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 a location 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 in pursuit of a single target 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.
Captains with enough science favour can cast 'predict evils movement' to determine
which ship Dybuk is currently chasing. For the latest information on 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 with force.
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 encouraged
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 on 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
Last update ~ Turn 808
(June 2002).
