1.0 SUMMARY: Command a squadron of destroyers through multiple scenarios! Pick your empire, pick your ships, and start flying a series of scenarios as defined by the GM. Earn victory points based upon the success level of each mission, the speed at which missions are completed, and how much fun you make it for everyone through in-game chatter as well as postings to the BBS.
1.1 CAMPAIGN GOALS: The only goal is to have fun. Fun = happy players = larger SFB community on SFBOL. To help achieve this, the author has endeavored to remove limits on empire selections; reduce the incentive (and ability) to "metagame" or "munchkinize" fleets; encourage chatter, smack-talk, and general kibitzing; and finally give each player as much control as possible over the pace of the campaign.
2.0 SHIP SELECTION RULES: Each player will be allowed to choose their empire. Multiple selections of the same empire are allowed. Players will also be allowed to choose which ships they will use with the following restrictions:
a. All ships must be from the same empire.
b. All ships must be size class 4.
c. Ships with NWOs are prohibited.
d. Must follow fleet composition rules as defined in S8.
e. No ships with a status of CAM, CAP (captured), CNJ (conjectural), IMP (impossible), UNV (unbuilt variant). One UNQ ship is allowed per squadron.
f. Ships must have been available in the year chosen for the phase. Certain exceptions may be granted for empires that get some of their better ships a couple of years later, please ask the GM is you would like an exception.
a. Current ships that are granted exceptions: Fed CW and variants, Neo-Tholian NDD
g. Total Gross Adjusted BPV of the squadron (as defined in S2.14) PLUS cost of any fighters cannot exceed 325 combat BPV.
h. With the exception of scouts all BPV calculations will be made using combat BPV.
i. Certain empires just have better SC4 ships than others- the Feds, LDR, and Orions as examples. Anyone choosing one of these empires may be asked to tone them down a bit with regard to firepower. The GM will entertain all ship selections and decide on any necessary adjustments.
a. Orions will use the rules in G15, U7.113 and R1.8. Players can choose to be either from a cartel in disruptor/drone territory or plasma territory, which in this campaign will mean 70% of their weapons will be one of those types, 20% can be Federation, and 10% from elsewhere (no andro or extragalactic tech).
3.0 CAMPAIGN FORMAT: The campaign will use a format similar to the Captain's game. There will be three phases per year, each lasting four months. During each phase there will be four scenarios, generally including three duels versus another player and one scenario. The battles will be versus two historical enemies (if possible) and one non-historical enemy. The scenarios will be designed to test both combat and non-combat capabilities, and unusual terrain may also be encountered. Be prepared!
At the end of the four months the next phase will begin with four different scenarios following the same general format (though the GM reserves the right to mix it some!). Players can drop at any time, and new players can join at the start of each phase.
4.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS: At the end of each phase each player who has completed all four scenarios will be awarded victory points. These will be a combination of three factors:
a. Victory points from each scenario as defined in S2.
b. How quickly the four scenarios were completed.
c. Level of "fun" provided to everyone through in-game chatter and postings to the BBS (smack-talk, battle reports, etc.). The GM will assign points here; also players can nominate other players for bonus points if they particularly enjoyed a battle against them.
5.0 GAMEPLAY PROCESS: At the start of the phase each player's squadron is publiclly published, including commander's options. Their squadron is updataed (publically) when they decide to swap out a ship or adjust their commander's options during a re-supply.
The GM will publish the scenario used for that phase. The players are then able to find their own opponents and schedule their games at their leisure, as long as they complete the games within the time-limit given for the phase and find opponents to fulfill the two-historical, one-non-historical, and scenario opponent structure.
6.0 REPAIRS AND RESUPPLY: Squadrons can resupply twice per phase. This restores all expendables, shuttles, and commander's options to all ships in the squadron. Commander's options can be changed at this point.
Between each scenario all ships can repair all shields, all control boxes, all damage control, and all sensor and scanner damage plus an additional number of boxes equal to three times their damage control rating.
Once per phase a single ship can be replaced at no cost. The replacement can be any ship that fits within the ship selection rules and does not have to be the same as the ship being removed. For example a Federation squadron of 3xDD could swap out one DD for an SC using this rule. The replacement ship stays with the squadron for the remainder of the phase. This may be done either to add a needed capability to the squadron, to replace a crippled or destroyed ship, etc.
Destroyed ships can be replaced between scenarios as often as needed but will cost the player 100% of the ship BPV as lost victory points. Note that this only applies to destroyed ships; a player cannot simply exchange one ship for another at will (with the single replacement exception noted above).
7.0 TECHNOLOGY AND REFITS: All scenarios will take place in the year chosen for the phase or later. The year of the scenario will drive what commanders options, drone speeds, refits, etc. are available. These advanced technologies can be used so long as they do not increase squadron BPV above the limit defined in 2.0. So a Romulan Squadron could use sabot torpedoes and ECPs in a scenario taking place in Y182 assuming they could pay the cost of the sabot refits. A Kzinti squadron in the same year could purchase fast drones, all ships could buy A-Admins,etc.
Note that this rule only affects expendables, commanders options, and refits. No ships can be converted, and no X-tech is allowed.
8.0 SCENARIO INFORMATION: Player versus player duels will be two duels versus a historical opponent(s) and a third against a random draw of other players. Duels will take place on a fixed map (42x30); any ship leaving the map will disengage. The remaining scenario will be drawn from the scenario books, Captain's Logs, modules, or anywhere else they may be found. Scenarios requiring an opponent may be flown by anyone, online or offline, to allow maximum flexibility in scheduling.
9.0 WEAPONS STATUS AND STARTING POSITIONS: For player versus player duels, fleets will start in opposite corners (NE to SW or NW to SE), speed max, weapons status III, and year will be the year chosen for the phase. These factors will be defined in other scenarios on a case-by-case basis.