Capital Command News

[h3]The best captains make use of automated navigation, but are aware of its limitations and, when needed, will not hesitate to take manual control and fly the ship themselves.[/h3]

Capital Command's automated navigation system can fly the ship reasonably well in in most situations, including combat. This allows the captain to focus on weapons, tactics and situational awareness. However, the nav system will not consider the whole tactical situation and plan maneuvers several steps ahead, nor will it ever match the grace and technique of a skilled skipper at the con.



The two primary concerns when it comes to ship handling are attitude (the ship's rotation) and velocity (how it's moving through space). Since ships fly through vacuum, the two are decoupled: flying "backwards" or "sideways" is no more difficult than moving bow-forward.

Ships use two different systems for attitude control. Thrusters are small rocket engines positioned strategically around the hull. When the captain orders a maneuver, the ship automatically calculates the required throttle for each thruster, and activates them to push the the ship so that it rotates as required.



Thrusters are effective, but are also vulnerable to enemy attacks. As a backup, ships use reaction-less stabilizers, located deep inside the hull. While less effective, they are impervious to enemy fire, in the sense that damage heavy enough to disable them would likely also destroy the whole ship as well.

Actual acceleration is achieved using boosters: giant, powerful rockets that push the ship and alter its velocity. Maneuvers usually consist of two parts: turning the ship so the boosters point in the right direction, then boosting until the ship's velocity reaches its desired value.

One significant feature of space navigation is that, once the ship is boosted into motion, it keeps moving until stopped, or turned, by another boost. The ability to manage ship orientation, engine burns, and booster delta V reserves, is the mark of a skilled ship driver.



Thrusters, too, can be used to push the ship into actual movement. While weaker than boosters, they are positioned all over the hull, making them well-suited for small trajectory changes without needing to turn the whole ship for a booster burn.

Capital Command's 3D flight model is a difficult skill set to master, and the automated nav system does a decent job of flying any ship in the game. However, captains who put in the effort and master manual navigation will gain access to new, creative tactical options, and experience truly free flight in open space.

That's it for this TA. Next time, we'll take a look at the nuts and bolts of conning your ship: the navigation and flight control interface. Thanks for reading, and fly safe!
The dev

[h3]Boosters are giant rocket engines used for Newtonian ship movement between jumps and during combat. They provide the raw power to make ships accelerate, brake, or turn, at will.[/h3]

Capital Command uses a high-fidelity physical model to simulate ship movement and propulsion in hard vacuum. There is no friction, momentum is fully conserved and ships don't have to point in the direction they are moving. More importantly, besides accelerating, using the ship's engines is the only way to change direction, slow down or stop altogether.

The vast majority of a ship's propulsive power is provided by large reaction engines called boosters. These behemoths dominate the stern of most ships, and are able to generate extreme amounts of thrust. Ships massing many thousands of tons can achieve significant acceleration under boost; some boost-optimized warships can even accelerate at up to several g's, posing significant safety and health issues for their crews.



However, there is more to boosters than just raw power. Their most significant limitation, is that they cannot actually burn continuously for very long. The ultra-high-energy particles that serve as reaction mass take significant time to generate and are very difficult to store in large quantity.

This means that most ships are only able to boost for a few seconds before having to wait up to several minutes to recharge their capacitors. Fast, agile warships, such as corvettes and light cruisers, are designed and optimized for quick recharge cycles, since for them the ability to maneuver on short notice is key to survival.

Skilled captains are always aware of their booster recharge status and plan their burns well in advance, to ensure they will always have the acceleration they need, when they need it.



Their second downside, is that boosters are notoriously vulnerable in combat. Warships are generally designed with most protection and defensive weaponry concentrated forward and on their "top" side. The stern sections are devoted largely to propulsion, with giant booster nozzles and auxiliary propulsion equipment exposed on the exterior, and should therefore never be exposed directly to enemy fire.

Damage to the nozzles or the stern section usually results in booster failures, leaving the ship stranded on its current trajectory. While boosters are robust and can usually be repaired in action, this still takes considerable time, during which the ship may find itself in difficult tactical situations.

Additionally, ships' drive sections are usually less durable and hold complex, sensitive, high-energy machinery. Enemy fire that strikes astern has a good chance to create significant problems as well as increased structural damage. It is therefore highly recommended to keep the boosters, and the ship's stern in general, pointed away from enemy threat axes.

Movement is an essential part of combat in Capital Command. Since boosters provide the vast majority of any ship's acceleration, captains should be aware of their functionality, characteristics and vulnerabilities.

That's it for this Tactical Analysis. Next time, we'll be looking at advanced maneuvering and manual navigation. Until then, don't forget to wishlist the game and tell your friends!
Thanks for reading
The dev

[h3]Farpoint is a typical deep space, multipurpose military outpost. Built during the last big territorial expansion, she's well past her heyday, but she's still got it where it counts![/h3]



The station served initially as a well-protected staging point, repair base and command post for forward fleet operations. The overall design is standardized, although differences in local conditions, components, manufacture and assembly ensured no two outposts ended up identical.

The station's structure is divided into several sections differing in purpose, functionality and layout. From "top" to "bottom", these sections are Science, Engineering, Hab, Drive and Power.

[h3]The Science Section[/h3]

As a military outpost, Farpoint was originally fitted with state-of-the-art telescopes, able to locate and track space objects at astronomical distances, as well as more exotic sensors capable to detect jump drive signatures.

In recent years, this powerful array of detectors has been mostly re-purposed for civilian use, providing astronomical data to universities and research institutes, as well as useful and accurate space traffic oversight and stellar weather observations. In return, a significant percentage of the station's operating budget is now covered from external "donations". The loss of the station's military surveillance capability was not deemed significant by Fleet Command.

[h3] Engineering [/h3]

As her name suggests, Farpoint is in fact the most distant operational outpost established to date, the staging point for a significant complement of ships on extended tours. The Engineering section is up to the challenge, with advanced labs and fabricators that can service and maintain virtually any type of equipment in use in the fleet.

The station's fleet of assembly drones allow hull repairs, inspections, service and maintenance work to take place quickly and effectively on any ships parked nearby. This is perhaps Farpoint's best-maintained capability, due to the high civilian demand, and offered price, for its high-quality work.

[h3] Habitation [/h3]

Originally designed for military use, Farpoint boasts an extensive habitation ring, able to provide a full-G environment in a large volume. Most hab sections and life support installations are currently mothballed, with current personnel occupying a small fraction of the station's total capacity.

Proposals to take advantage of Farpoint's giant spinhab by turning it into an exotic tourist destination have met with strong resistance from local Fleet personnel. The most recent suggestion is to devote most of the unused volume to an enormous complex of casinos, luxury hotels and privately-owned residences. The future of Farpoint is shining bright!

[h3] Storage [/h3]

Engineering needs materials to work with, people in the hab need volatiles to live, ships need endless amounts of supplies to roam the endless void, and Storage section is where it's at! The four giant lobes house thousands of storage cells, all linked together by a complex internal transport network. The system is able to store, move, load and unload prodigious amounts of raw materials, parts and all the types of consumables that space travel requires.

While unglamorous, this is arguably the most important function of any permanent space facility, and very probably the last to be shut down when the station is finally decommissioned.

[h3] Power [/h3]

Arguably, the most vital section is the station's living, beating "heart", which provides power to everything else. The high-capacity reactor is currently operating at its lowest setting, yet provides ample power for Farpoint's modest present needs.

A running joke on board is that Storage and the hab ring are optimally placed to shield the sensitive equipment in Engineering and the sensors in Science, from the reactor's residual radiation. Fleet staff strongly deny any such intent.

[h3] Military Value [/h3]

Returning Farpoint to operational status would be extremely difficult. The station's defensive armament was decommissioned, dismounted and placed in storage to prevent accidents and reduce maintenance expenses. The drives are also mothballed and the whole power plant would require significant work before being declared safe to run anywhere near its rated power.

The current strategic context renders any future military involvement for Farpoint, highly unlikely. The station is presently running at minimal capacity, providing valuable services for the local civilian economy until the time comes for its complete deactivation.

That's it for this brief tour of Farpoint Station, in its day the most advanced and, now, one of the last deep space outposts still in operation. They sure could build them!

In Capital Command, Farpoint is the focus of the game's campaign, where you play as the captain of a ship assigned to the station for an extended tour of duty. How things turn out and what happens next, you'll just have to see for yourself!

As always, don't forget to wishlist the game, and thanks for reading!
The dev

[h3]Ships in Capital Command die one system at a time, and every battle is a race to fix what's broken before more breaks.[/h3]

The primary indicator of a ship's "health" is an abstract number called its structural integrity. It describes the state of the primary structural elements that keep it in one piece. When structural integrity reaches zero, the ship will effectively die: components and sections fall apart, systems fail catastrophically, links and communication lines are severed and, for good measure, the main ammunition magazine usually explodes in a spectacular display. Reducing structural integrity to zero is the proximate cause for a ship's existential failure.



In addition to structural integrity, ship are also divided into sections. Each section has its own damage status, also displayed as an abstract number. When an attack impacts the hull, the corresponding section takes the brunt of the damage, before the ship's structure. Of course, if the impacted section is already heavily damaged, or if the attack is exceedingly devastating, structural damage will be significant.

[h3]Death by a Thousand Cuts[/h3]

However, attacks can do much more than just degrade a ship's sections and structural integrity. The complex machinery that keeps a ship moving and fighting, is fragile and vulnerable. Every time a ship is hit, there is a risk that various systems become disabled, resulting in impaired effectiveness, or even rendering the ship completely unable to maneuver or fight.



The physical location where an attack lands is the most important factor in determining its effects, with nearer systems more likely to be affected. That said, ships' inner layouts are notoriously complex, and the path of damage inside the hull is inherently chaotic. Therefore, it is quite possible that distant systems will be disabled, although usually damage doesn't easily cross between sections.

Most ships are designed expecting damage mostly on their forward and "top" sides, which is where their primary armament is located. Therefore, dorsal and frontal sections are usually somewhat more durable, while other more fragile, critical parts such as the drives or the ammo magazine, are positioned (hopefully) safely in the stern and underbelly.

Another dangerous consequence of taking damage is that it may start cascading failures and chain reactions inside the ship. Although generally called "fires", these events rarely involve actual oxygen combustion, although they often produces flame-like plasma that escapes from the hull in rather spectacular pyrotechnic displays. This type of uncontrolled energetic phenomena inside the hull causes both structural damage, as well as additional disruption to other systems in the vicinity.



Normally, while serious, fires aren't altogether lethal. Only a ship in very poor shape, afflicted by multiple fires, could face structural failure from them alone. While fires do degrade structure and sections, they are at their most critical when they randomly disable other systems, suddenly depriving the ship of its capabilities at inopportune times.

[h3]Damage Control[/h3]

Of course, warships are designed and built knowing that they will be shot at. Damage effects aren't completely unpredictable, and automated procedures and responses exist to restore functionality and limit side-effects. While this does not happen immediately, or even very quickly, captains can be reasonably certain that most fires will be put out, and system failures restored, within a matter of minutes.

However, a few minutes is more than enough for an enemy to take advantage of the ship's reduced capability, and launch additional attacks. Most damage effects will be seriously worsened when more damage hits them, significantly increasing recovery time. A skilled attacker will prioritize damaged ships, and will try to hit them where they're already visibly wounded, hoping to finish them off before they can recover.

Damage control parties are a captain's best tool to deal with damage effects. These are teams of highly-trained personnel, equipped to navigate the inside of the hull, isolate and contain hot spots, apply emergency repairs and restore systems to operation. DCP's are experts at damage control and can be relied upon to neutralize emergencies and restore functionality quickly and effectively.

The major downside of damage control parties is their low availability, They are limited in number; worse, after each assignment, a significant time is required before they are prepared to deploy again. Situational awareness, tactics and the captain's judgment will dictate whether a problem warrants a DCP intervention.

That's it: a primer on damage, destruction and damage control in Capital Command. I hope you enjoyed this presentation. Remember to wishlist the game, and thanks for reading!
The dev

[h3]Artillery in Capital Command comes in two flavors. The main battery is for killing ships. Secondary batteries are mostly for staying alive, although they have other uses as well.[/h3]

Both types are similar in that they use guns to shoot unguided projectiles. They differ in almost every other respect: ordnance, physical placement, fire control, ammunition storage and handling procedures are all almost completely unrelated.

[h3] The Main Battery [/h3]

Main battery guns are giant beasts that fire huge payloads at high velocity. They are big, heavy and complex. Only large ships can mount them, and each main battery turret or casemate is an important part of the ship's structure.



The main battery is usually positioned near the ship's center of mass, so the recoil doesn't set the ship spinning, with the guns grouped together so they can all attack the same target. They are usually housed in armored turrets that provide protection and allow wide arcs of fire. Casemates, where the guns are positioned inside the ship and fire through openings in the hull, are simpler to build and provide increased protection, but the guns are far less maneuverable.

Main battery reload cycles are notoriously slow, as the guns need time to prepare to fire and giant elevators deliver the shells from the ship's magazine. One minute between shots is a normal cadence, with heavier guns taking even longer. Aiming is also a challenge, especially at longer ranges, but when properly aimed, the main battery is surprisingly accurate.



[h3]Secondary Batteries[/h3]

Secondary batteries consist of a number of light guns mounted together somewhere on the hull. They shoot light ordnance at high rates of fire, and their primary use is to destroy incoming main-battery shells and missiles.



While secondaries are optimized for point defense, they can be used to attack ships, especially at short range. Using the appropriate ammo type, they are effective against small, light ships, or to disable particular systems on larger targets. As an added advantage, the small secondary projectiles are very difficult to track accurately, and therefore largely immune to point defense. This is offset by their low damage and relatively short effective range.



Because of the high rate of fire, each secondary battery has an internal ammunition magazine which feeds all its guns. When the battery magazine is empty, the battery ceases fire while it refills from the ship's primary magazine. Captains must be aware of their secondary ammo status, or risk finding themselves defenseless just as the enemy sends a salvo their way!

Overall, compared to missiles, artillery projectiles are much cheaper: all the propulsion and guidance hardware stays ship-side, instead of being attached to the payload and smashing into the target. The smaller, less complex ordnance also means that reloading a gun is generally easier and quicker than readying a missile for launch.

The down side is that the gun itself is a large, cumbersome, complex piece of machinery that takes far more effort to fit onto a ship. The main battery is a major design element on any warship, and even secondary batteries require significant internal space and must be positioned to cover the expected angles of incoming attacks.

This means that there will usually be fewer guns on the ship, than missiles in its tubes. While artillery can inflict very high damage, it cannot deliver the burst of destruction of a full missile volley. Instead, the main battery is best used to deliver sustained damage with repeated hammer blows, while secondaries disable systems on the enemy ship and neutralize incoming attacks.

That's all for this Tactical Analysis. For next time, I'm planning an unglamorous but vital subject: Damage Control!

As always, thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this, add the game to your wishlist, leave a comment and tell your friends!

Take care
The dev