Wondrous, as the DeepEye is, a true marvel of engineering and arcano-scientific advancement; The digger platform is unable to locate itself without the assistance of those above and communications have proven difficult to maintain.

As the Communications Officer Role, the Player is responsible for maintaining communications with the surface, as well reporting the digger’s current location to the Navigation Officer from the coordinates given by the team on the surface.

During the ‘To Stations!’ Phase the Communications Player will have several responsibilities;

• Report the coordinates (hopefully) communicated by the surface team, in the last turn, to the Navigation Officer
• Take the Depth and Speed information from the other stations, and attempt to re-establish communications with the surface for that turn
• Balance the energy given over to the Communications command station with the DeepEye’s own telemetry system
• And; Deploy Sensor Probes

Connectivity -

Between each turn, as both the situation on the surface and the location/depth of the digger shifts, communications will be interrupted and must be re-established. The quality and duration of that communication will depend on the work done on both the surface and in the digger. Additionally, every time the digger moves, any communication from sensor probes will be cut off as their tethers are broken, and new ones must be deployed.

Power and Choice -

During the To Stations! Phase, the Chief Scientist will share a certain amount of Power with the Communications station which must be balanced between connecting to the surface and deploying sensor probes. Sensor probes are essential to help the Navigator avoid obstacles in their immediate vicinity, while confirming the digger’s overall location. Maintaining communications with the surface may be vital to their mission’s long term success.

Broadcasting -

To establish communications with the surface, the Communications Officer must have, all of the Digger’s navigational information; (Assumed)Location, Depth, speed, and Proposed Baring. This information will help the Player to draw a line on their copy of the city map. The antennae on the DeepEye is limited and can only broadcast in one direction, that is 180 degrees forward, aft, starboard, or port directions from the line that is drawn. The Communications Officer must choose a side of that drawn line to project into. The amount of energy given to the broadcast will determine its range in hexes. By projecting forward or aft, the broadcast will cover beyond the stopping point of the digger along their baring of travel, by broadcasting either starboard, or port the broadcast will sweep along the line of travel but only on one side.

If the broadcast hits on the surface’s mobile antennae, then it will make a connection. If the antennae is directed in the incorrect direction, the broadcast may fail, unless the surface antennae is in direct proximity. The closer that the two sensors are together, the better communication quality will be for that turn. The Communication Officer on the digger, therefore, must collaborate closely with the team on the surface to stay in contact. Control will inform the Communicationss Officer if they have made a connection each turn and what signal quality that connection will have.

Signal Integrity -

• Out of contact – The crew cannot communicate with the surface, this turn.
• Very Poor – The The crew may send a short, written message to the surface, but not receive any communications from the surface (with some exceptions). Some information may be lost. (32 Characters)
• Limited – The crew may send a short, written message to the surface and receive any written communications from the surface. (64 Characters)
• Limited, Two Way – the crew may send a short message to the surface and receive one back. (128 Characters)
• Connected – Teams may exchange written correspondence until the start of the next turn.
• Strong – Two way radio chatter is available until the end of the turn.

Energy -

Each station on the Deep Eye requires energy to operate. The energy resource is partitioned out by the Chief Scientist Role (and some through Engineering) during the ‘To Stations!” Phase. With what energy is allowed to their command station in that turn, the Communications Officer must distribute that energy to different actions. Different amounts of energy may be available each turn, so priorities must be established.

Deploying Probes -

In addition to broadcasting, the DeepEye can deploy a number of tethered, drilling probes which range out before the digger, alerting the crew of any obstacles and, in a pinch detecting tectonic events. The probes can also be detonated allowing for the digger to intervene in active crises. The energy required to launch the digging probes can be used to improve the range of the broadcasting antennae, making it a choice for the communications player each turn which to preference. If the Navigation command station isn't powered in a turn probes still work to disrupt crisis points, but won't report any additional information to the navigation officer.

To deploy probes, before manoeuvring, the Communications office can tell Control how much energy resource that they will be using on probes that turn and, if fewer than three (3), which directions to fire them. Probes can travel three hexes in advance of the digger, in the forward arc of the digger’s baring. The forward arc is based off of the digger’s facing from last turn, not the desired baring in the current turn. Once fired, the probes determine if there are obstacles ahead or not, Control will share any relevant information discovered with both the Communication Player and Navigator, before the start of the Manoeuvring Phase. This information can then be shared with the other crew as required/requested.

Detonating Probes -

If a probe happens to intercept a fault instability, or one is reported from the surface team and targeted – the probe can be detonated in order to disrupt the fault-line, before it can create a sinkhole on the surface. If a probe is detonated, the digger cannot travel along a baring that follows the probe’s line that turn.