Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:23 pm
After reading this thread, and some older threads, here's an new proposal taking ideas from all over hopefully with the rough spots filled in, and exploits eliminated.
It's intended to hit the sweet-spot between strategic possibilities and low micro.
Rules:
* A system for redistributing resources between colonies, more-or-less like this is assumed.
* A ship on or within 1 StarLane Jump (SLJ) of a Planetary-Supply Lines (PSL) is completely resupplied and repaired at the beginning of every turn. (unless perhaps the ship is engaged in an ongoing battle from the last turn)
* There is a Resupply Range (RR) (probably connected to engine tech) at which ships can receive some supplies while outside PSLs. The amount of supply decreases linearly from 100% at 1 SLJ to 0% at RR+1 SLJs. Thus assuming a RR of 4, a ship has available the following percentage of it's total capacity for supplies at the beginning of each turn: (possibly the percent of damage that can be repaired per turn is the same as the resupply percentage, but that verges off the topic)
* Resupply only occurs when a ship is in system at the beginning of a turn. Ships are not resupplied while in transit in SLs.
* Entering a SL requires 1 unit of fuel per ship. Fuel is only consumed when initiating a jump. A ship cannot initiate a jump unless it has 1 full unit of fuel. Thus, ships do not get stuck part-way through a SL.
* Ships have a certain fuel reserve. If a ship depletes it's fuel (weather within or beyond RR) it cannot jump, though it can engage in combat as normal. Any idle ship may produce a small amount of fuel per turn. Perhaps .1 units of fuel. Thus a stranded ship could initiate a jump in 10 turns.
* Fuel, Resupply (and maybe repair) are converted from Production Points (PPs) in the connecting PSL network. If there are not enough PPs available in the nearest PSL network (perhaps an isolated, newly established/conquored colony) a ship/fleet will, if possible, automatically send it's supply line to a more distant PSL network, automatically choosing the route that provides the most total resupply. (What to do if there are not enough PPs available is admittedly a sticky point. The above is the simplest approach)
* A Rioting, or Rebelling colony does not produce PP, therefore, unless a conquered colony dislike's it's old masters, it will not be possible to immediately resupply a fleet from newly conquered systems. (This is very premature, but here are my initial ideas about riot, loyalty, and rebellions.)
* The player may have a global way to control how much PP is diverted from building projects to resupply the fleet.. Perhaps there is a setting, or "Fleet Resupply" appears in the production queue.
Results:
* The gradual diminishment of resupply with range is not realistic in detail, but provides much off the strategic value of a complex simulation of a supply chain without requiring any management from the player. Some quite interesting feints and maneuvers should be possible in the galaxy map as fleets attempt to surround and cut-off each other.
* Fleets near the colonies will generally be resupplied faster than they can use stuff up. You can probably ignore fuel unless the ship is near or beyond the RR.
* All cargo/supply ships are thoroughly abstracted, and behave in a more reliable/easy-to-understand manner than a fleet of invisible ships with actual calculated positions.
It's intended to hit the sweet-spot between strategic possibilities and low micro.
Rules:
* A system for redistributing resources between colonies, more-or-less like this is assumed.
* A ship on or within 1 StarLane Jump (SLJ) of a Planetary-Supply Lines (PSL) is completely resupplied and repaired at the beginning of every turn. (unless perhaps the ship is engaged in an ongoing battle from the last turn)
* There is a Resupply Range (RR) (probably connected to engine tech) at which ships can receive some supplies while outside PSLs. The amount of supply decreases linearly from 100% at 1 SLJ to 0% at RR+1 SLJs. Thus assuming a RR of 4, a ship has available the following percentage of it's total capacity for supplies at the beginning of each turn: (possibly the percent of damage that can be repaired per turn is the same as the resupply percentage, but that verges off the topic)
- 1 SLJ = 100% resupply
2 SLJ = 75% resupply
3 SLJ = 50% resupply
4 SLJ = 25% resupply
5+ SLJ = 0% resupply
* Resupply only occurs when a ship is in system at the beginning of a turn. Ships are not resupplied while in transit in SLs.
* Entering a SL requires 1 unit of fuel per ship. Fuel is only consumed when initiating a jump. A ship cannot initiate a jump unless it has 1 full unit of fuel. Thus, ships do not get stuck part-way through a SL.
* Ships have a certain fuel reserve. If a ship depletes it's fuel (weather within or beyond RR) it cannot jump, though it can engage in combat as normal. Any idle ship may produce a small amount of fuel per turn. Perhaps .1 units of fuel. Thus a stranded ship could initiate a jump in 10 turns.
* Fuel, Resupply (and maybe repair) are converted from Production Points (PPs) in the connecting PSL network. If there are not enough PPs available in the nearest PSL network (perhaps an isolated, newly established/conquored colony) a ship/fleet will, if possible, automatically send it's supply line to a more distant PSL network, automatically choosing the route that provides the most total resupply. (What to do if there are not enough PPs available is admittedly a sticky point. The above is the simplest approach)
* A Rioting, or Rebelling colony does not produce PP, therefore, unless a conquered colony dislike's it's old masters, it will not be possible to immediately resupply a fleet from newly conquered systems. (This is very premature, but here are my initial ideas about riot, loyalty, and rebellions.)
* The player may have a global way to control how much PP is diverted from building projects to resupply the fleet.. Perhaps there is a setting, or "Fleet Resupply" appears in the production queue.
Results:
* The gradual diminishment of resupply with range is not realistic in detail, but provides much off the strategic value of a complex simulation of a supply chain without requiring any management from the player. Some quite interesting feints and maneuvers should be possible in the galaxy map as fleets attempt to surround and cut-off each other.
* Fleets near the colonies will generally be resupplied faster than they can use stuff up. You can probably ignore fuel unless the ship is near or beyond the RR.
* All cargo/supply ships are thoroughly abstracted, and behave in a more reliable/easy-to-understand manner than a fleet of invisible ships with actual calculated positions.