the idea a bit. Still haven't thought about the economy aspect (how much everything will cost, how much you'll earn from events, etc.), but this is what I've got so far.

---

SHIP SYSTEMS

---

Without these, your ship is just some floating real estate in outer space. Systems are separated in three classes: PRIMARY, SECONDARY and COMBAT. PRIMARY systems are installed by default and are essential to a basic spaceship. If these are severely damaged or disabled, you will suffer heavy penalties. SECONDARY systems provide additional features that can and probably will make your space travelling days a lot easier. COMBAT systems are fairly straightforward: they allow you to actively engage in combat and stand your own in a confrontation (regardless of whether or not you started it).

You have all the creative freedom you want regarding the design and layout of your spaceship. Several systems can even be located in the same room if that's how you prefer it. I won't factor in the layout of your ship for any damage.

PRIMARY SYSTEMS
Impact your ship's basic functions and ability to survive.

---

Helm - Contains everything a pilot needs to maneuver the ship through the vast expanse of outer space.
Reactor - Generates the precious energy your ship needs to function. Upgrading increases Power output.
Engine - Permits you to go from point A to B without solely relying on inertial flight. Upgrading increases ship's Evasion.
Life Support - Keeps your crew alive

SECONDARY SYSTEMS
Geared towards expanded (non-essential) functionality.

---

Shield Generator - Consumes reactor power to generate an energy shield, protecting your ship. Upgrading adds additional layers of shielding.
Medbay - Keeps your crew in tiptop shape.
Science Lab - Allows you to gather information, deploy electronic countermeasures or cause interference when needed.
Teleporter - Transport crew and cargo without the need to use a small (and vulnerable) shuttle or dock/land.
Cloaking - An advanced system capable of hiding your ship from unwanted parties.

COMBAT SYSTEMS
The only way to dish out some punishment.

---

Weapon Control - Makes sure you weapons actually work when encountering not-so friendly travellers
Drone Control - Allows the deployment of remotely-controlled drones for varying purposes

Whenever a combat systems is upgraded, you will gain additional slots for weaponry (hardpoints or drone launch pods) up to a maximum of 4 for each system.

MODULES

---

Impart your ship's system with certain unique perks, and can be either bought or found. You start off with NO modules. The list below contains several examples of potential modules.

- Docking computer
- Afterburners
- Heat sink ejection system
- Point Defense System
- Shield capacitors
- Repulsive kinetic barrier
- Targeting computer
- Enhanced teleportation lock
- ...

Note: if you have any suggestions for modules, let me know!

---

SHIP STATS

---

HSHull Strength - Fairly straightforward, if it reaches 0 your ship will break apart.
SDShields - Protects your ship against energy projectiles or beams. Requires Shield Generator.
EVEvasion - Allows your ship to dodge incoming fire. Requires Helm and Engine.
CSCrew Skill - Affects overall functionality and performance of your ship. Requires Life Support.

SD, EV and SD are influences by specific ship systems, while HS is a fixed value. With specific modules, this stat can be increased, or gain modifiers against specific types of damage.

Starting stats for a new spaceship are 30 HS, 2 EV, 3 CS.

---

CREW STATS

---

LVLevel - Determines overall contribution to the ship's performances (CS).
HPHealth Points - How many hits someone can take before they kick the bucket.
CBCombat - How well do they hold their own in a fight?

Starting stats for new crew members is LV 1, HP 10, CB 1 unless specified otherwise.

---

RESOURCES

---

Power - Consumed by systems. Requires Reactor.
Supplies - Keeps your crew well-fed and healthy. Without supplies you will suffer a HP and CS penalty for crew and ship respectively.
Fuel - Required to keep engines running. Without fuel you will be unable to move your ship and your ship's EV will be set to 0.
Materials - Used for upgrades.

Other resources can also be found or purchased, such as specific torpedoes/missiles/mines/drones or other expendable items.

[Harkback Union]

I've been fiddling with the idea a bit. Still haven't thought about the economy aspect (how much everything will cost, how much you'll earn from events, etc.), but this is what I've got so far.

PRIMARY SYSTEMS
Impact your ship's basic functions and ability to survive.

---

(Image)Cockpit - Contains everything a pilot needs to maneuver the ship through the vast expanse of outer space.
(Image)Reactor - Generates the precious energy your ship needs to function
(Image)Engines - Permits you to go from point A to B without solely relying on inertial flight
(Image)Living Quarters - Your crew needs a place to sleep and relax.
(Image)Subsystems - Additional systems your ship and crew needs to operate properly.

SECONDARY SYSTEMS
Geared towards active combat and expanded (non-essential) functionality.

---

(Image)Weapon Control - Makes sure you weapons actually work when encountering not-so friendly travellers.
(Image)Drone Control - Allows the deployment of remotely-controlled drones for varying purposes.
(Image)Shield Generator - Consumes reactor power to generate an energy shield.
(Image)Medbay - Keeps your crew in tiptop shape.
(Image)Teleporter - Allows you to transport crew and cargo without the need to use a small (and vulnerable) shuttle or dock/land.

MODULES

---

Impart your ship's system with certain unique perks. Modules can be either bought or found. Some modules are upgradeable. You start off with NO modules. The list below contains several examples of potential modules.

PRIMARY SYSTEM MODULES (max. 4)
- Docking computer
- Afterburners
- Heat sink ejection system
- Point Defense System
- ...

SECONDARY SYSTEM MODULES (max. 4)
- Shield capacitors
- Repulsive kinetic barrier
- Targeting computer
- Enhanced teleportation lock
- ...

STATS

---

CREW
LVLevel - Determines overall contribution to the ship's performances (CS).
HPHealth Points - How many hits someone can take before they kick the bucket.
CBCombat - How well do they hold their own in a fight?

Starting stats for new crew members is [LV 1 | HP 10 | CB 1] unless specified otherwise.

SPACESHIP
HSHull Strength - Fairly straightforward, if it reaches 0 your ship will break apart.
SDShields - Protects your ship against energy projectiles or beams.
EVEvasion - Allows your ship to dodge incoming fire.
CSCrew Skill - Affects overall functionality and performance of your ship.

Starting stats for a new spaceship is [HS 30 | EV 2 | CS 3]

RESOURCES

---

Power - Consumed by systems (determined by Reactor)
Supplies - Keeps your crew well-fed and healthy (no supplies = HP and CS penalty!)
Fuel - Required to keep engines running (no fuel = no movement and no evasion!)
Materials - Used for upgrades.

Other resources can also be found or purchased, such as specific torpedoes/missiles/mines/drones or other expendable items.

AN EXAMPLE MAP

(Image)
Two players, three turns in.

"Base" indicates stationary points where one can trade, refuel, etc. and can technically be attacked, but without proper support your ship will be torn to shreds.
"Warpgate" is the only way out of the sector and also contains a trade hub and the most powerful defense system in the sector. As the RP continues, I'll probably make new sectors available which will be linked through these warpgates.

Whoa! Such Extravaganza!
Looks like I'll have to up my game!

[Esternial]

Over the course of my time at uni I've gotten very good at compensating for a lack of content with fancy layout and graphics.

Do note that all those elements are straight out of FTL. I just changed them where needed.