Dominion & Empire : turns 16 to 20 (longish)
A few quiet months this time around.
Mik
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Turn 16
Imperial Income = 8225.32 Mcr
Ship crews over the Imperium rejoice, as our scientists release the news of
the completed Courier Drone research.
The Courier Drone ( CD ) is a small unmanned ship, approximately 10% the
size of an Explorer hull. Far too large to be internally mounted, small
(relatively speaking ) canisters can be mounted at the rear of a ships hull,
nestled near the engine drive tubes. From this position the CD's can be
launched, safely avoiding the engines thrust.
A side effect of this positioning is the limiting of the number of CD's that
can be safely carried. Effectively, a number of CD's roughly equivalant to
10% of ships mass can be mounted safely.
The CD will free ships from having to travel back and forth to deliver news.
the CD has three speeds, Normal, Fast, and Very fast. The drawback to a
higher speed is endurance. As the CD is small, the engines are pre-packaged,
and cannot be repaired or recharged. In essence, the CD is a one-shot,
throw-away device. These speeds can be compared to a Explorer class Survey
vessel, and are :
CD Normal = 7% of light-speed, Endurance 3 months ( EX Cruising speed )
CD Fast = 13% of light-speed, Endurance 2 months ( EX Military speed )
CD Very Fast = 20% of light-speed, Endurance 21 days ( 3 times EX Cruising
speed )
The major hinderance of the faster speeds is endurance. This is not so much
of a problem, however, due to another point raised during testing of the CD.
CD's have an approximately 60% chance of "getting lost" after a warp point
translation. Strictly speaking, the CD is not actually lost, but the
stresses of warp translation seem to affect the CD's computers badly.
This hindarance, will potentially making the CD nearly useless, is mitigated
by the sheer speed. Currently, ships are required to move from Survey
Command to the far-flung fleets, and vice versa, for any news to arrive.
With the development of the CD, we can now station ships on both sides of a
warp point, using the ships to move the information through the warp point,
then launch a CD to send the information to the next war point. This will
triple the speed of communication between the various ships and planets of
out Imperium.
Our scientists theorize that a small unmanned base could be deployed near each
warp point to provide navigational and error-checking capability for
translatin CDs. Unfortunately, this is beyond our current technology, but a
few scientists begin work on the problem nonetheless.
With the completion of the CD research, our ships can now be refitted with
these new devices. The refitting of ships with the CD is relatively simple,
but will require at least a Machine Shop to complete.
For this purposes, and the construction of bases and space stations in newly
colonised systems, a new class 5 Freighter design is commisioned.
FT5 BUILDER class FT5 45 Hull TL 1
[3] H(Ic)H(Ic)H(Ic)H(BbS)(Ic)HQs(Ic)H(SYM)(Ic) [4]
45 RCP 55 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 351.2/ 15.1
HTK 17
While the FT5 prototype has not as yet been completed, it will most likely
be refitted to this design upon completion.
During testing of the CD it was also found that the exterior hull of ships
is capable of mounting other missiles. Work begins developing these
"External Ordinance Racks", as it will quite possibly give an overwhelming
"first-strike" capability to our warships. Of course, being the peace-loving
and tolerant people we are, our ships would never strike first.
In other news, the massive colonization efforts continue again this month.
Stretching the Freighter network to it's limits again, a further 4.15
million colonists are shipped to the Epsilon Indi system, to take residence
on the B-III planet.
The colonization of the terrestrial planets has raised the point of defence
and construction. Currently, all construction, repair, and refitting takes
place in the Eternity system. This is not an ideal situation, as an accident
to a survey ship, which damages the engines, could leave the ship many
months travel time to the Eternity system. For this reason, a small Space
Station design is called for.
SS TSUNAMI class SS 83 Hull TL 1
[1] HQs(BbS)(SYx) [0]
83 RCP 22 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 633.5/ 4.7
HTK 13
Much smaller, and far less capable than the Storm class space station in the
Eternity system, this space station is nonetheless fully capable of the same
duties as the Storm. Plans are made for the Tsunami to be pre-fabricated in
the Eternity system, then shipped to the relevant system via the freighter
network, for assembly by the ( when built ) FT5 Builder class vessels.
The question of defending our systems has also been raised. Whilst we have
not as yet found any signs of other intelligent life, a small, but vocal
minority have advocated at least a contingency plan for such an event.
Designs are submitted for a small base, to be constructed near warp points
as an early warning / first line of defense for our systems.
BS0 NAIL II class BS0 10 Hull TL 0
[1] AAAAHQsL [0]
10 RCP 15 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 74/ 3.7
HTK 7 Ax4 Lx1
A minimalistic approach, admittedly, but the BS0 Nail II class is small,
cheap and relatively quick to construct.
With the contingency plan approved, Naval Command authorises 12 such bases
to be pre-fabricated for emplacement near the Eternity system warp points.
Depending of the relative cost and time involved, these bases might be
stationed in other systems as well.
The extreme amounts of money spent on re-tooling our industry seem to have
paid off handsomely. A further 1980 Mcr is spent this month re-tooling.
The investment in our industry has improved the productivity of our economy
to the stage where military spending is less than 22% of the total budget.
Indeed, the growth of our economy has reached the point where the mothballed
Discovery class vessels could now be used to speed exploration.
Currently, our survey fleets take approximately 2 months to complete a full
warp point survey, and that time is not including the various planetary
surveys. Reactivating the stored Discovery vessels should cut this time in
half, as well as speeding the other surveys.
As such, the mothballed Discovery are re-activated this month, with crews
arriving to move the ships to the Storm space station for system checks and
refurbishment. Sufficient capacity is available to reactivate all 30 ships,
which will spend the following month on final checks, and travel to the
various fleets.
With the arrival next month of these ships, our survey fleets will finally
be at their maximum size. No further increase in size is exected, as to
increase the number of ships in the survey fleets would be
counter-productive.
Towards the end of the month the reports arrive of the various survey
fleets.
Survey 01 completes the planetary survey of Epsilon Indi. It has been a very
busy system this past few months, with the massive colonization efforts
forcing the survey ships to duck and weave around the huge frieghters. The
system has two asteriod belts, with many rich asteriods suitable for small
colonies.
Survey 02, in the equally busy Epsilon Eridani system. Though lacking
somewhat in the number of planetary bodies of other systems, it more than
makes up for it in the resources stakes. A far higher number of resource
rich moons are present in the system.
Survey 03 completes the planetary survey of Wolf 424, finding a small number
of planets and moons with extrmely high concentrations of resources.
Unfortunately, these resource-rich bodies are equally rich in hostile
enviroments.
As the month draws to a close, the survey fleets begin prearations to dive
through warp points in search of yet more vistas.
Turn 17
Imperial Income = 8587.s Mcr
A relatively quiet month. Economic growth is maximised this month, with
almost 80% of the budget going to improving the economy.
After 4 months of overwhelming numbers of people desiring to leave the
Eternity system, this month is surprisingly quiet. It seems all the people
who wanted to leave have left!
An insufficient number of colonists are thus available to bother with
colonization efforts. The Colonization Department takes a quiet breath of
relief.....
Survey Fleet 01 delves through WP2 of the Epsilon Indi system, and
encounters a Binary system, with an Orange Primary, and a Red Dwarf
companion. Immediately obvious are the extraordinary number of asteriod
belts in this sytem, which is named Timor. A total of 4 belts are present,
three around the Primary. Surveying commences
Survey Fleet 02 translates through Epsilon Eridani's only remaing warp point
to find a Binary system, with an Orange Primary, and a Red Dwarf companion.
More worrying are the drive traces detected by the fleet about half way
across the system. The traces are carefully watched, as this is the first
definite proof of extra-terrestrial intelligent life ( after all, dumb races
don't build spaceships ). Captain Gordon, commanding Survey 02, activates
the never used, often joked about first contact protoccols.
His ship, the Voyager17 approaches one of the vessels, who has also
obviously detected the fleet. Sensors are tuned to the best possible
condition to gather the maximum data possible on this potentially hostile
race, as the range drops.
The historic first radio broadcast from an alien race arrives, and the ships
computer translates :
"Unknown alien vessel at 48 light minutes range, This is Eternal Imperium
ship 'Voyager01', please respond"
Amid sighs of relief, and nervous laughter, the two flagships of Survey 01
and Survey 02 meet. Both fleets have arrived in the same system. Discussion
begins on who is staying and who is leaving. After a few minutes ( and a
coin toss ) Survey 02 stays, and Survey 01 leaves.
Epsilon Eridani has no additional warp oints, while Epsilon Indi has one, so
it is more sensible for Survey 01 to leave the Timor system.
After it's relatively exciting meeting, Survey 01 translates the remaining
unexplored warp point of the Epsilon Indi system, and finds a Yellow star
system, with a terrestrial planet. Surveying commences.
Survey 03, meanwhile, has a much less intersting trip. Exporing the warp
point from the Wolf 424 system, the fleet arrives in an Orange star system,
with a single terrestrial planet. This is Survey 03's first time
encountering a terrestrial planet, so the planet is surveyed first. The
survey is relatively quick, and the results are outstanding. The sytem is
named Sligo, and the terrestrial planet, Sligo I is found to be remarkably
similar to our own. Definitely worhty of colonization.
Meanwhile, the Transport fleets 01,02,and 03 are formed to transfer the newly
reactivated Discovery class vessels to the survey fleets.
Turn 18
Imperial Income = 9162.47 Mcr
With the news of yet another "Eden" planet discvered, the masses again
demand a maximum effort from the Colonization Department. Over 5 million
people are shipped to Sligo I.
Research continues on the External Ordinance racks, with good progress being
reported.
Rough surveys of the Sligo, Timor, and Indigo systems are completed, with no
results.
Naval Command has authorised an expansion of the Imperial Navy. 12 new
Nelson class Destroyers are laid down in the shipyards. These ships will be
completed, and run through the standard shakedown cruises before being
mothballed.
Turn 19
Imperial Income = 9512.4 Mcr
Research is completed on the External Ordinance racks ( XO ). These racks
will allow our naval vessels to mount an amount similar to CD's of miltary
missiles directly on the hull. They are incapable of being rearmed without
the vessel dropping it's drive field, so they most definitely will be
one-shot weapons.
Nonetheless, the XO racks provide an increase in the initial missile volley
that is well worth the restrictions.
The addition of these XO racks will require a refit of all current naval
vessels, so a moderate plan has been decided upon.
Imperial Navy vessels will be refitted first, being reactivated as capacity
and money is available, to receive the refit. Survey fleets will be
recalled in approxiamtely 4 months to receive the refit.
A few months ago, as the CD was being finalized, the idea of a unmanned base
placed near warp points to provide navigational data to CD's was brought
forward. A small number of researchers continued to work on the idea, and
have now come forward asking for funding. It is good timing, and the request
is granted. The so-called "Deep Space Buoy" ( DSB ) is a very small base,
unmanned, and requiring no maintenance. The need for small, efficient
computers to run the DSB requires a very generous start-up fund, which
accounts for just under 30% of this months budget.
Detailed surveys of the Indigo, Sligo, and Timor systems are completed, with
only one additional warp points found, in Sligo.
Planetary survey are also completed, with average results.
Turn 20
Imperial Income = 9841 Mcr
Minimal colonization efforts again this month, with only 500,000 colonists
shipped to the Epsilon Eridani system.
Detailed surveys are finished in the Sligo, Timor and Indigo systems. No
additional warp points are found, and this presents a very useful situation.
Consulting the galactic survey map :
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/hangfyre/starfire/map20.jpg
Both survey fleets 01 and 02 will need to pass within one system of
Eternity. This gives the Imperium an indeal chance to refit these fleets
with CD's and Xo racks.
To make things simpler in the long run, all three fleets are ordered back to
the Eternity system for refit, which will take place next month.
Industrial Expansion eats another 30% of the budget this month, with the
remainder being saved to offset the refit costs next month.
A quiet few months have past since the bedlam of the colonist spree. A time
for the Imperium to recover, and prepare for the next challenge.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
(
geocities.com/mwadwell)