Non-Tactical Warp in-game
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Star Fleet Battles: SFB Proposals Board:
New Rules:
(C) Movement & Maneuver:
Non-Tactical Warp in-game
It's been established that few, if any, ships in SFB are truly "sublight-only" - they can fly at warp speed, but just not in battle. Indeed, GURPSs Prime Directive even provides the timeline for these 'non-tactical warp' drives being developed in Y0-Y50, as well as some rough details.
Quote:Non-Tactical Warp (impulse engines generating a warp field which cannot be used in combat) becomes available at TL9.
What would a rule building this out look like? Maybe...
(C15.0) NON-TACTICAL WARP MOVEMENT
(C15.1) GENERAL RULE
Certain early warp-drive systems (developed prior to the advent of tactical warp engines) are capable of generating a warp field sufficient for interplanetary or strategic movement, but are not stable enough for use in tactical combat. These systems are referred to as Non-Tactical Warp (NTW) engines. While NTW movement allows a ship to travel at warp speeds, the warp bubble produced is fragile and cannot support the stresses of combat maneuvering.
(C15.2) DECLARATION OF NTW MOVEMENT
During Energy Allocation, a unit may declare that it will use NTW movement for the entire turn.
• NTW movement must be plotted at a fixed speed.
• Once declared, NTW remains in effect for the entire turn; the unit may not switch between NTW and Tactical Warp.
• Mid-Turn Speed Changes (C12.0) are not permitted while using NTW.
(C15.21) POWER REQUIREMENTS
Power for NTW movement may be supplied from any source. Each point of power allocated to NTW provides two Warp Movement Points (see C2.12).
(C15.3) MANEUVER LIMITATIONS
The unstable warp bubble generated by NTW prevents most tactical maneuvering. A unit using NTW is subject to the following restrictions:
• It may not Turn (C3.0).
• It may not execute High Energy Turns (C6.0).
• It may not perform Erratic Maneuvers (C10.0).
• All movement must be Ahead (C1.22), although Sideslips (C4.0) are permitted.
• Emergency Deceleration (C8.0) is possible if a ship desires to cease moving forward, however note that this will not reduce the damage multiplier (C15.5), which is set by PLOTTED speed for the turn.
(C15.4) SHIELD OPERATIONS
Shield generators disrupt the fragile NTW warp bubble. A unit using NTW may operate shields only at minimum levels (see D3.31). Shields may not be raised above minimum strength for any reason while NTW is in effect.
(C15.5) DAMAGE EFFECTS WHILE USING NTW
The instability of the NTW warp bubble causes incoming damage to be magnified.
When resolving damage to shields (D3.21) or internal damage (D4.13), multiply the number of damage points scored by the unit’s plotted NTW speed for that turn.
(C15.51) EXAMPLE
A Romulan Warbird traveling at NTW Speed 6 is struck by a Phaser-2 at Range 12. The weapon rolls a “1,” scoring 2 points of damage.
Because the ship is using NTW, the damage is multiplied by its plotted speed:
2 × 6 = 12 points of damage, all applied to the facing shield.
(C15.6) RESTRICTIONS ON COMBAT USE
NTW movement is intended for strategic travel only. Units using NTW may fire weapons normally, but the severe maneuvering and defensive limitations make combat operations extremely hazardous. NTW should not be relied on within a scenario outside of initial maneuvering, or occasional position changes when no enemy fire is expected (the enemy is obviously unable to bring weapons into arc, or are re-arming weapons).
(C15.7) DESIGNER’S NOTES: NON-TACTICAL WARP
Non-Tactical Warp represents the transitional propulsion technology used by many empires during the early years of interstellar expansion. Historical sources (including GURPS Prime Directive) note that these primitive warp systems were capable of generating a warp field, but not one stable enough to withstand the stresses of tactical maneuvering. The purpose of this rule is to provide a game-mechanical explanation for why such ships could travel between star systems at warp speeds yet were unable to use warp movement in combat.
The key concept is warp-bubble fragility. Early warp fields were highly sensitive to rapid vector changes, shield harmonics, and localized energy impacts. Even minor fluctuations could collapse the bubble entirely. This is reflected in the restrictions on turning, high-energy maneuvers, and shield operation. The magnification of damage while using NTW is not intended to simulate “more powerful weapons,” but rather the catastrophic instability caused when the warp bubble is struck by any external force.
The movement rate of two Warp Movement Points per point of power is deliberate. It reflects the fact that NTW engines were efficient at generating speed, but not control. Empires used these drives for exploration, colonization, and strategic redeployment, but never for combat. The inability to perform mid-turn speed changes reinforces the idea that NTW is a pre-tactical technology: once the warp bubble is formed, it cannot be safely altered until the next turn.
Players should understand that NTW is not intended as a “cheap speed boost” for tactical play. The severe penalties—especially the damage multiplier—make NTW extremely dangerous in any situation where weapons fire is possible. NTW is primarily a campaign-level or scenario-specific option, useful for simulating early-era vessels, emergency retreats, or special-purpose missions where tactical warp is unavailable or disabled.
Don't forget about Lasers, especially for the early conversions to warp power.
I would poait that only impulse power can be used for NTW. IIRC a quick glance at the existing sublight ships supports this.
I could see the argument for impulse-only, sure.
I mean, that is what GURPs: PD says, anyway. Makes you wonder where Zefram Cochrane got an impulse engine, though, which is why I was casting a slightly wider net, but...
...at least as far as SFB is concerned, it does still check the box of allowing some slightly more decision space for 'sublight' units - including separated booms and saucers, as both will have impulse engines at least.
While one might have to wait for a dedicated "sub-light" game system - be it a "zoomed-in" take on SFB or FC, or perhaps a different game engine altogether - to be more formally developed... someday or other, the rules for non-tactical warp at "standard" SFB scale is already covered by the pre-existing impulse engine rules.
Between the three published Early Years modules to date, there are a decent number of "-S" series hulls for both the Romulans and the Paravians currently in print.
Notably, the "-S" iteration refers to ships for which "their power is simple impulse", yet which have at least been given the means to track units moving at tactical warp speeds. (Hence their common use of "warp-targeted lasers".)
Before the installation of such sensors, non-tactical warp ships were effectively blind when faced with warp-class opposition...
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Further, in Captain's Log #29, the cover story takes a closer look at the issue of historical Romulan tactical warp non-development in greater detail.
It, and the associated scenario, are both written using the current "impulse = Speed 1" rules in mind. (Although it should be noted that there is still a degree of "space warping" involved when using impulse engines, which allows ships to fight at high fractions of the speed of light without suffering awkward time dilation effects in the process.)
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Also, whether it be a ship with Tactical Warp engines or not, any movement faster than that which can be maintained "tactically" cannot be safely sustained within weapons range of a target ship or base. Any faster than this, and even a fraction of a single damage point is enough to destroy the ship in question.
Offensively, this is why ships have to drop out of what F&E refers to as "operational movement" outside of the maximum weapons range of whatever the enemy force has available.
Defensively, for a NTW ship being pursued by a TW opponent, it gets worse: the former has to drop to sublight if the latter gets close enough, which gives the warp-powered pursuer every advantage.
Both the Romulans and the Paravians learned this lesson the hard way against the Gorns historically.
For the Romulans, it drove them to develop the mask/veil/cloak and heavy seeking plasma, as well as the dubious tactic of sneaking up to a target planet, parking their ships on the surface, and pointing their plasma launchers at any Gorn ships trying to evict them!
For the Paravians, it pushed them to install tactical warp refits as soon as they could do so - which, given that their ships had to fly all the way back to the home system before such refits could be installed, meant that doing this was too little, too late to alter the course of the war against their Gorn nemeses.
But, there are alternate timelines out there where things might have gone differently, as per Module C6 and/or Module R4J...
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In short, the current impulse rules cover the interaction between "sub-light" and "warp-powered" ships as the utter mismatch it historically ought to be.
That said, if one was minded to once again turn one's mind towards a would-be "all-sublight" game system - say, to cover the likes of the First Federation-Romulan War - then a more zoomed-in approach (in which each game hex was, say, 1/10th the scale of a "standard" SFB game hex?) would allow for a greater degree of leeway in terms of non-tactical warp combat.
Hrm. Not sure you got the whole proposal? Because...
Quote:Any faster than this, and even a fraction of a single damage point is enough to destroy the ship in question.
...you present this as if it is a counter-argument, when in fact that's exactly what I'm proposing.
Consider a D7 that decides to go full-on into NTW - running passive FC and minimum shields (no point putting more power into them) and everything else into NTW gets him up to speed. 37 power for 74 speed. Impressive! Except you toss a prox photon at him because he's being a silly-head using NTW in range of weapons, it hits, and he suffers 4 * 74 = 296 pts of damage.
Oops! Hope he had a good insurance policy on that ship...
Quote:Offensively, this is why ships have to drop out of what F&E refers to as "operational movement" outside of the maximum weapons range of whatever the enemy force has available.
Defensively, for a NTW ship being pursued by a TW opponent, it gets worse: the former has to drop to sublight if the latter gets close enough, which gives the warp-powered pursuer every advantage.
Which is precisely what ends up happening with these rules. This is really just identifying what that specific moment IS 'dropping out of NTW' and putting it on the map rather than 'some distance away', and acknowledging that it might be rarely useful to still use even ON the map. Rarely. And with great caution.
Quote:It, and the associated scenario, are both written using the current "impulse = Speed 1" rules in mind.
I think you'll find that, effectively, that remains true. The NTW rules I'm proposing are DANGEROUS to use within range of a ship that can fire at you. This means range 15 or less is a clear no-go, and even 16-30 (assuming Ph-2s) is a big risk. If you can hide behind a planet from them...or cloak...then maybe you can make a quick jump to NTW to reposition.
However, in practice, the proposed rules are limiting enough that you almost never do. Rather, spending pretty much the entire scenario at speed 1, same as always.
Quote:Before the installation of such sensors, non-tactical warp ships were effectively blind when faced with warp-class opposition...
I had thought about adding rules/details for that (basically preventing firing when at NTW) - but as you point out, I think the existing rules cover it. I suppose if we wanted to be pedantic, I could add a comment to the top...
(C15.11) These Non-Tactical Warp rules presume the presence of sensors able to detect warp speed units. Prior to approximately Y66 in most Empires, such sensors did not exist, and weapons fire is prohibited.
...although TBH this has simply never come up for me. In practice, if you are close enough to be tempted to fire at an enemy...they are close enough to fire at you...and you really shouldn't be using NTW, in those situations.
I actually discussed this "dropping to tac warp speed" in my story in the old "once & future echelon" thread.
ISC squadron under the CC Dudley Do Right.
Klink squadron D7C (something absurd. I remember the D6D was the IKV Pumpkin Hurler)
Quote:I actually discussed this "dropping to tac warp speed" in my story in the old "once & future echelon" thread.
It's definitely one of the reasons this seems an obvious thing to define.
'GURPS: Prime Directive' (and many other sources, but this one is "current") clearly establishes that a warp field can be created without needing 'warp engines'. (And, heck, Franchise Trek even came to this conclusion decades after SFB did!)
And F&E (and many other sources) establishes that the top speeds of ships are VASTLY higher than 'as seen in SFB' - that the 'Tactical Warp' of SFB is a lower range of speeds, stable for combat.
Ergo, there must be some point where ships switch from the faster 'Non-Tactical Warp' INTO the 'Tactical Warp' speeds. And usually, of course, and ESPECIALLY for tactical-warp-capable ships...this happens off-typical-SFB-sized-map. How far? Who knows! 75 hexes? 100??
But there is nothing magical about that. There is just some distance where a ship is travelling at 'FTL speeds, very fast, but dangerously' and then dropping into 'FTL speeds, much slower, and safely'.
And all we are pitching with this rule is the idea that - whichever that distance (established by game mechanics we already have) it might ACTUALLY be very different, depending on species and era. And so worth defining where that 'fuzzy middle' is, and how it might work.