April, Year 11
The terraforming of New Hope is complete! The Terraforming Fleet, now five ships strong and led by the intrepid Commander Damien Jarret, now moves on to Tiruchirappalli B-V to begin work there. B-V possesses a breathable atmosphere, but is frigid and ice-locked, and must be warmed up considerably before it can be considered a habitable planet.
The colonists, who are preparing on New Iowa, plan to name their new planet Einstein, in honor of the twentieth century physicist. While Einstein has significant deposits of most trans-uranic minerals, including a very large deposit of sorium at higher availability levels than on New Iowa, its primary function will be as a research center specializing in construction and production techs, hence the name.
With the completion of terraforming on New Hope, the Cargo Group is tasked with transferring infrastructure from New Hope to Einstein, so that the transshipment of colonists can begin.
December, Year 17
Research on the new Planetary Defense Missile is complete. Until now, the Republic has deployed only ICBM?s in its planetary defense centers. The ICBM design emphasized warhead strength at the cost of everything else, and the missiles had an endurance of only 16 seconds, giving them a maximum range of only 32,000 kilometers. Officially, the ICBM?s were intended as area denial systems, to attack any invader that might reach the surface of New Iowa. In reality, the Republic uses the strategic missile force to ensure compliance from its member cities and states.
Recently, the Republic has come to realize that the ICBM force was useless against targets beyond close orbit, and so the new Planetary Defense Missile was commissioned as a counter-balance against the Navy, which was itself intended to ensure the loyalty of the colonies.
March, Year 18
The Senate authorizes the construction of asteroid mining ships for the exploitation of the asteroid belt in the A component of the Quad-System.
January, Year 19
With the terraforming of Einstein well underway, and its population at a healthy 17.6 million, work is begun on the colony for Tiruchirappalli B-VI. In keeping with the name selected for B-V, the new colony?s name will be Newton, indicating that it too will be a research colony. Unlike the labs on New Iowa and Einstein, the Navy will largely control the labs on Newton.
March, Year 19
The Prime Minister?s Office decides to increase the transport of undesirables from New Iowa to New Hope once the colony transports are finished taking the initial colonists to Newton.
March, Year 20
Three new City Mk 2 class cruisers are launched from the orbital yards. This is a significant enlargement of the fleet, and is largely because of increased unrest on the colonies. Three more City Mk 2?s are immediately laid down, along with three Invasion class troop transports. Unlike the cruisers, the Invasion class troop transports will be under the command of the Federal Intervention Corps.
December, Year 20
The terraforming of Einstein is complete. Commander Damien Jarret, now in command of fourteen Gaia class terraformers, orders his group to Newton to begin operations there.
December, Year 20 of the New Era
New Iowa:
Population: 1,024.6 Million
Shipyards/Slipways: 4/10
Maintenance Fac: 55
Mass Driver: 11
Const. Fac: 860
Ord. Fac: 70
Fuel Ref: 150
Mine: 860
R-Labs: 32
GFTF: 3
Naval Academies: 4
Deep Space Tracking Stations: 4
Sector Command: 1
New Hope:
Population: 33.6 Million
CF: 130
Mine: 214
Deep Space Tracking Stations: 2
Einstein:
Population: 19.32 Million
Mines: 70
RL: 5
Mass Drivers: 1
Deep Space Tracking Stations: 2
Newton:
Population: 2.4 Million
RL: 1
Furnace:
Mass Driver: 3
AM: 350
Fleet:
10xFreighter
3xColony Ships
5xCA?s
5xPDC?s
1xGeo Survey Ship
14xTerraformer
Year 20 update:
General
Three of the six inner planets of Quad-B have been terraformed. One, Furnace, is technically terraformable but likely will never be terraformed due to the inherent difficulty involved in turning a planet so close to its sun into a life-bearing world. This leaves two planets to be terraformed, Newton and Quad-B II.
The New Iowan Army
The Army has been expanded over the last ten years, but ongoing budget battles between the Prime Minister and the Senate have sapped the ability of both the FIC and the Army to grow. Most of the available resources of New Iowa have been focused on expanding the Terraforming Corps and building up the colonies.
The New Iowan Navy
The Navy has grown to comprise five City class cruisers in two squadrons. While the Navy has been allowed to research new technologies, the ban on developing new systems has continued. The Navy continues to be low morale and in spite of its recent growth continues to struggle to obtain funding.
Terraforming Corps
The Terraforming Corps has managed to maintain its popularity and continues to receive the public?s enthusiastic backing and support. The Corp?s leaders have been adroit in using this popularity to build significant political clout within the Senate. Current plans call for an ongoing expansion of the Terraforming Corps to include twenty Gaia class terraformer ships.
Federal Intervention Corps
The FIC continues to be the mailed fist of the Prime Minister. They have been locked in a battle with the Army for funding, and as noted above, the result has been a stalemate.
Planetary Defense Network
The PDN continues to receive the support of both the Senate and the Prime Minister. The PDN is not enthusiastic about the Navy or its expansion, and the new Planetary Defense Missile is direct result.
Explorer Mk 2 class Geosurvey Ship 4950 tons 450 Crew 945 BP TCS 99 TH 240 EM 0
2424 km/s Armour 1 Shields 0-0 Sensors 20/0/0/0/5 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Replacement Parts 20
Nuclear Pulse Engine (6) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres Range 249.3 billion km (1190 days at full power)
Thermal Sensor, Medium (1) Sensitivity 20 Detect Signature 100: 2m km
Geological Survey Sensors (5) 5 Survey Points
This is an update to the venerable survey ship design, to include new engines.
City Mk 2 class Cruiser 6300 tons 634 Crew 615 BP TCS 126 TH 320 EM 240
2539 km/s Armour 1 Shields 8-300 Sensors 20/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 20
Replacement Parts 15
Nuclear Pulse Engine (8) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres Range 146.9 billion km (669 days at full power)
Alpha R300/8 Shields (8) Total Fuel Cost 64 Litres per day
Thermal Torpedo (4) Range 60,000km TS: 3200 km/s Power 5-1 ROF 25 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
Main Fire Control (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 1500 km/s 83 67 50 33 17 0 0 0 0 0
Pebble Bed Reactor (1) Total Power Output 6 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Thermal Sensor, Medium (1) Sensitivity 20 Detect Signature 100: 2m km
Active Sensor, Large/Long (1) GPS 1600 Range 16.0m km Resolution 40
Active Sensor, Small/Close (1) GPS 100 Range 1,000k km Resolution 5
The City class not only received the new nuclear pulse engines, but an upgraded power plant. The space saved by installing the newer and more efficient power plant was devoted to increasing the shield strength. The government approved these enhancements largely because they did not materially affect the combat strength of the ship, and because even the Senate had to admit that the Navy needed to maintain a speed advantage over the civilian fleet.
Colony Ship Mk 2 class Colony Ship 6000 tons 295 Crew 865 BP TCS 120 TH 280 EM 0
2333 km/s Armour 1 Shields 0-0 Sensors 5/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Colonists 50000 Cargo Handling Multiplier 5 Replacement Parts 5
Nuclear Pulse Engine (7) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 102.8 billion km (510 days at full power)
Thermal Sensor, Small (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Signature 100: 0.5m km
This design is classed as a freighter for maintenance purposes
Freighter Mk 2 class Freighter 6000 tons 270 Crew 415 BP TCS 120 TH 280 EM 0
2333 km/s Armour 1 Shields 0-0 Sensors 5/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Cargo 25000 Cargo Handling Multiplier 5 Replacement Parts 5
Nuclear Pulse Engine (7) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 102.8 billion km (510 days at full power)
Thermal Sensor, Small (1) Sensitivity 5 Detect Signature 100: 0.5m km
This design is classed as a freighter for maintenance purposes
Gaia Mk 2 class Terraformer 11000 tons 860 Crew 1680 BP TCS 220 TH 80 EM 0
363 km/s Armour 1 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Replacement Parts 30
Terraformer: 3 module(s) producing 0.0075 atm per annum
Nuclear Pulse Engine (2) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 28.0 billion km (892 days at full power)
This design is classed as a non-combatant for maintenance purposes
The Terraforming Corps has no intention of refitting existing ships to this standard, as the improvements are seen as relatively minor, but all new ships will be built as Mk 2?s.
Asteroid Miner class Asteroid Miner 11000 tons 860 Crew 1680 BP TCS 220 TH 80 EM 0
363 km/s Armour 1 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Replacement Parts 30
Asteroid Miner: 6 module(s) producing 120 tons per annum
Nuclear Pulse Engine (2) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 28.0 billion km (892 days at full power)
This design is classed as a non-combatant for maintenance purposes
Invasion class Troop Transport 6000 tons 245 Crew 425 BP TCS 120 TH 40 EM 150
333 km/s Armour 1 Shields 5-300 Sensors 1/0/0/0/0 Damage Control 0-0 PPV 0
Troop Capacity 4 Divisions Replacement Parts 5
Nuclear Pulse Engine (1) Power 40 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 40 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 51.4 billion km (1785 days at full power)
Alpha R300/8 Shields (5) Total Fuel Cost 40 Litres per day
Again, the low speed of this ship reflects the fact that this ship is intended to operate in the inner system of Quad-B, and thus does not need any more speed.
Missiles
Planetary Defense Missile: Size 12, Spd ? 8,000 kps, Range ? 664,000 km, Whd - 6
That's it for now. As always, comments are welcome.
Kurt
