Galactic Control Rules

Introduction:
	The Altairans are dead.  Killed by a telepathic virus that
wiped out their entire race, their centuries of galactic domination are
over.  In the wake of the crumbled empire, a number of intelligent races,
each enslaved by the Altairans, have inherited the technological secrets
of their overmasters.  Now the race is on to see which race can exploit
the Fastrav device, and other technologies to assume the Altairans place
and achieve Galactic Control.

Winning Galactic Control:
	To win Galactic Control you must destroy all of your enemies'
Starbases and starships.  When they have no space-borne weapons, the other
races will be easily conquered.

How to Start:
	Each player submits his race's name.  The name must be eight or 
less alphabetic characters that form a somewhat pronouncable word.  This
makes it easier for the players to tell the other races apart.  Then you 
will be assigned a home system.  This system will allready contain a 
starbase.

Playing the Game:
	Each turn of the game consists of three stages:
	Stage A - Building
	Stage B - Fastraving
	Stace C - Resolving Battles
	The players plan and execute one stage at a time.  All players
will execute a given stage simultaneously.  No chance is involved in 
Galactic Control.

Stage A - Building

	In the building stage of the turn, each player builds starbases
and starships.  In any system where a player has a fully completed starbase, 
he will be able to utilize the solar system resources (expressed in credits)
to build new starships, retrofit old starships, refuel old starships, or 
research new technologies.  Solar system resources may only be utilized at 
the starbase in that system and they cannot be saved for future turns.  
However, a given task (such as building a new ship) can be partially completed
on a given turn and more resources can be allocated on future turns.
	Also, in any building stage, a player may develop a system if at 
least one ship of size larger than a fighter is currently in that system and
no starships of other players are present.  When development is intiated, all
the solar system resources will be available, but they must all be expended 
towards the completion of a starbase before any other construction can be
undertaken.  Prior to a space stations completion it may be abandoned in
that system, but it will remain partially completed for any player to 
come along and complete.

Construction Costs:

                    Cost         Combat Fuel / Max #

Starbase            200          
	- no combat fuel is ever required for a starbase
	- starbases are immune to laser cannon fire

Mini-fighter        10             5 / 1
	- immune to photon torpedoes
	- immune to anti-matter missiles

Fighter             20             10 / 3
	- immune to anti-matter missiles

Cruiser             50             20 / 5

Battleship          100            40 / 7
	- immune to laser cannon fire


Note: The combat fuel costs column has two numbers.  The first is the
cost of ONE load of combat fuel.  The second is the maximum number of
loads of combat fuel that a ship of that class can carry.


Weapon and defenses costs

Laser cannon and generator                 10

Laser dispersal field and generator        10

Photon torpedo launcher                    50

Photon torpedo                             30

Anti-matter containment field              75

Anti-matter missile                        50

Counter-missile Missile launcher           50

Counter-missile Missile                    15



Spaceship Weapon Limitations

Weapon or Defense       Mini       Fighter       Cruiser     Battleship

Laser Cannon             1          2             4           10             

Laser Shield             1          2             6           NA

Photon Launcher          0          1             2           5
Torpedo                  0          3             6           12

Anti-matter Cont.        0          0             1           2
Anti-matter Missile      0          0             2           8

Counter-missile Launch.  0          1             3           8
Counter-missile Missile  0          3             9           25



Descriptions:

Mini-fighter - These are tiny ships designed largely for defense and
exploration.  They can carry only limited fuel and weaponry.  However,
they are very fast and maneuverable and are able to dodge both photon
torpedoes and anti-matter missiles.

Fighter - These are small ships designed for battle.  They can carry 
weaponry heavy enough to destroy a starbase or battleship, but are 
somewhat limited in how much they can carry.  Fighters are quite nimble 
and are able to dodge anti-matter missiles.

Cruiser - These medium sized warships are capable of developing a new 
starsystem and can hold enough fuel to go on extended missions.

Battleships - These massive space vessels are frequently bristling 
weapons platforms.  They can single-handedly take on fleets of smaller
ships.  They are capable of developing a new starsystem, and are frequently
the core of any offensive or defensive fleet.  Battleships are so massive, 
and have so much shielding over their engines and other critical systems, 
that they are invulnerable to attempts to destroy them with laser fire.

Note: For some reference, a mini-fighter is the size of an X-wing,
a fighter is the size of the Millenium Falcon, a cruiser is 100 times as
large as a fighter, and a battleship 100 times as large as a cruiser.


Starbases - These construction facilities are the backbone of a galactic
empire.  They are capable of holding an unlimited amount of weaponry and
defenses, but are unable to travel from system to system.  Other space 
vehicles may be refueled at a starbase, but the base requires no combat
fuel to utilize its weaponry.  Similar to battleships, starbases immense
mass an cooling systems render it immune to laser fire.

Note: These are the size of the starbase in Startrek II or a Death star,
not the size of Deep Space Nine.

Laser Cannon and Generator - This weapon is a large laser producing device,
a series of targetting systems, and a nuclear power generator.  When focused
on a ship the laser superheats the ship and overloads critical systems, 
causing the ships reactors to explode, destroying the vessel.

Laser Dispersal Field and Generator - This defense is a series of intense
magnetic field generators and a power source.  The coils of a single field
are capable of dispering the energy of a single incoming laser beam.  If
more laser cannons are focused on a ship than it has dispersal fields, it
will still be destroyed.

Photon Torpedo Launcher and Torpedoes - This weapon is a system which launches
photon torpedoes.  These missiles home in on their intended target and release 
a mass of high energy photons much more intense than a focused laser weapon.
If detonated close enough to the target, this will overload critical systems
and possibly melt a significant portion of the ship, destroying it.

Anti-matter Containment Field and Missiles - This weapon consists of a powerful
magnetic bottle designed to safely contain several chunks of the volatile
anti-matter.  By fluctuating the field presicely, the chunks can be projected
at great velocity at a target vessel.  If the chunk strikes the target, it will
release a vast amount of energy and vaporize the offending vessel.  The chunks
of antimatter move so quickly that it is impossible to accurately aim a
counter-missile to strike them.  However, exploding a counter-missile near the
chunk is possible and this can deflect the chuck's path.  Two such explosions
are required to adequately deflect the anti-matter missile.

Counter-missile Missile Launcher and Missiles - These small missiles lock in 
on incoming missiles, fly into close proximity and detonate.  While these
conventional explosions are insignificant against a starship, they are capable
of causing a photon torpedo to detonate prematurely, or of deflecting a chunk
of anti-matter (in pairs).  Counter missiles can be fired at any missile being
deployed in the battle, they need not be fired at missiles approaching the 
ship with the counter-missile launcher.


Retrofitting a Starship: If a starship returns to a starbase after it has
been completed, additional weapons and defenses may be added to the ship at
standard cost, as long as the total number of weapons on board does not
exceed the ships maximum capacity.  All ready constructed torpedoes and 
missiles may be transferred from a ship to the station, from the station to
a ship, or between two ships in the same system.

Refuelling a Starship:  Each starship has its own combat fuel requirements. 
For each battle the ship is involved in it will expend one load of fuel.  The
maximum number of loads of combat fuel that can be contained (and the price
per unit) is listed on the starship costs chart.  If a ship is in the same
system as a starbase, that starbase can expend solar system resources on fuel
to be placed into the ship.  


****** important section ******

Researching new technologies:  Sometimes the secret to victory is the
development of technology that is alien to your opponents.  A starbase may
dedicate solar system resources to the development of a new technology.  If
a player wishes to research a new technology, he sends the game controller a
description of the new technology (ie, I want to begin the development of 
photon mines to leave in a starsystem).  The cost of developing a new 
technology is unknown to the player and will remain so until the necessary
credits have been allocated to its development.  At this time the station will
have completed a prototype to be installed in a starship, and the cost to build
more units will be made available to that player.  The research, once completed
can be transfered to other stations, and the player may use that technology
from any of his starbases.  Only completed technologies can be transferred.
The player is required to come up with some explanation for what the new
technology is capable of and how it achieves this task.  Particularly feeble
ideas, particularly tasteless names, or extremely powerful technologies can
be expected to result in extremely high development costs.  For example, it
might take a very long time to develop the Boingey-Boingey ray or a weapon 
which destroys all your enemies ships instantly.  On the other hand, if you
explain how a photon mine would work (say a photon missile which has a time
delay to activation and is programmed to home in on the largest metallic mass
to enter the system after activation) you can expect to be treated fairly.



Stage B - Fastraving

The Altairans greatest invention, which allowed them to create their galactic
empire, was the Fastrav device.  This device allows for the transmission of 
energy and mass from one point to another without crossing the intervening
distance.  Amazingly, this mysterious technology requires very little energy
to operate.  The Altairans developed several uses for the device, each of
which you have inherited.  The first is a communications system which allows
for instantaneous communication between ships even between star systems.
This allows you to keep constant contact with all your ships, and to relay
their orders to them.  Futher, this will allow you to communicate with your 
opponents if you wish.  The second, and more important use, is the ability
to install a fastrav device in a starship, allowing it to move between 
different star systems.  On each fastrav stage, a player submits a list of all
the different fastravs his ships will be making.  Unfortunately, moving a mass
through a fastrav field generates a wake which can be detected anywhere in the
universe.  In fact, the Altairans developed sensors so sophisticated that they
were capable of detecting every Fastrav that was undergone.  After all players
have submitted their orders, all the ships move.  Each player is then given
a list of fastravs.  Example:  You order two fighters to fastrav from system 12
to system 47.  Every player will recieve a warning that a mass moved from
system 12 to system 47.  The exact number and type of ships is unknown, and
its also impossible to tell who's ships they are (merely from the signature,
cunning players may be able to figure out who is who in some cases).

The Altairans researched for many years, but were unable to ever develop a
technique to mask the Fastrav signature of a moving mass.  It is unlikely
that your scientists will fare much better.

If a ship fastrav's into a system that contains a black hole it will be
destroyed.  There is no way to know what is in a system without fastraving
there (the light from recent events hasn't got anywhere yet).  It may be
advisable to send scouts ahead of any major battlefleet.  You have been
warned.  (There will be 64 available star systems.  Perhaps one or two will
have a danger of this magnitude.)

Space is a strange and unpredictable place, expect the unexpected.  You may
encounter unusual phenomena in a couple of star systems.  If you can use 
these to your advantage, feel free to do so.

If ships from multiple races fastrav into the same system, they will all
arrive at the same time.  It is entirely possible that a battle will occur
at this point.  Ships may also fastrav into an occupied system.  Again, 
tensions will be high.  If ships fastrav into a system that other ships
are fastraving out of in the same stage, then the ships will have no chance
to interact.


Stage C - Resolving Battles

After all the fastrav orders have been submitted, each player will recieve
a list of all fastravs and a report from their ships indicating what is in
the systems they have arrived at.  In any system where there are ships of 
another type, the player has the opportunity to spend combat fuel.  At the
same time, the other player (or players) present will have the same chance.
Each player must chose whether or not to declare they are spending combat
fuel without knowing if the other ships are doing so.  Once all ships in the
system have declared, all ships which spent combat fuel will have the 
opportunity to attack.

Ships which have opted not to expend combat fuel will not be allowed to
make any attacks on enemy ships.  They may, however, deploy any defenses 
that they possess.

Ships which have the opportunity to attack will declare their attacks.
The players in question will decide where each weapon on each of their 
ships is aimed (if it is being used at all).  After these are submitted,
The players will be informed what weapons are being engaged on each of their
ships.  The target vessels (plus other ships in the same system with 
counter missile defenses) will then indicate which defenses
they which to deploy against each incoming attack.  If an attack is not 
defended (either by choice, or from lack of available defenses) then the ship 
is destroyed.

I say again, any ship that takes a hit from any of the available weapons of
mass destruction will be annihilated.

If there are ships of several players still in the system after the engagement,
then there will be another volley of fire, although other inactive ships will
have the opportunity to spend combat fuel and join the fray.  Only one
load of combat fuel is needed regardless of how many volleys are required.

Battle in Galactic Control takes place with distances in the order of an
AU (the distance from the earth to the sun) between ships.  It is impossible
for ships to actually ram each other.

Fleeing from battle:  If you decide that you do not want to participate in a 
battle, your ships may attempt to flee.  While conventional vehicle velocities
are far supersceded by the ranges of the available weaponry, ships may attempt
to evacuate using an emergency Fastrav jump.  In any combat phase, when ships
are declaring their attacks, ships may also declare that they are retreating.
That attack round is resolved.  Note that ships may chose to expend combat 
fuel and attack their opponents while retreating, or they may simply defend.
After that attack is complete, the ships will Fastrav to a new system (as
selected by the player retreating).  Such ships will not be arrive at that 
system until AFTER any battle occuring there is resolved.  If there is an 
opponent present another battle might begin.  Ships which retreat in one battle
stage may not use their Fastrav devices in the next proper Fastrav stage.

Game Play over Internet:

There will be a number of players involved in the game of Galactic Control.
Thanks to the nature of the internet, there should be reasonably good isolation
between players.  

Communicating to other players:
The players will NOT know each others internet adresses.  Rather, they will be
able to direct communications to a specific star system.  These will take the
form of messages (in Altairan, since everybody knows how to translate it to
their own language).  When you wish to send a message, send it to the game
controller (rjchapma@acs.ucalgary.ca) with 'GC: Communication' in the subject.
The top line of the message should read "Communication to Star System XX"
The controller will then check who, if anyone is in that system, and transmit
the message to them.  Messages should be 'in character'.  This meanse that they
should address the leadership of the alien race, not some guy in Toronto.  They
should not contain any reference to game mechanics, such as turns, phases, or
credits.  They may, however, contain system identification numbers, weapon
names, or names of technologies.  In order that the 'in character' nature of
the messages, they may not be transmitted in code, the controller must be able
to read them.  If you wish to create secure messaging, a transmitted message
may include as a header *** This message contains a  encryption key
intended for the  ***.  Messages sent after that point may contain
as a header *** This message is encrypted under the key  intended
for  ***.  Races without the key will recieve a indication that a 
message was recieved but that it was encrypted.  Ships will be recognizable
by sight, so visual comformation will be the only certain way to know who you
are talking to.

For convenience, each turn (including all three stages) will take 1 ATU 
(Altairan Time Unit).  You can communicate, say, the timing of a joint
attack on an enemy by "Attack in 3 ATUs."

Responses to the latest output from the game controller will be expected
within two weekdays, although faster responses are encouraged.  If you will
be unable to respond in that time, please give notice ahead of time.  I will
attempt to process message transmissions as quickly as possible, you may be
able to get off a long conversation while somebody decides what they will
be building.

I will warn you if I think you are taking too long.  After that, I will begin
to assume that you do nothing in the current stage and move on without you.
In this, as with all other matters, the word of the game controller will be
final.  My hope is that this will be a fun recreational experience for all 
involved.  Good luck.


Some final hints on strategy:  You will start out with a single starbase that
has no defenses.  Build it some quickly, because if your starbase is destroyed
and you have no ships larger than a fighter, you will not be able to build a 
new one, or to build new starships, and you will not be a contender.  Early
casualties from quick strikes will be eliminated without remorse.  You have
been warned. 
You can't build a galactic empire without any resources.  Try to explore as
much of the map as you can, and remember that the numeric ordering of systems
is a convenience.  You can jump from anywhere to anywhere.  There will be
64 star systems to choose from, look for good resource bases.
Having some allies can't hurt.  Making peace with one race is a good way to 
get an advantage over a common enemy.  Just remember that there's no such
thing as a treaty that can't be broken.
Lastly, you can only build new Starbases with ships of cruiser or better 
size.  If your home starbase is destroyed and you have no other starbases, 
and no ships large enough to construct one, you will be unable to build new
ships or stations.  It is advisable to make several Starbases on different
systems to protect your galactic empire.



The following abbreviation standards are to be followed whenever 
convenient:

LC - Laser cannon
LD - Laser Dispersal Field
PL - Photon Torpedo Launcher
PT - Photon Torpedo
AC - Antimatter Containment Field
AM - Antimatter Missile
CL - Counter-missile Launcher
CM - Counter-missile Missile

MF - Mini-fighter
FT - Fighter
CR - Cruiser
BS - Battleship

Please give your ships and stations short but individual names.  
Large groups of ships could have systematic names (Gold 5) but try to 
avoid purely alphanumeric identifiers.