Homeworld Custom Map

====================
Creator: Dylov
E-Mail Address:  dy.lov@techemail.com

Map Name:  First Battle of Hancock Station (from; The Short Victorious War by David Weber)
File Name:  Hancock(RMN) & Hancock(PSN)
Version:  1.1 (11 March 2000)
Created With:  Notepad, Excel97 and TextPad v.4.1.02
====================

Background Storyline and/or Comments:

"Contact!"

"I'm not sure what it is Ma'am," Admiral Chin's operations officer said. "I'm picking up some very small radar targets at about seven million klicks. They're not under power, and they're too small to be warships, even LACs, but they're almost exactly on our base course. We're overtaking them at about five-five-niner-four KPS, and - Jesus Christ!"

Admiral Mark Sarnow's task group had completed its turn, presenting its broadsides to the oncoming enemy, and the missile pods streamed astern like lumpy, ungainly tails.

"Stand by," Honor murmured, and data codes flashed as each division of battlecruisers and cruisers confirmed acquisition of its assigned target. She waited two more heartbeats, then - 
"Fire!" she snapped, and Task Group Hancock Zero-Zero-One belched fire.

Nike and Agamemnon alone spat a hundred and seventy-eight missiles at the Peeps, almost five times the broadside of a Sphinx-class superdreadnought. The other divisions of her squadron  had fewer birds, but even Van Slyke's cruiser divisions had twice a Bellerophon-class dreadnought's broadside. Nine hundred missiles erupted into Admiral Chin's teeth, and every ships drive came online in the same instant, They  swerved back onto their original heading, redlining their acceleration, and deployed decoys and jammers to cover themselves as they raced ahead down the Havenites' base course at 500 gravities.

*************

This map is an attempt to recreate the feel of a large-scale naval engagement.  From the opening rounds of the War between the Star-Kingdoms of Manticore and the Peoples Republic of Haven, this map Depicts the assault on the Hancock System by Havenite forces.

This map has been designed for 2v2, or 3v3 Team games. Each player begins the game with a large fleet of capital ships and/or frigates, spread out over the map. What each player begins with is left hazy here, basic fleet dispositions are detailed below. Each player begins with a carrier for their Flag (as the game crashes if you try to build and have no MS or Carrier as the Flag). The Picket and Point Admirals however, begin with two, but less capital ships as a compromise. There are NO FIGHTERS OR CORVETTES AT ALL, minelayer corvettes only.

Resources cannot be gathered, and there are no resource injections or bounties.  However, the default RU bonus does apply - that is, whenever a player's stockpile of RUs is less than 400 a bonus injection of 25 points will be received at quick, regular intervals until the total is back up to 400. 

Hyperspacing is OFF, as this is a tactical engagement within the gravity well of the planet Hancock. The starting distances are large, which will admittedly slow the game down, The Map is very big and with no hyperspacing moving such huge fleets about will seem very slow, however, the grand scale of the battle and the shear number of capital ships present offsets this adequately. Trust me, time is not on your side in this map.

Everything is geared towards the defenders. They have mines, autoguns, proximity sensors and pickets deployed across fully half the map and more. The Attackers will begin at the edge of the planetary sytem, at the edge of the planet's gravity well, allowing each side to sort out a strategy before the first engagements. The Attacker also has slightly more tonnage in fighting strength, however this is offset but a number of advantages that should even things up a bit for the defenders (Such as minefields, sensors and so on).

Two versions of this map is included, The first version (RMN) which players 1, 2 (and 3) are the Defending fleet (The Manties), and a second version (PSN) which is identical apart from players 1, 2 (and 3) are the assaulting fleet (The Peeps).

Playing the game with an odd number will always stack up the most players on the listed versions side, ie 5 players on the RMN map will give 3 defenders (The Manties) vs 2 Attackers (The Peeps). On the PRN map we get 3 attackers vs 2 Defenders.

This map will not work against a cpu, its Online all the way. 

It is highly recommended that this map be played with the 'Lightning Mod' by Patrick Heslipp which can be found and explained fully at; www.heslipp.freeserve.co.uk

*************

For the Royal Manticorian Navy (RMN); Defending Fleet. 
-------------------------------------------------------

2 Player (RMN)
--------------

Plyr 1	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station, Fwd Picket at 50k perimeter.
Plyr 2	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet, Fwd Probe approacking 50k Perimeter.


3 Player (2 Teams) (RMN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 2	Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (+Hv Support) patrolling the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 3	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet, Fwd Probe approacking 50k Perimeter.


4 Player (2 Teams) (RMN)			
------------------------

Plyr 1	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 2	Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (+Hv Support) patrolling the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 3	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 4	Probing Fleet (+Hv Support) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet


5 Player (2 Teams) (RMN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 2	1st Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic South Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 3	2nd Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic North Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 4	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 5	Probing Fleet (+Hv Support) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet


6 Player (2 Teams) (RMN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 2	1st Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic South Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 3	2nd Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic North Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 4	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 5	1st Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic South.
Plyr 6	2nd Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic North.

*************

For the Peoples Navy (PSN); Attacking Fleet. 
--------------------------------------------

2 Player (PSN)
--------------

Plyr 1	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet, Fwd Probe approacking 50k Perimeter.
Plyr 2	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station, Fwd Picket at 50k perimeter.


3 Player (2 Teams) (PSN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 2	Probing Fleet (+Hv Support) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet
Plyr 3	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station, Fwd Picket at 50k perimeter.


4 Player (2 Teams) (PSN)			
------------------------

Plyr 1	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 2	Probing Fleet (+Hv Support) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet
Plyr 3	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 4	Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (+Hv Support) patrolling the 50k perimeter.


5 Player (2 Teams) (PSN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 2	1st Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic South.
Plyr 3	2nd Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic North.
Plyr 4	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 5	Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (+Hv Support) patrolling the 50k perimeter.


6 Player (2 Teams) (PSN)
------------------------

Plyr 1	Assault Fleet - Main Assault Fleet.
Plyr 2	1st Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic South.
Plyr 3	2nd Probing Fleet (Point) - Forward Lighter probe ahead of the Main Assault Fleet to the Galactic North.
Plyr 4	Home Fleet - Heavy Fleet, Docked at Hancock Station.
Plyr 5	1st Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic South Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.
Plyr 6	2nd Picket Fleet - Forward Fleet (Galactic North Wing) patrolling up to the 50k perimeter.

*************

Quoting TAKER here;

As always, if you like this map or if you dont like this map, LET ME KNOW! I can only design as good a map as my own creativity and your feedback allow me to!

In order to play this may, unzip it into your SIERRA\Homeworld\Multiplayer folder. It should have five folders named Hancock(RMN)2 - Hancock(RMN)6, five more folders named Hancock(PSN)2 - Hancock(PSN)6 plus this text file. If you have properly placed the folders, Homeworld will automatically recognize this map on startup when you select Multiplayer maps.


Historical Note;
----------------
First Battle of Hancock Station - One of the largest early engagements in the SKM/PRH War. Involved RMN Task Group Hancock 001 (5th Battle Cruiser Squadron) and lead elements of the Seaford 9 Task Force under Admral Chin. Battle ended after TGH 001 successfully, drew Admiral Chin's ships into a heading that allowed elements under Admiral Danislav to capture them. Winner: RMN. RMN Losses: Defiant, Achilles and over 12,000 dead PNS losses: PSN Nouveau Paris, Walid, Sulieman, Malik, Waldensville, Alp Arslan, Scimitar, Kopesh, and Drusus. Additional losses include 5 dreadnaughts and their escorts captured for the RMN.

Ref. HH3 (The Short Victorious War - David Weber), HH4 (Field of Dishonor - David Weber).
[The Unofficial David Weber Fan Club Page (Honorpedia); http://www.movie-trailers.com/weber/Honorpedia/honorpedia.html]


Acknowledgements;
-----------------
The Space Station, was based on the station in the map 'Starpoint' by RawDeal (RawDeal@mediaone.net), so all kudos on its design using the prisonships is his. Thanks Rawdeal.
And as always to TAKER for his ring maker (spot the Rings!), BIG thanks Taker.
Hellhawk666 whos map 'Planetary Wars' Inspired the initial incarnations of this map, and why it became a 'David Weber Capitalships-fest'.

Also a thanks go out to Adriko and Dotson-25064 for playtesting this map on WON. Although i actually think Adriko showed bad form by hammering me senseless at my own map... next time Adriko... Next time... 

A Big thanks to those involced with the Beta especially the ever helpful Obithrawn, /Downslope\, Shin, Shortboy, GABrunner and Patrik Heslip, (Maker of the Lightning MOD - who I kinda foistered the map on).

[Dylov 11/3/00]