The following guide is designed to help new starships joining the play by e-mail game To Boldly Go. The advice presented to you below is based around the experiences of novice and veteren members of The Foundation For Spreading Peace and tries to incorporate the answers to common questions newcomers often put to us. We have intentionally kept the content basic and easy to understand because this is intended as a novices guide, it isn't a re-write of the rules or designed as an aid for experienced commanders.
We acknowledge that because The FSP is primarily a peaceful trading alliance some of this advice is biased towards our organisations aims and goals, but we believe that non-FSP members will still find something valuable in the content below to give them a headstart in the TBG universe.
Our initial advice is to read the rules thoroughly, particularly the section on combat. Gaining a basic understanding of the TBG combat system is vital for the defence of your starship. Often new ships end up as space debris because they don't understand how to calculate distances at which combat could occur and often fail to consider the range of available weapons when planning to defend against possible attack.
We also advise all commanders to plan adequate defence measures at every meeting with another starship, even if you're convinced the paired ship has peaceful intentions as you never know when a potential bandit will show their true colours.
One way of avoiding conflict with an aggressive starship is to select the
'hide' option which will give you a chance to warp away without confrontation.
Of course this will only succeed if your rival doesn't attempt to 'hunt' in
either the same location or in one where they are taking an equal or greater
risk than yourself. Remember that your officers have to 'stand by' for the whole
turn in order for your ship to attempt to 'hide'.
In addition to 'hiding' your Engineering officer can cast 'microjump flee'
to avoid combat with other vessels. The obvious benefit over 'hide in space'
is that your officers don't have to stand by, but casting this spell does require
25 engineering favour and it can be cancelled out by your opponants Weaponry
officer casting the 'counter micro-jump' spell.
In this section we emphasise that knowledge of the combat rules are initially paramount for defence only. If you're planning to launch into frenzied attacks on all and sundry right out of dry dock then just remember that captains communicate in this universe and word soon gets around as to who is doing what and whom they're doing it against.
One honest way to gain some early ground is through buying and selling goods and using the proceeds to replace your demo modules and ultimately improve the tech level of your starship. With your starting $500 in hand you venture cautiously into the cosmic marketplace, but remember these credits won't go far so spend them wisely and don't blow the lot until you have discovered a profitable little trade route that will give you some financial security.
The cheapest item for a starship to trade is Chocolate. It can be harvested at no cost from chocolate comets and then sold on to a colony or scrapped at a factory. As there is no initial outlay the return is pure profit. You should also be able to shop around for the best prices in relative safety as the majority of colonies buying this trade good aren't in hostile or chaotic locations.
Many captains also openly trade in contraband. It seems that the lure of large profit margins overshadow any ethics attached to the buying and selling of forbidden goods. However Aliens stand by their moral principles and if a contraband trader is detected selling illegal goods the culprit will be considered an enemy of that race.
One of the first demo modules you should consider replacing is the Warp Drive. If you lose your demo drive without securing a replacement then you're going nowhere unless you're prepared to cough up $500 for an emergency demo replacement. As with all modules, if you have a choice try to acquire one with a high energy yeild (EY) factor. This will create higher energy returns for your ship each turn.
A second Pod should also feature highly on your shopping list as the demo
pods have a tendency to fall apart when you need them most. A Shield is also
a must and will buy you 'fleeing time' if bandits make a move for your brand
spanking new warp drive.
A Cloak isn't a high priority for a peacful starship and Life supports and
Sickbays aren't vital until you start recruiting crew.
As your ship grows you may be presented with the opportunity to aquire artifacts.
These modules can be quite a valuable addition to your vessel as they can be
set up not only to bless the individual attributes of your ship but also to
unlock the various jump gates scattered around the TBG universe. The
downside is that when an artifact is first aquired it may carry one or more
curses which can only be removed by the casting of a remove curse
spell. On top of this they also need maintaining and each one will eat up 5
favour per turn, so make sure you have a reasonable favour income before adding
these modules to your ship.
Obviously replacement modules don't always present themselves to you in the order you'd like but if you keep the lines of communication open with other starships via The Sub Space Times or Anonymous Mail you may be fortunate enough to negotiate a trade with a passing vessel or learn of a nearby location with the elusive module you need in stock.
As well as trading, adventuring is another honest way to gain ground with in the TBG universe. Unlike legal trading this pursuit isn't risk free but you have the option to support landing parties with Medical and Weaponry officers and crew in the event of a firefight on the surface of a star or planet.
Upon entering a starsystem your Science officer will automatically scan all locations for any trace of an adventure. The success rate of this depends on your ships sensor % over the concealment factor of any adventures within range. The higher the sensor % the better chance of revealing an adventure.
In addition to this your Science officer can be ordered to search an individual location and will uncover any adventure hidden there regardless of the concealment factor.
A successful adventure will yeild a module as a reward. It may not be in prime
condition but with an Engineering officer and crew present the condition of
the salvaged module will be improved. You may also discover the location of
further adventures and their treasure if your Science officer and crew join
the away team.
It is tempting in the early stages of the game to spend credits on officer training, but the initial skill levels your officers need can be gained through tasks such as repairing / maintaining modules and low level adventures. Save your credits for those replacement modules and goods.
The same applies to crew. A handful per officer should be sufficient in the early stages of the game in case you stumble across an adventure within your reach. Remember each crew member costs you $1 per turn in maintenance so wait until you've built up some income before you go hiring hoards of cadets.
Mercenaries can be a drain on funds and pod space if not handled carefully. It is futile new starships bidding much more than a handful of $ for them as the outlay each turn eventually mounts up. Most contracts will probably not be that close to your location so set a limit on how far you are prepared to travel to make a bid for a contract, bearing in mind that the rewards are relatively low. Alternatively wait until you have a decent warp percentage before plying the spacelanes as a mercenary vessel.
Most aliens are relativly harmless if not provoked. Some players choose to constantly attack alien ships for their modules and if you choose this path remember that some of these races will declare you an enemy and attack at every future opportunity. Having said this a few alien races, such as hostile ones, will attack you regardless. Be warned that if an enemy alien vessel is paired with you at its homeworld without the ability to comfortably alter range with a superior impulse % then the alien ship would self destruct causing massive damage rather than flee, so be well prepared if you choose to adopt the "aliens are laser fodder" attitude.
Dybuk noun 'The malevolent spirit of a dead person that enters and controls the body of a living person until exorcised.'
Dybuk is very real in the TBG universe. When unleashed by sadistic players it roams from starsystem to starsystem damaging ship modules, killing crew and stripping starnet accesses. It can only be banished by the casting of a powerful spell and for this reason those that succumb to this spirits dark charm are scorned and hunted by peaceful vessels.
For the latest information on Dybuk and its current target visit the Wise Prophets homepage. If your name appears there then don't panic because a number of ships are able to offer protection from this evil spirit. A short mail to any of the Prophets giving details of your next jump destination should be sufficient to ensure your safety. Alternatively the TBG_Protect mailing list gives details of those ships offering protection or as a last resort a simple jump to the holiday planet will shake this dark entity from your tail.
Every ten turns alien colonies and homeworlds elect an inter galactic President who, along with appointed ministers, has the overall responsibility of maintaining the health and well being of the TBG universe.
Captains have the ability to control how individual colonies and homeworlds vote by using their officers to gain and hold influence over them, however it should be noted that some captains consider the erasing of their influence a provocative act. Newcomers to the political arena should think carefully before they exert influence at a non-neutral location in the event they have to defend their actions.
One of the Presidents current responsibilities is the monitoring and adjustment of the amount, type and tech level of modules available for purchase in the various retail outlets scattered across the universe. Players are encourage to lobby the President on this issue to ensure that their purchasing requirements are met.
The current President is ~ Knjaz'
Igor'
'Favour' can be awarded to your officers each turn depending on the tasks each individual officer undertakes on your voyage. This 'favour' can then be used to cast various spells. The officer actions that earn 'favour' are varied and can include completing adventures, curing plagues, accessing starnet terminals, succeeding in combat etc...
The Prophets, their Chosen and their Heretics can be powerful allies or dangerous enemies depending on their policies and your attitude toward them. There are many views on the roles of each Prophet, too many to list here, so we'd advise newcomers to talk to and read the player pages of the current Prophets, their Followers, their Heretics and their Critics before blindly casting 'praise' or 'denounce' spells. The current four Prophets are;
PROLOGUE
DEFENCE
TRADE
MODULES
ADVENTURES
OFFICERS / CREW / MERCENARIES
ALIENS
DYBUK
POLITICS
RELIGIOUS FAVOUR
THE PROPHETS
Pequod ~ The Prophet of the Merciful One
MS Bounty ~ The Prophet of the Fierce One
Spectral Duck ~ The Prophet of the Wise One
Flying Haddock ~ The Prophet of the Mighty One
Some players have formed alliances to pool information together in order to broaden their knowledge of the TBG universe and/or enforce their beliefs. These alliances usually have a lot of information available but members are expected to adhere to each groups set of rules and regulations.
Joining an alliance can give a new starship a valuable headstart but remember each organisation has it's own history and agenda so there will doubtless be those that are firmly opposed to the alliance you choose.
The current main alliances are;
FORT,
FSP,
SIR,
FIST and
Smugglers Net
Unfortunately the TBG universe has its fair share of dubious characters, some of whom pride themselves in plundering weaker starships, making unreasonable demands, blockading trade routes and releasing Dybuk. These rogues come in many sizes and guises but on the bright side the most persistant bandits are usually hunted down in the end so don't be afraid to report acts of piracy in The Subspace Times.
Currently a handful of bandits including Flying Beak, Alpha and Better Ship Lollypop are unchaining evil with alarming regularity and will stop at nothing to ensure Dybuk remains free to terrorise the galaxy. Not content with releasing this malevolent spirit they are also constantly purging starnet terminals and in the process robbing many captains of a valuable source of science favour income. Exactly what these sadistic individuals hope to gain from this agenda remains unclear, but as each turn passes they meet increasing opposition from peaceful starships who attempt to track and counter their every move.
In this guide we have only scratched the surface of a few of the main TBG subjects, but we hope that in doing so we have been able to help a few novice starship commanders view the TBG universe with a little more clarity.
Again we recommend that all starships read the rules thoroughly but if a more in depth human angle on any of the above subjects is needed do not hesitate to mail The FSP.
Fly in peace.
ALLIANCES
BANDITS
THE UNHOLY TRINITY
EPILOGUE
The Foundation for Spreading Peace
This site is a Shining Starlet Production for The FSP.
Last update ~ stardate 1630.3
(May 2002).
