GAME RULES

ECONOMIC PRODUCTION

Each planet or nation in Starfire is given four values:

FREIGHTER VALUE

An abstract value representing the amount of freighter tonnage which can be used to transport trade goods, raw materials, colonies, etc. Each point of freighter value can move approximately 1000 colonists and their equipment, 10% of the entire raw material output of a large world, or 20 MU (monetary units).

RAW MATERIAL VALUE

A note of any resource abundances or deficiencies on the planet. Typically mentioned resources would be agriculture (ie. food), metals, iridium, and water. A deficiency indicates that the given material is needed even for basic economy to function--any lack of it will cause a significant drop in industrial output and popular support. An abundance of a material indicates enough excess to export to other countries, presumably those with deficiencies. Nations may negotiate any prices or terms they wish for such transfers. Typically, to ship enough materials to make up for a deficiency requires 1 Freighter Value for every 20 industrial value at the target planet.

INDUSTRIAL VALUE

A measure of the planet's industrial output in MU (monetary units), assuming that all necessary raw materials are available. Typical industrial values are given in the chart below. It should be noted that the industrial value represents only output in excess of those goods needed to maintain an "average" standard-of-living on the planet/nation. Rulers may increase their industrial output by up to three times, representing higher taxes or the withdrawal of resources from social programs; however, social unrest can result from this. Of course, rulers may also place more resources into the standard-of-living programs by reducing their industrial output, thus making the population happier and more content with his rule.

SHIPYARD VALUE

Measures a planet/nation's ship construction capacity. Each point of shipyard value allows construction of 1 combat value of ship per year. (For production purposes, ships are measured at full value despite science or troop modifications. For construction purposes, a point of Freighter Value has a combat value of 5.)

ECONOMIC SPENDING

There are no limits on what a player can spend MU on. Some ideas and basic guidelines:

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION

See below.

BUILDING COLONIES

About 1 MU per 100 people, depending on the destination. Once they reach settlement size, colonies will also grow on their own due to birth rate and immigration.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Approximately 10-15 MU would increase a planet's industrial value by 1.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Increase exploration/exploitation of resources and raw materials. Cost varies.

FREIGHTER CONSTRUCTION

Increase the freighter value. Costs 10 MU per FtrVal (3 if sub-light).

PURE RESEARCH

General scientific research. In general, each MU spent in a certain field will give a chance of some sort of breakthrough.

APPLIED RESEARCH

Research toward a specific goal or production of a specific technological item. Cost (and time) varies.

DIPLOMATS

Maintaining interstellar embassies and communication links costs money. In general, 1 MU will allow a nation to maintain major embassies and consulates in all other nations. This is unnecessary for small nations who only maintain full-scale relations with a few neighbors. Larger amounts might need to be spent by major empires who must maintain very close connections with numerous colonies and client states.

ESPIONAGE

1 MU annually will support a single large network of internal or external agents. Examples of a single network would include a counter-espionage force, a general foreign intelligence agency, a powerful internal secret police, or a single massive spy ring in one nation/region. Specific espionage goals and operations may be described in the player's turn. Note that espionage includes both spies and saboteurs.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES

Foreign aid (both military and non-), piracy, propaganda, terraforming, cultural programs, etc. Let your imagination run wild.

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION

COMBAT VALUE

A generic combat rating. All combat will be conducted by the GMs. No distinction is made between types of combat ships, but for purposes of adding flavor players may specify that certain ships are "missile ships" (heavily armored with long-range weaponry), "dogfight ships" (light armor, fast speed, close-range weaponry), or some other distinction. The GMs will use these to determine the battle results. Also represents the "size" of the ship for construction purposes.

ESPIONAGE

These represent only the strategic speed of the ship in covering distance between stars. Combat speed is subsumed into the combat value. Each speed factor is equivalent to approximately 12c. FTL speed is based on "warp quanta" and can only occur in these increments, ie. there is no speed 1.5. Speeds 3 and above are not available with current technology. Speed 0 represents both ships without FTL travel and non-mobile bases, though the two should be kept distinct for game purposes.

COSTS

Measured in MU. To convert a ship between various speeds or modifications costs the absolute value of the difference between the two versions, plus 1 MU. You cannot convert between size classes.

LONG RANGE SENSORS

Useful for survey ships and scouts. Adds 1 MU to the cost.

SURVEY CREWS

Allows the ship to survey new worlds for suitability for colonization or exploitation. Subtracts 2 from the combat value.

TROOP QUARTERS

Allows the ship to carry ground troops. Each combat value can be exchanged for the ability to carry 1 ground troop unit. Ground troop units each cost 1 MU.

IRIDIUM

One point of iridium can support one year of ftl travel by either 10 points of Freighter Value or 50 combat value of military ships (regardless of modifications). If a ship is only using ftl travel for a portion of a year you may use fractional accounting, but this is suggested only for the truly penny-pinching and/or anal retentive.

ERRATA

SHIPYARD CONSTRUCTION

Building 1 SyVal costs 5 MU and requires one point of SyVal for one year. (It takes a shipyard to build a shipyard).

CONSTRUCTION OUTSIDE SHIPYARDS

Building ships outside a shipyard costs twice as much; freighters cost 1.5 times as much. Construction outside shipyards also takes longer (two to ten times as long, at GM discretion).

SUB-LIGHT FREIGHTERS

Sub-light freighters can make 5 round trips per year within a single planetary system.

GENERIC TRADE

In addition to carrying resources, colonists, and monetary units, freighters can be assigned merely to carry generic "trade goods" between two nations. Generic trade may allow one or both partners to gain extra MU; it may also cause a loss of MU due to trade deficits. (But populations may be upset if their government cuts them off from cheap foreign goodies.)

INTERNAL TRADE

Nations with more than one planet under their control will need freighter values assigned to handle internal trade and travel, or their economies will suffer. (Note this is only separate planets--orbital travel between a planet and its moons is assumed to be covered by other craft not detailed in the game.) See the Gamemasters for the number of freighters required.

SHIPYARD VALUES

Any nation not mentioned has a Shipyard Value of 0.

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