campaigns

	I remember one of Adam's postings from last year describing some
WH40K (I think) players using the "Hordes of the Things/De Bellis
Antiquitatis" minicampaign system for SF, with star systems replacing
the
cities.  

	One thing most people get wrong in a campaign is the "Too Much
Stuff" syndrome.  There are more decisions to make, and therefore more
gamer
activity and involvement, if everyone is stretched too thin.  Say each
player has a home system and 2 other worlds.  Let each player have
enough
points to build about 2 small non-FTL defence vessels (Mass 12-ish) for
each
colony, and 3 for the Homeworld.  Give each player 1500-ish points for
FTL
forces (cf the DBA "Field Army").  Each world gets a free defence
station/dock say Mass 30.  

	Ignore new construction for the moment- think
Crimea/Russo-Japanese
War/Spanish-American War rather than WW2.  Assume that planets will
surrender rather than face orbital bombardment.  Assume that
recce-drones
tell everyone where everyone is going.	Assume that travel is along
warplines or similar, a la Warp-War.  

	Try something like that, and then add other aspects, eg and
especially, simultaneous hidden strategic movement.  Event cards can be
prepared in advance, with things like "extra effort at shipyards gets
you
150 points worth of ships completed early" or "design flaw prevents your
fighters attacking ships successfully this turn" etc.

Just a few suggestions
Rob Paul
NERC IVEM
Oxford

PS If you ever come across a copy of Donald Featherstone's "Wargames
Campaigns", it's full of good ideas.  It deals mainly with pre-20th
century
land warfare, but I think a fair amount would translate to FT and DSII.

"Rob Paul
NERC Institute of Virology 
Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR	  Tel. (01865) 512361
rpaul@worf.molbiol.ox.ac.uk
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