Dominion & Empire : Turns 21 to 25 (longish)
Turn 21
Imperial Income = 10112.96 Mcr
A momentous turn.
The prototype FT5 and CL hulls are completed, and undergo intensive testing
and fault analysis. These new hulls are 50% larger than anything previously
capable of being produced. It is a testament to the skill of our workforce.
An in-depth testing phase is entered into. While the CL prototype is not a
fully functional warship, with many systems still on an "ad-hoc" basis, most
of the testing can still take place.
The limits of the new hull are roughly determined. While is is 50% larger
than our current DD Nelson class, and as such can carry a similar proportion
of more equipment, the larger hull requires larger engines. Thus, while the
mass devoted to the engines and drive field are 50% greater on the CL hull,
it is 14% slower.
This speed difference only applies to the tactical speed. In long-range
cruise mode, both the DD and CL hulls are equally fast ( or should that be,
equally slow )
Nonetheless, this new hull increases the striking power of our peace-loving
Naval forces by a large extent. After undergoing the month long testing and
fault finding cruise, the CL hull will be refitted to a full warship design,
incorporating the latest technology.
Equally impressive is the FT5 hull. Also 50% larger than it's predecessor
FT4 hull, it maintains the same speed, both tactical and strategic. However,
it too requires larger engines, so the increased hull size is somewhat a
case of almost false economy.
As with the CL hull, the FT5 hull will under testing this month, before
being refitted to the FT5 Builder specifications.
12 new Nelson class DD's also float out of the shipyards this month. In a
case of bad timing, these ships were laid down 1 month before the XO rack
was developed, and are as such exactly the same design as our current Nelson
class ships. After the routine shipyard trial cruise, the are to be slotted
into the Home Fleet, for eventual refitting.
With the freeing of shipyard space, the biggest refit program ever untaken
by our navy swings into gear. 60 Voyager class Escorts, and 60 Discovery
class Explorers are to be refitted to the newest specifications.
ES VOYAGER MOD 1 class ES 2 XO Racks 12 Hull TL 2
[2] H(BbS)QsHL(I)(I)X(I) [8]
12 RCP 13 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 167/ 25.1
HTK 9 Lx1
Exchanging one cargo hold for a small Boat Bay, and adding XO racks and
CD's, this new specification will speed planetary surveys, and provide more
firepower.
EX DISCOVERY MOD 1 class EX 1 XO Racks 7 Hull TL 2
[2] HH(BbS)Qs(I)X(I) [8]
7 RCP 18 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 107/ 16.1
HTK 7
Fundamentally unchaged, except for the addition of XO racks and CD's.
35 Voyager class vessels enter the shipyards, and are expected to be
finished next month. The remainder of the Survey fleets ships are parked in
orbit, and the crews given the first shore leave in almost 2 years. Parades
are organised in their honour, and an extraordinary amount of alcohol is
consumed.
Meanwhile, the pursuit of economic and industrial growth is further aided by
a small injection of capital, amounting to a little over 650 Mcr. A paltry
sum by the last few months spending perhaps, but the economy does not
currently need anymore.
Colonization this month hit a record level. Over 5 million colonists are
shipped to the Epsilon Eridani system. The population on our Home planet,
Eternity III has reached it's theoretical maximum, providing us with much
larger numbers "extraneous" people, who can be shipped out without damaging
the economy.
++++++++++++++++++++
Turn 22
Imperial Income = 10301.23 Mcr
Another cheap month for the Imperium.
5 million more colonists are moved to the Epsilon Eridani system.
The remaining Voyager class vessels, and approximately 35% of the Discovery
class vessels enter the shipyards for refitting.
1260 Mcr goes to Industrial Expansion.
In a rather bizarre twist, the "spare" budget money this money is 50% more
than our TOTAL budget was 12 months ago. Truly, our economy is booming.
+++++++++++++++++
Turn 23
Imperial Income = 10500.52 Mcr
The final Discovery class vessels enter the shipyards for refitting. Next
month, all our survey forces will be fully refitted, and normal surveying
will re-commence.
Both the prototypes hulls are also back in the builders yards for refitting.
The CL hull will now be refitted to full warship status, using the following
blueprint
CL SCIPIO class CL 9 XO Racks 45 Hull TL 2
[3] SSSSS AAAAAA H(BbS)Lh(I)(I)R(I)L(I)R(I)L(I)R(I)Mg(I)(I)QR [6]
45 RCP 5 MCP Trg:1 Cost = 497.5/ 74.6
HTK 31 Sx5 Ax6 Lx2 Rx4 Mgx1
In a departure from our previous ship designs, the CL Scipio design mounts
both long and short range weaponry. Previous designs, such as the Wellington
class Excort, and the Nelson class Destroyer were "pure" ships, designed for
either combat type.
Upon completion of the refit, a series of excerises will be undertaken to
test this new design philosophy in mock combat. The questions answered will
most likely decide the style of ship design for years to come.
The FT5 prototype is also in the yard, for refitting to the Builder design
FT5 BUILDER class FT5 45 Hull TL 2
[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
In effect, nothing more than a hull and a few necessary systems wrapped
around a Mobile Shipyuard, this vessel will undertake construction duties in
the outer reaches of systems, and construction of Space Stations as needed
around colonized planets. A further two such vessels are also laid down.
Once again, over 5 million colonists are shipped to the Epsilon Eridani
system. Long term projections indicate that in approximately 3 months the
population of Epsilon Eridani A-III will have reached a sufficient size to
support a research centre. This will greatly speed the acquisition and
development of new technologies for the Imperium.
An Imperium wide recruiting campaign by the Imperial Army takes place this
month. New battalions of troops are raised on the various colonized planets
throught the Imperium.
It is a recognized fact that these troops are somewhat superflous in modern
Naval warfare, and that if ever we do encounter a hostile race which manages
to land troops on one of our planets, that planet is a lost cause anyway.
This fact, as mentioned, is well known and fully accepted by Imperial HQ,
and indeed by the Emperor himself, nonetheless the mere presence of these
troops is a morale booster not to be ignored.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Turn 24
Imperial Income = 10722 Mcr
Research into the Deep Space Buoy ( DSB ) is completed. The very small
unamanned bases will be postioned on both sides of all warp points in the
Imperium, ensuring safe travel for the new Courier Drone network. With the
development and placement of these buoys, communication betweens planets and
fleets will be speed considerably.
Given the current limits of the explored galaxy, less the 60 DSB's will need
to be deployed. However, to cover contingencys, and further exploration,
Construction of a round 100 begins this month.
With the completion of research into the DSB, our scientists look for the
next new toy to develop. In keeping with the Imperiums peaceful exploration
policy work begins on an improved version of the Missile Launcher.
Currently we have two distinct styles of missile weapons available for use.
The "Gun", and the "Missile Launcher". Both are relics, developed over a
century ago, before the discovery of the drive field effect. Despite the
names, both are nothing more then linear accelerators, which fire the
payload missile from the firing vessel at high speed. The major difference
between the two systems are the atual missiles fired. The "Gun" fires an
extremely short ranged, "dumb" missle, which sacrifices tracking ability and
maneverability for a massive payload. The "missile launcher" fires a
smaller, smarter missile, with far better tracking ability.
Our scientists, under the gentle prodding of Naval HQ, begin work on a
hybrid of these two systems. The so-called "Gun/Missile Launcher" should,
when developed allow a ship to fire either type of missile as needed. This
advancement will give our long-range ships a short-range punch as needed.
With the completion of refitting to the various survey fleet vessels, it is
time once again to send our valiant survey fleets off to explore and
discover new wonders. After a hectic few months of shore leave, the crews
are ready to travel forth again.
The three fleets travel to the Proxima Centauri system together, before
splitting apart. Survey 01 travels to the Hector system, Survey 02 to the
Wolf 424 system, and Survey 03 to the Sligo system.
After a relatively leisurely transit time, all three fleets arrive ready to
begin exploration next month.
In the space left over by the completion of the refits, 2 more FT5 Builder
class vessels are laid down. In addition, 4 Scipio class CL's are also laid
down. Both classes of vessels should be completed withing 4 months.
Once again over 5 million "spare" colonists are shipped to the Epsilon
Eridani system. This massive influx of colonists has lead the Epsilon
Eridani A-III becoming the fastest growing colony in the Imperium.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Turn 25
Imperial Income = 10916.7 Mcr
A busy month for our construction crews, with 100 DSB completed, as well as
the refitting of the prototypes CL and FT5 hulls into Scipio and Builder
classes respectively. An additional 7 FT5 Builder class vessels are laid
down this month. When completed, these twelve Builders classes with be
divided into two Contruction Fleets, and ( most likely ) worked to the bone.
The initial research into the Gun/Missile Laucher is less than satisfactory.
New generations of computers and control systems are neccesary to develop to
enable the hybrid weapon to work. Our scientists are finding this work
extremely difficult, and despair of completion.
However, the Emperor, in his largesse, pays a personal visit to the research
station, accompanied by senior officers of Naval HQ, ( in addition, the
Emperor's bodyguards also arrive ). The Emperor tours the facility, and is
impressed by the work being performed, and the various projects under
development. For their part, the scientists are, of course, overwhelmed that
the Emperor would visit, and repond with even longer working hours. Despite
various rumours circulating the tabloids, the Emperor did not threaten the
staff. ( that was left to the Emperor's bodyguards...... )
Fresh from their well-earned break, the survey fleet swing back into action.
Survey 01 leaves the Hector system and arrives in a Yellow star system,
which is named Kowloon. Once again, the fleet is in luck, with this system
containing two terrestrial planets. Becoming almost blase about finding such
planets, the survey beings as usual, scanning for warp points.
Survey 02 leaves the Wolf 424 system for a Yellow star system, which is
named Orphicun. Yet another terrestrial world is found here.
Survey 03, by contrast, remains the unluckiest bunch of explorers. Leaving
the Sligo system, they translate to a Blue Giant star system containing
absolutely nothing. Feeling less than thrilled by this, the fleet commander,
Captain Green, names the system Kohl, after his mother-in-law.
Another 5 million people ( ho-hum ) are shipped off to the Epsilon Eridani
system.
Once again, money is injected into the economy, to the limit possible.
Overall, the Imperium is doing quite well. However, one embarrassing fact is
obvious. The economy is doing almost too well. Over the last several months
far more money has been raised via taxes than can be efficiently spent. This
budget surplus is, unfortunately, simply lying around in government coffers.
Something will of course turn up eventually for the money to be spent on. In
the mean time, our economists are watching the economy closely.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Seriously lads, WTF am i doing wrong ??
this has been a weird month. I have over 6K Mcr spare. shipyards are full,
max IU purchses, CFN maxed out transfering colonists, research can only
happen in 1 planet so far.
WTF am i supposed to do with the spare cash ?
i can see no other option but to save it for later turns, tho this seems to
be something of a waste :(
any suggestions ?
++++++++++++++++++++++
(
geocities.com/mwadwell)