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nweismuller posted:Or possibly some delicious mackerel-based dishes? (Sorry, I can't resist the Umineko jokes, sometimes.) It's been a little while since I dished up some aji...
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Oct 7, 2018 04:34
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| # ? Jun 8, 2024 21:27 |
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How are other space empires depicted in popular media? Particularly fictional. What are holo-films with them like? how are they viewed by the average citizen in entertainment media?
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Oct 7, 2018 06:12
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Is there a coffee-like substance in wide use?
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Oct 7, 2018 18:31
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Danny Glands posted:Is there a coffee-like substance in wide use? There are several variants of what could be described as 'tea' brewed with plants that are mild stimulants to Daera which serve as popular beverages.
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Oct 7, 2018 20:46
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Going to aim for an update tomorrow. Work today and yesterday was derailed by extreme inexplicable sleepiness and low energy. Hopefully this is a thing that passes swiftly, rather than a leading indicator of actual illness.
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Oct 10, 2018 05:03
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The Dawn of the Eighteenth Century As the Rainfall continued to survey the Achenar system, just short of the borders of the High Holy Domain of the Inari, it discovered a massive debris field around a gas giant in the outer system in Second Quarter 1695- the remnant of a long-forgotten battle. Although the Inari had long since stripped the wreckage of technology that could be studied, the raw metal content from the massive number of ships desroyed would allow it to be a profitable mining site for many years.   The project to repair the ancient Xolexin shipyard in the Ginigan system was finally completed later in Second Quarter. With power restored, the shipyard facilities immediately completed the construction of a ship in the docking slips using stored materials, sending it out under its own power. Only days after the completion of this ship, dubbed the Dark Wanderer, the radiation leakage from the decayed reactor shielding on the shipyard had irreparably burned out the electronics and control systems on the shipyard, leaving it a useless, irradiated hulk. The Dark Wanderer itself was an impressive ship, larger and heavier than the current IASN designs. Although its basic electronics and systems were fairly comparable to IASN technology, the weapons, armor, and shields were all generations past current Daeran technology. A full magazine of antimatter-fused missile warheads backed up powerful lasers emitting in the X-ray spectrum and a linked network of small laser defensive turrets for close-in missile defense. The armor plating was a flexible, durable alloy dubbed 'plasteel', stronger than modern Daeran ceramometallic composites, while the shield systems had nearly twice the output per mass of existing Daeran shields. Although it would be nearly impossible to replace the Dark Wanderer's missiles once they were depleted, nonetheless its magazines contained enough missiles to last it, hopefully, for multiple battles. A team of volunteers was assembled to crew the Dark Wanderer, which joined Task Force Tungsten on station at IASN Coreward Command. We can't refit the Dark Wanderer, and eventually it will become obsolete, but for now, it's an impressive ship that will add notable strength to Task Group Tungsten.  Late in Second Quarter, the Restless made its last voyage. In exploring the Soval system, a blue-white star in the Rimward Arm near the borders of the Mandate of Thell, it blundered into a massive fortress complex surrounded by smaller defensive installations in the system. The image captures transmitted by the Restless' FTL comms were the last ever heard of the survey ship.   In Third Quarter, a pair of major developments, one technological and one social, came very close upon each other. The engineering problems with significantly increasing the output of voidcraft thrusters by adding mass dedicated to thrusters had long stymied Daeran engineers, given the increasing fuel bunkerage requirements and heat dissipation issues, but solutions to many of these problems had become practical by this time. Ships with larger, more powerful thrusters making more of their mass would have better mobility and a better ability to evade enemy fire. Meanwhile, large scale marketing of Daeran entertainment, literature, and cultural goods began to become ubiquitous in Uri space, while cultural products of the Uri particularly appealing were imported to Daeran space. This both provided profits to Daeran firms and helped spark new ideas and new innovations in Daeran space. A 5% Unity bonus from each subject is very nice, and provides a strong incentive for us to collect protectorates as we can.  Third Quarter's news was not all good, however. Growing pirate activity in Escant, a system wedged between the rimward border of the Tronzaru Continuum and the spinward portion of the Daeran coreward border, was raising concerns in frontier systems- especially as the pirate vessels in service were beginning to be accompanied by larger, more capable vessels. Task Group Tungsten was immediately dispatched to deal with this new threat.  As 1695 was drawing to a close, in the last portion of Fourth Quarter, negotiations between the Divine Uri State and the Insurance Association allowed for unlimited passenger travel between Uri and Daeran space, and a streamlined process for Uri to apply for insurance coverage allowing them to operate smoothly within the Daeran legal system. Although cross-border migration remained slow when this agreement was established, nonetheless the principle in place set a precedent for the future.    A healthy trade in technological goods and components continued between the Daera, the Bhen'Thell, and the Haspalvi, although bulk commodities exchanges slowed as Daeran firms determined they could get better prices by trade with the Xuri. Nonetheless, the profits from trade in technological components helped finance a steady trickle of refined metals, ceramics, and plastics into Daeran space. In First Quarter 1696, the Mandate of Thell provided a large lump sum payment to the Insurance Association in exchange for assistance in conveying Bhen'Thell ambassadors to the various star nations the Daera had thus far encountered. We now get a worse rate for our energy, based on what these empires want, than just trading it off to XuraCorp, so I started, here, in preparing for a major expansion of trade with XuraCorp.  The Alliance for Daeran Sciences, a think tank established in 1688, had lapsed into obscurity soon after its foundation, but began to return to prominence by 1696. Caretaker AX7-b had never broken its association with the think tank, which hoped to continue to secure Daeran technological advantage over other star nations, as well as representing the interests of robotics manufacturers and advocates for automated industry. I expect this time, the Materialist faction will stick around.  By Second Quarter 1696, Task Group Tungsten had succeeded in rooting out the latest outbreak of piracy, although it lost one of its ships in the action. The task group prepared to return to Coreward Command, there to await its next assignment.  Near the beginning of Fourth Quarter, Daeran scientists had mastered the refinement and containment of antimatter. Although replicating the Dark Wanderer's missiles was still beyond Daeran capabilities, and antimatter was not a viable primary energy production technology- being, rather, a storage technology for energy produced by fusion- the use of antimatter reactors on ships and in industrial processes that required greater power densities than allowed by connection to the fusion grid allowed for improved power output and performance across the board.    The quarter also saw a program where the Haspalv Star Cooperative and the Insurance Association cooperated to establish contact with other star nations one side or the other had previously been unaware of. This led to the Insurance Association's first contact with the Ox'Braxi Confederation.   The Ox'Braxi were scaly-skinned warm-blooded reptilian aliens native to a relatively cold, bleak world, highly intelligent, precise, and detail-oriented- one of the few other species in the galaxy that were clearly rivals to Daeran intelligence. The Ox'Braxi reproductive cycle was extremely slow, even by the standards of a technological species, and their population grew only slowly. The Ox'Braxi Confederation was an assembly of many smaller political units, generally elective republics with the vote limited to the aristocracy, which formed approximately the top ten percent of the species population. It was a peaceful nation with thriving internal trade, but one characterised by a strong cultural consensus that engagement with non-Ox'Braxi aliens would be a threat to its culture, its independence, and the lives of the Ox'Braxi themselves. The Confederation as a whole was headed by a prince chosen from amongst the heads of the Confederation's member states. The Ox'Braxi Confederation stood alone, uninterested in either trade and friendship or military competition with its neighbors, neither a threat to nor an opportunity for the Daera. The Noble Republic government type is one I and JoeBloe designed to fix what we saw as a hole in the government types for oligarchies with the Aristocratic Elite civic. Historical and fictional references for governments I'd consider 'noble republics' include the Roman Republic, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during its 'Golden Liberty' period, and the Braxin Holding in C.S. Friedman's novel In Conquest Born, before its reformation into a true monarchy.   The following year, in Second Quarter 1697, diplomats from the Solar Alliance, the star nation which had grown from the ancestral Human homeworld of Earth, made contact with the Daera with the aid of other driftward nations already in contact with the Daera.   The Solar Alliance was a trading bloc and defensive alliance first established in the early twenty-second century AD (or late 1500s IR, by the Daeran calendar)by the Earth nations of the United States of America, the Republic of China (itself formed by the peaceful reformation of a dictatorship known as the People's Republic of China that abandoned its founding ideology), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Commonwealth of Australia, Canada, the Swiss Confederation, the Commonwealth of Poland, and the State of Japan as a supranational body firmly dedicated to the promotion of democratic ideals, civil rights, and unobstructed trade and development, attempting to bypass the unaccountable and undemocratic nature of many existing supranational agreements at the time. Full membership in the Solar Alliance was predicated on meeting a strict standard of individual rights and democratic governance, and its dominant position in international trade helped it to coax reforms out of other nations in exchange for the unfettered trade access provided by full membership. The Solar Alliance not only maintained a strong tradition of protection of individual rights, but supported a remarkable level of civic engagement and volunteerism amongst the general population as a reaction to its ideology of democratic self-governance. By the time of its contact with the Daera, it was already a prospering star nation spread across multiple systems centered in the Coreward Arm with an uneasy spinward border with the Uthonian Consciousness.  The same quarter saw the completion of the process of re-engineering of the Daeran species using genetic editing technologies that had begun two years ago. Re-engineering of the Daeran genome to retard the onset of senescence and delay the onset of cancer had gone alongside a very widespread adoption of brain slug symbiotes. The species was longer-lived, and, with the aid of the symbiotes, more intelligent than ever before. Inexplicably, even after completely redesigning the species so all of them are brain slug hosts, the brain slug host trait doesn't show up on all leaders as it probably should. I'll at least try to ensure all new leader recruits are hosts, because else that's just silly. With our vitality boosters technology and the new Enduring trait Daera have, our leaders only have a chance of natural death starting at 110 standard game years (barring our poor substance-abusing governor, who will start rolling the dice at age 90).  Shortly after contact with the Solar Alliance, in Third Quarter of the year, reports arrived from the Humans of the Alliance of a threat on their driftward borders in the Far Arm. Similar to the Hahn-Mur, the Thek'Qlak were a barbaric species occupying vast spaceborne habitats in a small cluster of stars, torn by internecine war between their tribes and clans. Unlike the Hahn-Mur, the Thek'Qlak culture seemed not so much 'fanatically religious' as 'completely deranged', a culture well into the final stages of nihilistic breakdown and riven by random violence motivated by, seemingly, no rational reasons at all.  Experience on colony planets continued to provide new lessons to the Daera on how to effective survive in alien environments, and, by Fourth Quarter 1697, effective filtration systems that allowed for more compact and effective breath masks and for building filter systems that reduced the need for full airtight construction allowed for cheaper, easier, and more comfortable survival on alien planets. The inhabitants of many Daeran worlds found themselves living lives slightly happier and more productive.   Another ancient city-station was discovered on the very rim of the Rimward Arm spinward of the Mandate of Thell near the beginning of 1698 IR by the Rainfall and Usoj Irerarit. Irerarit Survey completed its translation of the language within the quarter, establishing contact with the Kobarian Rim Republic and the Artisan Troupe that was the most remarkable element of the Kobarian Rim Republic.   The Kobarians were a focused, enthusiastic, and frankly moderately unintelligent species by this time reduced to a loose association of three city-stations scattered across the galaxy. These stations shared formally democratic governments, although in effect semi-aristocratic families dominated the society and wealth produced by their deep factory and hydroponics decks. These families had long competed for status with one another through patronage of art and culture, and a loose association of artists, musicians, writers, actors, and entertainers calling itself the Artisan Troupe had emerged across all three Kobarian city-states, continuously experimenting with new artistic forms and developing their craft. Kobarian art and culture was a corpus of immense scope recorded over millenia, and, although Kobarian artists produced more than their share of uninspired trash, the vast body of knowledge they had accumulated nonetheless helped them produce many artists of staggering ability. It makes me giggle that the Artisans in our galaxy happen to be Slow Learners.   The potential of Kobarian art and culture did not go unremarked, and, almost immediately, many wealthy Daera and Daeran firms began sponsoring some of the more talented members of the Artisan Troupe. Kobarian art, music, and entertainments began to flow onto Daeran entertainment feeds or into Daeran corporate buildings, to a remarkably warm reception by most Daera. The Artisan Troupe, for its part, was delighted to gain patrons and customers with deeper pockets than the old families of their home cities. Even the old families, rather than resenting outside interference, regarded exotic alien contact as a delightful diversion, which sparked a mercifully brief fad of art in a 'Daeran' style sponsored by the families of the Rim Republic- not that any Daer would actually recognise the imitations as being at all Daeran. The Unity bonus is great on its own, but patronage also unlocks certain random events which are beneficial overall.  First Quarter also brought the first open contact betwen the Daera and the Shantari. A research station was built in orbit of Eekryt, with scientists, advisors and shipments of advanced weapons arriving on the planetary surface, helping to organise and strengthen the opposition to the Seeloren Empire. Open contact with the Shantari allowed for Daeran scientists to easily and openly study local biology, culture, and history, while nations that had previously believed that their future prospects were bleak began preparing for a war they now believed they had a chance of winning. Indoctrination not only begins the process of converting local ethics, it also gives you research equivalent to Active Study. Unlike Passive Study and Active Study, it's not free, but it lacks the risk of Active Study driving the locals more xenophobic.   Meanwhile, another star nation from the regions driftward of the Daera made contact- the Kaan-Visam Hegemony, centered in the Far Arm, nearly opposite Daeran home space, and ruled by Overlord Codrales the First.   The Kaan-Visam were a hardy mammalian species somewhat similar to Humans, capable of enduring a fairly wide range of environments and conditions, united under a ruthless totalitarian Hegemony. The Overlordship of the Hegemony was a hereditary position which administered the hegemony through a complex and repressive array of administrative agencies and magistrates. The Overlords were firmly commited to scientific efficiency in their administration, and were quick to adopt new technological innovations that could strengthen the state. Even before the Kaan-Visam had left their homeworld, Kaan, they already had sophisticated robotics strengthening their heavy industry, and Kaan-Visam reliance on robotics had only been increased since they had become a star nation. The Hegemony's drive for efficiency and standardisation left its stamp on everything within its borders- cities filled with identical monolithic concrete buildings, a single model of personal vehicle for the population, released only in white, identical gray jumpsuits for the broad laboring population, a single unique number in a database on Kaan identifying every citizen of the Hegemony and linked to official records. Although the Hegemony did not allow any of its citizens to go hungry, it also starkly curtailed their choice in every respect.   As Daera mining operations began exploiting the unusual layers of atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen in the upper layers of the gas giant Dirban II in Second Quarter 1698, consortiums to prepare planets for Daeran colonisation that were previously regarded as too hostile began to be founded. The first programs began on the two life-bearing planets of the Cebelrai system, although other terraforming projects in the Coreward Arm prepared for later expansion. Cebelrai II, which already had significant rainfall and ocean coverage, was relatively cheap and simple to terraform, while the more arid moon Cebelrai IVa was both more expensive and would take longer to complete. Although these projects would have been considered too staggeringly expensive to fund a mere three decades ago, as Daera first began to explore beyond their own system, the vast resources provided by interstellar trade and development and the advance of technology had brought them well within reach.   Technological and social change continued steadily, and, by the end of Second Quarter, more notable breakthroughs had occurred. The technology to continue to expand starport stations, supporting larger populations, more activity, and better defenses had been refined by continued experience in the spaceport cities of Daeran space, and, almost immediately, construction began on a major expansion to High City. Meanwhile, the insurance firms comprising the Insurance Association and the Association itself, which had continued to refine and perfect actuary methods and arbitration courts, had completed a series of reforms expected to help provide insurance coverage more cost-efficiently across wide populations while maintaining a stable and predictable legal environment. In time, this would reflect in the observed prosperity of Daeran space as its institutions remained favorable for growth. Colonial Viceroys is the one tradition in Domination useful even to a star nation without client states, and it's quite a nice one. I only passed up going for it first because getting the Unity bonus from our existing subject was too valuable to pass up.      Meanwhile, the quarter saw a major expansion of interstellar trade, with exports to XuraCorp expanding to cover a vast new influx of heavy industrial materials and medical supplies that would prove of great value on Daeran colonial planets- although some few Daera relying on XuraCorp analgesic gels reported a fairly severe skin irritation in reaction to the gel. Although the Solar Alliance was reluctant to export high-tech products to Daeran space, given the lack of any close diplomatic friendship between the Alliance and the Insurance Association, the Solar Alliance was happy to export basic metals in exchange for Daeran technical imports. We can't get an incoming Research Treaty from the Alliance until their relation with us is better than Neutral.  The growth of antimatter reactors in industrial applications, although it had not directly increased the basic energy production of Daeran space, nonetheless was extremely valuable in delivering the massive amounts of power needed for some applications, improving overall productivity of Daeran industries and the prosperity of the whole of Daeran space as industries began to retool. By the beginning of Fourth Quarter, the first large-scale implementation of this technology had begun across the more developed Daeran worlds.    Later in Fourth Quarter, the Solar Alliance declared the foundation of the Glorious Compact, the first full-scale military and political alliance between two major independent star nations in recent galactic history, committing the Solar Alliance and the Tycan Sovereignty to mutual protection, support, and friendship.   The Tycans were an extremely long-lived, individualistic fungoid species with a natural gift for mathematics and a fragile constitution easily disrupted by hostile environments, native to the habitable equatorial regions of the icy moon Tycor Prime. The Sovereignty that governed them was a nominal monarchy with a figurehead king, in actuality a constitutional democratic republic with vestigial forms of an ancient monarchy still in place. The Tycan legal system provided significant and real protections for individual rights, guarding against abuses, while the Tycan society had reacted to news of alien life with outright delight. Experience with the fragile and precarious biosphere of Tycor Prime, which only had a relatively narrow life-bearing range on its surface, had long since inculcated an attitude of care in devising efficient and clean production methods in Tycan society. Although the Tycan Sovereignty and the Solar Alliance were nominally full and equal partners in the Glorious Compact, the Tycan Sovereignty was, perhaps, the single weakest independent star nation known to the Daera, and the bulk of the Glorious Compact's military strength, economic power, and population resided with the Solar Alliance. Given the way Stellaris handles governments, I would parse a modern 'constitutional monarchy' as we have today as having Democratic authority, and the Tycan Sovereignty seemed like a good candidate for a constitutional monarchy to demonstrate this. Authority seems to reflect where actual power is exercised, not figurehead Heads of State.   The ongoing agreement with the Curator Order was officially renewed in First Quarter 1699, Daeran firms continuing to pay for the privilege of access to Curator databanks. The knowledge already gleaned had been of immense value, and the databanks continued to help aid and guide Daeran researchers in their efforts. You can safely assume, now, that I will continue to renew our Curator agreement in perpetuity unless I indicate otherwise.  The arrangements with the Artisan Troupe were not always entirely smooth- a relative dry spell in new output was suddenly interrupted, in Second Quarter 1699 by the Troupe subtly encouraging a bidding war for the services of some of its most famous members between the Kobarian aristocracy and Daeran patrons. By the time the bidding war was over, many Artisans were newly enriched by Daeran money, and Artisan gossip about the event proved to somewhat enhance Daeran international prestige. Several minor events while you're a patron can trade energy credits for influence. Useful enough, but not what I'm waiting for. I still donate, to help speed our expansion.   Over Third and Fourth Quarters, two new notable technological breakthroughs were made in Daeran space. Work on the material in the Curator databanks had uncovered a set of schematics for specialised laboratory instrumentation, helping with the analysis of unfamiliar phenomena, while continued work on the theory and practise of terraforming made it, in theory, possible to perform major terraforming on a planet without the utterly catastrophic events previously involved, which would allow a population actually on the planet to survive the process- a breakthrough more useful in theory, at the time, than practise, as there was little useful terraforming possible on the worlds currently inhabited by Daera and other worlds could be terraformed ahead of time.  Nearly a year later, in Third Quarter 1700, continued advances in terraforming promised to allow demolition of many inconvenient mountain ranges, an advance which promised to help create more useful space on Sejelaril.  The quarter also marked the beginning of the Great War on Eekryt. A growing alliance had formed, armed and supplied with advanced vehicles and weapons by Daeran support while their own factories turned out more primitive weapons, vehicles, and munitions to supply the effort, striving against the primitive tanks, early machine guns, and crude wood and canvas aircraft of the Seeloren Empire in a savage global conflict. Although the Empire fought fiercely against the Allies, the balance of power had tipped before the first shot was fired.  The theory to build larger and larger vessels for combat use continued to advance, and early experiments with alternate configurations for first-in colony ships were soon repurposed to lay the foundation for the largest warships yet possible to the IASN. Although the layout was of minimal use for its original intended purpose, the warships thus designed might well prove to provide devastating firepower in a fleet support role.  Meanwhile, an agreement was concluded between the Insurance Association and the Divine Uri State permitting IASN recruitment efforts amongst Divine Uri State citizens, allowing the Uri to support the defense of their patron's spacelanes. Some Uri recruits began to trickle in, finding positions on IASN combat ships, support vessels, and naval bases. This was immediately worth one naval capacity- enough to effectively support one more corvette. Not much, and we haven't yet hit our naval capacity cap, but at least a little useful- quite possibly more useful once we have another protectorate.   A year later, in Third Quarter 1701, the next truly major technological breakthrough in Daeran space came- the development of subspace sensors operating on the extradimensional forces along the hyperspace conduits linking the stars allowed for faster and more accurate collection of information from ever further away. With these new sensors, a new generation of IASN fleet refits taking advantage of antimatter reactors and subspace sensors helped to ensure that IASN ships did not fall behind their neighbors.   By the beginning of Fourth Quarter, two new major discoveries dominated Daeran news. The engineering and materials needed to drill stable shafts into a planetary mantle allowed for access to an essentially inexhaustible supply of mineral wealth, as long as the hefty capital investment needed could be met- something that promised to strengthen the already-impressive state of Daeran industry. Meanwhile, the Rainfall's continued exploration along the Rimward Arm had discovered strange, seemingly-animate crystalline structures in a system near the borders of the Supreme Till'Lynesi Empire. The Rainfall gathered data via subspace sensors from multiple jumps away, studying this strange new phenomenon.  Meanwhile, the fragile peace between the Uthonian Consciousness and the Solar Alliance had broken down. Uthonian space pushed worryingly close to the human home star of Sol, while the alien Uthonian mass-mind had made no efforts to maintain relations with the Humans of the Alliance- it had, in fact, actively provoked them with border incidents over time. The Glorious Compact went to war, in hopes of securing the Uthonian systems in the Coreward Arm and establishing a safe position on its spinward borders. Although the Solar Alliance viewed this as a strategic necessity against a dangerous enemy, this act of aggression nonetheless proved to be unpopular amongst many in the Alliance's population.  By Fourth Quarter, the terraforming process on Cebelrai II had finally run its course, and the initial colonists to homestead this world began to be assembled by the consortium behind the planet's terraforming, promising a major Daeran presence on yet another world.  On 144th Day, Fourth Quarter, 1701 IR, a mere four days before the start of 1702 IR, the final peace treaty for the Great War on Eekryt was signed with the complete and unconditional surrender of the Seeloren Empire to the Allies. The Allies, emboldened by their victory, began to contemplate a bold imperialistic project to spread democracy across the whole of Eekryt by a series of wars, while Daeran contact teams working with the allies worked to spread propaganda, campaign support for politicians, and programs of education in an effort to pull the Allies back from their militaristic course in favor of a future of peace and commerce now that victory was achieved.    First Quarter 1702 brought a pair of notable technological advances. Study and analysis of the crystalline structures discovered by the Rainfall led to a greater understanding of their nature- strange superconductive silicate beings with a seeming intelligence, possibly all dating from a singular event far in past galactic history, fueling self-repair by tapping into light and gravitational flux from a system primary. Study of their superconductive material allowed for Irerarit Survey to develop new superconductive crystalline fibers, helping improve the efficiency of devices and of planetary power grids. Meanwhile, the venerable technology of the hydrogen bomb was effectively translated into a superior spaceborne warhead design to existing warheads, helping strengthen defensive systems on starports and trading stations across Daeran space.  The quarter also brought a troubling development- an increasingly hard-line stance by the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate against the Daeran Insurance Association and its undemocratic form, coupled with a formal bar of Daeran vessels from the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate. Without dramatic action by the Insurance Association, it seemed clear that future trade with the Menjeti would be impossible, and that the Menjeti would, eventually, be a potential long-term astropolitical threat to the Daera. (continued next post) nweismuller fucked around with this message at 09:14 on Oct 11, 2018 |
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Oct 11, 2018 07:49
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Daeran Space and the Known Galaxy as of First Quarter 1702   Industrial antimatter power and supply of heavy industry from deep core mining has greatly bolstered industrial strength on Celed. Heavy industrial infrastructure has nearly all been upgraded to fully modern standards, and planetary incomes have risen. Antimatter has become one of the primary commodities on Daeran exchanges, a product of immense value. As Paridayda's agricultural yields have risen, the agricultural sector on Celed has dropped in importance, with only the most productive farms in the Hag River valley still in operation, while high-tech industries and engineering firms have expanded. Celed is, doubtlessly, the most prosperous planet in known space, barring the ancient worlds of the Till'Lynesi and the Inari running on forgotten technologies.  Relesaed's population remains nearly the same as it was seven years ago, its population growth having been drawn off by emigration to Paridayda. It, too, has taken advantage of new power and mining technologies to bolster its prosperity, although a larger portion of its industrial base remains a generation behind the cutting edge. It remains the most important Daeran world for heavy industry, taking advantage of the new metals deposited by its period asteroid impacts to fuel its factories. The bulk of Relesaed's agriculture has been outcompeted by Paridaydan agriculture, with precision industry and fuel refining growing to fill the gap.  Sedelac's population has actually shrunk, from over ten billion to over nine billion, although more of its surface has been turned over to robotic industry as local agriculture has been nearly abandoned. Local heavy industry is almost entirely upgraded to a fully modern standard, and antimatter power in industry bolsters productivity.  Sejelaril's population has nearly doubled to over eight billion, while the mountains and environmental toxicity that barred certain regions from development have become a thing of the past. The cultural sector, industry, science, finance, and the power grid have all seen great expansion, while the massive fission plants proposed to take advantage of the rich deposits of free fissionables on the surface have proved as productive as was hoped. The growth of the population and the economy have begun to support a growing specialisation of intraplanetary trade, which is hoped to help allow for a better-specialised and more productive planetary economy in the near future.  Paridayda's population has done nothing short of boom, driven by massive immigration over the past seven years. The planet has rushed from a crude frontier economy to a sophisticated and modern economy with firmly integrated trade, modern power generation, expansive robotic industry, state of the art modern medicine, and a truly massive agricultural sector which produces well over half the food grown in Daeran space. More immigrants arrive every day on the paradise planet, which continues to build up more and more infrastructure to support a population now approaching 12 billion, with no sign of its growth slowing soon. Construction of robots to staff heavy industry on the planet continues at a frantic pace.  Scaling up second-generation fusion technology to an industrial scale appears to be a project within the reach of Daeran technology, a project expected to bear fruit in energy prices and industrial productivity as first-generation fusion plants are replaced. Continued tinkering with genetic modification could potentially help adapt Uri or other species who immigrate into Daeran space, helping them live more comfortably in shared environments on worlds terraformed for Daeran preferences. Projects by robotics manufacturers to improve the artificial intelligence of robotics for improved autonomy, although far short of sapient artificial intelligence, should assist the productivity of a robotic workforce that requires a smaller (if still significant) Daeran supervisory role in its operations.  The political landscape of the Daera has grown to accomodate the Alliance for Daeran sciences, who are firmly satisfied with advanced Daeran science and the ongoing agreement with the Curator Order. The Foundation for Prosperity is eager to exploit more rare resources, improving industrial processes and productivity to make a better life for Daera, while the Alliance for Daeran Sciences wishes for little more than convincing another foreign nation to agree to export technological products and materials that could be incorporated into Daeran technology. We have two primary ways we could hypothetically please our current factions more as things stand- one more incoming research agreement or exploiting two more strategic resources, to get us up to five from our current three (engos vapor, XuraGel, and terraforming gasses). Either would get us +5% happiness for a faction- the Alliance for Daeran Sciences or the Foundation for Prosperity, respectively.       The commercial starport cities of Daeran space have grown and prospered over the past seven years. High City over Celed, Port Lustrum over Relesaed, and Fijadshome Station over Sejelaril have seen the greatest success thus far, supporting large populations, bustling commercial ports on a massive scale and massive warehousing districts capable of handling the logistics for immense quantities of goods. Port Venture is close behind, with expanded port facilities and construction underway on more docking berths and warehousing. Port Memoriam lags slightly, although its population has begun to grow by leaps and bounds as new sections are added. A new major commercial starport has been established in the Mintaka system, Xuragate Station, supporting thriving trade in many different commodities to the XuraCorp city-station. It is comparable to size and success to Port Memoriam, and, like Port Memoriam, is expanding in preparation for increased operations.   IASN Central Command has grown in size to support more support facilities, logistics dumps, and command infrastructure for the IASN. IASN Coreward Command, although still little grown, has allowed the Distant Stars Science Consortium to lease a section of the station to establish a major research facility based on probing the exotic physics in the warped space of the black hole the station orbits using the newest subspace sensors.  Daeran space has grown to Mintaka and beyond, with the inexorable expansion of Daeran space, the Hantak Empire, and the Commonwealth of Man leaving ever less unclaimed space between the star nations. The frantic growth of Daeran space has left many potential hiding places for pirates, a matter of concern for insurers and the IASN.  Continued contact with star nations driftward of Daeran space has allowed a fairly accurate map of political borders from the Daeran Arm at the rim to the Far Arm near the core, and into the most coreward portions of the Rimward Arm. The war between the Glorious Compact and the Uthonian Consciousness has thus far been inconclusive, but doubtless, as time passes, matters will change. The Tycan Sovereignty is a relatively small state, caught between the Solar Alliance, the Kaan-Visam Hegemony, and the Uthonian mass-mind on the Far Arm. As the Tycan Sovereignty is a member of the Glorious Compact, it shows up in Solar Alliance colors- the founder of a 'Federation' alliance sets the colors the Federation displays on the map.   There is still some room for expansion driftward along the Coreward Arm and a route back to the Daeran Arm before reaching Hantak territory, while the remaining space between Daeran space and the Commonwealth of man contains a very large planet with abundant oceans that may well be a valuable colonisation prospect.  Driftward, between Daeran and Inari space, the Saldar system contains two easily-terraformed worlds, Anaxador contains valuable metal ores that may prove extremely useful in armor manufacture, and Guwarton contains the precious deposit of liquid metal. Turim and Doria, coreward of Inari space, contain other holy worlds of the Inari, barred to trespassers.  Daeran knowledge now stretches over a greater and greater portion of the galaxy. It seems to be increasingly clear that the Daeran Arm driftward of the High Holy Domain of the Inari and spinward of the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate likely has no active star nations within it at all, providing a very large region the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate could potentially stretch over. Daeran space technically stretches over all four arms, although its presence in the Far Arm and Rimward Arm is minimal, at best. Three different groups of barbaric spaceborne raiders- the solemn and 'honorable' Bavi, the fanatical Hahn-Mur, and the nihilistic and savage Thek'Qlak- make for ominous presences at the farthest reaches of the known galaxy, while the Rimward Arm hosts an ancient automated fortress of terrifying power and immense technological sophistication. The discovery of new ancient treasures left behind by prior civilisations has slowed over the past seven years- evidence that many sites in systems yet to be explored by the Daera have already been thoroughly picked over by other alien surveyors. There will likely still be new and startling discoveries, but, by now, many have disappeared into secure facilities across the galaxy. The growing prosperity and growing territory of the Daera has come with growing risks and potential enemies. The future, still, will be what the Daera make of it. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 08:03 on Oct 11, 2018 |
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Oct 11, 2018 07:49
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Nice post and update! Looking forwards to the discussions and considerations from this one. Lot of potential options for diplomacy seem to be opening up here with the new contacts that have been made with other stellar civilizations.
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Oct 11, 2018 08:01
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Current matters for consideration: 1. The continued progress of Daeran civilisation will soon allow for great new achievements. Beginning to develop new geoengineering techniques to make for more populous and productive planets, cheap and widely-available cybernetic augmentation, genetic engineering to set Daera on the first steps towards truly staggering advances in health, lifespan, and intelligence, seeking the aid of the Ionidean mass-mind to allow deeper and more widespread psionic abilities, or the first steps into astroengineering on a massive scale to create deep-space habitats that can support populations comparable to small worlds for a similarly staggering cost may all be possible. Vote between the alternatives. Yes, I know I put this up for general discussion earlier, but this is the formal vote. If you want your vote counted, vote here. Genetic, psionic, and cybernetic paths are mutually-exclusive. Cybernetic is, in the long term, the lowest investment but the lowest reward, if still quite nice. Genetic will allow us to become, well, exceedingly awesome in multiple ways, and is one I have fairly specific plans for. Psionic is finicky and specialised, but certain of its finicky and specialised bonuses are extremely handy in the long run. 2. The diplomatic situation with the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate is dire. Some Insurance Association analysts believe the situation might be able to be salvaged in the long run with a formal diplomatic commitment by the Insurance Association to respond in defense of the Menjeti if they are attacked, but, short of this step, which would be a staking of diplomatic prestige, the Menjeti will almost certainly become enemies in the long term. Vote yea or nay on attempting to salvage the situation. 3. The continuing growth of Daeran space and the logistics involved may soon allow for one or two new major Daeran starports. The IASN believes that it may usefully be able to make use of another major naval base and task group, either to secure Rimward Arm expansion or to protect the spinward or driftward frontiers of Daeran possessions in the Coreward Arm against Hantak or Human aggression. Vote yea or nay on approving a new naval base, and, if you vote yea, vote between a rimward command, a Commonwealth frontier command, or a Hantak frontier command. 4. There are many options for future Daeran expansion. Spinward along the Coreward Arm or Driftward along the Coreward Arm would claim some of the last space unsecured between Daeran space and either the Commonwealth of Man or the Hantak Empire, with a particularly potentially valuable world to be found between Commonwealth and Daeran frontiers. A focus on consolidation would help address the frankly ridiculous exposure of Daeran spacelanes to piracy at this point, and may secure access to another deposit of rare and valuable materials. Expansion coreward of the Inari would cement control of a region unlikely to be contested by our rivals, but would give access to ores of immense commercial value that will allow for more durable armor and the production of certain industrial equipment of extreme durability. Expansion spinward of the Inari likewise pushes into a safe region, but will give access to a system with two easily-terraformed worlds for future colonisation and the deposits of liquid metal we have discovered. Finally, expansion along the Rimward Arm should allow us access to the large unclaimed portion of the Daeran Arm driftward of Inari space space before it is all claimed by the Interstellar Menjeti Mandate. Ancient mining drones block the access, but, by now, they should prove no match for Task Group Titanium. 5. New hull designs could allow the IASN to support both of its existing task groups with a massive new flagship for heavy fire support, backing up the many smaller vessels. Please vote yea or nay on approving the funding for these new vessels. 6. The IASN also wants the funding for wargames and a proper admiralty staff for Task Group Titanium and any potential third task group. Please vote yea or nay on recruiting new admirals to make sure our task groups are led. (We will otherwise probably use the leader cap on new scientists to aid research on our worlds.) 7. As a discussion point- I am curious about reactions to the Ox'Braxi Confederation, the Solar Alliance, the Tycan Sovereignty, and the Kaan-Visam Hegemony. 8. The sprawling expanse of Daeran civilisation and the new opportunities for colonisation practically beg for new communications, delivery, transportation, and logistics solutions to ease new colonisation and relieve the difficulties of holding such a sprawling star nation together. That said, a focus on social harmony and quality of life on existing Daeran worlds while still expanding (even if at a slightly reduced rate) could help make for an extremely strong, stable, and happy society for the Daera- beyond what they already have. Vote between Expansion and Harmony for our next tradition tree. 9. If you have proposals you want me to put to vote, request them, and I'll approve them (or not). As ever, I am available to answer questions or provide what intelligence I can glean about the state of the galaxy. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 08:49 on Oct 11, 2018 |
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Oct 11, 2018 08:39
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I hope this was enjoyable for everybody, and I'm sorry for it taking a little while. As ever, I hope it was worth it.
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Oct 11, 2018 08:44
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1: Genetic Engineering. We can build a better society. we can build a better species. we have already seen over the decades how we were uplifted by the brain slugs. Imagine what moe we can do if we push ourselves to it. 2: Abstain 3: Yay. Unfortunately we are at a point where we have a plethora of new neighbors. Some friendly. Some hostile. We must show ourselves ready to defend our own space and trade. The isntance with the pirates shows that space is becoming more unwieldy. We must be ready. I vote for a Commonwealth command post. The humans are likely to be threatening in the long term and the Hantak are far more dangerous - but we also know that they do not have our indusrial and technological base. The commonwealth, unfortunately as it might be said, is a greater long term threat. 4: I believe that at this point consolidation is necessary. Our space is wide and spread out, and many of our borders thin and our space not quite as deeply patrolled and settled as it should be. While archaic in terminology, particularly from terrestrial ground based transit for our species ancient traditions of sail.. Think of a small, long, and thin strip of land. This land is in archaic parlance, a highway. Goods travel from one end of it to the other. The highway permits rapid transit of goods and efficient market. But thanks to the thin strip of land that supports the highway, if one section of it goes down then the entire trade lane is threatened. There is little room to move the highway or effectively repair it. It cannot be bypassed. Due to the thinness of the transit availability, the lane cannot be effectively given an alternate course. That will be what happens if sections of our space are isolated by hostiles. Our planets will be isolated from one another. Trade lanes cut. Space segmented. Our economy would be threatened and our citizens put at the risk of blockade and isolation. While this is unlikely I fear that it is potential. The alternatives are a massive military buildup to ensure the safety of our spacelanes at possible ruinous cost which our neighbors will no doubt take as extremely hostile.. Or simply ensuring that our space is wide and thus claimed and not at risk of a potentially hostile neighbor seeing wide galactic lanes they could threaten tos plit us over. 5: Yay 6: Yay 7: Most of these stellar political entities are divergent in nature from our own. Whether they be democratic, oligarchic, monarchic, or despotic. What they are at least for now is seemingly stable. they seem ameniable for now to peace - none are outwardly threatening in their interactions, massively belligerent towards us or thier own citizenry. As such, so long as they greet us fairly I see no reason to not pursue a program of peace, diplomatic engagement, and should they prove ameniable trade. These are potential new markets for us. i see no reason why we cannot expand our frontiers so long as our neighbors are willing to do so. New markets give new pursuits, and greater profit. So long as these new contacts are relatively internally stable, not hostile.. I feel we have more to gain from expanding contacts with those we are unused to culturally than we do by acting belligerently or cautiously so long as it is in turn granted back. I vote for establishment of formal diplomatic rleations , pursuit of general amenity based agreements (peace, non-aggression) and so lon gas on reasonably equitable terms building to trade agreeements and cultural exchanges. I push for extended diplomatic engagements with our neighbors. Non aggression pacts if at all viable and recognition of one another's borders, cultures, space, and governments. As such relations prove equitable the pursuit of trade, research, cultural exchanges or what pursuits we can make wtih them. These will enrich our own specise as well as making our neighbors more benevolently inclined towards us. Against those who are hostile, we will defend ourselves. those whom are monstrous - we will avoid and determine how to engage with. While being ready if we must to engage them. 8: Expansion. We have a lot of space to fill. Many new prosperous areas to spread to. Expansion means we will enrich ourselves, spread our influence, and increase our economy. Definitely worth it nweis! Amazing writing as always wedgekree fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Oct 11, 2018 |
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Oct 11, 2018 09:02
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Two things, wedgekree. I edited the vote for a tradition vote at 8, and an independence guarantee by us towards the Menjeti doesn't obligate us to support them in offensive wars, only if they are defending against aggression. Edit: Oh wait, you did the tradition vote after all.
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Oct 11, 2018 09:04
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Ahh, sorry, I thought it was a defensive pact rather than a guarantor of independence. Edit post coming. Also, I might urge the council to consider approaching the Solar Alliance on allowing us to put neutral forward observers and diplomatic personnel within thier space. This is unfortunately the first conflict between stellar nations we will have observed. We can hopefully glean useful information from watching it - of tactics, ship designs, and observations of methodology. (I am unsure if the game allows this sort of thing or not, but it might be useful for a roleplay or data gathering setup) wedgekree fucked around with this message at 09:29 on Oct 11, 2018 |
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Oct 11, 2018 09:19
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wedgekree posted:Ahh, sorry, I thought it was a defensive pact rather than a guarantor of independence. Edit post coming. We can try and get a sensor data sharing arrangement. I'm not sure if they'll accept it at Neutral, but we can try.
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Oct 11, 2018 09:38
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nweismuller posted:We can try and get a sensor data sharing arrangement. I'm not sure if they'll accept it at Neutral, but we can try. If that's possible without putting a lot of resources into it, that might be fun.
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Oct 11, 2018 09:41
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wedgekree posted:If that's possible without putting a lot of resources into it, that might be fun. It appears that trading them six energy, four minerals, or two food monthly will cover them offering us an active sensor link for thirty years. Thoughts on that price?
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Oct 11, 2018 09:49
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I think it's reasonable from a roleplay perspective. We get information on the battles and our first look at a war. Unfortunate. I'll defer to the rest of the thread as to whether it's a reasoanble price or too much.
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Oct 11, 2018 10:03
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1: Biological ascension all the way 2: Nay. These people are pretty set on hating us, no reason to waste resources placating them. 3: Yea, Commonwealth for the hopes of eventual Human-Daera Hyperwar 4: Spinward in the Coreward arm 5: Yea because more gunboats is always good 6: Yea because we need officers for said gunboats 8: Harmony
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Oct 11, 2018 13:02
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1. Our experiments with orbital habitation have proven fruitful. We have seen time and time again how deep-space habitats can permit a species to survive even the loss of their planets. It is advantageous both in the mid-term and the long-term to devote our resources to astroengineering, and free ourselves from the tyranny of gravity wells once and for all! 2. While the situation with the Menjeti is regrettable, it is entirely their belligerent attitudes that began this rift. As such, the suggested gesture of protection is laughable. Besides which, protecting them from whom, exactly? Their only neighbours are the Ox'Braxi, who would no sooner step foot outside their borders than kill their own mother. The only other possible threat to them are the Inari, and if that conflict comes about, our involvement will be futile and fatal both. Nay, nay, and nay again! 3. I doubt the stability of the Commonwealth at the best of times, and if news of the discovery of Earth reaches them, who knows how they could react? Best to keep a firm wall in between them and us: Yea, and Commonwealth Frontier Command. 4. Consolidation - we should work to secure core Daeran space from piracy. 5. Yea - this is a harsher galaxy than we could have anticipated fifty years ago, and many of our neighbours are unfriendly. We should deter them, to save lives on both sides. 6. Yea - if we would have deterrents, let them be competently outfitted. 7. The Ox'Braxi, while not dictatorships or warmongers, are... disappointing. Faced with the wonders and challenges of the galaxy, and of interspecies cooperation, they chose to shut themselves up in their cold little homes. The Solar Alliance, though, offer hope - hope that the Commonwealth of Man may ultimately be redeemed. We have final proof that humans do not need to be militant, oppressive cloacae! Forgive my stereotyping, but I was rather beginning to wonder if their strident imperialism was an inborn trait rather than an affecta- what? Ah. I hear they have declared war on the Uthonian mass-mind for "looking at them funny". Well, still... The Tycans seem friendlier as their Human partners, if ultimately irrelevant on the galactic stage - the greatest insight to be gained from them is the idea that interstellar governments can cooperate on such a wide scale. What is there to say about the Kaan-Visam Hegemony? They are the obliterators of the self. They take individual beings and brutalise them into a mass-mind. Such a deed is unconscionable. 8. Our administrative framework as it stands is still ultimately rooted in one-planet thinking. We need to tear up these outdated remnants and finally bring our bureaucracy out to the stars. Expansion.
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Oct 11, 2018 14:48
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The latest dev diary on the Stellaris forums gives me a big takeaway about the tradition redesign- Diplomacy has become much more interesting. Federations have been situational for me- I prefer to stick solely with allies that I have few to no major ideological gripes with, and being in a Federation risks being dragged into the warmongering of others- and three of the traditions in the current Diplomacy iteration are Federation-related. The new Diplomacy cuts that down to two, reducing the dead space in the tree if I don't intend to form or join a Federation... and the other three traditions in the tree are focused around improving trade, which is a big deal (especially for me, as if it weren't obvious). Meanwhile, Domination has been changed from the (very situational, but not all that objectionable if you happen to have subjects) subject-oriented tree to the tree ultimately focused on strengthening internal authority and control, which almost immediately moves it from 'a very late tree to pick, except in situational cases' to 'basically the last tree I want to pick ever in a playthrough'. Unless I'm goofing off like an idiot and playing the Arwaki People's Democratic Dictatorship...
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Oct 11, 2018 17:25
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1. Psionics, with a secondary astroengineering focus 2. Nay 3. Yea. 4. Expand wherever feasible, I don't care much 5. Yea 6. Yea 7. No comment. 8. We are yet in a phase of expansion. There is no time to be harmonious, not yet.
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Oct 11, 2018 17:30
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1. cybernetic augmentation, with a secondary astroengineering focus 2. Nay 3. Yea. Commonwealth. 4. Expand wherever...though anything you can do to fill in "holes" and lower Piracy risk is always a good idea. 5. Yea 6. Yea 7. I like the cut of the Solar Alliances's jib. Beyond that no comment. 8. expansion until no longer possible peacefully.
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Oct 11, 2018 22:14
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1. Genetic Engineering 2. Nay 3. Yea, Commonwealth frontier 4. Expansion along the Rimward Arm, we must stake our claims to these unknown but likely bountiful systems before our fiercest competitor, the Menjeti. 5. Yea. Now that our claims are adjacent to rougher empires, we should be prepared for aggressive risk management. 6. yea 7. ---- 8. Expansion
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Oct 12, 2018 01:28
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The IASN, now fairly confident of getting the funding needed to build task group flagships to support existing light forces, has prepared preliminary studies for ship design concepts. Initial planning has settled on three broad concepts, with one concept to be greenlit for actual design and development if the funding approval is formalised at an Insurance Association policy level. 1. The direct engagement design will likely rely on three coilgun and three laser turrets, heavier than the weapons mounts on IASN light vessels, supported by top of the line targeting electronics. This design should be relatively flexible, with excellent performance against the lightest enemy vessels and with firepower that all comes into range at the same time. It will also be the design most exposed to danger even with support and will be relatively less capable of dealing with heavier enemy vessels or stationary defenses. 2. The long-range guided missile design will rely on three missile launchers firing guided fusion warheads. It should be highly accurate against both larger and smaller targets, engage at a very long range, and effectively inflict heavy damage on vessels relying on shield-based defenses, hopefully crippling some vessels early, while relying on its lighter vessels to keep enemies off of it and an array of light weapons for close defense that should be brutally effective against fast, light enemy vessels that close to knife-fight range. It would have less firepower at medium range against larger vessels, but would be superb at helping attack fixed positions and should be good at dealing with the lightest vessels at long and short ranges. It is potentially vulnerable to enemy designs reliant on advanced anti-missile systems, leaving it relatively ineffective, in which case it would primarily have to rely on the smaller vessels of the task group to carry the day. Notable is that the pirates we have dealt with so far appear not to bother with anti-missile point defense. 3. The long-range bombardment design will rely on pouring long-range fire at a similar range to the guided missile design, but instead relying on a pair of very heavy coilgun turrets backed up with a pair of laser turrets of the same size as the ones planned for the direct engagement design. Its heavy guns, even with the advanced targeting electronics planned, will be relatively inaccurate against light ships, but shots that connect will cause heavy damage. Where it will excel is in engaging and destroying heavier vessels or stationary platforms supporting the lightest ships, with significant and reliable firepower at long range against those targets supplemented by increased firepower for any ship that closes to medium range. It will be relatively vulnerable if swarmed by the lightest ships, and will rely on its light escorts to engage other light ships early while it supports from a distance. Discussion of what ship design best fits with current IASN strategic needs is under way. Very quiet discussion on whether or not to investigate contacting Bavi warriors as mercenaries to aid with IASN staffing is underway. The Bavi culture, although torn by constant raids and feuds, has a heavy reliance on 'honor', and analysts believe that Bavi were successfully persuaded to Daeran service, they would be reliable and disciplined personnel that could be trusted to follow IASN policy and avoid legal incidents. The immense degree of deep-space combat experience that Bavi warriors have may well make Bavi mercenaries amongst the most qualified officers available to the Daera. The cost, however, which would be passed on to the Insurance Association which would have to raise it via insurance premiums, would likely be painful compared to simply staffing and trialling top officers for IASN fleets from the Daera themselves. This, of course, assumes the mere attempt will not somehow offend Bavi honor. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 04:05 on Oct 12, 2018 |
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Oct 12, 2018 03:33
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Generally mixed fleets work best. We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket - some variety is good given how space combat seems to sometimes be rock, paper, scissor style. What are the advantages of hiring mercenaries to crew our vessels? Do we hire them full time based upon an initial cost? Must we pay continued wages for them on an ongoing basis so long as the contract lasts?
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Oct 12, 2018 06:12
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wedgekree posted:Generally mixed fleets work best. We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket - some variety is good given how space combat seems to sometimes be rock, paper, scissor style. What we're looking at, at the moment, is a single cruiser per task group to support our corvette swarm we currently have for each task group, so we are mixing the fleets- we're just figuring what cruiser design we want to implement. In this case, we'd be paying... I think it's two or three thousand energy, lump sum, to buy the services of a skilled admiral, rather than the typical 200 we'd use to make a new admiral of our own species. Once the sum is paid, it's assumed the services of any leader aren't so expensive as to need a simulated upkeep, but the process of actually training and recruiting new talent is costly. A Bavi admiral would start at higher level and have access to some unique skills, which might get more fleet performance without needing a lot of combat experience, but... again, the price for the value is high.
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Oct 12, 2018 07:08
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Do we have any evidence of rival powers like the Commonwealth deploying cruisers yet?
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Oct 12, 2018 23:39
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We have little direct evidence one way or another, but analysts suspect that rival powers are likely deploying destroyers by now- and destroyers are enough less evasive than corvettes that heavy turrets will really tear them a new one. It seems unlikely there are many cruisers in use by most rival powers. Even pirates seem to have access to destroyers by now, so... This judgement is based on the fact that we are believed to be the single most technologically advanced of the Young Nations- the leftover deep space barbarians, the great city-stations of the Xuri, Mireesh, and the Kobarians, and the ancient remnants of empires still functioning notwithstanding, as far as the Elder Nations go. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 23:52 on Oct 12, 2018 |
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Oct 12, 2018 23:47
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3 because Destroyers are squishy and bad so they should probably hang around in the back. That or be pickets. Also Yes Mercenaries
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Oct 13, 2018 10:56
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Theantero posted:3 because Destroyers are squishy and bad so they should probably hang around in the back. That or be pickets. Also Yes Mercenaries Destroyers? Planned designs are cruisers. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 13:42 on Oct 13, 2018 |
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Oct 13, 2018 13:37
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nweismuller posted:Destroyers? Planned designs are cruisers. Ah, got a bit confused there. If it's cruisers we should do 1 because Cruisers are the prime facebeaters of a navy.
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Oct 13, 2018 14:28
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Theantero posted:Ah, got a bit confused there. If it's cruisers we should do 1 because Cruisers are the prime facebeaters of a navy. Yeah. To be specific, we're looking at either six medium mounts, three guided missile mounts and six light mounts, or two heavy mounts and two medium mounts. (Broadside bow, broadside core, and broadside stern with a Line computer for option 1, torpedo bow, torpedo core, and gunship stern with an Artillery computer for option 2, or artillery bow, artillery core, and broadside stern with an Artillery computer for option 3.) That actually raises a matter where I can clarify some mechanics for people who are unfamiliar... Each combat ship you build comprises several 'sections', which determine what mounts are available, and several 'core components', which are items essential to the function of any ship. Smaller ships have a higher evasion ration, while smaller gun mounts have less range and less damage efficiency, but a lower tracking, which reduces the effective evasion of a target before evasion is applied to accuracy. To-hit calculations are essentially 'Chance to hit = Accuracy - (Evasion - Tracking)', with the minimum value of (Evasion - Tracking) being 0. Point defense weapons can technically fire against ships, but are quite lame as anti-ship weapons- their advantage is their ability to actually engage missiles and strike craft. Core components are the reactor (which gives you the power budget for the ship- essentially every component we can build except the reactor itself and armor plating spends part of this budget), the hyperdrive (with more advanced drives taking a shorter time to charge jumps between stars), the combat computer (which determines ship behavior and provides varying bonuses depending on computer type), the thrusters (with more advanced thrusters increasing sublight speed and evasion), and the sensors (with more advanced sensors providing increased tracking and the ability to observe further than the system the ship is currently in- relying on the starting radar sensors only allows vision into the current system). Auxiliary components help augment some aspect of ship operations. We can currently fit reactor boosters (expanding the reactor of a ship for a bit more power output), afterburners (heavier thrusters for a bit more speed and evasion), or auxiliary fire-control (loading the ship out with top of the line electronics for increased accuracy). Multiples of the same auxiliary, for ships heavy enough to mount more than one, do stack. Corvettes have a single section, either the Interceptor Core (3 small weapons mounts, 3 small utility mounts, and an auxiliary mount), the Missile Boat Core (1 guided missile mount, one small weapon mount, 3 small utility mounts, and an auxiliary mount), or the Picket Ship Core (2 small weapons mounts, 1 point defense mount, 3 small utility mounts, and an auxiliary mounts). Destroyers have two sections. Available bows are the Artillery Bow (1 large weapon mount and 6 small utility mounts), the Gunship Bow (2 small weapons mounts, 1 medium weapon mount, and 6 utility mounts), or the Picket Ship Bow (2 small weapons mounts, 1 point defense mount, and 6 utility mounts). Available sterns are the Gunship stern (1 medium weapon mount and 1 auxiliary mount), the Interceptor stern (2 small weapons mounts and 1 auxiliary mount), or the Picket Ship Stern (2 point defense mounts and 1 auxiliary mount). Cruisers have three sections. Available bows are the Artillery Bow (1 large weapon mount and 4 medium utility mounts), the Broadside Bow (2 medium weapons mounts and 4 medium utility mounts), or the Torpedo Bow (2 small weapons mounts, 1 guided missile mount, and 4 medium utility mounts). Available cores are the Artillery Core (1 large weapon mount, 1 medium weapon mount, and 4 medium utility mounts), the Broadside Core (3 medium weapons mounts and 4 medium utility mounts), the Hangar Core (1 strike craft squadron, 2 point defense mounts, and 4 medium utility mounts) or the Torpedo Core (2 small weapons mounts, 2 guided missile mounts, and 4 medium utility mounts). Available sterns are the Broadside Stern (1 medium weapon mount and 2 auxiliary mounts) or the Gunship Stern (2 small weapons mounts and 2 auxiliary mounts). Strike craft, incidentally, as currently implemented in Stellaris are fairly underwhelming, even if you have any strike craft beyond the basic scout squadrons developed. Which we don't. I'm not going to be relying on strike craft for our designs. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 15:11 on Oct 13, 2018 |
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Oct 13, 2018 14:36
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Let's go with Long Range Bombardment
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Oct 13, 2018 15:01
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Long bombardment and mercenaries
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Oct 14, 2018 01:23
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winterwerefox posted:Long bombardment and mercenaries No opinion on the main update vote? It's still open, for now.
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Oct 14, 2018 01:41
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nweismuller posted:No opinion on the main update vote? It's still open, for now. 1. Psionics, because of the brain slugs and psionic ocean seem to be pushing the Daera toward that naturally. 2. Placating them seems like a futile effort baring a total rework of Daeran society from oligarchy to democracy. Nay 3. Commonwealth Frontier 4. Consolidation 5. Yes Cruisers 6. Yes Admirals 7. No opnion 8. Expansion seems like a safe bet. Harmony gives little to a society that is happy and wealthy as it is. WE have a lot of territory to drop bases on
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Oct 14, 2018 04:20
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1. Genetic engineering and secondary astroengineering. 2. Nay. 3. Commonwealth frontier command. 4. Expansion is primary, first Spinward along the Coreward Arm towards the Commonwealth of Man, and after our borders meet, Driftward along the Coreward Arm towards the Hantak Empire. When borders again meet, re-evaluate the situation. 5. Yea 6. Yea 7. We can probably live peacefully with the Ox'Braxi Confederation, the Solar Alliance and the Tycan Sovereignty. The Kaan-Visam Hegemony however are going to be a problem eventually. 8. Expansion first.
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Oct 14, 2018 10:51
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1. Genetic Engineering. 2. nay 3. Hantak frontier command. 4. Driftward along the Coreward Arm 5. yea 6. yea 7. Always good to see a Noble Republic  8. Expansion
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Oct 15, 2018 04:21
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It looks like we'll be going for advanced genetic engineering and we'll start with some consolidation for expansion, with long-range bombardment cruisers. Everything else seems pretty uncontroversial.
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Oct 15, 2018 04:33
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A final vote for people- as the Insurance Association was grown and spread across the stars, it has become an increasingly efficient and effective society adapted to its existence at interstellar scales, with a robust institutional framework. One of the most notable benefits of this institutional framework was... 1. ... increasingly efficient and productive heavy industrial corporations, mining firms, and robotics manufacturers, with a net increase in output of industrial goods across Daeran space. 2. ... a society completely dedicated to meritocratic principles. There is little room for indulgence or nepotism when the ability of your personnel can prove the difference between success or failure in a relentlessly competitive society. 3. ... an Insurance Association with a highly efficient judicial and administrative system. Although the Insurance Association had always been notably efficient in its operations, helping ease its development into a civilisation of its scope, it had potential to become even more efficient, with clear lines of communication and easily-accessible records backed by solid logistical expertise smoothing its continued expansion.
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Oct 15, 2018 07:00
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