Full Thrust campaign rules

Mostly by Roger Burton West (), with help from Peter Edge.

Scale and movement

Any FTL-capable ship can move six light years (six campaign map hexes) per turn.

Ships with tug class FTL that do not carry any other ships may move nine hexes.

Rules in use

Sections 2-5 and 8 from More Thrust

Optional rules are in use; specifically, C batteries may fire in the anti missile and anti fighter rôle.

Turn sequence

Increment RPs and TRPs

Spend RPs and TRPs

Execute ship/shipyard orders

Startup

• One star system containing at least one habitable planet
• 1,000 RPs that must be spent on ships
• 1,666 RPs that must be spent on a single 30/50 orbital shipyard (which may be upgraded from the ship RP allowance; the RPs given will give a mass 333 station with 7 firecons and 167 damage points but no free mass for weapons or defences)
• 10 TRPs that must be spent on ship design validation (including the shipyard station) or specific research

Recovery of damaged ships

Ships with no FTL and no normal space drive may be recovered if the ship's owner has any ships with functional normal space drive in-system, and has uncontested control of the system. While this condition is not satisfied, the ship continues adrift. If an enemy has uncontested control of the system and wishes to attempt a boarding operation, this may be run according to the standard rules.

Ships with FTL but no normal space drive may travel FTL to reach a system where the above condition is satisfied.

Ships with damaged FTL drives may not use the FTL Move order.

FTL travel

Capturing and holding a system

If a system is contested, RPs are still produced as normal, though shipping them may be risky.

A ship or station in a system may be destroyed at no cost by the player currently holding the system.

Any stockpiles of RPs, components, or partially built ships may be destroyed when a system is lost, at the option of the losing player.

Interaction

Players need never attack one another simply because they both have forces in the same system. If a battle is joined, however, third party forces cannot join in with a particular side unless their communication nets and IFF are coordinated. This should be done before they leave their home base (or, at worst, under non-combat conditions).

Scanning

1-3	no useful information
4-5	number of gas giants
6+	full list of planetary types

Scanning for presence of ships may only be done effectively from within a system, and follows the standard rules.

System contents

Asteroids (about 20 RP)

Large non breathable atmosphere body (PS 6, FS 4) (about 10 RP)

Gas giant (PS 8, FS 6 for operations in atmosphere) (about 10 RP)

Habitable planet (PS 6, FS 4) (about 40 RP)

Bodies with significant atmospheres act as level 3 screens against attacks into or out of the atmosphere.

Resources

A single merchant ship may transport one RP per cargo space available (40% of hull mass, or 20% for a hull with tug drive); naval supplies may be carried for the usual mass (so a fighter unit takes 6 cargo mass), but cannot in any circumstances be deployed during tactical play. RPs to be used must be transported to the site of their use (usually a shipyard).

RPs may be used for:

• Ship construction, repair and resupply
• Shipyard construction
• Technical complex construction
• Espionage
• Sabotage

Ship construction

Each shipyard can process only its first rating of RPs in a single turn.

The maximum hull size that can be constructed at a shipyard is its second rating.

Each new ship class design should be submitted before construction begins, for validation by the referee; this costs one TRP (see below). (This includes designs from the books.) Note that advantage-taking of breakpoints will be penalised at the referee's discretion.

The first ship of a new class incurs a 10% cost premium. The first time a ship of this class is used in battle, roll 2d6 for each system before the battle begins but after tactical deployment: on a double 1, the system fails under combat stress (thrusters are at half strength). The systems can be repaired at no cost after the battle, and the problem can be corrected automatically on other ships of the class.

Note that ships with interchangeable components (fighters and missiles) should be designed and costed with the standard model of each; however, there is no penalty for constructing them with different models (though the higher cost must of course be paid). Extra damage control parties are also added after ship construction and do not count as part of the class. More than three screen generators may be installed on larger ships, but only three will be effective at one time; the others are backup units.

Each ship must be named, as must each class; the class is typically named after the first member. Ships and classes will also have ID numbers assigned by the referee. This format is ppXXXYYY, where pp is the player's ID, XXX is the class identifier and YYY is the individual ship's identifier (both of which will be randomly assigned 3 digit numbers). Note that this number will change when the ship is modified.

A ship may be modified after construction (though hull size must remain the same). RPs equal to the cost of the new systems (plus 10% if the new configuration will be a new class) must be processed through the shipyard as normal; however, RPs equal to half the cost of the systems no longer used will be gained in return. The new class resumes prototype status.

Ship repair

Damage Points lost are repaired at the rate of 1 per 10 RPs when the ship is docked at a shipyard.

Ships may be repaired away from a shipyard if a repair ship module (25 mass, 50 points) is available. RPs for repair must be carried as cargo (1 RP per cargo mass used). The usual RP efficiency rules apply.

Ships undergoing repair when a system is attacked may still join the fight. All threshold checks are at a 1 point penalty (as shielding and damage control systems have been removed). Systems under repair may not be used; other systems are powered down, and must be restarted: roll d6 each turn, 1 cripples the system (though it can be repaired normally later), 5 or 6 activates it. Thrusters and FTL have a 1 point bonus. Thrusters come on line in two stages, as for damage. Any ships under repair not committed to battle are destroyed if the system is lost.

A ship may be scrapped if it is taken to a shipyard; this gives half the value of its undamaged systems in RPs.

Ship resupply

Destroyed or lost fighters must also be repurchased at normal cost. Note that a standard 6 ship fighter bay, without fighters, costs 8 points; individual standard fighters cost 2 points. Mixed fighter squadrons are not allowed.

Individual mines cost 2 points each (with the minelayer costing 4).

Resupply can take place anywhere supplies are stored (including from a merchant ship in free space), but not in hyperspace.

Shipyard construction

First rating	Cost	Mass	Second rating	Cost	Mass
10	250	50	25	250	50
30	500	150	50	500	100
50	1,000	250	100	1,000	200
70	2,000	350	200	2,000	400

Shipyards will have an ID number assigned by the referee, but must be named.

Shipyards should be designated as planetary or orbital. Note that this will restrict the ship types that may be constructed (planetary yards should only construct ships that will be able to leave the atmosphere), but planetary yards need not be built into stations if they are not to be moved from the construction site.

Bases must themselves be constructed at shipyards and moved into position by tugs; they may be constructed in modular sections. Planetary bases must be constructed with a level of streamlining appropriate to the tug being used to deploy them.

Planetary bases are constructed as stations, but if the world has a breathable atmosphere the hull cost is halved.

Research

Research intended to emulate a system that has been encountered (e.g. in combat) receive a discount of 1 TRP (it is known that the design is possible). If a working model of the design/system intended for research has been captured, the TRP is reduced by 25% (and at least 2 points). None of this can reduce the TRP cost below 1.

Operating captured ships will leave all systems unavailable to the operating player permanently at "prototype" status (until research on those systems is completed, as above).

Espionage

• Ships entering an enemy held system may attempt to launch an individual drop pod before any engagementof enemy forces; pods must be purchased before the battle (costing 50 RPs) and loaded aboard a specific ship. If the pod is launched successfully (roll 3 12 on 2d6), a spy has been landed on a specific world in the system (spying player's choice). Each turn the spy is asked to observe, he must make a discovery check as well as the spying roll. Naturally, a fleet that turns and runs as soon as it is engaged will arouse enemy suspicions.
• A cloaked ship may remain on station in the system (and may add its sensors bonus to the spying roll), but must make a discovery check (+3 if it has ECM) on any turn on which it makes a spying roll. The ship may decloak and attack at any time; if it attempts to leave the system without being detected, it must make a final discovery check.
• A non cloaked ship or group of ships may attempt to make a fast observation pass through the system, and may add 3 plus the highest ship's sensor bonus to the spying roll; however, enemy ships in system may engage them before they get sufficiently close to gather data.
• A player who loses a system to an enemy may pay 30 RPs from a stockpile in that system, in the same turn, to purchase a spy in place on a specific world. Each turn the spy is asked to observe, he must make a discovery check (with +1 bonus) as well as the spying roll.
• A spy or cloaked ship may take risks to gain information or attempt sabotage: each 1 on the discovery check gives a +1 to the relevant roll.

Discovery check

3-	The spy is observed and may be doubled. (The spying/sabotage fails. Spy ships treat this as a result of "4"; spies on planet may be doubled for a cost of 30 RPs from the system's stockpile. If this is done, the result is reported to the owner of the spy as a "5"; the owner of the system may then decide what reports to send on any future turn on which the spy is activated. A doubled spy in a system that changes hands is automatically killed.)
4	The spy is observed and may be captured. (The spying/sabotage fails. Spies on planet are automatically captured; cloaked spy ships may be engaged by enemy forces, and must start the game uncloaked. Note that ships may not enter FTL unless they were already attempting to execute an FTL move order!)
5	The spy is observed but escapes. (The spying/sabotage fails. Spies on planet have a permanent -1 to future spying and sabotage rolls; cloaked spy ships may make a normal FTL move in any direction if they were already attempting to execute an FTL move order.)
6+	The spy is not observed. (The spying/sabotage may proceed.)

Spying roll

7-	No information.
8	Number of civilian and military ships in system.
9	As above, plus hull categories (escort/cruiser/capital) for military ships (susceptible to decoys and weasels) and class designation of all stations.
10	As above, plus hull masses for all ships (not susceptible to decoys or weasels), and station ID and damage status of each station.
11	As above, plus class designation for each ship.
12+	As above, plus ship ID and damage status of each ship.

Sabotage

1-4	No luck.
5	Ship partly sabotaged. In the ship's next battle, one system (picked randomly) will fail under combat stress as soon as it is used (drives will be at half thrust, other systems cease to function).
6	Ship destroyed. This spy is now at -3 to all future spying and sabotage rolls. (Optionally this may be treated as a result of "5", if the owning player wants to use the spy again.)

Orders

Ship orders

• Load RPs
• Load military cargo
• Unload RPs
• Unload military cargo
• FTL Move >move_directions< (note: a Move attempt from a system with enemy ships present may not be successful)
• In-system Move (any ship with thrust may move anywhere in a system in one turn)
• Stand Off (when enemy ships are present in system, but you do not wish to engage or flee)
• Pick Up >ship_ID< (for tugs)
• Engage (enemy ships)

• Build <class> <# of RPs> (and the ship's name, to be specified when construction begins)
• Build <component> <# of RPs>

Order resolution

If any ships survive this, they may then engage any enemy forces selecting the "Stand Off" option. The standing off forces may choose the location in system where the engagement takes place.

If any engaging ships survive, they may then freely attack other enemy forces (including those attempting FTL movement out of the system, merchant vessels, etc.). The position of the defending forces is usually implicit in their orders (FTL movers must be in free space; merchants will normally be attacked in free space, but may be attacked near their bases at the attacker's option; etc.).

Any surviving ships then execute their other orders.

Battle setup

General

Ships may only leave the table when it is fixed. If a ship leaves the table, then it may disengage from combat. If a ship's owner wishes it to return to the table, then roll a d6. On a 1 2 it cannot, but on a 3 6 then it may return after that many turns. It is placed on the map edge it left from, with any facing and speed up to (Thrust*3).

Engaging FTL to flee may only be done if FTL movement was selected as that turn's option, as preparing for a jump takes some time.

Every turn, every ship still preparing may roll a d6 — on a 6 it may start the final powerup on the next turn, or any time after that during the battle. Ships preparing for jump may still manoeuvre and use systems. A ship that disengages from a fixed table, or remains in battle when all enemy ships have been disabled or destroyed, may jump after the battle. Otherwise, if a ship does not jump during the battle, its preparation is lost; FTL movement must then be selected again in the next campaign turn.

The final powerup takes one turn, during which the ship may not apply thrust or use offensive weaponry. The turn after this, the ship moves half its move and enters FTL.

FTL cannot be engaged near a gas giant, or within 40" of a dense world, 20" of a moon, or 10" of an asteroid.

Free space

All ships must start within 20" of all other ships in a fleet. Fighters and internally docked small ships may start docked or launched, as the player wants.

Ships may have any facing to start with, and speeds of up to (Thrust*3). If a battle came about from a pursuit (e.g. Engage vs FTL Move), the fleeing side may only have speeds of up to (Thrust*1).

At A Dense World

If one player has bases on or in orbit around the world, then the other player cannot choose to start within 10" of the planet, even if he ensured that the battle would be fought there.

All ships must start within 20" of all other ships in a fleet. Fighters and internally docked small ships may start docked or launched, as the player wants.

Ships may have any facing to start with, and speeds of up to (Thrust*3). If a battle came about from a pursuit (e.g. Engage vs FTL Move), the fleeing side may only have speeds of up to (Thrust*1) and must be faced away from the planet.

A dense world is represented by a template d6" in diameter, and any moons by templates d6/2" in diameter. No moon can be larger than the dense world it orbits. Moons are placed at (2d6+2)*10" away from the dense world at a random facing, the innermost being the world's first moon, and so on.

The first base on and in orbit around a world should be given a random facing and the others placed accordingly. Orbiting bases will be d6" away from the world.

Orbiting bases and ships move one facing unit per turn around their orbits. A facing unit is defined as half the distance from the base or ship to the centre of the orbit.

Orbiting ships may have any facing, and may change facing as though stationary. In order to take up an orbit around a dense world or moon, a ship must be moving at less than 6" and be within 6" of the surface of a dense world or moon at the start of its move. It can declare that is is orbiting in its orders, and will begin orbiting that turn.

Orbits can either be Fast or Slow. Fast orbiting bodies move at one facing unit per turn in their orbit, while slow orbiting bodies (including moons) do not move in their orbits during the battle. A ship can leave orbit at any time.

An orbiting ship can land on a world anywhere within 2 facing units of its orbital position, taking 1 turn. A ship can also launch into orbit anywhere within twice the radius of the world, taking 1 turn.

Once a planet and moons have been set up as above, a note should be made of distances so that it can be set up the same way again for future battles.

Gravity: at the end of each turn, ships not orbiting are moved 1" towards a dense world and 1/2" towards a moon.

At A Gas Giant

Ships will start at (40+d6*10)" away from each other.

All ships must start within 20" of all other ships in a fleet. Fighters and internally docked small ships may start docked or launched, as the player wants.

Ships may have any facing to start with, and speeds of up to (Thrust*3).

The table may only move perpendicular to the direction of gravity; it is fixed in the direction of the gravity well.

Ships that leave the map by the edge closest to the gas giant cannot return to the battle, but ships leaving the map by other edges may do so as normal.

Ships unable to maintain altitude at the end of the battle are lost if no sufficiently powerful tug is present in the combatant forces.

In An Asteroid Field

All ships must start within 20" of all other ships in a fleet. Fighters and internally docked small ships may start docked or launched, as the player wants.

Ships may have any facing to start with, and speeds of up to (Thrust*3).

Roll (d6*d6) for the number of asteroids on the table. Players take turns to place them, placing none within 12" of any other. Asteroid templates should be 1/4" in diameter.

Roll d6 for drift speed in inches and d12 for direction. All asteroids move at the same rate across the table. If any asteroid leaves the table, a new one will enter on the opposite table edge. Ships are placed after initial asteroid placement and drift detemination, which itself must follow fleet centre determination.

If the table is moved, then new asteroids should be placed on the new section, the same number as are taken off from the old section.

Asteroids may not be placed so as to collide with a base; it is assumed that the base was placed to take advantage of gaps in the field.

Collisions with asteroids are handled as per the rulebook.

Battle reports

• Time and place of the battle
• Who was fighting
• The ships that took part
• Final status of each ship (destroyed, captured, damaged (specify details), intact)

Systems available

A battery

B battery

C battery

PDAF

ADAF

Screen generator

Fighter bay (and fighters)

Submunition pack

Minelayer

Minesweeper

Fire Control

Missile (normal)

FTL drive

Damage control

Research TRP costs

Important note

Mail me () / Back to the Full Thrust page / Back to the home page