.TH Concept "Lifeboats"
When empire is compiled with the LIFEBOATS option defined,
all ships, at time of construction, are automatically equipped
with lifeboats.  Each lifeboat holds any combination civilians
and military, up to a limit of 30 people (uws are
not considered to be worth saving).  Each vessel always carries
enough lifeboats to hold all passengers aboard.
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As a ship goes down, lifeboats are automatically launched for
the survivors.  Each lifeboat has a 10% chance of launch
failure (a rope becomes tangled or caught, the lifeboat is
damaged, the pulleys jam, etc).
Successfully launched lifeboats are pre-equipped with a small
amount of food, and start out with 100% efficiency
and full mobility.  Lifeboat efficiency drops by 10% each update,
and can never be regained (not even in a harbor).
In all other respects, however, lifeboats are treated just like 
any other vessel.
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Lifeboats cannot be constructed with the `\*Qbuild\*U' command.
They are not listed by `\*Qshow ship build\*U', although you can
use `\*Qshow ship cap\*U' to see their capabilities.
Also, lifeboats do not have radar.
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See also : ship-types, show
