Warp Gate Transference

It’s probably been mentioned before, however I was wondering what the effects would be if a new warp gate mechanic were applied so that they could be transferred from star to star.

This is how I imagined it: like ceding a single star per full round, a player can have the option on the star menu to move a warp gate to an adjacent star that lacks a warp gate and is within both hyperspace and scanning range (since warp gate stations aren’t ships, you know. :wink: , they need extra data from the scanning) . It would then move like a carrier would to the other star, arriving once the transit time runs out. Once a warp gate’s moved from a star, that star of course loses its warp capability.

If the warp gate lands on an enemy star, the enemy either destroys the gate like a ship or they claim it. I kind of prefer the idea of destroying it, as it makes the move more risky and involved. Though it makes less logical and roleplay sense for a player to destroy something they usually can claim when it’s already on a star.

I think it’d be fun to play a game with this kind of tactic enabled in a game with poor resources and few natural gates whereby gates can be slowly transferred to one point or other. Once a gate’s found, it can be moved to key sectors over time. Stars awaiting for a gate arrival would become prime targets. It would allow for those random gates to have some descent function, as usually I find them all in typically worthless positions that benefit nobody. The games where building gates are disabled and yet have high random gates generated would have more strategic malleability with this option still enabled, which would be fun to see for me.

Thoughts?

Not such a crazy idea.

We could also have a special kind of carrier that acted as a warp gate. You start the game with just a few of them and you have to move them into position throughout the game.

Jay.

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This reminds me of the discussion last year about worm holes: Research bonus for players with no friends - #4 by wfmcgillicuddy

Something like what Jay suggests sounds interesting. Something like a “Warp-module?” Or maybe a gate barge?

According to current game mechanics, the price of a WG depends on the Terraformed Resources of a star.

How would the price of a mobile WG be determined ?

I’m not sure it matters. The point is the warp gate is built then moved, and by my way of thinking it would be limited to a single movement per round like with ceding stars. If you want a warp gate on a poor resource star, just make a warp gate on a bigger star, assuming it has no gate already, and then transport it slowly each round to the other star.

As Jay suggested, if there’s a set number of warp gate transporters, then moving gates would be quite a bit more tactical. Which, of course,doesn’t really answer your question, exactly.

I think warp gates can be a bit too expensive on the small stars, hence the idea of moving gates. I want it to still be a challenge, but making movable gates expensive somehow would be a bother. Which is why Jay’s idea is sounding better and better: if there’s only a set number of Warplifters, then that means it’d still be hard to quickly transport gates to key stars as there’d only be a set number of them per game per player.

Oh, Oh, what about if you could drag a gate to anywhere in space. Create new jump points altogether!

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So it might seem like there could be a game mechanic to capture the mobile WG ?

And the WG should be disabled while moving ? Because the hyperspace distance is always fluctuating ?
What happens to carriers on route towards the mobile WG when it moves out of range ?
Does the carrier continue to meet the mobile WG ? or select a new destination ?

Would there be a game mechanic to destroy the mobile WG ?

Is Jay being sarcastic? I’m a poor judge. :flushed:

No, I was being serious.

@xjhdexter points out some good problems, but I think the are all solvable.

You could destroy a mobile warp gate using the Nova Bomb!

(I’ve been wanting to add a nova bomb for ages that destroys a star!)