                                      
					The Rebellion
                                        (Version 1.0)

Author: The Reflection                                                   E-Mail: WStar345@aol.com
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Story
  - 
[Incoming message:]
We have located the imperialists' last stronghold.  Many units have come to our aid, but the 
enemy's forces are still superior.  Destroy the final base.  The Rebellion is counting on you.

Probes have confirmed the enemy precense, and they do have more ships than us.  Fortunately only
one enemy carrier seems to be protecting the base, so if it is destroyed, all building will cease
and our reserves can finish the job.  Unfortunately its escort fleet is formidable...

Background
  -
The Taiidan emperor has fallen and the political leaders of the Rebellion are about ready to
establish a transitional government.  Unfortunately, the Imperial gene banks hold the DNA of
the mad emperor, and the Imperialist may try to force a cloned puppet on to the throne - and
they might succeed.  The Rebellion has launched a desperate attack on the planet with the gene
bank, but the Imperialist will not let it go without a fight.

Setup
  - 
Unzip the zip file in your Homeworld\Multiplayer directory.  

Settings
  -
No resourcing or research, but resource injections of 2000 RU every 5 minutes.  Sensor arrays
can not be built.

Layout
  -
The core of the Rebellion consists of a ring of asteroids surrounding the planet.  On the lower
end of one side of the map lies the Rebel fleet, on the upper end of the other side, the 
Imperial fleet.  Streams of dust clouds connect and run parallel to a line drawn through the
fleets.  There is a patch with a dense swarm of asteroids which can hazard navigation.  Dust
cloud patches block sensors.
The host plays the Rebellion's fleet.  The Imperial fleet is about 1.5 times the size of the 
Rebel fleet.  In addition, several planetary defense platforms have been moved into a sphere
around the Imperial carrier.  Finally, it seems the Imperials have paid a high amount of RUs
to the Turanic Raiders - who have sent small attack groups into a tetrahedron around the Imperial
carrier.  But, whoever destroys the other carrier first wins.

Known Bugs
   -
For some reason, the Rebel's black destroyer (Elson's destroyer) is pink on WON.  This does not
happen in Skirmish mode.
Alas, in Skirmish mode, the race of the computer is always opposite of yours.  This does not
make sense in the plot.  (Maybe the Rebellion was so low on ships after Hiigara that they had
to borrow some from the Kushan?)
The Rebellion is a big map with LARGE starting fleets.  The action can be Hiigaran-like.  I have
tested this on WON, and it seems fairly stable (I have a 56k modem, which are not known for their
speed in Homeworld).  However, what does happen is that frame rates slow down, even to a few
frames per second, on slower computers.  This makes the game hard to control, and more like a
slideshow.  To tell if you will have problems, play the final mission of the single player
campaign.  If this slows down uncomfortably, you probably will have trouble with the Rebellion.
I suggest turning the number of effects (visual & audio) down.  Also close all other programs 
other than Systray and Explorer.
Although the possibility of a WON crash probably isn't too large, unless all of the ships attack
one another at once, it may happen.  This often happens when the computers or Internet connection
go to slow.  Again, turn down the number of effects, and close other programs.  As with any WON
game, the faster your modem the better, and as with any game (unless it was designed for a 286),
the faster the graphics, the better.

Anticipated Criticisms
   -
The Rebellion, as far as I know, is quite unique in multiplayer maps.  Like the few other battle
maps out there, it features a large starting fleet and no resourcing or researching.  It is
special, to my knowledge, in that the sides are uneven.  I will explain why I did this, and you
can decide if I was justified or not.

"If there is no resourcing, then why are all these resources here?"

The map has resources for several reasons.  First of all is decorative, to make the map look 
good, and to give reference points to move your fleets by.  But more important is what the
resources can still do, even if they are not increasing your fleet size:
Asteroids - You may remember a certain mission in the single player campaign with a large amount
of asteroids.  The first time you went through it, you probably underestimated what they would
do on impact.  The asteroids were a serious threat to your fleet.  The asteroids in the Rebellion
could be used in a similar manner, perhaps, to make your opponent crash into them, or at least
spend valuble time shooting at them.  
Dust clouds - Dust clouds block sensors.  In addition there are no sensor arrays in the Rebellion.
So, dust banks could be used to hide your ships, if your enemy doesn't know where to look.  In
addition, ionizing dust clouds - firing an ion cannon into a dust cloud - can be devastating to
any strike craft that fly too close and can damage larger ships.

"Why are there resource injections?  I thought we had large starting fleets!"

True, you have large starting fleets.  If the game lasted more than half an hour, you might be
able to expand your fleet significantly.  By then, though, your enemy would have likely assualted
you, and you really might need to expand your fleet, assuming you have not been destroyed.  The
main reason why injections are on is so that you can hyperspace your ships.  If you make it
through the first 5 minutes, you will recieve the first 2000 RUs, enough to hyperspace your
carrier out in an emergency - perhaps to one of those dust cloud patches I mentioned earlier.  
If you do not spend it, by 10 minutes, you should have enough to hyperspace a small fleet with
the carrier.  By a half-hour, you can hyperspace your entire attack fleet (excluding carrier and
support ships) almost anywhere on the map.  That is the reason why injections are on.
The main problem I forsee is if one starts building so many fighters that it slows and crashes
the game.  So I suggest you do not go too fighter-happy (they won't do much with your opponent's
missile destroyers anyway). 

"Why isn't there any resourcing or researching?"

The idea was to shift emphasis away from those activities to actual combat.  This is to provide
a more realistic simulation of an actual battle, where it is highly unlikely that there would be
time to build much.  In a real battle, you probably would go in with all of the resources you
can (reserves aside) and with all of the knowledge of ship designs and weapons that you will use.
There would be little time to gather resources or research technology, and you would probably do
that at a safer location.

"Why are the sides uneven?"

This is probably going to be the most controversal issue about this map.  
I know it is unbalanced.
I deliberately planned it that way.
While you are still shocked by that bold statement, let me explain why I did this.
Do you remember the single player missions?  Were any of those truly balanced?  I do not think
so.  As the Great Wastelands (5th mission), Kadesh missions, Bridge of Sighs (the 14th one), 
Chapel Perilous (the 15th mission), and Hiigara demonstrate, the enemy often had larger numbers
of or more powerful ships than you.  But, many of you somehow made it through the entire single
player game.  A few have even done so without casualties.  If the number or size of the ships
was the only thing that mattered, the player should have been crushed by mission 8.  
In a real battle, are both sides going to be perfectly balanced?  I think not.
This map is to simulate a real battle, to show the players what the Rebels and the Imperials were
thinking, feeling, and seeing as they fight the last battle to determine the fate of the Taiidan
empire.  Undoubtedly, the Rebellion ships felt overwhelmed, but somehow they did it.  They knew
the odds were stacked against them, but they kept on fighting, no matter the cost, because they
knew that everything depended on it.

"I thought your motto was 'Where there is symmetry, there is truth'."

[Philisophical, distant look appears on face]
Correct, but we can learn as much from falsehoods from truths.  Without asymmetry, we could not 
appreciate the beauty of symmetry and truth when we see it.  And sometimes, we must create our
own symmetries and truths out of the chaos.  Such is the way of the universe.
[Normal interaction resumes.]

"But...how is the Rebellion supposed to win?"

By superior skill and strategy.  Notice that I was liberal in placing dust clouds and asteroids
across the map for you to take advantage of.  Notice that even though the Rebellion's fleet is
smaller, it still is large.  Notice that hyperspace jumps are active, to help you move your fleet.
Notice that there are injections so you can jump.  Notice that you only have to destroy the
Imperial carrier.
The Rebellion has it harder, I admit.  But, with superior skill it can be won.  Micromanage your
ships.  Hyperspace your carrier out of danger.  Hide your ships in dust clouds.  Set traps with
your cloak generator.  Build a few ships to slow the Imperials down.  Lure the Imperial carrier
from its auto gun defense.  Salvage ships.  Use a gravwell to trap fighters and hyperspacing
ships.  Be creative.  Devise strategy.  Use your mind.  Build up your skill, and someday, you
can do it.
One piece of advice to the Rebellion players.
"The enemy's gate is down." - Ender Wiggin in Ender's Game, something which came in useful when
pitted against superior enemies.
Think of the Imperial carrier as the enemy's gate.

Rebellion.txt
   -
Rebellion.txt is a history of the Rebellion, Captain Elson, and the fall of the Taiidan empire
to those who are not as familar with the history, or are interested.  Please note that it 
contains spoilers for the later Homeworld single player missions, so do not read it if you do
not want them spoiled.
Rebellion.txt is located in the Rebellion2 folder in your Homeword\Multiplayer directory.

Conclusion
    -
My thanks to:
Relic for creating Homeworld, such a wonderful game.
Barking Dog for continuing the tradition in Cataclysm, as well as writing the history of the
fall of the Taiidan empire in their manual.
The map archives which post this map, which should include BP-Llama's Homeworld Map Archive, 
Homeworld Nation, and when they get their map section running, the Guidestone.
Dylov for compiling so much information into the Homeworld Map-Makers Primer, which I use
regularly when mapping.
My beta-testers: pugSTER*, who convinced me to streamline the Rebellion quite a bit, and
helpfully pointed out that dust clouds cause much lag; and Hun*Batter, who suggested that I
give a source of RUs for hyperspacing and pointed out that slow computers have much trouble with
the map.  Both had to endure many ships, my slow modem, and my fast computer which gave me no
trouble whatsoever.
Those who responded to my question on the Relic boards about black color schemes on WON.
Damar Stiehl, for writing his sketch on Captain Elson, a nice story which inspired Rebellion.txt,
and perhaps, helping convincing me to make the map itself.
Finally, you, for downloading this map and making it to the end of this extremely long readme
file.  I give you my unending thanks.

Feel free to contact me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions at WStar345@aol.com.

                                                                                   The Reflection
                                                                                September 28,2000
