To quote
Tycho, '
I hope you like text.'
For some time now whether or not the Heim-Feynman Event Generator would work together with a jump drive in the same space craft had been on the minds of researchers, ever since they had witnessed the jump drive. The potential of this was huge and could lead to much faster travel times between systems. For example, a jumpship could jump instantly between systems, before using its HFEG to move through Heim-Feynman Space to the L1 point of a planet, bypassing the days of flight between a jump point and a world. Additionally, a simple jump ship could be used to transport spacecraft/dropships equipped with a HFEG. For longer distances, a jumpship could jump and then, while its jump drive charged through a reactor, could move through Heim-Feynman Space for the duration and jump again after the jump drive was recharged.
So… okay, the nadir and zenith jump points are above and below the primary. And they're somewhat distant from the star. As in, far enough that they're
outside the HF limit? Because from what. I've read the BT lore left me with the impression that the jump points are not
that far from the star, but that might just be my impression. I remember reading the jump points were relevant more for their ease of computation (accounting for gravitationally bound bodies orbiting the star). Then I wonder why I have this weird image in my head of circular jump 'points' (more like spheres)
within the KF limit just above/below the star; probably an impression I formed early and clung to in the back of my head.
Also, wouldn't the very up-to-date data for all worlds under surveillance allow the immediate jump into Lagrange points, without making the round trip to the zenith and nadir points? I get why we don't do a double jump, it's better to keep one in reserve on the off chance it's needed to make a quick escape, but if it's possible, why not jump directly? It appears as a feasible military tactic to me. Might be worth an action/option to explore, something like "Military Jump/Hot Insertion Tactics".
Incidentally, one reason to restrict oneself to zenith and nadir jump points and discouraging the use of pirate points is obvious in their name, it's more difficult for BT computers to calculate. Btw, since what I read of BT canon implied by-hand-calculation being done (by steely-eyed rocket men, naturally), I figure our computers do all that in fractions of a second. In fact I'd be surprised if there
wasn't a routine program running continuous calculations for immediate jumps to nearby systems just for the off-chance it's needed.
As the final parts of the Real Time Deep Signal Intelligence Network, the majority spacecraft of the DSSINOO began to ply the space of the Marian Hegemony, slowly seeding their systems with Ternary Ansible Nodes, while the rest emplaced Nodes in several of the border worlds of the Free Worlds League and the Lyran Commonwealth.
The map implies we have embassies on every Lothian League and Illyrian Palatinate planet. Furthermore that FOB Pine Gap is marked as a settled world, even though we only 'occupied' a single asteroid for use as base and raw materials. Also our survey and DSSIN guys got balls, seeding the whole of Marian Hegemony with surveillance satellites.
FOB Pine Gap proved itself to be effective in the previous quarters and it might be a good idea to extend FOB Pine Gap to become an operational hub, as well as give the DSSINOO one or two squadrons of advanced spacecraft to improve their work flow. The Survey Squadron might also be involved to take a closer look at the habitable planet of the system.
Ah.
If you don't mind I'll check the vote selection first before looking at the other voters' opinions, don't want to get myself influenced unduly before noting my own opinion and analysis.
DSSIN
[] Network Extension:
The worlds of New St. Andrews and Niops appear to be good cancidates for the extension of the Network.
Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Network extension into New St. Andrews and Niops
Hm, useful. I can only assume that Niops is the unnamed white world at 7 o'clock from Sol which we heard from (together with New St Andrews) on turn 32 / summer 2182/2032: "
There appear to be several smaller single system polities in the operational area that should be put under surveillance, New St. Andrews and Niops." Now I gotta wonder at this second mention of these two worlds by Warringer, if this is him gently poking us in a right, or at least interesting, direction.
Overall success chance: 69%
[] Base Operations:
FOB Pine Gap proved itself to be very useful in the previous quarters and it might be a good idea to extend FOB Pine Gap to become an operational hub, as well as give the DSSINOO one or two squadrons of advanced spacecraft to improve their work flow. The Survey Squadron might also be involved to take a closer look at the habitable planet of the system.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Extension of FOB Pine Gap, +5 on DSSINOO operations
Our investigation of the planet doesn't mean
we have to settle it; we could instead use it as a bargaining chip with the Lotharian League, keep it as a (somewhat neutral) meeting ground with the IS periphery polities and the major IS powers, since it doesn't appear to be claimed. Unless LL insists. And to be blunt, I like accumulating bonuses, which will influence my decision here.
Overall success chance: 76%
Furthermore while the options have the same
individual chance of success, the
overall chances are different, 69% vs 76% in favour of Base Operation (
p(2d100≥80)=69%, p(4d100≥160)=76%).
So our option here is in a sense whether we want to follow Warringer's narrative bait, or if we want to follow his systematic bait.
Hm…
On the one hand, Niops and New St Andrews might contain or reveal stuff relevant to us which it would be better to react to, on the other
FOB Pine Gap seems to me to have both more immediate and mediate use, as well as offering us more options in the future as described above, so I'll go with that one.
[X] Base Operations
Trade/Economy
[] Combat Vehicle Development: active (2 turns)
With the Combined Arms Doctrine continuing to be used, it is time to develop the designs for IFVs, Self Propelled Artillery, High Moblility Vehicles and Armored Logistics Vehicles.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Combat Vehicle designs, +5 to ground combat
Ah, see that sweet, sweet permanent bonus? Even if our standardised ground weapon systems already give us +5, we may want to have moar. Also fairly sure we'll get the +10 for Military-Industrial Complex developing this. Also look at the description: designs. Multiple. Which I take as 1d? of multiple designs, but you know what I mean.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 88% vs 96%
I was stupid and forgot we're already active here.
[] Heavy Combat Space Craft:
After the success of the previous projects to build light and medium space craft with the new technologies, it is not time to begin with the development of heavy combat space craft to replace the current classes of Bombard type spacecraft
Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: One design of a heavy combat spacecraft, 30% chance of a working prototype
Another one where we, if development actions are any indication, get the +10 Military-Industrial Complex bonus. The Heavy Combat Space Craft will also increase our toolset/options in dealing with space borne threats. Ideally by shooting them down before they become ground-borne attacks. It will also give us a leg up against WarShips, which we'll probably face sooner or later. The mentioned Bombard class had been basically 15 turns / three years ago, so this has some allure.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 81% vs 95%
[] Von Neuman:
AIs of various stripes have been a fact of life for all nations of the Three Systems for some time now and there had always been ideas of space craft that could reproduce by themselves and to a degree the Planetary Settlement Kits were a version of such a Von Neumann machine. Now, with both the economic and military situation somewhat in the balance, concerning the Inner Sphere, maybe it would be time to make use of the available technology and create fully automated factory space craft that could go into a system, begin mining raw materials from asteroids and then produce just about everything with its fabricators, from shoes over shuttles to combat space craft and even a copy of itself. The military would be interested in such a spacecraft to produce munitions, replacement parts and entire stations.
Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: Design of a Von Neumann Factory Spacecraft, 5% chance of a working prototype
We've talked about this before, and we really want this. Like,
really. The industrial incentive alone should be a godsend (*inclines head towards Empire of Jerat and winks at Ceres*). We also might get the +10 Scientific-Industrial Complex Bonus here,
hopefully.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 21% vs 51% (
Sheesh!)
[] Industrial Export:
Some surprising things have come up during historical research, including the Terran Hegemony flooding the Periphery with cheap goods and systems that killed off local suppliers and left worlds in the cold, following the Amaris Crisis and the following Successor Wars. Now some companies believe they could make a profit selling power generation, atmospheric processors, water purification and other similar systems to the worlds and polities surrounding the WCDC. Some even propose to set up factories for these things on other planets and polities. This would certainly improve the economic situation of these worlds, diplomatic contact with them, as well as improve the WCDC economy.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 to external trade with selected world, +10 to diplomacy with selected world
Select a world or polity to export to
Hm, tasty. I could see using this with Lothian League. Or the Marian Hegemony, if we want to trollishly confuse everyone and attempt to pacify them. Agile Economy's +10 should apply, so…
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 76% vs 92%
[] Interstellar Jump Trader:
There are several large jump ships now available as a base to design a large jump capable trade space craft that would allow carrying dropships and cargo. It might be a good idea to give some incentives to some dock yards to begin with the development of large jump capable vessels that can operate like the jump ships of the Inner Sphere and either use or sell them on the open market of the Inner Sphere, using a conventional jump drive.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: 1d4 Jumpship designs that can be used locally or sold
Nng… still want that. And if we received multiple designs, I'd only export the version that is closer to the Inner Sphere tech level. As for bonuses… Agile Economy, Stronger Economy, Economic Ties, Interstellar Communication Network might all apply, which could go from +5 to +45 overall. So I'll assume +20.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +20 bonus: 76% vs 98%
And just for fun, if
all bonuses apply there's a decent chance of quadruple artificial crits
[] Build the Weapons:
Since the weapons used by the Inner Sphere were successfully reverese engineered, it is not possible to build carbon copies of them and perhaps even build up on them, though mostly for export. Handing the plans over to several arms cpmpanies will allow that they can be sold easily
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Ability to build IS weapons, Options to create upgraded IS weapons, Possibility to sell weapons
Economically sensible, but we have more pressing needs, methinks. Military-Industrial Complex likely applies, possibly others.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 92% vs 98%
[] Build the Technology:
With mechs been taken apart, it might be a possibility that parts for them could be replicated and sold on the open market in the future. Especially Myomer bundles are interesting in thie regard, though WCDC technology allows to make motive materials that are more compact compared to IS Myomer.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Ability to build IS mech components, Options to upgrade IS Mech components, Possibility to sell Mech components
It might make more sense to do Build the Weapons first, to make a name four ourselves as produces and get the word of mouth recommendations by buyers of the weapons. If we jumped in with Mechs first, I assume customers would be very hesitant at first in buying our products, since a random periphery starting selling Mech components sounds suspicious. One likely thought of theirs comes to mind "someone stumbled over a number of mechs and can't make use of them properly, or they're broken, so they're cutting them up for parts and coin." But if we have name, or dare I say,
brand recognition first, then this will lead to less distrust towards us. Also probably more piracy against us, but I suspect either option will lead to raids, with Build the Technology having a higher probability of these raids than Build the Weapons.
I know, we'll build less mechs this way, but I don't see this necessarily as a bad thing; it flattens the attack curve and allows more turtling.
Military-Industrial Complex Bonus likely applies, possibly others.
Overall success chance w/o vs w/ +10 bonus: 76% vs 92%
Here I need another preference voting deliberation.
| Turn 33 Economy/Trade Preferential Vote Deliberations | Turn 34 Economy/Trade Preferential Vote Deliberations |
[3] Heavy Combat Space Craft
[2] Von Neuman
[4] Industrial Export
[5] Combat Vehicle Development
[1] Interstellar Jump Trader
[7] Build the Weapons
[6] Build the Technology: | [3] Heavy Combat Space Craft:
[1] Von Neuman:
[5] Industrial Export:
[2] Interstellar Jump Trader:
[4] Build the Weapons:
[6] Build the Technology: |
[X] Von Neuman
Now to look at what others voted and argued…
Base operation is obvious enough but I am honestly unsure what else because so many options really want to get. Ugh guess go with build the technology because should be quick and I want to open up the Belisarius before getting into heavy combat craft and Von Neuman and jump trader should wait till we see how combining drives comes out.
If we go with—hopefully ansibled—Von Neumann, then it won't care
when we develop better tech, since it will only require a push of the blueprint to the fabricator and it churns them out. Meanwhile to make effective use of Von Neumanns, we need to build them early, since exponential growth takes a while. If a Von Neumann replicates itself within a turn, then it takes 10 turns to have a thousand, and another 10 for a million. If we have a looming threat, cutting that production cycle short by 4 turns mean we'd have 'only' 65k Von Neumanns instead of the million. Even if the replication cycle is a year, then the 4 turns will still translate to double the production capacity.
Joshua survived the whole deal, with some others, including one of Jamies kids, thanks to some Wolf's intervening. Joshus had heavy injuries though and now has some cybernetics.
That reminds me, the de-armed KMS mercenary, does he have a new arm by now? Are they getting antsy? The
have spent more than eight years in a to them periphery polity. One that is certainly fascinating and confusing as heck, but I would think some of them want to visit family or friends (or 'visit' enemies) they left behind. Heck, given the time they've spent in the WCDC I doubt they've been kept only on retainer for the time. They probably participated in patrols, maybe joined on a survey run, did training duty, and so on. Still, I can't shake the idea that a few of them will want to leave, look for better pastures and such. After having been milked of all their intel they now have a tremendous amount of information about us, about our tech base, our tactics and strategies, and so on, making them prime material for headhunting for any KMS personnel that
do leave/left. Since we're not a democratorship, we're not at liberty to imprison them for that possible danger alone, so I wonder, what's up with them? Did they expand their number of ships? Did some of their crew naturalise and found husbands or wives?
