The Imperial head chronicler posts a bulletin:

There has been some confusion as to how nuclear arsenals are activated, and the vulnerability of jumpships.

Note that due to the cumbersome nature of order giving in our little universe, it is necessary to think in advance. A nuclear arsenal can attack one jumpship, or roll 5 dice in "phase 0" of planetside combat.

Observe the turn sequence:


4- MOVEMENT- a) loading units onto Jumpships and b) Jumpship movement orders.
5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE- state each arsenal to be SAFE, ARMED (target:jumpship) or ARMED (target:unit)
6- BATTLE-


you see that jumpships arrive into system, then both the moving fleet's and the defending nuclear arsenals have the opportunity to fire. Then the moving fleet lands/unloads troops, then both arsenals again have the opportunity to fire.

Setting your defensive arsenals to attack all incoming jumpships could be bad for diplomacy. Leaving them set to attack only ground troops ensures that no "accidents" happen. However, in dire situations diplomacy is just another risk.

So, there are 3 options for arsenals:
1. SAFE - The arsenal won't be discharged no matter what
2. ARMED - SPACE - fires on other Houses' jumpships in the system
3. ARMED - GROUND - fires on other Houses' ground units

So loading an invading jumpship with 3 arsenals and setting the arsenals' orders to ARMED - SPACE pretty much insures the destruction of 3 enemy jumpships in the system. However, few can afford this tactic, eh, Countess?

What if a jumpship orbits an enemy planet with a different intention? Jumpships that don't drop troops can be reached only by the defender's nuclear arsenals. If the attacking jumpship offloads units, it is assumed to have landed in a hot zone, and is destroyed if the defender is victorious.

There is no provision for combat between jumpships in any other way other than firing nuclear arsenals. (would you like to see this changed?)
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:43, Mon 31 Mar 2008.

The imperial Chronicler posts a bulletin:

Due to general confusion regarding this issue, there will be a change in the rules regarding the Govern noble action. It will now read:

* Govern: Income of world +1D6 Solats.

Thank You for Your attention.

Thank you for the rules clarification.  My brother and I were discussing that jumpship point just yesterday when I was telling him the rules (I've tried to convert two people so far).

EDIT: It essentially means that nukes are the best planetary defense.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:30, Mon 31 Mar 2008.

wheee?
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:13, Tue 01 Apr 2008.

The table looks nice!

The imperial sages report...

we have graphics! yay!

...ahem.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:32, Tue 01 Apr 2008.

The table looks very nice, Chief.  Clearly displays relevent data 'n' all that.

The picture...is tiny.  While I'm sure it represents a great deal of work on your part, I think the current hex map is more effective.

teehee. The significance of the map is that I had entirely too much time today, and that I completed a megalomanic excel sheet for tracking all the lil things for the game - and that makes me all warm and fuzzy because I'll have more time to write fluff and have less errors in calculations. The graphic is actually only a byproduct of everything actually working. It should work rather well. As for the tiny size, well... refresh the page ;)

the previous table and map are actually automatically generated by the spreadsheet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:49, Tue 01 Apr 2008.

When are we going to continue?  After a few days of eagerly checking and seeing nothing, I begin to grow quite sad :(.

the Baron is posting his turn right about now.

fear not, I'm not about to let this game fade out. It's far too fun for me :)

Plus, I get to use the happenings as a background in a SF RPG game.

The imperial sages advise:

Noble Lords and Lady, please let us again bring to your attention the fact that any jumpship can move a maximum of 3 (three) sectors on the map per turn, and must end its movement in a star system or star station. Otherwise the ships will spend more than one turn in transit.

Am I confused... Void, are you changing the rule?  You specifically said that jumpships cannot end their turn in space when I asked about this.

I am only reminding players of jumpship movement rules.



The reference to "several turns in transit" is to ships taking a roundabout route that satisfies their movement restrictions. They have to start and end their (each turn's worth) movement in a non-empty hex.

The Colonial Rangers on turn 3 were a special case because it seemed to me that they just might be able to pull something like that off. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:31, Thu 03 Apr 2008.

The imperial scribes form an opinion:

can you take possession of anothers homeworld, if they have no troops there?

The rules seem to allow this. However, leaving a Homeworld with no military presence should be a condition rare in the extreme.

Strictly speaking, I can't see why this wouldn't be allowed.  After all, it isn't as if losing your Homeworld disqualified you from the game, as long as you have forces in the Sector you could hypothetically mount a comeback.

It'd be a hard fight though.  Of course, when House Troops cost 2 Solats per unit, you'd have noone to blame but yourself.

I may not be able to post right away until Saturday.  Isn't this a good chance for diplomacy? :)

P.s. do nukes count for occupying territory?

The imperial sages report:

Nuclear arsenals, damper fields, jumpships and nobles do not count as Armies for purposes of Diplomacy noble action.

In case anyone was wondering why there are no updates: I got married on saturday :)

Next update presumably tomorrow.

Well, I suppose that's a legit excuse... ;)

Congratulations!

Only if you had told in advance so we could have teased you about it :).

I hope you have a happy life together.

Nice to see Time and Space getting along so well.

Congratulations, and I wish you the best of luck in the future.

Hehe. Thanks, guys. Now, back to the game. Next update on Monday or Tuesday.

Pardon me, Mr. Void, but it seems that in the excitement of your pending honeymoon you've misplaced two of my troops.

Not misplace, Lord Nitrix ... the good Void sold them to me.
And at a bargain rate also.

I suppose I should say thank you ... but likely won't.

I'm going to double-check things, but the only missing item I see so far is a damper field.  Can those only be bought on home-planets, thus explaining the oddity?  There is a dearth of rules on that matter.  Furthermore, it is not clear whether a nuke vs. a damper field loses all its dice to destroy it or only gets one hit shaved off.

Thank you.

Um, will think on things and update soon.