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MegaMek / mekhq

MekHQ is a java helper program for the MegaMek game that allows users to load a list of entities from an XML file, perform repairs and customizations, and then save the new entities to another XML file that can be loaded into MegaMek.
http://megamek.org
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Option to make hydrogen costs zero #2183

Open twhws opened 3 years ago

twhws commented 3 years ago

Peacetime operating costs (CamOps) include fuel, which is 15 burn-days for DropShips and WarShips, and 3 burn-days for JumpShips, and send to p.179 of Strategic Operations for fuel costs.

Strategic Operations states that hydrogen fuel costs 15,000 C-Bills per ton, but it can be produced for no cost by any unit with a fusion, fission or solar power plant, at a rate of 10 tons per Maintenance/Repair cycle unless local conditions (such as lack of water) make it impossible. So basically just free, except on extremely arid or desert planets, and even on those I'd rather add missions to secure water supplies as it's more interesting than just a flat cost.

Currently there is no way to make the distinction between planets with abundant water and planets with little to no water, cost is hardcoded into campaign/unit/Unit.java (getFuelCost, getTonsBurnDay, getFighterFuelCost, getVehicleFuelCost), but adding it as a campaign option looks relatively simple.

twhws commented 3 years ago

Why unofficial tag though ? It's all in the rules. From CamOps examples of three different players calculating peacetime costs for their forces:

  1. "Hydrogen runs 15,000 CB per ton, making Arnold wince. He consults p. 179, SO, and decides he’s definitely going to have to exploit the ability of military Forces to convert local water supplies into hydrogen or keep his DropShip on the landing pad."
  2. Second player just leaves it with 15k per ton cost, without mentioning it.
  3. " [...] while the hydrogen will be 1,807,875 CB unless Jason finds a modest water source."

So players either have full cost for hydrogen fuel, or none, depending on circumstances (although I'd guess it's possible to have a variable cost, depending on how much water there is). Right now MekHQ only have the first option without any ability to change it (not counting hacks with finances tab), and this issue is about making it closer to actual rules, as written and, judging by examples, as intended.

Of course it would be even better to track fuel, ammo and supply from operational costs as warehouse items with cost, weight and rolls to find, with possibility to convert water in the warehouse to hydrogen fuel given enough fusion reactors, and possibly even rolls to find free water depending on the planet, but that would probably require quite a lot of rewriting. But incredibly cool.

Saklad5 commented 1 month ago

Rather than simply adding a toggle to zero out hydrogen cost, could the cost of each fuel type be customized? Campaign Operations makes it quite clear that fuel prices are highly variable, beyond the ability to produce your own hydrogen.