Re: QuickNDirty space rules from David Pulver

David Pulver has said it's fine to distribute his rules:

> Subject: Re: Simple Starship Combat 2nd Edition
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 05:04:38 +0000 (UTC)
> From: dlpulver@telus.net (David Pulver)
> Organization: Steve Jackson Games Pyranews
> Newsgroups: sjgames.gurps.traveller
> 
> Go ahead. Just ask them to let me (or you) know how they worked out
> should they try them.

>From - Thu Feb 21 14:34:23 2002
From: dlpulver@telus.net (David Pulver)
Newsgroups: sjgames.gurps.traveller
Subject: Simple Starship Combat 2nd Edition
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 08:13:51 +0000 (UTC)

Simple Fleet Combat Game
This is inspired by various fast-play miniatures games. It incorporates
suggestions from Tom Bont. This version has two major changes. First, it
alters point totals. Second, it increases the potency of large ships.
Third, elements cannot be damaged or destroyed while making their own
attacks.

Element Types and Point Values
Suggested point total is 100 points per side. 
* Dreadnought: One large or two smaller dreadnoughts and 1 embarked
fighter element, if any. 24 points. 
* Cruisers: A squadron of several cruisers including any escorting
fighters; a few heavy cruisers, or more lighter ones. 8 points.
* Carrier: 3-5 carriers and room for 3 embarked fighter elements. 4
points.
* Fighter: A wing of a couple of hundred fighters. 2 points.
* Tender: A battle tender capable of carrying a rider squadron. 3
points.
* SDBs: A wing of 50+ System Defense Boats, mostly Dragon-sized but with
a few larger command vessels and monitors. 3 points.
* Escorts: A squadron of three or four dozen destroyers and destroyer
escorts. 4 points.
* Assault Transports: A squadron of assault ships loaded with
jump-capable marines and grav armor. 2 points.
* Transports: A squadron of assault or merchant transports, possibly
carrying non-jump capable troops that must land to deploy. 1 point.
* Riders: A squadron of several riders. 12 points.
* Deep Meson Gun: A complex of buried meson guns on a planet plus
above-board sensors. The sensors are what are being damaged by attacks.
12 points.
All but SDBs, fighters, and riders are jump capable. Higher costs for
SDBs and fighters reflect pilot training. Point costs are for TL10
designs. For TL11 designs, multiply by 1.5. For TL12 designs, multiply
by 2. For TL9 designs, by 0.5.

Scale
A rough scale of 1" = 50,000 miles, one turn = an hour.

Setup
Put a planet counter down. Set up a bunch of miniatures representing
defending elements around it. Set up an attacking force outside the jump
distance. Start playing. Defender sets up first but moves second.

Turn Sequence
Alternating turns. In a turn:
1.	Command: Roll 1d6 for command points and pay command points. Add
+1
to command points if your force has a higher average TL, or +2 if it's
two or more higher. Halve (round down) if flagship is destroyed. 
2.	Movement: All elements whose turn it is may move.
3.	Firing: All ships whose turn it is may fire. 

Flagship
Designate one vessel as flagship.

Group
A group is a number of elements that form a line or column and are
facing in the same direction.

Command
1 command point can be used to do ONE of the following:
(a)	Alter the facing of one or more elements in a group, or one
element
not in a group, as desired.
(b)	Change one or more elements in a group, or one element not in a
group, from cruising to　stationary status.
(c)	Transfer flag to another ship.
(d)	Have one element not in a group, or any or all elements in a
group,
go into jump, if jump-capable, fuelled and outside jump limits.
Double command point requirements if flagship is more than 12" away from
the element or any element in the group in question, or is destroyed.

Status
Elements may be stationary or cruising. If stationary, place a counter
next to them.
Movement
Cruising: Elements move 1-3" in the direction they're facing. The
distance is up to the fleet commander.
Stationary: element does not move.
Off board: elements that move off board have left the battle and may not
return.
Stacking: Riders and fighters may stack with tenders and carriers
respectively by moving onto them and having the same facing. When so
stacked they are "inside" the other vessel (until they move off), will
jump with it, and share any combat outcomes, but cannot be attacked
separately. Otherwise, no stacking is allowed.
Deep Meson Guns: Can't move; remain on a world.

Firing
Elements may fire in their own turn, except for tenders and transports,
which cannot initiate combat.
Range is 4" for dreadnoughts, riders, deep meson guns, and cruisers,
otherwise 2". Firing is resolved one element at a time and fire of an
element is determined before another element need fire. To fire, specify
firing element and target(s). Roll 1d6 for the firing element and add
its Combat Factor. Roll 1d6 for the target element and add its Combat
Factor. This the combat roll; the total is the combat score.
Combining Fire: Elements that count as a group may combine fire against
a single target in range of all of them. Use their "supporting" combat
factor.
Each element can only fire or support another's fire once in a turn,
unless permitted otherwise by successive fire rule.
Successive Fires: If an attack succeeds in destroying a target, a second
attack may be immediately made by the same element and supporting
vessels against any other target that is within range and within 2" of
the last target. Successive fires are made at a penalty.

Combat Factors
* Deep Meson Gun or Dreadnought: +16 (+4).
* Battle Riders: +12 (+3).
* Cruisers: +8 (+2).
* Escorts: +4 (+1).
* SDBs: +4 (+1).
* Fighters: +2 (+1).
* Tender or Carrier: +2 (+1) 
* Transport: +1.
* Assault Transport: +1.

This is combat factor (supporting factor).
Modifiers: -1 if damaged. Assault transport factor changed to +12 (+3)
bonus if on world and attacking deep meson gun complex there.
-1 if attacking SDBs and fighters that are within 1" of a world with
non-SDB/non-fighters.
If making successive attacks, -1 per successive attack.
TL Effects: If one TL inferior, treat any "6" you rolled as a 1. 
If two TLs inferior, treat any 5-6 you rolled as a 1. If 3+ TLs
inferior, treat any 4-6 you roll as a 1. This applies to attack and
defense.

Combat Outcomes
* Equal score: No effect.
* Score more than opponent: He is damaged.
* Score 5+ over opponent: He is destroyed.

Damage Effects
A damaged target has a damage marker (use another counter) placed next
to it. If damaged, the element has a -1 to its Combat Factor (no effect
on supporting factor).
 
A vessel can sustain a number of damage markers before being destroyed
as follows:
* Deep Meson Gun or Dreadnought: 4 damage results = kill.
* Cruisers, Carriers, Battle Riders: 3 damage results = kill.
* Others: 2 damage results = kill.

Worlds
Represent these with a small counter no more than an inch in diameter.
This represents the world and its orbital zone. Vessels can stack on
worlds up to any limit desired. Meson guns do not interfere with enemy
stacking on the world.

Jump Limit
This is equal to twice a world's diameter in thousands of miles, e.g.,
if 8,000 miles, 16". 

Design Notes
Intended to give some of the flavor of Traveller fleet action without
too much boredom or record keeping. The successive fire rule is intended
to discourage clumping the entire fleet together ("superstack") and
encourage a degree of maneuvering.