Well, good day to you. I welcome you to "Dark Horizons". This game has been worked out by myself, with help and advice from many helpful people present on these very forums. Though this game might seem complicated, for you the player it is anything but.
This game is run by me, Dyranum, and Co-GM Morrell8.
State Application is: CLOSED (there are still NPC states that can be taken though)
Game has started
Backstory:
The Imperium of Manx at the height of its power (Maroon) with puppet states (light maroon) and states in direct opposition to the Imperium (blue) also depicted.
It is the year 2552, one hundred years after the collapse of the Imperium of Manx. The chaotic fall of the Imperium lead to unfavourable consequences for its enemies as well, dependent as they were on trade with the Imperium. As such, they were drawn into the collapse of their age-old opponent. Due to the disruption of shipping and trade brought about by the abrupt collapse of the Imperium, many colonies were unable to sustain themselves and have been rendered barren of human life.
Nevertheless, the remaining human worlds have recovered, and once again turn their eyes towards the skies. However, unbeknownst to them, the Imperium still exists, albeit in shattered remnants. However, the most powerful of the Imperial remnants, based in the human homeworld of Earth, remains a great threat to the myriad of sovereign states emerging from the ashes of the old Imperium.
The Game and State Application:
The basic idea is that you come up with your own space-faring state which you then play. You are to simulate your country as its head of government. You may pass laws, direct your military, as well as a great many other things. However, if you manage your state badly or without care to your people, then you might very well face a revolution.
To apply for a state, choose a colour and a starting system (though for my sake, please not a yellow colour that is too close to the standard paint yellow). Then create a backstory for it which fits in with the overall backstory of the game. It makes it easier for me to understand what your state is all about. You can attempt to play an alien species, but that is up to me to determine. If I feel that there are too few humans then I might not agree to such a thing. It should also be noted that alien species can not be present everywhere. The map provided above in the backstory shows the approximate extent of human space during the time of the Imperium of Manx. That is where alien species cannot be.
Additionally, the strongest remnant of the Imperium of Manx (known by that name) is playable. The player playing as the Imperium of Manx will start out with the Sol System, which is a Large and Valuable System, the latter mainly due to housing the human homeworld Earth. If nobody picks the Imperium of Manx, then it will be an NPC. (Edit: the Imperium of Manx has been claimed)
EDIT: The Western remnant of the Imperium of Manx can also be played. For further information, consult the map down below, in addition to this post. (Edit: the Imperium of Manx (West) has been claimed)
EDIT2: In regards to alien states: As of right now, I will lift the restriction on alien species for the eastern part of the map only. However, you must still consult me on the nature of your species.
Rules & Procedures
The rules are quite simple. You send the orders you wish to do to me, Dyranum. What you want to do is only limited by your imagination and what is feasible in this sci-fi premise. For example, you can make an order about building a gigantic banana statue and what would go by fine, but if you want to build a galaxy-destroying superweapon then that's not going to happen. Keep in mind that you can trade with other states, create secret treaties, etcetera.
Each turn constitutes one year. No more and no less.
The main goal of this game is simply to have fun and guide your own state through this new and turbulent era. Conquest of the whole map is not the absolute goal, nor will such a goal garner you any allies. You can shape your state any way you want, provided that you have the support to do so. Although there are underlying factors, most things are hopefully presented very clearly and concisely.
Also, the order that the turns are processed is this (roughly):
0. Income
1. Stuff finishes construction. <--- This is where stats are
2. Regular Orders.
3. Unit Orders.
4. Combat
Orders
A state shall submit their orders to me via Private Message. The title of this message must have the name of your state and the date which the orders are for. For example, an order for the Imperium of Manx in 2440 would read: "DH – Imperium of Manx, 2440".
There are two kinds of orders. Regular Orders and Unit Orders. You are allotted five Regular Orders for each turn. They can be used for pretty much anything. Be it building units, destabilising an enemy, signing a treaty with another state, spying, or concocting an evil plan of creating genetically-altered gorillas to release on an enemy world. What is and what is not possible is limited by reason and technology. You cannot, for example, order the construction of a giant gun which can shoot across the whole map to blow up systems of your choosing. Please note that when building, you need to allocate different orders for different kinds of constructing. You can not use one order to construct both structures and units. However, you can use two different orders to achieve both of those things.
When constructing something, you must specify where.
Unit Orders on the other hand are unlimited. However, you can only issue one order per unit per turn. In these orders you can order your units to move somewhere, scuttle them, order a colony ship to colonise, order a troop ship to pick up an army, or anything of the sort related to your units.
Please note that there is a difference between orders for lone units and orders for fleets. Fleets move at the pace of their slowest member, and can be issued orders about general conduct when stationed in a system not owned by you. For example, they can be ordered to conduct orbital bombardment. Please do note that while you can do this on allied systems as well as those owned by your enemy, bombarding planets is not conducive to good relations.
Orders for lone ships on the other hand does not take into account the speed of other ships around them, and you can not issue orders of conduct. So, what is the point of issuing orders for solo ships, you might ask. Well, there is none. And I really appreciate it if you would keep orders for individual ships to a minimum.
Also note that when issuing move orders, you must specify what you are moving, from where, and to where. Please do note as well that units automatically engage any hostiles present in a system if you do not order otherwise. You could of course include in your orders what tactics you want your forces to use, and all that.
NOTE: You can only revise your orders once. Preferably none, though.
NOTE2: Some treaties do not need an order to be signed. These includes: peace treaties, as well as cease-fire treaties. Non-aggression treaties are not really counted either. Cease-fire treaties are not counted since they don't actually have any effect. You simply have to tell your units to not engage whoever you are fighting. The reasoning for peace treaties is obvious. Non-aggression treaties have a similar reason to cease-fire treaties.
As for Peace treaties, you must include a signing of one in your orders, but it does not actually occupy an order.
NOTE3: For move orders, I would really appreciate it if you would actuall write out all of it. For example, a ship moves three systems, then you would write it all out which systems it passes through.
EDIT: In order to try and make sure that I remain sane, and can produce updates, each player is limited to using only two sentences, or two lines, for their orders.
EDIT2: The above restriction does not fully apply to build orders.
Here are two examples, one showcasing an acceptable build order and the other showing an unacceptable build order.
An acceptable build order could be this:
Build 2 Light Ships at H8
Build 2 Medium Ships at H8
Build 77 Heavy Ships at H8
However, this is not an acceptable build order:
Construct 2 Light Ships at the system H8 for the purpose of exploring the surrounding systems and blahblahblah. Also proceed with construction on 2 Medium Ships as well, christening one of them "Emperor" and the other "Friendly Neighbour". When finished, deploy them to the H2 system. Also build one new heavy ship at H8, to be named "Greatest", and 76 heavy ships at H5, to be named blahblahblah.
Updates
The primary update is the yearly one. This is where the effects of your orders all play out. If I feel the need to do other, smaller updates, then I will do so. However, I will attempt to limit myself to the larger ones.
Trade and Income
You can gain income from your population, industry and trade. You can also gain money by treaties with other states (such as selling and buying), but that's obvious so I'm not going to cover that.
Your population is represented by population points. Each population point increases your income by +10. To increase population in a system, there are a variety of different ways. You could encourage immigration, seek out people already living in the system before you arrived, as well as other ways. Population points can be decreased through a variety of ways as well. Constant fighting in a system will make people move away. An outbreak of disease will decrease population as well.
If a system has no population points, then you can not make its population grow. It needs to have at least one point for that. In order to get people over to a system, you can transport one population point in a colony ship which you can then order to deposit in the system.
Industry on the other hand, is a much easier thing. You simply build it. Building industry in a system costs a sum of money, some time, and space. Each population point gives you two building plots in the system that they are in. Therefore, if a planet has three population points, you can have a maximum of six industrial points there. Every industrial point gives +10 to your income.
However, both industry and population based income is susceptible to administrative efficiency. A badly administered backwater will not be as efficient in generating money as a glorious capital. Administrative efficiency can be increased through orders.
Trade on the other hand, is not affected by administrative efficiency. Trade is represented by trade points, each of which gives you +1 to your income. You gain trade points by signing trade agreements. In trade agreements, you must include the systems affected by the agreement. Each system has a base value of +5 trade points when included in an agreement. The exception to this are Very Valuable systems who have a base value of +10 trade points.
Trade agreements are set treaties which contribute a number of trade points. These do not decay, but are dependent on the treaty and the relevant systems. For example, you might sign a trade treaty worth 30 trade points. This will add +30 income as long as that treaty is in effect, provided that your Merchant Fleet is at 100% strength.
You can only have at most 1 trade treaty with another state. This includes multi-state trade treaties. For example, [Placeholder] might have a treaty with [RandomTrader]. However, [Placeholder] has the possibility of signing a trade route treaty with [RandomTrader] and [LongTitleNeutral], if the previous treaty is cancelled.
To increase the number of trade points granted by a single system, you can build trade structures. Each trade structure increases gained trade points by +15. However, the exact income gained from trade is modified depending on the size of the merchant fleet for all trade points in your realm. Merchant fleets can be decimated by raids on your trade lines or sabotage, or other bad things.
EDIT: Please note that the systems included in trade agreements must be border systems. "But that gives me so little to work with!", you might say, and for huge empires that is true. However, as you can sign trade agreements between more than two people, then you can easily construct a sort of "trade route". If this is confusing, please say so and I shall clarify.
Units
Civilian
Colony Flottilas: Self-explanatory. Can transport 1 population point and claim planets. When claiming planets, the Colony Flottila is lost as it is used to set up one or more bases in various places in a system. Costs 40 credits to construct and deducts -2 credits from your income for upkeep.
Army
Irregulars: Badly trained and equipped soldiers. Can be anything from conscripts to militia. Should only be recruited during war-time as they are quick and relatively cheap to make, but on the other hand only serve for a limited time and are, as said before, not of the best quality.
Regulars: Well-trained, drilled and equipped soldiers. They are your best troops, and your professional standing army.
Navy
Light ships: Fairly self-explanatory. Lightly armed and armoured but fast spacecraft. Costs 10 credits to construct and deducts -1 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 3, meaning that it can move through 3 systems per turn.
Medium ships: Fairly self-explanatory. Medium armed and armoured spacecraft. Costs 20 credits to construct and deducts -2 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 2, meaning that it can move through 2 systems per turn.
Heavy ships: These are your heavy hitters. Costs 30 credits to construct and deducts -3 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 1, meaning that it can move through 1 system per turn.
Dreadnoughts: The heaviest and most powerful warships ever constructed. Can both take and dish out a lot of hurt. Costs 100 credits to construct and deducts -10 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 1, meaning that it can move through 1 system per turn.
Troops Ships: Can transport 100,000 worth of troops. Costs 10 credits to construct and deducts -1 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 2, meaning that it can move through 2 systems per turn.
System Structures
Industry: Each point gives you +10 income. Takes up 1 point of the build space on a system. Each population point gives 2 points of build space. Each point has an average cost of 20.
Fortification: Works as a system-specific increase of Army and Naval technology levels. Each Fortification structure adds +1. Takes up 1 points of the build space on a system. Represents all kinds of fortifications present on a planet. Each fortification has an average cost of 50.
Trade Structure: Increases the trade value (i.e. how many trade points you get for including a system in an agreement) of a system by +1. Takes up 2 points of the build space on a system. Each structure has an average cost of 30.
Capital: Exactly what it says on the tin. Losing your capital (through it being unavailable due to occupation, or outright destroyed)causes huge drops in administrative efficiency across your whole nation. A capital also keeps the administrative efficiency of the system it is in at 100%. Rebuilding your capital is not particularly expensive. On the other hand, it takes time, and does not fully remedy the drop in administrative efficiency.
Researching
Researching the next level of something has an average cost of 50*level, and two turns.
System Classes and Exploration
Every System has two attributes: Size and Valuability. These are both determined randomly when you first discover a System. Size determines how many population points can fit onto a system. Valuability determines the base income of a system.
Valuability runs on a 1-5 scale, from Worthless to Very Valuable.
Size also runs on a 1-5 scale, from Tiny to Huge.
Exploration is not automatically done when entering an unexplored system. Rather, you have to order it after your ship has arrived at the system (e.g., on turn 1 you order ship to move to system. On turn 2 you order ship to explore system). When exploring a system, you can run across a number of valuables, or something which is not conducive to the health of your explorer, or nothing at all.
Exploration is a cost-free activity, except for in time of course.
Random Events
There are several random disaster events which have a chance of happening every turn. Be on your guard for them, as they could seriously damage you, especially if you are a small state as they affect one system. However, please do note that Random Events do not affect players who only own one System.
Country Stats
Here's a brief rundown of the stats of your state in the order that they will be presented on a stats sheet.
Bank: How much credits you have in your treasury. If you have a negative number, then you're in debt. Debt siphons off 50% of the amount that you are in debt from your income. Every turn. So, I suggest that you do not debt-spend.
Base income: Your base income gained from your systems. Depends on the quality of your systems, and no other factor.
Population income: The income gained from taxing your population after being modified by administrative efficiency.
Industry income: The income gained from your industrial sector after being modified by administrative efficiency.
Trade points: How many trade points you have.
Merchant Fleet: This is the relative size of your merchant fleet in percent. It modifies the income gained from trade points.
Military Upkeep: The total cost of maintaining your military forces.
Actual income: Your actual income, after being modified by administrative efficiency and the size of your merchant fleet.
Stability: How stable your government is. Runs on a scale of 0-10. 10 is as stable as one can get, while 0 pretty much means that a collapse is imminent.
Infrastructure: This is a measure of your state's communications networks, railroads, roads, the works. A higher infrastructure level increases the chance for your orders to succeed.
FTL level: The level of your Faster-Than-Light technology. It runs on a scale of 1-7 and can be improved by researching the next level or maybe finding an abandonded advanced FTL drive from the days of the Imperium.
Colony Flottilas: This is the total number of colony flottilas you have.
Ground Forces Level: This is a measure of how advanced your ground weapons and equipment are, as well as how competent and well-trained your soldiers are.
Army, divided into how many Irregulars and Regulars you have.
Space Forces Level: This is a measure of how advanced your space weapons and equipment are, as well as how competent and well-trained your ship crews are.
Navy, divided into how many you have of the different types of spacecraft.
The Map
This is the base map which will be used.
The circles represent all the myriad individual systems. The designation of the system is always on its right. If you can not see what it says, then download the map, open it in an image-editing software and zoom in as close as possible.
The white lines connecting the different systems are regular travel lines/system connections.
The yellow lines connecting the different systems are long-range travel lines/system connections. To travel along those, you need at least level 4 FTL.
Most of the Systems start out with no name and only their designation. Only two don't. The System B6 is called "Manx", and the Imperium of Manx starts in the system B14 "Sol".
Represented on the map are also individual system stats.
The territory of the various states and nations are the coloured-in systems. The purple spheres with a question mark represent undiscovered NPC nations.
This here are the various icons that can be seen on your systems. (NOTE: If you are having problem viewing it, I suggest copying the picture and opening it up in an image-manipulation programme (like Microsoft Paint). Use the zoom feature to zoom in)
Within the green circle are industrial points. One small factory icon for one industrial point.
Within the red circle are system quality and size (in that order). This is organised into a 5-level system, with every level having its own colour.
Level1=Black
Level2=Red
Level3=Yellow
Level4=Light Green
Level5=Dark Green
Within the yellow circle is a fleet icon.
Within the two orange circles are fortifications. The more cross-like fortification is a special fortification which the Imperium of Manx starts with and which can be discovered by exploring systems. The difference between it and regular fortifications (the thicker cross) is that it does not occupy build space.
Within the brown circle is a trade structure.
Within the purple circle is the administrative efficiency metre and population points. Population points are the stacked squares.
The large X not pointed out with a circle is the capital.
Miscellaneous Tips and Notes
IRC Channel for the purpose of OOC chat:
Link: Coldfront
IRC: #Dark_Horizons
Instructions: Here
Rule Updates:
New Trade System
Table of Contents:
Player States
The Imperium of Manx
The Free and Imperial State of Gerdutches
The Seta Assembly
The Order of Divine Light
The Most Serene Republic of New West Slavia
The Gallic Empire
The Alkaterian Empire
Merchanos
The Human-Sandhana Republic
The Imperium of Manx (West)
The Black Bloc
The Sovereign Empire of Shenzhou
The Brotherhood of the Stars
The Kalji Empire
The Shofixti
Crimea Ryvuhr (formerly NPC)
NPC States
The Terran Ascendancy
The Aluxian Descendants
The Kjell-Mora Corporation
The Purian Hierarchy
The Empire of Wyoming
The Kingdom of Komnenia
The Union of Central American Nations
Great Tiě
The United Protectorates
The Arn Consortium
The Nitheim Resurgence
The Galan Rim Union
The United Councils of Farinenion (Farunenion)
Updates
2552
2553
2554-2564
Mini-Updates
The K4-K6 Altercation
State Stats
2552
2553
2564
Miscellaneous Flavour
The Rise of the Imperium of Manx, by famed historian Juan Alie (abridged)
This game is run by me, Dyranum, and Co-GM Morrell8.
State Application is: CLOSED (there are still NPC states that can be taken though)
Game has started
Backstory:
The Imperium of Manx at the height of its power (Maroon) with puppet states (light maroon) and states in direct opposition to the Imperium (blue) also depicted.
It is the year 2552, one hundred years after the collapse of the Imperium of Manx. The chaotic fall of the Imperium lead to unfavourable consequences for its enemies as well, dependent as they were on trade with the Imperium. As such, they were drawn into the collapse of their age-old opponent. Due to the disruption of shipping and trade brought about by the abrupt collapse of the Imperium, many colonies were unable to sustain themselves and have been rendered barren of human life.
Nevertheless, the remaining human worlds have recovered, and once again turn their eyes towards the skies. However, unbeknownst to them, the Imperium still exists, albeit in shattered remnants. However, the most powerful of the Imperial remnants, based in the human homeworld of Earth, remains a great threat to the myriad of sovereign states emerging from the ashes of the old Imperium.
The Game and State Application:
The basic idea is that you come up with your own space-faring state which you then play. You are to simulate your country as its head of government. You may pass laws, direct your military, as well as a great many other things. However, if you manage your state badly or without care to your people, then you might very well face a revolution.
To apply for a state, choose a colour and a starting system (though for my sake, please not a yellow colour that is too close to the standard paint yellow). Then create a backstory for it which fits in with the overall backstory of the game. It makes it easier for me to understand what your state is all about. You can attempt to play an alien species, but that is up to me to determine. If I feel that there are too few humans then I might not agree to such a thing. It should also be noted that alien species can not be present everywhere. The map provided above in the backstory shows the approximate extent of human space during the time of the Imperium of Manx. That is where alien species cannot be.
Additionally, the strongest remnant of the Imperium of Manx (known by that name) is playable. The player playing as the Imperium of Manx will start out with the Sol System, which is a Large and Valuable System, the latter mainly due to housing the human homeworld Earth. If nobody picks the Imperium of Manx, then it will be an NPC. (Edit: the Imperium of Manx has been claimed)
EDIT: The Western remnant of the Imperium of Manx can also be played. For further information, consult the map down below, in addition to this post. (Edit: the Imperium of Manx (West) has been claimed)
EDIT2: In regards to alien states: As of right now, I will lift the restriction on alien species for the eastern part of the map only. However, you must still consult me on the nature of your species.
Rules & Procedures
The rules are quite simple. You send the orders you wish to do to me, Dyranum. What you want to do is only limited by your imagination and what is feasible in this sci-fi premise. For example, you can make an order about building a gigantic banana statue and what would go by fine, but if you want to build a galaxy-destroying superweapon then that's not going to happen. Keep in mind that you can trade with other states, create secret treaties, etcetera.
Each turn constitutes one year. No more and no less.
The main goal of this game is simply to have fun and guide your own state through this new and turbulent era. Conquest of the whole map is not the absolute goal, nor will such a goal garner you any allies. You can shape your state any way you want, provided that you have the support to do so. Although there are underlying factors, most things are hopefully presented very clearly and concisely.
Also, the order that the turns are processed is this (roughly):
0. Income
1. Stuff finishes construction. <--- This is where stats are
2. Regular Orders.
3. Unit Orders.
4. Combat
Orders
A state shall submit their orders to me via Private Message. The title of this message must have the name of your state and the date which the orders are for. For example, an order for the Imperium of Manx in 2440 would read: "DH – Imperium of Manx, 2440".
There are two kinds of orders. Regular Orders and Unit Orders. You are allotted five Regular Orders for each turn. They can be used for pretty much anything. Be it building units, destabilising an enemy, signing a treaty with another state, spying, or concocting an evil plan of creating genetically-altered gorillas to release on an enemy world. What is and what is not possible is limited by reason and technology. You cannot, for example, order the construction of a giant gun which can shoot across the whole map to blow up systems of your choosing. Please note that when building, you need to allocate different orders for different kinds of constructing. You can not use one order to construct both structures and units. However, you can use two different orders to achieve both of those things.
When constructing something, you must specify where.
Unit Orders on the other hand are unlimited. However, you can only issue one order per unit per turn. In these orders you can order your units to move somewhere, scuttle them, order a colony ship to colonise, order a troop ship to pick up an army, or anything of the sort related to your units.
Please note that there is a difference between orders for lone units and orders for fleets. Fleets move at the pace of their slowest member, and can be issued orders about general conduct when stationed in a system not owned by you. For example, they can be ordered to conduct orbital bombardment. Please do note that while you can do this on allied systems as well as those owned by your enemy, bombarding planets is not conducive to good relations.
Orders for lone ships on the other hand does not take into account the speed of other ships around them, and you can not issue orders of conduct. So, what is the point of issuing orders for solo ships, you might ask. Well, there is none. And I really appreciate it if you would keep orders for individual ships to a minimum.
Also note that when issuing move orders, you must specify what you are moving, from where, and to where. Please do note as well that units automatically engage any hostiles present in a system if you do not order otherwise. You could of course include in your orders what tactics you want your forces to use, and all that.
NOTE: You can only revise your orders once. Preferably none, though.
NOTE2: Some treaties do not need an order to be signed. These includes: peace treaties, as well as cease-fire treaties. Non-aggression treaties are not really counted either. Cease-fire treaties are not counted since they don't actually have any effect. You simply have to tell your units to not engage whoever you are fighting. The reasoning for peace treaties is obvious. Non-aggression treaties have a similar reason to cease-fire treaties.
As for Peace treaties, you must include a signing of one in your orders, but it does not actually occupy an order.
NOTE3: For move orders, I would really appreciate it if you would actuall write out all of it. For example, a ship moves three systems, then you would write it all out which systems it passes through.
EDIT: In order to try and make sure that I remain sane, and can produce updates, each player is limited to using only two sentences, or two lines, for their orders.
EDIT2: The above restriction does not fully apply to build orders.
Here are two examples, one showcasing an acceptable build order and the other showing an unacceptable build order.
An acceptable build order could be this:
Build 2 Light Ships at H8
Build 2 Medium Ships at H8
Build 77 Heavy Ships at H8
However, this is not an acceptable build order:
Construct 2 Light Ships at the system H8 for the purpose of exploring the surrounding systems and blahblahblah. Also proceed with construction on 2 Medium Ships as well, christening one of them "Emperor" and the other "Friendly Neighbour". When finished, deploy them to the H2 system. Also build one new heavy ship at H8, to be named "Greatest", and 76 heavy ships at H5, to be named blahblahblah.
Updates
The primary update is the yearly one. This is where the effects of your orders all play out. If I feel the need to do other, smaller updates, then I will do so. However, I will attempt to limit myself to the larger ones.
Trade and Income
You can gain income from your population, industry and trade. You can also gain money by treaties with other states (such as selling and buying), but that's obvious so I'm not going to cover that.
Your population is represented by population points. Each population point increases your income by +10. To increase population in a system, there are a variety of different ways. You could encourage immigration, seek out people already living in the system before you arrived, as well as other ways. Population points can be decreased through a variety of ways as well. Constant fighting in a system will make people move away. An outbreak of disease will decrease population as well.
If a system has no population points, then you can not make its population grow. It needs to have at least one point for that. In order to get people over to a system, you can transport one population point in a colony ship which you can then order to deposit in the system.
Industry on the other hand, is a much easier thing. You simply build it. Building industry in a system costs a sum of money, some time, and space. Each population point gives you two building plots in the system that they are in. Therefore, if a planet has three population points, you can have a maximum of six industrial points there. Every industrial point gives +10 to your income.
However, both industry and population based income is susceptible to administrative efficiency. A badly administered backwater will not be as efficient in generating money as a glorious capital. Administrative efficiency can be increased through orders.
Trade on the other hand, is not affected by administrative efficiency. Trade is represented by trade points, each of which gives you +1 to your income. You gain trade points by signing trade agreements. In trade agreements, you must include the systems affected by the agreement. Each system has a base value of +5 trade points when included in an agreement. The exception to this are Very Valuable systems who have a base value of +10 trade points.
Trade agreements are set treaties which contribute a number of trade points. These do not decay, but are dependent on the treaty and the relevant systems. For example, you might sign a trade treaty worth 30 trade points. This will add +30 income as long as that treaty is in effect, provided that your Merchant Fleet is at 100% strength.
You can only have at most 1 trade treaty with another state. This includes multi-state trade treaties. For example, [Placeholder] might have a treaty with [RandomTrader]. However, [Placeholder] has the possibility of signing a trade route treaty with [RandomTrader] and [LongTitleNeutral], if the previous treaty is cancelled.
To increase the number of trade points granted by a single system, you can build trade structures. Each trade structure increases gained trade points by +15. However, the exact income gained from trade is modified depending on the size of the merchant fleet for all trade points in your realm. Merchant fleets can be decimated by raids on your trade lines or sabotage, or other bad things.
EDIT: Please note that the systems included in trade agreements must be border systems. "But that gives me so little to work with!", you might say, and for huge empires that is true. However, as you can sign trade agreements between more than two people, then you can easily construct a sort of "trade route". If this is confusing, please say so and I shall clarify.
Units
Civilian
Colony Flottilas: Self-explanatory. Can transport 1 population point and claim planets. When claiming planets, the Colony Flottila is lost as it is used to set up one or more bases in various places in a system. Costs 40 credits to construct and deducts -2 credits from your income for upkeep.
Army
Irregulars: Badly trained and equipped soldiers. Can be anything from conscripts to militia. Should only be recruited during war-time as they are quick and relatively cheap to make, but on the other hand only serve for a limited time and are, as said before, not of the best quality.
Regulars: Well-trained, drilled and equipped soldiers. They are your best troops, and your professional standing army.
Navy
Light ships: Fairly self-explanatory. Lightly armed and armoured but fast spacecraft. Costs 10 credits to construct and deducts -1 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 3, meaning that it can move through 3 systems per turn.
Medium ships: Fairly self-explanatory. Medium armed and armoured spacecraft. Costs 20 credits to construct and deducts -2 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 2, meaning that it can move through 2 systems per turn.
Heavy ships: These are your heavy hitters. Costs 30 credits to construct and deducts -3 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 1, meaning that it can move through 1 system per turn.
Dreadnoughts: The heaviest and most powerful warships ever constructed. Can both take and dish out a lot of hurt. Costs 100 credits to construct and deducts -10 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 1, meaning that it can move through 1 system per turn.
Troops Ships: Can transport 100,000 worth of troops. Costs 10 credits to construct and deducts -1 credits from your income for upkeep. Has a movement value of 2, meaning that it can move through 2 systems per turn.
System Structures
Industry: Each point gives you +10 income. Takes up 1 point of the build space on a system. Each population point gives 2 points of build space. Each point has an average cost of 20.
Fortification: Works as a system-specific increase of Army and Naval technology levels. Each Fortification structure adds +1. Takes up 1 points of the build space on a system. Represents all kinds of fortifications present on a planet. Each fortification has an average cost of 50.
Trade Structure: Increases the trade value (i.e. how many trade points you get for including a system in an agreement) of a system by +1. Takes up 2 points of the build space on a system. Each structure has an average cost of 30.
Capital: Exactly what it says on the tin. Losing your capital (through it being unavailable due to occupation, or outright destroyed)causes huge drops in administrative efficiency across your whole nation. A capital also keeps the administrative efficiency of the system it is in at 100%. Rebuilding your capital is not particularly expensive. On the other hand, it takes time, and does not fully remedy the drop in administrative efficiency.
Researching
Researching the next level of something has an average cost of 50*level, and two turns.
System Classes and Exploration
Every System has two attributes: Size and Valuability. These are both determined randomly when you first discover a System. Size determines how many population points can fit onto a system. Valuability determines the base income of a system.
Valuability runs on a 1-5 scale, from Worthless to Very Valuable.
Size also runs on a 1-5 scale, from Tiny to Huge.
Exploration is not automatically done when entering an unexplored system. Rather, you have to order it after your ship has arrived at the system (e.g., on turn 1 you order ship to move to system. On turn 2 you order ship to explore system). When exploring a system, you can run across a number of valuables, or something which is not conducive to the health of your explorer, or nothing at all.
Exploration is a cost-free activity, except for in time of course.
Random Events
There are several random disaster events which have a chance of happening every turn. Be on your guard for them, as they could seriously damage you, especially if you are a small state as they affect one system. However, please do note that Random Events do not affect players who only own one System.
Country Stats
Here's a brief rundown of the stats of your state in the order that they will be presented on a stats sheet.
Bank: How much credits you have in your treasury. If you have a negative number, then you're in debt. Debt siphons off 50% of the amount that you are in debt from your income. Every turn. So, I suggest that you do not debt-spend.
Base income: Your base income gained from your systems. Depends on the quality of your systems, and no other factor.
Population income: The income gained from taxing your population after being modified by administrative efficiency.
Industry income: The income gained from your industrial sector after being modified by administrative efficiency.
Trade points: How many trade points you have.
Merchant Fleet: This is the relative size of your merchant fleet in percent. It modifies the income gained from trade points.
Military Upkeep: The total cost of maintaining your military forces.
Actual income: Your actual income, after being modified by administrative efficiency and the size of your merchant fleet.
Stability: How stable your government is. Runs on a scale of 0-10. 10 is as stable as one can get, while 0 pretty much means that a collapse is imminent.
Infrastructure: This is a measure of your state's communications networks, railroads, roads, the works. A higher infrastructure level increases the chance for your orders to succeed.
FTL level: The level of your Faster-Than-Light technology. It runs on a scale of 1-7 and can be improved by researching the next level or maybe finding an abandonded advanced FTL drive from the days of the Imperium.
Colony Flottilas: This is the total number of colony flottilas you have.
Ground Forces Level: This is a measure of how advanced your ground weapons and equipment are, as well as how competent and well-trained your soldiers are.
Army, divided into how many Irregulars and Regulars you have.
Space Forces Level: This is a measure of how advanced your space weapons and equipment are, as well as how competent and well-trained your ship crews are.
Navy, divided into how many you have of the different types of spacecraft.
The Map
This is the base map which will be used.
The circles represent all the myriad individual systems. The designation of the system is always on its right. If you can not see what it says, then download the map, open it in an image-editing software and zoom in as close as possible.
The white lines connecting the different systems are regular travel lines/system connections.
The yellow lines connecting the different systems are long-range travel lines/system connections. To travel along those, you need at least level 4 FTL.
Most of the Systems start out with no name and only their designation. Only two don't. The System B6 is called "Manx", and the Imperium of Manx starts in the system B14 "Sol".
Represented on the map are also individual system stats.
The territory of the various states and nations are the coloured-in systems. The purple spheres with a question mark represent undiscovered NPC nations.
This here are the various icons that can be seen on your systems. (NOTE: If you are having problem viewing it, I suggest copying the picture and opening it up in an image-manipulation programme (like Microsoft Paint). Use the zoom feature to zoom in)
Within the green circle are industrial points. One small factory icon for one industrial point.
Within the red circle are system quality and size (in that order). This is organised into a 5-level system, with every level having its own colour.
Level1=Black
Level2=Red
Level3=Yellow
Level4=Light Green
Level5=Dark Green
Within the yellow circle is a fleet icon.
Within the two orange circles are fortifications. The more cross-like fortification is a special fortification which the Imperium of Manx starts with and which can be discovered by exploring systems. The difference between it and regular fortifications (the thicker cross) is that it does not occupy build space.
Within the brown circle is a trade structure.
Within the purple circle is the administrative efficiency metre and population points. Population points are the stacked squares.
The large X not pointed out with a circle is the capital.
Miscellaneous Tips and Notes
- It is inadvisable to do large movements of fleets before attaining Level 3 FTL due to how accident-prone the lower levels of FTL can be.
- You cannot communicate with states that you do not know of. To establish some sort of connection with another state, you have to border them, border someone who borders them, or have sent ships into their territory or met one of their ships and...you get the general idea. Mostly a roleplaying thing because else some things would become rather weird; say someone at turn 1 who is in one corner of the map, talking with some alien species - which has never made contact with any humans - all the way over in the other corner.
- Trade Agreements can be made to encompass multiple states in a sort of trade route.
- Population points are coloured differently on the map. This does not necessarily indicate what language or ethinicity they are. Rather, it is more a sort of what state they think they belong to (or something like that. I prefer keeping this part mostly undefined.).
- When claiming new systems, you can give them a name.
- It is inadvisable to start in systems connected only with yellow lines.
- The Imperium of Manx is essentially the Roman Empire in space. This might clue you in on some of its background, as well as how people view it and its remnant. Furthermore, the Carthage-equivalent used to be Earth.
- Systems under foreign occupation do not give any income.
- Systems not connected to your capital by either itself or through other systems owned by you, will gain you negative income, be prone to rebellion, and have an administrative effectiveness of 0%. Connecting such a system to your capital will remove the negative income and rebellion maluses. However, it will not remedy the administrative effectiveness.
IRC Channel for the purpose of OOC chat:
Link: Coldfront
IRC: #Dark_Horizons
Instructions: Here
Rule Updates:
New Trade System
Table of Contents:
Player States
The Imperium of Manx
The Free and Imperial State of Gerdutches
The Seta Assembly
The Order of Divine Light
The Most Serene Republic of New West Slavia
The Gallic Empire
The Alkaterian Empire
Merchanos
The Human-Sandhana Republic
The Imperium of Manx (West)
The Black Bloc
The Sovereign Empire of Shenzhou
The Brotherhood of the Stars
The Kalji Empire
The Shofixti
Crimea Ryvuhr (formerly NPC)
NPC States
The Terran Ascendancy
The Aluxian Descendants
The Kjell-Mora Corporation
The Purian Hierarchy
The Empire of Wyoming
The Kingdom of Komnenia
The Union of Central American Nations
Great Tiě
The United Protectorates
The Arn Consortium
The Nitheim Resurgence
The Galan Rim Union
The United Councils of Farinenion (Farunenion)
Updates
2552
2553
2554-2564
Mini-Updates
The K4-K6 Altercation
State Stats
2552
2553
2564
Miscellaneous Flavour
The Rise of the Imperium of Manx, by famed historian Juan Alie (abridged)
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