• From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,578

Topic: Jump Tugs

emiricol2001@yahoo.com wrote:

BACKGROUND
In my campaign, the setting uses "jump lanes" for interstellar transit, instantaneous movement between pre-existing warp points if the ship has the right engine to activate them.  Nav-buoys on either end are used in the abstract to determine how many ships can go through at what speed, i.e. how big the jump lane is. Most races equip all their military ships with these engines, along with engines for regular spacial movement at sub-light speeds.

SITUATION
A newly-encountered alien race is supposed to have warships that are not independantly jump capable, but which can be led by small, technically more complex jump tugs which create a field that will transit themselves and up to X other bodies (ie ships, of whatever size). Their fleets are able to pack more wallop per ship since they don't have bulky interstellar engines, but they are obviously not as flexible in their deployment and usage.

QUESTION
How would I model the 'jump tug' using Starmada X?  I need this for my ongoing campaign, and don't want to have to scrap the basics of the fluff on this newly-encountered race smile

Welcome, Emiricol!

In order to answer this question, I would need to know how FTL movement works in your universe. Do you use the SX hyperdrive rules, or something else?

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 17

Re: Jump Tugs

I use the default size for Hyperdrive engines, but in the game they don't actually move the vessel - they emit a field that allows the vessel to interact with an anomaly, which in turn acts as a wormhole.  Expensive nav-buoys that must keep station with the anomaly can be emplaced at both ends, which communicate with one another and allow more ships to use the jump lane, and faster.  Upgrading these nav-buoys can cost a space empire as much as the GDP of an entire homeworld, so smaller empires just kind of make due.

Ordinarily, you need this jump engine to move each individual ship, but one of the races I am working on has mastered the ability for one ship to suck other ships through the wormhole ("jump lane") with them.

I *think* I've decided that a jump tug can transport a number of ships equal to its Tender rating, with a total combined hull size of twice the tug's own hull.  Thus, the role has gone from mere taxi to being the command vessel of a squadron.

In the setting's source material, these jump tugs will now be staffed with the most loyal servicemen, and heavily guarded with marine squads, basically to prevent any rebellion from being able to spread quickly smile

Thanks for any help, let me know what you think!

-Emiricol

PS - I am using Starmada for battles and Victory by Any Means for the strategic campaign.

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Jump Tugs

Hi.

Did I help you at all in any way? big_smile

  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 17

Re: Jump Tugs

It was interesting.  A very flexible scout!

EDIT: The particular non-player empire is +0 Weapons/Shields and -1 Engines/Special Equipment, by the way.  I'll be using your design idea for my next neophyte space empire though!

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Jump Tugs

Good, then my good deed for Saturday was done then...:)

Thats high-tech for your Aloft! campaign though, isn't it?

  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 17

Re: Jump Tugs

murtalianconfederacy wrote:

Good, then my good deed for Saturday was done then...:)

Thats high-tech for your Aloft! campaign though, isn't it?

I'm glad you noticed smile  Yes, the race I'm finalizing the setup for right now is a bit more technically advanced than the current races, and slightly bigger than the Earth Alliance, too.   Even worse, they ended up being a VERY aggressive, slightly xenophobic nation.  Huzzah.

I think if the Terrans and Struvans can ally militarily they will be a good match for the new guys.  Anyone's guess still if the Struvans can hold out against the new guys long enough to make that happen, though.

I am considering posting any battles as Starmada scenarios for public consumption smile Maybe with a "historical outcome" narrative like they used to do for Starfire campaign books.

-Emiricol

  • Registered: 2006-01-17
  • Posts: 740

Re: Jump Tugs

That would be great!   I have many of those scenario/soursebooks from when I played Starfire.  They were very enjoyable to read.  It was good to see all the forces involved and know what each was up against.

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Jump Tugs

Emiricol wrote:
murtalianconfederacy wrote:

Good, then my good deed for Saturday was done then...:)

Thats high-tech for your Aloft! campaign though, isn't it?

I'm glad you noticed smile  Yes, the race I'm finalizing the setup for right now is a bit more technically advanced than the current races, and slightly bigger than the Earth Alliance, too.   Even worse, they ended up being a VERY aggressive, slightly xenophobic nation.  Huzzah.

I think if the Terrans and Struvans can ally militarily they will be a good match for the new guys.  Anyone's guess still if the Struvans can hold out against the new guys long enough to make that happen, though.

I am considering posting any battles as Starmada scenarios for public consumption smile Maybe with a "historical outcome" narrative like they used to do for Starfire campaign books.

-Emiricol

Huh, good luck with that if the Terrans and Struvans are still only up to a NAP...:)

Would be a good thing to see though, how an advanced tender-based navy fares against a conventional lower-tech enemy. Given the disparity between the techs (-6 vs -2 overall) I'm plumping for a potential win for the tender-based navy. I reckon fighters might well be the buzzword for the day for the Terrans and Struvans...

  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 17

Re: Jump Tugs

To my amazement, the difference in results in VBAM stats is slight to moderate - basically, the new guys (Salik Empire) can do the about the same thing as the terrans, for the same price, just in a smaller ship.

Their biggest advantages, now that I have everything statted out finally, are in fighters (the difference between -2 fighters and -6 fighters is pretty significant with my system!) and the Salik government form which allows more income during peace time (and thus bigger standing pre-contact fleets).

Their disadvantages seem to be the space and cost used for Tender functions, and the cost due to special equipment gadgetry the Salik are using that don't directly translate to space combat ability (like security teams on literally every ship class).  Also, the terrans have some mothball ships that they can activate, while the Salik have only their (really big) active duty fleet.

And since the Salik will likely declare hostilities immediately and war shortly thereafter, the terrans and struvans will have a bump in economy that can in total simply outpace the Salik economy.  Much depends on timing, which way the Salik attack first, what I decide the impact of such a new race has on terran/struvan relations, etc.  We'll see smile

Thankfully it won't be a matter of "his entire navy jumps in and engages your entire navy".

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 330

Re: Jump Tugs

Please post any cool battles you happen to have.  I'd love to see the results of this probable war.

I keep telling myself that I will pick up the Stars Divided book, but I never ever do it...

-Bren

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 859

Re: Jump Tugs

Ah, good. Not too bad a disparity then...

  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 17

Re: Jump Tugs

jygro wrote:

Please post any cool battles you happen to have.  I'd love to see the results of this probable war.

I keep telling myself that I will pick up the Stars Divided book, but I never ever do it...

-Bren

Stars Divided is seriously cool.  I read a writeup of a couple guys who ran through that campaign and it was very exciting, lots of cool battles, high strategy and low tactics smile A Starmada dream.

-Emiricol

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Jump Tugs

jygro wrote:

I keep telling myself that I will pick up the Stars Divided book, but I never ever do it...

-Bren

Yes buy buy, it has nice pictures...  big_smile