Pretty straightforward really, I'd like some way to command from orbit,
Starship Troopers style.
- To that end I propose a system of Ship Components and Ground Forces Modules. The HQ system would function as normal, but when the appropriate components are mounted onto the ship they would allow the HQ to confer it's benefit from orbit. Naturally the ship with the HQ would need to be in orbit in order for the command to function, so no commanding ground forces from outside of STO range.
The Ground Forces still need an HQ to benefit from this, as per the usual rules, but in addition to that they need an Orbital Command Module that can be mounted on a Ground Unit from the Ground forces Design Window. This unit then needs to be present in the formation to grant the bonus.
- Logistics Vehicles function as normal, the shuttles needed are considered accounted for by the mass of the various modules. Which modules confer the benefit is up to the player. In the case that one module is less restrictive than the other, the most restrictive module will be used. So if an HQ is aboard a ship with an Orbital Command Bridge, but is commanding a unit with a Large Orbital Command Module that has formations sub-ordinate to it that are
not directly parent to it, those formations will
not gain a benefit from the orbital HQ. Likewise if the HQ is aboard a ship with an Orbital Command Centre, but is commanding a unit with only a Standard Orbital Command Module, then the same thing will happen if that formation has sub-ordinates that are
not directly parent to it.
- The most restrictive module is always used as each individually handles the sending and receiving of orders. So logically it would follow that if the ship module can send very complex orders it would not help if the orders cannot be received in a meaningful way. So Orbital Command Centres would not be useful unless you had multiple divisions being linked to it, and those divisions would need a command structure that included the appropriate facilities and equipment to effectively translate those commands into action.
The technologies to unlock these would go something like this:
-
Orbital Command Bridge: -
Auxiliary Bridge -
Orbital Command Centre: -
Orbital Command Bridge -
Standard Orbital Command Module: -
Orbital Command Bridge -
Small Orbital Command Module: -
Orbital Command Bridge -
Standard Orbital Command Module -
Large Orbital Command Module: -
Orbital Command Bridge -
Standard Orbital Command ModuleShip Components:*To function as an Orbital Command the ship must be equipped with at least one Orbital Command Bridge or an Orbital Command Centre and be in Orbit of the appropriate body.Orbital Command Centre:*This is considered a Command and Control module and adds +2 to minimum ship rank. -
Weight: 1,250 Tons -
Cost: ?? -
Crew Requirements: ?? -
Military or Commercial: Commercial. ---
This module allows a standard Ground Forces HQ to confer it's bonus to any number of sub-ordinate formations from orbit.Orbital Command Bridge:*This is considered a Command and Control module and adds +1 to minimum ship rank. -
Weight: 250 Tons -
Cost: ?? -
Crew Requirements: ?? -
Military or Commercial: Commercial. ---
This module allows a standard Ground Forces HQ to confer it's bonus to any formations are directly parent to it from orbit.Ground Forces Modules:*To benefit from Orbital Command a formation must have an HQ and at least one unit with an Orbital Command Module of some type. An Orbital Command Module isn't affected by formation size, but the formation is still affected by it's HQ size and the size of the HQ that is commanding it from orbit.Large Orbital Command Module:*This module can only be mounted on Static Units or Vehicles of Medium Size or larger. -
Weight: 250 Tons -
Cost: ?? ---
This module allows ground units within it's own formation as well as all sub-ordinate formations to receive an HQ bonus from Ground Formation HQs in orbit.Standard Orbital Command Module:*This module can be mounted on any type of unit. -
Weight: 50 Tons -
Cost: ?? ---
This module allows ground units within it's own formation as well as formations that are directly parent to it receive an HQ bonus from Ground Formation HQs in orbit.Small Orbital Command Module:*This module can only be mounted on Infantry Type units. -
Weight: 10 Tons -
Cost: ?? ---
This module allows ground units within it's own formation only to receive an HQ bonus from Ground Formation HQs in orbit.Feedback is welcome.