-------------------------------------- SUPPLEMENT NF: NanoFleet Battles -------------------------------------- Table of Contents ----------------- Introduction NF.1 Multi-Scale Gaming NF.1.1 Minifig Scale NF.1.2 Microfig Scale Optional Rule: Squad Warfare Carving Baseplates NF.1.3 Nanofig Scale NF.2 Fleet Organization NF.2.1 Military Heirarchy NF.2.2 Chains of Command Specialty: Leadership Optional Rule: Leadership Compensation Specialty: Initiative Specialty: Commando NF.2.3 Long Operations NF.2.4 Fleet Movement Class Division Size" Limits Optional Rule: Delayed Response Optional Rule: Modified Response Optional Rule: Frictionless Space NF.3 Naval Kinetix NF.3.1 Velocity NF.3.2 Rotation NF.3.2 Impulse Forces NF.3.3 Friction NF.3.4 Sailing NF.4 Ship Systems NF.4.1 Ship Map NF.4.2 Devices NF.4.3 Computer NF.4.4 Power NF.4.5 Life Support NF.4.6 Sensors NF.4.7 Propulsion NF.4.8 Weapons NF.4.9 Subplatforms NF.4.10 Colony Conversion NF.5 BattleMeks NF.5.1 Limbs NF.5.2 Mek Weapons NF.6 Naval Officers NF.6.1 The Captain NF.6.2 Officers NF.6.2 Red Shirts NF.6.3 Marines NF.6.4 Communications NF.6.5 Tactikal NF.6.6 Navigator NF.6.7 Science NF.6.8 Engineering NF.6.9 Medical NF.6.10 Crewmen NF.7 Resources NF.7.1 Resource Gathering NF.7.2 Resource Storage and Consumption NF.7.3 Inter-battle construction NF.7.4 Mid-battle construction NF.7.5 Research NF.8 Strategic Level Warfare NF.8.1 The Strategic Map NF.8.2 Moving Armies NF.8.3 Force Leaders NF.8.4 Morale, Energy, Condition NF.8.5 Reconnaissance NF.8.6 Infiltration NF.8.7 Local Investment NF.8.8 Engaging in Battle ----------------------------------- INTRODUCTION ----------------------------------- Why "Nanofleet Battles?" BrikWars is a fine system for 'normal'-scale conflicts, but tends to bog down as combat approaches the 'epic' scale. Battles involving more than a few hundred combatants, or vehicles much larger than the average naval destroyer, are logistical nightmares for the players. It was clear that BrikWars needed a way to cater to those players whose tastes tend to the scale of the truly massive. Ironically, the best way to enlarge the virtual stage of battle is to shrink the stage's physical representation. Where a normal BrikWars Trooper is represented by a minifig, in a Nanofleet Battle it may be represented by a 'microfig' (a 1x1 Brik or cylinder, 1/3 minifig scale) or even a 'nanofig' (invisible to the naked eye, 1/10 minifig scale or smaller). At these scales, fine details are rendered irrelevent while actions and events on the largest scale become possible. The Nanofleet Battles supplement presents techniques to conduct epic battles. The methods can be roughly divided into three basic areas: 1. Dealing with various and changing scales of representation (mini-, micro-, and nano-fig scales) 2. Handling massive-scale ships, armies, and devices 3. Incorporating a system of logistics appropriate to a 'strategic' rather than 'tactical' scale of warfare Nanofleet Battles is less unified than other BrikWars supplements - the rules are presented as a loose collection of independent ideas; players are encouraged to pick and choose the specific elements that suit the type of game they would like to play. NF.1 Multi-Scale Gaming -------------------------------------------------------------------------- BrikWars scales are named according to the size of the figure that represents an average Trooper. In real-life combat, battles are 'human-scale': each soldier is represented by an actual human being: that is to say, himself. In regular BrikWars, soldiers are represented by minifigs, and so BrikWars battles are in 'minifig-scale.' In a Nanofleet Battle, a Trooper might be represented by a 1x1 Brik, in which case he is a 'microfig'; or the scale may be made so small that a Trooper cannot be individually represented at all, in which case he is an imaginary 'nanofig'. Each scale is better- or worse-suited to different styles of combat, and so it is not uncommon to set up several 'stages of action' in different scales for a single battle or campaign, so that one of many elements in the nanofig theater is reproduced at larger scale as a theater for microfig action, and one location of the microfig scale is enlarged to accommodate the more detailed action of minifig scale. Here are some hypothetical scenarios and the ways they might be divided up: Scenario: 20th-century naval warfare ----- Nanofig scale: The ocean, islands, and fleets, for fleet navigation and combat. Microfig scale: Individual ship interiors, for movement of crewmen and armaments. Minifig scale: Vital locations on the most important ships, such as the bridge or engine room, in case soldiers end up fighting hand-to-hand within a ship. Scenario: Futuristic mech warfare ----- Nanofig scale: Buildings and surrounding countryside, mechs and large combat vehicles, for vehicle movement and combat. Microfig scale: Models of individual mechs, on which conditions such as damage, ammunition, and fuel can be tracked. Minifig scale: Models of individual pilots and cockpits, so that their condition can be tracked with greater precision. Scenario: Medieval land warfare ----- Nanofig scale: Buildings and surrounding terrain, army positions, supply caravans, for strategic movement and logistics. Microfig scale: Individual armies, to keep track of army composition and specific troop formations; battles deemed too large for minifig scale may be staged at this scale. Minifig scale: Regular battles. If players have patience and a sufficient supply of spare bricks at hand, they can build larger-scale locations as situations require - for instance, if a boarding party of enemy Zero-G Marines breaches the hull of a SpaceFrigate and attempts to take over the engine room, the player may decide to build the ship's Engineering Section in minifig scale on the spot, in order to better stage the struggle for control. (In fact, in situations where the success or failure of a single minifig action is critical, members of the BrikWars development team have been known to simulate the action in human-scale, causing grievous injury to one another in the process. Human-scale 'simulation' of this type is best left to professionals and we cannot officially recommend it.) NF.1.1 Minifig Scale ------------------------- There are no special tricks to minifig scale; it is the default scale for most plastic-brick enthusiasts and BrikWars players. Minifig scale is the scale at which soldiers are best represented; you can see their posture, which way they're facing, and which of their hands holds the coffee mug and which holds the death beam projector. This is the scale at which minifigs climb ladders, sit in chairs, suffer from injuries, hang from ledges, lose limbs, and in general distinguish themselves from the other minifigs that surround them. If this level of detail is not necessary, then there is no real need to build at minifig scale. Of course, players may still choose to as a matter of aesthetic preference. NF.1.2 Microfig Scale ------------------------- Microfig Scale is roughly equal to one third minifig scale. More precisely, one minifig-scale inch is the same as one microfig-scale 'Dot' (Dots are the circular studs on top of most plastic bricks). At microfig scale, wherever the rulebook gives a measurement in inches (weapon ranges, Platform diameters, etc.), divide by three or use a length of Dots instead. (Any long brick can be used as a makeshift ruler for Dot lengths). A microfig-scale 'Story' is two Brix in height; when computing two-dimensional Area (not a common requirement in the most recent editions of BrikWars), every microfig-scale Dot is the same as ten minifig-scale Dots. The simplest model for a microfig is a 1x1 Brik or cylinder, and depending on the use to which you intend to put your microfigs, this may be perfectly adequate. If the scenario is spacious enough that the microfigs have 'elbow room' (i.e. not some claustrophobic corridor-crawl), then microfigs can be made from 1x1 Brix with side mounts (there are various types). 'Micro-weapons' can be placed in the mounts, giving a visual indication of a microfig's armament; spikes, knives, and pistols work well as micro-weaponry. Some microfigs get a yellow 'dot' (a 1x1 round flat piece) for a head, and some of those get a second 'dot' for a helmet. Microfigs by nature are not as physically expressive as minifigs. Many of the options available to troopers at minifig scale are meaningless for microfigs. Microfigs do not change posture, they are never Stunned, and they cannot prepare for Opportunity Fire. They never feel the effects of Poison or take Extra Effort. They don't even 'face' in any particular direction. Most types of equipment can't be easily represented at microfig scale, so all microfigs of a given 'type' must be identically equipped. (Example microfig types might be 'round red figs with blue hats' or 'square black figs with knives on one side.') Microfigs cannot pick up or drop items (except in exceptional cases), and they cannot carry items that get used up (such as a Potion or a thrown Spear). A living microfig's condition never varies, remaining identical to every other fig of its 'type.' The only allowable variation is death, which is indicated by knocking the microfig on its side (or removing it from play if the unit was vaporized somehow). The number of microfig 'types' in an army should be kept to as small a number as possible and designed to be immediately distinguishable from one another. Because microfigs' options are so limited and their attributes so uniform, on any given turn a player will have a number of identical microfigs taking identical actions. This makes streamlining very easy, especially if players are familiar with the optional Squad Warfare rules in the main rulebook (10.3.4: Many vs. Few), paraphrased below. For maximum efficiency, 'types' are best designed with a maximum of one die in any statistic (Skill, Damage, etc.), making it easier for all units to roll at the same time. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Optional Rule: Squad Warfare :) | | ---------------------------- | | Units with identical stats and equipment can be handled with great | | efficiency if they are arranged in Squads. The formation, | | joining, subdivision, and dissolution of Squads require no formal | | declaration; a group of identical units are a Squad when they take | | action together and they are individuals when they act separately. | | | | Measurements taken when moving a Squad or calculating the Range of | | its attacks will require some estimation. A Squad's location is | | considered to be roughly the center of the group of units from | | which it is comprised; it is from this point that an attacking | | Squad calculates Range, and to this point if the Squad is the | | victim of an attack. Because all stats and Skill Modifiers are | | the same for all members of a Squad, all their Attack Rolls can be | | made at the same time; of those attacks that succeed, all the | | Damage Rolls may then be made at the same time. The Damage Rolls | | are combined if the Squad is attacking a single target | | (3.3.3: Cumulative Damage / Combined Fire). | | | | If the Squad is attacking another Squad, count the number of | | Damage Rolls that exceed the Armor Value of any single member of | | the target squad, and that is the number of casualties inflicted. | | If the number of successful attacks is greater than the number of | | potential targets in the Squad, arrange the damage dice in order | | from highest to lowest, assigning one to each target unit. If any | | targets survive, add one additional die from the group of | | remaining dice to each surviving target, to see if the combined | | damage is enough to kill any of them. Continue until there are no | | more survivors or no more damage dice. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ At microfig scale, Squads can be placed in formation on a single flat plank, either of an appropriately neutral 'ground' color or of the official color of the Squad's army. The entire plank of microfigs moves and fights as a single unit; ranges to and from the microfig Squad are calculated from the center point of the plank. For Close Combat, opposing Squads merely have to bring the edges of their planks into contact with one another; it is not necessary that individual microfigs come into contact with one another. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Carving Baseplates :( | | ---------------------------- | | Players who wish to make stands for their microfig Squads but are | | short on planks may consider buying large 32x32 green or gray | | baseplates and cutting them into appropriately-sized rectangles. | | Baseplates are much flimsier than the average plank; a heavy-duty | | box-cutting knife and a metal straightedge are enough to carve | | them up quite neatly. Obviously, this should only be attempted by | | an adult, and preferably with a supply of band-aids close at hand; | | soft plastic can be treacherous. Make sure your blade is sharp; | | blades dull quickly and a dull blade will slip and ruin your | | edges. Work slowly and methodically. Don't try to cut all the | | way through the baseplate in the first pass. A series of even and | | repeated strokes will result in a cleaner edge and reduce the | | number of post-operation band-aids. | | | | The practice of carving baseplates is presented as an option, but | | we do not endorse or recommend this technique. Many (perhaps a | | majority) of plastic-brick enthusiasts strongly object to any type | | of 'destructive modification' of a plastic brick. Other players | | may unexpectedly be seriously offended by evidence of baseplate | | mutilation; be sensitive. Then tell them to stop being pansies. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ NF.1.3 Nanofig Scale ------------------------- Nanofig scale is typically considered to be one third of microfig scale, or approximately one tenth of minifig scale. (Nanofigs can be arbitrarly small. As battles become progressively larger, 'sub-nano' or 'pico' scales of one one-hundredth or even one one-thousandth minifig scale may be more appropriate.) One nanofig-scale Dot is equal to three minifig-scale inches in length, or one hundred minifig-scale Dots in area. A nanofig-scale Story is the thickness of two stacked planks. Players will have to round down many of their measurements to the nearest three inches. At sub-nano scales the rounding will be even more severe; small units and short-range weapons will be next to meaningless. The nanofig scale is so small that individual figures and most Platform interiors cannot be adequately represented at all. A whole Squad of troopers (or other units too small to represent individually) might be represented by a tiny plank on the battlefield (ranging in size from 1x1 for a typical Squad to perhaps 2x3 for a Squad the size of a platoon). At very small scale, tiny planks can be used to represent Squads of Squads (meta-Squads, if you will). Players can decide to create a microfig-scale version of each nano-Squad, and hold them off to one side of the main gaming area. As individual units within the Squad are killed or destroyed, they are removed from the microfig-scale version, allowing players to track the current condition of each Squad. Players are encouraged to be creative and flexible when using Squads in a nanofig-scale battle. Because the existing rules are so limited, there will often be opportunities to invent new and screwball rules on the fly if players are interested in employing unorthodix tactics. For example, in a hypothetical medieval battle, a Squad of foot soldiers is charged by an enemy Squad of heavy cavalry. The foot soldiers manage to survive, but the players decide that there is no way they could have held formation under such conditions. They invent a new rule on the spot: infantry surviving a mounted charge are 'dispersed' (represented by turning their nano-Squad plank upside-down). It takes one turn for a dispersed Squad to regroup, during which time they cannot move or attack; enemy units that attack a dispersed Squad do no damage but prevent it from regrouping, and so forth. Rules like these will most likely have no application in any other type of battle and possibly not even in similar future battles, but it's enough that they add spice to the one battle they are in. NF.2 Fleet Organization -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overseeing a multi-arena strategic division of diverse tactical units is a lot more complicated than commanding a couple of grunts with peashooters. Between fog of war, the bureaocracy of a more extensive command structure, and the simple inertia of giant war machines and massive troop formations, it's just tougher to keep things running smoothly in the really big battles. Players may choose to incorporate as many or as few of these factors as they choose. Here's how. NF.2.1 Military Heirarchy ------------------------- In order to be effectively led, larger armies organize into carefully-defined heirarchies. Each unit knows exactly what superior unit gives him his orders, and to which subordinate units he gives orders to in turn. In real-life organizations, individuals may have multiple direct superiors. This is a pain in the ass for more reasons than it's worthwhile to list. In BrikWars, each organizational group is limited to one specific direct superior from whom they receive orders, keeping everything nice and neat. (Until that superior gets himself mashed under the foot of a giant mech; then things get chaotic again.) Heirarchies can have any number of levels and can incorporate groups of any size; however it's wise to limit each group to having around (TLx3) sub-groups. At TL4, for instance, there might be 12 Squads in a Platoon, 12 Platoons in a Company, and so forth. In each heirarchic group, one fig within the group is designated as the Group Leader, and one fig from the group one step higher in the heirarchy is his Commander. (At the top level of the heirarchy, the Group Leader acts as his own Commander, and is called the Field Commander). Commanders are usually responsible for directing multiple Group Leaders, and Group Leaders are responsible for all the members of their group. Commanders and Group Leaders should be decorated in some fashion, so that players can distinguish them from their subordinates. To coordinate properly with the rest of the Groups, it's essential for a Group Leader to be In Communication (InCom) with his Commander. Players may simply require that both units be alive and conscious, or they may require the use of one or more Communications Systems (2.4.3: Communications Systems). Commanders and Group Leaders may operate the Communications Systems themselves, or they may assign a nearby unit to act as Communications Officer, operating the necessary devices and staying within shouting range. A Group can fall Out of Communication (OutCom) if its Group Leader or Commander is killed or incapacitated, or if its Communications System is lost, broken, or out of range. OutCom Groups can no longer coordinate with the rest of their forces; their only options are to continue following whatever orders they last received, to hold their ground and try to defend themselves as best they can, or retreat towards their team's command post in order to Re-Group. If a Group Leader is killed, all units within the Group are at -2 to Skill and -50% Move" until another Leader is named. Another unit within the Group may be designated as Group Leader on the following turn. If a Commander is killed, another unit within the Commander's Group may be designated as Commander. If the Commander's entire Group is killed, then the Groups under his command have to seek out another unit of sufficient rank and Re-Group under that unit's command. If there are no more units eligible to act as Commanders, then those Groups are permanently Out of Communication. NF.2.2 Chains of Command ------------------------- Just because a general wants his units to carry out a new objective doesn't mean they're going to drop everything and go for it. The message has to be sent down each link of the chain of command, possibly undergoing encryption and decryption two or three times along the way, before the units receive their instructions. Next, the units have to make sure they're fully prepared to move: bombs have to be loaded, engines powered up, senior crew members to battlestations, plate armor strapped on, all soldiers out of bed with teeth brushed, etc. The exact amount of delay between the issuance of a command and the units' ability to carry it out depends on the skill and training of the general, the commanders, the logistics crew, and the units themselves. In a heirarchic system of organization, commands propogate from the top level down to the troops at the bottom. In BrikWars, unlike real life, this is an extremely efficient process, as skillful and experienced communicators transmit messages up and down the line in a process that is almost instantaneous. Unfortunately, communication skills don't count for much when a group of MkIII Missiles come to visit, and before long the skilled operators are getting replaced by complete incompetents. Specialty: Leadership (+1 CP) ------------------------- The Leadership Specialty allows units to give, receive, and relay orders instantaneously, causing no delay in the Chain of Command. The he Leaders do not have to be operating communications equipment themselves, as long as they are within shouting range (8") of a Communications Officer within their own group. All Commanders and Group Leaders must be purchased with this Specialty at the beginning of battle. At the end of the battle, any surviving units acting as replacement Commanders or Group Leaders gain this Specialty automatically. All commands originate with the Field Commander and are passed down the Chain of Command to eventually reach the grunts at the bottom. As long as all the Commanders and Group Leaders in this chain have the Leadership Specialty, this occurs instantly, and Squads can start carrying out orders at the moment the Field Commander issues them. As the casualties begin to mount, however, Leaders will be killed and less skilled units will be forced to take their place. For every unit along the Chain of Command that does not have the Leadership specialty, commands are delayed by one turn. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Optional Rule: Leadership Compensation :) | | ---------------------------- | | If the regular Leadership rules slow the game down too much too | | soon, players can lighten them by allowing a Commander with | | Leadership to compensate for a Group Leader without, or vice | | versa. Only if both units lack the Leadership Specialty is there | | a one-turn delay in command transmission. This way, the battle- | | field should be pretty well cleared before players start having to | | focus attention on communications issues. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ Delaying commands requires players to either have a good memory, or to write down commands on little scraps of paper and place them next to the units that are delaying them. An intermediate solution is to develop a dice-based 'command shorthand,' in which spare dice are used to represent the commands being sent down the line, and the number facing upward indicates the type of command being sent. +--------------------------------------------+ | Example Dice Shorthand, using a regular d6 | | 6 - Unleash Hell | | 5 - (Special Command) | | 4 - Advance | | 3 - Lateral Movement | | 2 - Hold Ground / Dig In | | 1 - Withdraw | +--------------------------------------------+ Specialty: Initiative (+3 CP) ------------------------- Units with Initiative can act and issue commands independently, without having to wait for instructions. They can still receive commands from superiors in order to engage in coordinated maneuvers with other military Groups; they cannot coordinate if they're Out of Communication or otherwise acting independently. Field Commanders must start the battle with this Specialty. Specialty: Commando (+1 CP) ------------------------- Similar to units with Initiative, Commando units can act independently without oversight from their superiors. However, Commandos cannot act as Commanders or Group Leaders unless their Commando Specialty is upgraded to Initiative. The Chain of Command rules can add strategic depth to battles, but use them sparingly. If you have a StarShip that takes dozens of crewmembers to operate, you might require a Chain of Command from the captain down to the bottom-rung crewmen and engineers; if you have a fleet of StarShips, you might require a Chain of Command from the Fleet Commander down to individual squadrons of StarFighters. It would be going too far to do both, tracing a giant Chain all the way from the Fleet Commander down to the individual crewmen in every StarShip in the Fleet; that will only drive you insane. NF.2.3 Long Operations ------------------------- For every type of weapon and vehicle, there has been an enterprising engineer or two who wanted to make it bigger and more powerful. As the size of their new-and-improved devices and organizations began to push the limits of their civilizations' Teknology, they took more time, work, and manpower to operate. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Examples of Small vs. Big | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Small: easily | Big: requires time, hard | | TL | operated by one guy | work, and multiple guys | |---------------+---------------------+------------------------------| | 0 CaveMan | throwing rocks | dropping boulders off cliffs | | 1 TribalMan | building a mud hut | building a ziggurat | | 2 MedievalMan | slings and bows | catapults and mangonels | | 3 ColonialMan | rowboats | frigates | | 4 ModernMan | crosswalks | air traffic control | | 5 SpaceMan | space fighters | fleet command ships | | 6 StarMan | hand blasters | the Death Planetoid main gun | | 7 HyperMan | demigodlike tricks | pantheonlike miracles | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ With increasing size, certain functions become sluggish and clumsy, as greater bulk and inertia make systems less maneuverable and slow to respond. These slower functions are called 'Long Operations,' and there are two ways to handle them in BrikWars. The first method ('FigOps') is to direct individual figures to carry out the series of tasks necessary to carry out the operation (e.g., load the cannonball, pack the gunpowder, light the fuse, plug the ears). This can be slow and laborious, but some players enjoy this level of detail. This method works best at minifig scale, requires a lot of fudging at microfig scale, and is all but impossible at nanofig scales. +-------------------------------------------------+ | Fig Ops You Already Use | |-------------------------------------------------| | Any time minifigs load a Cannon or Mass Driver | | (BW 7.3.2: Ammo-Dependent Guns) | | | | Any time you have minifigs cooperating to shove | | or carry large objects | | (BW 4.3: Brik Physix) | +-------------------------------------------------+ The second method ('TimeOps') assigns turn delays for each act, based on equipment limits, or on how many figures are available in the right positions to carry them out. +-------------------------------------------------+ | Delayed Responses You Already Use | |-------------------------------------------------| | Any use of a Troop or Siege weapon whose Damage | | rating is marked as 'slow.' | | (BW 2.1: Weapons and Equipment) | | | | Any use of a Timed Explosive | | (BW 2.2.4: Explosives) | +-------------------------------------------------+ Long Operations are described in Task boxes in the appropriate sections. Task boxes list the requirements for Workers carrying out the Task (usually special equipment or skills), special limits, and what resources are consumed by the Task. The box finishes with descriptions of how the Tasks are carried out as either FigOps or TimeOps. For example: +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Task: Produce Fast-Food Burger | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| | Requires: Worker access to Condiment Tray and Oven | | resource: Hamburger Buns | | resource: 'Meatte' Patties | | Limits: (TL^2) Burgers produced per Turn per Oven | | Consumes: 2 Buns, 1 Meatte per Burger produced | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| | FigOps: Workers must grab two Buns and one Meatte Patty and | | place them on the Condiment Tray. Spend one full turn | | applying Condiments to the Buns and assembling the | | Burger. Place the assembled Burger in the Oven and | | heat for one turn. | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| | TimeOps: No Burgers are produced on the first turn, or on any | | turn in which there is a change in the number of | | workers. 0.5 Burgers are produced per worker per turn | | thereafter. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ NF.2.4 Fleet Movement --------------------- NanoFleet Battles contains two systems for handling the motion of giant vehicles, which may be used separately or together according to preference. The Fleet Movement system, described here, allows small ships to maneuver and react more quickly than the sluggish behemoths that are possible at larger scales. The Naval Kinetix rules, described later in NF.3: Naval Kinetix, deal more directly with individual ships, and the performance capabilities resulting from multiple propulsion devices acting in concert. In Fleet Movement, vehicles in the Fleet are divided up by relative Size" into Classes of Fighters, Cruisers, and Capital Ships. The exact sizes at which the divisions are made depend on TL and building style. Plastic-brick builders tend to stick to one of two styles of vehicle proportions. The first is based on the official models of the plastic-brick toy companies, in which planes and cars are typically built on chassis no larger than a 4x6 plate. The second is based on more realistic proportions, based on real vehicles or movie war machines, and a one-passenger plane or car chassis is six to twelve inches in length. In 'toy' proportions, the Class divisions occur every TLx2"; in 'realistic' proportions, the divisions occur every TL^2". +---------------------------------------+ | Class Division Size" Limits | |---------------------------------------| | Class | Toy | Real | |---------------------------------------| | Fighter | TLx2" | TL^2" | | Cruiser | TLx4" | TL^2 x2" | | Capital Ship | TLx6" | TL^2 x3" | | (Super Cap) | TLx8" | TL^2 x4" | | (Super-Duper Cap) | TLx10" | TL^2 x5" | +---------------------------------------+ Vehicles that are designed to carry other Vehicles must automatically be at least one Class level higher than the vehicles they contain, no matter how small they are. E.g., if a large Cruiser is designed to transport a smaller Cruiser, the Class of the large Cruiser is upgraded to Capital Ship, even if it is under the Size" limit. Vehicles in the 'Fighter' Class can move and maneuver as normal, but larger vehicles have to plan their moves in advance. (To do this, players will have to create a special Movement Heads-Up-Display for each vehicle larger than Fighter Class, described later in this section.) At the beginning of each Round, before any player moves or takes any action, there is a Planning Phase in which players must declare in advance the movements of each of their vessels, starting with the largest Class of vehicle in play. All players with vehicles in that Class declare how much each vehicle will be accelerating or decelerating, and how much it will be turning left or right. Once all vehicles in that class have declared their Plans, players move on to Planning the next largest Class, and repeat this process until they reach the Fighter Class, which doesn't need any Planning. Vehicle Plans are never secret or hidden; players may review each others' Plans as much as they want in order to make better decisions. (If players have difficulty finalizing their plans because two vehicles of the same Class are competing to outmaneuver each other, roll a Piloting Skill Roll between the vehicles' Pilots, and then force the losing vehicle to finalize its plans first.) When the Planning Phase is done, the Action Phase begins. Players take turns handling movement and actions for all vehicles in the Fighter Class and all 'loose' figures (figures not in vehicles). When all players have had a turn moving Fighters, they move up on Class and take turns handling movement and actions of their Cruisers. Players add Acceleration or Deceleration to their vehicles' current Move" at the beginning of the turn; the vehicles must then move precisely the resulting distance. While moving, the vehicles must Turn precisely the amount indicated in their Plan; the turning may occur at any point in the movement process. Attacks and other actions can also be initiated at any point during movement. When the Cruiser Class finishes its action phase, players move on to next larger Class, and repeat the process until there are no more vehicles to move. If players wish to move units or vehicles that are within larger vehicles, this action occurs during the containing vehicle's Action Phase. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Optional Rule: Delayed Response :( | | --------------------------------------- | | If players want to make the Classes' performance differences even | | more pronounced, they can introduce Delayed Response rules. | | Fighter and Cruiser Classes are handled as usual, but plans for | | Capital Ships don't go into effect until the following turn, and | | larger vehicles are even more sluggish. Super Capital Ships must | | plan two turns ahead, and Super-Duper Capital Ships take an | | agonizing three turns to put Plans into effect. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Optional Rule: Modified Response :| | | --------------------------------------- | | Depending on the quality of their control systems, ships can be | | designed to be either more or less responsive, allowing them to be | | treated as if they were one Class lower or higher than their | | actual Class. This modification may be purchased only once for | | each vehicle, and is purchased as a standard Vehicle Performance | | Modification (BW 6.2: Vehicle Performance). | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ To indicate your intended Plans for each of your larger vehicles, you'll need to create a Movement Heads-Up Display, or Mhud. The easiest way to create Mhuds for your vehicles is to take small plates (2x6 or 4x6 will work fine) and attach small pieces of paper to them by punching holes in the paper to line up with the studs. For each row of studs, write a label on the paper: Max Move, Max Turn, Damage, Move", Accel/Decel, and Turn. .-------------. | (ship name) `---. .------. | Max Move" (_)| -> |(A)(B)| | Max Turn" .---' |(C)(D)| | Damage | |(E)(F)| | Move" | |(G)(H)| | Accel/Decel `---. |(I)(J)| | Turn (_)| -> |(K)(L)| `------------------' `------' (paper) (holes) (2x6 plate) As shown by the example in this fabulous ascii diagram, the paper attaches underneath studs 'A' and 'K' on the 2x6 plate, locked in place with an extra plate underneath. To use the Mhud, you'll need a number of Pips (1x1 Brix) in various colors. The actual colors you choose are a matter of taste, but by default we'll use blue Pips for Move", green Pips for Accel/Decel, and gray Pips for Turn" (if you are using Naval Kinetix; otherwise ignore any mention of the Turn" statistic). Place a number of blue Pips equal to the vehicle's maximum Move" on stud A, and a number of green Pips equal to the vehicle's maximum Acceleration/Deceleration on stud B. If you're using Naval Kinetix, place a number of gray Pips equal to your maximum Left Turn" on stud C, and a number equal to your maximum Right Turn" on stud D. The Damage row (E and F) is used to record performance losses due to damage. If you take damage and lose points from your max Move", Accel/Decel, or Turn" ratings, remove the corresponding Pips and place them in the Damage row. The Move" row (G and H) is used to indicate the vehicle's current speed. Take a stack of blue Pips from the Max Move" pile equal to the number of inches in the vehicle's current Move". If the vehicle is moving forward, put the stack on the G stud; if it's moving backwards (or some weird lateral direction), put the stack on the H stud. Whenever the vehicle's speed changes, add or remove Pips from this stack as appropriate. The Accel/Decel row is used in the Planning Phase to indicate plans to accelerate or decelerate. For every inch by which the vehicle intends to change its current Move", take one green Pip from the Max Accel/Decel pile and place it in this row. Use the I stud for forward acceleration, and the J stud for reverse. This acceleration is added to current Move" at the beginning of the vehicle's Action Phase. The Turn row is used in the Planning Phase to indicate how the vehicle intends to maneuver, using stud K for left turns and stud L for right turns. If you're using the Naval Kinetix rules, use gray Pips from the Max Left Turn" or Max Right Turn" piles to indicate the number of inches of Turn" you intend to use. If you're using TurnRadius" rules (BW 6.2.1: Acceleration, Deceleration, and Turning), take blue Pips from the current-Move" pile to indicate the number of inches of movement the vehicle will spend turning rather than moving in a straight line. The Turns indicated in this row can take place at any point in the vehicle's movement during its Action Phase. +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Optional Rule: Frictionless Space :| | | --------------------------------------- | | In outer space, there's no friction to limit the velocity of a | | moving vehicle, or to halt its rotation once it starts turning. | | The only limits are on how fast the vehicle can accelerate its | | velocity (controlled by Accel/Decel) and rotation (controlled by | | Turn"). If you want to use frictionless motion, don't bother | | making a Max Move" pile on stud A, just keep a large supply of | | blue Pips handy. | | | | Frictionless rotation is only possible using the Turn" statistic | | from the Naval Kinetix rules. If you decide to use frictionless | | rotation, you'll need to make a larger Mhud with an extra row for | | 'Current Turn",' on which you'll keep track of the vehicle's | | current rate of rotation. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ NF.3 Naval Kinetix -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...for the record, whenever I see Pi used in conjunction with 'having fun,' I tend to want to throw myself off of the tallest building that is close by." - Joe Comeau, 06.06.2003 As space and ocean vessels surpass the 'gigantic' level, even the most advanced propulsion system available may not be powerful enough to move the ship by itself. Very large ships may need to house several propulsion modules working in concert in order to move with any skill. Depending on TL, this might involve dozens of galley slaves, a variety of sails, a careful arrangement of maneuvering thrusters, or a sequenced array of warp-field generators. The amount of directional and rotational acceleration added by each propulsion unit depends on how it is employed. Other events can also change a ship's velocity, including physical collisions, explosive shock waves, and sometimes the recoil of large weapons. The Naval Kinetix presented here add an additional level of complexity to BrikWars' regular Brik Physix model (BW 4.3: Brik Physix), and may be one geek-step too far for some players (that is, if there were any players who didn't already find Brik Physix way too geeky). They are not necessarily any more realistic than the standard Physix model; in both cases some realism has been sacrificed in order to facilitate ease of use. NF.3.1 Velocity --------------- - Mass - Center of Gravity + current velocity 'Move"' NF.3.2 Rotation --------------- - Radial Terminus + current rotation 'Turn"' NF.3.2 Impulse Forces --------------------- - Impulse Acceleration (+Move") and Impulse Moment (+Turn") - Force from Impact/Launch - Force from Thruster/Push NF.3.3 Friction --------------- - optional - Forward Friction (beam) - Rotational Friction (radius) - Lateral Friction (velocity -> rotation) ((length)-(beam)) NF.3.3 Sailing -------------- - Wind force - sail types - Capsizing: optional radial termini: (roll:beam), (pitch:length) NF.4 Ship Systems -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - list TL limits and research values here - mention of other systems, inc. brig, infirmary, cargo bay, mess hall, quarters, holodeck - Ship Map - off-scale version of ship showing location of major systems. - Devices - tractor/repulsor beams - shields/deflectors - transporters - Computer - Power - consumable power - multiple sources - power transfers - heat sinks - Life Support - Sensors - Propulsion - fuel - propulsion units include: sails - facing, type, strength, condition {X} {wings/fins - condition, facing} propellors/thrusters hyperlight engines - Weapons - Strategic-scale conversions: Lasers, Blasters, Missiles - Missile Banks, heat-seeking missiles - weapons of mass destruction, biochemical warfare - Subplatforms - fighter bays - cargo containers - Colony Conversion NF.5 BattleMeks -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - minifigs as micromechs - Systems rules vs. Vehicles rules - Limbs NF.6 Naval Officers -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Captain + Officers - Leadership specialty - Red Shirts - can take the place of more important casualties within location - Marines - security, 'amphibious' assault - Communications - can bypass Leadership requirements - Tactical - Navigator - Science - contests of Science: hacking, shield modulation, scan v. cloak, etc. - Engineer - exceeding design parameters - altering Plans - violating Laws of Physix - Medical - generic crewmen NF.9 Resources -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Resource Gathering - example resource types from age to age - Anisomorphik Biomechanikal Substrate - Resource Storage - Resource Consumption - Inter-battle construction - limited by CP/resource pool, worker construction capacity - Mid-battle construction - limited by CP/resource pool - time-limited by opponents' turns - Research - resource consumption, experimental penalties, miniaturization, increased output, - exceed TL - weird science: biotech, extradimensional, netherworld, forbidden magic, nanotech, etc. NF.8 Strategic Level Warfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - The Strategic Map - Moving Armies - Terrain - Weather - The Passage of Time - Moving at Night - Force Leaders - the Tactikal Bonus - Morale, Energy, Condition - Wear and Tear: The Nine Terrains - Supply Consumption - Readiness - Reconnaissance - Scouts and Counterscouts: Recon rating - Heisenberg Army Disposition - Force Pools - Reconfiguration - Infiltration - Security - Discovering Spies - Turning Spies - Spies in Armies - Spies in Local Populations - Assassination and Sabotage - Local Investment - Terrain Familiarity - Fortification - Local Population Effects - Battle is Engaged - Position: Tactikal + Investment - Map Move - Configuration: Tactikal - Recon