Combat modifiers can be nullified if the attacking unit has a counter threat that is of sufficient power to do so, for example; if a tank fires upon an armored vehicle, or a missile strikes a fortification. Attacking units will always strike at the greatest threats first with two units to one. However, if an infantry unit is attacking an armored vehicle the vehicle may be disabled, but the armsmen inside become a member and the battle continues. Let logic dictate the use of modifiers, rather than simply adhering to the rules.

Example Combat:

This is an ideal scenario, where the rebels are equipped and prepared and use advanced tactics. The situation is the first attack during the war. The rebels pick the easiest target first, a desert outpost, where there are no fortifications, the outpost is manned by 1000 troops, or ten members, one vehicle, and two calliopes that can be brought to bear. The rebels will be attacking with 1000 Infantry troops with ED rifles and one artillery member. The rebels airborne in, just after dusk, giving themselves plenty of time to reach the outpost before first light and attack while two-thirds of the camp is asleep.

Initiative: The outpost is at -3 during the initial attack, sleeping and unaware. The roll (d6) is rebels 3 and GC 3 (-3), or a modified 3-1, the rebels gain the initiative for five rounds…

Combat: The artillery unit modifier is nullified, as the calliopes are always considered fortified.

Round One: The rebels roll (d10) eleven times, A-5, 9, 3, 4, 8, 5, 4, 7, 10, 1, 6.

A-5 The artillery unit disables the calliope.

9 -1 An infantry unit was aiming at the calliope as well.

3 -1 An infantry unit was aiming at the second calliope, but does superficial damage.

4 -1 The guard manning the tower is killed but the calliope is still functional.

8 +2 Guard killed

5 +2 Guard killed

4 +2 Guard killed

7 +2 Guard killed

10 +2 Guard vaporized

1 - no target

6 +2 Guard killed

There are still two guards roving around the compound and they return fire, rolling a 6 and 3

6 -1 Fires at the artillery but only wounds the armsmen

3 -1 Fires at the artillery but shot goes wild.

Round Two: The rebels roll eleven times again; A-7, 4, 8, 2, 9, 6, 3, 10, 9, 4, 5. (still at +2)

A-5 The artillery unit disables the calliope.

4 An infantry unit was aiming at the calliope as well.

8 Guard vaporized

2 Guard wounded

9 Guard vaporized

6 waits for target

… …

The member on watch is technically wounded, the other nine members (900) infantry begin pouring out of the bunk houses, so the rebels begin firing at anything that moves within the fence

Rebels 6 member killed

3 member wounded

10 member killed

9 member killed

4 member killed

5 member killed

GC Infantry rolls 3, 5, 8, trained units gets shots at +4, as rebels are only skill level one.

3 +4 One rebel member wounded (rebels have initiative, roll below 6)

5 +4 One rebel member wounded (rebels have initiative, roll below 6)

8 +4 One rebel member killed

Even though he has lost members of his force, the rebel commander calls for the outpost to surrender, knowing they have the initiative and outnumbers them 10 to 4, (wounded members combine) the GC commander call for a cease fire and surrenders. The rebel unit has the experience now of a skill level 2, in combat training.

The GM can see that the rebel armies will not have too much of an advantage, unless they have the initiative, or take the outpost by surprise. The PCs may not realize that training is more important than superior firepower and may lose the ground war aspect of the rebellion. Without directives to fight to the end, hold ground, take over bases and wait for reinforcements, etc… the rebels may lose quite a few of their armies during the initial onset of the war. If this is the case, the word will spread and GC forces will gain a (+1) morale combat modifier thinking they are superior. About the only way for the rebels to be assured of a win is to attack with twice the number of GC forces, if they still outnumber the GC 2-1 after the first round, the outpost will surrender, if the PCs do not give the directive to ask for surrender though, when possible, they will likely suffer heavy losses, as an outpost won't volunteer to surrender like a fleet will, but must be asked…

 GC Upgrades:

As the war progresses, the GC will have time to upgrade their units, this will consist of one mobile member and a possible additional infantry member, per month. As the GC will not know where the next attack is coming from they will spread their reinforcements throughout the region and a single outpost will not receive a massive upgrade. The same is not true of the prime worlds in quadrant A, existing units will be upgraded and receive reinforcements, while the outlying colonies will get standard upgrading. Upgrading will proceed as follows;

After the first six months of fighting, the GC will become more specific in its reinforcements, having a better clue of what they are up against. Upgrades will be designed to counter the rebel threat, by either upgrading tech, or additional units that would help.

The GM may try to play with the normal SO starship combat rules, but it may be quicker to determine the outcome by using the rules outlined in 4:1. Fleet combat takes place in turns that are a month long, so that each month the border will fluctuate, this is because of travel time, preparation, and repair time between battles.

If the PCs simply attack GC fleets head on and do not give any consideration to tactics, in which case they would discuss different types of scenarios with the GM, then the Initiative roll is only to determine who calculates their combat first and there is no consideration given to surprise, attacking first, etc… Tactics would reflect command training, where the PCs have given thought to drawing their enemy out, using a moon, asteroid belt, anomaly, gas cloud, etc…, to gain a tactical advantage. As there is no one in the campaign, GC, or rebel, who has experience at fleet verses fleet combat, it is simply a matter of who has not be disabled after each round, that gets to fire during the next. If the PCs engage the rebel hunting fleets and display the use of tactics, then the GM can allow rebel fleets to employ the same, giving them a (+1 accumulative) modifier for each fleet that the PCs have destroyed. For this to be considered the PCs would need to be part of a fleet of 25 ships of their own and engage fleets that are not within the GC border. Attacking fleets within the border will start the rebellion, by alerting the GC, which will start upgrading, training, and fortifying, if this happens the PCs will lose their modifiers.

As far as combat modifiers go, the GC commanders have a (+4), due to their experience and training, that the rebel commanders will not have, Federation fleets will have the (+4) modifier also. Unless the players and GM want to keep track of each fleet, this is constant throughout the war. Rebel fleets get modifiers of (+1), for each tech level above 8 the ships are (+2 max) and a (+2) if the starships are stealth class, (+1 if GC sensors are upgraded). So that the only edge the rebels can count on is if the PCs defeat rebel hunting fleets and learn fleet strategy that they can pass on, or if they transfer Federation commanders to their own high tech ships.

Another consideration is the class of ships, the GC fleets will typically have one heavy cruiser, four medium cruisers, and twenty light cruisers, per fleet, plus a wing (5) of scout ships that will not join in a battle. Fighters are counted as 10 fighters equal the firepower of a light cruiser, but unless the PCs are deploying carrier class starships, these numbers are equal on both sides and cancel each other out. A carrier though gives the rebels the equivalent of 10 extra cruisers and fighters are counted as being destroyed, before larger class starships. (5 stealth fighters are equal to 10 non-stealth, in this same calculation.) Tactical Orbs are at a disadvantage in fleet combat, as they use a planets atmosphere to counter the mobility of a fleet, but away from a planet they are at a (-4).

If the PCs think about it, disabled GC fleets can be repaired and provided with a new crew and allowed to strengthen the rebel forces. Dividing up crews to man extra ships is not an option though, as a full crew is needed to repair and man every ship. The PCs would need to bring in a transport that is carrying an extra crew that they had previously trained, which means that they would have thought of this long before the war started. These ships can join the battle in two months, or be used to hold the border, if the PCs do not have the foresight though, these ships will end up becoming pirate vessels, after the rebellion is over. This in itself could cost the PCs the game, as the shipping lanes will dissolve and colonies will experience starvation and lack of resources. This will cause splinter groups as the colonies revolt against the new government. The PCs can not just leave a few men behind either, as the pirates will overwhelm them, or the ones left behind will become pirates themselves.

As the war rages on the players and GM may want to simplify things even more. In this case each battle can be fought by rolling (2d6) one for the GC and one for the rebels, high roll wins. In this case the odds must be even, or modifiers simplified like;

-1 Attacking fortified with infantry, or untrained fleet against GC fleet.

+1 Attacking fortified with air units, or per Tech Level superior.

+1 Per skill level (*)

+1 Per superior tech level (*)

The PCs may want to attempt a rescue of surrendered armies (not fleets), as will the GC if another outpost is present. The defeated army though is demoralized and has a (-1) modifier.

In order to control a region, or be able to place ground troops on a prime world, the starbase must first be taken, otherwise it will simply nuke the ground forces, no matter where they deploy on a planet. The GC starbases have the equivalent firepower of five light cruisers, having 30X2 N300 guns, 60X2 N75 guns, with 3000 rounds each, and 10X6 ST157 torpedoes, with 60 present at the start of the war and 25 delivered each month after it starts, 1/3 of the guns and torpedo tubes can be brought to bear each round. The weapons do not get modifiers, as the armsmen do not have experience with being attacked, the space marines however have a skill level of five, in Combat Training. Each starbase has 60 marines on duty, during an eight hour shift and 120 off duty, during an attack 100 will be manning weapon stations and the other twenty will be guarding the control center, the rest on station, once the GC is at war though and additional 120 skill level one marines will arrive, divide up into groups of 10 and patrol the shuttle bays and main corridors.

If the rebels have a spy team on board the starbase, they can sabotage the weapon systems prior to an attack, before the actual war starts, after it has begun the weapons systems will be checked daily and the spies would not be effective. They can however turn their attention to other systems like power, computers, life support, etc…, so that if a spy team is present the rebels can just wait until the ok is given, attack the fleet and then storm the base and deal with the marines hand-to-hand. Providing the PCs think of this, if they don't the starbase could end up taking heavy damage and being useless in the end. To take over the starbase though, the rebels have only one hour after the starbase is boarded, as the command crew will set the auto-destruct and flee in lifeboats. Unless the PCs specify that they are sending in a new command crew, as soon as their own marines clear the landing area, they may lose the starbase, their boarding party, and any nearby ships, if they can not take the base quick enough to give their techs time to over ride the computer.

With one try ever five minutes and the techs being rated at skill level 5 in Military Programming, if the rebels do not make an assault directly to the control center they may not have enough time to try more than once. As the war takes place simultaneously in every region, the first starbase assault is used with every attack of the first wave, meaning the PCs can not change their strategy except between waves. This counts for fleet and ground combat also and even more so if the rebels do not have a communications net in place, then the first type of combat is used as a standard throughout the war. This alone may cause the rebels to lose, if they can't adapt their strategy. And sadly enough though, military commanders were never famous for thinking for themselves, throughout history, using the motto, if it didn't work this time, maybe it will next time… With a communications net though, the PCs can adopt new strategies between waves and implement them before the next, learning as they go.

In the case of the rebels taking a starbase and then the GC gaining it back, the spies will be nullified, as all non-combatants will be shipped ground side and anyone who doesn't go will be shot on site. So that the second time around the fleet will more than likely have to destroy the starbase to gain control of the colony again. When the GC recaptures a starbase they will give the rebel army on the planet a chance to surrender, which they will, unless the PCs have dictated otherwise, if not they will nuke them. The GM is advised to allow the GC to retake a starbase without destroying it, as they will have precise targets, knowing where all the guns and torpedo tubes are located. When the rebels attack the starbase the second time, they do not get this privilege and the starbase is structurally damaged by 1%, for every 1000 points of damage, having a damage capacity of 100,000. For every 1% of damage over 75%, there is a 4% chance of the starbase exploding, so that for example; The starbase takes 81,352 points of damage, there is a 24% chance of it being destroyed completely at the end of the round.

To make it easy, the GM should take the percentage of damage and calculate that same percentage of weapons as being destroyed. Repairs will take one week per gun, or torpedo tube to fix and generally speaking 1% of the damage per week can be repaired. And it should be noted that taking the starbase and the military outposts on the planet does not necessarily mean that the colony reverts to rebel status. It is possible that a civil war will ensue, which is discussed in Part Three - End Games.

Fleet combat is the determining factor of the rebellion being successful, or not, ground base units could be forced to surrender by siege, or by threat of orbital bombardment, whether they are GC, or rebel. Unless the rebels are successful in the space campaign, their units will always be in danger from GC fleets, who have no qualms about dropping nukes on rebels, even if it means thousands of civilians will die also. The GM should keep this in mind when the rebels (PCs) deploy their armies and fleets, if they do not intend to establish a border and defend it, GC fleets will likely come in and attack their armies, where ever they find them. A border consists of a fleet per region, with several smaller fleets (1/5th) spaced between fleets deploying sensors and forming a communications net. The PCs may just try to defend prime colonies, without scout ships, in which case they will not be forewarned when GC fleets combine, attacking 2 and 3 against one. Nor will they have the communication network to warn other fleets of GC movements. In this case a single massive fleet could literally wipe out all the rebel single fleets, one-by-one. Which is probably what the PCs will try to do, with GC fleets, protecting colonies. With a strong communication network though, the rebels can attack the GC fleets 1:1, not giving them the chance to combine.

There is two types of battles that the war will experience, fleet combat in deep space and regional combat in the system where a prime colony and starbase is located. Deep space combat is where the rebel and GC fleets meet and the border is not effected by the outcome. Once the rebels win a deep space combat, they have the option of attacking the fleets that are guarding prime colonies, then trying to take the starbase, if they win, the border is redrawn. If the GC fleet wins a deep space combat they will get reinforcements from the prime colony and go to attack any prime colonies that they lost previously. If the rebels have a strong communications network, they will be able to reinforce their own prime colony fleets, otherwise the GC can overwhelm the rebel fleets 5:1, as it takes at least five ships to hold the border at any one point, or sector. For combat purposes, when attacking a prime colony, there is no modifiers for combat initiative, this is only a factor in the deep space battles.

As it is unlikely that the rebels will have enough ships to completely surround the GC border, the prime colonies at both edges of the rebel border will be attacked, unless the PCs specifically state that they are extending their own border at least five sectors beyond the GC's current territory. So that, during the first few months of the war, GC fleets will be able to sweep around the rebel's defensive line and attack any prime colonies behind the line. If the PCs do not put full fleets on these two ends, the GC will easily regain at least two prime colonies during the next month. This will happen again and again, if the PCs do not counter the threat by protecting their flanks and rear.

Each month that the war takes, before the rebels move the border to the edge of the Alpha quadrant, the GC will combine fleets and use this massive fleet to punch holes in the border and retake prime colonies. They will start with a double fleet, the second month, that will be sent to the point where the rebel border is closest to their own. The next month they will do the same, but send the fleet to the adjoining quadrant and the same the fourth month. So that they will deploy a double fleet to quads B, C, and D. If the rebels continue to push the border closer, they will launch triple fleets from the Alpha quadrant in the sixth, eighth, and tenth months. This is as far as they will go though, unless the rebels are also deploying triple fleets, then during the 14th month they will launch a fleet of 100 ships and again during the 25th month.

In the mean time, the GC will be strengthening the Alpha quadrant, so that each sector within their border has a full fleet, guarding major planets, as well as prime colonies. The GC will go on the defensive, once the rebel border touches the Alpha quadrant, on the B and D quadrant borders, they will write off the outer quadrants, even if it has not been fully conquered, (but the PCs will not know this), once the alpha quadrant is surrounded. If it is not completely surrounded on all four sides, they will continue to launch fleets in flanking attacks, designed to cause the rebel border to be withdrawn from the Alpha quadrant.

Once the rebel border touches the Alpha quadrant, on any side of it, the GC will get worried and begin building colony defenses, specifically ion cannons. These guns have the capability of destroying one ship per round, without question and can not be attacked, until the fleet guarding the planet has been dealt with. It takes two months to build one of these cannons on each prime and major colony, but only a third of them can be brought to bear, as they are spaced around the world. If the war continues beyond 30 months, the GC will begin deploying orbital defense platforms, one every six months, max four, per planet. The rebels can prevent this from happening only by attacking Gal-Prime directly, in which case the GC will ignore the other planets in the Alpha quadrant and strengthen their own planet in 1/3 of the time.

The PCs could send all of their ships in a massive attack against Gal-Prime, but as they pass through each sector, they will be attacked by five ships, as they pass through each region, by two fleets, so if they start from Cirrus and cut a path straight to Gal-Prime, they would still have to fight numerous battles. Going around the border and attacking Gal-prime from the upper, or left side of the quadrant would be easier and probably succeed. The only problem with this, is that each region would immediately become a splinter group and in a matter of months, border wars would erupt between regions. In this case the PCs might have won the war, but they would have lost the campaign.

The easiest way for the rebels to win, is to punch a massive fleet of ships through the upper, or left side of quadrant A and have enough ships left to deploy 100 ships surrounding Gal-Prime, but not immediately attack it. In the mean time, they will need to attack all three outer quadrants at the same time. This will prevent the GC from organizing a counter-strike and deploying double and triple fleets, and also prevent them from developing colony defenses. Left on their own, the outer colonies will use one fleet to protect the prime colony and deploy five ships in each sector to defend major colonies, but they will not regroup, or reinforce each other. The massive fleet that lays siege to Gal-prime will be able to defend against incoming fleets without problem and the same is true of fleets being deployed from Gal-prime as well.

Gal-prime will immediately begin building ground based cannons, but as long as the fleet does not move in, they will maintain their numbers. The three orbiting starbases have the equivalent firepower of five medium class ships, each. So when the rebels eventually attack Gal-prime, they will have five cannons, a full fleet, and the three starbases to contend with. If the rebels just attack with the 100 ships, the odds will be pretty much even. Minor colonies would rebel in this instance, but as they could easily be brought back in line, it would not become a factor in scoring for the campaign. As far as the battle against Gal-prime is concerned, the defenses can be overcome, but the actual battle is covered in Part Three - End Games.