HOW TO CRACK A PLANETARY FORCE FIELD
Variants for STELLAR CONQUEST
By Winchell Chung
from: THE GENERAL, 22, #5, p 34


      STELLAR CONQUEST is a time-tested classic of science fiction boardgames. But, like all science fiction games, it is almost irresistible to play around with the rules as published. I would like to present for your approval a few variants developed over many years of play. Twelve years to be exact; I purchased the original, manila-envelope version in 1973. All these variants add some complexity to the play, but make up for that by adding realism (if such a thing can be spoken of in terms of this game).

SYSTEM DEFENSE SHIPS
     These are starships built with no stardrive (i.e. , they cannot leave the star system at which they were built). Their main attraction is that, unlike starships, they can be built in a system under siege. This is because they are built on-planet and not in orbit like their starfaring cousins. [“On the besieged planet Bootis 2, frantic construction was underway in the camouflaged hangers to build a liberation fleet of patrol boats . . . "]. Now, besieged colonies have a chance to break the siege under their own power rather than waiting for the cavalry to come over the hill. Since they never leave their star of origin, they require no counters. They are recorded in a manner similar to missile bases. See Table 1.

Table 1: System Ships
Name of Ship Combat Equivalent I.P. Cost
Patrol BoatCorvette6
CruiserFighter15
MonitorDeathstar30

MISSILE BASES
     The cost of missile bases is decreased according to a new table of prices. See Table 5. Also, a new class of base (Mega-Missile Base) of combat ability equal to the Deathstar is added. Otherwise, they are unchanged. (I am at a loss for the absence of an equivalent of a "grounded" Deathstar in STELLAR CONQUEST.) Ground installations can always be built equal or larger than the shipboard equivalents. If anything , it is easier to build the ground version. For example, they will have unlimited ammunition. A Deathstar, light years from home base, cannot run down to the corner factory to place an order for ten thousand anti-matter warheads.

INCREASED DEFENSES
     Improved Ship weapons is now balanced by increased defenses. Against a ship with ISW, it will allow only one barrage per combat turn instead of two. Against a ship without ISW it will have a 50% chance of preventing the barrage entirely. Roll a die, three or less and it prevents the attack. One can safely assume that a ship-sized force field would be developed before planetary-sized ones.

ADVANCED SHIP RANGE
     Allow all ships to travel up to twelve hexes away from a combat post before they disappear. This is an intermediate step leading to Unlimited Ship Range. The original rule, with ships venturing more than one light year away from base plunging into the "Bermuda Triangle”, always struck me as mildly ridiculous. But the richness of strategy the rule adds to play more than makes up for its ridiculous rationale. This optional rule ameliorates that silly aspect, but retains the necessity for careful planning and gradual expansion of the sphere of empire.

Table 2: Ship Movement Sequence
Level Cost w/Pred. Normal Cost
1 Scout +1 -- 10
1 3 HS - 20
1 4 HS 30 w/3HS 45
2 5 HS 40 w/4HS 55
2 6 HS 50 w/SHS 65
3 7 HS 60 w/6HS 75
3 8 HS 70 w/7HS 85
Speed of light reached, no further increase allowed.

SCOUT MOVEMENT INCREASE
     Allows all scouts to move at a speed one better than the normal maximum speed. This benefit is retained even as the maximum speed increases.

EXTENDED BUILDING
     It is possible to build an item which cost more than a colony's production year budget. So what if Ceti 3 only produces 20 IPs? Now, it too can buy its very own Deathstar--in installments. Just allot the colony's IPs to the item each production year until the cost is paid. It is not possible to save IPs. The IPs you spent on an item last production year cannot be re-assigned. In addition, since production is happening at that planet, all unfinished items (and the investment in them) will be lost if the planet is captured. Such projects may be voluntarily destroyed in the same manner as factories. (Though, of course, this will bring a slight mistiness to the eyes of the owning player).

Table 3: Technical Sequence
Level Title Cost with Pred. Normal
1 Industrial Technology -- 20
1 Controlled Environment -- 30
2 Improved Industrial Tech 40 with Ind Tech 55
2 Advanced Ship Range 50 with 5-Hex Speed 65
2 Planet Climate Control 60 with Cont Environ 80
3 Unlimited Ship Communication 70 with 7-Hex Speed 90
3 Robotic Industry 80 with Imp Ind Tech 105
3 Unlimited Ship Range 90 with Adv Ship Range125

Table 4: Weapon Sequence
Level Title Cost with Pred. Normal
1 Missile Base -- 15
1 Patrol Boat -- 20
1 Corvette -- 25
2 Advanced Missile Base 30 with Missile Base 40
2 Cruiser 40 with Patrol Boat 50
2 Fighter Ship 50 with Corvette 60
3 Mega Missile Base 45 with Adv Missile 70
3 Monitor 60 with Cruiser 80
3 Deathstar 75 with Fighter 100
4 Improved Ship Weapons -- 100
4 Improved Defense -- 125
4 Planet Shield -- 150

PLANETARY CLIMATE CONTROL
     This is also called terra-forming. By using volcanism, the greenhouse effect, weather control induced sunspots and other examples of macroengineering, the planet is made more hospitable. ["Lob another nuke into Mount Burp; the air needs just a pinch more sulphur dioxide".] When the cost is paid for the planet, the planet becomes the next better planetary class: Barren becomes Minimal Terran, Minimal Terran becomes Sub-Terran, Sub-Terran becomes Terran, and Terrain remains changed. You may experiment with allowing PCC to be done more than once to a planet. PCC is an enhanced form of Controlled Environment Technology.

Table 5: IP Costs
Missile base 4 Scout 3
Advanced missile base 10 2 scouts 5
Mega Missile base 25 Colony Transport1
Patrol boat 6 Corvette 8
Cruiser 15 Fighter ship 20
Monitor 30 Deathstar 40
Planet shield 30 Planet climate 25

CRACKING PLANET SHIELDS
     This rule makes it possible to destroy a planetary shield, with some difficulty and risk attendant. Any warship may try to breach the shield. It makes a combat roll on the Combat Results Table, under "Attacking a Deathstar" column. If it succeeds, the shield goes pop. If it fails, the ship goes pop instead. It is expensive in terms of ships, but it's worth seeing the look on the faces of all those arrogant colonists who were thumbing their noses at you.

Updated 14 Jan 08.

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