1
General Discussion / Re: Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread: C# Edition
« Last post by mmaaddnndd12 on Today at 05:48:31 PM »What minerals are Maintenance Supply Points made of?
Recent Posts
2
General Discussion / Re: Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread: C# Edition
« Last post by paolot on Today at 04:39:13 PM »Probably from this thread. I don't recommend that thread simply because it's not official and is therefore unsupported, but I've used the mirrors once or twice myself so it's a viable alternative.
Thank you, nuclear!
The important thing is that the resulting installation is reliable.
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Development Discussions / Re: Aurora C# for Linux?
« Last post by Daan on Today at 04:12:27 PM »Worked for me with aurora 2. 5. 1 and proton - experimental.
The layout/colours i fixed with the DeepBlueTheme mod
Did have an issue with the known decimal notation bug for some regional settings. (research, construction, etc values where multiplied by 100 on newly created games)
Got it to work for my by adding "HOST_LC_ALL=C %command%" as a launch option.
The layout/colours i fixed with the DeepBlueTheme mod
Did have an issue with the known decimal notation bug for some regional settings. (research, construction, etc values where multiplied by 100 on newly created games)
Got it to work for my by adding "HOST_LC_ALL=C %command%" as a launch option.
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Gothic III - Conventional / Re: Gothic III - Updates Thread
« Last post by Steve Walmsley on Today at 10:19:29 AM »The second invasion of Golgotha II took place on March 28th 4028 and comprised the primary invasion, plus a second, smaller wave a couple of days later, staged via a temporary base on Golgotha I.
First Wave
Janus Corps: 240 Heavy Mortar (ST/MB), 180 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
1st Janus Regiment: 3,200 Guardsmen – MK II Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK II (LV/CSAP), 240 DM Section
2nd Janus Regiment: (as above)
3rd Janus Regiment: (as above)
4th Janus Regiment: (as above)
1st Armoured Corps: 200 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
Konig Armoured Regiment: 100 Leman Russ, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Jantine Patricians: 42 Leman Russ, 49 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 35 DMV
Grey Lancers: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Arcturan Dragoons: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 150 DM Section
Second Wave:
1st Cadian Shock Troops: 3200 Guardsman – MK I Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK I, 240 DM Section
2nd Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
4th Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
Almost three thousand guardsman, seventeen Leman Russ battle tanks and sixty Chimeras were lost on the first day, but the robotic Necron forces also took heavy losses, so the decision was made to press ahead with the battle. The second day, casualties were almost as high, but by the end of day three some Imperial formations began to break through the Necron lines. On day five,, the defenders broke and it was over by the end of the seventh day. Imperial casualties were nine thousand guardsmen, sixty tanks and three hundred Chimeras, which resulting in the disbanding of three of the engaged regiments. Even so, the planet was secured.
The survey of the ruined city required two months. One hundred and sixteen locations of interest were identified. Although study of the ancient construct took six months, it was an even more valuable find. The Ordo Xenos believed it would boost power and propulsion research on Golgotha II by up to ninety percent. Plans were laid to establish a colony and begin terraforming.
In September 4028, the Emperor made a decision to distribute some of Earth’s industry, in order to make use of governors specialised in different areas. Factories would be moved to Io, which already had over a hundred construction factories to match its eight hundred mines, while financial centres would be transferred to Terra’s moon, known as Luna. Shipyards and ground force training facilities would remain on Terra, along with various command and control facilities. It would take several years to build up the populations on Io and Luna and transports the required installations. Meanwhile, many of Earth’s remaining mines would be transferred to Gryphonne II, an Earth-sized world four transits from Sol. A huge terraforming effort was underway to transform Gryphonne II’s atmosphere from 0.35 atm of ammonia and 0.1 atm of nitrogen into a breathable environment.
In December 4028, the survey frigate Torchbearer was destroyed in the Necron system of Pyhrria after completing a gravitational survey. No jump points were found. The Necron ships were waiting close to the entry jump point from Lethe and attacked when she tried to exit. A month later, an Aquila class scout was destroyed by Necron surface-to-orbit weapons located on the third planet of the recently discovered system of Cypra Mundi.
On February 4th 4029, the first pair of Dauntless III light cruisers were constructed. Cerberus and Vanguard represented a significant step up from the Dauntless II-B, mounting a completely new weapons array, new shield generators, improved armour, upgraded sensors, more powerful reactors and more fuel-efficient engines. The weapons included the Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Battery, which extended weapon range to the limit of contemporary fire control technology at 320,000 km, and the Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance, which was slower firing and provided less overall damage, but focused its energy to drill straight through the armour belts of enemy ships. The new void shields increased the shield strength by two-thirds, albeit with a 20% drop in armour thickness.
Dauntless III class Light Cruiser 30,000 tons 1,020 Crew 8,209.8 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 10,710
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 4-86 Shields 357-571 HTK 191 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 20-6 PPV 144
Maint Life 1.71 Years MSP 4,420 AFR 360% IFR 5.0% 1YR 1,830 5YR 27,452 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 749,700 Litres Range 18 billion km (26 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (3) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.6 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance (4) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (3) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (2) Total Power Output 100.3 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Another Necron system was discovered on March 11th 4029. An Aquila scout probed a jump point in Baroda, a brown dwarf system five jumps from Sol, and discovered Praetoria, a red dwarf binary with eleven planets. The 500-ton scout headed in-system and encountered a pair of Necron Jackal class ships that shadowed the Aquila at a distance. Continuing in-system, it detected active sensor emissions from two Scarab class ships, the largest known Necron design at 28,750 tons, and a 19,000 tons Phaeron, all of which were in orbit of the second planets of the primary. Before the Aquila could move within sensor range, it was destroyed by a wave of Necron torpedoes.
Three weeks later, an Imperial squadron comprising the Gothic-B class cruiser Righteous Fury, the recently completed Dauntless III light cruisers Cerberus and Vanguard and the light carrier Defiant entered Cypra Mundi and eliminated the Necron STO battery that had destroyed an Aquila three months earlier. Two Orca class troop transports landed the remaining two Cadian regiments, consolidated after the Golgotha campaign, which quickly defeated a small Necron ground force that had presumably been acting as a guard unit for the STOs. A survey of the planet revealed a destroyed alien outpost.
The first Defiant III class light carrier, Bellator Stoicus, was launched on June 9th 4029, the fourth light carrier overall. The design incorporated the latest shields and armour and had more fuel efficient engines than its predecessors. The strikegroup comprised twelve each of the latest Starhawk and Fury design, with the Aquilas of the earlier carriers being replaced by the new Thunderhawk II assault transport.
Defiant III class Light Carrier 30,000 tons 589 Crew 5,133.1 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 3,570
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 3-86 Shields 119-571 HTK 137 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 21-7 PPV 0
Maint Life 1.64 Years MSP 3,745 AFR 343% IFR 4.8% 1YR 1,640 5YR 24,601 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 9,600 tons Magazine 578 / 0
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 192 Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 848,000 Litres Range 20.4 billion km (29 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (1) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.2 per second)
MK III Standard Torpedo (48) Speed: 54,000 km/s Range: 8.7m km WH: 16 Size: 12 TH: 237/142/71
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
12x Fury II-B Interceptor Speed: 20004 km/s Size: 6
12x Starhawk II Bomber Speed: 16002 km/s Size: 8
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
Starhawk II class Bomber 400 tons 1 Crew 90.2 BP TCS 8 TH 128 EM 0
16002 km/s Armour 1-4 Shields 0-0 HTK 3 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 3.6
Maint Life 1.30 Years MSP 25 AFR 80% IFR 1.1% 1YR 16 5YR 233 Max Repair 64 MSP
Magazine 24 / 0
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-128-MDB (1) Power 128 Fuel Use 600% Signature 128 Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 25,300 Litres Range 1.9 billion km (32 hours at full power)
Fixed Torpedo Launcher (2) Missile Size: 12 Hangar Reload 173 minutes MF Reload 28 hours
MK III Starhawk Fire Control (1) Range 12.4m km Resolution 12 ECCM-2
MK II Standard Torpedo (2) Speed: 38,000 km/s Range: 10.4m km WH: 15 Size: 12 TH: 158/95/47
MK III Starhawk Augur Array (1) GPS 252 Range 13.4m km Resolution 120
Fury II-B class Interceptor 300 tons 1 Crew 131.2 BP TCS 6 TH 120 EM 0
20004 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 HTK 2 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 1.65
Maint Life 1.86 Years MSP 30 AFR 60% IFR 0.8% 1YR 11 5YR 166 Max Repair 60 MSP
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.2 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-120-MDB2 (1) Power 120 Fuel Use 1008.59% Signature 120 Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 6,800 Litres Range 0.4 billion km (5 hours at full power)
MK III Lascannon (1x2) Range 60,000km TS: 20,004 km/s Power 1.5-1.5 RM 60,000 km ROF 5
MK III Fury Fire Control (1) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s ECCM-2 88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
R-1B Tokamak Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 1.5 Exp 15%
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Thunderhawk II class Assault Transport 1,000 tons 4 Crew 260.5 BP TCS 20 TH 456 EM 0
22801 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 HTK 4 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 199% IFR 2.8% 1YR 154 5YR 2,313 Max Repair 228 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons Boarding Capable
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-456-MDB (1) Power 456 Fuel Use 894.06% Signature 456 Explosion 30%
Fuel Capacity 17,800 Litres Range 0.36 billion km (4 hours at full power)
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Ground Forces
1x Space Marines - MK II Armour
On March 30th 4029, the Imperium encountered a new alien race in the Taranis system, six transits from Sol via the shortest path, although the increasing complexity of the jump network meant that several different routes could be used. Taranis was adjacent to Baroda, was which also connected to the recently discovered Necron system of Praetoria. A survey of Taranis was already underway when a troop transport bringing an Ordo Mineralis formation to investigate the second planet detected emissions from a ship of an unknown alien race. The planet around which the alien was located had previously been surveyed, so the alien had entered the system since the survey. The transport continued onward and moved within its own active sensor range. The alien ship, which Imperium Intelligence designated as Dalyth class, was 11,251 tons and had a maximum observed speed of 13,300 km/s, considerably faster than the 8000 km/s speed of Imperial warships.
Taranis was plainly not the home system of the aliens, which meant this new race was the greatest threat encountered by the Imperium. The Jotun did not seem to possess jump technology, as they made not attempt to leave their home system, while the Necrons had been encountered in eight different systems, but seemed content to guard what appeared to be the ruins of their civilization. This new race was actively exploring, which meant they could find Terra or one of its colonies. The only short-term positive was that they did not seem to be immediately hostile and the alien ship was prepared to attempt communications.
The resources of the Imperium were mobilised. A light cruiser and a light carrier were dispatched to the area, along with a second survey frigate, with replenishment ships following in their wake. Stabilisation ships were re-directed to extend the stable jump network to the area, while the three Empyrean class jump tenders were sent to provide jump capability until that network was in place. Once the Empyreans were in place, colony ships, mass conveyors and troop transports would emplace an Imperial base in Taranis, to serve as a forward outpost against this new threat. The site chosen for the new base was Taranis II, a super-terrestrial world, 21,000 km in diameter with a gravity of 1.64G gravity. The dense oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere of almost 3 atm, with 0.75 atm of oxygen, combined with the size of the planet would make terraforming very difficult, but as it was colony cost 2.00 a population could be supported with sufficient infrastructure. The dominant terrain was mountain rainforest, making it ideal for ground-based defences.
In October 4029, a jump point was detected in Taranis. An Aquila class scout dispatched to investigate found two more alien ships stationed on the jump point: a 72,600-ton Kirla and a 6,900-to Kysan. The planned colony on Taranis II was still not established, mainly due to getting the slow-moving jump tenders into position. The Aquila transited and emerged in a red dwarf system, named Helican, with seven planets, the first of which had a thin nitrogen – oxygen atmosphere. The jump point on the Helican side was stabilised, which suggested this was the route to the main part of the alien territory and also that the large alien vessel on the Taranis side of the jump point was potentially a stabilisation ship. The scout conducted a sweep of the inner planets, finding no sign of any alien presence. A month later, full communications was established. The alien race referred to itself as the Tau Empire.
On November 13th 4029 the first Gothic II class cruiser, Invincible, was launched. She was a much larger version of the Dauntless III, mounting eight Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lances, fifteen Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Batteries and twenty-four AK-10C Weapon Batteries. Invincible’s shields were twice as strong as a Dauntless III, but would recharge just as quickly, giving her exceptional staying power. She would be especially effective against missile attacks with an interval between salvos of ten minutes or more, such as those launched by the Necrons.
Gothic II class Cruiser 60,000 tons 2,006 Crew 15,975.8 BP TCS 1,200 TH 9,600 EM 21,420
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 5-136 Shields 714-571 HTK 371 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 42-7 PPV 303
Maint Life 1.62 Years MSP 7,989 AFR 686% IFR 9.5% 1YR 3,574 5YR 53,611 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 1,000 tons
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
RM-600-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 60000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (4) Power 9600 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,564,000 Litres Range 18.8 billion km (27 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (6) Recharge Time 571 seconds (1.3 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240-B Particle Lance (8) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (15x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (24x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (4) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (4) Total Power Output 200.6 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK II Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 30240 Range 146.5m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
A second Gothic II, Holy Flame, was completed on December 14th. At about the same time, The survey of Taranis was completed without the discovery of any further jump points. The survey frigates Black Star and Emperor’s Light moved into Helican. A month later, the Tau completed the stabilisation of the Taranis – Helican jump point.
By the end of January 4030, the implementation of the Emperor’s decision to specialise the Imperium economy was well underway. Sixty percent of construction factories had been moved to Io and eighty percent of financial centres to Terra’s moon. Io also had nine hundred and fifty mining complexes, with a further fourteen hundred mines split between five other mining colonies. Forty-two Hephaestus class orbital mining platforms with over a thousand orbital mining modules were split between five comets, all in different systems.
Terra
Population: 2,231m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 522,216 tons
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 3,655,309 tons
Research Facility: 118
Ground Force Construction Complex: 15
Construction Factory: 802
Ordnance Factory: 202
Fighter Factory: 204
Mine: 40
Fuel Refinery: 105
Maintenance Facility: 493
Financial Centre: 152
Duranium: 131,543 0.60
Neutronium: 3,887 0.13
Boronide: 1,621 0.11
Vendarite: 36,705 0.32
Sorium: 6,594 0.15
Corundium: 3,778 0.13
Gallicite: 8,812 0.17
Io
Population: 575m
Construction Factory: 1,261
Mine: 950
Fighter Factory: 40
Duranium: 3,598,788 0.80
Neutronium: 1,192,337 0.50
Vendarite: 194,099 0.40
Corundium: 355,147 0.60
Luna
Colony Cost 2.0.
Population: 107.62m
Financial Centre: 595
Gryphonne II
Population: 97m
Mine: 495
Duranium: 47,445,611 0.80
Corbomite: 29,091,841 0.10
Boronide: 33,623,027 0.50
Vendarite: 14,650,189 0.10
Sorium: 27,853,889 0.10
Uridium: 5,379,005 0.10
Gallicite: 29,064,684 0.90
Hesperus II
Population: 95m
Mine: 311
Duranium: 2,763,889 0.90
Corbomite: 2,394,111 0.70
Boronide: 3,202,150 0.80
Mercassium: 3,702,363 0.70
Kapteyn Base
Population: 61 m
Mine: 215
Duranium: 392,899 0.90
Tritanium: 294,591 0.90
Corundium: 294,591 0.90
Orpheus III - Moon 4
Population: 50m
Mine: 214
Duranium: 81,034 0.90
Corbomite: 59,422 0.60
Tritanium: 352,081 1.00
Sorium: 794,276 0.70
Uridium: 439,901 0.70
Gallicite: 565,009 0.90
Colchis Fleet Base
Population: 26.5m
Mine: 167
Automated Mine: 6
Duranium: 87,886 0.90
Tritanium: 279,608 0.70
Mercassium: 337,744 0.90
Vendarite: 439,016 0.90
Gallicite: 284,639 0.90
Golgotha II
Population: 22.7m
90% Power/Propulsion Construct
Research Facility: 6
Wolf 359 III
Population: 18m
Alpha Centauri-B V
Population: 15.4m
Moebius III - Moon 5
Population: 10.2m
Mine: 27
Automated Mine: 8
Duranium: 125,901 1.00
Vendarite: 155,819 0.90
Corundium: 89,003 0.90
Gallicite: 124,430 0.80
Major Orbital Mining Colonies
Sabatine Comet #2
300 Orbital Mining Modules
Neutronium: 52,726 1.00
Corbomite: 57,680 1.00
Boronide: 23,341 0.50
Mercassium: 73,278 0.60
Vendarite: 140,455 0.90
Gallicite: 143,617 0.70
Scarus Comet #1
300 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 265,460 0.90
Neutronium: 92,336 0.60
Corbomite: 11,117 0.38
Uridium: 4,157 0.23
Corundium: 77,217 0.50
Kapteyn’ Star Comet #3
150 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 344,994 0.80
Tritanium: 55,074 0.60
Boronide: 2,472 0.24
Corundium: 13,953 0.54
Gallicite: 31,646 0.95
Orpheus Comet #3
200 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 90,453 1.00
Tritanium: 3,943 0.36
Boronide: 78,675 0.50
Gallicite: 124,871 0.90
Midgard Comet #6
100 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 132,125 1.00
Tritanium: 27,654 0.70
Boronide: 256,423 1.00
Mercassium: 54,627 0.90
Vendarite: 60,713 0.70
Gallicite: 35,769 0.80
First Wave
Janus Corps: 240 Heavy Mortar (ST/MB), 180 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
1st Janus Regiment: 3,200 Guardsmen – MK II Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK II (LV/CSAP), 240 DM Section
2nd Janus Regiment: (as above)
3rd Janus Regiment: (as above)
4th Janus Regiment: (as above)
1st Armoured Corps: 200 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
Konig Armoured Regiment: 100 Leman Russ, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Jantine Patricians: 42 Leman Russ, 49 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 35 DMV
Grey Lancers: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Arcturan Dragoons: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 150 DM Section
Second Wave:
1st Cadian Shock Troops: 3200 Guardsman – MK I Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK I, 240 DM Section
2nd Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
4th Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
Almost three thousand guardsman, seventeen Leman Russ battle tanks and sixty Chimeras were lost on the first day, but the robotic Necron forces also took heavy losses, so the decision was made to press ahead with the battle. The second day, casualties were almost as high, but by the end of day three some Imperial formations began to break through the Necron lines. On day five,, the defenders broke and it was over by the end of the seventh day. Imperial casualties were nine thousand guardsmen, sixty tanks and three hundred Chimeras, which resulting in the disbanding of three of the engaged regiments. Even so, the planet was secured.
The survey of the ruined city required two months. One hundred and sixteen locations of interest were identified. Although study of the ancient construct took six months, it was an even more valuable find. The Ordo Xenos believed it would boost power and propulsion research on Golgotha II by up to ninety percent. Plans were laid to establish a colony and begin terraforming.
In September 4028, the Emperor made a decision to distribute some of Earth’s industry, in order to make use of governors specialised in different areas. Factories would be moved to Io, which already had over a hundred construction factories to match its eight hundred mines, while financial centres would be transferred to Terra’s moon, known as Luna. Shipyards and ground force training facilities would remain on Terra, along with various command and control facilities. It would take several years to build up the populations on Io and Luna and transports the required installations. Meanwhile, many of Earth’s remaining mines would be transferred to Gryphonne II, an Earth-sized world four transits from Sol. A huge terraforming effort was underway to transform Gryphonne II’s atmosphere from 0.35 atm of ammonia and 0.1 atm of nitrogen into a breathable environment.
In December 4028, the survey frigate Torchbearer was destroyed in the Necron system of Pyhrria after completing a gravitational survey. No jump points were found. The Necron ships were waiting close to the entry jump point from Lethe and attacked when she tried to exit. A month later, an Aquila class scout was destroyed by Necron surface-to-orbit weapons located on the third planet of the recently discovered system of Cypra Mundi.
On February 4th 4029, the first pair of Dauntless III light cruisers were constructed. Cerberus and Vanguard represented a significant step up from the Dauntless II-B, mounting a completely new weapons array, new shield generators, improved armour, upgraded sensors, more powerful reactors and more fuel-efficient engines. The weapons included the Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Battery, which extended weapon range to the limit of contemporary fire control technology at 320,000 km, and the Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance, which was slower firing and provided less overall damage, but focused its energy to drill straight through the armour belts of enemy ships. The new void shields increased the shield strength by two-thirds, albeit with a 20% drop in armour thickness.
Dauntless III class Light Cruiser 30,000 tons 1,020 Crew 8,209.8 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 10,710
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 4-86 Shields 357-571 HTK 191 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 20-6 PPV 144
Maint Life 1.71 Years MSP 4,420 AFR 360% IFR 5.0% 1YR 1,830 5YR 27,452 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 749,700 Litres Range 18 billion km (26 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (3) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.6 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance (4) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (3) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (2) Total Power Output 100.3 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Another Necron system was discovered on March 11th 4029. An Aquila scout probed a jump point in Baroda, a brown dwarf system five jumps from Sol, and discovered Praetoria, a red dwarf binary with eleven planets. The 500-ton scout headed in-system and encountered a pair of Necron Jackal class ships that shadowed the Aquila at a distance. Continuing in-system, it detected active sensor emissions from two Scarab class ships, the largest known Necron design at 28,750 tons, and a 19,000 tons Phaeron, all of which were in orbit of the second planets of the primary. Before the Aquila could move within sensor range, it was destroyed by a wave of Necron torpedoes.
Three weeks later, an Imperial squadron comprising the Gothic-B class cruiser Righteous Fury, the recently completed Dauntless III light cruisers Cerberus and Vanguard and the light carrier Defiant entered Cypra Mundi and eliminated the Necron STO battery that had destroyed an Aquila three months earlier. Two Orca class troop transports landed the remaining two Cadian regiments, consolidated after the Golgotha campaign, which quickly defeated a small Necron ground force that had presumably been acting as a guard unit for the STOs. A survey of the planet revealed a destroyed alien outpost.
The first Defiant III class light carrier, Bellator Stoicus, was launched on June 9th 4029, the fourth light carrier overall. The design incorporated the latest shields and armour and had more fuel efficient engines than its predecessors. The strikegroup comprised twelve each of the latest Starhawk and Fury design, with the Aquilas of the earlier carriers being replaced by the new Thunderhawk II assault transport.
Defiant III class Light Carrier 30,000 tons 589 Crew 5,133.1 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 3,570
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 3-86 Shields 119-571 HTK 137 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 21-7 PPV 0
Maint Life 1.64 Years MSP 3,745 AFR 343% IFR 4.8% 1YR 1,640 5YR 24,601 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 9,600 tons Magazine 578 / 0
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 192 Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 848,000 Litres Range 20.4 billion km (29 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (1) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.2 per second)
MK III Standard Torpedo (48) Speed: 54,000 km/s Range: 8.7m km WH: 16 Size: 12 TH: 237/142/71
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
12x Fury II-B Interceptor Speed: 20004 km/s Size: 6
12x Starhawk II Bomber Speed: 16002 km/s Size: 8
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
Starhawk II class Bomber 400 tons 1 Crew 90.2 BP TCS 8 TH 128 EM 0
16002 km/s Armour 1-4 Shields 0-0 HTK 3 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 3.6
Maint Life 1.30 Years MSP 25 AFR 80% IFR 1.1% 1YR 16 5YR 233 Max Repair 64 MSP
Magazine 24 / 0
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-128-MDB (1) Power 128 Fuel Use 600% Signature 128 Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 25,300 Litres Range 1.9 billion km (32 hours at full power)
Fixed Torpedo Launcher (2) Missile Size: 12 Hangar Reload 173 minutes MF Reload 28 hours
MK III Starhawk Fire Control (1) Range 12.4m km Resolution 12 ECCM-2
MK II Standard Torpedo (2) Speed: 38,000 km/s Range: 10.4m km WH: 15 Size: 12 TH: 158/95/47
MK III Starhawk Augur Array (1) GPS 252 Range 13.4m km Resolution 120
Fury II-B class Interceptor 300 tons 1 Crew 131.2 BP TCS 6 TH 120 EM 0
20004 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 HTK 2 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 1.65
Maint Life 1.86 Years MSP 30 AFR 60% IFR 0.8% 1YR 11 5YR 166 Max Repair 60 MSP
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.2 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-120-MDB2 (1) Power 120 Fuel Use 1008.59% Signature 120 Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 6,800 Litres Range 0.4 billion km (5 hours at full power)
MK III Lascannon (1x2) Range 60,000km TS: 20,004 km/s Power 1.5-1.5 RM 60,000 km ROF 5
MK III Fury Fire Control (1) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s ECCM-2 88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
R-1B Tokamak Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 1.5 Exp 15%
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Thunderhawk II class Assault Transport 1,000 tons 4 Crew 260.5 BP TCS 20 TH 456 EM 0
22801 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 HTK 4 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 199% IFR 2.8% 1YR 154 5YR 2,313 Max Repair 228 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons Boarding Capable
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-456-MDB (1) Power 456 Fuel Use 894.06% Signature 456 Explosion 30%
Fuel Capacity 17,800 Litres Range 0.36 billion km (4 hours at full power)
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Ground Forces
1x Space Marines - MK II Armour
On March 30th 4029, the Imperium encountered a new alien race in the Taranis system, six transits from Sol via the shortest path, although the increasing complexity of the jump network meant that several different routes could be used. Taranis was adjacent to Baroda, was which also connected to the recently discovered Necron system of Praetoria. A survey of Taranis was already underway when a troop transport bringing an Ordo Mineralis formation to investigate the second planet detected emissions from a ship of an unknown alien race. The planet around which the alien was located had previously been surveyed, so the alien had entered the system since the survey. The transport continued onward and moved within its own active sensor range. The alien ship, which Imperium Intelligence designated as Dalyth class, was 11,251 tons and had a maximum observed speed of 13,300 km/s, considerably faster than the 8000 km/s speed of Imperial warships.
Taranis was plainly not the home system of the aliens, which meant this new race was the greatest threat encountered by the Imperium. The Jotun did not seem to possess jump technology, as they made not attempt to leave their home system, while the Necrons had been encountered in eight different systems, but seemed content to guard what appeared to be the ruins of their civilization. This new race was actively exploring, which meant they could find Terra or one of its colonies. The only short-term positive was that they did not seem to be immediately hostile and the alien ship was prepared to attempt communications.
The resources of the Imperium were mobilised. A light cruiser and a light carrier were dispatched to the area, along with a second survey frigate, with replenishment ships following in their wake. Stabilisation ships were re-directed to extend the stable jump network to the area, while the three Empyrean class jump tenders were sent to provide jump capability until that network was in place. Once the Empyreans were in place, colony ships, mass conveyors and troop transports would emplace an Imperial base in Taranis, to serve as a forward outpost against this new threat. The site chosen for the new base was Taranis II, a super-terrestrial world, 21,000 km in diameter with a gravity of 1.64G gravity. The dense oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere of almost 3 atm, with 0.75 atm of oxygen, combined with the size of the planet would make terraforming very difficult, but as it was colony cost 2.00 a population could be supported with sufficient infrastructure. The dominant terrain was mountain rainforest, making it ideal for ground-based defences.
In October 4029, a jump point was detected in Taranis. An Aquila class scout dispatched to investigate found two more alien ships stationed on the jump point: a 72,600-ton Kirla and a 6,900-to Kysan. The planned colony on Taranis II was still not established, mainly due to getting the slow-moving jump tenders into position. The Aquila transited and emerged in a red dwarf system, named Helican, with seven planets, the first of which had a thin nitrogen – oxygen atmosphere. The jump point on the Helican side was stabilised, which suggested this was the route to the main part of the alien territory and also that the large alien vessel on the Taranis side of the jump point was potentially a stabilisation ship. The scout conducted a sweep of the inner planets, finding no sign of any alien presence. A month later, full communications was established. The alien race referred to itself as the Tau Empire.
On November 13th 4029 the first Gothic II class cruiser, Invincible, was launched. She was a much larger version of the Dauntless III, mounting eight Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lances, fifteen Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Batteries and twenty-four AK-10C Weapon Batteries. Invincible’s shields were twice as strong as a Dauntless III, but would recharge just as quickly, giving her exceptional staying power. She would be especially effective against missile attacks with an interval between salvos of ten minutes or more, such as those launched by the Necrons.
Gothic II class Cruiser 60,000 tons 2,006 Crew 15,975.8 BP TCS 1,200 TH 9,600 EM 21,420
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 5-136 Shields 714-571 HTK 371 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 42-7 PPV 303
Maint Life 1.62 Years MSP 7,989 AFR 686% IFR 9.5% 1YR 3,574 5YR 53,611 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 1,000 tons
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
RM-600-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 60000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (4) Power 9600 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,564,000 Litres Range 18.8 billion km (27 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (6) Recharge Time 571 seconds (1.3 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240-B Particle Lance (8) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (15x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (24x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (4) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (4) Total Power Output 200.6 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK II Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 30240 Range 146.5m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
A second Gothic II, Holy Flame, was completed on December 14th. At about the same time, The survey of Taranis was completed without the discovery of any further jump points. The survey frigates Black Star and Emperor’s Light moved into Helican. A month later, the Tau completed the stabilisation of the Taranis – Helican jump point.
By the end of January 4030, the implementation of the Emperor’s decision to specialise the Imperium economy was well underway. Sixty percent of construction factories had been moved to Io and eighty percent of financial centres to Terra’s moon. Io also had nine hundred and fifty mining complexes, with a further fourteen hundred mines split between five other mining colonies. Forty-two Hephaestus class orbital mining platforms with over a thousand orbital mining modules were split between five comets, all in different systems.
Terra
Population: 2,231m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 522,216 tons
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 3,655,309 tons
Research Facility: 118
Ground Force Construction Complex: 15
Construction Factory: 802
Ordnance Factory: 202
Fighter Factory: 204
Mine: 40
Fuel Refinery: 105
Maintenance Facility: 493
Financial Centre: 152
Duranium: 131,543 0.60
Neutronium: 3,887 0.13
Boronide: 1,621 0.11
Vendarite: 36,705 0.32
Sorium: 6,594 0.15
Corundium: 3,778 0.13
Gallicite: 8,812 0.17
Io
Population: 575m
Construction Factory: 1,261
Mine: 950
Fighter Factory: 40
Duranium: 3,598,788 0.80
Neutronium: 1,192,337 0.50
Vendarite: 194,099 0.40
Corundium: 355,147 0.60
Luna
Colony Cost 2.0.
Population: 107.62m
Financial Centre: 595
Gryphonne II
Population: 97m
Mine: 495
Duranium: 47,445,611 0.80
Corbomite: 29,091,841 0.10
Boronide: 33,623,027 0.50
Vendarite: 14,650,189 0.10
Sorium: 27,853,889 0.10
Uridium: 5,379,005 0.10
Gallicite: 29,064,684 0.90
Hesperus II
Population: 95m
Mine: 311
Duranium: 2,763,889 0.90
Corbomite: 2,394,111 0.70
Boronide: 3,202,150 0.80
Mercassium: 3,702,363 0.70
Kapteyn Base
Population: 61 m
Mine: 215
Duranium: 392,899 0.90
Tritanium: 294,591 0.90
Corundium: 294,591 0.90
Orpheus III - Moon 4
Population: 50m
Mine: 214
Duranium: 81,034 0.90
Corbomite: 59,422 0.60
Tritanium: 352,081 1.00
Sorium: 794,276 0.70
Uridium: 439,901 0.70
Gallicite: 565,009 0.90
Colchis Fleet Base
Population: 26.5m
Mine: 167
Automated Mine: 6
Duranium: 87,886 0.90
Tritanium: 279,608 0.70
Mercassium: 337,744 0.90
Vendarite: 439,016 0.90
Gallicite: 284,639 0.90
Golgotha II
Population: 22.7m
90% Power/Propulsion Construct
Research Facility: 6
Wolf 359 III
Population: 18m
Alpha Centauri-B V
Population: 15.4m
Moebius III - Moon 5
Population: 10.2m
Mine: 27
Automated Mine: 8
Duranium: 125,901 1.00
Vendarite: 155,819 0.90
Corundium: 89,003 0.90
Gallicite: 124,430 0.80
Major Orbital Mining Colonies
Sabatine Comet #2
300 Orbital Mining Modules
Neutronium: 52,726 1.00
Corbomite: 57,680 1.00
Boronide: 23,341 0.50
Mercassium: 73,278 0.60
Vendarite: 140,455 0.90
Gallicite: 143,617 0.70
Scarus Comet #1
300 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 265,460 0.90
Neutronium: 92,336 0.60
Corbomite: 11,117 0.38
Uridium: 4,157 0.23
Corundium: 77,217 0.50
Kapteyn’ Star Comet #3
150 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 344,994 0.80
Tritanium: 55,074 0.60
Boronide: 2,472 0.24
Corundium: 13,953 0.54
Gallicite: 31,646 0.95
Orpheus Comet #3
200 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 90,453 1.00
Tritanium: 3,943 0.36
Boronide: 78,675 0.50
Gallicite: 124,871 0.90
Midgard Comet #6
100 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 132,125 1.00
Tritanium: 27,654 0.70
Boronide: 256,423 1.00
Mercassium: 54,627 0.90
Vendarite: 60,713 0.70
Gallicite: 35,769 0.80
5
Zap0's Fiction / The Black Dawn Subspace Flare
« Last post by Zap0 on Today at 09:38:48 AM »Here a short story from the Fallen Empires multiplayer game, in which I was co-GM. That's why this forum has gotten quiet, I'm roleplaying on Discord these days :-)
The Subspace Flare worked and the second human spacefaring civilization was wiped out, with their remnants having fled and rebuilding for the reboot of the game that's starting now after a few months downtime. Check it out!
I originally posted this on November 4th 2023.
"Why? Why did the Exterminators come here and attempted to wipe out our civilization?"
There is hardly a Human that has lived in the past 800 years that has not asked themselves that question. The explanations and conjectures people come up with are manyfold. But for some the answer is that it is simply natural evolution, the logical next step for Humanity. People who believe such things are called believers or members of the Black Dawn, as they await another dark day for Humanity. When the ancient fleets emerged and reenabled communication between the surviving systems these people found each other and formed a star-spanning religious order to share their dangerous ideas and organize themselves.
These people exist on Canuxa, the main industrial planet of Xenophon's Host, too. Canuxa is a harsh world to live on. It's clime is relatively moderate, but the major population hotspots are all at unpleasant latitudes or other inhospitable regions. Planned and purpose-built for industrial efficiency by administrators who live on planet Kelainai, one orbit closer to the sun, and who will likely never set foot on Canuxa themselves. The ruling class of Kelainai are descendents of survivors of the first Human civilization, who drifted through normal space in cryo sleep for hundreds of years. For them the burning cities, the burning worlds, were still fresh in their minds. The war had never stopped. And when they set out to continue fighting it they needed laborers to build their ships. Biological reproduction being too slow, they turned to cloning more, more and ever greater numbers of people to fulfil their need.
It is uncertain whether the clones, being the blank slates they were, came up with the ideas that constitute the Black Dawn themselves or if that thought was passed on to them by some survivors that were scarred beyond hope by the destruction of their homes and all they had ever known. Certain is that in the present day believers and direct members are scattered across the breadth of Canuxan society.
----
Today that certainty has manifested itself through a chain of actions that starts at a Canuxa spaceport, where a large piece of machinery, easily four meters across and covered in tarp and protective covering, is loaded into the cargo hold of a vessel by an industrial-sized cargo mech, steered by rugged-looking hardhat-wearing dock workers. The ship being loaded is not a freighter however, but cryo transport Kios 003 due to haul a work crew to Kelainai to construct another facility there: All other opened loading ramps are receiving cryosleep sarcophagi. Hauled in one by one in orderly lines by ordinary forklifts, deep into the belly of the beast. Sheep to the slaughter, already in their coffins.
A few million kilometers after having broken orbit calm and routine starts to settle in with the skeleton crew operating the ship. The vast majority of the souls aboard will be asleep and frozen for the duration of their three-day journey to Kelainai. One of the crew members excuses themselves from the bridge. Not an unusual event, as now the boring part of the journey begins. As they are about to leave the bridge they rest their hand briefly against the bulkhead, and one can make out a black mark on the back of their hand. Like coal, or Ashes.
Nausea is the first sensation Imixeros has after waking up. A common side-effect of being awoken from cryosleep without the proper drugs before the cycle ends. Looking to his sides, his comrades are fighting the same sensation. He controls the impulse, righting himself and gathering his senses. There they are, the four of them chosen for this holy mission, all alone in a massive, dark cargo hold full of neatly aligned cryosleep sarcophagi, only illuminated by status light indicators. The mole in the crew who had initiated their waking up has already left. The group makes its way to the wall of the cargo hold and removes a loosened piece of wall paneling. Behind it are the tools they will require for the next part of the operation.
The massive blast catches the bored bridge crew completely by surprise. The door falls in, and two armed, robed cultists storm the bridge. During the moment it takes for the smoke to clear away through the air filters the assailants can orient themselves and take position, but it also allows for the crew to come to their senses. The crew manning the comms and navigation stations are shot before they can react, but the helmsman reacts quickly, draws his sidearm and strikes down one of the assailants before being hit by return fire from the other. The captain, a veteran of military service, reacts on instinct and takes out the other attacker with a well-placed shot in the chest. With both attackers dead, a moment passes as the captain anticipates further assaults. None come, and silence sets in. Then, a click next to his head. The safety of a sidearm being undone, held to his head by his operations officer. On the back of his hand the black line, semicircle and sunrays that make up the emblem of the Black Dawn.
----
Kios 003, I repeat, you are ordered to explain the diversion from your course and respond. The radio clicks, but neither the mole, still in his uniform, nor the other cultist who had arrived after clearing out engineering pays it any attention. On one of their consoles a dot starts moving.
"An Aeacus-Class Interceptor is heading our way. Heading for LP1, to be exact."
"Trying to cut us off, no doubt. Would get there before us, too. Too bad they don't know our real destination."
"No danger then. Has Imixeros taken care of the off-duty crew yet?"
"Yes, they've all been sent ahead. I swear, he loves this a little too much."
"He's bloodthirsty, but he has fire. I've set the Autopilot. Come, let's go down and help him set up."
They throw off the last of the covering sheets and spend a moment beholding the machine. It is beautiful. Both in a conventional sense, and as for what it represents to them. With nobody but the three cultists left conscious aboard the ship, they've turned the lights on in the cargo hold to conduct their work. Twin spires in the center of the machine in which the chain reaction will build. Particle generators and associated control systems to the sides, covered by heavily engraved metal sheets made of a material that almost makes them look like stone, and the machine like an altar. It takes a few hours to connect it to the power supply of the ship. As they work, one question is on their minds: Will it work? They were burning with anticipation. Only one way to find out.
----
The machine was charging. They've sat down to wait, exhausted from their work aboard the ship. Only old man Imixeros is still about, fiddling with a large commercial subspace broadcast unit they'd obtained from a large news agency rich enough to have something so powerful that it can send to all settled worlds in the cluster. It won't override ongoing broadcasts on other frequencies, but that is okay, as it'll send cleanly on all unused ones.
"Are you sure the transmission will even work?"
"Ah-ha! I've got it."
As if on cue to the question Imixeros clicks the broadcast button and takes position in front of the camera, the machine in the background.
"Welcome, citizens of the cluster...!"
----
The broadcast can be received by common household equipment throughout the settled systems. It is impossible to block.
A bony looking man past his prime in a dark robe speaks excitedly at the viewer, but the real eye-catcher is the tall machine behind the man which is what the camera is facing up to. It is beautiful, with two spires in the center slowly rotating around a central point of light. A hum can be heard, and both the noise and the light grow over time as the spires gradually rotate faster. The engraving on the machine is as aesthetically pleasing as it conveys a sense of foreboding. Even the more casually familiar can make out the iconography and imagery of the Order of the Black Dawn in the high-res video feed - not that the man in the robe is making a secret of him being a true believer.
Imixeros, the excited man in the robe, speaks about the anticipated return of the Exterminators, and how the subspace flare behind him shall penetrate into their dimension and give them a guiding sign, a prayer for their return, his tone growing in agitation as the machine behind him builds up energy.
The rotating spires eventually become too fast for eyes to follow, and the light source elongates up and down between the spires as both they and the man come to a crescendo. It becomes clear that something is not alright with him as his voice changes, and eventually as he falls to his knees, but never ceasing to preach the doctrine of the Black Dawn to the camera. More and more light leaks out of the containment between the spires and the background noise drowns out the hoarse noises the man still manages to produce. The light behind him grows into a massive flare that outshines everything else, but the camera still catches his face in the frame, literally melting from the radiation the machine must be producing on all wavelengths.
Not long after the radiation fries the broadcasting equipment too and the transmission cuts out.
----
17 April 3002, News report:
After building to an overload, the so-called "subspace flare" that was the item of yesterdays unauthorized broadcast destroyed itself. The Order of the Black Dawn has officially claimed responsibility for the incident, with someone purporting to be the High Prophet himself making a statement to that effect. The ship, the Kios 003 in the Xenophon home system, was found in a position on a line exactly 1/1024th of the distance between Xenophon-A and its equally-sized companion star Xenophon-B. The radiation destroyed all complex systems aboard and contaminated all other materials, making the ship a total loss. None of the crew, assailants or any of the 50 000 workers in cryosleep survived.
The Subspace Flare worked and the second human spacefaring civilization was wiped out, with their remnants having fled and rebuilding for the reboot of the game that's starting now after a few months downtime. Check it out!
I originally posted this on November 4th 2023.
"Why? Why did the Exterminators come here and attempted to wipe out our civilization?"
There is hardly a Human that has lived in the past 800 years that has not asked themselves that question. The explanations and conjectures people come up with are manyfold. But for some the answer is that it is simply natural evolution, the logical next step for Humanity. People who believe such things are called believers or members of the Black Dawn, as they await another dark day for Humanity. When the ancient fleets emerged and reenabled communication between the surviving systems these people found each other and formed a star-spanning religious order to share their dangerous ideas and organize themselves.
These people exist on Canuxa, the main industrial planet of Xenophon's Host, too. Canuxa is a harsh world to live on. It's clime is relatively moderate, but the major population hotspots are all at unpleasant latitudes or other inhospitable regions. Planned and purpose-built for industrial efficiency by administrators who live on planet Kelainai, one orbit closer to the sun, and who will likely never set foot on Canuxa themselves. The ruling class of Kelainai are descendents of survivors of the first Human civilization, who drifted through normal space in cryo sleep for hundreds of years. For them the burning cities, the burning worlds, were still fresh in their minds. The war had never stopped. And when they set out to continue fighting it they needed laborers to build their ships. Biological reproduction being too slow, they turned to cloning more, more and ever greater numbers of people to fulfil their need.
It is uncertain whether the clones, being the blank slates they were, came up with the ideas that constitute the Black Dawn themselves or if that thought was passed on to them by some survivors that were scarred beyond hope by the destruction of their homes and all they had ever known. Certain is that in the present day believers and direct members are scattered across the breadth of Canuxan society.
----
Today that certainty has manifested itself through a chain of actions that starts at a Canuxa spaceport, where a large piece of machinery, easily four meters across and covered in tarp and protective covering, is loaded into the cargo hold of a vessel by an industrial-sized cargo mech, steered by rugged-looking hardhat-wearing dock workers. The ship being loaded is not a freighter however, but cryo transport Kios 003 due to haul a work crew to Kelainai to construct another facility there: All other opened loading ramps are receiving cryosleep sarcophagi. Hauled in one by one in orderly lines by ordinary forklifts, deep into the belly of the beast. Sheep to the slaughter, already in their coffins.
A few million kilometers after having broken orbit calm and routine starts to settle in with the skeleton crew operating the ship. The vast majority of the souls aboard will be asleep and frozen for the duration of their three-day journey to Kelainai. One of the crew members excuses themselves from the bridge. Not an unusual event, as now the boring part of the journey begins. As they are about to leave the bridge they rest their hand briefly against the bulkhead, and one can make out a black mark on the back of their hand. Like coal, or Ashes.
Nausea is the first sensation Imixeros has after waking up. A common side-effect of being awoken from cryosleep without the proper drugs before the cycle ends. Looking to his sides, his comrades are fighting the same sensation. He controls the impulse, righting himself and gathering his senses. There they are, the four of them chosen for this holy mission, all alone in a massive, dark cargo hold full of neatly aligned cryosleep sarcophagi, only illuminated by status light indicators. The mole in the crew who had initiated their waking up has already left. The group makes its way to the wall of the cargo hold and removes a loosened piece of wall paneling. Behind it are the tools they will require for the next part of the operation.
The massive blast catches the bored bridge crew completely by surprise. The door falls in, and two armed, robed cultists storm the bridge. During the moment it takes for the smoke to clear away through the air filters the assailants can orient themselves and take position, but it also allows for the crew to come to their senses. The crew manning the comms and navigation stations are shot before they can react, but the helmsman reacts quickly, draws his sidearm and strikes down one of the assailants before being hit by return fire from the other. The captain, a veteran of military service, reacts on instinct and takes out the other attacker with a well-placed shot in the chest. With both attackers dead, a moment passes as the captain anticipates further assaults. None come, and silence sets in. Then, a click next to his head. The safety of a sidearm being undone, held to his head by his operations officer. On the back of his hand the black line, semicircle and sunrays that make up the emblem of the Black Dawn.
----
Kios 003, I repeat, you are ordered to explain the diversion from your course and respond. The radio clicks, but neither the mole, still in his uniform, nor the other cultist who had arrived after clearing out engineering pays it any attention. On one of their consoles a dot starts moving.
"An Aeacus-Class Interceptor is heading our way. Heading for LP1, to be exact."
"Trying to cut us off, no doubt. Would get there before us, too. Too bad they don't know our real destination."
"No danger then. Has Imixeros taken care of the off-duty crew yet?"
"Yes, they've all been sent ahead. I swear, he loves this a little too much."
"He's bloodthirsty, but he has fire. I've set the Autopilot. Come, let's go down and help him set up."
They throw off the last of the covering sheets and spend a moment beholding the machine. It is beautiful. Both in a conventional sense, and as for what it represents to them. With nobody but the three cultists left conscious aboard the ship, they've turned the lights on in the cargo hold to conduct their work. Twin spires in the center of the machine in which the chain reaction will build. Particle generators and associated control systems to the sides, covered by heavily engraved metal sheets made of a material that almost makes them look like stone, and the machine like an altar. It takes a few hours to connect it to the power supply of the ship. As they work, one question is on their minds: Will it work? They were burning with anticipation. Only one way to find out.
----
The machine was charging. They've sat down to wait, exhausted from their work aboard the ship. Only old man Imixeros is still about, fiddling with a large commercial subspace broadcast unit they'd obtained from a large news agency rich enough to have something so powerful that it can send to all settled worlds in the cluster. It won't override ongoing broadcasts on other frequencies, but that is okay, as it'll send cleanly on all unused ones.
"Are you sure the transmission will even work?"
"Ah-ha! I've got it."
As if on cue to the question Imixeros clicks the broadcast button and takes position in front of the camera, the machine in the background.
"Welcome, citizens of the cluster...!"
----
The broadcast can be received by common household equipment throughout the settled systems. It is impossible to block.
A bony looking man past his prime in a dark robe speaks excitedly at the viewer, but the real eye-catcher is the tall machine behind the man which is what the camera is facing up to. It is beautiful, with two spires in the center slowly rotating around a central point of light. A hum can be heard, and both the noise and the light grow over time as the spires gradually rotate faster. The engraving on the machine is as aesthetically pleasing as it conveys a sense of foreboding. Even the more casually familiar can make out the iconography and imagery of the Order of the Black Dawn in the high-res video feed - not that the man in the robe is making a secret of him being a true believer.
Imixeros, the excited man in the robe, speaks about the anticipated return of the Exterminators, and how the subspace flare behind him shall penetrate into their dimension and give them a guiding sign, a prayer for their return, his tone growing in agitation as the machine behind him builds up energy.
The rotating spires eventually become too fast for eyes to follow, and the light source elongates up and down between the spires as both they and the man come to a crescendo. It becomes clear that something is not alright with him as his voice changes, and eventually as he falls to his knees, but never ceasing to preach the doctrine of the Black Dawn to the camera. More and more light leaks out of the containment between the spires and the background noise drowns out the hoarse noises the man still manages to produce. The light behind him grows into a massive flare that outshines everything else, but the camera still catches his face in the frame, literally melting from the radiation the machine must be producing on all wavelengths.
Not long after the radiation fries the broadcasting equipment too and the transmission cuts out.
----
17 April 3002, News report:
After building to an overload, the so-called "subspace flare" that was the item of yesterdays unauthorized broadcast destroyed itself. The Order of the Black Dawn has officially claimed responsibility for the incident, with someone purporting to be the High Prophet himself making a statement to that effect. The ship, the Kios 003 in the Xenophon home system, was found in a position on a line exactly 1/1024th of the distance between Xenophon-A and its equally-sized companion star Xenophon-B. The radiation destroyed all complex systems aboard and contaminated all other materials, making the ship a total loss. None of the crew, assailants or any of the 50 000 workers in cryosleep survived.
6
General Discussion / Re: What's Going On In Your Empire: C# Edition
« Last post by Garfunkel on Today at 09:10:44 AM »Oh, he started a new one! I thought you were reposting the old one. Cheers, will read for sure.
7
General Discussion / Re: What's Going On In Your Empire: C# Edition
« Last post by randakar on Today at 08:51:24 AM »Just popping in to post a link to a long writeup of a game over on the Paradox forums, made by Blue Emu - https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/sirius-business-a-c-aurora-forum-game-v2-5.1621469
Perhaps some of you might find this interesting to read.
Fixed the link
Perhaps some of you might find this interesting to read.
Fixed the link
8
General Discussion / Re: What's Going On In Your Empire: C# Edition
« Last post by Steve Walmsley on Today at 04:15:54 AM »If you want to maximize your potential returns, scan the asteroids with the highest gravity - specifically, from what I've seen, asteroids that don't require LG infrastructure tend to be more likely to have minerals, and if they have minerals, they're more likely to have (very) high concentrations.
Hmm...this is intriguing. Now I'm going to have to do some correlation testing.
Then again, my primary use for asteroids is orbital mining, and that requires small asteroids.
Still, it would be interesting to find an optimizable survey pattern.
Higher mass means the RNG is weighted towards larger deposits, but lower accessibility. Lower mass means the opposite. This is why super-terrestrial worlds tends to have huge deposits but often minimal accessibility, whereas asteroids usually have very high accessibility, but small deposits. Higher mass asteroids will still tend to still have higher accessibilities, but a better chance of a larger deposit.
Systems with younger stars are weighted toward a higher chance of deposits being present.
9
C# Bug Reports / Re: v2.5.1 Bugs Thread
« Last post by Garfunkel on Today at 12:19:36 AM »In the System Body Modification window off the System Generation and Display window, player cannot adjust Radiation level. Attempting to change the number to something other than zero does not work. Closing and re-opening the window does not change things. Dust Level can be changed in this manner without issues. It is also not just a visibility issue, as changing radiation to 50,000 and then running time until the next construction cycle shows that nothing happens to the colony on that body: environment tab shows 0 radiation and population growth is not affected.
10
General Discussion / Re: Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread: C# Edition
« Last post by Garfunkel on Today at 12:16:30 AM »Is there any way to SM add radiation to a planet? I keep trying to do it via the Modify Body button on the System Generation and Display window, but every time I hit Update Body the number resets to 0.Seems to be a bug - dust level can be modified so the fact that Radiation cannot is probably a bug. I'll report it on the Bug Thread.
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