Turn 9 - Autumn 2176/3026
WCDC Defense Council:
(0 actions)
[] Army Men:
active (1 turns)
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%
Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 49 - Success
Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 53 - Success
More and more information comes in and there are a few surprising pieces of information, but in the end there is little actually new for the think tank, as they continue their work to collate all the data that can be gathered about the over 250 national militaries.
active for 1 more turn
[] Future Space Combat Craft:
active
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 7 - Failure
Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Failure
Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 24 - Failure
Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 40 - Almost success
Combined: 27 - Failure
In the end, the conduct and the problems within the Think Tank turns out to be too much as that there would be any success with the project.
It was not only the fact that the entire group decided to collectively play a VR game the moment one of them introduced it, but also the fact that the people of the thing tank had dissolved into bickering groups once the actual work had finally been taken up. Animosity between people within the think tank had boiled over and at least twice it had come to blows.
So the higher management of the Defense Council have decided they would allow the other team to complete their project, but that the mostly freewheeling work had to be more regimented for it to work out better.
Reward: New Action to replace the Think Tanks with better Project Teams, Action may be repeated after the implementation of the new Project Teams
WCDC Survey Office:
(0 actions)
[] Deep Signal Intelligence:
active
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 56 - Success
Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 82 - Success
Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 3 - Failure
Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 89 - Success
Combined: 57 - Success
Even with the incident that led to the possible discovery of one of the Squadrons by the Circinus Federation, the Operation has been a success.
All three of the nearby 'small' star nations have been seeded with intelligence gathering satellite networks. The routes to these nations and back have been mapped out and the navigational data is clear. It will be easy and quick to go to do a circuit around the various satellite networks to gather the collected data and return it to Berlin.
Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence
[] Rimworlds Research:
active
Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
Roll 3 of 8, Roll 1d100: 41 - Fail
Roll 4 of 8, Roll 1d100: 94 - Success
Roll 5 of 8, Roll 1d100: 61 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
Roll 6 of 8, Roll 1d100: 12 - Failure
The Erdynn Project finally arrives in the system believed to be Erdynn and begins its search, the spacecraft of the diminished squadron spreading out to search for something, anything in the system that could be of interest.
Nothing is to be found however during the two and a half months that the spacecraft are searching and slowly there are suspicions that come up concerning the system, but there is nothing concrete. Eventually, the squadron meets up around the sole habitable planet, the project leaders planning to send a shuttle down to the surface.
active for 2 more turns
WCDC Diplomatic Corps:
(1 action)
[] We want to help II:
active
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 52+5 = 57 - Success
Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 51+5 = 56 - Success
Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 48+5 = 53 - Success
The diplomatic missions continue to give good results, though sometimes the idiosyncrasies of the planetary populations give the diplomats pause.
The people of Pandemonium almost always manage to make the diplomats stumble, as they have been selected from both the United Kingdom and Arabia. But none of them area ready for dealing with Bedouins that talk deep, darkest Cockney.
On Farnham's Planet, the hatred between the two planetary nations has almost led to a war over the next two months, as the rhetoric between the two kingdoms intensifies, both strongly attacking the other verbally for their apparent break with Marx, Engels, Lenin... It remains unclear wither either of the monarchs and their nobles are aware of the irony of their statements.
The nations of Santa Alvarez in contrast have somehow managed to come closer together as they are informed about the state of the outside galaxy and especially Nuevo Tejas, a nation that closely resembles Texas in its outlook on life, seems willing to bury the hatchet with Gran Bolivar and Hispanola for a better defense against outside threats.
The best results are made on Solidarność and Washington, where the somewhat modern technology gives both planetary governments are better idea about the potential outside threats. On Washington, one lobby group comes out strengthened, as they have tried to advocate for building native Washingtonian jump ships, something that the planet is capable of doing for the past four hundred years, but has not done due to insufficient need.
All in all it was a successful time for the various diplomatic teams.
active for 1 more turn
[] Humanitarian Aid II: - 4 - Pandemonium
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%
Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 49+5 = 54 - Minor Success
The success of the Prometheus Foundation on Hannover has given the NGO a shot in the arm, after their not successful start, but they have managed to acquire several additional FTL capable space craft, bringing their number up to full squadron strength. The past few months since Hannover, the Foundation has also set up a small production line for complete Planetary Settlement Kits.
As the next target, the Foundation selected Pandemonium, the desert world colonized by the English and turned into desert dwellers. Here, not a 'mere' there PSKs are taken to the world, but ten, considering the comparably low technological development of the world. One on orbit around the planet, the Foundation contacts the diplomatic mission already on the planet and some time later a shuttle arrives at the Brimingham Oasis for a closer contact and talks with the Council of Elders.
active for 2 more turns
WCDC Trade Organization:
(2 actions)
[] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems - 4
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
Roll 1 of 4: Roll 1d100: 21+10+10 = 41 - Minor Success (Stonger Economy, Economic Ties)
Finally, it is time to begin the work on Standartized Ground Weapon Systems, after the WCDCTO has heard of the problems that had popped up during some projects in the Rocky Mountain Arcology concerning advanced space craft. The contacts to the Defense Council are adamant about beginning this economic project that would provide standardized weapons to the various national militaries, the number of them to replace older weapons enough to vitalize the defense economy.
So, having learned from past mistakes, even though they had almost been repeated, the Trade Organization begins to send out Requests for Designs to the many defense contractors of the various nations, containing the complete documents from the Defense Council think tank available for a while now.
active for 3 more turns
[] New Fusion Drives: - 4
Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 98+10+10+10 = 128 - Crit Success (Roll 1d100: 31) (Stonger Economy, Economic Ties, Scientific-Industrial Complex)
The other development project the WCDCTO began was that for the new fusion drive. There were of course many companies in the development and the production of fusion drives already, and they all knew that as soon as the first of the new fusion drives were to hit the market, they would be out of customers.
As a response to that potential threat to their business, each of the companies greedily accepted the full scientific papers to present to their engineers and engineering AGIs. Another response was the formation of new joint-ventures specially to develop, build and sell these new fusion thrusters. Some of these joint-ventures were even formed between different systems, with Interstellar Thruster Works being formed by three companies, each from one of the Three Systems.
active for 3 more turns
WCDC Office for Science and Development:
(0 actions)
[] Inner Sphere Heatsinks:
active (1 turns)
Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 17 - Fail
Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 19 - Fail
Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 42 - Success
Combined: 26 - Failure
Eventually, one of the development teams for the Heatsink technology managed to talk Doctor Sandoval of Köhler Military Services into allowing them to take one of the heat sinks apart and take a close look at them. They would have to put it back together however, as it belonged to one of the mercenary units Pheonix Hawk 'mechs, undergoing repairs after some mishaps during training.
After the coolant was drained, in this case a high boiling point hydrocarbon, the team could take a close look at the heat sink, measuring its components and function.
However, the project ended before any progress could be made. Leaving just some data on the heat sink to be picked up by other followup teams.
Reward: Action may be tried again with 70% chance of success
[] Inner Sphere Armor:
active (2 turns)
Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 65%
Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 24 - Failure
As soon as the research team looking into IS armor had analyzed the pieces they got from KMS, they encountered problems. Computational analysis of the initial data did not show the observed effectiveness of the armor, making the team wonder about their data.
They analyzed the armor again, but again, the data did not lead to the results expected. Over the course of several weeks the samples were analyzed again and again, refined to a degree that a fabricator was used to analyze the armor to the atomic level, but the computational analysis continuously not meeting up with the observed test data.
Eventually it turned out that the analysis program used by the research team had several bugs in it that messed up the initial data and time had to be spent to correct the bugs.
active for 1 more turn
Random Event: - Well regarded politician dies
London Times said:
The Emperor Of Jerat Is Dead
On September 3, 2176, the 37th Emperor of Jerat has died at the age of 76 years.
...
The Empire of Jerat now goes into a two-week period of mourning, during which all work, whether governmental, civil or military will come to rest. Following this time of national mourning, the Priests of the Imperial Faith will begin their search for the new Emperor, who is said to be the reborn soul of the old Emperor and born on the exact moment the Emperor has died.
...
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He did not know where he was. His eyes were open, but he could not see. Or rather, he could see, but all he saw was black. A few moments passed, and he thought that he could see the shade of perfect blackness chance to another shade of perfect blackness. Then it changed again. And again. It took another few moments to realize that the surrounding blackness was always changing.
There was no panic as he looked around in the perfect blackness, trying to find patterns around him. Trying to find something, anything. No panic, no fear.
It was suddenly there. The creature.
It stood there in the darkness of the always changing blackness, as if standing on a floor, while he himself seemed to float like in microgravity. It visible as if illuminated by the light of day.
He tried hard to gauge its size. It could be the size of a horse, standing just a few meters away. It could be smaller, standing closer. Or much, much larger, standing far away.
The creature had four legs, two arms and a pair of wings sprouting from its back. It looked much like an old dragon, if one put a pair of arms to its chest. It was covered in brown fur like feathers or feather like fur and its face has not two, but six open eyes, each seeming to contain the same everchanging blackness as was surrounding it.
Those black eyes were looking at him and its head tilted to a side, judging him.
"Who are you, Child of Kerensky?" the creature asked, its voice soft and curious. He realized that he could perfectly understand the creatures question, even as he knew it was not speaking in a language that could be pronounced by a human tongue.
He opened his mouth to answer, to give his name to the creature, but it held up one of its hands, stopping him from giving his answer.
"Who is it that you revere?" it asked. "The father or the son?"
Slowly the creature began to walk, moving around him, as it kept its black eyes on him.
"The father? The man who swore to protect his lord and his lands? The man forced into the most despicable acts by circumstance and his belief in what he protected above all? Who in the end lost it all and fled as a broken man? Who tried to rebuild in exile and lost all again before he died? A man who was always true to himself, an honorable man and a protector?"
He could feel the creatures gaze glance at his back.
"Or the son? Who was broken long before his father by the constant danger, as the father was away to protect him and the lands? Who, in this broken state turned to become ambitious and power hungry, killing his own brother? Who went into exile and created a society, only to conquer what he left behind, to remake it in his own image? A man who told lies to his followers to destroy those who rejected his 'truth'? A Conquerer?"
The creatures words rang in his ears as it came around again, moving closer and its six open, everchanging black eyes staring into his own, as if to stare into his soul.
"Who are you, Son of Kerensky? Who do you follow?"
The creature paused.
"What are you?"
The pause lasted longer as he felt himself wondering.
"Are you a Conquerer?" it asked and to its left, the everchanging black of their surroundings seemed to open a rift, allowing him to see into real space.
"Who goes out to conquer entire worlds for your own advantage and aggrandizement?"
The rift showed how dropships descended from the sky of a planet, landing on and crushing buildings of a city. It bays opening and large masses of... things swarming out of them. Things of flesh, skin, feathers, fur, scales and metal that moved in a frenzy as they demolished buildings, destroyed vehicles and ripped people, that weren't people, apart.
"Who crushes everything before him, leaving nothing of consequence to rule over? Who will slink back when defeat comes near?"
Another rift opened up to the right of the creature.
"Are you a Protector?" it continued. This rift showed a different image, but perhaps it was from a different angle to that image of the left rift.
"Who goes to protect those who cannot protect themselves from those that want to conquer?"
The right rift showed a large 'mech, a Wolverine, accompanied by infantry vehicles and infantry. They were fighting their way through the things that had swarmed into the city, firing their weapons lasers and autocannons into the teeming masses, destroying countless of the things. But there were always more it seemed. They practically swarmed all over the 'mech and the vehicles starting to cover them with their bodies, even as their weapons continued to speak in fury and defiance, while they ripped apart the infantry. As it was covered up completely, there was an intense flash of light as the 'mechs pilot seemed to had ignited a nuclear device in his 'mech.
"Who will do everything in his power to defend what it is yours? Fighting until the end, sacrificing yourself to buy reinforcements the time to arrive or to facilitate an evacuation?"
The last image of the mech, covered by the unnatural things remained in his mind, showing him a number painted in the mechs arm. '331'
The creatures face came much closer to his face, until he could almost feel its muzzle touch his nose, feel its breath on his skin.
"Who are you, Joshua Wolf of Clan Wolf?" the creature asked. "A Protector or a Defender? Like father? Or like son?"
He awoke with a start, shooting up in his bed, eyes wide open, his body covered in sweat, the prosthetic of his right arm and many scars itching, the images of the dream burned into him mind and a question nagging at him.
'Who are you, Joshua Wolf of Clan Wolf?'
He would only be one of hundreds of thousands of the Clans who received this dream over the next five months.
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I forgot to add the diplomatic and economic bonuses in the last few turns... >_<
But as far as I can tell, there haven't been any different results due to those...