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[Thranx]

I'm not doing either of these things. Trading between multiple on-earth colonies is brokenly profitable, and survey teams would be a pain to micromanage. I boosted the minerals available to compensate.

Fair enough--Trading between multiple on-earth colonies does seem like an exploit
Also would you be willing to post an updated mineral chart.

Pwnzerfaust--even without the ability to form trade alliances I think that forming close diplomatic relations with another nation would be a good idea
as we could benefit from the sharing of geo/grav data and possibly even a mutual defense treaty and technology sharing. At the moment i am leaning
toward an alliance with the PRC as our financial backing could compensate for their lack of funding and their industrial might would compensate for
the weakness of our industries

[Bremen]

January 1st
United States of America
In order to search for off-world mineral deposits, the USA announces the Raptor class Survey Craft

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Raptor class Survey Craft    415 tons     11 Crew     125.5 BP      TCS 8.3  TH 15  EM 0
1807 km/s     Armour 1-4     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/1     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 1%    IFR: 0%    Maint Capacity 189 MSP    Max Repair 100 MSP    Est Time: 16.07 Years

Small Nuclear Thermal Engine E900 (1)    Power 15    Fuel Use 9000%    Signature 15    Armour 0    Exp 25%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres    Range 0.5 billion km   (3 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
Production begins immediately, with the first raptor due to be completed by mid-March. This decision is expected to give the US a head start on geological surveys. In order to make use of the surveys, they also complete plans for a new spacegoing freighter, and begin immediate construction on two. Construction is expected to finish in early August.

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Trekker class Freighter    34,200 tons     219 Crew     328.65 BP      TCS 684  TH 375  EM 0
548 km/s     Armour 1-93     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 6 MSP    Max Repair 23.65 MSP
Cargo 25000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E0.9 (6)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 58.5 billion km   (1234 days at full power)

'Aegis' Antimissile System (1x4)    Range 1000 km     TS: 8000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
Construction factories on earth begin producing automated mines based on observed Japanese designs, with optimistic plans for offworld mining colonies.
In orbit, construction on a sixth George Washington class carrier begins, though the Spruance yards remain idle in anticipation of expected advances in railcannon weapons.

American scientists embark on a project to develop a larger, longer range railgun, so that American naval ships will be less vulnerable.

People's Republic of China

China responds with its own survey craft, this time an armed independent craft based on the Jianghu class Corvette.

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Luda class Geological Survey Vessel    3,000 tons     313 Crew     327 BP      TCS 60  TH 100  EM 0
1666 km/s     Armour 2-18     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/1     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 14
Annual Failure Rate: 72%    IFR: 1%    Maint Capacity 68 MSP    Max Repair 100 MSP    Est Time: 0.94 Years

Nuclear Thermal Engine E9 (4)    Power 25    Fuel Use 90%    Signature 25    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres    Range 33.3 billion km   (231 days at full power)

Twin Light Meson Gun Turret (2x2)    Range 30,000km     TS: 6000 km/s     Power 6-4     RM 3    ROF 10        1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Meson Turret Fire Control (1)    Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 6000 km/s     69 37 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pressurised Water Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 6    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 24     Range 1.4m km    Resolution 1
Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
They begin retooling a shipyard to build the Luda class, which will take several months.

They also complete designs for freighter and colony ships, but do not yet begin construction due to budgetary concerns.

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Houjian class Freighter    33,800 tons     211 Crew     304 BP      TCS 676  TH 375  EM 0
554 km/s     Armour 1-93     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 6 MSP    Max Repair 16 MSP
Cargo 25000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E0.9 (6)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 59.1 billion km   (1234 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes

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Xian class Colony Ship    33,850 tons     291 Crew     1269 BP      TCS 677  TH 375  EM 0
553 km/s     Armour 1-93     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 23 MSP    Max Repair 16 MSP
Colonists 100000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E0.9 (6)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 59.0 billion km   (1234 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
They prepare for espionage efforts against their Japanese neighbors, but a lack of suitably trained individuals limits these efforts for now.


Nihon-koku
Japan, lacking shipyards for an armed survey ship, begins construction on a new set of naval yards. They also delay any freighter design while their scientists work on a civilian version of the advanced Nuclear Pulse engine.


European Union
The EU completes designs for its own freighter; thanks to the EU's more advanced armor technology the outer hull of the ship is lighter, and extra engines boost the ship's speed. The Duke of York is the fastest freighter to be developed, at least until the Japanese complete designs for their own advanced ship.

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Outlander class Freighter    35,000 tons     246 Crew     332.4 BP      TCS 700  TH 438  EM 0
625 km/s     Armour 1-95     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 6 MSP    Max Repair 16 MSP
Cargo 25000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 10   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E0.9 (7)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 57.1 billion km   (1056 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
A modification of the design, termed the Horizons class, is designed as a colony ship.

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Horizons class Colony Ship    34,950 tons     316 Crew     1287.4 BP      TCS 699  TH 438  EM 0
626 km/s     Armour 1-95     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 23 MSP    Max Repair 16 MSP
Colonists 100000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E0.9 (7)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 57.2 billion km   (1056 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
Taking advantage of their budget surplus, the EU also contributes 2,000 megacredits to a space shipping startup, Wright Transport Corporation.

The terrestrial industry of the EU is devoted to modernizing it's pre-TNE economy. Orbital shipyards begin construction of a new Victory class as well as two more Broadswords.

European scientists begin work on improved turret gearing designs and, with an eye towards the future, enhanced terraforming techniques.

[Sirus]

Holy carp, I'm excited now 

Quick question that I'm not sure was covered, how long is each "turn"? A month? Six? A whole year? Or does it vary based on when current assignments finish?
ORDERS FOR THE MOD

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Once the first Raptor is finished, survey Luna, mount it in one of the GW carriers, and send it to Mercury. From there, survey each planet, working outward.

Also, have the US establish a "colony" on Luna. Once the survey is finished, put together a geological team from the best officers available.

While I'm sure that the automated mines won't be finished for some time, queue up 6 mass drivers. When the freighters are done, use your discretion to send automated mines to potential colonies (Mars takes precedence, of course).

[Bremen]

February 1st

Nihon Koku
Japan completes research on a civilian Nuclear Pulse Engine, and immediately announces plans for its own space freighter. Scientists begin work on improving the shield technology currently in use.

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Kobayashi Maru class Freighter    33,800 tons     211 Crew     358 BP      TCS 676  TH 600  EM 0
887 km/s     Armour 1-93     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 7 MSP    Max Repair 25 MSP
Cargo 25000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 5   

Nuclear Pulse Engine E0.8 (6)    Power 100    Fuel Use 8%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 66.5 billion km   (868 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
The monthly budget for January had Japan running a 40 megacredit deficit; as this is viewed as within reason, orbital shipyard are tasked with producing two Mirai class and one Kobayashi Maru.

European Union

A budget commision reports that the European Union had a surplus of 322 megacredits in the month of January. In response, hulls are laid down for two new Outlander class freighters and one Illustrious class Frigate

People's Republic of China

Top secret documents show that China ran a deficit of 194 megacredits in the previous month.

United States of America

Analysts report that the US monthly budget is currently showing a 6 megacredit surplus.


March 16

US fighter factories complete construction of the first Raptor class survey craft. It is assigned to the George Washington, which sets course for the moon and begins surveying, accompanied by two Spruance class escorts.

Fighter factories on Earth begin producing a fighter compliment for the newest carrier.

March 23rd
The survey of Luna is completed, finding no minerals. The task force sets course for Mars, as orbital positions mean it is the planet currently closest to Earth.

The USA officially claims Luna as extraplanetary territory of the United States of America.

April 8th
The carrier taskforce reports that it has found large TNE deposits on Mercury. It moves on to survey Venus.

Code: [Select]

Duranium: 45,786 (.3)
Corbomite: 59,338 (.8)
Tritanium: 30,320 (.9)
Corundium: 58,103 (1)

[forsaken1111]

He isn't doing geology teams. I do think we should proceed with a survey of Luna if the Raptor can make an unassisted flight to the moon and back and remain on-station long enough to complete the survey.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Can we please get an OOB dump of all ships for each nation? That way we can be slightly more specific. In any case, after the lunar survey is done Detach a carrier and escorts for survey duty, reassign the Raptor survey vessel to it and pad out the rest of the hangar space with fighters as appropriate. Focus surveys on planets and moons for now, starting with the inner planets. Ignore the asteroids for now. Any deposits there will be negligible.

I actually think a slightly larger Raptor could serve an important role as a spotter during combat, feeding data from active sensors back to the carrier and escorts for missile file or longer ranged railcannon but that will come much later on once we have ECM and other defensive systems so it isn't blown the hell away.

Also, I didn't see anything about our ground forces. Did we start will all low-tech troops? If so, we need to begin converting them to TN tech group forces. The ground units tab has an export button to dump all of the troops into a text file, if you don't mind posting that here so we can sort it out.

For now we only need to build 3 mass drivers, and the automated mines are much more important anyway. I'd say devote 20% industry to mass drivers and 80% to automated mine conversion for now. Hopefully by the time the freighters are completed we'll have a good idea of offworld mineral deposits.

Edit: Heh, another update while I was writing. Alright, slight change of plans. We own the moon, sure, but we WANT mercury. The instant those freighters roll off the line start shipping completed automated mines to Mercury. Assign a carrier and escorts to patrol duty in the vicinity of mercury.

Shit... we need troop transports.

[DemonOfWrath]

Actually, considering the time it'd take to get a new shipyard running, I want to amend my plans to go for an unarmed survey ship with no guns using the smaller of the two commercial shipyards once the new engines are done being researched (I was intending on refitting the existing shipyard but wasn't clear about it, and thinking about it, it really isn't a good idea, I'll shelve those plans until later, keep the shipyard building too, of course). Go for something with a long range and a decent speed.

I suppose something along these lines

Code: [Select]

Kongo class Cruiser    3,450 tons     126 Crew     325.4 BP      TCS 69  TH 200  EM 0
2898 km/s     Armour 1-20     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/2     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 59 MSP    Max Repair 100 MSP

Nuclear Pulse Engine E0.8 (2)    Power 100    Fuel Use 8%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 652.1 billion km   (2604 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
I'd like one of them, and then a freighter (using the larger shipyard), initially.
In advance, survey plans should be Luna, inner planets, then skip the asteroid belt for very last and head for the moons of the gas giants, and the outer asteroids, the US doesn't worry me but the PRC does, so I'd like to survey stuff that's completely outside their survey range (have fun not being able to survey anywhere near Jupiter  ).

Oh, and once the shipyard is done building I'd like to start on a small amount of mass drivers

And seeing the PRC's espionage plans is worrying, how would going about counter-espionage work? And can I get some more detail on possible research options after the engines are done? I'd like to know how long each option would take (mostly between better engines and longer ranged guns). And how is the allocation of labs being handled? From what I can see it looks like complete focus on one thing at a time, but I'd like to confirm that.

Finally, to the US guys, would you guys be interested in cooperating on some level? At the moment, I'd be more than willing to agree to trade survey info of parts of the outer solar system that may be more difficult/time consuming for you guys to survey when I get it for Luna/Mercury/Venus/Mars.

EDIT: Yea that was faster than I anticipated, I want to change from shield tech to either faster engines or longer range particle beams, whichever is easier to reach. And how does claiming stuff work, can I claim a colony on something someone else has or will that be an act of war or something?

[Sirus]

Claim Mercury in the name of the United States of America. Send freighters ASAP.

@ DemonOfWrath: Offhand, I don't see a problem with cooperation. I don't think we can keep mineral counts secret anyway! Forsaken and I will need to come to a consensus first of course.

@ Forsaken: No geo teams? Ah well 

[Bremen]

Holy carp, I'm excited now 

Quick question that I'm not sure was covered, how long is each "turn"? A month? Six? A whole year? Or does it vary based on when current assignments finish?
ORDERS FOR THE MOD

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Once the first Raptor is finished, survey Luna, mount it in one of the GW carriers, and send it to Mercury. From there, survey each planet, working outward.

Also, have the US establish a "colony" on Luna. Once the survey is finished, put together a geological team from the best officers available.

While I'm sure that the automated mines won't be finished for some time, queue up 6 mass drivers. When the freighters are done, use your discretion to send automated mines to potential colonies (Mars takes precedence, of course).

I figure I'll just play until it seems like players might want to give orders. So short for now, probably longer later. In wars, probably extremely short.

Interestingly, it seems that the raptor can use its survey sensors right through the hull of the carrier. Or consider it automation, but with the Raptor docked the George Washington gets a "geological survey" option, makes it much easier .

And seeing the PRC's espionage plans is worrying, how would going about counter-espionage work? And can I get some more detail on possible research options after the engines are done? I'd like to know how long each option would take (mostly between better engines and longer ranged guns). And how is the allocation of labs being handled? From what I can see it looks like complete focus on one thing at a time, but I'd like to confirm that.

Finally, to the US guys, would you guys be interested in cooperating on some level? At the moment, I'd be more than willing to agree to trade survey info of parts of the outer solar system that may be more difficult/time consuming for you guys to survey when I get it for Luna/Mercury/Venus/Mars.

EDIT: Yea that was faster than I anticipated, I want to change from shield tech to either faster engines or longer range particle beams, whichever is easier to reach.

I don't know that counter-espionage is possible, but I'll poke around. You could also espionage them back, or threaten to blow up their ships .

Funnily enough, since your ships are faster than anything they have you could assign a Mirai to shadow each of the converted subs and blow it up as soon as it leaves the protected zone!

[DemonOfWrath]

True it's certainly possible to blow them up, but I'd like to avoid getting into a war immediately.

I know counter-espionage isn't possible within the game, but I figure it could be possible to fudge it a bit for the purposes of this, say if you have a team sitting around doing nothing it would disallow worse teams from other countries from acting on you, or something.

[Bremen]

True it's certainly possible to blow them up, but I'd like to avoid getting into a war immediately.

I know counter-espionage isn't possible within the game, but I figure it could be possible to fudge it a bit for the purposes of this, say if you have a team sitting around doing nothing it would disallow worse teams from other countries from acting on you, or something.

I don't really want to make up a solution just yet, particularly since I don't know how effective espionage is. I'd suggest pursuing diplomatic options for now; they still lack the personnel to even form a single team (they have 4 commanders with the skill, and it needs 5).

[forsaken1111]

What kind of cooperation do you have in mind? As noted, we're not able to keep geology surveys in the solar system secret. Possibly we could in other systems? I don't know. For now we're just gathering data and shooting flags at planets from orbit.

[Bremen]

What kind of cooperation do you have in mind? As noted, we're not able to keep geology surveys in the solar system secret. Possibly we could in other systems? I don't know. For now we're just gathering data and shooting flags at planets from orbit.

I'm thinking that, while the actual numbers leak, you will need survey data to actually mine a planet. I'm not sure if it works like that in game, but it might be a good house rule.

Also, since I think I forgot to answer, currently I'm dividing tech-labs based on the orders people gave. If they specified multiple projects, the labs are equally divided.

[forsaken1111]

Requesting additional information for the USA:

Top 3 scientists: specialization, skill and # of labs they can handle
Export of current disposition of ground units
Current order of battle, space forces

[Sirus]

Whoa nelly, I just remembered! Do we have officers assigned to our ships? What about civilian administrators? The potential commander bonuses could provide substantial boosts!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Specifically, I want to get Fleet Headquarters a commander. Once we have that, our fleets can begin training, which will make them more effective.

[Bremen]

The best 3 scientists for the USA:

Energy Weapons 20% (15 labs)
Construction/Production 15% (15 labs)
Sensors and Fire Control 10% (25 labs)

I should probably redo ground units... unless you want China to conquer everything, since starting units scale based on population.

Current space forces are the same as in the start, though the fifth carrier has a complete load of Kestrels and is working on Zephyrs now.

Officers are on auto-assign. I have enough to handle without assigning them to every ship. I gave everyone the best Civilian administrator based on my opinion of their needs. USA's is:

Factory Production 25%
Mining 15%
Population Growth 15%

Inexperienced fleets is off, so no need for training (again, less micromanagement for me).