Aurora 4x

Fiction => Starfire => Topic started by: procyon on March 20, 2010, 09:08:34 PM

Title: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 20, 2010, 09:08:34 PM
For those who wish to say their peace, point out my (rather frequent) mistakes, or just feel like letting their thoughts be known.  Thank you to those who read the story, it makes it all the better to write when you know someone is reading it.
All the best,
Procyon
(For any that are curious, procyon was my call sign in the military.  They let me know I was the little dog on the porch.)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on March 20, 2010, 09:20:51 PM
I am enjoying the read.

I like underdog stories but I think that the (older?) sister may have bitten off more than she can chew!

The Chinese seem to get dealt blow after blow militarily but seem to have caught a break with the shields.

The US appears to be on an even keel.

The Pan Euro look like the strongest, but this latest chapter (at time of writing this post) seems to have them about to loose some hefty assets.

Keep it up :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on March 20, 2010, 09:39:18 PM
It doesn't look like any of them are paying much attention to income growth. Not that I can blame them too much with the imminent threat they face.

Is there any particular reason none of them have bases protecting their off Earth assets?

And I think your daughter needs to absorb some non-aligned earth nations. :)

Actually, from previous comments you've made, it sounds like this campaign has ended and you've started something else. Any chance we'll get to see the new stuff?

Keep up the stories, they're great!

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 21, 2010, 03:13:23 AM
Here's a couple quick answers, to the best of my knowledge.  I don't always know the kids' or my wife's reasons, but these are the best guesses at some.

As for the older sis and biting off more than she could chew - I agree.  She wasn't at all familiar with some of the parts of the game.  She was comfortable with 3rd/R and 4th Ed.  But she had always liked to run smaller empires and make her money off of freight lines, hiring out to the other players, and exploiting systems they didn't want.  She stayed under the radar per se while the others competed for top dog.  She made her money off low maintenance/small fleet, hid her warships in her FT's, and was a good commerce raider/deal maker.  (Thank goodness she is an artist.  If she became a used car dealer, the world could suffer for it.)  In this game with the CP engines and small incomes translating to small FT fleets, she found her penchant for running FT lines was actually going to cost her money instead of make it.  With no warp points to work off of, she didn't have any unclaimed territory to park on.  The weapons/no drives made her FT-warships overly vulnerable.  Her prior strategy just didn't work and for quite a while she was a fish out of water and really struggled.  She persevered, but it takes quite a while.

The Chinese get hammered for a while.  I don't want to give any spoilers, but they are the one to watch for the coming months.  It starts to get REAL interesting starting with the end of November.


The US-Euro alliance gave them the biggest military strength, but they both operated small ships for the most part.  They understood they were flying garbage cans with firepower.  Against the Nemotians, they understood they were mostly a paper tiger without shields or drive fields.

As for income growth, they had gotten used to 3rd, and liked the slower pace of growth they used in it.  It took time to emplace populations and grow them.  Most of your income growth came from TL advances.  After a 4th Ed with rather rapid growth, they were looking for a more TL increase oriented game.  I think I put it in the preface (maybe not) that they were only growing on the 10th turns, and pop was only growing 1.5% every ten turns.  The low FT fleets, and high cost (x3 normal) of shipping made moving more than one or two PTU a turn a real poor investment.  Most CFN fleets were only big enough to move 10 or 12 PTU a turn a most.  Building FT's for the Govt Pool actually lost money for an empire (the 20% going to EL research plus maint was more than a speed 1 FT made by a long ways.  I allowed them to get x3 income for renting to keep it in line with CFN shipping costs, but FT's still lost money for you if you kept them).  Slow growth, no money in FT's, and almost no settlement oportunities kept a tight lid on income for quite a while.  I had also ruled that each planet/AB had to be individually surveyed (at a reduced cost in survey pts), so the only bodies past the main belt that were surveyed (in the first 10 turns) for colonization were the US Trojans - and they didn't want to be the only out system targets.

As for off earth bases, the SS of the US/Euro/China were all armed, but (I think) they had thought that it was going to be a game that involved more fluid competion for the outer planets, and then I am sure they planned to be jumping to other systems rather quickly.  I think (don't know) that they had an agreement to leave each other alone inside the belt (notice no interplayer combats even when tensions were high or opportunities present in these first few turns inside the belt), and when they found the outsystem dificult to occupy, didn't bother with fortifying in those areas (it would have been a waste in my opinion for these first turns) - and didn't have the spare income or construction assets for a while to do it with the inner system.  With their low income, the low maint of stationary defenses would have been a plus.  On the other hand, with no tractors, they couldn't build and them move things to where they wanted.  The mobile shipyard's build rate of 4 HS a turn was awfully slow, and made building a base in the belt a big gamble.  I know the middle boy (China) considered it and talked to me about it.  But he was sure that Ceres would get hit before he could finish even a BS0 (he was right).  With shields popping up for him, bases dropped LOW on the priority list.  REFITS jumped to the top.

As for this game, it is still going (at turn 93 now).  It just isn't the only game going.  My family has rather varied interests.  We have two starfire games running at the moment with different themes (the other is about 40 or so turns in - I'm writing during my break and don't have anyway to check), a zombie survival game (the boys love it), and a game that includes the nine and six year olds with the big kids called Grimm based in fairy tales that makes all the players into 9-12 year olds (they all actually like to play, and the little folks don't feel so overwhelmed - the oldest girl runs a lot of that one, she loves fairy tales/is a big daydreamer/and makes some really cute and cool stories.)  We have one other game that is kind of in the test stages (playtest), but I don't know if I can talk about that one publicly or not, so I won't for the moment.

As for the daughter absorbing non-aligned nations, I felt bad for her too - but it doesn't happen.  Keep rooting for her though - she's a quiet and determined little gal.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the story and thanks again.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: cjblack on March 22, 2010, 12:59:28 AM
One comment on R&D costs:  The percentage costs for EL research (and also item development) only apply to income from PU/IU.  FT leasing, CC revenue, trade income, tribute from occupied populations, etc. are not included.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 22, 2010, 03:04:06 AM
Your right about the R&D costs, but with a paper and pencil game with my wife and the kids, some shortcuts on the math were found to be neccessary early on.  The middle boy and oldest girl were only 9 and 12 respectively when they started playing, and making them keep track of too many numbers made them lose interest.  (They were definitely in it for the fighting at that point.)  It was just easier to just total up everything and go from there than make them keep track of a number of separate totals.  But it helped so much with their math skills I really wanted them to stay with it.
My wife and oldest boy just got used to that way of figuring costs.  Its another house rule that we probably could have done away with by the time this game started.  When this one got going they were 12 and 15. We just never have dropped it, but you are very right.  And it would have helped them a lot with their limited incomes.  In this game, every nickel counted.
Perhaps on the next game we will drop that way of figuring R&D costs.  Of course by then the current 9 and 6 year old may be the new players, so maybe not.  Time will tell, and thanks.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Hawkeye on March 22, 2010, 04:51:30 AM
Quote
Thanks for reading, and please don't think my family is as dysfunctional as it sounds.
We really do love each other (most days).

Well, "In love and war..."  :)

Looking forward for more
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on April 01, 2010, 03:38:38 PM
You know, I really hope China gets pasted. I hate to say it but his type just rub me the wrong way most of the time.

At the same time, I'm rooting for the FSC.

I really hope your random events even out too. They seem to be rolling all in China's favor. :)

Latest turn was really quite interesting and I can't wait for Feb now!

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 02, 2010, 12:47:17 AM
You would never recognize China away from the gaming board.  He is the one who will bend over backwards for the other kids.  If one is grounded from candy, he will try and sneak them his because he can't stand to see them suffer.  Picks up his sisters chores when she has play practices, and does laundry for mom when she is at work.
Give him something to compete for, and that all goes away.  His motto in this area is if you are fighting fair - you don't want to win bad enough.  He is murder on the football field.

The random rolls do seem to love China.  They hated everybody else here at the start.  Sorry.  Did make for a decent story.  What comes easy is oft taken for granted.  The US/Euro and especially the FSC are real proud of what they accomplished as the story progressed.

Writing Feb is going to take a bit.  The last 13 turns have at most 4 pages of play notes.  Feb has 14.  Patience, it is worth it.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 10, 2010, 01:34:58 AM
Sorry it took a bit to get this part (Feb 2204 pt 2) done.  My wife's sister and three kids came to visit for a week.  Some things just had to wait.  

My wife told me so in no uncertain terms.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on April 22, 2010, 05:15:12 PM
Ya know, the Chinese are just walking away with this. It's annoying. :) And with his other out system colony at Venus not getting any attention at all it looks like he's going to be staying on top. At least he finally cooperated a little bit with the Mars defense, that was lucky for the US. Not that any of his ships survived. At least the reduced maintenance for the US and EU should help.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: cjblack on April 22, 2010, 11:46:57 PM
I think China only has a shipyard at Venus, given that type V planets are permanently uninhabitable for Terrestrial races in Starfire.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 23, 2010, 01:08:53 AM
As to the station at Venus, yes it is only a space station/shipyard. He keeps it so that he can build ships,etc without the other players spying on him.  No populations and no CFN to worry about snooping on him.  China's only off world population was at Ceres in the asteroid belt, and it just went away.

The bad news for you mavikfelna, China wasn't helping the US defend Mars at that point.  He just really wanted payback on the aliens for nuking Ceres. It was pretty much just an enemy of my enemy thing.  I kind on think the middle boy (china) was still sore about losing every engagement early on/being ganged up on by mom and his older brother.
Nuking his sisters only RDS earlier on was just mean though.

(slight spoiler alert)
You probably won't be happy to hear that it will get even worse for the US/Euro before this month is over.  
Really bad in some cases.
Mars isn't out of the woods yet.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 23, 2010, 10:11:07 PM
My oldest boy is putting together a write up of the other campaign we just started a little bit back.  They are all based off of one original campaign, and his is the actual continuation of the original.  It would currently have about 150+ turns of history in the previous parts, but has been slightly 'reinvented' to allow the players to grow without having to rub shoulders with all of them sharing the same home system. It is currently about 20+ turns in.   If you are interested in seeing the other more traditional half of the Nemesis Campaign (known as the Empires, or now New Empires campaign), give it a look.  I put together the forward for it as he was gone for a number of months to basic and AIT for the army and would have been missing part of what had happened if he had written it up.  He goes by drakar if you need to find him.

The link is
http://www.starfiredesign.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=42 (http://www.starfiredesign.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=42)

(hope I got that right - the web filter where I am at blocks me when I try to check)
(if not he will likely fix it)

Otherwise thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the stories.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: drakar on April 23, 2010, 10:13:55 PM
You have the correct link. Hopefully bringing more of an audience over to the SDS site will also hopefully increase the count of players and members there as well. There is always a welcoming to new or returning players.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: drakar on April 25, 2010, 01:37:53 AM
Not going to lie I feel bad for the poor saps on this rendition of the campaigns Hancock I had much better luck against worse odds and mine is still flying 170 turns in...
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 27, 2010, 06:18:54 AM
For now........ (evil SM grin forming   :twisted:    )
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: drakar on April 27, 2010, 12:46:35 PM
I don't for see them going down anytime soon. Something about that vessel just has about the same luck as your Patrol Corvette 17
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on April 28, 2010, 12:48:30 PM
Good read as always, interesting to see the ebb and flow of power and was expecting a Euro/US domination as long as they stood together.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: cjblack on May 01, 2010, 01:11:16 AM
Given the small size of both the Nemotian populations and all the human colonies they've so far encountered, they ought to really freak out when they finally get something within sensor range of Earth and find out just how big its population is.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 01, 2010, 06:09:27 AM
Hey CJ !!
No reading ahead !!! :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 26, 2010, 04:53:01 AM
Sorry to leave it kind of on a cliff hanger, but there is just no way I will be able to get this month done before I leave.  I will try to get one more part of the story done before Friday, but no guarantees.

I also apologize for all the typos.  My wife hasn't been able to proofread several of them.  I will fix them up when I get back in a few weeks.

Hope you have enjoyed the story so far, and thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on May 26, 2010, 05:00:14 AM
Pesky real life getting in the way again  :shock: Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on May 26, 2010, 04:01:27 PM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! No, you can't leave, not yet! We have to see what happens! ::wails::

Very good writeup, enjoying it alot.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ZimRathbone on May 30, 2010, 06:33:16 AM
Oh yes, nicely done - noe we all chew our fingers waiting for the next installment!

Very enjoyable
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: IanD on June 08, 2010, 02:27:31 AM
Welcome back and please hurry with the rest of the AARs :D

Regards
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 08, 2010, 02:36:36 AM
Thank you and its good to be back. :oops:
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 15, 2010, 04:15:16 AM
Although there are fewer turn notes, it looks like this month will take even more to write up than Feb 04  :( .  There is quite a bit to go through, and the overview at the end is going to take up a lot of space.  A lot happened this month that will have to be explained for it all to make sense.

But it did make for a fun game (for me at least, not sure if the players would all agree), and hopefully a good story.

As always, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: cjblack on June 15, 2010, 04:56:50 PM
Nice write-up, as usual.  Two problems with the EU ships' use of evasive maneuvers, though:

1.  Pt ignore the first point of EM, and
2.  Cp cannot use EM anyway.

Or were those both house ruled away?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 16, 2010, 01:06:33 AM
I'll give the long winded explanation in the overview (one of the reasons it will be long one), but here is the explanation in a nutshell for those who are interested.

This was the month the oldest boy brought to my attention that Plasma Torpedoes don't do x3 dmg vs no drive field  :|

Our previous games had only one minor race that used PT, and my inexperience with PT's, and the Ultra rules, kind of got us into a bit of a bind on this one  :? .  We house ruled it away because the players were fairly proud of what they had accomplished, and didn't want to start over (well, the oldest girl may have, but she didn't push the subject.  Her little project she was working on had her fairly excited.)

This was our test game for the Ultra rules and a number of systems (Cp, Pt, others to be divulged later...), so we made our share of mistakes and tweeked things as we went to suit ourselves.

With many apologies for our waltzing all over the rules, I hope this sheds some light on what has been going on this month.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Maximillian on June 16, 2010, 01:54:57 AM
Quote
With many apologies for our waltzing all over the rules, I hope this sheds some light on what has been going on this month

No worries, we just want more.  :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on June 16, 2010, 05:52:04 AM
I have no problem with you waltzing over rules.  If anything it has allowed you to tell an even better story.  For me this is all about the story.  So keep up the good work  :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on June 16, 2010, 11:20:14 AM
Rules? What rules!? :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on June 25, 2010, 11:11:31 PM
Stupid cliffhangers!!!! *shakesfist*
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 29, 2010, 02:55:52 AM
Quote from: "Beersatron"
Rules? What rules!? :( .

And then she changes them...... :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on June 29, 2010, 05:11:57 AM
After reading your last installment, it looks like someone is in trouble...  I just can't decide which side  :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on June 29, 2010, 12:18:29 PM
Has there not been any worthy news from the smaller nation?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 02, 2010, 12:50:11 AM
The oldest girl pretty much hid during this month.  Not that she had much choice with her only warship in for refits.

I had planned on, and even made the outline on,  a few sections updating where the FSC was on research,economics, etc.

But with this month just getting longer and longer, I decided to cut a few thing I was planning on writing up for the month.

The FSC wasn't the only thing cut. I really hated dropping the piece on T Frank and the 13th Mech going from the relief of finally securing PV12, to finding out they were going straight to Neptune and more combat. But it and others, although neat, went by the wayside so this month wouldn't string out to 15 or 16 parts.  Some of it I hope to include or rework into coming months.  

But yes, the FSC, with nothing much going on, got cut pretty hard in the posts.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 05, 2010, 02:07:09 AM
Quote from: "welchbloke"
After reading your last installment, it looks like someone is in trouble... I just can't decide which side :D


Just refer to one of Murphy's Laws of Combat.....

When in battle, and both sides think they are about to lose,
They are both right.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on July 05, 2010, 05:33:13 AM
Quote from: "procyon"
Quote from: "welchbloke"
After reading your last installment, it looks like someone is in trouble... I just can't decide which side :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 18, 2010, 03:10:03 AM
Sorry if I've been slow to post of late.

My wife's New Euro in our other Starfire game has been contesting a system with two other races, and it has see sawed back and forth several times now.  She is holding it for the moment, but it is a tenuous situation for her.

The other project has been 'converting' the old Nemesis Campaign ships over to SFB's.  We drew up a 'conversion chart' translating the systems into SFB boxes, drew up some ships on Paint to put them in, got out the sublight rules for SFB, and away we went.  It's been kind of fun re-enacting some of the old battles with new rules.

Hopefully I can get more writing done in the next few days.  Unless we end up playing games the whole time.... :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: cjblack on July 24, 2010, 11:43:47 PM
So the Nemotians just finished st and started XOa & Da, and the Euro is starting Rb?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 25, 2010, 10:23:49 PM
Good call CJ.  That is where it stands for both of them.
Will cover a little more in depth on the Overview.
Should be able to post a little later tonight for the last part of the month.
Busy night, sick babies take a lot of work sometimes.... :(
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: boggo2300 on July 26, 2010, 12:34:46 AM
Just something thats been niggling away at me, are engine tech's locked out for this campaign? or is it just that they havent been on anyones development radar?

Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 26, 2010, 01:38:54 AM
Ok, another nurse is giving me 10 minutes for a sandwich, cup of coffee, and a chance to breathe.
Then it will be back to the struggle.

Matt, answering the questions borders on a spoiler, but if you are curious, here it is.
(for those who aren't, or would rather wait, don't read)

If we were going to start a new game in Ultra, we didn't want just the same old routine.
In the Empires game we were running (now become the New Empires), you will find the standard drives, etc.

For this game, since we were really trying Ultra out, we decided to see what it could do.
So we pitched most of the normal drives.  Don't look for I, J, etc.
WP also went away.
And with only one SA per player, there was a real incentive not to try for breakthoughs.
Tying it up on a 'maybe', if you could make real progress on something else, wasn't high on their 'to do' lists.
Most of their breakthroughs came from lucky research rolls.

We did keep one inertialess drive, and the ability to jump between stars.
If you are curious and want to peek at what the future holds, and how it works in a nutshell, hop over to the SDS site in their forums.
Check under Cosmic or General Starfire's heading (not sure which), under Starfire without WP's.  I think my entry is on whatever is currently still the last page.
Maybe the next to last.  I can't get to that site while I'm at work.  

Somebody apparently made an arcade style computer game called starfire, so the hospital's web filter shuts down links to any site with that in its name.  There are a few spots in the Aurora site that don't have starfire anywhere in the link/text, so I can sneak in here.  Once I'm on the site, I can get around without a problem.

No internet where I live.  Phone lines are to bad, no cable, and the hills block the LOS to just about every satelite.
So I check in here while I'm at work on my breaks.  

Times up.
Back to little needles, little tubes, and lots of prayers...
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 26, 2010, 06:15:39 AM
Well, some sick babies are hard to fix,
And some there is just no fixing...

But for tonight, the good guys won.

In games, strife can be fun,
but in real life, I'm all about the happy endings.

Few more hours of charting and I can go home.

But for the moment, I'll get this next part posted.
Thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 11, 2010, 12:25:56 PM
Sorry it took a while to post August part 2.  The computers have been down at work while we change owners/systems.
Using my mom's PC while I visit her.

Will have part 3 out shortly.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on September 04, 2010, 01:06:33 AM
Well, our computers are back up at work, but they upgraded the web filter.
Its taken awhile to figure out a way back to this site, but I've finally gotten a reliable path.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on September 04, 2010, 03:31:54 PM
Quote from: "procyon"
Well, our computers are back up at work, but they upgraded the web filter.
Its taken awhile to figure out a way back to this site, but I've finally gotten a reliable path.

Welcome back! :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on September 21, 2010, 11:42:22 PM
Still about Procyon?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on September 25, 2010, 05:16:46 AM
FOUND YOU !
I'm not real good at hide and seek on the computer.  The link I had used before to get to Aurora would only give me a "Can not display page", so I had no idea what had happened.  Was a little concerned the site had shut down  :(.
To make it worse, my mother was away on her first ever (and rather long) vacation to Europe.  She just got home on the 21st.  I was able to find out what the new site was the next day, and have spent the last few trying to find a reliable way into the site that the hospital's web filter won't block.
I didn't have my jump drive with me tonight, so the latest post is just something I've thrown together and redone from the actual no.7.  With no way back to the site (and not sure if it was there), I haven't really put lots into cohesive writing.  The actual August no.7 is now a MASS of text and going on its third rewrite.  I will try and put it into something fit for posting on the site this weekend.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on October 17, 2010, 12:01:10 AM
I was beginning to think that you had been permanently barred from the forums!

I predict an all-or-nothing Battle Royale in the future :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Erik L on October 17, 2010, 12:06:32 AM
In theory, there should be a notice on the old site directing people to the new one.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 17, 2010, 04:21:46 AM
I found this site existed when I got to my mother's house and checked on her computer.  Problem was I don't go staight to your old home page (or this one) to get into the site because it is blocked by my work.  The address I used to get to the old site just gave me that the web page couldn't be displayed.  After I found out about the new site, it was just a matter of being able to find a way in that wasn't blocked by the hospital's web filter.

As for this last post being even slower than I had hoped, I discovered that infant boys should never be changed within 3 feet or so of your work station.  Little guy took out the tower and my flash drive in one 'shot'  :o.  I've spent the last few nights copying my old posts one at a time so that I could get started again.  I now have a back up on the computers at home to avoid just such an incident.

I did discover that September 2203 part 3 was missing from the posts on this site when I went back through and copied them, so I sat down tonight and retyped it from the hard copy book my wife and kids keep to read.  I will be posting it here in a few minutes as an edit on to the end of Sept 2203 part 2.  Sorry nothing new yet, give me a few days.  This has been a horrible last few weeks at work.  Lots and lots of babies, plus the start of the flu season for us (came early this year).  Then cut three of the RN's that can staff the NICU and my short weeks here have been over 50 hours.

At least the kids are hoping for a good Xmas with the extra $ in the paychecks.

Part 9 should be done in a few days.  Hold on.
I predict an all-or-nothing Battle Royale in the future :)

Without saying much, what happens next is actually pretty small in scale, but combined with what just happened, probably has the biggest impact on the shape of the conflict of anything so far.  You'll just have to guess or wait....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on October 17, 2010, 09:09:25 PM
How much of the player's capacity got shot up? SY are pretty hardy with 10 damage each.

From the looks of things, China got away with almost no damage and the FSC wasn't significantly affected.

My guess is that Mars is going to get hit next and finished off and then Neptune relieved. I'd be surprised if the Earth powers could do much to stop it at this point.

Unless something significant happens tech wise, I'd say only the Chinese are going to be significant for a long time to come.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 18, 2010, 02:13:54 AM
Hey Mav,

As for how hard everyone got hit, I will go into that in more detail on the overview after the next couple posts  (Yes, couple even though we are in the last 36 hours of the month).

As for the SS's, figure a st can carry a Pta even with the x3 MSP size the CP drives require on missile sizes.
A Pta does 2 dmg over most of its range.
No drive gives a x3 dmg mod.
SS weak hull gives a x2 on top of that.
So 2 x 3 x 2 = 12 on a successful ram,  2 on a FAILED attempt.
Doesn't take much to rip up a SS/SY that way.....
Even China's SS took hits.
Only the FSC got off without any damage, but they don't have a lot to shoot at either.

As for what and who gets hit, that would be a fair assumption, but you are going to have to wait to see if its accurate.....
As for China being significant, that would be accurate.  Dominant.....  ???
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: athomaswn on October 18, 2010, 09:27:07 PM
Hello Procyon,

I've enjoyed the read on the New Empires campaign. 

A lot of orbital construction capacity was damaged, but don't the three major players have between 5 and 15 ground construction facilities each?

Looking forward to the continuing story. 

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 19, 2010, 01:36:14 AM
The 'big' powers (China, Euro, US) each have ground capacity of greater than 10 SY.
The FSC only has about 2 at this moment, represented by S Africa and New Q.land.

As far as space to build ships, they have tons of extra space.  Their limiting factor has always been the very limited incomes available to them.

With incomes in the 1000 - 1400 MC range, and a substantial amount going to research to try and get an 'edge', the little bit left over usually couldn't fill the 3 to 4 orbital SY they had available.  Now that they have to increase the cost of the construction by 50% to build or repair space units with ground industry in most cases, their ability to replace losses just got squashed.  They were not a happy crowd to be around after that battle.

The big choice facing most of them for the moment isn't apparent from a first look, but was my real hope.  The loss of the SY would slow down production and make PDC much more attractive, giving the Nemotians time to rebuild.  It also faced the players with the devil's choice of either scraping the damaged SS to try and finance a short term building spree - at the cost of crippling their long term construction capacity.  Or.... tie up the few undamaged SY fixing the DAMAGED ones.  In a game with small incomes, fixing a shipyard was about 2 months worth of net income after other expenses, and would tie up the operational SY for 6+ months after they finally came up with the cash.  They could do it with ground industry but that would leave them with no excess income for 3+ months.
With the players out earning the Nemotians over 3 to 1, and having chopped off the income from Triton, it was going to be a short campaign if the economics weren't evened out significantly.

All these expenses also made the ground combat on Neptune very hard to support/fund.

My time in the Army taught me one thing very profoundly...
Amatuers study tactics.  Professionals study logistics.

Its all about what you can support in the field.

The next installment of the story (I should be able to post it Thursday if all works out) will show you one place they could lose a LOT of money they hadn't anticipated.
One of the players got VERY upset.
And the balance in the game shifted wildly after that for a while.

Thank you so much for the feedback.  Hearing from someone that they like what you are doing is definitely the fuel that runs the engine.
Hope you enjoy what is to come as much as the players hated it....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on October 19, 2010, 11:12:37 AM
I've enjoyed your work, and envied your ability to get your family to play, since you started posting. Please keep it up!

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 27, 2010, 01:34:16 AM
Sorry for the wait again.
I had it ready to post last Thursday when I went to work, but the census was low so they put me on stand by and let me stay home. 
YIPEE !!  :)

What made it better was that I had the next three days off… a four day week end!!!
PAR – TEE !!!  :D

Which at my age and with six kids, actually means SLEEP…..   ;D

I  got back to work last night just as a woman came in and gifted us with a cute pair of twins that were two and a half months early.  Needless to say, I didn’t get around to posting part 9.
(or eating, getting any bathroom breaks, etc, etc,….)

So here it is,  part 9, better late than never.

And Mav, it is wonderful having the family play these games together.
We just finished off the big kids’ zombie survival game (ran for 18 months) and just started a modern day conspiracy based one.  Its been a busy last few weeks, but LOTS of fun.
The only problems are when one of them gets the short end of the stick one night, you get to hear about it over, and over, and over… , or when they can’t figure out a puzzle and they just keep pestering….
It not like they go home and I get a rest.  But it sure is easy to set up time to run stuff.
The kids like video games, but even they drop them when we can sit down and play.  There is nothing quite like getting a group together. 

Thanks again for reading !
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on November 26, 2010, 06:21:04 AM
After reading a bit in the Aurora forum on the copyright issue, I suppose to protect anyone who might have or wished to use any of the material I have written for their own use

I hereby grant permission for use of the material created and posted by me in the Nemesis Campaign posted on this site, without restriction.

(Although why anyone would want to copy my typos and poor grammer skills - other than as an example of what not to do - is beyond me.)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on December 10, 2010, 11:27:03 AM
So what's going on with the ground troops? This has been a really fascinating game to "watch" and I'm really interested in know everything that's happening. :)

Keep up the good work.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on December 18, 2010, 09:09:01 PM
Thank you. 

It's been very busy of late between work (about 60+/- hours a week), and the other games we are running.  In the New Empires Campaign, my wife is getting tied down in a new war even as she is finally brokering a cease fire in another.  The middle boy is gearing up for a massive WP assault which will likely be the largest engagement our group has ever engaged in.   And the RPG that is our current pet project known as the 'Coven of the Cresent Moon' Campaign is really picking up some momentum.
Add the evenings playing Hard Vacuum for a break from the more serious games, and I haven't had much chance to write.
Sorry, as much as I enjoy writing, playing games with the wife and kids is way more fun.
I don't plan on stopping the writing, I'm just finding it more difficult to get time to write.  My goal has always been at least one part per week, but that doesn't always work out.

If you do have a particular part of the game, or character that you would like to see explored more deeply, let me know.  For the moment I just tend to write about whatever was happening, and try to get most of the main protagonists somewhat equal time.  I try not to focus on any one too much, but some do seem to be thrust into the action more often than others.  And with the FSC playing 'possum for a strech of months, they didn't have lots to write about.

Feedback is always welcome, and if I can cater to a request I will.
Hope you continue to enjoy the story, and thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on December 19, 2010, 01:10:12 AM
If you do have a particular part of the game, or character that you would like to see explored more deeply, let me know.  For the moment I just tend to write about whatever was happening, and try to get most of the main protagonists somewhat equal time.  I try not to focus on any one too much, but some do seem to be thrust into the action more often than others.  And with the FSC playing 'possum for a strech of months, they didn't have lots to write about.

Feedback is always welcome, and if I can cater to a request I will.
Hope you continue to enjoy the story, and thanks for reading.

Just a quick comment - I really like the Nemesis campaign, and enjoy all parts of it.

So my only suggestion would be - "More Please"..... ;D


Later,
Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on December 19, 2010, 01:12:54 PM
Just a quick comment - I really like the Nemesis campaign, and enjoy all parts of it.

So my only suggestion would be - "More Please"..... ;D


Later,
Matt

Quoted For Effect
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ShadoCat on December 24, 2010, 06:21:04 PM
Just a quick comment - I really like the Nemesis campaign, and enjoy all parts of it.

So my only suggestion would be - "More Please"..... ;D

<aol>Me too</aol>
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on December 25, 2010, 01:08:43 AM
<aol>Me too</aol>
Me as well   :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on December 31, 2010, 01:49:01 AM
Thank you all.
Took a bit longer for this last part.  I make a handwritten outline for the month and break it up into the parts I write.
Unfortunately we've had a really busy spell, and I managed to misplace my outline here at work...   :-[
Finally found it and back to writing.

Best of wishes to all for the holidays !
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on December 31, 2010, 08:53:54 AM
Procyon,  best wishes and happy holidays to you and yours.  With any luck you don't have the freezing rain I'm getting this morning. (50 miles north of Kansas City).   ;D



Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on January 29, 2011, 03:05:20 AM
Thank you Charlie.  The kids didn't think they got enough for Xmas, but they never have.
Our weather hasn't been too bad.  Plenty of snow but thankfully no freezing rain.

As of late it has been brutal at work with one sick/early babe after another.
I actually had the last 3 days off in a row though.  Its been nice.
The weather was warm (for us) so I spent the days cutting and splitting some extra wood.
In the evenings I've eaten lots of food that isn't good for me  ;), and then streched out by the woodstove and relaxed.
Got a few months done on the New Empires Campaign.
I even got some writing done.
Finish it off with my 6y/o girl climbing up on my lap to fall asleep in the evenings and I can't imagine a better way to spend my time.
Hope life is treating you all that well.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 15, 2011, 02:37:07 AM
Took a bit, but the New Empires Campaign has been eating into our time a lot of late.
Middle boy had an enourmous (for our group) WP assault and system conquest he worked through, while my wife has had four separate battles in the same month.  None big, but all took quite some time to work through.

Hope this one was worth the wait.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: dalord0 on February 15, 2011, 02:37:00 PM
I was just wondering if u were putting the new empires campaign up online somewhere, because it sounds interesting and would like to read :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 16, 2011, 01:40:17 AM
Sadly enough, no.  :(

The oldest boy was doing a write up of his section (the USN) of the campaign on the Starfire site, but he has moved out of state (?country - he's rather poor at calling home) and I don't know how much he has done on it.  The USN section of it was around 40 +/- turns in when he left, with over 120 turns of history in the Empires Campaign.  I have limited access to the Starfire site so I can't say just what he has put together.

I wish I did have time to write up the full Empires/New Empires Campaigns.  The interplay and rivalry was truly something to behold, and the story the kids and my wife have put together is amazing.  A lot of the names for ships and admirals matches up between the two storylines, but that is about the only resemblance.  The turn sheets and notes on just the Empires Campaign fills six large three ring binders, and the New Empires is starting its third.

My particular favorite story is centered around the oldest girl (FSC in Nemasis) and the Dutchman  :D.  The players were engaged in a war that had lasted 20+ turns against a race called the Heernaw, and the players had never won anything more than minor victories, while losing many other battles.  They had been forced backed to the last system before Sol, named Kronos. She (the oldest girl) had captured an enemy (Heernaw) destroyer and refitted it, then came up with a daring but perilous gambit.  She had the ship renamed the 'Mary Reed' (she loves pirates - or maybe Jonny Depp, not sure which), packed it with supplies, and hid in an asteroid belt in Kronos.  Then the players ALLOWED Kronos to be taken by the Heernaw, putting the enemy at the gate to Earth  :o .  During this The Dutchman and Mary Reed ambushed and captured a Heernaw escort and stole the codes off of it.  They used the codes to pass the exit WP and began scouting Heernaw systems.  After that she launched a drone back with what information they had on Heernaw defenses, fleet strengths, and populations.
The information on the Heernaw WP defenses allowed the oldest boy to sit down and play through assault after assault until he came up with fool proof ways to crack the enemy defenses that had so far stymied them in every attack they made.
The following assault was devastating to the Heernaw, who lost three systems in a matter of months while the Mary Reed tore into their civilian lines and maintenance ships.  With all of their warships needed to stem the tide of the attack, the Mary Reed was left with no one hunting her as she gutted Heernaw rear areas.
Those few months would be enough to equal pretty much the entire Nemasis Campaign that I've written so far, and it only spanned about 8 or 9 turns.
The war drug on for another 30 turns.....

Amazing story, but just for those of us that play it at the moment.
Maybe someday....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: dalord0 on February 16, 2011, 02:41:47 AM
Too bad, I am loving Nemesis and wanted more :) I've torn through the entire aurora fiction section by now at least twice and I need something more to read.  :P

EDIT: And I have read what your son put on the starfire website, thats partially what alerted my to this campiagn existance, its good stuff all it needs is more :P
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 12, 2011, 04:21:21 AM
Added the battle I forgot to post on the end of October part 8.  Got swamped the night I had planned to post it and forgot it was even there until now.

Thanks again for the kind words and for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on March 12, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
The oldest boy was doing a write up of his section (the USN) of the campaign on the Starfire site, but he has moved out of state (?country - he's rather poor at calling home) and I don't know how much he has done on it.  The USN section of it was around 40 +/- turns in when he left, with over 120 turns of history in the Empires Campaign.  I have limited access to the Starfire site so I can't say just what he has put together.

Is your son "drakar" (~20 years old and in the Army - according to the SDS website)? If so, then he had put up 9 chapters (last posting put up in June 2010), and his website can be found here: http://newempirescampaign.yolasite.com/ (http://newempirescampaign.yolasite.com/)

Unfortunately it looks as if he hasn't posted anything recent - as his last posting was about an ambush where he lost 3 (of 7 CTa's) when transiting into a nebula defended by Cetian BCa's/DDfa's/DDa's/BS0's.

Later,
Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 12, 2011, 09:53:12 PM
Yep.  He left a few months after that.
He was alot farther along in the campaign than that.  That was actually only about 25+/- turns in as I remember.  He got LUCKY on that one!  I was sure he was going to lose his whole fleet to that ambush, but he pulled it out in amazing fashion.  Talked about it for weeks.  The Cetians eventually were crushed by the USN.

He was tied down in battles with another race and it was dragging out through a string of nebulii. (?? spelling).  He had just managed to capture a system of the enemy's with a colony in it and was hoping to finally get some intel on this race that constantly hit his supply ships but disappeared before the warships could arrive.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on March 12, 2011, 11:08:10 PM
Yep.  He left a few months after that.

Do you know if he (or anyone else in your family) put up any other fiction somewhere else? It's an amazing campaign, and I was just wondering if there was more available....

Quote
He was alot farther along in the campaign than that.  That was actually only about 25+/- turns in as I remember.  He got LUCKY on that one!  I was sure he was going to lose his whole fleet to that ambush, but he pulled it out in amazing fashion.  Talked about it for weeks.  The Cetians eventually were crushed by the USN.

Yeah - when I looked at the opposing forces, I'm surprised that he only lost 3 ships - as he was outmassed by ~4 to 1!


Later,
Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 13, 2011, 01:30:47 AM
So far the oldest boy and I are the only writers of the group.  My wife if my proofreader when I can get the chance to run it past her first, but that doesn't always happen before I post it.

As for the New Empires, it is probably one of the most intracate campaigns I have ever put together. The only fiction on it is from drakar.  I write up scenarios on a small corner of my wife's portion (The Sunset Saga/Trials of the Wolff).  I truly wish I had the time to write it up in a fiction format - but it would be immense.  It easily dwarfs the Nemesis Campaign several times over, and spans a much longer history.  In turns played the wife and middle boy have passed 200 with the Empires/New Empires combined.  
Sadly I write about the Sunset part because it is such a limited arena.  The wife and kids have played it so long they are also wrapped up in the story.  It is neat when my wife asks me if it would be appropriate to place one admiral in a command over another not based on grade, but on the threater of operation and task forces they have commanded.  Or if there are rules for putting one of her ships that has been in service for the entire 200+ turns into a museum setting because she can't bring herself to upgrade the old girl.
Or of the hate she openly showed when another one of her ships that dates back to turn one and was lost when the WPs closed shows up in the service of the race that inhabited the system it was lost in - as they stumbed into Chinese held space as refugees following the destruction of their homeworld by a race that had once been an ally of the Euro.  And of the middle boy shifting forces badly needed to face a devastating campaign he has been fighting against an AI splinter just to deal with this erstwhile ally - with extreme prejudice.

It's an incredible story.  But it's one I don't have time to write.....

PS.  I do have a semi reliable way onto the SDS site now, and I am glad to see that you are reposting the Pheonix Campaign.  I loved going to the old site that had the Pheonix/Terran Camp's and reading the material there.  Bravo for making sure those works weren't lost.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on March 14, 2011, 12:31:10 AM
So far the oldest boy and I are the only writers of the group.  My wife if my proofreader when I can get the chance to run it past her first, but that doesn't always happen before I post it.

As for the New Empires, it is probably one of the most intracate campaigns I have ever put together. The only fiction on it is from drakar.  I write up scenarios on a small corner of my wife's portion (The Sunset Saga/Trials of the Wolff).  I truly wish I had the time to write it up in a fiction format - but it would be immense.  It easily dwarfs the Nemesis Campaign several times over, and spans a much longer history.  In turns played the wife and middle boy have passed 200 with the Empires/New Empires combined.  
Sadly I write about the Sunset part because it is such a limited arena.  The wife and kids have played it so long they are also wrapped up in the story.  It is neat when my wife asks me if it would be appropriate to place one admiral in a command over another not based on grade, but on the threater of operation and task forces they have commanded.  Or if there are rules for putting one of her ships that has been in service for the entire 200+ turns into a museum setting because she can't bring herself to upgrade the old girl.
Or of the hate she openly showed when another one of her ships that dates back to turn one and was lost when the WPs closed shows up in the service of the race that inhabited the system it was lost in - as they stumbed into Chinese held space as refugees following the destruction of their homeworld by a race that had once been an ally of the Euro.  And of the middle boy shifting forces badly needed to face a devastating campaign he has been fighting against an AI splinter just to deal with this erstwhile ally - with extreme prejudice.

It's an incredible story.  But it's one I don't have time to write.....

Which is a shame, as (to me) the best types of fiction are ones where you get emotionally involved in the story. I mean, I can remember Fuchida from Steve's Rigeillan campaign after all of these years, or Gwynxa (sp?) from the end of Kurt's campaign (both of these from over 5 years ago now) - and yet I have trouble remembering what I had for lunch....  :D

Quote
PS.  I do have a semi reliable way onto the SDS site now, and I am glad to see that you are reposting the Pheonix Campaign.  I loved going to the old site that had the Pheonix/Terran Camp's and reading the material there.  Bravo for making sure those works weren't lost.

Happy to help Kurt's campaigns get out there - as they (the Terran/Phoenix Campaigns) are an amazing piece of work....

Later,
Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 16, 2011, 01:38:29 AM
This latest post (Nov part 2) holds probably the biggest issue I have with SF, and probably all other games in the genre. 

It is a convention of the genre that we manage to gain communication with an alien species, and usually fairly quickly.  I realize that without it, any game would lose a lot of its flavor and options.

But in reality, I doubt that we could ever achieve communication with an alien species.  Perhaps in a most basic way, but not more than what we can get across to any other animal on earth.  And with those animals we share a great deal in common.  Something from a different world, with most likely a different chemistry, sensory apparatus, etc.   
Nope, we just aren't going to do much talking.  Might not even be able to figure out what communicating was to them.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on March 16, 2011, 06:56:14 AM
This latest post (Nov part 2) holds probably the biggest issue I have with SF, and probably all other games in the genre. 

It is a convention of the genre that we manage to gain communication with an alien species, and usually fairly quickly.  I realize that without it, any game would lose a lot of its flavor and options.

But in reality, I doubt that we could ever achieve communication with an alien species.  Perhaps in a most basic way, but not more than what we can get across to any other animal on earth.  And with those animals we share a great deal in common.  Something from a different world, with most likely a different chemistry, sensory apparatus, etc.   
Nope, we just aren't going to do much talking.  Might not even be able to figure out what communicating was to them.



Grub for poundering...  H Beam Piper's "Omnilingual".  It's a short story he wrote in the 50's that is relevent.  I believe that it is available on the Project Gutenberg (sp) website.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Brian Neumann on March 16, 2011, 09:41:26 AM
Grub for poundering...  H Beam Piper's "Omnilingual".  It's a short story he wrote in the 50's that is relevent.  I believe that it is available on the Project Gutenberg (sp) website.
  I tend to disagree with you on this.  While I doubt we would ever get the level of communication seen in fiction, It should be possible to work out a level of language similiar to the pidgin trade languages.  Very limited and for specific purposes normally, but enough to get a basic level of communication going.  It probably would however take years if not decades to get to that point however.  The main reason I say this is any intelligent race is going to be trying to understand us in all probability.  When you work a problem from both ends it tends to be much easier to solve than only working from one end.

Brian
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on March 16, 2011, 11:38:17 AM
  I tend to disagree with you on this.  While I doubt we would ever get the level of communication seen in fiction, It should be possible to work out a level of language similiar to the pidgin trade languages.  Very limited and for specific purposes normally, but enough to get a basic level of communication going.  It probably would however take years if not decades to get to that point however.  The main reason I say this is any intelligent race is going to be trying to understand us in all probability.  When you work a problem from both ends it tends to be much easier to solve than only working from one end.

Brian

Before discounting you might want to read the story.  Omnilingual is about deciphering a dead written language found in an ancient ruin.  At least getting a form of Rosetta Stone.  Granted not a good example for the discussion.

A better one is also from Piper, Naudsonce (1957).  It does deal with finding a common ground for communicating with an alien race. 

In both cases Piper demonstrates that obstacles can be overcome.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on March 16, 2011, 12:08:42 PM
Omnilingual  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19445/19445-h/19445-h.htm (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19445/19445-h/19445-h.htm)

Naudsonce  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19076/19076-h/19076-h.htm (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19076/19076-h/19076-h.htm)


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 22, 2011, 12:52:15 AM
We may have to agree to disagree on this one.  From where I stand, it just looks real far fetched.

As I said, we have yet to communicate with any form of life on earth after thousands of years together.
As for the other species wanting to communicate - I know my dog wishes he could tell the kids when he needed to go out rather than hope they notice him by the door.
We've been sharing living space with dogs for a VERY long time.
I realize they have taught chimps a few words of sign language, but this is about as close to our own species as you can get.  And we still don't have real communication with them.

We will have more in common with the living fossils found in the deep sea trenches than we will with any alien species we meet.  The odds of us talking to octopi are pretty slim.  They do seem to communicate and are very intelligent.  But our environments are terribly different, and my ability to change color is limited (unlike an octopus) - which seems to be a part of their communication.  And we share a planet, most of our genetic structures are identical, etc.

As an example from my story, a race basing much of its biology on manipulating EM fields is a plausible hypothesis.  Many basic chemical combinations would allow for it.  The thought that you might need an atmosphere to make a sound with to convey information would be incredibly alien to a race that lived in vacuum.  Why waste energy agitating molecules of a gas around you.  It is such a limited form of expression when you could transmit information instantly through nearly any medium.  Even most solid ones.  And this is a race I dreamed up as a Chem E/Physics project while I was in college.  To steal a phrase, an alien isn't likely to be far differenent from what we imagine, but far different from what we CAN imagine.

Nope.  So far despite the best attempts of many brilliant minds over decades, perhaps centuries, simple inter-species communication has eluded us.  Inter-racial communications would be an order of magnitude more difficult.

And that assumes the aliens even want to talk to us.

But thanks for the links to the stories.  I always enjoy something to read if I'm stuck in the nursery on a night with nothing but healthy babies.  Sometimes this can just be the best job in the world.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on March 22, 2011, 07:11:05 AM
We may have to agree to disagree on this one.  From where I stand, it just looks real far fetched.

What's that book - "Men are from Mars, women are from some other planet.....  ;D"
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on March 22, 2011, 08:52:03 AM
Oh I agree that we disagree on the subject.  :D

I will whole heartily agree that the game mechanics in every game I've dealt with for inter-species communications is way over simplified and fast.

What I will disagree with is that communication with a non-terrestrial species is impossible.  We have no baseline to make such a universal statement. 

The lack of Terran inter-species communication isn't really a valid argument.  There is some level of communication with higher level primates (ex. chimpanzees, gorilla's) using sign.  The real roadblock is that there doesn't appear to be any other species on this planet that actively uses language for conveying complex ideas.  Neither primates nor cetaceans (much less canines) have any appearance of social groups above hunter/gatherer much less a species level of language for complex idea exchange.

But, and this is a big one, if we encounter a species that has risen above hunter/gatherer subsistence there is a chance that communication is possible.  The higher the rise the greater the chance.  The more things the two have in common the higher the chance grows (ex vocal language y/n, overlapping vocal range y/n, overlapping visual spectrum y/n, written language y/n, etc etc etc)

There is a huge caveat here.  Both species must be working together to find the common ground, if it is one sided it is most likely hopeless. 

In the case of the Nemotians I highly doubt, under the campaign constraints, that communication is possible.  Extremely different interpersonal means of communication.  Open warfare.  No cooperative effort to find a means to communicate.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on March 22, 2011, 09:43:14 AM
Erik,  It might be advisable to split the inter-species communications related portions of this to an new thread,  in off-topic perhaps.  I know that my part in this has deviated far from being ontopic for the Nemesis campaign.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 23, 2011, 01:35:11 AM
I'm going to try and get at least part of this next installment put up tonight.  My problem is that I am not on my regular unit tonight.  The only work station I have access to has no mouse, ports, etc. Only notepad to type in.  Spell checking will just have to happen later.  In fact it took awhile to remember the keys for copy/paste.  But I'm stuck here for the whole night with nothing else to do but work on typing up my outline - mostly.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 15, 2011, 12:18:12 AM
Sorry for the long hiatus.  To many irons in the fire.

I have been writing, it was just for a contest on another site.  It is based on the next iteration of the Nemasis Camp.  We have pretty much finished up the table top pre game issues, and I wrote it up.
If you would like a glimpse of the future, and don't mind the spoiler effect, this (I hope) is the link
Contest rules prevent me from publishing it elsewhere, but nothing about telling you where to look for it.

http://test.radikus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1052&sid=147777495ea7e6cb9621042216e3e194

Other than writing this, the real world has kept me busy.
Spring on a farm is alway active, but I never realized just how much work a teenage girl who will graduate HS can create.  With prom out of the way, perhaps the rest of us will be allowed to have a little or our lives back. ;)

Starting on writing the last installments for the year 2204.  Hope to have them up in the next few days.
And if I got the link right and you are interested, I hope you enjoy the other story.  It is called 'The Outlaw.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on May 15, 2011, 01:01:17 AM
Good to see your still alive and kicking!

Oh, btw, it is spelled Nemesis!! I see the forum on the SDS site every time I visit and Nemasis make me grit my teeth - and I am not even a spelling or grammar ####  :D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 15, 2011, 02:02:13 AM
Good to see your still alive and kicking!

Oh, btw, it is spelled Nemesis!! I see the forum on the SDS site every time I visit and Nemasis make me grit my teeth - and I am not even a spelling or grammar ####  :D

Sorry.  As I've mentioned, I am definitely not an English major. :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 25, 2011, 12:00:47 AM
Pardon the wait for this one.

I wrote and re-wrote this one several times.  I just couldn't get this part to feel quite right, no matter how I put it together.  I would try one character and then another, but it just never seemed quite right and kinked the story later on.  I guess that is one of the hazards of trying to turn a game that we play into a story.

I think this part is as good as it gets.  I've had to shift the outline for the next few years to keep the story together, but it should work pretty well and keep the story interesting.

Thanks again for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on May 25, 2011, 03:01:38 AM
Pardon the wait for this one.

I wrote and re-wrote this one several times.  I just couldn't get this part to feel quite right, no matter how I put it together.  I would try one character and then another, but it just never seemed quite right and kinked the story later on.  I guess that is one of the hazards of trying to turn a game that we play into a story.

I think this part is as good as it gets.  I've had to shift the outline for the next few years to keep the story together, but it should work pretty well and keep the story interesting.

Thanks again for reading.

Wow! I really liked this one!
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 21, 2011, 02:31:20 AM
I have recieved a request for the original layout of the solar system for our Nemesis Campaign.
I had originally intended to just send it back to the person requesting this, but decided that it may be of interest to anyone reading the story.

I have tried to keep it so that if follows the normal Starfire mechanics as much as possible.  There were a fair number of deviations from both rules and real values to try and simplify things, and they will be listed with the body affected or following the list (to the best of my abilities).  The radian designation is not exactly acurrate for the planets beyond Jupiter as we placed them in the system hex dictated by their actual plotted position for January 1st 2204.  The radian should be close enough from most needs though.  In the case of the dwarf planets beyond Neptune, the actual plotted locations are my best estimate as data on some is very limited. In respect to the AB colonies, graviational perturbations made acurrate plotting somewhat difficult over the course of centuries.  I had positions plotted, but you will forgive me if I don't type out all of them.  If you just scattered them about randomly, you probably have as good a chance to get them close to where they will actually be in 2204 as I do spending hours plotting them.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Sol System - Nemesis Campaign

Initial Layout

Sol Primary - radius = 10tH



Mercury at 3.2LM / radian 3 / PE
     O3 / Extreme / Very Rich
     changes radian by two per game week
     changes facing of planet toward Sol by one per game week



Venus at 6.0LM / radian 5 / C
     V / Death
     changes radian by 1.5 per month



Earth at 8.3LM / radian 9
     T / (HI 5) Benign / Rich
     changes radian by one per month
     changes facing by one per 4 hours

     Luna at (5+1)tH - Tide Locked / PE
          O2m / Desolate / Rich
          changes placement by 1tH per day*



Mars at 12.7LM / radian 3 /US
     O2 / Desolate / Rich
     changes radian every other month
     changes facing by one per 4 hours

     Phobos in same tH as Mars
          AB colony equivalent / Desolate / Rich
          or as 1000HS Asteroid Fort

     Deimos in same tH as Mars
          AB colony equivalent / Desolate / Rich
          or as 500HS Asteroid Fort


Asteroid Belt at 22LM
     considered to fill entire ring at 3 system hexes from Sol

     Ceres (22.4LM) / China
          O2m / Desolate / Very Rich
          changes location by 1 sH every 3 months
          changes facing by one every 1.5 hours

Other surveyed outpost sites in AB:
     (you could easily use the list of largest asteroids in Wiki, these are just the ones I chose)

     Pallas / PE
     Juno / US
     Vestia / PE
     Astrae / US
     Hebe / PE
     Iris / PE
     Flora / US
     Metis / US - to FSC
     Hygiea / PE
     Hyperion / PE
     Hektor / PE - to FSC
     Victoria / PE
     Interamnia / US
     Europa / PE - to FSC
     Davida / US
     Sylvia / US
     Cybele / PE
     Eunomia / US
     Chiron / US


Ownership of all objects within 4AU were proscribed by the Treaty of L2 and reinstated by the Treaty of Mare Serenetatis of 2204.  FSC holdings in the AB were created by amendment to Treaty of Mare Serenetatis by the US and PE.  China refused to recognize the amendment. 

Ownership of all objects beyond 4AU were proscribed by the Treaty of Mare Serenetatis of 2204.  Trans Neptune objects were declared to be owned by the first government that could emplace a population of 50,000 colonist for 30 days.  This was later applied to all objects beyond the solar system.

For the players (and my) convenience, the outer planets and moons were considered to move by normal Starfire orbital mechanics, with exceptions as noted.



Jupiter at 43.2LM / radian 3 / PE
     Gas / Death
     considered to completely fill 1tH, and extend into second

     Amalthea at 3tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Rich

     Io at 6tH - Tide Locked
          O2m / Extreme / Normal

     Europa at 9tH - Tide Locked
          O2m / Desolate / Very Rich

     Ganymede at 15tH - Tide Locked
          O2 / Desolate / Rich

     Callisto at 26tH - Tide Locked
          mT / Hostile / Normal

     Himalia at 164tH (0.8LM)
          AB colony equivalent / Desolate / Rich



Trojan Belt
     Considered to be AB, 2 radians preceding and following Jupiter's position.  No income bonus.
     Each section considered 1 system hex wide, 3 system hexes long.
     Sensors at 75% normal range.  Long range detection possible.  Only one ship may hide per hex.
     Each section considered to have 2 colony sites, to be named by players following survey.
     (Pick your own or use our.  For Nemesis, the names chosen were
          Helen / PE
          Casandra / PE
          Agememnon / US
          Achilles / US



Saturn at 79.7LM / radian 1 / C
     Gas / Death
     considered to completely fill 1tH, and extend into second
     rings considered to extend from 1tH to 2tH but are easily navigated around
     may hide any size ship within 2tH of Saturn if immobile - as AB.

     Tethis at 4tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Rich

      Dione at 6tH
          AB colony equivalent / Desolate / Very Rich

     Rhea at 7tH
          O2m / Desolate / Very Rich

     Titan at 17tH - Tide Locked
          mT / Desolate / Very Rich

     Iapetus at 98tH
          AB colony equivalent / Desolate / Rich



Uranus at 160LM / radian 4
     Ice / Death
     considered to completely fill 1tH

     Miranda at 2tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Very Rich

      Ariel at 3tH
          O1m / Extreme / Rich

     Umbriel at 4tH
          O1m / Extreme / Very Rich

     Titania at 6tH
          O1m / Extreme / Very Rich

     Oberon at 8tH
          O1m / Extreme / Very Rich



Neptune at 260LM / radian 3
     Ice / Death
     considered to completely fill 1tH

     Proteus at 2tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Rich

     Triton at 5tH - Tide Locked
          O1m / Extreme / Very Rich
          oribit in retrograde at 1tH per day

     Nereid at 78tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Rich



Orcus at 328LM / radian 4**
     O1m / Extreme / Rich



Pluto at 331LM / radian 1 / Tide Lock to Charon**
     O1m / Extreme / Rich

     Charon in same tH / Tide lock to Pluto
          O1m / Extreme / Rich



Sedna at 536LM / radian 6**
     O1m / Extreme / Rich



Eris at 541LM / radian 4**
     O1m / Extreme / Very Rich

     Dysmonia at 2 tH
          AB colony equivalent / Extreme / Rich
             

*Ok, the cycle for Luna is to try and keep it close to the actual lunar cycle.
Move it along the 5 tH orbit at one hex per day.  This makes it 30 days rather than 28, but is close enough for the kids.  When placing it for combat, determine its location for the month by the 5tH orbit, and then move it one hex more distant.

** These pups have very unusual orbital characteristics.  I have fairly involved tables laid out for their positions over the course of decades.  Each has one page, front and back, of note paper outlining positions by the month.  I am not copying that mess over.  Sorry.  You can have them follow normal orbits (none really come close to that), or sit down and figure it out if you wish.  Pluto is pretty easy.  Sedna and Orcus I considered close.  Eris was my best guess - it might be on the other side of the sun for what little data I had to work with  I also had data for Haumea, Makemake, and six other scattered disc objects as O1m or AB colony equivalents, but these listed were the major sites for the game.  I was willing to add more scattered disc objects if the game ever got that far, but by then they were jumping to other systems and not interested.

I may have omitted some standard information.  Typos are also quite possible.  My wife proofreads the story, but not this stuff. If you find errors, I apologise.

You can easily quibble over what body qualifies for what designation, orbital characteristics, etc. O1m vs AB, Extreme vs Desolate vs Hostile, etc, etc, ad nauseum....
If you disagree, you are allowed.  If you want to use this as a basis for your own games, feel free with my blessings.  Change whatever you disagree with to make yourself and your group happy.  Our game has been going for years and 100 turns.  Don't plan on me changing it.
I could have made it much more complicated.  Feel free to do this if you wish.  Some of the work has been started for you.  I needed to keep it so that a 12y/o boy could take a fair shot at knowing where the planets, moons, ABs, etc were going to be when figuring out ship movement orders and travel times.  I kept the outer body movement patterns unknown until they surveyed them - then I photocopied the sheet and gave them one.  And no, I don't have access to a scanner at home or at work so don't ask.  Some of the moons as AB equivalents were just as suprises for the players.  Until the players surveyed, they had no idea how many I had designated as in orbit of each planet and what they were.  They knew about the 02m and 01m around the planets, the rest was a mystery.

Hope this satisfies the curious.  Thanks again for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on June 25, 2011, 03:10:23 AM
This next post has involved a lot of hand wringing on my part.  I am trying to keep it so this all follows the game and builds around it.

This part is just very difficult.  It would kind of like to write its own story.

It has my wife's blessing in that she likes it. 
I am just really struggling to keep it as a part of the story and not its own little story.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: IanD on July 05, 2011, 02:55:16 AM
I hope you do it justice - the whole 30 parts! I follow this thread avidly

Regards
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ZimRathbone on July 05, 2011, 09:44:46 AM
I hope you do it justice - the whole 30 parts! I follow this thread avidly

Regards

completely agree - this, steve's & kurt's stories are the three things I check first on the forum
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Beersatron on July 05, 2011, 10:03:41 AM
Keep the updates coming!
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 05, 2011, 09:32:29 PM
Ok.  It sounds unanimous.  Go for broke.  :D

This is going to take a little time.  I actually brought the turn notes with me tonight.  I have the outline for Feb 2205 roughed out.  I will try and finish it tonight.

Feb 2205 has 14 pages of notes.  A fairly heavy month.  I generally figure about one 'part with 2 or 3 sections per page of notes, plus an overview.
If the world and work let me I can get two parts done a week - it will take about two months.

Mar 2205 has 29 pages of notes.   :o  It really was a tough month.  If I do it in around 30 parts or so.....
Well, I may get it done by Christmas. ;)

Oh, and thank you so much for the responses.  I appreciate the input !!! 
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 16, 2011, 03:29:40 AM
So what's going on with the ground troops? This has been a really fascinating game to "watch" and I'm really interested in know everything that's happening. :)

Keep up the good work.

--Mav

You should enjoy the next bunch of parts if you like ground combat....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Anarade Relle on July 17, 2011, 01:44:17 PM
This is a amazing AAR. I've been following it for awhile and I eagerly await the next parts. (you should quit your job and just focus on this ;P )
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 17, 2011, 08:01:26 PM
This is a amazing AAR. I've been following it for awhile and I eagerly await the next parts. (you should quit your job and just focus on this ;P )

Thank you so very much.  I do enjoy writing this up, but I enjoy my job very much.

I work as an RN in a Neonatal ICU.  It can be stressful, but there is nothing like watching a mom and dad holding their babe - one that might not be with us without the team I work with.  Words truly fail to carry the emotion you find in this place.

But I still appreciate any response.  Compliments are always welcome.
And I am hoping to get out the next part for Febuary tonight if I can get a chance to proofread it again.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ZimRathbone on July 18, 2011, 09:27:38 AM
Excellent work  - really enjoying this!
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: mavikfelna on July 29, 2011, 04:14:44 PM
Man, these latest episodes are awesome! I think getting to see the ground combat elements is great and seeing everyone finally realize the danger and cooperate, even if it's just for a little while, gives some hope for humanity.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 06, 2011, 02:21:31 AM
Thank you for the kind words.  I definitely appreciate it.

Now for the bad news.

My evil overlord (ie. the hospital) has shut down all of the USB ports on the computers.  I haven't found a single station I can get my next posts to load from.  I will still be able to post from my mother's computer when I go to visit her, but that is not all that often.  Less so when school starts up.

A few stations still have 3.5" disk drives on them.  Hopefully they haven't disabled all of those too.  If I can dig up a disk I may be able to post that way.  I will try to find out this weekend one way or another.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on August 18, 2011, 12:03:28 AM
Thank you for the kind words.  I definitely appreciate it.

Now for the bad news.

My evil overlord (ie. the hospital) has shut down all of the USB ports on the computers.  I haven't found a single station I can get my next posts to load from.  I will still be able to post from my mother's computer when I go to visit her, but that is not all that often.  Less so when school starts up.

A few stations still have 3.5" disk drives on them.  Hopefully they haven't disabled all of those too.  If I can dig up a disk I may be able to post that way.  I will try to find out this weekend one way or another.


Is there anything that we can help you with (short of signing a petition to your workplace that is....  ;D)???

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 19, 2011, 12:53:12 AM
Doubtful.

Two of the nurses up here are married to IS fellas, and the word from them is that the new owners plan to completely cut off the computers from the internet.   >:(

The docs aren't very happy as this will make it difficult for them to pull up information on conditions/diagnosis/etc.  Unfortunately the new owners don't seem all that concerned.

But thank you for asking.
My mother actually sees it as a blessing as I now try to visit at least once a week..... ;)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Charlie Beeler on August 19, 2011, 07:44:19 AM
Doubtful.

Two of the nurses up here are married to IS fellas, and the word from them is that the new owners plan to completely cut off the computers from the internet.   >:(

The docs aren't very happy as this will make it difficult for them to pull up information on conditions/diagnosis/etc.  Unfortunately the new owners don't seem all that concerned.

But thank you for asking.
My mother actually sees it as a blessing as I now try to visit at least once a week..... ;)

Interesting, that's counter to the mandates for medical record handling.  My wife is IT for HCA and is going through the ever increasing hassle of trying too be compliant.  But then again her environment of a couple dozen facilities verses yours is probably very different on the compliance requirements.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on September 10, 2011, 08:44:32 PM
Hi Procyon,

Just like to say it been a wonderful read, I had not check out the fiction that was in starfire, but I glad I have. Its a great story your written and your family sounds a little like mine. Devious <smile>

Starfire sounds like a great family game, I got one question. How did you introduce your wife to it, was she always into these style of games or was it a slow process. Just curious cause later as my kids get older it would be great to introduce the kids to a good old fashion games night. (without the puters) <smile>
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on September 16, 2011, 02:43:55 AM
Hi Procyon,

Just like to say it been a wonderful read, I had not check out the fiction that was in starfire, but I glad I have. Its a great story your written and your family sounds a little like mine. Devious <smile>

Thank you.  I'm pleased that you like it.
Sorry about the slow turn around on the next post, but fall is busy on a farm.

Starfire sounds like a great family game, I got one question. How did you introduce your wife to it, was she always into these style of games or was it a slow process. Just curious cause later as my kids get older it would be great to introduce the kids to a good old fashion games night. (without the puters) <smile>


Really, I tried and failed early on.  She just wasn't into games like this.

But we have had family game night once a week for a long time.  With both my wife and I working as hospital nurses we have rather busy and inconsistent schedules.  With six kids there were also a lot of activities going on that we had to work in.  It was getting so that the family wasn't together as a group very often.  So we instituted family game night to make sure we all saw each other and interacted in a fun way (most of the time).

It was the oldest boy who was rumaging through some of my old games and found my old 'baggy' copies of Starfire.  He wanted to try it and asked me to help him.  After a few battles he was hooked.  When the other kids saw us playing, they wanted in.  In just a few days the kids were playing it amongst themselves.  I dug out my old 3rd Ed. of Starfire and started a small campaign for the oldest boy and girl to learn 3rd Ed on - and see if they would like it.  A few days later the middle boy joined them.  It hadn't made the family game night yet but they were both very interested.  After a short time they began pestering my wife to have a Starfire family game night once.  With three of the oldest kids pestering her she gave in.

Now the youngest members of the family got paired up with older folks for this night, as the two youngest (18m/o and 4y/o) weren't up to the game.  My wife is also very competitive.  She didn't enjoy the idea of the older kids and I knowing this game and her not having an idea of what was going on.  The 10 pages of rules in the 1st Ed set wasn't a huge problem so she read them and we played.  And then we played another battle.  And another.

A few days later she was digging at the 3rd Ed rules and wanted to know if I could work her into the campaign the older kids were playing.  That game was the beginning of our 'Empires' Campaign - now the 'New Empires' Campaign.

That was nearly six or seven years ago.  Now she likes playing this, along with several of the role playing games the kids have dug out.  We still play other games (cards, board games, dominos, etc.) but they have taken a back seat to Starfire and the RPG's.  It is wonderful to have a captive audience for the games as it were, and to see them working on them.  It is also painful when the oldest have moved off and left a void.  But such is the lot of a parent.  Our job is to make ourselves unnecessary.

Not sure if that is the answer you were looking for but my advice would be to start a family game night, whatever the game.  Get everyone in the habit of setting down together to spend some time with each other - even if it is just candy land, chutes and ladders, or go-fish.  Between my time in the Army and working in a hospital, I have seen the price of taking your family for granted.  If you hope to get a game like starfire up and running, get the kids interested first.  They will be the ones that will get mom to cave in and try it.  Then perhaps, with a little luck, she will get hooked also.

I wish you the best of luck.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on September 16, 2011, 08:39:02 PM
It is also painful when the oldest have moved off and left a void.  But such is the lot of a parent.  Our job is to make ourselves unnecessary.

How very true.

It would be a great idea to have family game night, it be a while yet as they are still very young, but normally take me working on my wife 5 years till she starts coming around to my way of thinking anyway. Thanks for the advice, it looks like LUDO and snakes and ladders here we come.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on September 20, 2011, 04:29:34 AM
Not that anyone will probably complain, but it looks like Feb 2205 is going to blow right past 20 posts.

I don't want to even think about how big March is going to get..... :o
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ZimRathbone on September 20, 2011, 08:13:43 AM
nope, no complaints from the antipodes - keep 'em comming ;D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on September 20, 2011, 01:20:47 PM
No complaints from the celtic contingent either  ;)
Hopefully reading your fiction will galvanise me into some more writing of my own.  I have another 5 years of my campaign to post  :-\
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on September 20, 2011, 10:03:12 PM
Yes Welch I like your stuff, now get back to it.

I personally think each writer does feed of the other. Proycon has inspired me to do more Brightstar, I put Clan Benkei on hold for now thats a long term project.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: IanD on September 21, 2011, 08:43:39 AM
Not that anyone will probably complain, but it looks like Feb 2205 is going to blow right past 20 posts.

Certainly not! The more the better.  ;D

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Hawkeye on September 21, 2011, 09:59:46 AM
Agree with everyone above, keep ´em coming :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on October 04, 2011, 05:20:27 AM
suspension building....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 29, 2011, 10:16:49 PM
I haven't stopped working on this, and apologize for the long wait.

Fall is a busy time on a farm and I have had my hands full this year, and I have also been busy with a few other projects that have occupied my time.  We wrapped up one of our RPGs and have been starting up another based on a post apocalyse type world. (My kids got hooked on the Fallout games and then found my old copy of 'Aftermath'...).

But the farm work is winding down and I hope to finish the next two parts by this coming weekend or the beginning of the week after.  I have the rough drafts done but really want to get these right....

So hold on, they are on the way.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Hawkeye on October 29, 2011, 11:57:17 PM
Glad to hear everything is ok. I was starting to worry a bit :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Andrew on October 30, 2011, 12:10:25 PM
I haven't heard of Aftermath for a long time. Dreadful system but played a long and fun campaign of it in the 1990's.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on October 30, 2011, 10:26:49 PM
I haven't heard of Aftermath for a long time. Dreadful system but played a long and fun campaign of it in the 1990's.

There was a fair amount of dust on the box.  The last time I would have run it was in college at ISU in the late 80's.

It is a rather complicated system, but after years of Starfire the older kids just breeze right through it.  The 11y/o occasionally needs a little help ( I rolled a 6 and need to take it times 1.3 for damage....), but the older kids, mom, or I give him a hand when he gets stuck.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on October 30, 2011, 10:48:35 PM
great for increasing your kid's math skills. RPG is educational all round <smile>
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on November 17, 2011, 07:23:42 AM
Mary Reed gone I am assuming the Dutchman is dead Oh the FSC will not be happy.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: welchbloke on November 17, 2011, 07:48:27 AM
Mary Reed gone I am assuming the Dutchman is dead Oh the FSC will not be happy.
I know, the Mary Reed gone - say it isn't so!  :'(
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on November 18, 2011, 10:59:59 PM
Bloody hell I want faster updates, I am sitting on the edge of my seat at the moment. Can Earth defend itself, will Mars fall, can a United Earth counter attack,the last one I think not. The fsc is effectively wiped out, the chinese are very solitary and the US and Euro ships as woefully under gunned.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on November 19, 2011, 06:34:52 AM
Bloody hell I want faster updates, I am sitting on the edge of my seat at the moment. Can Earth defend itself, will Mars fall, can a United Earth counter attack,the last one I think not. The fsc is effectively wiped out, the chinese are very solitary and the US and Euro ships as woefully under gunned.

Hope to have one more part typed up before the weekend is done.  It looks like Feb will go to 26 or 27 parts, depends on how long I make them.

Not to spoil anything, but the worst hasn't come to pass yet....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on November 19, 2011, 06:20:27 PM
Hope to have one more part typed up before the weekend is done.  It looks like Feb will go to 26 or 27 parts, depends on how long I make them.

Not to spoil anything, but the worst hasn't come to pass yet....

Now that is just plain evil....

We're up to part 23, and on one hand you say that there's only 3 or 4 parts to go - but on the gripping hand you say that the worst is yet to come...

Talk about leaving us in suspense!  :(

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on December 17, 2011, 10:21:36 AM
Ok, between holidays, deer season, and a Bob Seger concert, I have been a lot busier than I had intended.

I will post the next part before the weekend is out and promised my wife that I would have Feb done by New Years.

Thanks for waiting.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on December 17, 2011, 09:08:00 PM
I will post the next part before the weekend is out and promised my wife that I would have Feb done by New Years.

Thanks for waiting.

I'll hold you to that!

And as to the waiting, de nada. It's worth it......
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on December 22, 2011, 07:24:56 PM
ditto

When I see a new post it gives me a little smile. Remember that when you say "Not tonight"

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on December 23, 2011, 12:46:50 AM
Next post is already done.  I will be stopping by my mother's house to pick up her presents for the kids after work in the am.  Should be posted NLT 0900/CST.

Assuming I don't get a bad baby right at the end of shift.  That could put it back a few hours.

Post after that should be on X mas eve or X mas.  I and my wife are still 'debating' the post and how it should go.  

Post 26 represents about 30 minutes in game and took a little less than 90 minutes to play.

Post 27 takes a little over 10 minutes in game.
It took nearly 8 hours over 3 days........
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 14, 2012, 01:21:02 AM
Going to try and post part 27 in two 'parts'.

RL has interposed itself in my ability to reach my mother's house to post, so I am typing it in at work during free time/breaks.

Many apologies for the wait.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on February 14, 2012, 02:44:49 AM
YES YES! sorry not read it but waiting for your post to go red!
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: TheDeadlyShoe on February 23, 2012, 12:59:38 PM
Oh dutchman you're so great. Yaaaaaay
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 24, 2012, 01:01:10 AM
The Dutchman's survival isn't a literary schtick, but an actual game occurence.

It is still talked about in our group how the middle boy snookered (as he puts it - not even sure if it is a real word...) me on this one.  I was sure his one admiral was DEAD.

My (and the other players) jaws were on the floor when he pulled this cat out of the bag...
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Shinanygnz on February 24, 2012, 01:01:38 PM
The Dutchman's survival isn't a literary schtick, but an actual game occurence.

It is still talked about in our group how the middle boy snookered (as he puts it - not even sure if it is a real word...) me on this one.  I was sure his one admiral was DEAD.

My (and the other players) jaws were on the floor when he pulled this cat out of the bag...

Snookered is a real word, and comes from the game of snooker.  Google it and you'll see.
Glad to see more Nemesis updates :)
Stephen
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on February 27, 2012, 01:30:37 AM
I thought it was your older girl that played the FSC.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 27, 2012, 07:24:36 PM
I thought it was your older girl that played the FSC.

She was the FSC, but the Chinese had troops on the colony so he knew what was going on and had a 'vested interest'. 

He told her how to pull it off.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on March 06, 2012, 02:25:43 AM
I answered this question elsewhere, but thought others may be wondering the same thing.
I know I was at the time during the game.....

Quote
Quote
So the FSC decides to trust China again? Especially after what happened last time?
\

I will cover it in more depth in the overview, although I have toyed with the idea of holding off and doing a 2 month overview at the end of March 2205 as these two months are deeply tied to one another.

But trust is an awfully strong word here.
More of 'the devil you know vs the devil you don't.'

At the end of the month, they all knew that things were about to get bad.  The oldest girl (FSC) was out of ships, lost her only off world colony, had alien troops landing on the one conquered population that she held, and was tied down into projects that were going to need time to come to fruition.

The middle boy was the only player with the depth (both economically and militarily) that would be able to do much.  The Euro and US were getting stretched thin - too thin.  It would be all they could do to hold their own.  And the oldest girl knew it.

But the oldest girl had a few things that the middle boy was short on.  And he was willing to deal.

And so two powers that were technically at war became allies to avoid an even worse fate....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 05, 2012, 12:43:26 AM
Ummm....

In the midst of the copy and pastes for post 31 of Feb, I seem to have cut off the end of the post. That took out the last big battle. Oops.

I will try to get it typed up here at work and editted in, but no guarantee. Bunches of sick babes tonight so it might have to wait
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 06, 2012, 05:58:26 AM
Ok, tacked on the last of post 31.

On to march....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on April 07, 2012, 08:08:46 PM
thanks for all your efforts its a wonderful campaign. I think people who are reading this campaign wish they were playing it.

Having said this I am not playing role playing games with a program call fantasy grounds II http://www.fantasygrounds.com

I wonder if it is at all possible to make a ruleset and play this remotely. I know the map, dice rolls, and tokens would be possible not sure about other things. Hmmm the possibilities
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 16, 2012, 03:35:34 AM
I managed to get the next post typed in (YES, March is started!).

But it hasn't been proofread and this computer has no spell check, so that will have to come later.

I don't think anyone will mind a few typos for the moment though...   ;)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Hawkeye on April 16, 2012, 10:33:32 AM
I don't think anyone will mind a few typos for the moment though...   ;)

As long as it gives us more to read about that campaign, typo away :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on April 30, 2012, 10:18:30 PM
Ok, this is taking more than I thought.   :oops:

March has worse hurdles than Feb as SO MUCH happens so close together.

I am not a writer by trade, and trying to get this to make sense to the reader is proving difficult.  I have re-written the first several parts of March a couple times, but they still end up confusing to date. 

One attempt just reset the clock on the parts, so one might start before another.   But then checking the times gets tricky for the reader and makes it hard to keep track or where you are/what is going on.

Another attempt followed a character for a duration, and then switched.  But again fitting in what was happening to who in reference to the other characters gets truly muddy.

So please bear with me on this month.  I generate a lot of text, but this time making it readable is going to take some time.

 :?  :roll:


EDIT

I also reserve the right to completely redo the first part.  Sorry.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on May 08, 2012, 06:14:15 AM
Wow - just read the latest part.

Damn good!

When can we expect the next bit?  ;)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on May 10, 2012, 08:23:32 PM
Wow - just read the latest part.

Damn good!

When can we expect the next bit?  ;)


Thanks.

And would today be ok with you???
 ;D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on May 11, 2012, 04:23:39 AM
Thanks.

And would today be ok with you???
 ;D

Sweet!

And when's the next one due.... :lol

(That's the problem with expectations - the bar just getting higher and higher.....  :D)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: HaliRyan on May 26, 2012, 04:18:25 PM
Need more of this! Great read so far.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Anarade Relle on July 01, 2012, 02:01:23 PM
Really heating up now! Internal division with the enemy at the gates. . .
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on July 04, 2012, 03:07:58 PM
Quote from: Powergirl
Really heating up now! Internal division with the enemy at the gates. . .

As I said, this month almost undid the players.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on July 10, 2012, 06:49:19 PM
Undid the players!, So close for a rage quit here! <heheh>
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on August 22, 2012, 09:30:38 PM
Very quite on the front, I think you must be snowed under.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 23, 2012, 12:50:39 AM
Quote from: ardem
Very quite on the front, I think you must be snowed under.

Busy, but not snowed under.
I have just struggled with the next few parts.  Badly.
I have decided that this weekend, one way or another, I will put something together for the next few parts.  Even if it isn't 'perfect'.  Or maybe even 'not good.'   :(

After a great deal of struggling, I have decided it would be better to post a few cruddy or confusing parts and get on with the story - than sit on it working on the perfect story that nobody is going to read.

So this weekend, hopefully, I will get the next part done.
But if I get it done late Sunday, it may be until later next week that I get it posted.  I and the wife are taking a few days off to go and catch the Def Leppard concert nearby.   :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on August 23, 2012, 02:09:23 AM
I think you be surprise how many do read your story, they just don't comment. I for one check in atleast once a week if not more to see if you have updated. Actually there has been a real lack of encouragement across the board to the fiction section when i first came to aurora there was quite a bit for the fiction writers now its minimal at best.

But count me as one devoted fan to your fiction.




Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: schroeam on August 23, 2012, 05:56:21 PM
I definitely agree with ardem.  Especially when it comes to your fiction.  You do a good job.

Adam.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Rabid_Cog on August 24, 2012, 02:30:58 AM
I will add my voice of encouragement here. Your writing is excellent and is an inspiration for my own. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment, but don't let people doing that pressure you. Take whatever time you need.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 29, 2012, 08:36:59 PM
Thanks for all the kind words.

Part 8 is done, but I still can't post from work unless I have time to retype it here.
That isn't going to happen tonight....   :(

On a good note though, when the kids got out stuff to get ready for the new school year - they managed to turn up my lost turns from our New Empires Campaign so I will be able to post the next part of the Sunset Saga.  (The fact it took over a year for them to turn up is a little irritating...).

EDIT

But the concert was wonderful.
Haven't seen Lita Ford, Poison, or Def Leppard for... well, I did see Def Leppard a year or two ago when they toured with Journey - but lets not get into the particulars for the rest...
 ;D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on August 31, 2012, 05:49:14 PM
Ok, I know, long overdue.
But here is the next part.
Hope to get the momentum back up again.

EDIT

Oh, and it doesn't belong here, but hoping you read it or catch it.
Yes to Paul and Starslayer - you guys need a comments section.
I have lots I have wanted to post (like that is a surprise...    ;) ), but I didn't want to clog up your thread with my (typically wall  ;D ) posts.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on September 24, 2012, 02:14:52 AM
I find this very strange, here they are under almost imminent destruction to the human race and they are still shooting and spying at each other.

Sounds to much like real life, the idioticy of it all. Thanks for the update a smile was put on my face.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: MWadwell on January 11, 2013, 03:47:57 AM
Woo Hoo!

Thanks for the new piece of fiction.

So, when's the next one....  ;D
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: boggo2300 on January 13, 2013, 02:48:49 PM
YEAH!! what He said ^
                             
Matt
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ZimRathbone on February 18, 2013, 07:36:34 AM
After just about a year away from Aurora for a multitude of reasons, I came back to finish off feb  and march.  it's sign of how engaging your writing is that I didn't have to go back and reread a bunch of posts to remember what was going on.

Excellent work.   thank you very much for sharing.

Slainthe,

Mike




Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: procyon on February 18, 2013, 04:28:36 PM
Thank you.
I just wish I had more of a chance to post here lately.

The oldest boy just shipped out for Afghanistan at the end of January, and just a week later my wife was in a car accident.  She's doing ok, but was laid up for some time.  (And she has no problem letting me do her housework for her.  Now if the other driver would have had insurance - that would have helped...  :()

And after that, the computer that had my outline for March 2205 fried.  I couldn't salvage anything off of it.
So I've been redoing the outline from my notes and retyping the next few parts as best I could remember.

So we haven't even gotten in our normal game nights on Fridays for about a month now.
But my wife's back to work, we've got a new computer, and I'm hoping to get the next part out mid week. 
I have to go over to my mother's to work on my taxes...   ::)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: TheDeadlyShoe on February 19, 2013, 04:40:45 PM
Oh life you so crazy.  Best wishes to your family, Procyon. 
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: ardem on February 24, 2013, 11:35:46 PM
Sorry to hear all that news procyon,

I hope life gets better for you. I enjoyed your new post once again although I been busy with my own life to check till now. Thanks again for continuing the story.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Anarade Relle on June 08, 2013, 01:11:24 PM
Hopefully things have recovered from that bad spat of bad events.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Ghidorah on November 22, 2013, 09:35:04 AM
Hey procyon,

I'd love to see some more of your Nemesis Campaign - You really need to finish March.    Hope you have the time now the your lad has finished his Afghan tour.   But I suppose that with the holidays work will become an issue again.   Ain't life a kick in the shorts sometimes.   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: Anarade Relle on February 24, 2014, 04:15:14 PM
Did another re-read. What a chaotic war!
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign - Comments
Post by: TheDeadlyShoe on February 24, 2014, 08:02:43 PM
Yes indeed.  It got really wacky.  I hope everything is okay.