Circuit
Writing Letters
Orders are due Thursday, January 20th, at 6:00 PM MST.
Looking for one more player. Only one spot still open. There's a cap at eight players.
Introduction
Lands of the Galaxy: Circuitria is perhaps the (sort of) first in a series of simple NESes (this series may be called, Lands of the Galaxy) I hope to do. The rules trace their roots back to Plexus Prohibition by Plexus, dug up later and reran by EQandCivfanatic. I took these rules, modified them, made a different backstory and created a sci-fi NES called Spice Bust on another forum, which was relatively successful. I intend for this NES to be a more advanced version of Spice Bust but take place in a similar universe (thus the "sort of" first). It will be largely boardgame-ish, relying largely off die rolls, but I as a mod will have a say in the events of the NES (though this say should be limited). This is my first attempt running a NES on CivFanatics, and hopefully won't be the last.
Updates and Orders
I intend to update weekly, though with college that's not a guarantee. Despite the fact that this NES is largely a board game, I still will be telling a story with the updates.
Orders should include troop movement information, including coordinates, spending information, and terms in regards to leasing ruins. Here's an example order set:
Spoiler :
The Story
Circuitria is a world filled with mysteries. In fact, its economy is based on its mysteries. Long ago, an ancient alien race inhabitted the planet, building great cities amidst its vast, lush jungles. But the Circuitrians (as they've been called) disappeared, and no one knows why. Many archaeologists and historians hope to find the answer buried deep within the ruins of Circuitria, making the planet one of the hottest places for research.
Settlements sprung up on Circuitria to provide for the needs of the constant traffic of archaeologists. It proved to be a lucrative venture, but soon the settlements found that if they were to claim the sites militarily and charge a fee to the research teams to explore the ruins, even more money could be made. Settlements across the planet banded together and united into nations and claimed territory and ruins, and began to grow very wealthy. The Empire was not at all satisfied with this arrangement, and was about to send in an invasion force to unite the planet under an Imperial Governor when many of the factions of the planet threatened to destroy the ruins. The historical community, fearing the loss of the secrets of Circuitria, pleaded to provide an exception to Imperial law. And so the undiscovered secrets of Circuitria were saved, although at the cost of permitting the shedding of blood between the various factions of the planet, as they feud over the ruins and their potential profit.
Setting:
This information may not have a noticeable impact on gameplay, but is good information for storytellers hoping for a bonus:
Spoiler :
Realize, of course, that this is not all of the backstory provided, and you may learn more about Imperial and offmap entities as the game goes on.
The Map:
Spoiler :
Map Icons:
Map Layout:
As you can see, this is a hex map. There's different terrain for different hexes. Units and buildings occupy and move through hexes. The terrain of a hex impacts how many buildings can be built, how expensive those buildings cost, and how fast units move through hexes.
Every hex has a number, and ever hex is a member of a row denoted by a letter. To describe what hex you're referring to, simply refer to the hex by its row and its number. For example, hex M11 is the eleventh hex in the M row; there's a ruin in the hex.
There are five different terrains. They are: sea, beach/shore, grassland, swamp, and jungle. The terrain in a hex impacts unit movement, the cost of construction of buildings, and the number of buildings that can be built. They can also impact how battles are fought. The impact of terrain will be described later.
Do note that this is not the entire map of Circuitria. There are other factions off the map. They may or may not have a say in the events of this sector.
Faction Creation:
Claim a hex on the map, any hex except for a hex with a ruin in it, a hex controlled by another faction, or a hex adjacent to a hex with another faction's buildings. Your faction starts out with 1200 credits to spend. Amongst your initial expenditures, you will have to purchase an HQ and a Settlement. Also fill out the faction stats template. Everyone starts out with 6 Imperial Favor (although you may spend some of your initial credits to boost this number from the onset, if you so choose). Any credits that you have not spent you may keep, listing them in the "Credits" field. You're also encouraged to add some background, if you so choose; otherwise, I'll make one up for you.
Faction Stats
Faction Name/Player
Leader:
Government:
Color:
Starting Location: [hex coordinate]
Credits:
Ruins Controlled: 0
Imperial Favor: 6
The Empire:
The Empire can either be your friend or foe in this NES, and other galactic entities will certainly become involved in the affairs of Circuitria. Therefore, it's up to you to determine whether they act favorably towards you, or against you. The Imperial Favor stat informs you on your standing with the Empire and various Imperial entities.
Imperial Favor goes from a range of 1-12. If your Imperial Favor is in the range of 1-6, the Empire views you disfavorably; from 7-12, favorably. At 6 and 7, the Empire won't meddle in your affairs. Below six, the Empire may act disfavorably (the lower the stat, the more likely for an unfavorable action), and above seven, the Empire is likely to do you favors (the higher, the more likely).
This stat can be increased with a bribe of 75 credits per level (you can do this twice per turn, at most), or acting in a manner that pleases Imperial entities. However, it can be lowered by building buildings that the Empire frowns upon (such as a Smuggling Hub) or acting in a manner that displeases the Empire. Also, since the Empire seeks a unified Circuitrian government, if your faction appears to be rather successful and is gaining increasing control over the planet, the Empire may begin to bring higher favor. However, if your faction appears to be behaving recklessly around the ruins, your Imperial Favor will decrease. If it's suspected you will attempt to destroy a ruin, your faction may be outright raided. Don't try it. You'll just look stupid.
Hexes
There are five different terrain for hexes. Terrain impacts how many buildings can be built in a hex, how expensive those buildings will be, and how units move through hexes. Terrain also impacts how battles play out.
Grassland: There is no movement or cost penalty. There's a maximum of three structures that can be built in grasslands.
Beach/Shore: There is no movement penalty, but it costs 50 credits more to build. There's a maximum of three structures that can be built on the beach.
Jungle: Units move at half their normal speed, save for VTOLs. It costs 100 credits more to build in jungles. There's a maximum of two structures that can be built in jungles. Jungles can be cleared to grassland for 200 credits. There's a 20% defensive bonus in jungles.
Swamp: Units move at a third of their normal speed, save for VTOLs. It costs 150 credits more to build in swamps. Only one structure can be built in a swamp. Swamp can be cleared to grassland for 250 credits. There's a 40% defensive bonus in swamps.
Sea: VTOLs can move over sea, but cannot end their movement in sea. It costs 300 credits more to build in the sea. There's a maximum of three structures that can be built in sea.
(All movement penalties are rounded up. In hexes where it appears there are two different terrains sharing the same hex, the least expensive hex takes priority.)
When your military units move into a hex, they have taken control of the hex. Control of a hex is denoted by a dot in your faction's color. You can build or take any other similar action in any hex you control, after you have taken control of the hex (in other words, you cannot give orders for hexes that you will take control of during the turn; you can only give orders for hexes that you do have control of). You remain in control of a hex until either: a) another faction's units enter and take control of the hex, through movement or battle; b) the hex is negotiated away for any reason; c) all the surrounding hexes are controlled by other factions, and the hex is unoccupied (the faction controlling the most of the surrounding hexes takes priority; if all tied, the most units in the vicinity; if all tied, the one who caused the previous owner to lose the hex). The last two ways to lose a hex are the only ways a ruin can be captured by another faction. When units from opposing factions enter the same hex or occupy the same hex, a battle occurs automatically, unless some units are invisible, in which case they may not automatically enter a battle.
Ruins:
Hexes with ruins are denoted by a white star near the bottom of a hex. All things on Circuitria center around the planet's ruins. They are the basis of the Circuitrian economies. To profit off of a ruin you control, you need to lease it to an archaeological team. Simply state your terms for leasing one of your ruins to an archaeological team in your orders (can include an initial cost and a rental fee), and if a team is interested, they will accept the lease agreement and automatically occupy the ruin. More lenient terms will have a higher likelihood of being filled, but have a lower yield. Higher terms, while having a higher return, are less likely to be filled. Where your offer stands depends on what other players are offering, how many ruins are available, and other economic factors. You can also offer different terms for different ruins. Realize that archaeological teams can leave ruins, for reasons ranging from running out of money to pay rent to signing with another faction for a better deal to simply losing interest in the ruin. But just because a team leaves doesn't mean that the ruin is useless. You may even be able to get a better deal, if you play your cards right.
Ruins occupied by an archaeological team have a star near the bottom of the hex in the color of the controlling player. If you gain posession of a ruin with a team already occupying it, you may either offer to honor the old lease agreement the team made, or propose a new lease. The team will then decide whether to accept the terms and stay, or reject the terms and leave. It is possible another team will receive wind of your new terms and accept, filling the vacancy immediately. But there's no guarantee. You will be informed of the old lease agreement the current team had.
The control of the various political factions of these ruins is what keeps the current political state of Circuitria in tact. As a result, treaties have been signed guaranteeing the sanctity of the ruins for archaeological teams. These treaties have made ruins a demilitarized zone, preventing military units from interacting with them in any way, even if it's simply flying overhead.
Units cannot enter hexes with ruins, even if they're as harmless as a cleric. If you attempt, I'll assume it's an oversight. If I suspect that it was not an oversight and your faction is suicidally trying to send units in there, your faction could face destruction before they get the chance.
Units:
There are four movement classes of units: ground, VTOL, air, and sea. Ground units suffer movement penalties, and cannot move through sea unless in a transport. Air units don't move, but conduct missions from an air base. An airport is required to build air units. Air units can rebase to other airports. Sea units can move through the sea, and require a port to be built. When a unit is built, designate the hex where the unit will be deployed. Ground and VTOL units need an HQ in the hex where they're deployed, air units an airport, and sea units a port. Units cannot be given orders until after they're deployed (in other words, you can only give orders to units that appear on the map.
Spoiler :
It is possible to create unique units. The cost for designing a unique unit is 250 credits. Describe the unit's movement type, attack, defense, movement or range, and any special features, along with the unit's intended purpose. I will come up with a price for the unit. I also reserve the right to say that your designs cannot be realized.
Unique Units:
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Buildings:
Headquarters (500 credits)
Allows the creation of units in that particular section. If all of your HQs are successfully invaded, your leader dies and your faction's properties come under the control of the invading faction or factions (if there are multiple invaders, unless an earlier agreement between the invaders has been made in regards to who gets what, I will make the decision).
Church (100 credits)
Doubles income from clerics working in the building, holds five clerics.
Spaceport (250 credits+Customs Broker)
Generates 100 credits per turn. Adjacent spaceports canabalize each other, losing 10% (combined) income per adjacent spaceport (thus, two canabalizing spaceports lose 20% income, three spaceports 30%, and so on). This only applies when the spaceports are owned by the same owner.
Tourist Depot (125 credits)
Generates 25 credits for every ruin controlled by your faction. Requires a spaceport in the hex.
Smuggling Hub (100 credits)
Generates 50 credits per turn. Construction results in -2 Imperial Favor. Requires a spaceport in the hex.
Airport (200 credits)
Allows for air units to base and be deployed in the hex. Settlements connected by an Airport can establish a trade route.
Seaport (200 credits)
Allows sea units to be deployed in the hex. Must be built at shore. Settlements connected by a Seaport can establish a trade route.
Settlement (400 credits)
Generates 200 credits a turn. Can be upgraded to a 'Large Settlement' for 600 credits. When you build a settlement, you may also give it a name; if no name is given, I may give the settlement a name automatically.
Large Settlement (1000 credits)
Generates 450 credits a turn. When you build a large settlement, you may also give it a name; if no name is given, I may give the settlement a name automatically.
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Hex Improvements
Roads (25 credits+any terrain penalties)
When building, state one hex minimum, two hexes maximum, as destination hexes (hexes that the road leads to). Ground units moving through the hex to or from a destination hex pay half the usual movement cost of traversing the hex. Roads cannot be built over sea hexes. Settlements connected by roads can establish a trade route.
Hyperrail (50 credits+any terrain penalties)
When building, state one hex minimum, two hexes maximum, as destination hexes (hexes that the hyperrail leads to). Ground units moving through the hex to or from a destination hex pay a third the usual movement cost of traversing the hex. Hyperrails replace roads, and can be built over sea. Settlements connected by hyperrails can establish a trade route.
Fortifications (150 credits+any terrain penalties)
Adds a 50% bonus for defending units in a hex, in addition to any terrain bonuses.
There is no limit to how many improvements can be added to a hex. Bonuses do not compound. Units can pillage improvements, destroying them.
Trade:
Settlements connected by road, hyperrail, airport, or seaport (not spaceport) can establish a trade route. Domestic trades yield 25 credits per settlement (thus 50 credits total, since it takes two settlements). Inter-factional trades yield 50 credits per settlement. If the the method of trade is blocked (hostile troops on a road, blockade of a port, airport within the range of enemy fighters), the trade agreement is broken until the blockage is removed. If one settlement in the agreement changes hands, the trade agreement is broken, and needs to be reestablished.
Stories:
Good stories will help you in the game. I will provide story bonuses for good stories written by you. These stories can describe anything about the game in general (though it is best to write stories pertaining to the activities and people in your faction). Stories can take any form, from encyclopedia entries to newspaper excerpts to short stories. I will look even more favorably on character-driven serials.
A note on the modding style for this NES: this NES runs generally on the principle of being able to use ONLY what you have, not what you are projected to get. An RL example: you can't spend your future paycheck; you can only spend what you have in the bank. And you can't drink beer you ordered that's in the mail; it has to get to your door first. Thus, you can only give orders for what you have in this NES, namely, what the map and the stats say you have. There may be exceptions to this rule, but unless stated otherwise, this is the principle.
