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[evictedSaint]

[OUR] (CMND) <Queen's Directive> Gen A.1.0

Our Command Module, the "Queen's Directive".  Generation A, Version 1.0.

The Queen's Directive is a specialize command suite for a Hiver Queen.  It is from this module that a single Queen can command an appropriately sized battle fleet in action. 

The command module features a special throne designed to seat a Queen comfortably while still allowing her to be fed sensor data.  Princesses are stationed in peripheral command stations around the main throne, in order to offload some micromanagement of smaller-scale tactics, such as fighter squadron to fighter squadron engagements or dictating priority targets.  The Queen provides the overall strategy for the engagement, and lends her queenly calm to panicking or endangered vessels to prevent their Queen's Glory reactors and Belief Engines (not yet designed) from crashing.

A wide sensor suite is available to the Queen's Directive to facilitate better decisions through superior data collection.  In addition to standard Gravitational, Electromagnetic, Ionic, Radiation and Light spectrum sensors, the module also features a sizable spread of Borehole drones to collect information from portions of the battle area where the speed of light is a limiting factor in communication and sensor readings.  These drones (mechanical, not biological) are able to perform both active and passive scanning, with enough power generation to remain operational indefinitely. 

This module is intended to be one of our few "Expensive" pieces of equipment, in order to enable high levels of command.

[NUKE9.13]

[OUR] (SF) <Relentless> Gen A.2.0 (NUKE's proposal) (3 dice): (2) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint
[OUR] (PRAY) <Belief Engine> Gen A.2.0: (NUKE's Proposal) (3 dice): (2) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint
[OUR] (CMND) <Queen's Directive> Gen A.1.0 (3 dice): (2) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint
Spend 9 dice total: (2) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint

[dgr11897]

[OUR] (SF) <Relentless> Gen A.2.0 (NUKE's proposal) (3 dice): (3) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint, DGR
[OUR] (PRAY) <Belief Engine> Gen A.2.0: (NUKE's Proposal) (3 dice): (3) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint, dgr
[OUR] (CMND) <Queen's Directive> Gen A.1.0 (3 dice): (3) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint, DGR
Spend 9 dice total: (3) NUKE9.13, evictedSaint, DGR

[NUKE9.13]

So, I'm thinking about bore drives, right? We obviously want a better bore drive than the generic starting one (I'm thinking better efficiency, higher maximum ship size (at least battleship), and higher speed (2 shouldn't be too hard to reach)). I was writing up a psi-assisted one, that would be available in multiple sizes, and was reading the core thread OP for details on how they work- when I realised that whilst making permanent boreholes is out, there's nothing in the rules that say every ship passing through a borehole has to have its own drive.
It may be possible, in other words, to have large ships with powerful bore drives create passages for smaller (ie corvette, frigate, and maybe even destroyer) ships to pass through before passing through itself.
This would let us build small ships much more cheaply, as they wouldn't need an expensive bore drive, or the power/capacity to handle one. The downside would be that if the large ship got destroyed, the little ships would be stranded.

[BBBence1111]

Sounds like a great idea. Hell, if we want we could make Bore-Gates with the sole purpose of opening boreholes for our ships (though we'd likely keep those in friendly territory) or sattelites that are capable of defense and have a borehole generator on them.

[RAM]

So, I'm thinking about bore drives, right? We obviously want a better bore drive than the generic starting one (I'm thinking better efficiency, higher maximum ship size (at least battleship), and higher speed (2 shouldn't be too hard to reach)). I was writing up a psi-assisted one, that would be available in multiple sizes, and was reading the core thread OP for details on how they work- when I realised that whilst making permanent boreholes is out, there's nothing in the rules that say every ship passing through a borehole has to have its own drive.
It may be possible, in other words, to have large ships with powerful bore drives create passages for smaller (ie corvette, frigate, and maybe even destroyer) ships to pass through before passing through itself.
This would let us build small ships much more cheaply, as they wouldn't need an expensive bore drive, or the power/capacity to handle one. The downside would be that if the large ship got destroyed, the little ships would be stranded.

Sounds great to me. It also occurs to me that my alternate-dimensions transitioning idea could keep support vessels like that out of harm's path.

[Draignean]

[OUR] (SF) <Relentless> Gen A.2.0
[Time: 3 Progress: 5 Cost: 5]
There is some... dissension among the princes given the design directive. A minor thing, of no lasting import, regarding the name of the new vessel. Some of the younger males did not see the meaning in such a name. How could something so fragile, so individually meaningless and impotent, be [Relentless]. They questioned, and despite their projections predicting a finished product more quickly and more efficiently than anticipated, they would have had to have been disciplined but for the counsel of an elder prince. A grain of sand is unimportant. Meaningless. It is found with far more effort than it is lost. Yet with enough together, you have a desert- and the desert is [Relentless].

Relentless: 0/9 [3] | 50O  + 75M + 50E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested

Prototype
[Efficacy: 1]
It would seem, however, that the younger princes did not heed the wise counsel of their elder, and the elder himself was unable or unwilling to bring them to heel. The Relentless is... inexpensive. That alone is its grace, and it is a small one in the face of its many failings.

The structure of the Relentless is unsound. While the original specifications requested minimal armor, additional inroads were made into the vessel's structure which succeeded in reducing weight and price, but compromised the vessel. Any impact beyond space dust will tear through the hull. If the hull is breached, then there are only two options- the projectile hit's structure, or it hits a critical system. In the latter case, the absolute best case scenario is that the projectile hits life support. In the former case, nearly any structural damage will cripple the fighter and render it virtually unable to maneuver. The engines themselves have the greatest reinforcement, but the limiting factor on maneuvers is the worry over whether the ship will snap in half- a worry compounded greatly when they operate near significant gravity wells, such as those generated by planets.

The weapon's package of the Relentless is also somewhat less than hoped for. The laser cannons are more than sufficient to deal with other fighters of the Relentless' grade, but that isn't a great vote of confidence. They function, that's really the best that can be said of them. It may, however, take even more fighters than anticipated to properly strip enemy hulls. The missile mount is a trickier beast. It is sufficient to mount a pod of small missiles, but any missile attachment of significant weight will cripple the fragile thrust balance that lets the Relentless fly at all. The Torpedo, though nice in theory, will have to wait for improvements to the basic craft before being attempted.

In summary. She's cheap. However, she's made of tissue paper, could be brought down by small arms fire, occasionally rips itself apart when turning against gravity (or just when performing any old high-g maneuver), and her weapons load does inspire striking confidence. 

[OUR] (SF) <Relentless> Gen A.2.0: Wing Size 8/20/50 | Wing Cost: (5O+10M+10E)*Wing Size | Capacity -8/-20/-50  A fighter, technically. The relentless has a pair of built in laser cannons, running off internal capacitor banks kept topped off by chemical engines. In addition, she can mount a reduced size pod of missiles that would fit in a small slot- however this attachment must by paid for separately. The relentless, however, is a beast of many flaws. She's fragile to the point of hazard, incapable of taking a hit, and able to be torn to shreds by the force of her own engines. Her lasers don't have a great deal of stopping power for hunting anything other than other fighters, and the usage of her missile mount can impede what little combat efficacy she has.


[OUR] (PRAY) <Belief Engine> Gen A.2.0: (NUKE's Proposal)
[Time: 3 Progress: 2 Cost: 3]
Belief is the strongest metal of all. Considering an object's physical state changes its physical state minutely, and it is this property which we shall exploit. Millions of minds, millions of considerations, millions of minute changes, and anything can be done. Regrettably, the project cannot be applied to itself until completed, and so it progresses at a... sedate pace.

Belief Engine: 0/16 [2] | 150O  + 100M + 75E + 20S | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested

Prototype
[Efficacy: 4]
Unit testing, however, reveals considerable promise within the design. For vessels, the relays feed off the crew in the same manner that the Queen's Glory does, purifying their belief and feeding it back into reality. Seeing the effects in action reinforces their belief, and this in turn reinforces the effects. The changes are not dramatic, but they are significant. Overall improvements are minor, improving the efficacy of the reactor, slightly increasing structural integrity, and so on. The more interesting effects, however, come when the crew is subject to strong disbelief- for instance, when something when ordinarily stop working due to damage. While the effects are sometimes sporadic, the crew's belief that things will continue to function is often sufficient to keep a ship's systems operable when circuitry has been cut or critical systems have been damaged.

Belief Engine: | 0T 200O 100M 100E 25S | Capacity -5 | Power: -15 | A module designed to amplify the group beliefs of hivers on board a ship, and then to press them into reality in order to blur the line between faith and fact. Provides limited overall improvements in a ship's function while morale is good, but provides superior benefits in keeping things working when they should otherwise fail.


[OUR] (CMND) <Queen's Directive> Gen A.1.0
[Time: 4 Progress: 4 Cost: 6]
Creating a home suitably for a traveling queen is no small feat, but the designers are aware of their duty and are eager to please. Their expense figures are surprisingly low, likely seeking to curry favor via sparing resources for other projects, but they are intelligent enough to not allow their scant budget to affect their duties. The throne is on, and perhaps slightly ahead of, schedule.

Queen's Directive: 0/10 [3] | 50T + 75O + 100M + 75E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested

Prototype
[Efficacy: 6]
The final product, sadly, cannot be inexpensive. The additional upgraded bore drones for FTL scanning, the multi-spectral sensors, the tiered command interface, and the queen's own throne- these are things that cannot be made cheaply.

They are, however, very effective at their intended purpose. The Queen's directive allows a Queen and her retinue to effectively command a mid size fleet, and additional modules can be installed to allow additional princes and princesses to command smaller subgroups. The Queen herself is typically concerned with the overall tone of an engagement, keeping the drones and warriors aboard her vessels in the proper mindset for battle- giving them a calm and determined serenity as they go about their actions. Her directives are broad, and it is up to her retinue to issue the plethora of specific commands to carry them out.

The command interface itself is advanced, integrating current fleet positions, known enemy positions, and every bit of information that the multi-spectral sensors can provided with detailed analysis of time-lag between various sections of battle.

Queen's Directive: | 100T 125O 175M 100E 10S | Capacity -18 | Power: -35 | Command +60 | A comprehensive suite of cross-spectral tactical sensors, combat computers, upgraded sensor-laden bore drones, tracking displays, and fleet communications- all tied in to provide complete control of a battlefield to a queen and her subordinates. These modules can stack, but each grants half the command bonus of the last module.


Revision Phase of Year -4

Resources
Dice: 1
T: 5000 + 2500
O: 15000 + 7500
M: 15000 + 7500
E: 10000 + 5000
S: 1000 + 500

Spoiler: Projects (click to show/hide)

Queen's Will: 8/14 [4] |  125 Transplutonics + 175 Metal + 25 Synthetic | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Queen's Glory: 6/12 [3] |  70 Transplutonics + 100 Organics   | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Wrath: 4/19 [4] |  70T + 150O  + 450M + 200E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Deliverance: 3/14 [3] |  35T + 100O  + 150M + 50E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Queen's Directive: 0/10 [3] | 50T + 75O + 100M + 75E + 5S | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Belief Engine: 0/16 [2] | 150O  + 100M + 75E + 20S | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Relentless: 0/9 [3] | 50O  + 75M + 50E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested

[dgr11897]

We should probably make a psi capacitor at some point, trying to do so and do something like the belief engine was a bit ambitious.

[evictedSaint]

[OUR] (GSD) <Queen's Will> Gen A.1.3

Borehole generation speed is limited largely by computation speed.  Until [We] improve upon our existing computer systems (quantum or light-based processors, perhaps?) [We] must find other clever ways to boost output.

Our Queen's Will, Generation A, Version 1.3 generates a more steeply inclined gravitational field through a more intelligent series of Borehole generations.  Previous iterations simply made use of the gravitational field phenomenon that occurs when Boreholes overlapped.  The 1.3 relies on a more concrete understanding of why and how these fields are created, and thus allowing us to manipulate the generated Boreholes for maximum field generation.

Specifically, Boreholes that overlap at a cascading ratio of 1.61803398875 generate the deepest gravitational wells per generation.  This is, of course, the Golden Ratio - and what's more, these overlapping holes can be daisy-chained together to provide even deeper wells.  The limiting factor to gravity spike generation then becomes how many of these Boreholes we can chain together before the first one degrades, and how many chains a single engine can generate at once.  Currently our Will is only set up for generating single chains, but future versions may allow for more complex chain-weaving that what is currently possible.

Regardless of what the ideal future driver might look like, knowing how and why it works lets us boost the acceleration of our current existing drivers.

[NUKE9.13]

[OUR] (FTL) <Queen's Path> Gen B.1.0:
Look out upon the stars. See how they shimmer. Such fine gems belong to [Our] Queens by right. Their [Path] shall lead us to the stars, that we might claim them in their names.

The Queen's Path is not simply an upgraded Bore Drive. Whilst the fundamental principles are similar, the Path does not generate boreholes by brute-force calculations run on primitive machines. Instead, it uses the most powerful and elegant computational entity we know of- the psionic collective. Sure, individual drones know nothing of faster-than-light travel. But they don't need to- they just need to lend their mental energies to a Pilot, a specially bred and trained Prince whose mind has been scoured clean of all unneccessary knowledge, leaving only a pure & instinctual understanding of bore-physics. Interfaced directly with the Queen's Path Bore Drive, the Pilot (or multiple Pilots working in unison) is (/are) capable of opening apertures three times the size to stars twice as distant- requiring (relatively) less space and energy compared to the Gen A.
The Gen A Bore Drive is a woefully inefficient device; forcing open apertures along inefficient paths by brute force. It is no wonder it is such a costly piece of equipment to operate- especially at longer ranges. By contrast, the Queen's Path opens paths that 'want' to be opened, and does so in a delicate manner that results in a more stable aperture. Psionic energy is used to 'seed' the aperture, then more conventional means are used to expand it, whilst the psionic energy maintains the 'edge'- that is, the bits where the collapse of a borehole would start, which usually require intensive calculations to maintain. In this way, conventional and psionic energies work hand in hand (I got the brains, you got the brawn, let's make lots of boreholes).

The Queen's Path is not reserved for a single vessel. Whilst it can function perfectly as a bore drive for a given ship, it shines when used to open the way for others. In this capacity, the aperture is constantly updated, using psionic feedback to identify fluctuations in spacetime and adapting the 'contour' of the aperture to survive the changing circumstances. This allows for a borehole to be kept open long enough for many ships (with or without their own bore drives) to pass through it, before finally the generating vessel passes through (at which point it can no longer be maintained and will dissipate as quickly as a normal borehole).

E: Anyway, revisions won't be for a while (Spires Race has to update first), but we can still get the voting started.

<Queen's Will> Gen A.1.3 (Golden Overlap Ratio): (1) NUKE9.13

[Talion]

<Queen's Will> Gen A.1.3 (Golden Overlap Ratio): (2) NUKE9.13, Talion

A station in geosynchronous orbit that connects to the planet via grav-lift would be nice.

[evictedSaint]

[OUR] (INF) <The Drones> Gen.A.1.0

The warrior caste is subdivided into two different variants, the Alpha Drones and Beta Drones. 

Beta Drones are your conventional equipment-users.  Roughly a meter and a half in height, they feature two main upwards-angled limbs for heavy workloads and two downwards-angled limbs for lighter, more precise tasks such as tool manipulation.  Their body is segmented plates of spiny, biological armor - often adorned with their Queens insignia, as well as their regiment, division, and squadron.  Legs number at a total of six, each ending in two hooked toes that they use to navigate rougher terrain.  The intelligence of these drones are comparable to a human's, bit they lack imagination and directive without a commanding Prince, Princess, or Queen.  Emotional range is limited to mostly primal colors, if emotions are even a factor in their combat-computer brains.  Beta Drones will rely primarily on weapons to win battles, whether they are in the cockpit of a starfighter, piloting a mobile armored vehicle, or holding a rifle.  That being said, Beta Drones are adept at close-quarters melee and do not shy away from hand-to-hand combat.  Singularly, a Beta Drone is inferior to a standard human marine in combat, but a Beta Drone is never alone - and never without a psionic voice directing their actions.  Beta's will fight until directed otherwise, and carry out suicidal assaults without hesitation.  A Beta Drone will never write a symphony, but they will damn sure take a planet.

Alpha Drones are considerably less intelligent and considerably larger than Beta Drones.  Less common than Beta's at a ratio of about 1:10, an Alpha Drone stands anywhere from two to three meters in height.  They are similar in shape to a large beetle, with massive razor-sharp mandibles capable of ripping steel bulkheads off their mountings.  Their body has a limited range of movement due to the thick, dense natural armor that makes up nearly every surface of their body.  Their legs number at six, with their four pairs of arms adapted for grappling and shoveling prey in between their jaws.  Eyes are tiny and recessed, and their upper body/head features a wide, flat surface suitable for mounting light anti-infantry weapons.  Emotions range between "hungry" and "angry", and once they've initiated combat they become near-impossible to stop.  Alpha Drones make up the center-piece of Hiver combat forces, and even alone a single one is more than a match for even a squad of human marines.  They are not, sadly, terribly useful for space combat.

[dgr11897]

The splitter is a cluster missile with a few special editions. First is that you can fit one into a small mount, this is just a single launch tube with no magazine. However it can be reloaded from the ship's stock of missiles in combat. It also has a medium mount version, which is a turret with a small internal magazine. When fired splitter missiles connect to each other to coordinate their distribution of micromissiles for maximum efficiency. Each missile carries around 24 micromissiles and 1 shaped antimatter charge (basically a shaped nuclear charge with antimatter instead of a nuke) when the missile nears its target it will start spinning before ejecting the micromissiles. The micromissiles have two charges inside of them, both are fairly small, a chemical explosive charge is at the front of the missile, and is used to create a lance of plasma to melt through armor and hull, causing the latter half of the missile (carrying an antimatter charge) to go inside the enemy craft before detonating. The micromissiles are also just small enough to mount on a fighter should the need arise, have their own targeting chips, sensors, and will network together similar to the larger missiles. The Engines on the micromissiles are small, rendering them fairly short ranged, typically they will use the momentum from the larger missile to get to farther targets. Overall the splitter is a effective spaceborn weapon.

[Draignean]

[OUR] (GSD) <Queen's Will> Gen A.1.3
[Efficacy: 5]

Continued effort on unraveling the more mysterious components of borehole science proves to be a fruitful expenditure of [our] time, as the discovery and implementation of a more perfectly ratioed borehole destruction system proves.

The new studies show a marked increase in exotic particle generation when the overlap ratios approach the golden number- though the effect is somewhat schodastic. Further and more detailed study is likely needed, but for the purposes of the Queen's will the effect suffices to allow for a marked increase in field gradient, increasing the potential cruising acceleration to 10 m/s and increasing boost acceleration to 22 m/s.


Design Phase of Year -3

Resources
Dice: 10
T: 7500 + 2500
O: 22500 + 7500
M: 22500 + 7500
E: 15000 + 5000
S: 1500 + 500

Spoiler: Projects (click to show/hide)

Queen's Will: 12/14 [4] |  125 Transplutonics + 175 Metal + 25 Synthetic | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Queen's Glory: 9/12 [3] |  70 Transplutonics + 100 Organics   | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Wrath: 8/19 [4] |  70T + 150O  + 450M + 200E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Deliverance: 6/14 [3] |  35T + 100O  + 150M + 50E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Queen's Directive: 3/10 [3] | 50T + 75O + 100M + 75E + 5S | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Belief Engine: 2/16 [2] | 150O  + 100M + 75E + 20S | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested
Relentless: 3/9 [3] | 50O  + 75M + 50E | Rushed 0 Times | Nothing Invested

[Talion]

Causeway
The failings in the design of the Relentless has led [Us] to pursue an entirely different design paradigm. The Causeway is a fighter developed around the principle of superior firepower, directed in unity. Built around a spinal laser, primary focus is given not to speed, but maneuverability. As a result, a <Queen’s Will> engine proves sufficient for our thrust needs. Groups of Causeways work together to weave lanes of death carving a path through our enemies. Defensively frontal armour combined with the ability to slide in any direction practically at will allow the Causeways to weather attacks or part their formation to allow an attack to pass through harmlessly.