VB6 Aurora:Glossary

A&E

Agriculture and Environment - The percentage of a colony's population used to feed the rest of the population and, if necessary, maintain Infrastructure for their survival in a hostile atmosphere. This is based on the colony cost of the SB. A colony cost of zero requires 5% of the total population.

AMM

Anti-missile Missile - A missile designed to defend vessels by destroying ASM.

ASM

Anti-ship Missile - A missile designed to destroy vessels.

ATM

Atmospheric Pressure - A measure of an SB's atmosphere that comprises a specified gas based on its percentage of the SB's Total Atmospheric Pressure.

CF

Construction Factory - A facility on a colonized SB that is the primary source of Industry on an SB. Industry is used to construct additional facilities on an SB, including PDC and vessel components.

CIWS

Close-in Weapon System - An automated PD system based on kinetic or energy weapons. This is similar to the real world Phalanx CIWS.

CO

Commanding Officer - The officer commanding a vessel or ground forces unit.

DDG

Guided Missile Destroyer - A destroyer designed to destroy other vessels using ASM. This is based on the U.S. Navy hull designation.

DDGJ

Jump-capable Guided Missile Destroyer - A DDG equipped with a Jump Drive to travel between LP and JP.

DSTS

Deep Space Tracking Station - A facility on a colonized SB that provides long range EM and TH Sensors. Each additional DSTS facility increases the range of the EM and TH Sensors by 25%.

DE

Destroyer Escort - A destroyer designed to escort and defend commercial and military vessels using AMM. This is based on the U.S. Navy hull designation.

ECM

Electronic Countermeasures - An electronic system that interferes with missile FC by reducing its effective range.

ECCM

Electronic Counter-countermeasures - An electronic system that counters the effects of ECM.

EM

Electromagnetic - Used in the context of EM Sensor, EM Signature, etc.

EPM

Economic Production Modifier - A measure of the efficiency at which installations on an SB operate. If current wealth is less than zero (i.e. deficit spending), then installations on an SB that require inputs operate at reduced efficiency. The rate of reduced efficiency is a ratio based on current wealth versus annual wealth.

FAC

Fast Attack Craft - A medium-sized vessel often between 500 - 1,000 tons in size that uses a FAC Engine. FAC are built using a SY.

FC

Fire Control - An electronic system that designates targets for its assigned weapons systems. FC depend on Active Sensors for targeting information.

FF

Fighter Factory - A facility on a colonized SB that is used to construct fighters. The rate of production is the level of Fighter Production Rate technology modified by the Fighter Production Bonus of the Planetary and Sector Governors, provided they have been appointed. Each FF required 50k population to operate.

GC

Gauss Cannon - A kinetic beam weapon based on EM acceleration of ammunition.

GCB

Ground Combat Bonus - A percentage bonus to ground forces unit combat based on the ground forces unit's CO.

GFTF

Ground Forces Training Facility - A facility used to train ground forces units. Each GFTF provides 100 training points annually.

GPS

Gravity Pulse Strength - A measure of the strength of an Active Sensor. GPS is range*resolution.

HS

Hull Space - A vessel is measured in HS, which are 50 tons each. Thus, a vessel with 100 HS is 5,000 tons.

HTK

Hits to Kill - The amount of damage required to completely destroy a system on a vessel. If less damage than the HTK is inflicted on a system, the chance of destruction is damage/HTK.

IFR

Incremental Failure Rate - The chance of a systems failure on a vessel during a five-day increment. On the Ship Summary screen, it shows the current IFR based on a vessel's maintenance clock. On the Class Summary screen, it shows the average IFR for a vessel based on a one year duration.

JP

Jump Point - A point in space in a solar system where gravitational influences cancel each other out. This allows a vessel equipped with a Jump Drive to temporarily stabilize surrounding space-time and instantaneously travel to a different JP in another solar system. A vessel can also use a Jump Gate, which is built on the JP by a specialized vessel to permanently stabilize surrounding space-time.

LP

Lagrange Point - A point in space in a solar system where gravitational influences partially cancel each other out. This allows a vessel equipped with a Jump Drive to temporarily stabilize surrounding space-time and instantaneously travel to a different LP in the same solar system. Aurora uses the L5 LP of super-jovians or massive gas giants, which are 60 degrees behind these SB in their orbital paths around their stars, as LP.

MSP

Maintenance Supply Point - A measure of maintenance cost or progress for a vessel to repair system failures due to maintenance based on the IFR. Alternatively, Missile Size Point - A measure of size for a missile and its components for design purposes. One HS, or 50 tons, is equal to 20 MSP. Phrased another way, one MSP is equal to 0.05 HS or 2.5 tons.

NPR

Non-player Race - A race controlled by the computer rather than the player.

OWP

Orbital Weapons Platform - A satellite in orbit around an SB with weapons systems.

PD

Point Defense - Weapons used to defend a single point or region in space, like a vessel or SB. These usually include AMM and CIWS.

PDC

Planetary Defense Center - A facility on an SB with weapons systems. Can also be used to garrison ground forces units. PDC are built using Industry rather than SY.

PPV

Planetary Protection Value - The amount of protection a vessel provides to nearby colonized SB based on its weapons systems.

OrdF

Ordnance Factory - A facility on a colonized SB that is the primary source of ammunition for kinetic weapons systems. The rate of production is the level of Ordnance Production Rate technology modified by the Ordnance Production Bonus of the Planetary and Sector Governors, provided they have been appointed. Each OrdF required 50k population to operate.

OOB

Order of Battle - A hierarchical list of the vessels, fighters, FAC, and other weapons systems platforms that comprise a single force in a naval combat engagement.

ROF

Rate of Fire - How quickly a weapon cycles to fire new shots.

RP

Research Point - A measure of research cost or progress for new technology based on Research Lab facilities.

SB

System Body - A planet, moon, asteroid, or comet in a solar system. These can be colonized and/or mined for minerals.

SI

Service Industries - The percentage of a colony's population working in industries other than A&E or manufacturing.

SM

Space Master - The impartial referee in a multi-player game.

SP

Survey Point - A measure of gravitational or geographic survey cost or progress for solar system gravitational surveys or SB geographic surveys, respectively.

SY

Shipyard - Used to construct vessels, OWP, and FAC.

TCS

Target Cross Section - The size of a vessel for purposes of Active Sensors.

TF

Terraforming Facility - A facility on a colonized SB that is used to change the composition of the atmosphere of a SB. Each TF can add or remove a quantity of atmosphere at a rate equal to the racial Terraforming Rate modified by the Terraforming Bonus of the Planetary and Sector Governors, provided they have been appointed.

TH

Thermal - Used in the context of TH Sensor, TH Signature, etc.

TMA

Target Motion Analysis - An analysis of observed speed, EM Signature, and TH Signature to determine an approximate size for vessels detected using EM or TH Sensors.

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