I'll post this up here. It's what's been on my mind lately as a best option for spinning up a game that could be fun for us all to participate in.
== New ideas ==
This is not the most tactical pure game. It is not a total reinvention of anything. It's simplified in key areas so that the game is playable. Missing is any idea as regards Empire Building, etc. This is just the combat and game flow.
* MOVEMENT PHASE
1. Once a week.
2. Movements between systems > Secret, players choose where units go (no range limits).
3. Reveal > Players reveal their movements.
4. Reinforcements > Players choose whether or not to send reinforcements1.
* BATTLE PHASE
1. 7-day cycle.
2. Players have one week to resolve combat, after one week, an algorithm determines winner automatically based on current status of all units present.
3. Loser withdraws units to location of their choice.
4. Specifics:
4a. Two-phase posts.
4b. Deploy - Player 1 moves all their units, then Player 2 moves all their units.
4c. Attack - Players post their attacks, then assess their damage.
(?). Order of players to be determined in some way, perhaps based on the total UCR rating of their deployed units each turn or just at the onset of combat. Or just simply alternate who goes first in each round.
* COMBAT RULES
1. Arcs
2. Grids (auto-populating map at end of each planetary thread with unit location and headings plotted).
3. Ranges
4. Simple damage chart
5. Simple refactor of UCR
5a. Compare UCRs, get fraction, apply to # of weapons fired, determine hits. 2
5b. 1 cannon = 1 warhead downed. Possibly make warheads a 1:X ratio, target UCR reduced to 1.
6. No CSP or escorting
7. Starfighters/Aux can engage one target only, so effectively they work as a single weapon emplacement.
7a. Thinking of limiting SFs to Laser OR warhead attack each turn, not both.
7a. Quick sketch:
X-Wing = 2 Dmg, 4 PT payload, 5 UCR, 7 HP
TIE Interceptor = 2 Dmg, 6 UCR, 5 HP
12 X/W engage 12 TIE Interceptors;
> 12 * 5/6 UCR COef = 10 out of 12 X/W attack successfully; lasers = 20 Potential Damage
> 3 TIE Interceptors Destroyed, 1 TIE Interceptor @ 3/5 HP
Explanation: 20 Damage is enough to kill 4 TIE Interceptors, but fighters can only engage one target, so it took 3 X-Wings to destroy 1 TIE Interceptor totally. So 9 of the X-Wings destroy 3 TIE Interceptors, and 1 X-Wing damages the final TIE Interceptor with 2 Dmg.
8 X/W engage 12 TIE Interceptors;
> 16 Proton Torpedoes * 5/6 UCR COef = 12 Hit, 12 TIE Interceptors Destroyed
Explanation: You would use the warhead UCR, not the SFs.
* CHARTS
Dmg Range Weapon
1 1 Laser (and non-Quad variants)
2 1 Quad laser
5 1 Ion Cannon
10 2 Turbolaser
10 4 Turbolaser Battery
5 2 Concussion Missile
10 4 Proton Torpedo
UCR Unit(s)
1 Large Ship
2 Medium Ship
3 Small Ship, Auxiliary Craft
4 Bomber
5 Fighter / Proton Torpedo
6 Interceptor / Concussion Missile
* RANGE FINDER
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432101234
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1. N/E/S/W correlate directly to arcs
2. NE/SE/SW/NW can include two relevant arcs for targeting (i.e. NW = PORT & BOW arcs)
3. The overlay will be color coded to tell you which arcs you can use.
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Footnote 1: There will be a set range that a unit can travel, so only units in range of that world can go to aid in its defense.
Footnote 2: One cannon can hit one target, no spreading damage. No need to group SFs in squadrons.
