Glossary

The following terms are used in-game or when discussing Supreme Ruler:

AA - See Anti-Aircraft

AAR - See After Action Report.

After Action Report (AAR) - a Player submitted topic and subsequent posts on the BG Forums web-site, describing the details of a completed Game or a game in-progress.

Agreement - a Diplomatic Transaction usually negotiated via the Diplomatic Exchange window. An agreement can be on the terms of a Treaty, on the exchange of Products, Techs or Designs, or a mixture of all four.

AI - See Artificial Intelligence.

AI Minister - one of the six computer-controlled AI administrators of your Region's Government.

AI Region - a Region on the Game Map not controlled by a human Player.

Air Base - See Air Field.

Air Field - a military airbase that lands, refuels, houses and repairs Air Units (aircraft). They also generate a large quantity of Supply.

Air Mission - an aircraft that is capable of performing an Attack mission.

Air Target - an Enemy aircraft. The three types are Low, Medium and High. See Low-Air Target.

Air Unit - a Unit that possesses an Air Movement Type. Includes both fixed and rotory winged (helicopter) aircraft Units. Fixed-wing aircraft can only land and refuel at Air Fields or aircraft carriers and will crash if they run out of fuel.

Alliance - a treaty between two friendly nations. Implicit in an alliance are full trust, respect and mutual military privlidges. Units, technology, supply, resources and military designs are not shared due to an alliance. AIs may break an alliance with a region who's diplomatic rating severely deteriorates. An alliance with a Region does not imply an alliance with that region's allies.

Allied - an denotes one or more Game Regions that are allies of each other.

Ally - a friendly Region dedicated to peaceful diplomatic, trade and military relations with another Allied Region.

Amphibious -

1) a special attribute of certain Land Units that allows them to slowly cross lakes and River Hexes, and to load onto transport ships without a Sea Pier.

2) a special attribute of some Transport ships that allow them to unload the Units that they are transporting onto land without a Sea Pier.

Anti-Aircraft (AA) -

1) defense against attacking aircraft.

2) An Air Defense Unit.

Approval - the level of the "Diplomatic Rating" and "civilian Rating" of a Region to the actions of another Region. Can also refer to UN Approval, DAR or MAR.

Approval Effects - a Game setting to regulate the level of the effects of Approval.

Area of Control - See Zone of Control.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) -

1) the Game's implemented virtual computer-controlled "entities" that control each national Region on the Game Map.

2) the computer-control of the virtual Ministers that staff the Player's Regional Government.

ASM - anti-ship missile.

ASuW - Anti-Surface Warfare. Units and techniques to counter non-submarine naval vessels. Used in-game to describe anti-ship missiles.

Attack -

1) an Attack is when a combat Unit Spots and fires its weapons at an Enemy target. Only enemies can be attacked. Both Units and Facilities can be attacked. In the Game if a Unit can spot an Enemy target and it is in Attack Range then the attack will always succeed. The Individual ROEs of a Unit can be set so that a Unit will attack on its own initiative. Otherwise either the Player or the DM must order the attack.

2) an Order that can be issued to a Unit. When ordered to Attack, a Unit will attempt to engage the target by closing with it for a direct engagement. This is not always a good idea for soft Units, or for ships against land Units. See Bombard.

Attack Range - the maximum distance at which a Unit can attack a specific type of target. In the Game, increasing range does not lessen the effect of an attack.

Attack Values - There are seven different attack values - Fortification, Hard, Soft, Close, Close Air, Mid Air, High Air, Surface and Submarine. "Surface" attack applies to attacks upon Naval targets. Each value represents the strength of a Unit's attack on the corresponding type of target, on a certain type of Terrain. Each Attack Value possesses a corresponding Attack Range value. Effective Attack values are proportional to a Unit's Efficiency. See Attack Range, Close Attack, Spotting, Profile and Unit Efficiency.

Ballistic Missile - a long-range Missile that after its initial boost phase hurles into space on an un-powered, un-guided sub-orbital ballistic trajectory. Because they attack from space at avery high velocity, conventional AA provides little defense. The SCUD, ICBM, IRBM and SRBM are all examples of BMs.

Barracks - a Base Facility that houses and repairs Land Units. Bases provide some protection from attack but generate no Supply.

Base - a Barracks, Air Field or Sea Pier Unit. A stationary, defensive military Unit capable of repairing and storing mobile reserve Units. All but the Barracks generate Game Supply. Staffed by Military Staff members. Often associated with a Military Fabrication factory.

Bombard - an order given to combat Units such as artillery and aircraft to comduct a "stand-off" Indirect Attack of an Enemy Unit or Facility. See Attack.

Bonds and Loans - Cash borrowed from the World Market at a certain rate of interest. Regions may begin the game with an existing debt load of bonds unless the Player indicates "No Debt" in the initial game settings. Unless forbidden by the Player, a Treasury Minister may borrow money on his own initiative. These bonds have a due date at which they will automatically renew at the borrowing Region's current Interest Rate. This rate of interest increases as more is borrowed and decreases as bonds are paid off in a timely manner.

Bridge - a special Map Hex Improvement that Facilitates Unit movement across the a Water Hex and the distribution of Supply.

Bridging - a special Unit attribute that allows a Unit to form a Bridge across a River or Lake Hex across which other non-amphibious Units can cross.

Building - the Construction of a Industrial, Military, Urban or Transportation Improvement within a Map Hex.

Build Cap - See Military Building Capacity.

Cabinet - your staff of AI Ministers that administer most of your Government's Departments.

Campaign - a large-scale Game that is usually played upon a Game Map that contains dozens or even hundreds of Regions. Contains the game Map and all associated cities, and towns, plus all default bases and facilities. Scenarios are build upon an underlying Campaign. See Scenario.

Capture - the taking of an Enemy Hex and all Facilities within it, making it a part of your own Region. Only certain Units can capture Enemy Hexes - these include Infantry, Recon, Tanks, Anti-Tank, Carriers, Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, Frigates, Corvettes and Patrol Boats. Other units such as artillery, helos and supply vessels cannot capture territory. A capturing Unit inside an uncontested Enemy Hex automatically captures the Hex. In contested Hexes all Enemy Units except for Facilities must be destroyed or forced to retreat before the Hex is captured.

Cargo - the Supplies carried by transport Units. All non-combat transport Units such as Supply trucks, aircraft and ships carry Fuel, no "Supplies" and a great deal of Cargo. As the transport loads other Units for transport, some or all of this Cargo is "shoved out" in favor of the new passenger. But an empty or partially full transport still has plenty of Cargo that it will easily contribute to Units that enter its ZoC. When transferred this Cargo becomes Supply, which in turn fills up the receiving Unit's gas tank and ammunition (Supplies) compartment.

Casus Belli (CB)- A Region's "War Justification". This condition mitigates the penalties against your Region if it decides to declare War (DOW) on another Region. A DOW against another Region without sufficient CB will result in severe diplomatic disapproval and possible Diplomatic sanctions against your Region.

CB - See Casus Belli.

Civilian Rating - How the citizens of their home Region feel towards another Region. Civilian resentment against another Region can be grounds for their Government to reject a Diplomatic Exchange.

Close Combat -

1) A Hex upon which Units possess a low Visibility, such as an Urban Hex or forest.

2) An attack and a defense attribute of a Unit that is applicable when the Unit is in combat on a Close-Combat Hex.

3) A map "overlay" mode that highlights zones of Close Attack/Low Visibility. Keyboard shortcut - 'V' key.

Construction -

1) the Building of a perminate Facility Unit within a Hex as opposed to the Fabrication of a Military Unit.

2) An action that can be preformed by Engineering Units that speeds the Construction of a facility within their ZoC. Engineering units cannot repair other Units.

Coastal Hex - the oceanic Water Hexes owned by a Region. Coastal Hexes can be built-upon and will distribute the Supply generated by nearby Sea Piers. See International Hex.

Completion Bonus - a variable boost in the Player's Technical Level due to the completion of certain Research Projects. Science Projects are the most likely to earn these bonuses.

Complex - a central Map Hex Improvement hub, Military, Industrial or Oceanic, around which other Facilities (Nodes) can be constructed. An appropriate hub is automatically created when you build a new Facility upon a supplied empty hex. For empty hexes that lack supply, the engineering unit sent to perform the construction must first construct an appropriate Complex before Facility construction can proceed.

Cruise Missile - a long-range, usually subsonic stand-off weapon. Generally targeted against distant stationary land targets. An exception is the Harpoon anti-ship cruise missile and weapons like it. AIs often mis-use CMs by allowing them to launch against nearby targets of opportunity.

DAR - See Domestic Approval Rating.

Debt - The total dollar sum of a Region's outstanding Bonds and Loans. See Bonds and Loans.

Declaration of War (DOW). A Player's designation of a Neutral Region as an Enemy Region. Nullifies all existing Treaties with the new enemy Region. A DOW will automatically raise your DEFCON level, but otherwise will not necessarially trigger any military action in either Region. This requires some event such as an enemy attack or incursion to take place or for specific orders from the Player. A DOW can only be terminated with a formal Peace Treaty that can be diplomatically proposed by either Region.

DEFCON - Defense Condition - your Region's War status. A measure of the peacefulness of a Region's military establishment. DEFCON 5 denotes peace-time and DEFCON 1 denotes a total War footing. Your War Preperation costs are inversely proportional to your Region's DEFCON.

Defense -

1) Your Government's Defense Department.

2) A Unit's properties that mitigate the effects of a hostile attack upon it. See Defensive Values.

Defense Department (DD) - the branch of your Government that manages your armed forces and is controlled by our Defense Minister (DM).

Defense Minister (DM) - the Regional AI Minister that manages your Defense Department. Your DM is capable of managing your Defense Department via priorities that you set for him. The DM can be locked out of control of Unit Fabrication, Military Spending, Garrison deployment and general Unit control. Otherwise the DM AI is capable of running your entire Defense Department, defend your Region and conduct a battle independently.

Defensive Values - a Unit's strengths that allow it to withstand the Game's seven modes of Attack. The Game's Defensive Values do not match its Attack modes. There are only four Defensive Values - Close, Ground, Air and Indirect. Ground defense applies to Naval Attacks as well as to attacks from Land Units. Air Defense covers attacks from aircraft and Missiles. Indirect represents a defense against wide-attack weapons such shrapnel from artillery fire and anti-personnel munitions. See Close Attack.

Demolition -

1) a special attribute posssessed by some Infantry Units such as Marines and Engineers that allow them to attack Facilities. In order to demolish an Enemy Facility the Unit must first have its ROEs set to "Stealth Approach - Land Not Captured". Otherwise the captured Hex where the targeted Facility exists will switch ownership and the Facility will no longer be attackable.

2) The Order given to Engineering Units for them to attack an Enemy Facility with explosives.

3) A Player option used to quickly decommission a Facility. See Scrapping.

Department - a specialized division of a Player's Government that accepts the Player's directives. These Departments are the Land, Prodiuction, Research, Finance, State, Operations, Defense and Unit Command Departments. Most Departments are staffed by an AI Minister, but Land, Operations and Unit Command are not.

Deployment Status - the active deployed/Reserved status of your Military Units.

Derrick - See Oil Derrick.

Design - See Unit Design.

Design Technology - the Research required to develope the Design for a Military Unit as opposed to that Research performed to develope a non-Unit related Tech.

Diplomacy - the use of peaceful means to conduct interactions between Regions via the State Department. Diplomacy includes the negotiation of peace, trade, defense, military, technology and travel agreements between Regions.

Diplomatic - the political, non-military interaction between SR Regions.

Diplomatic Rating - The attitude of a Region's Government towards another Region. This measure of a Government's attitude is pivotal to the success of any Diplomatic Exchange.

Diplomatic Exchange - any Agreement between two regions that is transacted via the State Department including E-Mail offers. This includes Treaties and exchanges of Products, Designs, Techs and Units. See Treaty.

Direct Attack - A focused Attack on an individual Enemy Unit or Facility, as opposed to an Indirect Attack that would indiscrimately damage everything inside the Enemy Hex. Certain Missiles and Ships are capable of performing Direct Attacks, but most stand-off Units such as artillery are Indirect-Attack weapons. Direct Attacks avoid collateral damage to the civilians in a Hex. See Indirect-Attack.

Domestic Approval Rating (DAR) - how your citizens feel about your government. Contributes to re-election support and domestic productivity. This rating is vital to the Player's re-election in a Democratic form of government but less so in a Monarchy.

DOW - See Declairation of War.

ECM - Electronic Counter-Measures. Not implemented.

Efficiency - See Unit Efficiency.

Enemy - a foreign Region with which your Region is at war.

Engineering Unit - a special attribute of a Land Unit that allows it to speed Construction within its AOC.

Entrenchment - Land Units can be ordered to "Entrench", which is to dig into the earth to form protective barriers. Entrenched Units are no longer visable outside their Hex. Full entreachment requires a great deal of time and depends upon the Units Efficiency. Entrenchment greatly enhances a Unit's defensive values.

Escort - an order given to units that causes them to move towards the same hex currently occupied by a another target unit. For instance, an aircraft can be ordered to Escort a slower tanker aircraft in order to automatically replenish the first aircraft's onboard fuel supply.

Espionage -

1) one of the duties of your Operations Department.

2) a Spy mission that attempts to steal the Techs and Designs of a foreign Region.

Fab - See Fabrication.

Fabrication -

1) a Military Fabrication Facility (Fab) located on a Military Hex. A dedicated stationary Unit, staffed by military personnel whose purpose is to Fabricate mobile Military Units. missiles and other Units. The Fabrication of individual Units can also be set to continiously repeat automatically.

2) the production of a Military Unit. Each Unit possesses a unique Design that must be Researched before it can be Fabricated. The DM is capable of automatically Fabricating Units for you.

Facility - a specialized stationary Unit such as a Base, Factory, Mine or Complex that is constructed within a Map Hex. See Improvement.

Factory - a stationary Game Unit that produces commercial Products other than Military Units. Mines and Oil Facilities are also considered to be Factories.

Finance Department - the division of your Government from which Taxes, Social Spending and Bond sales are controlled.

Financial - a trading product consisting of cash taken directly from your Treasury.

Fog Of War (FOW) - The cloaking effect that obscures the mobile Units of all Regions on the game Map.

Fortification - a stationary defensive military Unit that offers protection to other Units residing in its hex. There are two types - a Military Fortress complex hub and a Fortification node.

Game - the interactive "Supreme Ruler 2020" RTS video game, implemented and controlled by the game's computer program.

Game Options - Player adjustable game features such as Map, Controls, Files, Graphics and Sound. Adjustable from the pre-game start-up screen. Accessable in-game from the "Game Menu".

Game Settings - the Game conditions for the current Game, such as difficuty levels, use of nuclear weapons, etc. Initially set from the Sandbox/Game start-up screen. Can be adjusted in-game from the Ctrl-Shift-S pop-up "Game Settings" window.

Gas/Oil Field - a petroleum-producing Unit that can be built upon a Land Hex containing petroleum deposits.

GDP - See Gross Domestic Product.

GLCM - Ground Launched Cruise Missile.

Goods - the output of specialized Factories that are either sold, exported or used in the production of some Product.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDP/c). Represents the value of the total amount of goods and services that your economy provides to each of its citizens. A good measure of your Region's prosperity and of your economic management.

Government - the administrative apparatus of your Region, staffed by your AI Ministers.

Hard Attack - the attack attribute of a Unit that is applied when it attacks a Hard Target. Over-ridden by the Close-combat attack attribute when fighting in zones of Close-Combat/Low Visibility.

Hard Target - an armored Unit such as an APC or a Tank.

Hex - a discreet cell of the Game Map that is 16 kilometers in diameter. Each Hex possesses a distinct Terrain Type and associated Movement Rules. Each Hex is a potential location for the Construction of Improvements.

Home Port - The sea pier/naval station at which a ship was reserved at the beginning of the game or the last sea pier where the ship received repairs.

Hot Relations - See World Volatility.

Hotspots - Map Hexes designated by the Operations Department as being of special interest to your Defense Department.

Hub - a city, military or industrial complex located in the center of a hex. Hubs accept no commands and their main function is to act as the host/anchor for surrounding nodes.

ICBM - Intercontinential Ballistic Missile. Many types of these very long-range missiles are available in the game. The land-launched ones require a launcher that can handle large sized missiles. The only other launch option is the SSGN or SSBN submarine. ICBMs often are available in two models - one with a nuclear warhead and another with a conventional one. See Missile Silo.

Improvement - a stationary Unit Constructed within a Hex such as a Settlement, Complex, Military Base, Mine or Factory. Also includes Roads and Railroads.

Indirect-Attack (Saturation-Attack)- an Attack upon Enemy Units or Facilities using weapons that cause wide-spread damage, such as artillery shells and anti-personnel weapons. In an Indirect Attack, all Enemy Units, Facilities and civilians within the target hex are all attacked with equal force, whereas in a Direct Attack, single Units could be targeted. Best used for structures and soft-targets. See Direct-Attack.

Influence - See Sphere of Influence.

Industrial Construction - the Facilities that can be build in a Hex around an Industrial Complex hub.

International Hex - Usually an Ocean Hex, owned and controlled by the UN. International Hexes cannot be build upon and do not distribute Supply. International waters will often have pre-constructed oil derricks that can be owned by an occupying Unit's Region. Can also refer to land hexes of Regions owned by the UN.

Land Unit - a Military Unit capable of movement on non-Water Hexes without Bridging. Amphibious Units can move across non-bridged Lake and River Hexes. Most Land Units consist of multiple "Squads" as indicated by their Unit Strength.

Launch Authority - pre-authorization for a missile to select its own Enemy target and launch without a Player's permission.

Line-of-Sight - the ability to Spot an Enemy Unit un-obstructed by Map Terrain. See Spotting.

Line-of-Sight Treaty - an agreement between two Regions to allow each other to spot the mobile military Units of the other, through the Fog Of War. See Spotting.

Low-Air Target - an Air Target that normally flies at a low level or one that has decended to low level for an Attack or Unload. Helos and most missiles are low-air targets. Fighter/Bombers decend to low level when attacking, but Strategic Bombers do not.

Low Visibility - See Close Combat.

Loyalty - the nationalistic allegiance of the citizans of a Region. Production in captured Regions is lower than in your home Region because of the dis-loyality of the captured populous. This loyality never changes. Military production from Fabs is uneffected.

M+T - See Maintenance and Training.

Maintenance and Training (M+T) - the expendatures of your Defense Department that directly effect the efficiency of the Player's armed forces.

Map - the Game Map for whatever Scenerio or Campaign that the Player is currently playing. This Game map consists of a matrix of cells called Hexes and is divided into many Regions. The player can Construct Improvements in Map Hexes belonging to their own Region. A Region's Units can be moved startegically across the Map.

MAR - See Military Approval Rating.

MilCap - See Military Build Capacity.

Military - the defense Facilities controlled by your Defense Department and its Minister plus the mobile Units controlled by your Unit Command Department and your Military Staff. Research Centers are military Facilities.

Military Approval Rating (MAR) - how your Military establishment feels about your leadership. Contributes to Military Moral and Efficiency.

Military Build Capacity (MilCap or "build cap"). The total number of active Military Fabrication Facilities in your Region. A comparatively high MilCap is viewed by other Regions as a threat to their security. Does not include missile fabs or Reseach Centers.

Military Construction - the Facilities that can be constructed in a Military Hex

Military Hex - any Map Hex that contains a Military Complex or Military Fortress as its Hub. Staffed by Military staff members.

Military Fortress - a Military Complex with extra-ordinary Defense and Supply capabilities.

Military Moral - a measure of your Military Unit's satisfication and loyalty. Moral increases with combat victories, but may begin to fall if kept above DEFCON 5 for long periods of time. If moral is too low then your Units might Surrender to the Enemy. Directly affects MAR.

Military Salaries - the funds allocated by your Defense Department to compensate the members of your Armed Forces. Higher salaries will promote your Defense Minister's efforts to recruit new Staff members.

Military Staff - the paid members of your Armed Forces. Includes both Active Staff and Reserves. Reserves are paid much less. Most Military Units (equipment) require Staff (people) to man them. Fabs, Radar Stations and Bases all require Military Staff. Newly Fabricated Units and newly Constructed Bases will not deploy or activate unless there are sufficient Reserve personnel available to staff them.

Military Unit - a mobile Game Unit designed for military combat or logistics as opposed to stationary Facility or Settlement Units.

Mine - a stationary Unit that produces coal, Uranium or metal ore.

Minister - one of a Player's several AI assistants that can help the Player to manage their Government and to administrate their Region.

Minister of State - The AI Minister that administers your State Department. Accepts only two MPs, otherwise the MoS does nothing. Although AI Regions will automatically negociate Treaties, your MoS will not - you must personally negociate each Treaty and Alliance personally.

Minister Priority (MP) - a standing order or governmental focus of importance, issued by a Player to one of its several AI Ministers.

Missile - a special long-range flying combat unit launched from a platform such as a launcher, aircraft or ship. Can be a bomb, rocket or missile. If given pre-Launch Authority a missile will select its own target and launch independently from its platform. Unlike other combat Units, Missiles are stored in a general inventory that is accessable from any Supplied Hex in a Player's Region or from supplied Allied territory. See Launch Authority.

Missile Defense - a Researched defense capability used to intercept and destroy incoming SCUD and other forms of Ballistic Missiles. Implemented via your Operations Department where you fabricate and launch the required defense satellites. AI Regions are highly unlikely to launch Nukes, but they will launch SCUD and BMs armed with large conventional explosive warheads. Although AI regions possess satellite launch facilities, the do not deploy satellites or a Missile Defense system. Therefore Missile Defense is best deployed against other human players in Multiplayer Games.

Missile Silo - Used to launch land-based ICBM missiles. Removed from the SR2020 Game.

Mod - one or more game files customized by a user as an improvement or new Scenerio.

Modding - Player customization of the Game.

Moral - See Military Moral.

Movement - the relocation of mobile Units from one Map Hex to the next. The speed of this movement depends upon the Unit's Movement type and the Terrain Type of the Hex.

Movement Cost - a speed adjustment applied to a Unit's Movement according to the Terrain Type of the Hex that the Unit is attempting to move cross.

Movement Rules - the Rules that restrict a Unit's movement across a Hex according to the Unit's Movement Type and to the Movement Cost of the Hex.

Movement Type - a classification that determines a Unit's movement capabilities across different Map Hex Terrain.

Multiplayer - an Game mode in which multiple Players can participate online. In this mode a Player is allowed to select their Region even if the selected save-game is already in progress.

Natural Resource - an exploitable source of natually-occuring material in a Hex that can be processed by a Factory into a commercial Product, such as oil or timber.

Naval - the ships and missile Units dedicated to oceanic warfare and logistics.

Naval Base - See Sea Pier.

Naval Unit - a Game Unit designed for Movement across Water Hexes. A Naval Unit consists of one single vessel and possesses the Naval Movement Type.

NBC Protection - Nuclear, Chemical and Biological warfare protection. Not Implemented.

Neutral - A foreign Region not allied or at war with your Region. Represented by a yellow star.

Node - a Facility built around a Hex's central Hub or Complex.

Nuclear Weapons (Nukes) - These weapons of mass distruction are available to Research, Fabricate, deploy and launch. All are packaged as Missile Units, even the bombs. Their Fabrication requires large quantities of Uranium ore and a great deal of time. Once stockpiled, the use of Nuclear Weapons must be authorized in two places - on the DD second sub-panel ("Defense Condition") and on the Unit Command third sub-panel ("Individual Rules of Engagement"). Although some AI Regions do Fabricate and stockpile Nukes, due to this double-lock system it is unlikely that they will be ever able to use them. See ICBM and Uranium.

Nuclear Weapon Penalties - By default the use of Nukes entails serious diplomatic, military and Domestic disapproval. UN Ratings will drop as will both MAR and DAR, unless the Player pre-adjusts this Game setting to produce a lower level of disapproval.

Nukes - See Nuclear Weapons.

Ocean Hex - a non-terrestrial Map Hex that can be Territorial or International. Possesses unique Movement Rules and restrictions.

Oil - See Petroleum.

Oil Derrick - a petroleum-producing Factory that can be build on a Water Hex that contains oil deposits.

OOB - See Order of Battle.

Operations Department - the portion of your Region's Government that handles Hotspots, Espionage and Satellite Coverage.

Options - See Game Options.

ORBATS - See Order of Battle.

Orbital Launch Pad - a Facility that allows a Player to deploy Satellites. Must be supported by a Mission Control Facility.

Order of Battle (OOB)

1) A summary list of all of the Units that a Player brings to a battle.

2) ORBATS - a Campaign or Scenerio's ORBATS.CSV file that determines the default (starting) Units that each Region possesses.

Peace - a DEFCON in which your Region is not in a state of war with any other Region. Free of war preperation surcharges.

Peace Treaty - a treaty between warring Regions to cease hostilities and resume diplomatic relations.

Petroleum - a valuable natural resource and Product produced by an oil/gas field or oil derrick. Used as a fuel for Units and some power plants.

Player - a human Game participant who controls one selected Map Region.

Product -

1) a tradable commodity.

2) the output of Mines and Factories such as Coal or Goods that are either sold, exported or are consumed by other Factories and Fabs.

Production Department - the division of your Government from which you can control your Industrial Construction, production and World Market trading. Your domestic ommodity prices are also controlled from here.

Productivity - the natural Agricultural and Fresh Water production of a Map Hex.

Profile - a Unit's degree of visibility due to its Stealth. The higher a Unit's "Profile" value is, the higher its degree of Stealth.

Project Effect - The result of a completed Research Project that effects your Region's Society, Economy or Military capability. May also enable some other Research Project. See Research Project.

Provocation - the likelihood of a neutral Region declaring war. Based upon casus belli, approval and volatility. See "World Volatility".

Radar - a specialized, variable improved Spotting technique. See Spotting.

Railroad - an inexpensive Map Hex Improvement that Facilitates Unit movement across the Hex and the distribution of Supply.

Rating - See Diplomatic Rating, Civilian Rating, MAR and DAR.

Recon - A Reconnaissance Land Unit. See Reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance - the gathering of Military Intellience by a Spy, Satellite or other Unit.

Region - a soverign nation located on the Game Map that is managed by either a Player or a dedicated AI.

Relations - a measure of the nature of the diplomatic relations beteen two Regions. Consists of the Region's Diplomatic and Civilian Ratings, Provocation and CB.

Research - funded-work accomplished by your Research Department of Research Projects and Unit Designs.

Research Center - a military Facility at which one single Tech or Unit research project is conducted. The operation of over forty RCs at one time is will become overly expensive and is not recommended.

Research Department - your Government Department responsible for Researching Techs and Designs. There is an AI Minister that can run this Departmentindipendently if you desire. Otherwise, you can over-ride the RM's Spending and Research decisions.

Research Project - A funded Researched Technology (Tech) or Military Design produced by your Research Deparatment and its associated Research Centers. Once Researched (or stolen) a Tech or Design can be bought and sold.

Reserve -

1) The pool of "Reserves" - military staff members not yet deployed to Units or Fabs, or who are idled when their Unit or Fab was scrapped or deactivated. This pool is replenished by new recruits which in turn are attracted to enlist more due to higher Military Salaries. Reserve personnel are paid but much less than those on active duty.

2) Units that have been de-mobilized and placed into storage (Reserve) or new Units that have been fabricated but never deployed. Maintenance costs drop greatly when a Unit is placed into Reserve and reserved Units require no military personnel.

River Hex - a type of inland Water Hex. A Wide River Hex is navigable but a Narrow one is not.

Road - an expensive Map Hex Improvement that greatly facilitates Unit movement across the Hex and the distribution of Supply.

ROEs - See Rules of Engagement.

Rules of Engagement -

1) Global Rules of Engagement, set from the DD's GROI sub-panel, are military rules of conduct that affect all Units belonging to your Region. Unit speed, initiative, Stealth and other aspects can be specified here.

2) Individual Rules of Engagment, set from the Unit Command third sub-panel, allows the Player to customize the ROEs for each of their single Units.

Sandbox - the game start-up screen that allows Campaign and initial Game Settings selection.

Satellite - a special Unit that is launched into earth orbit. Must be ordered, built and launched via your Operations Department. Requires an Aerospace Fabrication Facility. See Orbital Launch Pad.

Satellite Coverage - the performance of communications or Reconnaissance by your Region's Space assets.

Saturation-Attack - See Indirect Attack.

Scenerio - a small-scale Game with a special theme. Scenerios are based upon underlying Campaign files. See Campaign.

Scrapping - both Units and Facilities can be Scrapped, a perminate recomissioning operation in which the Unit is dismantled and its materials are recycled. Facilities can also be demolished which is faster but loses the scrap value of the Facility.

SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative. See Missile Defense.

Sea Pier - a Naval Base located on a Coastal Hex. Houses and repairs Naval Units (ships). Provides Supply to adjacent coastal Hexes.

Settings - See Game Settings.

Settlement - a village, town or city Unit that occupies a Map Hex. All Settlements generate a proportional amount of Supply. See Improvement.

Social Spending - you Government's spending to support law enforcement, health care, Infrastructure and other domestic programs. Controlled from your Finance Department.

Soft-Attack - the attack attribute of a Unit when it attacks a an Enemy that is a Soft Target. Over-ridden by the Close-combat attack attribute when fighting in zones of Close-Combat/Low Visibility.

Soft Target - an unarmored Land Unit such as foot-soldier Infantry, Artillery, AA or Supply Unit.

Sonar - a specialized, variable improved Spotting technique used to spot submarine Units. See Spotting.

Squad - one component of a larger non-Naval Military Unit. See Unit Strength.

Sphere of Influence (SOI) - Although not readily identifiable, Regions possess intrinsic interests or political agendas that divide them from each other diplomatically or attract them into blocks of common political interest. Several such themes are Anti-Israel, Capitalism, Socialism, OPEC and Islam. SOI strongly affects the initial casus belli, governmental and civilian approval between these Regions. SOI is modable in the scenerio's .CVP file.

Spotting -

1) a Unit's ability to detect a foreign Unit located inside another Hex. Based upon the spotter's Spotting Strength and Spotting range, and upon the target's degree of Stealth ("Profile"). Movement reduces a Unit's Stealth by 50%, firing by another 50% - including aircraft. See Fog of War.

2) the ability to target an Enemy Unit for attack.

Spotting Range - the distance at which a Unit can Spot a foreign Unit.

Spotting Strength - the strength of a Unit's Spotting ability.

Spotting Type - a Unit attribute that determines its Spotting Range and Spotting Strength. Spotting Type 1 refers to spotting via radar. Type 2 is spotting using sonar.

Spy - an Espionage Unit dispatched by your Operations Department to perform military Reconnaissance (Recon), technical Espionage or foreign Sabotage in a foreign Region. AI Regions do not deploy their Spies. Spies take about one game day to reach their assigned hex. Espionage missions, if they succeed, can take a long time to complete.

Staff - See Military Staff.

Stand-off Weapon - a weapon (usually a missile) carried onboard a unit that can be used to attack an enemy without exposing the attacking unit to counter-attack.

Stand-off unit -  Applies to Land and Naval units, generally to the "soft" land unit types Artillery, Air Defense and Transport and to the naval unit types Carrier and Transport. . A stand-off Unit that cannot knowingly enter ZOC of enemy units. It cannot be directly targeted if any friendly non-stand-off Unit (like an infrantry unit)is in its current hex.Does not apply to Air units. Settable in the DEFAULT.UNIT file as True/False where True = Unit is ‘Stand Off’ for Battle situations.

State Department - a division of your Region's Government that handles relations with other Map Regions. Administered by the Minister of State.

State Minister - See Minister of State.

Stealth (Profile) - a measurement of a Unit's inherent visibility. The higher the Unit's "Profile" value the more difficult it is to be Spotted, i.e. the greater its Stealth. Movement reduces Stealth by 50% and firing by 25%. The maximum Stealth value is 255. See Spotting.

Stack - a Hex full of seven mobile Units.

Stacking Rule - Seven is the maximum number of Units of a single type that can be perminatly stationed inside a Hex without crowding and interferring with one another. So seven Land Units and seven Air Units can be placed inside a Hex that has an Air Field. However if the Player attempts to squeeze in 10 Land units then the Hex will become un-stable and within one Game day three of the Land Units will automatically leave the Hex. However, a hex that contains an air base can contain many more aircraft than the usual seven limit.

Stealth - the measurement of a Unit's ability to escape the spotting ability of the enemy. The higher its Stealth rating the less likely it is that a unit will be spotted by the enemy.

Structure - See Improvement and Facility.

Supply - the ammunition, fuel and items required by Production Facilities, generated by certain of your Facilities and Settlements, distributed by your roads and Coastal Hexes and represented by the local Supply Level. This Supply is also accessable by mobile Units from Allied Hexes. Supply will also flow from one Allied Region to another across a common border.

Supplies - the quantity displayed on a Unit's pop-up status box, labled "Supplies". This actually represets the Unit's ammunition supply. For non-combattant Units, this box will read zero. Only transport and supply Units actually carry Supply and these are labled as "Cargo".

Supply Depot - a Facility who's sole purpose is to generate Game Supply. Supply Depots are often constructed in areas of little or no Supply in order to encourage additional outputfrom nearby Production Facilities, who's out is directly proportional to the local Supply Level.

Supply Level - the amount of Supply available inside a particular Hex. The maximum Supply Level is 100%, but this is nearly impossible to accomplish without flooding the Region with supplementary Supply Depots. In Regions with low Supply Levels Facilities are slow to build, vehicles are slow to refuel and transport vehicles are slow to fill with Cargo.

Supply Unit - any mobile Unit that can carry Cargo can directly distribute this Cargo as Supply to other Units within its ZoC. For Units transporting other units, only the unused Cargo space contains useful Supply. Once discharged this Cargo may be slow to replenish, especially in large cargo/transport ships.

Sub-Panel - one of many divided sections displayed along the bottom of the Game screen. When a Department is selected the large center section of this area forms a "panel" who's contents (sub-panels) can be selected with the colored buttons above it.

Supreme Ruler (SR) -

1) the video game "Supreme Ruler 2010" and "Supreme Ruler 2020".

2) the title awarded to the Player who wins the Game.

3) A term sometimes used by veteran Players to describe themselves.

Surrender - the capitulation of an Enemy Unit or Region in the face of a pending Military defeat. Ownership of the surrendering entity goes to the attacking Region. Surrender is usually the result of a very low Military Moral and MAR.

Synthetic - an expensive process whereby Products are manufactured without the use of natural resources. Used primarially by Regions that lack the vital resource in question. Petroleum, Ore, Agriculture (Hydroponics) and Coal can all be synthesized.

Tanker - a transport ship or cargo aircraft who's main role is to refuel other simular type units. Some tankers will carry both cargo and fuel so loading cargo will reduce the amount of fuel availabe for off-loading to other units. Tankers will automatically off-load their fuel to any same-region units within their zone-of-control. They can also off-load all of their fuel, leaving them empty, which in the case of air-tankers causes the tanker to crash.

Taxes - funds collected from your citizans and businesses to fund your Government. The eight types of taxes are controlled from your Finance Department.

Technology (Tech) - a Research Project that produces a Project Effect and may be a prerequsite for another Research Project. A Tech is distinct from a Researched Unit Design. Many Unit Designs have a Tech prerequsite.

Tech - See Technology.

Tech Tree - the complicated, inter-connected web of Research Projects available for a Region to Research. More advanced Projects require the completion of those simpler Projects lower on the tree. Progress up the TT is limited by your Regions increasing Technology Level as well as by your completion of prereqisite Projects.

Technical Level (TL) - the technological rating of a Region. The higher a Region's TL, the more advanced Research Projects become available for them to Research.

Terrain Type - a Map Hex classification that determines the hex's Visibility, Movement Rules and natural Productivity.

Treasury -

1) The amount of cash funds immediatly available for a Region to spend.

2) Can also refer to the Finance Department that controls the Treasury.

Trade - the Import and Export of Products between Regions, controlled through a Player's Production Department. Diplomatic Trade agreements can also be arranged via your State Department.

Trades - the deliberate and negotiated diplomatic exchange of non-treaty items such as commodities, arms and technology via the State Department, as opposed to the automated Import and Export trade conducted by the Production Department.

Transit Treaty - an Agreement to allow one Region to travel across another Region's territory. Also establishes refueling and resupply rights during the transit.

Transport -

1) a Unit that can load, move and unload other Units of appropriate weight. Loaded Transport Units that are themselves loaded onto another Transport will automatically have their passengers unloaded - no "Cargo-in-Cargo".

2) to move a Unit from one Hex to another by loading it aboard a Transport.

Treaty - a negotiated Agreement between two Regions to cooperate on some diplomatic matter such transit privlidges. Negociating this Treaty may also involve the exchange of Products, Techs, Designs, Units or a combination of all of these. The more Treaties negotiated between two Regions, the better their Relations and the less Provocation. Treaties can be canceled but Regions that do so will incure a penelty to their UN Treaty Integrity and UN Approval Ratings. See Diplomatic Exchange.

Treaty Integrity - a rating assigned by the UN, based upon the number of Treaties that a region negociates and how reliably that Region conforms to its Treaty agreements.

UN Approval - a diplomatic rating determined by the UN according to your Region's diplomatic and military conduct. Making Treaties with other Regions, especially Peace Treaties improves this. DOWs decrease it. The higher your UN Approval Rating, the greater your UN (membership) Subsidy.

UN Membership - a partnership with the United Nations in which the member agrees to support the UN by paying dues, in return for which the UN will provide favorable trade offers and represent your Region to the World via its UN Approval and Treaty Integrity Ratings. Once lost through diplmatic or miltary mis-conduct, UN Membership cannot be regained.

UN Subsidy - a partial waiver of your UN membership dues, based upon your UN Approval Rating.

Unit - a virtual interactive component of the Game that usually responds to the commands issued by the Player. Usually refers to mobile Units such as trucks, ships and aircraft but technically non-mobile Improvements or Facilities such as Bases, Factories and Cities are also Units.

Mobile Units, except for Naval Units, are composed of a certain default number of Squads which are destroyed as a Unit is damaged in combat. Ships, Missiles and Facilities consist of a single component and their damage is expressed as a decreasing percentage.

A deployed Unit may or may not require a staff of military personnel. Mobile Units placed into Reserve simply represent a pile of equipment, waiting for military personnel to man and re-deploy it. See Reserve.

Unit Command - the department that allows you to command deployed Units and control the Deployment Status of your mobile Units.

Unit Class - a sub-division of the larger Unit super-classes of Land, Air and Naval. Infantry is a class of Land Unit.

Unit Design - a Researched capability to Fabricate a particular Unit Type. Some Designs require an underlying Tech as a prerequsite. Designs can be Researched, stolen, bought and sold. See Fabrication, Spy and Tech.

Unit Efficiency - a measure of how well your combat Units performs their duties such as attack and entrenching. Enhanced by M+T spending

Unit Strength - for non-Naval Units this represents a count of the number of component Squads remaining in the larger Unit. For Naval Units, strength is represented by a percentage that decreases as the Unit is damaged.

Unit Type - a unique Fabricatable Unit Design.

United Nations (UN) - The world organization supported financially by its member Regions which also presents rewarding economic offers and subsidies to its members. Controls the non-Coastal Ocean Hexes of the Map. See International Hex.

Urban Hex - any Map Hex that contains a Settlement such as a City or Town. See Urban Construction.

Urban Construction - the Facilities that can be built in a Hex using a civilian Settlement as a Hub.

Uranium - A Product produced by Uranium Mines from naturally-occuring deposits of Uranium ore. The Uranium in the Game is ore, not processed Uranium. It is required in the Fabrication of nuclear-powered ships and nuclear weapons. Uranium is withdrawn from your stockpile when the ship or nuke are completed. Once a nuclear-powered ship is launched, it it fueled for life.

Visibility - the effect of a Map Hex upon the Spotting abaility of a Unit.

Volatility - A game setting. See World Volatility.

War - a nullification of all diplomatic and trade agreements with another Region, accompanied by a governmental re-configuration and a heightened readiness of the Region's military in preparation for military action. See "Declaration of War".

War Justification - See Casus Belli.

War on Incursion (WOI)- a state of war triggered by the military Unit of one Region trespassing on the the territory of another without a transit treaty in force. WOI can be turned off in the SD/Intensions panel.

War Preperation - the escalating costs associated with each level of DEFCON along with their associated Military Efficiency and Build Speed bonuses.

Water Hex - a non-terrestrial type of Map Hex such as a River Hex or Ocean Hex. Possess special Movement Rules. These Hexes do not support the movement of non-amphibious Land Units.

World Market (WM)- the framework that Facilitates world trade. UN membership is not required to trade on the WM.

World Volatility - a game setting for the level of Game Diplomatic tension. With high volatility in a game, Provocation is magnified and the chance of Regions declaring war on each other increase. A less volatile world is a more peaceful, tolerant one. See "Hot Relations".

ZoC - See Zone of Control.

Zone of Control (ZoC) - the Hex upon which a Unit resides plus each hex that touches that center hex. Each Unit's effects extend into its ZoC, be it for attack, Supply or Construction.