Far Reaches Campaign

Prepared by David Ternes

Version 2.00

Unless otherwise noted, any restrictions on the following tables apply to warships, not commercial freighters. If any rolls result in contradictions, roll randomly between the contradictory results to determine which will be followed.

NPR controllers are expected to abide by the spirit of these rules, and not attempt to "game" the results to produce ships significantly different than the generated policies describe. The object here is to create NPRs whose ships and practices are unique and interesting, not to make galaxy conquering forces (not that this is impossible, just not the intent).

Basic Design

Ship Size

01-10		Variable. Determined by controller.
11-31		Maximum. (D4*10)+50% (i.e., roll D4, multiply by 10, add 50, treat as a percent) of all warships must be built to the largest size currently possible. Remainder may be sized as desired, but not larger than (D10):       01-40   CT       41-80   FG       81-00   DD
31-50		Minimum. (D4*10)+50% (i.e., roll D4, multiply by 10, add 50, treat as a percent) of all warships must be built to a size no larger than DD. Remainder may be built to 1 size below the maximum of which the race is capable, or DD, whichever is larger.
51-70		Even Mix. Number of warships of each hull size must be kept even (+/- 15%). Excludes EX, which may not be built as armed warships.
71-90		Limited Sizes. May only build warships to a size equivalent to even/odd (random die roll) of FT hull numbers (i.e., may only build warships which have hull sizes equivalent to FT0, FT2, FT4, etc. if even is rolled, or FT1, FT3, FT5, etc. if odd is rolled). Race ignores requirement to build hulls not included in its warship mix.
90-00		Maximum New. All new warships must be built to the maximum size possible.

A/C & Boat Bays

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller.
51-80		Boat Bays. All ships must have boat bays. No ships may be atmospheric capable, even after contact with atmospheric capable alien ships.
81-00		Atmospheric Capable. All ships must be atmospheric capable. Any boat bays mounted must be (BbS) only, and equipped only with cutters. May not develop any small craft other than cutters (excludes fighters, which have their own determination below).

Refits

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller.
51-80		Priority. Existing ships must be refitted to latest standards as soon as possible. May build new ships only when build capability not needed for refits. Ships must begin moving to a refit facility within 2 turns after news of the development of newer systems reaches them.
81-00		Never. Never refit existing ships.

Engineering

Engines Used

01-60		Normal. Uses (I) and (Ic) normally. Roll on Small Engines table.
61-80		Limited Normal. Uses (I) and (Ic) normally, but may not mount Commercial Engines on any ship which is armed. Roll on Small Engines table.
81-90		Only Military Engines. Does not develop (Ic). Must equip all ships with (I). Roll on Small Engines table with +10.
90-00		Only Military Engines. Does not develop (Ic). Must equip all ships with (I). Roll on Small Engines table with +10.

Small Engines *

01-75		Uses small engines as normal.
76-00		Does not use and may never develop small engines.
*		Applies to all ship types.

Speed *

01-35		Variable. Determined by controller.
35-60		Fast. All ships must have enough engines to give a ship the maximum speed of which its hull size and type is capable. Designs with less speed are not permitted. Any possible speed enhancements must be developed and used.
61-75		Extra Equipment. Sacrifices speed for equipment. The maximum Strategic speed of any ship is 1 less than its hull size and type allow. FG and smaller may have maximum speed for their type if Commercial Engines are required.
76-87		Speed Limit. No ship may have a speed above [4/2] with Military Engines. Speed limit is [3/3] for Commercial Engines.
88-97		Mixed. Ships of CT and smaller must have speed of at least [6/3]. Ships above CT must have speed of at least [4/2] unless unable to reach this speed. If limited to Commercial Engines, use maximum speed possible.
98-00		Plodding. Ships of CT and smaller must have speed of not more than [6/3]. Ships above CT must have speed of [2/1]. If limited to Commercial, speeds are [3/3] and [1/1].
*		Applies to all ship types.

Maneuvering

01-40		Variable. Determined by controller.
41-70		Mandatory. All warships must mount best AM available.
71-00		None. May not develop or use any AM.

Safety *

01-40		Variable. Determined by controller.
41-95		None. Will never mount extra engines (except on tugs).
96-00		Spare Engines. All ships of DD or larger must mount 10% (FRD, minimum 1) more engines than they need.
*		Applies to all ship types.

Weaponry

Weapons Type *

01-60		Variable. Determined by controller.
61-80		No Alkelda Dawn based weapons allowed (may not develop or mount).
81-00		Only Alkelda Dawn based weapons.
*		Ignore if Alkelda Dawn weaponry not in use.

Weapons Mix

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller.
51-70		Offensive. Offensive. Only offensive weaponry may be mounted. The systems such as; any Point Defense, Sheer Plane, Electronic Counter Measures, etc., may not be developed or used.
71-90		Defensive. 50% (FRD) of non-engine hull spaces on military hulls must be defensive systems Shields and armor are included as "defensive systems".
91-00		Even. Number of offensive systems and defensive systems on a ship must be the same (+/- 1). Shields and armor are not included as defensive systems for this purpose.

Offensive Weapons

01-20		Variable. Determined by controller.
21-40		Beam Weapons. Only beam weapons may be developed and mounted on ships. Anti-missile weapons may be developed only after missiles are first encountered. For Alkelda Dawn technology limitations, treat Kinetic weapons as beam weapons for this purpose.
41-60		Missile Weapons. Only missile weapons may be developed and mounted on ships. Tractor and presser beams are also excluded. Shear Planes may be developed only after tractor beams are first encountered. For Alkelda Dawn technology limitations, may develop and mount Gb and G.
61-80		Minimum Mix. All ships which carry three or more weapons, must carry at least one of each type (beam or missile as described above).
81-00		Even Mix. The number of beam and missile weapons must be the same (+/- 1) per ship.

Shields & Armor

01-40		Variable. Determined by controller.
41-60		Minimum. Ships must mount the maximum amount of equipment other than shields and armor. The total amount of shields and armor (count HS) mounted may not exceed 5% of the HS for the ship type (FRD). Shield and armor mounted must be the best available to the race when the unit is built (and may be upgraded if refits are allowed). Note that this may mean some ships cannot be designed to the maximum for a type.
61-00		Fixed. At least (D10*D10)% (maximum 60%) of the non-engine hull spaces of all warships, base stations, PDCs, and AFs must be devoted to shields and/or armor. At least (D10*D10/5)% (maximum 40%) of all hull spaces on space stations must be devoted to shields and/or armor. Shields and armor mounted must be the best available to the race when the unit is built (and may be upgraded if refits are allowed).

XO Racks

01-30		Variable. Determined by controller.
31-60		Always. All warships, base stations, and space stations must mount maximum number of XO Racks once developed. Existing ships must be refitted with XO before new ships may be built (unless refits are not permitted).
61-80		Eventually. May not develop or mount XO Racks until acquired by alien contact.
81-00		Never. May not develop or mount XO Racks.

Multiplex Tracking

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller.
51-60		Maximum. All warships must mount M# such that # is one less than the number of offensive weapons carried, or the maximum M the race is able to mount, whichever is less.
61-70		Some. All warships of CL or larger must mount M# such that # is at least one-half of the number of offensive weapons carried (FRD), or the maximum M the race is able to mount, whichever is less.
71-80		Slight. All warships of DD or larger which have two or more offensive weapons must mount at least M1 once it is available.
81-90		Eventually. May not develop or mount any M until acquired by alien contact.
91-00		Never. May not develop or mount any M.

Mines & IDEW

01-70		Variable. Determined by controller.
71-90		Dishonorable. May not develop or deploy mines, IDEW, or other unmanned weapons. May develop mine sweepers only after mines are first encountered.
91-00		Primary Defense. If any fixed defense position (BS, AF, or long term warp point defense) is established, at least 1/4 of the value (cost) of all fixed defenses must be as mines, IDEW, or other unmanned weapons.

Fighters

Development

01-15		Variable. Determined by controller.
16-35		Limited. May develop Prototype Fighter (F0), but no other type of fighter. Fighter systems limited to fG and fR.
36-45		Less Limited. May develop up to First Generation Fighter (F1), but no fighters beyond this type. No limit on fighter systems development.
46-65		Never. May not develop or use fighters. May develop anti-fighter systems only after fighters have been encountered.
66-85		Obsessed. Once fighters are developed, at least 75% (FRU) of all new warship construction must be for carriers.
86-00		Temporary Obsession. Once fighters are developed, at least 65% (FRD) of all new warship construction must be for carriers. After Tech Level 12 is achieved, must revert to previous warship building policies.

Misc. Systems

Cargo Handling *

01-90		Variable. Determined by controller.
91-00		Never. May not develop or use any CHS. Tractor and presser beams may be developed and mounted, but may not be used for cargo handling. (Cargo handling is for peasants, not warriors.)
-		Add 20 to this die roll for any NPR government type with one of the following words in its title: Belligerent, Insane, Military, Stalinist, or Feudal.
*		Applies to all ship types.

Data Links

01-10		Variable. Determined by controller.
11-20		Obsession. All offensively armed ships of CT size or larger must have some form of Data Link.
21-40		Always. All offensively armed ships of DD or larger size must have the best possible Data Link.
41-70		Missile Only. Only warships in which one-quarter or more of the offensive armament is missiles may have Data Links.
71-90		Eventually. No Data Links may be developed or mounted (includes Dz) until acquired by alien contact.
91-00		Never. No Data Links may be developed or mounted (includes Dz).

Sensors

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller.
51-70		Always. All ships of DD or larger size must mount Xr once developed.
71-90		Missile And Command. Only warships in which one-quarter or more of the offensive armament is missiles, or ships mounting (CIC), may have Data Links.
91-00		No Xr. May not develop or mount Xr or its derivatives.

Communications

01-70		Variable. Determined by controller.
71-90		Limited. May develop and use CD, CC, and DSB-n only. Many not develop other forms of advanced communications (ex. DSB-c).
91-00		None. May not develop or use any enhanced communications (CD, CC, DSB, etc.). All communications are done by courier ship.

Combat Strategy

Starting Fights *

01-60		Variable. Determined by controller.
61-80		Cautious. A force will never willingly enter combat unless it has a reasonable belief that it is at least 50% larger in hull spaces than the enemy force.
81-90		Incautious. A force will always attempt to enter combat if it is at least the same size in hull spaces as the enemy.
91-97		Charge! A force will always attempt to enter combat if it is more than 50% as large in hull spaces as the enemy.
98-00		Mindless. A force will always attack any enemy force as soon as contacted, regardless of size. Note that this requires mindless suicide charges as soon as contact is established with any enemy.
Note:		The requirements for attack apply only to enemy forces (i.e., races with which the NPR is at war).

Breaking Off Fights

01-60		Variable. Determined by controller and normal rules.
61-70		Wimps. Uses normal Break-Off And Surrender rules, but, if a force fails a Break-Off Roll, one ship within the enemy's weapons' range, selected at random, will surrender each turn.
71-90		Determined. Race will never withdraw from combat until forced to do so by the Break-Off And Surrender rule.
91-00		Honor-Bound Fanatics. Race ignores Break-Off And Surrender rule. Once committed to combat, a force will never break-off or surrender.

Warp Point Assaults

01-50		Variable. Determined by controller and normal rules.
51-60		Wimps. Stop if first four ships are lost without return word.
61-70		Committed. After sixth ship is lost, attack must continue until 1/4 of current force (count ships) has been lost, at which point the attack must be terminated (may terminate assault before sixth ship is lost).
71-80		Determined. After sixth ship is lost, attack must continue until 1/2 of current force (count ships) has been lost, at which point the attack must be terminated (may terminate assault before sixth ship is lost).
81-90		Highly Determined. After sixth ship is lost, attack must continue until 3/4 of current force (count ships) has been lost, at which point the attack must be terminated (may terminate assault before sixth ship is lost).
91-00		Mindless Fanatics. After sixth ship is lost, entire force present must execute the assault (may terminate assault before sixth ship is lost).

NPR Ships & Systems Policies Record

This form is not included in this on-line version.

Copyright © 1999-2000, David H. Ternes, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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Updated 22 January 2000.