# Ships

This document defines the intended role of ships in the simulation.

Ships are mobile actors that operate across the spatial model in [UNIVERSE-MODEL.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/UNIVERSE-MODEL.md) under the authority of commanders defined in [COMMANDERS.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/COMMANDERS.md).

## Core Principles

- every active ship should have a commander
- ships operate in explicit movement regimes
- ships execute logistics, combat, construction, scouting, and transport roles
- ship capability depends on hull, modules, and commander intent

## Ship Roles

Common roles include:

- mining
- hauling
- construction
- escort
- patrol
- combat
- scouting
- passenger or utility support later

From a simulation point of view, the important distinction is not only hull category but also commander role:

- self-directed industrial ship
- station-assigned ship
- fleet-assigned ship
- faction-directed strategic ship

## Movement

Ships should move according to the layered spatial model:

- thrusters inside a `localspace`
- warp between anchors inside one system
- stargate or FTL for inter-system travel

Ships should not behave as if an entire system is one continuous local dogfighting field.

## Command Requirements

A ship without a commander should be severely limited.

At minimum, it should not perform meaningful autonomous loops such as:

- mining cycles
- trade runs
- route planning
- combat patrols
- logistics procurement

Ship commanders should be able to receive work from:

- player direct orders
- a superior commander
- economic opportunities exposed by the market

Some ships should also specialize in worker transport, provided they carry the required human habitat module defined in [WORKFORCE.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/WORKFORCE.md).

Ship work selection should also obey policy restrictions such as allowed trade partners, regional limits, and station-serving constraints. See [POLICIES.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/POLICIES.md).

## Capabilities

Ship capability should depend on:

- hull class
- fitted modules
- cargo and storage compatibility
- propulsion capability
- docking compatibility
- optional warp and FTL capability

Cargo and movement capability should materially affect which market opportunities a ship can accept.

This should eventually include item-class compatibility as described in [ITEMS.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/ITEMS.md).

Those capabilities should primarily come from fitted modules as described in [MODULES.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/MODULES.md).

## Relationship To Other Documents

- [UNIVERSE-MODEL.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/UNIVERSE-MODEL.md)
- [COMMANDERS.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/COMMANDERS.md)
- [ECONOMY.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/ECONOMY.md)
- [STATIONS.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/STATIONS.md)
- [WORKFORCE.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/WORKFORCE.md)
- [ITEMS.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/ITEMS.md)

- [MODULES.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/MODULES.md)
- [POLICIES.md](/home/jbourdon/repos/space-game/docs/POLICIES.md)