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The Moment Before the Dawn It is the year 1800 Old Imperial Reckoning, and the planet Val is at peace. Four billion Gnolams, although only loosely bound by the official institutions of the Universal Mercantile League, are nonetheless tightly bound in a network of commerce and culture that spans the continents and oceans of Val. Since 1692, the Universal Mercantile League has acted to ensure freedom of commerce and movement between its wide array of constituent states, and has maintained a small oceanic patrol fleet to keep the trade lanes of Val open. Approximately five percent of Val's population serves in the critical sectors of heavy industry, research, and agriculture, with the remainder of the population employed in other sectors or too young, too old, or too sick to participate effectively in the workforce.  The long development of Val has ensured an extensive array of legacy industries on the planet, squeezing additional productivity out of many different sectors and providing an array of conveniences and services to the population. Even if Gnolam society expands off of Val, it seems likely that Val will remain the effective economic and political center of Gnolam society.  It has long been believed by Gnolam physicists that the speed of light is an absolute barrier- but only now, with the publication of a paper on the complex interactions of deep gravity wells with one another, has it begun to become clear that this is untrue. So-called 'hyperspace conduits' exist between deep gravity wells, wherein objects might be placed in an exotic state permitting faster-than-light travel. Although the practical technology to take advantage of this discovery does not yet exist, two conduits serve to link Gnol, the orange star around which Val orbits, to the gravity wells of neighboring stars. Although an array of planets orbits Gnol, a full survey to determine which could be most usefully exploited has yet to be accomplished.  The discovery of the hyperspace conduits has sparked immense interest in the development of effective and economical space technology- both the development of drives that can make use of the hyperspace conduits, and the lift capacity to begin large-scale exploitation of bodies away from Val. Research departments across the League are confident that real breakthoughs will come well before the next two decades are out.  The economic development of Val is essentially mature, given current technology, although a few theorists suggest that developing an orbital station that could serve as an effective logistics base for Gnolam expansion beyond Val's surface could be a valuable project.  Gnol rests very close to the galactic rim. It seems likely a vast network of stars linked by naturally-occuring hyperspace conduits shall be opened to the Gnolams, although only real exploration shall prove or disprove this. Proposals for the Universal Mercantile League Early Industrial Priorities The League Assembly could, potentially, vote to begin initial construction of an armed logistics base over Val. Although completion of any such base may remain far in the future- resources will almost certainly be more productively applied to other projects as longer-ranged spacecraft become viable for construction- nonetheless this may spare some years of construction work in the future. Alternately, Val's industrial base may productively be turned to general construction of valuable durable goods- or labor may be drawn off from the heavy industrial sector as the research or agricultural sectors expand. Please vote between beginning construction of a Star Base, producing trade goods (+4 BC/turn), or diverting our workforce to research (reducing our first technology's research time from 14 to 8 turns) or agriculture (reducing our time to grow our first new unit of population from 17 to 11 turns). In both the research or agricultural diversions, incidental trade goods will earn us +1 BC/turn. Secondary Research Priorities The development of the technology to exploit the discovery of the hyperspace conduits shall almost certainly be completed relatively soon, and other projects in pure research and applied technology are quietly being worked on behind the scenes. Work in sociology and political theory may not only lay the groundwork to more effectively scale the League's institutions beyond Val itself- it may also help with the development of a more effective educational establishment that could allow for more efficient research in the future. Work in basic physics may lead not only to improvements in robotics and computing, but a new generation of space-based weapons, in the event of any threats to the League. Finally, work in advanced biological sciences and agronomy should allow for improved crop yields and medical treatments. Please vote between Government, Physics, and Biology research to follow Space Travel research. Government will allow for improvements to the morale of new colonies and improved research, Physics will allow for new weapons and improved industry, and Biology will allow for improved agriculture and very modestly improved research. It seems without doubt that the resources of the stars will lead to a new era of prosperity for the League and for its citizens. Opportunity awaits the League! nweismuller fucked around with this message at 14:56 on Aug 7, 2021 |
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May 29, 2020 18:14
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The Gnolams and the Universal Mercantile League The Gnolams are the native sapient species of Val, an Earthlike garden world with a surface gravity of approximately 0.6G and a rotational period around Gnol of 291 Earth days. As Val's day is approximately 22 hours long, Val's year is 320 Val days long. Gnolams are warm-blooded mammaloids adapted to low gravitation and poorly-suited to higher levels of gravity. Although they are omnivorous in diet, this is a relatively recent evolutionary innovation compared to their herbivorous ancestors, and the vast bulk of the modern Gnolam diet is vegetarian. Gnolam psychology is stereotypically hedonistic, self-centered, and calculating- although they are exceptionally intelligent, even for a spacefaring species, they apply this intelligence far more to pragmatic matters of trade and negotiation than to abstract intellectual pursuits or the development of theoretical knowledge (although, of course, variance within a species means that the Gnolams have their own share of theoretical scientists and philosophers). The modern Gnolam government is the Universal Mercantile League- a treaty organisation founded by a wide array of member states, chartered for mutual defense and the security of the trade lanes. The League itself is a fairly unwieldy representative body with more prestige than real power, with an Assembly of representatives from its member states that elects a 'Commodore' (currently, Commodore Nian Bortis, also CEO of Bortis Shipping and Logistics) who heads the limited executive and military functions of the League. The Commodore serves an indefinite term, but is subject to recall and replacement by the Assembly at any time. The bulk of the League's member states are democratic republics, although a sizeable minority of its member states are sovereign corporate states or constitutional plutocratic republics relying on formal processes of bid and auction to select legislative seats. What is essentially universal across all League member states is a freewheeling dedication to commerce, and the treaty provisions of League membership mandate standards of open trade between members. The economy of the League is powerful and efficient, and its citizens enjoy high disposable incomes- but League society is fluid and not friendly to the complacent, with little security save that one works for. Gnolams work hard, play hard, and when they fail- they fail hard. The damage caused by major disasters in Gnolam society over history has been surprisingly limited, and they have enjoyed a generally smooth and uninterrupted curve of development over their history. Perhaps this 'luck'- or, as Gnolams would have it, 'careful risk management'- will persist into the future. Gnolams are a Low-G species, suffering no penalties on Low-G worlds, but suffering penalties on Normal-G worlds. As Fantastic Traders, they gain +25% income from trade treaties and +100% income from trade goods production. They also gain a +50% bonus to the base income generated by their population. They are Lucky, never suffering from negative random events and being shielded to some extent from... certain other risks. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 08:04 on May 30, 2020 |
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May 29, 2020 19:45
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Welcome back  Agriculture and Biology for votes. Got to get those pops.
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May 29, 2020 19:50
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An Adventure Begins, seconding Agriculture and Biology. More pops means more production and taxes.
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May 29, 2020 19:54
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Research for new ship types and Physics to up our industrial base.
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May 29, 2020 19:57
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Space is the biggest untapped market, and we gotta get there before our competitors, so star base and physics.
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May 29, 2020 21:22
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'If the League is expanding to new worlds, Bortis Shipping and Logistics will be there. I believe that we will not only remain a major player in oceanic container shipping, but that we can adapt our expertise to spaceborne shipping and logistics, and that this will help secure new profit streams for the company, hah, well into the future. Val was only the beginning, my friends!' Nian Bortis throws the resources of Bortis Shipping and Logistics behind the financial support of space technology research programs, while building up an in-house R&D program tackling the communications and logistics problems that stand in the way of effective commerce and government at interplanetary and interstellar scales. In his person as Commodore of the League, he urges the Assembly to lay an effective groundwork for orderly processing and registry of off-Val property claims.
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May 30, 2020 05:21
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Focus early on Agriculture and secondary goal of Government Having put a lot of hours into this game (not nearly as many as you have Nweis) is it okay to talk in general on mechanics/what things bring what or should I stay quiet?
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May 30, 2020 07:40
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wedgekree posted:Focus early on Agriculture and secondary goal of Government Keep things general. Feel free to hint on techs about a level past Government/Physics/Biology/Engineering as 'on the horizon', but deeper than that in the tech tree, it's not like we have guesses yet. Basic mechanics that are in play as of the start of the game (income/taxes/population growth/research/pollution/production and the like) are fine to discuss what's going on; I probably should have had more mechanical notes in the OP.
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May 30, 2020 07:45
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Woo! Another libertarian utopia LP from Nweiss. Let's go!Theantero posted:Agriculture and Biology for votes. Got to get those pops. That seems to be smart option, therefore I'll vote for research and physics
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May 30, 2020 07:55
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Very, very general - early game installations either give you an automatic bonus or a 'per population' modifier. A research laboratory might provide a flat '+1 research per scientist' or a factory might do '+10 industry turn'. Early game turns into 'what do I want to prioritize getting up and getting going' as things take a long time to build and you have to figure out waht you're going for in advance.
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May 30, 2020 08:20
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I am going to vote for Research and putting it into Physics. The sooner you can figure out new factories, the sooner you can get them built, and the sooner they're built, the sooner they can be generating fat stacks of cash money. 
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May 30, 2020 10:02
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Woke early and unable to get back to sleep, so may as well play through the next 20 turns (25 Valian years) and grab the images. Looks like research and physics take the lead. E: Got the images collected and uploaded, thinking of trying to get back to sleep if I can. In any event, doubt I'll be in good shape for writing without some rest first, but will try and get things written up later today. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 13:50 on May 31, 2020 |
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May 30, 2020 12:26
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Home is Where the Heart Is, But the Stars are Made of Gold  As the 1800s began, resources on Val were thrown wholeheartedly into a program intended to perfect the technology needed to take the Gnolams to the stars. By 1810, Reliant Aerospace became the first firm capable of manufacturing drive systems capable of pushing ships out into the faster-than-light state along the drive conduits between stars, while the resources needed for large-scale, long-term operation in interplanetary space had been perfected by an array of other firms. Almost immediately, a manufacturing program to assemble deep-space scout craft capable of surveying the Gnol system for easily exploitable resources, and then pushing on to discover what could be found around the stars beyond Gnol. Other manufacturers, in parallel, began work on the factory ship Creator, chartered by the Horizon Engineering Corporation in the hopes of assembling spaceborne habitats that could support the exploitation of space-based resources.  By 1816 the scout craft Prospector launched from the surface of Val, the first FTL-capable constructed by the Gnolam species- and, by early 1817, it had determined that the gas giant Evorak within Val's orbit was the most promising body in the Gnol system for exploitation. A vast wealth of hydrogen was available to be scooped from its upper atmosphere, along with trace gases, some of which were carbon-containing. Combined with the high insolation a station in Evorak orbit could expect to support abundant solar power, and the potential for refining operations to synthesise valuable hydrocarbon compounds was obvious.  During the system survey of Gnol, the Prospector had detected anomalous readings in the deep outer system of Gnol- as if getting sensor reflections from some sort of manufactured object. The Prospector was ordered out to investigate these readings, pushing deep into the outer system on sublight drives.   In 1819, the Prospector intercepted the source of these strange readings- a massive cargo container, battered and dust-pitted, drifting in a long, lonely orbit around Gnol. The markings on this container, although obviously some form of purposeful language, seemed unrelated to any known Valian language, and provided far too small a sample size to decipher any hint of their meaning. Within the container, which had evidently been drifting through space for many thousands of years, was a find of staggering value- a load of refined metal ingots- titanium, tungsten, iron, platinum, gold, chromium, and others, enough metal to swamp Gnol's domestic refining output for several years. The container was pushed gently towards an orbit that would allow for retrieval by tugs operating off Gnol, providing a windfall for Val's industries even as the Prospector pushed its way back closer to Gnol in preparation for a boost to one of the hyperspace conduits out of the system.  The scout vessel Endeavor launched from Val in late 1822, and, by 1823, the Prospector had reached the entry zone for the conduit driftward to another promising orange star like Gnol, while the Endeavor was in the entry zone for a conduit spinward to a cooler red star. Although it had not been planned this way, the two scouts leapt into FTL travel within two days of each other, making the first two FTL voyages of the Gnolam people nearly simultaneous.    While assembly of the Prospector and Endeavor had been underway, work to assemble the Creator had been underway in other factories, pushed by a steady stream of investment capital and swallowing the vast load of refined metals recovered by the Prospector's efforts almost in its entirety, allowing the Creator to begin operations in 1824. The Creator was a gargantuan ship with a crew of thousands, equipped with all the facilities needed to manufacture deep-space habitats and infrastructure, laying the groundwork for the first permanent Gnolam presence in space. Work began on assembling the first of several refinery stations over Evorak in late 1824, tapping the wealth of this gas giant to provide an inexhaustible fountain of hydrocarbons for the use of Gnolams back on Val. We spend the majority of our accumulated treasury to complete our Space Factory in a single turn. The Universal Mercantile League and Known Space as of 1825  The Prospector and Endeavor have recently arrived at the two systems neighboring Gnol along the hyperspace conduit network, although systematic survey of the contents of these systems has yet to be carried out. The red star Hoshi, spinward of Gnol, appears to lack any hyperspace conduits linking it to any star but Gnol, while the orange star Kakari has two unexplored conduits, one leading driftward along the rim while another heads coreward and slightly driftward. Meanwhile, construction on refinery complexes over Evorak is continuing smoothly, with refineries expected to begin providing their output to Val by the end of 1830.  On Val, the population has exceeded five billion persons, with 100 million employed in the research sector, 150 million in the agricultural sector, and only a few million in heavy industries. Intensive agricultural exploitation has led to the cultivation of land somewhat more marginal than the prime farmland previously under cultivation, slightly reducing the efficiency of the agricultural workforce. Agriculture and industry on a planet are limited by the local resources, and, with more population placed in agriculture or industry, begins to suffer diminishing returns. The first two units of agricultural population on Val produce 4 food each, while the next three produces 3 food, and the sixth produces 2 food, with no further agricultural population permitted. The first industrial population produces 3 production, the next three 2, and the last two 1. Research, meanwhile, is bounded only by population that can be spared from agriculture and industry.  Work in basic physics is anticipated to bear fruit in improved computer processing units by 1827 or 1828, which may well allow for improved robotics in production lines and a more productive industrial sector. Research into biology and agronomy or sociology, logistics, and political science is still expected to bear great fruit in the near future. Proposals for the Universal Mercantile League Research Proposals Research into biology and agronomy is anticipated to allow a significant boost in Val's agricultural yields and food security, while research into sociology and logistics will lay the framework for more effectively integrating new colonies into the League and the development of more efficient research departments, speeding future technological projects. Work in logistics and sociology is almost a necessary condition for developing a framework for the smoothest possible colonisation of new planets that may support a Gnolam presence. Please vote between working on Biology or Government first. Once both are completed, we will immediately begin work on Deep-Space Exploration in order to gain the all-important Colony Base improvement on new colonies, which cannot be built after the fact. Industrial Investment Work on establishing improved high-technology industries will almost certainly lead to at least a modest surge in industrial employment, drawing resources from other sectors. Investment into modernising factories could ensure an even larger industrial workforce, but this is likely to impact resources available to both research and agricultural sectors. Please vote between an industrial workforce of 50 million or 100 million while we get automated factories up. Defense Appropriations The Assembly has approved commissioning the Creator to establish deep-space fortifications to control the hyperspace approach to Gnol from Kakari, given the evidence that- at least historically- Gnolams are not the only spacefaring species in the galaxy. As a hedge against further risk, debates are under way whether to approve combat-rated cruisers suitable to support deep-space fortifications and engage in counter-piracy patrols. Please vote between approving 0, 1, or 2 early combat vessels suitable to scouting, light combat, and counter-piracy duties while not working on infrastructure on Val. Time not spent on infrastructure construction or military construction will be spent getting a head start on our first colony ship. Already space has provided the opportunity for new riches for the Gnolam people, even if many of those resources have, thus far, been thrown straight back into space exploration. The long-term prospects from refineries around Evorak will certainly help improve life for all Gnolams, however, and the future seems bright. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 15:06 on May 31, 2020 |
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May 31, 2020 14:33
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News All Day Network posted:...The agritech megaconglomerate Nutris makes the news today due to an unprecedented investment in their R&D department. In a press release, the company reassures its shareholders that the sudden move is due to a pressing and never before seen need for future space-grade food-production capacity, as well as possible future xenobiological applications in food production. Nutris stock has taken a slight dip due to the move being seen as overtly speculative by many, but the company board remains adamant in their belief that their early investment will result in a dominant market position later on. Advert Jingle posted:Only fools ruminate on empty stomachs~ Biology, 50 million industrial workers, 1 combat vessel. Theantero fucked around with this message at 15:31 on May 31, 2020 |
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May 31, 2020 15:02
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Corporation Reference List Corporations canonically established thus far: Bortis Shipping and Logistics Reliant Aerospace (open) Horizon Engineering Corporation (open) News All Day Network (open, by kind permission of Theantaro) Nutris Weapons Systems, Incorporated Blue Horizon Shipping Lines Einar Transport (open) Golden Glory Logistics (open) Uncle Trorn's Foods (open) League Herald News (open) Provveh Orbital Hauling InterPlanetary Shipping Gnolstar Fountainhead Energy (open) League Consolidated Metals (open) Apocrypha Engineering Sunny Orchard (open) Dairy Gold (open) Logical Computing (open) Republican Atlantic (open, United Republic-based) Drevner Mass Drivers Rainbow Optical (open) Ston Precision Computing (open) Foundation Metallurgical (open) Stollen Innovations (open) There is room for competition in all the sectors represented by these corporations. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 14:21 on Jul 1, 2020 |
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May 31, 2020 15:40
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With the stars in reach, the first worry before how to legally integrate exo-colonies in the existing government is how to actually create and sustain them. This will require adapting our approach of biology to whatever new discoveries can be made on alien systems, and how to adapt Valian organisms (such as crops and cattle) to life on a foreign planet, with yet-unknown sun, atmosphere, soil, day/night cycle, gravity, and the myriad of other factors. Likewise, there is also a need to prepare research organisms to the wealth of observations that can be made on alien lifeforms, if any were to be encountered, as seems probable. And notably, pathogens and other such biological threats. Evolution would have taken a different path and there's no telling what is and isn't toxic before it's analyzed, or how alien microorganisms would react to Gnolam biology. Pharmaceutical corporations are already hiring all the theoretical biologists they can find in preparation, and we've got to make sure the higher education firms will be able to meet the demand. So, biology. For workforce assignment, we need to keep our existing food surpluses to prepare for sending colonists to a distant world. And in the same time, now is not the moment to diminish our research efforts. Therefore, 50 millions industrial workers should be enough. The coffers are still quite full, which could allow to speed up production through investment if progress is deemed too slow. Finally, confirmation that other civilizations have reached for the stars means that it is prudent to invest in some defense capabilities. The Prospector, Endeavor, and Creator are all devoid of armaments, and could only offer a speedbump to a potential enemy force. However, let's keep in mind that we do not have yet the infrastructure needed for a space force. As long as we don't have an orbital star base, it will be difficult to efficiently maintain combat vessels and keep them fully operational -- as well as offer a place to train space cadets in zero-G combat. So only one combat vessel.
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May 31, 2020 15:43
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Ship Design Contest, 1828 The Universal Mercantile League has begun consideration of designs for armed deep-space cruisers for long-range scouting, counterpiracy, and space defense duties. A spaceframe fitted with a FTL drive system, basic armor, and the necessary life support, electronics, crew quarters, and storage to support its operations will cost a minimum of 10 trillion credits (or significantly more, if the production process is rushed) and will have 575 tons remaining for mission equipment. Power is provided by a uranium reactor, while titanium armor backed by a boron carbide layer provides effective protection against the physical stresses of FTL travel, ambient radiation, micrometeorite impacts, and possible weapons fire. SPECIAL SYSTEMS Rebuilding both sublight thrusters and FTL drive systems to take advantage of higher power draw could be possible. This would provide faster travel both in-system and between stars, and provide greater agility in combat, helping make the ship a more difficult target. Such a redesign would take 60 tons of discretionary displacement and add a minimum of 10 trillion credits to the cost of the cruiser per unit. WEAPONS SYSTEMS Current cruiser fire control systems render having more than three distinct types of weapon impractical, including different mount types for the same basic weapon technology. BOMBS Heavy unguided nuclear warheads could be effectively applied to orbit to surface bombardment, as well as being an essential tool in the suppression of the support infrastructure for piracy, although they would need to be supplemented with effective space-to-space weaponry. Nuclear bomb bay- 100 tons, 4 trillion credits MISSILES Long-range guided space to space nuclear missiles, although they would have difficulty making a contact intercept at the ranges and speeds of space to space combat, could nonetheless deal severe damage by close-range detonation by a target. Guided missiles will almost certainly be able to make an intercept sufficient to detonate in range unless shot down, but are likely to be highly vulnerable to point defense fire. Nuclear missile launch tube- 100 tons, 4 trillion credits, 20 damage, launch cooldown 18s, range 60 CANNONS Direct-fire cannon, although dropping off in damage over range and subject to firing inaccuracy, could nonetheless prove an effective alternative to guided missiles in an offensive role. Recent breakthroughs in particle physics have allowed for neutron burst cannon, which are likely to be significantly more effective as primary weapons systems than simple lasers, although neutron burst cannon resist the effective miniaturisation to serve in a point defense role. Laser point defense mounts may provide some level of effective defense against enemy space-to-space missiles- heavier mounts lack the effective tracking speed to serve effectively in this role. Neutron burst cannon, limited-traversal front or rear mount- 80 tons, 5 trillion credits, 9 optimal damage, firing cooldown 7s, range 50. Neutron burst cannon, paired broadside mounts- 100 tons, 7 trillion credits, 9 optimal damage, firing cooldown 7s, range 50 Neutron burst cannon, full-rotation dorsal or ventral turret mount- 120 tons, 10 trillion credits, 9 optimal damage, firing cooldown 7s, range 50 Laser cannon, limited-traversal front or rear mount- 60 tons, 2 trillion credits, 5 optimal damage (anticipated 3.8 damage against titanium armor due to lack of penetration), firing cooldown 6s, range 50 Laser cannon, paired broadside mounts- 75 tons, 3 trillion credits, 5 optimal damage (anticipated 3.8 damage against titanium armor due to lack of penetration), firing cooldown 6s, range 50 Laser cannon, full-rotation dorsal or ventral turret mount- 90 tons, 4 trillion credits, 5 optimal damage (anticipated 3.8 damage against titanium armor due to lack of penetration), firing cooldown 6s, range 50 Laser cannon, point defense array, full globe coverage- 20.4 tons, 1 trillion credits, 2.5 optimal damage (anticipated 1.9 damage against titanium armor due to lack of penetration), firing cooldown 4.5s, range 10, +25% accuracy, may effectively engage missiles The UML Navy is currently accepting submissions for deep-space cruisers intended to serve in a counter-piracy role, with secondary scouting and space superiority missions. At least one bomb bay and at least one space-to-space weapon mount is considered a design requirement. Feel free to submit design proposals to the contest. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 15:07 on Jun 1, 2020 |
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May 31, 2020 16:46
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For research priority, I am voting Government, so we can snowball the research. For similar reasons of snowballing, 100 million workers. The faster it's done, the sooner it's working, and the sooner we can maintain similar industrial output while diverting people into farming and/or research. For our military, one ship. Zero seems foolish because we don't want to be caught with our pants down, but having a giant mobile defense force doesn't mean much if there's nothing to actually defend. For the ship, all I've really got is "give it a bomb, fill the rest with front mounted neutron cannons, any space left over should go to PD lasers." But I'm sure we won't need to bomb anybody. It's not like there's a bunch of shapeshifting assholes in the galaxy who'll make nice to our faces and then pick our pockets when our back is turned, right? How I pity the nuclear fury we'd have to call down on a bunch like that if they were to exist. But seriously if the Darloks show up I will immediately call for glassing every single dirtball those motherfuckers have even thought about touching. gently caress those guys.
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May 31, 2020 16:55
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MechaCrash posted:For the ship, all I've really got is "give it a bomb, fill the rest with front mounted neutron cannons, any space left over should go to PD lasers." With your permission, MechaCrash, I give you this proposal:  The Reliant Aerospace 'Vindicator'. Primary armaments are a single nuclear bomb bay and a cluster of five forward-mounted neutron burst cannon, defended by three point-defense laser arrays. Cost totals to 42 trillion credits, under ideal manufacturing conditions. Spaceframe, drive system, and flight electronics manufactured by Reliant Aerospace. Weapons, life-support, armor material, and reactor are sourced from Reliant's corporate partners.
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May 31, 2020 17:39
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Sure, that works. To be honest I wouldn't include a bomb at all, given that we're unlikely to encounter a reason for them before this thing is obsolete anyway, but you made that a requirement. In the unlikely event we do need such a ship, we should be able to squat on the reason we need it while we fart out something that's packed full of bombs and not much else. Still, "this has a bomb, just in case" is a solid thing to have, and it's not like swapping out the bomb for another neutron cannon and PD laser (or swap the bomb and the three PD lasers we have for two more cannons) is going to make a big difference against the kind of stuff we'll meet this early, and if it does we're probably already boned. I already got metagamey enough by declaring up front that Darloks are KOS to me so I won't delve much deeper than that. 
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May 31, 2020 17:56
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You need the bomb to destroy pirate bases.
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May 31, 2020 18:02
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I know, but how likely are we to run into one at this point? Seriously, how likely is it? I think it's pretty low odds before we'll want to make another new ship, but if I were any good at the game I'd be playing it myself instead of shouting about glassing Darloks in the LP of someone with a very clear anti-warcrime stance.
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May 31, 2020 18:07
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MechaCrash posted:I know, but how likely are we to run into one at this point? Extremely likely, they're all over.
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May 31, 2020 18:10
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wiegieman posted:Extremely likely, they're all over. And they respawn.
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May 31, 2020 18:21
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Bortis Shipping and Logistics has already invested in several in-system transports, helping carry supplies to the construction sites over Evorak, and anticipated to be able to help service trade between the permanent stations over Evorak and Val. The R&D department of Bortis Shipping and Logistics continues to work on addressing the challenges of interplanetary logistics, while Nian Bortis, in his role as Commodore of the UML, has advocated for taking steps to ensure the military readiness of the UML. Government, 50 million industrial workers, 1 combat vessel
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May 31, 2020 18:42
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Nutris takes no stance on what our combat vessels should be armed with, but does issue a statement that their pantries should be stocked with Nutris' Redwort & Spotcap Omelette (with nutritional supplement) MRE, the flagship of their new line of MREs, sure to fill the bellies of our brave troops with deliciousness and their hearts with fighting spirit.
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May 31, 2020 20:07
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Weapons Systems, Incorporated posted:We get it, space is scary. Who knows what lurks out there in the deep black? Therefore, whether you're a pleasure cruiser, cargo ship, or military scout, the NADS-86 Directed Neutronic Energy System is right for you. Our sophisticated micro-cooling manifolds result in slower heat build-up and faster cooling times than the competitors' blaster systems -- essential when faced with the horrors of the unknown. Call for quotes.
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Jun 1, 2020 08:43
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I'm going to need a tiebreaker between Government and Biology before I play through the next update, and would also welcome any further submissions to the first naval design contest for the Navy to choose between.
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Jun 1, 2020 13:15
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Government
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Jun 1, 2020 13:23
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Appreciated, Slaan. Government, 50 million, 1 ship, Vindicator, then.
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Jun 1, 2020 13:27
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Extragnolar Survey Report, 1850 Over the past 25 years, the Prospector and Endeavor have charted much of the nearby hyperspace conduit network, and have developed full reports on the resources and colonisation viability of six extragnolar star systems. Hoshi  The only approach to the red star Hoshi is through the Gnol system; even without active presence in the system, it seems likely that the UML effectively controls the system. Four bodies show even theoretical promise for colonisation around Hoshi. Hoshi Prime, although rich in gold and other precious metals, has been formed with scarce deposits of other critical industrial metals, and further has an extremely unstable surface with a murderously high surface temperature. Constant vulcanism, tectonic activity, and molten flows render it an almost impossible challenge for colonisation. Hoshi II is in many respects a Val-like world, with a complex and fertile biosphere, abundant surface water, and promising mineral and metal content. The only drawback of Hoshi II is its uncomfortably high gravity- although it seems Gnolam colonists shall be forced to deal with high-gravity environments into the future. Hoshi III has a choking ammonia atmosphere and an unpleasantly high gravity, but supports a simple biosphere using ammonia as a solvent with abundant ground cover. Preliminary analysis of native life of Hoshi III is that, with heavy processing, some usable nutrients could be derived from it, although it seems likely to be supremely unpalatable. Finally, Hoshi IV lacks any atmosphere and is constantly bombarded by stellar radiation. Despite being relatively poor in most necessary industrial resources, abundant deposits of a quartz variant with unique semiconducting properties could be of some industrial value there, at least if a local colony can endure the radiated conditions and high gravity. Hoshi Prime is tiny, volcanic, poor (reducing output of industrial workers), and low-G, with gold (+2 BC/turn for free once colonised) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 3 billion. Hoshi II is medium, terran, abundant, and normal-G- and as low-G creatures, we suffer some penalties on normal-G worlds. Otherwise a very solid planet with a maximum popultion of 13 billion, just like Val. Hoshi III is medium, toxic, abundant, and normal-G, with red fungus (+2 food/turn) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 5 billion. Hoshi IV is medium, radiated, poor, has dark quartz (+2 production/turn) as a planetary special, and can sustain up to 5 billion colonists. Volcanic, toxic, and radiated worlds cannot support any agricultural population at all, and must rely entirely on planetary specials and structures to feed and grow their population. Kakari  The orange star Kakari controls all access from Gnol into the wider hyperspace conduit network, and contains two worlds with notable promise. Kakari Prime is a Val-like garden planet of similar size, and further supports extensive gold and platinum veins that could easily and profitably be exploited very soon after colonisation. Its only drawback, of course, is high gravity. Kakari II is a planet largely covered in permanent ice sheets, but supports a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and a rudimentary local biosphere using water as a solvent. Although it is extremely small and suffers under bleak conditions, its local gravity is comfortable, and agriculture here should be viable. The Creator has been establishing an early warning listening station at Kakari with a minimal crew. Kakari Prime is medium, terran, abundant, and normal-G, with gold (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 13 billion. Kakari II is tiny, tundra, abundant, and low-G, with a maxmum population of 5 billion. Guad  Guad, coreward of Kakari, supports two rather unexciting worlds that could hypothetically be colonised, and a resource-rich asteroid belt. Although five hyperspace conduits have been charted leading out of the Guad system, two are extraordinarily unstable and are not believed to be navigable. Guad Prime suffers from extremely high temperatures and an unstable surface, but some deposits of 'dark quartz' like those on Hoshi IV could be of industrial value, if a succesful colony could be founded there. At least the gravity is tolerable. Guad II is a lifeless world with a thin, inert atmosphere that protects it from the worst stellar radiation, but is extraordinarily-metal poor. Some limited agriculture could be supported on Guad II, but this would be barely viable. Beyond both these worlds is the asteroid belt, which could be usefully exploited with the support of a planetary colony, and which currently hosts a crude industrial base for a rag-tag collection of nomads and criminals self-exiled from League society. Guad Prime is small, volcanic, poor, and low-G, with dark quartz (+2 production) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 4. Guad II is small, barren, ultra-poor, and low-G. As an ultra-poor world, industrial production on Guad II shall be extremely slow. Guad II can support up to two units of agricultural population of a maximum population of 6, but each would only produce enough food to feed themselves. Baalbo  Baalbo is a red star driftward of Kakari, supporting two reasonably promising planets. Baalbo Prime is a lifeless Val-sized world with an inert atmosphere, reasonable mineral and metals resources, and abundant easily-accessible deposits of platinum and palladium. Baalbo II is a life-abundant garden world the same size as Val, but suffers from a somewhat low metal content and limited land surface area- somewhat over 90% of the planet is covered by water. Baalbo Prime is medium, barren, abundant, and normal-G, with gold (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 8 billion. Baalbo II is medium, ocean, poor, and normal-G, with a maximum population of 11 billion and similar agricultural viability to terran worlds. Taurio  All four potentially-colonisable worlds of the Taurio system have rich and easily-accessible deposits of precious metals and gem-grade stones, although they all suffer from notable drawbacks of one sort or another as potential homes for Gnolam people. Taurio Prime is a marginal garden world, with small, land-locked oceans surrounded by limited rainy, fertile terrain and vast inland deserts. Although extremely small, it is extraordinarily rich in heavy metals and actually has an uncomfortably high gravity for Gnolams. This could, potentially, support remarkably productive industry. Taurio II is a Val-sized world with a technically breathable atmosphere and a rudimentary biosphere, held back by the extreme scarcity of liquid water on its surface. Other than its precious metals content, it has relatively few valuable resources. Taurio III is a colder life-bearing world that, like Taurio II, suffers from extreme aridity. The natural crystal formations of Taurio III are remarkable for their beauty, and the planet's large size means it may potentially support an equally large population. Taurio IV, other than its native precious metals deposits, lacks almost any useful resources, and further suffers from extreme vulcanism and a corrosive atmosphere. Taurio Prime is tiny, arid, rich (which boosts industrial population output), and normal-G, with gold (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 6 billion. Arid planets, as near-terran worlds, can support reasonably productive agriculture to sustain their populations, more efficient than the agriculture on tundra or desert worlds (which likewise are more efficient than barren worlds for agriculture). Taurio II is medium, desert, poor, and normal-G, with gold (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 9 billion. Taurio III is large, desert, poor, and normal-G, with gems (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 12 billion. Taurio IV is medium, volcanic, ultra-poor, and low-G, with gold (+2 BC) as a planetary special and a maximum population of 5 billion. Varinia  Varinia, even further driftward than Taurio, has only a single potentially-colonisable body, although this planet is significantly larger than any other colonisable planet thus far encountered. Varinia Prime is a dry garden world similar to Taurio Prime, supporting a sophisticated and abundant biosphere around its small seas. Although it is relatively poor in heavy metals and suffers an uncomfortably high gravitational pull, the friendly environment and vast habitable area means it could potentially support vast populations. Varinia Prime is huge, arid, poor, and normal-G, with a maximum population of 16 billion. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 16:23 on Jun 12, 2020 |
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Jun 1, 2020 16:17
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Nice system in your back pocket there with 4 planets, and one pirate base nearby. Not too bad
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Jun 1, 2020 16:32
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MechaCrash posted:Sure, that works. To be honest I wouldn't include a bomb at all, given that we're unlikely to encounter a reason for them before this thing is obsolete anyway, but you made that a requirement. In the unlikely event we do need such a ship, we should be able to squat on the reason we need it while we fart out something that's packed full of bombs and not much else. MechaCrash posted:I know, but how likely are we to run into one at this point? nweismuller posted:Guad  To have some actual words of value here, one of the things this game added that I really liked was an auto-explore option. So you could build some scout ships, turn that on, and they'd go map the galaxy for you automatically. Is that being used here? I assume it is not.
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Jun 1, 2020 18:39
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MechaCrash posted:
It is not.
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Jun 1, 2020 19:16
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Small sidenote on game terms: planets are described by size and mineral richness, on a scale from 1 to 5: for size it's 1:tiny - 2:small - 3:medium - 4:large - 5:huge; for mineral richness it's 1:ultra-poor - 2:poor - 3:abundant - 4:rich - 5:ultra-rich. For normal random planets, the gravity depends on these two values. Basically, make the sum of the two, and you get a result between 2 and 10. For a value of 2, 3, or 4, you get low-gravity. Normal gravity for 5, 6, or 7. And with 8, 9, and 10, high-gravity. By these rules, Val should have normal gravity, since it is a medium-abundant planet, like most homeworlds are; but homeworlds are not random planets, so their stats are determined by the empire's racial traits. What this means is that our intrepid businesscows are just not going to find any planet just like theirs. Any planet of similar size is going to have a gravity they're uncomfortable with, unless they are ultra-poor in minerals. All the planets they will find comfortable will be either too small or too poor to be really interesting; and the best prize planets -- the ones that are both big and dense -- will be especially uncomfortable until gravity control technology is developed. There's a significant production penalty caused by gravity discomfort on a normal G world, but it's doubled on high-G worlds. I'll spare you the math but the gist is that the interesting planets for production are, in order of increasing goodness, low-G abundant (our baseline), normal-G rich, high-G ultra-rich, and finally normal-G ultra-rich. A high-G rich planet is not interesting; it's worse than a low-G poor planet. Do not expect to find low-G rich or ultra-rich planet, this combination is impossible for normal random planets. As far as biomes go, volcanic planets are the absolute worst, toxic and radiated can at least eventually be turned into barren with special technologies to mitigate their flaws, and every other planet biome from barren and up can be repeatedly terraformed to eventually reach Gaia stage. The next steps up are, in increasing goodness: desert, tundra, arid, swamp, ocean, terran, and gaia. Of course at this point all these techs are still a far future prospect, so the focus should be on desert or better. And we can forget about volcanic planets, they can have all the specials they want, they're just not worth it (unless we find one in the systems Degon, Tetchys, or Zarkonia but it's a very special case). All that to say that the best planets here are Kakari II and Taurio Prime. The systems are also reasonably interesting, strategically speaking. Kakari however is just next door to the Guad pirates, so a colony would be destroyed by raiders if it isn't protected. Cat Mattress fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Jun 1, 2020 |
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Jun 1, 2020 20:51
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Cat Mattress posted:<interesting discussion on planet mechanics snipped> All this said, agriculture is also a factor, and the normal-G terrans and oceans are agriculturally-productive enough and can support large enough populations that I think they may also be interesting colony sites. As far as strategic positions go, Guad actually has a good position that we'll want to secure, eventually... but terrible planets. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 21:03 on Jun 1, 2020 |
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Jun 1, 2020 21:00
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Mechacrash, this is not aimed at you. I couldn't pass up the possibility of cribbing one of the great events in the history of the Cold War for use in this.Jian Boyt's office posted:"Sir, these are the specs of the new warship that just won the bid." Several months later, Celebrating the maiden flight of the Vindicator in the officer's lounge on the orbital docks surrounding Val. posted:
tl;dr Vindicator, but remove the neutron cannons, add the improved engines, and use the rest of the capacity on missiles. Keep point defense arrays between 2 and 4 total.
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Jun 2, 2020 03:07
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 The eventual result of the feedback to Reliant's chief project engineer was the 'Enforcer' counter-piracy cruiser proposal, which exchanged cannon armament for three nuclear missile tubes and a higher-performance drive. With an optimal manufacture cost of 41 trillion, it would even save slightly on procurement costs per unit, if it were approved as a standard. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 09:44 on Jun 2, 2020 |
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Jun 2, 2020 03:24
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