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************************* Chapter 6 - Ground Combat *************************
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Ground Combat occurs when two positions do battle with their ground
forces. Colonies and Ground Parties can attack any position at
their location with their ground forces. If they are attacking 
a ship, it is a boarding action, and only troops are involved.

When Ground Combat takes place the only items from your position included 
in the battle are items possessing ground combat ability. No other 
possessions can be damaged during the battle.

Initiating Ground Combat

Ground combat is initiated exactly as Space Battle. A ground party 
has only a Ground Combat Enemy List. A colony has both a Space Battle 
and a Ground Combat Enemy List. A ship only has a Space Battle Enemy 
List and ships can only initiate Ground Combat via a boarding action.

Phases of Combat

Ground combat is performed in a series of Phases:

1. Air Combat Phase 

2. Anti-aircraft Phase 

3. Bombing Phase 

4. Long range ground fire Phase 

5. Ground Combat Phase(s)

Phases 1-4 last for only one round each. Phase 5, Ground Combat can 
last for multiple rounds -  until one side is defeated.

Ground Battle Options

Players have the ability to set certain options 
to be used in Ground Combat. They are:

TACTIC -  This is an attacker option which specifies the method of
attack  used before breaking off battle. Tactic 1 means that you
will only perform an air attack and break off after the Bombing Phase.

Tactic 2 means that you wish to engage in Air Combat and Long Range 
Fire, only.

Tactic 3 means that you will perform all phases of battle. Tactic 
3 is the default.

INTENSITY - This is an attacker option indicating the intensity of
the attack. It effects the damage you will dish out and receive in
the battle. You can set this option as: 1= 25%, 2=50%, 3=100%, 4=150%.
Option 3 is the default -- it represents normal amounts of damage.

AIR SUPERIORITY - A normal standing order used by both attacker and
defender.  This is the percentage of your GROUND FIGHTERS that you wish
to perform an air superiority mission. Air superiority fighters will
function during the Air Combat phase of battle and then return to base.
The remainder (if any) of your GROUND FIGHTERS are assigned to ground
support and will attack enemy ground forces during the Bombing phase.


AGGRESSION RATING - The aggression rating is the maximum percent
losses a ground force is willing to accept. It can be as high as the
position's morale and as low as zero (which means retreat upon taking
any losses). A ground force's Aggression Rating is set initially to
the force's morale and may be lowered at the will of the Leader.
A Defending ship in a Boarding Action has a rating of 90.

DEFENSE VALUE - This represents the extent to which the ground force
has prepared for an attack at the end of the turn. Each 10 TU's
allocated to Defense will increase the value by 1 (up to 7 maximum).
Defense Value reduces the effectiveness of the attacking forces.
The Defense Value remains in effect until the ground force moves.

ASSAULT VALUE - This is similiar to Defense Value except that it reduces
the Defense Value. Every 15 TU's will reduce the Defense Value by 1
(4 is the maximum reduction).

Leader

In the event that more than one position is involved on the attacking 
side of battle one of them must be designated the Leader. The Leader's 
Tactic and Intensity will be used for the entire side. If you fail 
to choose a Leader the GM will choose one, usually the commander of 
the largest force.

Air Combat Phase 

During this phase your Air Superiority GROUND FIGHTERS and all your 
GROUND BOMBERS do battle with enemy fighters and bombers.

Air Superiority Fighters attack all enemy fighters and bombers. Surviving 
Air Superiority fighters return to their base and do not participate 
in the remainder of battle.

Anti-Aircraft Phase

The Ground Attack GROUND FIGHTERS and all remaining bombers approach 
their targets. The ground forces of the enemy may have Anti-aircraft 
weapons. These are fired against the incoming aircraft.

Bombing Phase 

Any surviving GROUND BOMBERS and Ground Attack GROUND FIGHTERS attack 
the enemy ground forces with their bombs. All remaining aircraft return 
to their base. 

Long Range Fire Phase

Real ground combat now begins!  Some ground forces are equipped with
Long Range Fire capabilities. As the two sides approach for battle
they each employ their Long Range Fire to soften up the enemy.

Ground Combat Phase(s)

Both sides clash!  Each employs its ground combat capabilities against
the other. If the battle is not decided quickly it may last several
rounds until one side is either destroyed or withdraws from the battle
based on its aggression rating.

Damage Resolution

The quantity of MU's destroyed in ground combat is equal to 15% of the
total combat factors on the enemy side. This number may be modified
by tactic, assault & defense values, and special abilities. 

Military items destroyed in ground combat are chosen randomly. If 
the enemy lacks sufficient hits to do this there is a proportional 
percent chance that the item will still be destroyed. Items are destroyed, 
not damaged, in ground battle. The exception is human lifeforms, which 
when wounded are renamed as INJURED. Due to the severity of injuries, 
INJURED become COLONISTS when healed.

In the event that one side of battle contains more than one ground 
party the resulting damage will be allocated proportionally based 
on each party's size.

Boarding Ships

A ship can be boarded by hostile forces only when (1) landed or (2) in
space or orbit and possessing no functioning thrust engines or offensive
space weaponry.

Due to the limited space in the interior of a ship, heavy weapons 
such as tanks and planes cannot be used by either side. The maximum 
number of troops and/or robots that can board a ship is equal to ten 
times the number of hulls in the boarded ship.

Capturing Another Position

SHIPS - Only after a successful boarding action is performed can a
ship be captured. Ships may not have a turn processed in the week they
are captured.

COLONIES - When a colony's aggression rating is triggered during a 
ground assault it cannot retreat but surrenders instead.

GROUND PARTIES - When ground parties retreat due to a ground attack, 
10% of their items are left on the battlefield and are captured by 
the opposing forces. If at the conclusion of a battle one side has 
no military forces remaining, any possessions it has are captured 
by the enemy.

In all cases stellars and stock are also captured.

Troop Promotions

In addition to training, it is possible for less experienced troops
to be promoted. GREEN TROOPS can become SOLDIERS and SOLDIERS can
become VETERANS. This is possible only through experience in real
battle situations. At the conclusion of ground combat, 0-10% of your
GREEN TROOPS and SOLDIERS will be promoted to the next higher level.
This will be reported to you on your next turn. The type and magnitude
of the ground battle determines the promotion rate chosen.

Militia

A colony will automatically use its Militia if it is attacked. 
Each Militia is composed of COLONISTS and SMALL ARMS. Each MU of 
SMALL ARMS can outfit 100 COLONISTS. A maximum of 30% of the 
COLONISTS in a colony may become MILITIA. MILITIA may only be used 
defensively. At the conclusion of the battle the Militia is dissolved 
back into its components. 
