High Guard 2^nd ed. optional rules for command communications and control spaces

Introduction

High Guard 2^nd ed. (HG2) is a relatively abstract combat system, but it allows a wealth of detail to be added through the use of optional rules. This set of rules is intended to allow special ship functions due to enhanced command, communications and control spaces – bridges.

Construction and Allocation of Bridges

A bridge takes up 2% (minimum 20dtns) of a starship or non-starship hull [1], at the cost of 5,000Cr per dtn of hull. A ship must have at least one bridge (the command bridge); additional bridges may be added for redundancy or to support special functions.

Each bridge must have a command section allocated to it. The size of this command section depends on the size of the ship, as detailed below. Note that the crew of the "main bridge" (the bridge dedicated to command of the ship) is already included in the HG2 (and/or Book 2) crew allocation rules. An emergency bridge (q.v.) is exempt from this crew requirement.

The function of a bridge must be determined when the ship is constructed. A bridge can be converted to another type, or additional bridges can be added, during a refit. Cargo, crew quarters, or hangars can be removed to add additional bridges.

Types of Bridges

The following types of bridges are available for construction. The referee may create additional types for other purposes.

Special Functions of Bridges

Note that if a bridge takes over for a damaged command bridge, it cannot perform its special function while doing so.

Command Bridge

This is a standard bridge as per the HG2 rules. If it is destroyed, the ship functions as per the "Bridge Destroyed" damage entry (HG2 p49). Command functions may be transferred to an Emergency Bridge (q.v.) automatically and without delay; transferring command functions to any other kind of bridge requires a delay of 1-3 turns (1d6/2, rounded up). During this delay, the ship suffers from the Bridge Destroyed damage result.

Emergency Bridge

This is a backup bridge as per the HG2 rules. It requires no special crew allocation, and is designed so that it can take over the functions of a command bridge without delay.

Flag Bridge

This is a bridge designed for operational control of a squadron or fleet and even strategic control of a star system. If characters are used in the game, the highest ranking character in the fleet should be on a flag bridge if one is available.

The presence of a functional flag bridge in a fleet gives a minimum +1 bonus on initiative rolls. If a commander is present with Fleet Tactics skill, they gain their usual bonus (+ Fleet Tactics skill), the +1 for the flag bridge, and as a special ability can use their Ship Tactics skill (if any) to the benefit of any one particular ship in the fleet. The commander can change which ship gains this Ship Tactics benefit once per turn, during the Pre-Combat Decision Step.

Only one flag bridge can give the +1 initiative benefit at any time, and only one commander may give benefits to a fleet at any one time. A flag bridge will not provide any benefits if the computer of the ship it is on is reduced to less than factor 1. For a flag bridge to provide an initiative bonus, the ship with the flag bridge must be in the line (rather than in the reserve). For a commander to provide a Ship Tactics bonus, the ship with the flag bridge must be in the same rank (line or reserve) as the ship receiving the bonus.

Combat Information Center

This is a control center dedicated to situational analysis and the effective flow of information. Every ship’s bridge has some capabilities in this regard; a Combat Information Center (CIC) is entirely dedicated to this purpose.

A ship with a functioning CIC gains a +1 bonus on effective computer factor for all purposes. In addition to this bonus, if an individual with Ship Tactics skill is present in the CIC, the bonus he provides to the ship’s effective computer factor is Ship Tactics/2, rather than (Ship Tactics-1)/2. Note that if a commander from a flag bridge provides a Ship Tactics bonus, no bonus from an individual on that ship can be used at that time.

All benefits of a CIC require that the ship have a computer factor of at least 1 (not including any of these benefits).

Survey Bridge

Also called a Scout Bridge, this bridge represents advanced sensors and personnel dedicated to analyzing information from these sensors.

If Combat Space Patrol [2] rules are in use, a fleet with a functioning survey bridge can deploy twice as many craft to the CSP than normally allowed. These additional craft are scrambled at need due to early-warning functions, their fleet is not considered to actually be running twice as many craft in continuous patrol.

During the Pursuit Step of a turn, any pursuing group that includes a functioning survey bridge may increase its effective agility by two for purposes of the pursuit only. Should the survey bridge be taken out of action, the pursuing group must check its agility (without the benefit of the survey bridge) – should the pursuing group have an agility less than that of the group breaking off, the pursuit ends.

A survey bridge will only provide any benefits if the ship it is on has a computer factor of at least 1.

Fighter Control Bridge

This control center provides tactical and targeting information to subordinate craft such as fighters.

If the ship containing the fighter control bridge is in the same rank (line or reserve) as the fighters it is controlling, these fighters can fire as if their computer factor was equal to that of the controlling ship (including all benefits for other bridges). The fighters defend as normal.

If the ship containing the fighter control bridge is in a different rank (line vs. reserve) than the fighters, the fighters can fire as if their computer factor were equal to half that of the controlling ship (including all benefits from other bridges), rounded down.

A fighter control bridge can control all fighter squadrons based on it, plus one. A fighter squadron, for these purposes, is a group of no more than ten small craft.

Example of play

A Battlecruiser is in the line of battle. It has a model/6fib computer, a command bridge, a flag bridge, a CIC, and a fighter control bridge. It has deployed two 10-craft fighter squadrons, each with a computer model/2. A light carrier in the Battlecruiser’s squadron has just been destroyed, leaving two 10-craft squadrons (also with computer model/2’s) "orphaned" in the line of battle.

The captain of the Battlecruiser has Ship Tactics-4. There is a commodore on the flag bridge with Fleet Tactics-2.

The Battlecruiser’s flotilla will get a +3 bonus on initiative next round, assuming it is not the faster fleet (+1 for the flag bridge, +2 for the commodore’s Fleet Tactics skill).

The Battlecruiser’s effective computer factor will be 9 (6 for the computer, +1 for the CIC, +2 for the captain’s Ship Tactics skill). If the Battlecruiser had no CIC, its effective computer factor would have been 7 (6 for the computer, +1 for the captain's Ship Tactics skill).

The Battlecruiser’s fighters will fire as if they had factor-9 computers; fire against them will be conducted as if they had their normal factor-2 computers.

One of the orphan fighter squadrons from the destroyed CVL can also fire as if it had factor-9 computers, the other orphan squadron cannot get this benefit.

Footnotes

[1] These rules are not intended for use with small craft, but could be extended for that purpose by interested parties.

[2] First Draft Combat Space Patrol rules: It is wearing on both men and machines to maintain a constant patrol. Basically, for every 1% (rounded up) of its carried craft a ship cannot deploy in a HG2 combat, it can start the combat with 10% (rounded up) of its carried craft launched. These pre-launched craft (the "Combat Space Patrol") can start in the line, allowing the carrying ship to start in the reserve if so desired. The 1% of craft that cannot be deployed represent craft down for maintenance, damaged while on patrol, or otherwise engaged.