Growing Horizons: Inner Sphere - Quest

[Warringer]

Turn 35 - Spring 2183/3033

WCDC Defense Council:

[] Forwards Operation Base Circinus: active (2 turns)
Following the invasion of Circinus and the need to secure the remaining worlds of the former Circinus Federation, a Forwards Operation Base for WCDC military forces should be set up in the Circinus System. Additionally it might help against possible attacks of pirate/mercenary/other Inner Sphere Forces against Circinus and the other worlds, as well as support any future operations in the area against piracy.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Forwards Operation Base for Space Forces and Ground Force assets (up to 15 Squadrons & 5 Regiments)

[] Project Indigo Putter: active (2 turns)
Currently the reaction time to pirate attacks on the worlds that are part of the 'Operation Mekong Delta' is rather low, even with the number of active squadrons. As such, the participating planetary governments should be approached to request the emplacement of Ansible Nodes within their systems to improve the reaction time of the Patrol Squadrons. Though the additional diplomatic and economic effects of the Ansible Nodes should be noted, even if these nodes would be primarily of military use.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: reaction time to pirate attacks reduced to 5 days, +5 to diplomacy on affected worlds, +5 to external trade with affected worlds

[] Improved System Defense & Forward Operation Base:
While the Raytan Jump Point Defense Stations do their job for system defense, there are ideas how to improve on the system, giving it FTL capabilities, so that they can be emplaced in systems without existing interplanetary infrastructure. Additionally, such a station could potentially act as a mobile Forward Operation Base for offensive operations. Together with the Caldran Ansible, it would also allow the operations command and staff to remain protected bhind the potential front lines. Potentially, such a design might be equipped with the new Jump Drive.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 45%, Reward: New FTL cpable Defensive Station

[] Project Byzantium:
With the successful recovery of the SLS Belisarius it should be a priority to put this large spacecraft back into service and take the time to take a look at its weaponry and other systems, as they are replaced by their WCDC equivalent. This would potentially allow the design of heavy weapon systems, including lasers and kinetics, a vessel of similar size might be equipped with. At the least, it should be possible to determine, whether a massive combat spacecraft of this size makes any sense. At the very least it might be possible to carry a number of dropship collar equipped conventional combat spacecraft to be carried into combat, backed up by a lot of firepower and even act as a Forwards Operations Base.
Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Belisarius put into service for the WCDC, new research options for large scale weaponry and large scale combat spacecraft

[] Operation Tortuga Down:
With a possible new 'Pirate Heaven' building up directly adjacent to Circinus, there is a reason to go out and prevent if from being established in the first place. Additionally, some troops should be sent to the other worlds of the by now possibly former Circinus Federation to occupy them as well and help set up future democratic governments of these worlds. Additional patrols of spacecraft would go a long way to prevent any 'Pirate Heaven' to form.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: All worlds of the Circinus Federation occupied, No piracy in the Circinus Federation, reduced piracy in nearby space


WCDC Survey Office:

[] Abandoned Settlements: active (1 turn)
The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and seek for anything the early habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 valuable artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled

[] Deep Cover Intelligence II:
With the Preparations successful, it is time to send the Deep Cover Intelligence mission out into the Inner Sphere and begin trading with the Free Worlds League. And while doing so, gather information about the economy and military of the Inner Sphere nation. It might also be possible to place some deep cover agents into both nations to gather long term information.
Time: 10 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Information about the Free Worlds League, 75% chance of emplacing an intelligence network

[] Marian Intelligence:
While the Deep Space Signal Intelligence Network is slowly growing towards the Marian Hegemony, it might be a good idea to start a one off survey of the Marians to get a good image of the capabilities, should they prove to be more belligerent than they currently appear.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: One off information about the Marian Hegemony

[] Marian Agents:
With the A Ship With A View having returned, it might be a good idea to use it and its dropships to insert several agents onto one or more Marian worlds using a trade mission as a cover. This would allow us to gather more information about the Marian Hegemony and possibly set up an intelligence network.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Continous information about the Marian Hegemony, 30% chance of emplacing intelligence network
Selection invalidates 'Marian Intelligence'

[] Further Survey IV:
Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

Deep Space Signal Intelligence Network

[] Base Operations: active (3 turns)
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

[] HumInt: (7 turns)
Find a way to emplace HumInt agents into places of interest.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: A way to insert agents to planets where they can gather human intelligence

[] 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


WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

[] Circinus Uplift: active (1 more turns)
While this is partially an economic situation, helping to uplift the industry and economy of Circinus to be much more independent from other sources is going to help massively in the diplomatic front, improving and possibly speeding up the recovery of the planet from the previous government. It will also hopefully improve future diplomatic relations to any gorvernment that might be able to form during the occupation.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Slow growth of Circinus economy.

[] Charm Offensive IV:
In the wake of the Black Warrior Attack and the fears that are still around in the nearby systems, it would be a good idea to alley their fear.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Better diplomatic relations to the ten known worlds, +5 to diplomatic actions with the ten worlds

[] We need new members:
There are 8 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 8 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

[] Invite Others III:
The WCDC was working out nicely and maybe it was time to invite one of the other worlds outside the Three Systems into the WCDC?
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 35%, Reward: The selected world joins the WCDC as a member
Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster

[] Humanitarian Aid III:
With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be advantageous to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster

[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:
The first of the Long Duration Deep Cover Surveilannce Missions has been completed and some believe that it is time to contact the first large Inner Sphere nation, in this case the Lyran Commonwealth. They are likely more interested in business deals as a mostly mercantine nation, they are less likely to try any military operations against the WCDC.
Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Contact with the Lyran Commonwealth

WCDC Trade Organization:

[] Combat Vehicle Development: active (1 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

[] Von Neuman: active (5 turns)
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

[] New Settlement Initiative:
The recent attack of the Black Warriors on 61 Virginis has brought the vulnerability of the Three Systems and the WCDC into focus, even if the forces in the system have been able to defeat the invaders. There are also many virgin, uninhabited planets nearby discovered by the initial survey missions. So it is only natural that the Trade Organization should offer a few incentives to send out a few new settlement missions. Perhaps one or two Planetary Settelment Kits for free would do for settling an additional planet or two.
Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: 1d4 newly settled planets

[] 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

[] 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

[] 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

[] 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

[] 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

WCDC Office for Science and Development:

[] Superliminal Wave Detector: active (3 turns)
The new N Field Theory tells about the possibility of a form of n-dimensional waves that move at faster than light speeds for a certain distance. It should be possible to build some sort of detector for such waves. Already there are some possible uses for such a detector, such as detecting the use of jump drives over a certain distance. Though how long the distance will be is to be determined. Certainly, it would help detecting the emergance of jump drives inside a solar system and react faster for defensive purposes.
Time: 5 turns, Chance of success: 55%, Reward: Superluminal wave detector, (10+3d20)ly detection range

[] Project Blue Danube: active (1 turns)
With the construction of the two Advanced Jump Core Prototypes Just Testing and Size Isn't Everything to modern specifications, it might be a good idea to test how the Heim-Feynman Event Generator influences the Jump Core and vica versa, as it would be beneficial to equip a jump ship with a HFE Generator for short range FTL jumps or to move through Heim-Feynman Space while the jump core is charging, speeding up long range FTL travel.
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: In the future jumpships may be equipped with a HFEG based secondary FTL drive

[] Project Heavy Mysterious Mustard:
With the completion of the Jump Drive Project, it might be a good idea whether or not it would be possible to burn some research time to further improve the Jump Drive, Improve the range, materials, allow faster charing from a fusion reactor, this kind of thing.
Time: 5 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: Improved Jump Drive

----------------------------

2 Action for:

1 Action for:
Survey
Diplomacy

 

[Warringer]

Handler

Fatalis and Gracilis

(image similar)

Handler HK-α

Mass: 4 tons
Power Plant: 50MW nano fusion reactor (25 rating) + superconducting batteries
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Jump Jets: 
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     1 30mm Helical Rail Gun
     2 .50 cal Helical Rail Gun
Manufacturer: Boston Dynamics, various
     Primary Factory: various
Communication System: various
Targeting & Tracking System: various
Introduction Year: XXXX
Cost: 4.5 million US$

Type: Handler
Technology Base: Walker Cluster Mixed
Tonnage: 4
Battle Value: 120
	
Equipment                                         Mass (kg)
Internal Structure                                  400
Engine                        24                    600
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Command and Control:                                500
Armor Factor:                 20                  1,000

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    1         4     
     Torso                   4         8     
     R/L Arm                1/1       1/1    
     Legs                    3         6     
     Main Gun                -         -     
	
Weapons and Ammo            Location        Mass	
  30mm Helical Rail Gun       LA            500
  .50 cal Helical Rail Gun    T             250
  .50 cal Helical Rail Gun    T             250
  Melee Weapon                RA            500

Gracilis HK-β

Mass: 3 tons
Power Plant: superconducting batteries
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: 
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     Quad Tube Mortar
Manufacturer: Boston Dynamics, various
     Primary Factory: various
Communication System: various
Targeting & Tracking System: various
Introduction Year: XXXX
Cost: 3.5 million US$

Type: Gracilis (Quad)
Technology Base: Walker Cluster Mixed
Tonnage: 3
Battle Value: 60
	
Equipment                                         Mass (kg)
Internal Structure                                  300
Engine                        18                    450
    Walking MP: 5
    Running MP: 8
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Command and Control:                                500
Armor Factor:                 10                    500

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    1         1     
     Torso                   3         4     
     Legs                    4         5  
	
Weapons
and Ammo                      Location        Mass	
Tungsten Carbite Claws&Teeth     T              250
Quad Tube Mortar                 T             1000


Fatalis HK-γ

Mass: 4 tons
Power Plant: superconducting batteries
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Jump Jets: 
     Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     Hex Tube Mortar
Manufacturer: Boston Dynamics, various
     Primary Factory: various
Communication System: various
Targeting & Tracking System: various
Introduction Year: XXXX
Cost: 5.5 million US$

Type: Fatalis (Quad)
Technology Base: Walker Cluster Mixed
Tonnage: 4
Battle Value: 100
	
Equipment                                         Mass (kg)
Internal Structure                                  400
Engine                        16                    400
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP4                                     200
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Command and Control:                                500
Armor Factor:                 20                  1,000

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    1         3     
     Torso                   4         7     
     Legs                    5         10 
	
Weapons
and Ammo                      Location        Mass	
Tungsten Carbite Claws&Teeth     T              250
Hex Tube Mortar                  T             1250

 

[Letsparty]

Survey:
[] Deep Cover Intelligence II:

Diplomacy:
[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:

 

[Blade4]

Running commentary as I pick through update...

Hm so military proceeds as planned apace that's good. The AI mech project. Frak yeah been wanting this but not the time to get to it. Yeah those will be very useful as force multipliers and more expendable assets in major fights. Well relatively expendable at least.

Lyrans line up as I thought. Sucks about intel network failed but at least we have something set up we can try to link up later. Yeah we should meet them but at same time their diplo team might already be on its way.

Whats this a world uninhabitable because of ferocious predators and here we have new ground mecha that need blooding and stress tested...

Illyrians are finally done with their year and a half meet and greet now we can move on and maybe get back to them later when we can be bothered. Do need to give them a industrial deal or something because we need them in our camp but as ever bigger problems than a micro state that cant build its own ships or anything.

Circinus situation is good. Problems being dealt with. Shame did not get spy but oh well at least they only inconvenienced us and not made of with the fabricators. Not that It should help them much once we turn the screws on them.

Combat vehicles proceed apace.... Good lord that von neuman roll! Good lord the industry rolls period. Think highest ever seen here. Yeah if every roll is like that with those bonuses we are punching clear through with very good designs and a small starter fleet.

And on science wave detector came very close to a crit fail if not for bonuses and Danube near crit success. Dice are hot to day.


Now for wider events. Lady Logan needs to learn to let people do their jobs but she is a noble so understandable she does not know when to butt out. Not sure who pirates can fence to given the place is locked down and being terrorized by pirates roosting there but their time comes soon. Fucking Marians look to need a nose swatting soon and probable when we are busy with other problems.

And Andurian war finally heats up and turns into a quagmire. Excellent the longer they are engrossed in that they are not noticing us. Refugees? Probable infiltrated to hell by ROM and maybe some SAFE agents. Best they be kept quarantined on Circinus at least 5 years.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[] Marian Agents:
With the A Ship With A View having returned, it might be a good idea to use it and its dropships to insert several agents onto one or more Marian worlds using a trade mission as a cover. This would allow us to gather more information about the Marian Hegemony and possibly set up an intelligence network.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Continous information about the Marian Hegemony, 30% chance of emplacing intelligence network
Selection invalidates 'Marian Intelligence'

[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:
The first of the Long Duration Deep Cover Surveilannce Missions has been completed and some believe that it is time to contact the first large Inner Sphere nation, in this case the Lyran Commonwealth. They are likely more interested in business deals as a mostly mercantine nation, they are less likely to try any military operations against the WCDC.
Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Contact with the Lyran Commonwealth
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would like to wait a turn at least before sending in Deep recon 2. As a independent formation with no local ties in a house at war there is a good chance they are going to be gang pressed into the war effort which will blow their cover. Give it at least a turn while we scope out what the hell the marians are doing and hope they don't try to seize the trade mission jumpship. Don't care for Lyran option since they are probable already got diplo team coming anyway but guess can consider this a impromptu exchange of ambassadors.

 

[Eliar]

[] Marian Agents:
With the A Ship With A View having returned, it might be a good idea to use it and its dropships to insert several agents onto one or more Marian worlds using a trade mission as a cover. This would allow us to gather more information about the Marian Hegemony and possibly set up an intelligence network.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Continous information about the Marian Hegemony, 30% chance of emplacing intelligence network
Selection invalidates 'Marian Intelligence'

[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:
The first of the Long Duration Deep Cover Surveilannce Missions has been completed and some believe that it is time to contact the first large Inner Sphere nation, in this case the Lyran Commonwealth. They are likely more interested in business deals as a mostly mercantine nation, they are less likely to try any military operations against the WCDC.
Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Contact with the Lyran Commonwealth

Lets see wha the deal with the roman empire in space is then.

I hope we will have a bit of time before anypotential kick their ass or let them eat our neighbors choice arrives

 

[Durabys]

[] Marian Agents:
With the A Ship With A View having returned, it might be a good idea to use it and its dropships to insert several agents onto one or more Marian worlds using a trade mission as a cover. This would allow us to gather more information about the Marian Hegemony and possibly set up an intelligence network.
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Continous information about the Marian Hegemony, 30% chance of emplacing intelligence network
Selection invalidates 'Marian Intelligence'

[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:
The first of the Long Duration Deep Cover Surveilannce Missions has been completed and some believe that it is time to contact the first large Inner Sphere nation, in this case the Lyran Commonwealth. They are likely more interested in business deals as a mostly mercantine nation, they are less likely to try any military operations against the WCDC.
Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Contact with the Lyran Commonwealth

 

[Schreiben]

Because This either a mistake or a deliberate misrepresentation to manipulate the vote.

What?! that was definitely a mistake. I don't know how I missed counting your vote, but this was definitely not deliberate. I am honestly sorry for that, especially since yours rendered the whole 'tie' moot. Had I tallied correctly, I'd still have argued for VN, but probably not as strongly. Again, I'm really sorry and keep the tallying out of the thread in the future. And check and double-check and triple-check.
This was definitely a case of stupidity before malice

Hangars for vehicles and mechs were constructed from advanced reinforced microbial nanoconcrete for increased stability and protection

Now I have flashbacks to enzyme-bonded concrete…

Singular Event
For forgetting the Internal and External Trade Bonuses for more than ten turns

[] Project Hunter Killer:

Here I had a mental image. If you'll bear with me, it was of a screen readout that was displaying through all our previous vote's options, the ones that had votes in light grey text, the ones that had won and the still ongoing actions in white, and the remaining options in dark grey. Then, as the screen slowly scrolled through and was about to pass [] Project Hunter Killer, the very same suddenly flashed light grey, then white, and briefly green before dimming down to white again, accompanied by Singular Event.

The Team was given the opportunity to officially test the Hunter Killer System, against actual military targets during a training exercise, where the System showed its excellent potential as patrol and ambush system, as all three component 'drones' were autonomously equipped with nano fusion reactors and super conducting batteries for long duration operations.

Hm… I'd have expected the nano fusion reactor in the handler while the drones had high capacity super conducting batteries. The Handler would be able to recharge the drones in the field when necessary, and the drones wouldn't need to lug around a fusion reactor, which I assume will make up a decent chunk of its mass and more prone to failures under military conditions than batteries.

Whats this a world uninhabitable because of ferocious predators and here we have new ground mecha that need blooding and stress tested...

Good call, here I was worried we'd have a prison planet…


WCDC Survey Office:

[] Abandoned Settlements: active (1 turn)​

The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and seek for anything the early habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.​

Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 valuable artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled​

​

[] Deep Cover Intelligence II:​

With the Preparations successful, it is time to send the Deep Cover Intelligence mission out into the Inner Sphere and begin trading with the Free Worlds League. And while doing so, gather information about the economy and military of the Inner Sphere nation. It might also be possible to place some deep cover agents into both nations to gather long term information.​

Time: 10 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Information about the Free Worlds League, 75% chance of emplacing an intelligence network​

Hm… 60% for 10 turns á +10 for Permanent Squadrons is all but guaranteed overall, but more importantly, we need that information, methinks. On the other hand we can probably do with waiting the turn till Abandoned Settlements finishes and see if our intelligence shakes something out of the FWL refugees. If there are indeed plants among them. Hopefully there aren't, but let's sprinkle a bit pessimism there.

[] Marian Intelligence:​

While the Deep Space Signal Intelligence Network is slowly growing towards the Marian Hegemony, it might be a good idea to start a one off survey of the Marians to get a good image of the capabilities, should they prove to be more belligerent than they currently appear.​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: One off information about the Marian Hegemony​

Well, 4 turns. And we've been dragging this one with us since Turn 25 / for 3 years. Not to mention there's a good chance they're very… opportunistic and mercenary in regards to their smaller neighbours. On the other hand, Marian Agents looks tastier and has basically the same benefits.

[] Marian Agents:​

With the A Ship With A View having returned, it might be a good idea to use it and its dropships to insert several agents onto one or more Marian worlds using a trade mission as a cover. This would allow us to gather more information about the Marian Hegemony and possibly set up an intelligence network.​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Continous information about the Marian Hegemony, 30% chance of emplacing intelligence network​

Selection invalidates 'Marian Intelligence'​

Yeah, this is better.

[] Further Survey IV:​

Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space​

Nng… still want this. Who knows what lurks this close to our claimed systems.

So… Marian Agents > Deep Cover Intelligence II > Further Survey IV


WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

[] Circinus Uplift: active (1 more turns)​

While this is partially an economic situation, helping to uplift the industry and economy of Circinus to be much more independent from other sources is going to help massively in the diplomatic front, improving and possibly speeding up the recovery of the planet from the previous government. It will also hopefully improve future diplomatic relations to any gorvernment that might be able to form during the occupation.​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Slow growth of Circinus economy.​

[] Charm Offensive IV:​

In the wake of the Black Warrior Attack and the fears that are still around in the nearby systems, it would be a good idea to alley their fear.​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Better diplomatic relations to the ten known worlds, +5 to diplomatic actions with the ten worlds​

If we want ANZAC to join/ally with us later on, then we should at least consider this. Though Humanitarian Aid would have more bonus points individually…

[] We need new members:​

There are 8 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.​

Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 8 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members​

…yeah, no. I see our actions better spent elsewhere.

[] Invite Others III:​

The WCDC was working out nicely and maybe it was time to invite one of the other worlds outside the Three Systems into the WCDC?​

Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 35%, Reward: The selected world joins the WCDC as a member​

Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster​

Let's see… Pandemonium has the highest bonus with +35, which gives us great odds for a new member. Next up would be Lothian League Llyn Ogwen and Ammann. The former would be the more rational choice (1980s tech level), while Ammann (+25) with their amish way of life would be more a case of us deliberately protecting them. I'd like to have Raytan FTL at least in the pipeline before we go that route. Especially because we've still got the new members to supply with defence stations as well.
…Huh. I think Earth's Amish are technologically farther ahead of the Amman Amish, if only because being Amish isn't about Luddism, but considering and if necessary rejecting technologies that impact their way of life. So a cultural exchange between the two would be interesting.

[] Humanitarian Aid III:​

With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be advantageous to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.​

Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level​

Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster​

See Charm Offensive.

[] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth:​

The first of the Long Duration Deep Cover Surveilannce Missions has been completed and some believe that it is time to contact the first large Inner Sphere nation, in this case the Lyran Commonwealth. They are likely more interested in business deals as a mostly mercantine nation, they are less likely to try any military operations against the WCDC.​

Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Contact with the Lyran Commonwealth​

*sigh*
I guess…
Here necessity dictates our options, I think. I mean, 50% at 8 turns with +5 external diplomatic actions gives us decent odds.

If we do this, Jump Trader would be well served to be one of our next economy/trade actions, so we can flood them instead of the other way around.
…heck, if we can make and sell a Roomba/Smart-Dust-Dispenser, we could infiltrate strike that.

Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth > Charm Offensive IV > Humanitarian Aid III – Santa Alvarez || ANZAC || Llyn Ogwen


So…

[X] Marian Agents
[X] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth

 

[Blade4]

Hm… I'd have expected the nano fusion reactor in the handler while the drones had high capacity super conducting batteries. The Handler would be able to recharge the drones in the field when necessary, and the drones wouldn't need to lug around a fusion reactor, which I assume will make up a decent chunk of its mass and more prone to failures under military conditions than batteries.

Yeah would kinda prefer it myself. The lion drones are utlimatly expendable assets. Putting in what could be expensive and high end fusion plants in them is both a bit wasteful and risks tech samples being captured if someone can salvage a down drone. Though could add in self destruct pretty easy. If does not have one already. Eh its a cost benefit trade off I guess between long duration drones and those that have to stay close to their handle form.

Though could be alt modals? Write up mentions them with fusion as long duration but readout only says batteries.

Good call, here I was worried we'd have a prison planet…

Well we could I guess but rather wasteful and we want to rehabilitate or contain not create saudakar troops. Could be useful as research to because predators that can hold up to modern weapons probable can be made useful somehow.

Everything else looks like a game plan. Hopefully get to belasrous next military turn but need to swat the pirate base before it does become a problem and hopefully wont need to detail a fleet to deal with marians. Sigh... research should not be under same tab as direct military action because always will be trumped. At least now that we are moving on in the game. I would like to finish absorbing the 8 who should be pretty broken by now but again we also need to finish diplomancing and wooing in the other nations into the fold. Jump trader should be pretty high if we can help it but build the tech should be a priority to since was narrowly defeated this turn.

 

[Warringer]

Hm… I'd have expected the nano fusion reactor in the handler while the drones had high capacity super conducting batteries. The Handler would be able to recharge the drones in the field when necessary, and the drones wouldn't need to lug around a fusion reactor, which I assume will make up a decent chunk of its mass and more prone to failures under military conditions than batteries.

Good point...

Consider the infos changed.

Yeah would kinda prefer it myself. The lion drones are utlimatly expendable assets. Putting in what could be expensive and high end fusion plants in them is both a bit wasteful and risks tech samples being captured if someone can salvage a down drone. Though could add in self destruct pretty easy. If does not have one already. Eh its a cost benefit trade off I guess between long duration drones and those that have to stay close to their handle form.

Well... They may be mostly expandable, but their ALIs are capabable of developing personalities from the base AGI, especially in interaction between each other and the Handler AGI. A Hunter Killer Team might actually end up being called a 'pride', with the Handler central in the social hirarchy of the ALIs, and relations to each other. As for the base programming/personality, think of a mixture between dogs and large cats.

In universe, its hard to keep stuff out of AI programming, especially almost AGI level ALIs, that produce the equivalent of emotions and personality traits.

So you are likely to end up with some zoomie Gracilis, running around everywhere, while a Fatalis might end up something of a 'Beta' to the Handlers 'Alpha' and things like that. It certainly vastly improves their performance, and if one is destroyed (with the memory cores residing in specially reinforced cages for recovery and reinstaciation) the rest of the Pack is going to be really pissed.

I have this really heart warming mental image of a bunch of Clan Elementals being hunted by a Pride of Hunter Killers, with mortar rounds herding them along, while the Elementals deperately try to find their attackers, and lay an ambush, only to be ambushed by eleven cybernetic felines ripping into their own armor with teeth and claws...

Though could be alt modals? Write up mentions them with fusion as long duration but readout only says batteries.

The Handler is equipped with a reactor since now.

 

[Blade4]

I have this really heart warming mental image of a bunch of Clan Elementals being hunted by a Pride of Hunter Killers, with mortar rounds herding them along, while the Elementals deperately try to find their attackers, and lay an ambush, only to be ambushed by eleven cybernetic felines ripping into their own armor with teeth and claws...

Which would be pretty terrifying especially as we upgrade them more. As is a pride probable can shred a point pretty easy. I would love to see it wargamed out of 2 prides against a star of elementals.

Still rather paranoid because now I get this horrible mental image of a lion or handler getting salvaged semi intact and a house or comstar doing unspeakable things to the ALI or AGI trying to reverse engineer it or at least copy it with loyalty to them.

 

[Wildredlifer]

[X] Marian Agents
[X] Long Range Diplomacy - Lyran Commonwealth

 

[Durabys]

@Warringer
Is there a tech line in the tech tree for Black Boxing designs. Basically increasing the difficulty level the opposition has to overcome when researching samples of our stuff.

 

[Warringer]

@Warringer
Is there a tech line in the tech tree for Black Boxing designs. Basically increasing the difficulty level the opposition has to overcome when researching samples of our stuff.

Most of the advanced designs are fabricated in place by fabricators, which is to say that they are mostly monolithic blocks of matter, layed down one atom at a time by the 3D printing like process of fabrication. If anything, conventional fabrication technologies can only produce much inferior and a lot more bulky knock offs, which are going to be a lot more expansive either way, compared to the tech we produce in our near post-scarcity economy.

So technically, out tech comes black boxed out of the box, if you pardon the pun.

 

[Durabys]

So technically, out tech comes black boxed out of the box, if you pardon the pun.

What I am talking about is intentionally putting in features that literally serve no other purpose but either confuse, deceive or harm any would-be reverse engineers.

 

[Warringer]

What I am talking about is intentionally putting in features that literally serve no other purpose but either confuse, deceive or harm any would-be reverse engineers.

Quite possible.

 

[Durabys]

Quite possible.

@Blade4
This brings a smile to my face.

PsyOp 'Mindfuck' is a go!

 

[Schreiben]

Well we could I guess but rather wasteful and we want to rehabilitate or contain not create saudakar troops.

Hah! Salus Secundus! (Funnily enough, I recently finished a reread of Dune and am about to start on Dune Messiah for the first time)

Jump trader should be pretty high if we can help it but build the tech should be a priority to since was narrowly defeated this turn.

Oh, yeah.

Might be interesting to keep an eye on previous turns' turnout in general, if only to avoid from falling into the habit of jumping between options, and also to add consistency.

Still rather paranoid because now I get this horrible mental image of a lion or handler getting salvaged semi intact and a house or comstar doing unspeakable things to the ALI or AGI trying to reverse engineer it or at least copy it with loyalty to them.

I think you're falling into a little mind trap here. Since the Hunter Killer is a designed system, it would be vastly surprising (not to mention detrimental) if the drones didn't behave like top-notch trained and domesticated animals when push comes to shove. Not tamed, but domesticated. There's a general and deep difference in baseline psychology of animals when they're domesticated vs tamed. The latter had culture and human-centred hierarchy imposed upon, while the former grew up with it.
That said, they'll still have their personalities: While waiting for orders Drone Ally will fidget with excitement while Drone Bort will blink stoically, showing that he can be much better behaved than Ally. Drone Cecil meanwhile will be drifting off mentally, only returning when the orders arrive.

So technically, out tech comes black boxed out of the box, if you pardon the pun.

There's no pardoning of puns, only appreciation.

What I am talking about is intentionally putting in features that literally serve no other purpose but either confuse, deceive or harm any would-be reverse engineers.

I'm reminded of clocks.

 

[Warringer]

Still rather paranoid because now I get this horrible mental image of a lion or handler getting salvaged semi intact and a house or comstar doing unspeakable things to the ALI or AGI trying to reverse engineer it or at least copy it with loyalty to them.

I think you're falling into a little mind trap here. Since the Hunter Killer is a designed system, it would be vastly surprising (not to mention detrimental) if the drones didn't behave like top-notch trained and domesticated animals when push comes to shove. Not tamed, but domesticated. There's a general and deep difference in baseline psychology of animals when they're domesticated vs tamed. The latter had culture and human-centred hierarchy imposed upon, while the former grew up with it.
That said, they'll still have their personalities: While waiting for orders Drone Ally will fidget with excitement while Drone Bort will blink stoically, showing that he can be much better behaved than Ally. Drone Cecil meanwhile will be drifting off mentally, only returning when the orders arrive.

Its not like the AGI and ALI cannot self-terminate, which is something they can easily do by doing even a partial format of their systems. And the AI part is all in the software of our systems, especially since we do massively parallel computing (think modern GPU design, but with CPUs that have neural processing capabilities) even in our smallest computers.

As far as I am concerned, Inner Sphere computers may be as powerful as ours, but they are using brute force single threaded computing, which does bad things for your AIs. Their AIs can only do things one at a time, which makes them comparatively stupid (XBox Smart SLS drones) and easily disrupts their memory and threading (makes their AIs go nuts during a Hyper Jump), while our AIs do many things at the same time on different processors (which in turn means that our AIs don't get mixed threading and Stack problems during the disruption of a Jump).

 

[Blade4]

What I am talking about is intentionally putting in features that literally serve no other purpose but either confuse, deceive or harm any would-be reverse engineers.

Its not unknown anyway. Comstar hpg's are blackbox and Rube Goldberged like crazy to prevent anyone who does seize one from just straight using or copying it. But there is a reason enigmatic engineering in stellaris is one of my go to buys on ascension perks. You want my shit you going to have to earn it the hard way like me. Still sounds like we are pretty safe already if the good stuff are discrete bricks. The IS will have conniptions with that. Hell have conniptions anyway. Our tech might as well be xeno stuff, and partially is, because they went their own path separating in to 1980s from us and have like a millennium of experience in what they know is the one true tech tree just to see no there are different ways to do it. Our underlining understanding of circuits is completely different. Comstar is probable having fits try to convert the stuff they did steal of our internet into useful stuff.

Though once they do... Best we kill them before then. Really hope they did not get base code to make ai. Blakist fanatics will do something stupid with it.

Hah! Salus Secundus! (Funnily enough, I recently finished a reread of Dune and am about to start on Dune Messiah for the first time)

Not quite Dune but it is a very good book. But can say that of all the books. Just avoid the ones not written by Frank Herbert they tend to be eh at best from what I understand.

Might be interesting to keep an eye on previous turns' turnout in general, if only to avoid from falling into the habit of jumping between options, and also to add consistency

.
Generally should anyway just to refresh but trying to keep with system of if a split vote the loser should get first priority next turn unless something forces to do otherwise.

I think you're falling into a little mind trap here. Since the Hunter Killer is a designed system, it would be vastly surprising (not to mention detrimental) if the drones didn't behave like top-notch trained and domesticated animals when push comes to shove. Not tamed, but domesticated. There's a general and deep difference in baseline psychology of animals when they're domesticated vs tamed. The latter had culture and human-centred hierarchy imposed upon, while the former grew up with it.
That said, they'll still have their personalities: While waiting for orders Drone Ally will fidget with excitement while Drone Bort will blink stoically, showing that he can be much better behaved than Ally. Drone Cecil meanwhile will be drifting off mentally, only returning when the orders arrive.

Its a risk no matter what we do but I want to keep our tech from the others as long as possible because it is our trump card. Like for instance the houses getting and rolling out our ftl is pretty much a lose condition because then with their vastly greater numbers they can just swarm us or force us under unfavorable conditions. They don't have true warships because of their tech and industry loss but also because KF drives suck with to many limitations to make warships more than very expensive problem worth it just enough you have to try anyway. Our drive is capable of make dropship size ships ftl and very dangerous. Yet our drive will probable leak eventually anyway because someone will steal or salvage a ship or they will get the data off our internet. As sick as it is to say hoping the unknown threat does break the houses because otherwise we will lose eventually. Just proximity to the IS means we will get dragged in and under by their unending wars.

Its not like the AGI and ALI cannot self-terminate, which is something they can easily do by doing even a partial format of their systems. And the AI part is all in the software of our systems, especially since we do massively parallel computing (think modern GPU design, but with CPUs that have neural processing capabilities) even in our smallest computers.

As far as I am concerned, Inner Sphere computers may be as powerful as ours, but they are using brute force single threaded computing, which does bad things for your AIs. Their AIs can only do things one at a time, which makes them comparatively stupid (XBox Smart SLS drones) and easily disrupts their memory and threading (makes their AIs go nuts during a Hyper Jump), while our AIs do many things at the same time on different processors (which in turn means that our AIs don't get mixed threading and Stack problems during the disruption of a Jump).

Yeah again we went down different tech paths each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Our AI is going to shock the hell out of the IS who only remember the lobotomized casper drones Amaris turned on the star league. I still hold to the fanon that they were sapient beings fucked over by the league out of fear leading to a karmic suffering. I just really don't want them captured by the IS because they will see them only as machines to be took apart or reprogrammed not people. Hell I don't want to think what many would do if they captured some of our none humans. Vivisections are not out of the question.

 

[Durabys]

I'm reminded of clocks.

I am reminded how in OTL 19th century, the British put different intentional errors into several blueprints for a single steam engine, that they then sent out to different groups of people, all to learn in which group was the German spy located in. So once the Germans stole it, the British waited, and sure enough there were several large industrial accidents involving prototype steam engines in Germany, which pointed in the direction of the spy.

The above is literally Hanse Davion levels of Battletech "and then hilarity ensued!" shenanigans.

 

[Warringer]

Technically, out drive is blackboxed for the IS as well, as it needs massively parallel computers to control the minute shifts in the chaotic magnetic boundary field that pulls a spacecraft inti Heim-Feynman Space and allows to naviate along the correct three of six spacial dimensions of Heim-Feynman space. Navigate along the wrong dimensions, and you end up in the past, future or completely different universes.

Additionally, the super conducting rings of the HFEG need to be minutely balanced against each other and can only be produced by a specialized Fabricator, which lays down the correct layers and the correct amounts of various Carbon, Silicon and Germanium isotopes. Those rings are designed down to the atomic level and only a single error in a ring will make it useless. On top of that, the rings need to be specially designed for the specific space craft they will be used in, based on the inate magnetical fields of the spacecraft.

It will be decades, if not centuries for the IS to reverse engineer the HFEG, even with the full throry behind it.

 

[Blade4]

It will be decades, if not centuries for the IS to reverse engineer the HFEG, even with the full throry behind it.

I...Ok....Well Fuck there goes a lot of my base assumptions. Going to need to rethink somethings because I thought we were in a tech race up before our neighbors can steal our stuff put monkey modals of it into production then jump us with them. If all our stuff is functionally black boxed and locked behind computer tech radically different from what they use... They are kinda utter fucked. They are not tech focused civilizations. The closest was the old Terran Hegemony and its long gone. The next closest around now would be Davions NAIS and that is more Hanses baby and dedicated to recover not new tech development. Though don't count them out. The houses functional can't use or do anything with our good stuff. At best use it till it breaks down or takes damage. They need us either uplifting them or willing selling stuff to them.

 

[Warringer]

I...Ok....Well Fuck there goes a lot of my base assumptions. Going to need to rethink somethings because I thought we were in a tech race up before our neighbors can steal our stuff put monkey modals of it into production then jump us with them. If all our stuff is functionally black boxed and locked behind computer tech radically different from what they use... They are kinda utter fucked. They are not tech focused civilizations. The closest was the old Terran Hegemony and its long gone. The next closest around now would be Davions NAIS and that is more Hanses baby and dedicated to recover not new tech development. Though don't count them out. The houses functional can't use or do anything with our good stuff. At best use it till it breaks down or takes damage. They need us either uplifting them or willing selling stuff to them.

Exactly. Well, they technically can use an HFEG and navigate successfully, but they'd need such a powerful computer, of IS design, that at least two thirds of the spacecraft are computer. And the ship would need to be at least two hundred thousand tonnes.

 

[Blade4]

Exactly. Well, they technically can use an HFEG and navigate successfully, but they'd need such a powerful computer, of IS design, that at least two thirds of the spacecraft are computer. And the ship would need to be at least two hundred thousand tonnes.

I could see them trying it. If only as a experiment. That's not all that much worse than a compact core now and the ability to try and hit and runs might be worth it.

 

[Warringer]

I could see them trying it. If only as a experiment. That's not all that much worse than a compact core now and the ability to try and hit and runs might be worth it.

Well... They have to get the correct navigation software through, as there is something that seems to destroy spacecraft in HF space moving along the wrong dimension.