Welll.... I definitely like the toolkit approach.  And so far I like what I see...but it's going to take a while to digest.

So a sub would move based on it's speed and the current pulse.  Say 10 pulses and speed 5 would move every other pulse.  But it would only be able to do an action based on it's command rating?  Is that where you're going googleplex? 

I never would have thought of that command rating idea.  It's brilliant.

Ok.... here's how I imagine the detection side of things being handled in a non blind game.

Every sub has a Noise Rating with a basic value assigned to each hull.  It gets modified every turn by the speed at which the sub is moving, weaponry fired, etc.  Each sub then has sensor dice that they allocate to attempt to detect bogeys.  Every hit increases the firing solution versus that target.  That would mean having to keep track over time of the firing solution versus the targets tracked.  A sensor turn with no hits on the target would drop the solution down a level. 

And unless someone has a good real world or PSB reason for subs to be able to communicate with each other their firing solutions then each sub would be attempting to track targets independently. 

Torps would be the main weapons with each one stated out with Warhead, Speed, Endurance, Sensor and their own Noise Rating.  When a torp is launched it travels to a designated area and then goes active.  It starts rolling it's own sensor rating to acquire the target modified by the firing solution of the launching sub when launched.  (Unless it's wire guided.)  If it acquires a target it will close to hit unless it's shot down, spoofed or runs out of Endurance. 

Sorry if any of these seems meandering or not quiet well thought out.  I'm still thinking out loud at this phase.

I have to admit that I keep having second thoughts about going double blind.  I wanted part of the atmosphere to be like playing the old Red Storm Rising game by Microprose.  To be in a situation of, " I know he's got to be about there.  So I'll fire off a torp near there and let it go active and flush him."  But thinking it through I'm having to make some assumptions I'm not wild about.  No range mods for sensors for one.  And the playing area's going to be pretty sparse starting out.  And plotting for hidden units can be a real hastle.

The main issue I think is that instead of just the platform being responsible for all of the sensor work, the torps themselves should have a sensor rating to determine their actual chance to hit.  I'll try to post on outline version in a bit how I imagine sensor and combat working.

"Pressure Threshold"  I'm liking that idea.  If we built it into the construction rules for subs to be rated at various depths and as they take damage that rating drops.  Maybe linked to Hull Points or maybe via criticals.

I'd definitely want unit design (as well as torp design).  Was just giving the sort of daydream image that started me down this road.

This might be worthwhile for atmosphere (I haven't had a chance to read it yet).  Apparantly the Hearst newspaper group decided to cash in on the success of War of the Worlds with their own serial.  It was called "Edison's Conquest of Mars" by Garrett P. Serviss and can be found here (http://durendal.org:8080/ecom/index.html).  It's a scan of the original newspaper and so hard to read.  Also CG Publishing is coming out with an edition soon (http://www.cgpublishing.com/Books/Edison.html).  Noted as the first story to have space suits and describe a battle in space.

Also there is another American serialization by the Boston Post and entitled "Fighters from Mars - or The Terrible War of the Worlds as it Was Waged in or Near Boston in the Year 1900".  Haven't found anything on that one other than a mention that it exists.

Only suggestion I would make is for there to be different 'fingers'  in at least the political and military 'arms'.   Why would the Martians (or Natas) put all of their eggs in one basket?  Seems like any large organization is going to draw unwanted attention and get smashed.  Smaller ones might get lost in 'background noise'.

So the Martians were operating under Plan 'M'?

As for collaborators with Martians I would nominate a group of Nihlists.  Take the following quotes:

"Nihilism is . . . not only the belief that everything deserves to perish; but one actually puts one's shoulder to the plough; one destroys" (Will to Power - Nietzsche)

"Let us put our trust in the eternal spirit which destroys and annihilates only because it is the unsearchable and eternally creative source of all life--the passion for destruction is also a creative passion!" (Reaction in Germany - Mikhael Bakunin)

And wouldn't the Martians be the perfect tool to destroy Earth civlization.  Basic ideology would be destroy the human race so that another dominant lifeform could evolve.  Perhaps that lifeform would be an Ubermensch that would be worthy of living.  I can just imagine the arguments this group would have with themselves.  Makes goths look like Pollyanna.

Personally I would arge for a smaller invasion.  The Martians were thinking of hitting the main industrialized centers and going from there.  When they got wiped out they had to regroup and come up with another plan. 

I figure the humans haven't been too concerned with the Martians because:

1.  Overconfidence from having delt with the first invastion.  (Even if it wasn't direct human involvement.  Afterall, wee little microbes beat 'em.)
2.  From the discription of Martian ships they don't have Cavorite.  Also Earthers may believe they have a defacto early warning system from the lights seen on Mars from their ships launching.
3.  The fact that it's been years since the Martian invasion would probably led Earth experts to conclude that the Martians put everything into the first attempt. 
4.  Problems with other Earth nations just took precidence. 

My one real big unsolved answer is the Moon.  Best guess is that what to do with it is tied up in an international conference with the decision that nobody goes until it's decided how to determine who owns it or how to recognize bases and colonies.  (Also figuring from "First Men in the Moon" that the Brits know about the Selenites and are secretly negotiating with them.)

To make a longish post short.  I don't think there's any real problem with the history so far, but it might be good to mention why there's been nothing heard about or from the Non Terrestrials.

Personally I think it's brilliant.  Only problem I see is that I didn't think of it first.

You've got to let me know how that goes.  Tres cool.  You've made my night.