Player Features and Ideas Discussion

The Problem:
Strategic command is hard to do. Strategic being commanding multiple fleets in multiple systems to achieve a single goal. It is hard because information flow is mostly accomplished through meta-gaming tools such as mumble, TS, or Ventrilo, which forces all information to be relayed by voice over a single channel. This drives fleets to concentrate all power onto one objective at a time, which limits the application of maneuver warfare, grand strategies, or brilliant tactics.

Solution:
Create an in game information sharing system linked to command ships and using modules to replicate the tactical overlay display (or the forthcoming **new** tactical view mentioned at Fanfest) to a commander and allow that commander to push back to all fleets or single fleets, simple instructions such as “fall back to the gate” “retreat” “warp to safe” “reinforce” etc, tied to specific locations such as celestials, gates, stations, or fleets.

Implementation:
A new command ship “Strategic Command Ship” of battleship size is created as a tech 2 BS. Slots and stats designed to make them extremely tankable with negligible damage and maneuverability (all skill requirements to be listed later).

Racial BS Bonus: Buff to tank
Strategic command ship Bonus: 10% bonus to link range per level.

This command ship would receive a bonus to fit a Command Information Center Module with the following stats:
Allows the creation of a strategic command net which uses subspace communications to replicate tactical data between fleets in separate locations, and relay orders from the strategic commander.

High slot, 220MW PG, 300TF CPU, Activation cost 620GJ, duration 10s, range 6.2LY.
**fitting goal is to allow the ship to fit a big tank and not much else without being a large burden to capacitor issues. As long as the ship is not shooting weapons as well. So if just tank and link modules active, the cap should be sustainable, if weapons are active, then cap should become an issue.

Strategic command bonus: Able to establish two links per level.

The active module requires that the ship be uncloaked, and not warping or jumping. When the module is active, it can receive data from Fleet and Field command ships.

Fleet and Field Command ships receive a new bonus to allow them to fit a midslot module, “Command and Control Link” with the following stats:
Transmits tactical sensor information to a strategic commander and receives broadcast objectives via subspace communications.

Midslot, PG 200MW, CPU 5000TF, activation 25GJ, duration 10s.
**fitting goal is to be equal to a warfare link module.

Mechanics:
When the strategic command ship pilot left clicks on the CIC module, they are able to select “configure command net” which opens a new window where they get a unique ID and can set a password, they also have a user window where linked pilots show up and the commander can accept or kick anyone who links. This unique ID can be linked in fleet, corp, local, whatever and any command ship pilot with the C2 Link module can right click and select configure command net and input the unique identifier and password if required. This adds a user to the strategic commanders configuration screen. Once the command net is configured, the Strategic command pilot can close the configuration screen. The modules do not need to be activated on either end for the command net to exist, but no information is passed until they are active.

Once the C2 Link module is active, the Fleet/field command ship will begin transmitting tactical data, a new window will open where broadcasts from the strategic commander will be listed, and the Fleet/Field command pilot can click a button to broadcast it out to the entire fleet, or just the FC.

Once the CIC module is active, the strategic command pilot can open the tactical overlay and instead of the normal overlay, a new window opens which lists the command ships that are linked with a green or red light, next to them (green for active, red for inactive). Then there is a command window that can operate at a strategic, operational or tactical view.

Strategic view shows a galaxy map with the systems containing active command ships highlighted. A flatten map option should change to a dotlan map presentation instead of a simple flattened model. The strategic commander can also click on a system and broadcast a destination to any combination of the active command ships When a destination is broadcast, the command ship gets a new link in the broadcast window with the system and can one click to set destination, broadcast to fleet, broadcast to FC, or all of those.

The operational view is when the commander zooms into the system map by clicking on the system. The system map will show the location of the command ship that is active, celestial, gates, stations, and anything else that can be seen system wide as well as any warpable objects that are on the overview of the command ship, and shared bookmarks. All of these things can be filtered via a dropdown menu. The commander can click on an object and right click to select from a list of commands such as “attack” “defend” “guard” “wait” “dock” etc and the order/location is broadcast to the command ship in the same way that system destinations can be set in the strategic view. If a commander has fleets in two different systems, he can select a target in one system and broadcast it to the fleet in the other system. The commander can also broadcast things that are meant to go to the FC such as “scout” a system, light a Cyno, ect.

Reserved

Looks like you put a lot of thought and effort into this. I think it's a pretty good idea.

It seems this post has gotten a few likes and a few positive comments and zero flames....

Does that mean people like it, or just don't care enough to negative?

So you have been an FC in a large fleet engagement with objectives in multiple systems at the same time and did not have a problem with communication and information?

I find that fascinating. Perhaps you can explain how you are managing such a feat.

Hadn't decided.

Any of them would work.