Just to say sorry for the hacking-up of your post into more manageable chunks...
Tyrel Lohr wrote:The additional movement rules really won't add any real heft to your turn orders, as you just have to add a note after your system location (probably in parenthesis) noting your current location. For example, if you have a fleet in orbit of Earth, you would just write "Sol (Earth)" as your location. If you were moving, you could then just say something like "Sol (Earth) => Sol (Outskirts) [3]" which says where you're at, where you're going, and how much Engine Rating it will cost to get there.
I'm not worried about that, and in fact will welcome this.
For interstellar movement, you can just note how far you are on your journey in a similar method: "Sol (Outskirts) => Alpha Centauri (Outskirts) [1/2]", where the bracketed value shows how much of the Movement Cost has already been paid compared to the total Movement Cost for that lane (or hex).
Will be slightly difficult for me, as I've yet to devise a satisfactory method of distinguishing between unimportant, restricted, minor and major jump lanes that also enables me to downgrade the routes, but as I'll probably keep with VBAM:SX and thus my own, unique, rules for movement, I should be okay.
Also, when using pen-and-paper, it probably makes sense to have all fleets tracked on their own pieces of paper, and just update their disposition and location, with the orders written on another sheet of paper. That would mean probably about 3-4 pages per empire to track all of their forces. Also, it will make a lot more sense to play Commander or Captain Campaigns rather than Commodore or Admiral Campaigns if you have to do everything by hand.
Thats something I might do. Hmm...
As for ships taking longer to build, it will take some getting used to, that's for sure, but they won't be worthless. Probably the best way for you to handle that in pen-and-paper, I imagine, would be to buy some index cards and have each index card be a separate colony's shipyards, and then each turn just go in and update them to track the construction (either progressively, or you can just write down a unit's completion date and just double check to see if it is completed yet).
Given that you are playing solo, you can also handwave some of these elements away to make it easier for you. There will be nothing stopping you from having instant construction (just add water!) as in vanilla 1E VBAM; it just means that you will have to track a lot more units, as your empires will be fielding huge fleets.
-Tyrel
Lots of units are good...
Especially if they all resemble the Omega...
However, I think I'll be able to sort it out. I just felt that it would be a real hassle to sort it out, and it probably will still. But I think I can manage it...