Author Topic: Theban Empire  (Read 38056 times)

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Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Theban Empire
« on: April 02, 2011, 03:30:02 PM »
Time has rolled along, and Paul McNeely and I decided to give a low economy approach a spin.  And we're curious how this will develop.  (given that the last campaign with6 player empires, and several strong NPR's went into a pile of money death situation with battles approaching late ISW4 piles of counters. . . . ).

Premises:
- Build rates are halved
- Changes for more that 4 warpoints have been reduced significantly (makes those 12+ WP hubs somewhat rarer, but not impossible. )
- NPR chances have been lowered.  95+ for a high tech NPR, the others have 1% chance each.  (allthough we might agree to remove the low tech guys totally.  )
- Most significantly, we took the per turn growth rates and use them as the 10 turn growth rate, slowing down natural population growth.  doesn't prevent one from shipping out from the homeworld, but the colonies will take  alot longer to reach very large size.  Should also make population preservation a much higher goal. .   with a reduced economy.
- last, to prevent the DB from xploding. . .  no asteroid population emplacement.  (also, a system with multiple belts can get a very. .  huge income from the belt population alone ina standard game.  Belts still boost the economy, but you don't have to fiddle with 400+ populations ina  good system anymore. )

Any thoughts on this approach? I am certain planning on playing this out, and hopefully the gmae will get over 100 turns.  I exspect turns to be faster than a normal game, too.  And have more Stars at War sized fleets and empires. .  (vast, sprawling, sparsely inhabited expanses)

Alex
 

Offline procyon

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2011, 08:58:07 PM »
Yaayyyy !!!! :D

Ooops, beg pardon, just got a little excited to here another SF player out there.

Like the premise.  Build rates going down will make battles more telling.  You don't tend to risk what you can't replace (at least for my group).

Decreased NPR's wouldn't work for us, but if your players will fight each other, it would be fine.  As our group is just our family, they are notorious for double dealing, commerce raiding, etc, but out right warfare usually is short and limited between the players. :-\

Plan for a loooong game if you cut the growth rate by 10.  What shuts us down isn't the economics with our games at 1/10 growth rate.  It kids moving away or deciding to change rule editions.

My only question, which edition is it based on?

But overall, I like it.  Very much the style we use and it works well for us.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2011, 03:05:09 PM »
We've progressed to turn 12 by now.  Growth is slow, but economies still roll up due to EL research and IU investments, and shipping out colonists.  Just the colonies will not grow as much.

What became really noticeable is the significance of the slower build rate.  One defenitely has to think ahead in terms of what one deploys where.

While ym race surged ahead explorationwise by creating 7 HS ex, Paul's race sure has a bigger reserve of trained ships due to his use of survey destroyers.  That may come back to haunt me. . . .

I took a look at teh old game.

It basically became unplayable due to the high number of NPR's discovered each turn by now.  even a 2% chance, multiplied by the number of races exploring (50+ of the 85 active ones, some doing multple probes each round), created a pile of work by turn 79, when I called a halt.
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2011, 01:52:34 AM »
The Shanirian Confederation

The Shanir are a race of genetically modified humans.  They were removed from earth during the 1960's by the 'orlons who were conducting investigations into the Younger Races.  Likely at some point in time the 'orlons will pop back in to see how their experiment is going.  Possibly in a few hundred thousand years given their usual version of "quick."  The Shanir are empathic and within their species touch telepaths.

This means they don't function well in isolation, as they have never experienced such a state under normal conditions.  They also use a drive system that is somewhat different than normal SF drives (functionally identical for game purposes) meaning that the force beam tech tree is not available to them to be developed (F, and P).  They are also incapable of using strike fighters.  Iext EL increase (HT3) they will develop the particle projector as the start on the path to the E beam.

As soon as I can figure out how to do it I'll put up a ship class listing.  Just ran into a second NPR...my NPR survey luck is very high it seems.

Civillian/Logistic Support Vessels

CFN FT TYPE 1 class FT4           30 Hull    TL 1
[3] Hx4(Ic)Hx4(Ic)HQHQHQHQHLhQ(Ic)H(BbS)Qs(Ic) [4]
30 RCP  795 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  190/ 14.3
HTK 26   

Standard Freighter in the Shanirian merchant marine.

MESSENGER class EX     (AC)        6 Hull    TL 1
[2] SAHs(BbT)(I)Qs(I) [8]
6 RCP  19 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  56.6/ 8.5
HTK 7   Sx1  Ax1

A sparcely furnished and cramped ship intended only for the high speed delievery of messages between worlds.

PACKMULE class FT4           30 Hull    TL 1
[3] SAHBHQ(BbL)HHQ(BbL)HH(BbL)(Ic)(Ic)(Ic)LhQ(Ic) [4]
30 RCP  420 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  215/ 16.1
HTK 20   Sx1  Ax1

Design is used by survey command as a supply ship with each survey fleet but is intended to also function as a military troop transport when required.  It's large complement of shuttles can be used either to speed up planetary surveys or else to land its full complement of PCF's in a short time.  In survey service the extensive lifesupport space is used for R&R facilities and actual garden domes to give the crews of the Survey forces some time away from their ships and to thus extend mission lenght.

PIONEER class FT4            30 Hull    TL 1
[3] S(SYM)HQs(Ic) [1]
30 RCP  70 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  264/ 8.6
HTK 7   Sx1  

A mobile shipyard, the design is not liked but was forced on the navy by necessity.

Naval Vessels

DRUSUS class CT     (AC)        16 Hull    TL 1
[2] SSSAAAH(I)(I)(I)QsL(I) [8]
16 RCP  9 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  148/ 22.2
HTK 13   Sx3  Ax3  Lx1  

Armed scout courier class of the Shanirian Navy.

VELITE class FG     (AC)        22 Hull    TL 1
[2] Sx4Ax4H(I)(I)(I)GbGbMgQs(I)(I) [7]
22 RCP  3 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  182.6/ 27.4
HTK 18   Sx4  Ax4  Gbx2  Mgx1  
50x GMb

Assault ship of the Shanirian Navy.  Intended for attacks through contested WPs and as close in WP defenders.

LANCEA class DD     (AC)        30 Hull    TL 1
[3] Sx4Ax4H(BbS)(I)Qs(I)(I)(I)RRMg(I)(I)QsL(I) [7]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  327/ 49.1
HTK 23   Sx4  Ax4  Lx1  Rx2  Mgx1  
60x BM

Primary general purpose combatent of the Navy.

CL (PROTO) class CL            45 Hull    TL 1
[3] Sx5Ax9H(BbS)(II)(I)L(II)R(I)RRMg(II)LLhQ(I) [6]
45 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  466.5/ 70
HTK 33   Sx5  Ax9  Lx2  Rx3  Mgx1  

Prototype Light Cruiser hull, internal arrangement expected to change before properly deployed.

Survey Command Vessels

SEEKER class CT     (AC)        16 Hull    TL 1
[2] SSAAX(BbS)H(Ic)(Ic)QsL [4]
16 RCP  9 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  170/ 25.5
HTK 11   Sx2  Ax2  Lx1

The Seeker is a Drusus Corvette modified for survey work.  A pair of these ships are assigned to each survey fleet for probes and first contact work.

PATHFINDER class DD     (AC)        30 Hull    TL 1
[3] SSAAXQ(BbM)H(Ic)H(Ic)(BbM)(Ic)LLhQL(Ic) [4]
30 RCP  70 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  332/ 49.8
HTK 18   Sx2  Ax2  Lx2  

Standard Survey vessel of Survey command.  It is optimized for WP defence when not used in the survey role.

Fortress Command

SLING class BS1           25 Hull    TL 1
[1] Sx5Ax5HGbx3QsGbMg

25 RCP       Trg:1        Cost =  151/ 7.6
HTK 17   Sx5  Ax5  Gbx4  Mgx1  
90x GMb

The Sling is a close in WP defence base.

PILUM class BS2           50 Hull    TL 1
[1] Sx6Ax6H(BbS)RRLMgRR(BbS)LRRMgLLhQ(BbS)

50 RCP       Trg:1        Cost =  437/ 21.9
HTK 29   Sx6  Ax6  Lx3  Rx6  Mgx2  
120x BM

The Pilum is the command base of a WP defence array and is intended to use its missiles in a stand off mode to defend the WP while its lasers are reserved for close defence of the base itself.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2011, 11:16:13 AM by Paul M »
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2011, 06:22:01 AM »
Under ship classes, print report, answer you want to view it first.  Then there is a small suitcase symbol at the bottom offering your choice of file type for saving it.

And yes, I should geta round to writing up the first 20 turns.


It seems that the numbers we used were a bit too low for growth.  With the t20 growth, we changed them to 5% for high, and 2. 5% for low growth. 
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2011, 12:52:40 PM »
Ok, we reached turn 29, and I am preparing a synopsis and racial overview of the Thebans.  Seems I am not quite as avid and productive a writer as Kurt or Steve.  ;)
The slow growth made IU more of a worthwhile investment in my eyes.  But still you don't see the growth jumps you get in a normal campaign, strapping both player races and the nprs when it comes to research.  The slow build rates sure make a lot of forethought and planning a good idea.  I suspect the thebans will be investing soon into small and cheap patrol ships to cover their growing empire.  The money for a solid fleet in each system will not materialise soon. 
I think the structure will develop into sector headquarters also being the nodal force bases, with only light forces deployed elsewhere untill a thread develops.  even that way, an typical NPR's fleet will have local superiority I suspect untill the empire can redeploy.
Ships preloaded with DSB-L and Mines may become very vital in allowing even a small force to deploy a roadblock behind wich defensive forces can assemble.  Fixed defenses will normally have to be prebuild, due to assembly time constraints.

We'll defenitely see where this will lead. 
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2011, 03:30:47 PM »
The Shanirian's have been slowly expanding both their empire and their naval strength.  Their first three surveyed systems led to a binary system with no habitable worlds, a high gravity world with a dense and near un-breathable atmosphere, and a world that was more welcoming but not ideal for human habitation.  The survey forces concentrated first on habitable world surveys and then started an initial WP survey.  As this was occurring the Naval yards build additional Type 1 Freighters which were rented to the CFN, additional Pioneers to enhance Shanir's security and most importantly additional Pathfinder Class vessels to bring the total number of ship in each of the three survey forces to 6 Pathfinders, and 2 Seekers.

The Pioneers concentrated on the construction of additional Sling Class defense bases.  While the Naval yards after expanding the Pathfinders started building additional Velite class frigates to expand the Assault Fleet's total strength from 6 to 14.  During this time the Home fleet (4 Lancea class DDs) was expanded by 2 ships with a further 3 planned builds.  The 3 Drusus class corvettes were on station at the WPs to function as couriers.

It took several months to complete the initial WP survey of the three systems surrounding Shanir.  The system without a habitable world proved to be also without additional WPs of a type that could be found by the inital WP survey and the Survey Force switched over to surveying the various planets and moons in the two stars of the system then transited back Shanir to assist the other survey forces.  The other survey forces found a single WP leading out of their systems and after completing a survey of the moons and other planets probed these WP.  The systems found included a world ideally suited for colonization and another marginally habitable world.  The 3 survey forces settled in to survey these new systems.

 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2011, 09:32:37 AM »
The surveys continued a pace with the optimally habitable world having 2 open warp points found in the initial survey while the other system had none.  The spare survey force moved to assist in a detailed survey of this world while a probe was conducted of the warp points of the system.  During this time technology was advancing as was colonization, though that due to the often high cost of naval constructions was proceeding slowly.  But a break thru in new scientific developments had occurred and a system of remote autonomous drones suitable for message delivery and thus sparing the Messenger crews had been started along with a system to enable the attachment of missiles to the exterior of star ship hulls and allow remote targeting and launch.

The probe of the warp point found; however, changed all plans.  The pair of seekers class survey corvettes entered the system, discovering the exit warp point was of the closed type and one of the corvettes dropped its drive field and the other proceeded in system its scientific instruments and sensor systems recording on all frequencies.  The two ships activated a microwave linkage as secure as possible while the crews settled down to analyze the data streaming in from their sensor systems.  Some days later the probing star ship stopped the unmistakable signature of a high tech civilization had been detected from the habitable planet currently a day away from the science vessel.  The shock to the crew meld was profound but they quickly sent a message to the other vessel at the WP informing them of the discovery and at the same time started an omni-directional broadcast announcing their presence. 

The second corevette brought its drive field up and transited the WP to inform the survey force what had happened before returning to the new system to resume its job, re-establishing the microwave link with the now stationary contact ship.

It was not many hours before several ships showed up to englobe the Shanirian's contact vessel and bombarded by transmissions the ships scientists and the onboard linguistic software had ample samples to start putting together a lexicon.  In fact it took remarkably little time to establish rudimentary and partial communications with the Reptillian inhabitants of the system.

The news of the discovery of other intelligent life next door to the newly established colony was a shock to the parliment but it made the choice of scientific research easier as an improved electromagnetic launcher system and larger sprint missile were put into development.  This was followed by a replacement for the standard long range missile used by the destroyers.  During the next few months the two corevettes remained on station un supplied.  Both ships suffered serious difficulties with systems failing due to lack of maintenance supplies and the initially rapid communications break thru was followed by some months of slow progress due to the difficulties of trying to communicate with competing groups.  Any attempt to deal with only a single ship or individual was often met with a curious resistance, not to mention there was tendency for any such contacts to change abruptly and on several occasions ships would withdraw and be replaced by others.  The state of the two probe vessels was becoming dangerous as the crews were on short rations and while neither ship had lost engine power the Engineers were getting increasingly worried about the state of the powerplants when at long last full communications was established.  The contact group hammered out a mutually benificial trade agreement with their new neighbors and informed the other corvette to transit out and inform the survey group.

The Parliment had taken steps after becoming aware of the alien race.  The first step had been the transfer of the 1st Defense Sqn to the WP to stiffen the 6 survey destroyers there with 3 Lancea class combat vessels.  Further 3 additional Lancea DD's were built and instead of going into mothballs as orriginally planed completed their shake down cruises and joined the home fleet.  Additionally colonists were shipped into the system next door after no obvious hostilities occurred to form the basis of a population large enough to function as a trade point.  This was viewed as risky but the possibilities of a lucrative trade agreement and monopolies on alien goods convinced a large number of firms to sponsor colonists.

Technological development continued focusing on a system that would allow the Shanirian combat vessels to fire on multiple targets, in particular to split their fire between near and far targets and a bouy that would re-orient the drones used in message transmission after transit of a WP. 

Surveying continued with a warp point found allowing expansion beyond the world now know as Vulcan's Forge and a survey fleet probed and then advanced to explore the other warp point in the contact system.  Beyond Vulcan's forge was found a world with 3 optimally habitable worlds while beyond the contact system was found a starless void.

The 1st Defense squadron remains in place to monitor the alien contact WP while the survey force resumes survey operations.  Basic research resumes as well even though practical breakthrus have not been exhausted.
 
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Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2011, 06:11:06 AM »
The formal start of the trade was welcomed by both races and likely was a somewhat more critical component of the aliens economy but still the Shanirian balance sheet welcomed the addition.  Basic research proceeds slowly moving in fits and starts it seems while two key systems remain in the development queue.  The advanced target selection and tracking hard-software package, a critical component given the Shanirian preference for mixed weapon ships, proved to be considerably harder then normal to get to the build to print stage than anticipated originally.  This delayed the upgrade of the light cruiser and destroyers.  The next item the improved communications system and reusable short range drones has been slowly being financed by saving money from month to month even in the face of ship building and colonization efforts.  Major new construction has been limited to 4 CFN Type 2 freighters intended for government service and a much improved mobile spaceyard ship based on the FT5 hull.  The question of what to do with the existing nearly immobile "mobile" construction vessels has; however, not been settled.  The favored plan is to convert them to packmules and use the shipyard in a larger hull.

The Gladius class of light cruiser is accepted by the Naval board and the Prototype CL is sent into the yards to be converted to this new standard of combat ship while at the same time tentative plans are formed to make a limited production run "Command Ship" replacing the missile launchers with a long range communications array and a specialized command and control centre.  The Gladius will get higher priority on naval builds once all existing Lancea are upgraded to the new MOD 1 standard.  Modernization of the mothballed Velites of the Assault Fleet begins with one unit a month activated and then sent into refit.  Judged on the basis of cost effectiveness only the first 7 Velites will be fully upgraded as it is felt that it is likely there will always be time to do the refits to the remaining ships before use, as the cost of re-activation and re-fit nearly equals a new build anyway.  The Drusus class also gets a minimal refit which adds courier drones and external ordinance racks only.  A limited number of new builds are authorized to give the two deployed defense squadrons a pair of corvettes to station at WPs in Pisea and Byzantium.  Authorized is also a further 6 ships of the Lancea class, three of which will form part of the mothballed reserve.  Upgrades of the existing Sling class close in WP defense stations is proceeding.  The slow construction rate of the current shipyards means that 5 months are required for each refit, half the time of a new build.  A better proceedure would need to be found to update the Pilum's as their size makes either refit or further builds a daunting prospect.

Looking at the map of known space it is clear that Byzantium has become a nodal system and a defense squadron should be sent there and plans are laid down to ensure a force will be available in a timely manner.  Additionally funds are allocated for an expansion of the Shanirian Ground Combat Force to station garrisons on all colonies.  That will not happen though until the CC enters into development.

Even with an existing ongoing Basic R&D project and efforts to save for the CC development Colonization proceeds relatively briskly and if not always at the maximum possible rate at a reasonable amount.  Colonists leave some of the established colonies in Antium and Pisea to establish mining sites on mineral rich moons orbiting these planets.  At the same time a trickle of colonists flows to Vie and the domed colony there, while more go Vulcan's Forge and its extensive mineral wealth is further exploited.  The bulk of the colonists flow into the Byzantium system with its three hospitable worlds, Tercius is at and Secundus is nearing the point where it is questionable if it worth to send more colonists or let natural growth take over.  Unfortunately the warp points leading out of the system are not ones that allow large ships to transit which makes the system less than idea from the point of view of establishing a shipyard there still it is likely to become a major naval base depending on how exploration proceeds.

The naval board is beginning to remind Parliament that it has been a considerable amount of time since there were new ships laid down and that in the mean time the area claimed by the Shanirian Confederation has increased by several systems.  There is also the question of when to upgrade the prime shipyard and how to do so.

((I need to go back and clean up the previous posts and put in system names and figure out how to get a galactic map in.  I'm not expanding as fast as Alex, and I have only a few systems that have a detailed WP survey done as I am waiting on Xi for that task.  Money is a lot tighter than it might normally be due to the slower growth rates and my mental block over IU.  I have chosen to forgo development of Db since D is just around the corner and it will be the fifth system developed (T, MSx, Xi, Xr, D and then well see) unless I hit a war situation.  Strangely enough the CFN doesn't show the costs for transporting PCFs around so I may just raise the units on the colony worlds.  I also wish to look into a PDC or three on the home world once I have D to help defend the yard.  The new supply rules haven't had a significant impact for me so far but I need to transfer more money into the packmules soon I think given the decrease in supply I'm seeing in many of my exploration force locations.  Byzantium is a logical location for the next SD (but that is along time off I figure) and would make an ideal forward naval base except for the bloody 100 HS wps.  Both Alex and I are suffering from that, as a lot of our WPs are small ones.  Also the ICN will need to be established via CC stations which will take time given the slow build rate of the SYMx.  The DSB-ncd will help but I like maned stations for primary chains since it speeds up response times.  Otherwise things look good...Alex and I are batting back and forth other ideas.  I'm less thrilled with a lot of the SDS simplifications then he is.  The new missile tracking rules are also nice...unplayable without a computer but with SFA NBD.  But my personal experience is that unless you play a fixed 50 star galaxy or whatever that anything other than a computer supported game gets to be far more trouble then it is worth...even EXCEL spread sheets collapse when you get much more than 10 planets to monitor (by then you are scrolling up and down 250 lines on the page) and it is the fleet stuff that really is the nightmare.  I've also played under ISF2 rules completely PnP but that was with house rules that dramatically cut the effort down and it still took me several nights to do my turn.  Anyways will attempt to clean up the above over the next few days.))
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2011, 08:33:46 AM »
Mod 1 series of ships

Naval Vessels

DRUSUS Mod 1 class CT     (AC)        3 XO  16 Hull    TL 2
[2] SSSAAAH(I)(I)(I)QsL(I) [8]
16 RCP  9 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  157/ 23.6
HTK 13   Sx3  Ax3  Lx1 

The ship only differs from the original Drusus in that CD silos have been mounted onto the hull and external ordinance racks installed.

VELITE Mod 1 class FG     (AC)        4 XO  22 Hull    TL 2
[2] Sx4Ax4H(I)(I)(I)GGMgQs(I)(I) [7]
22 RCP  3 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  214.6/ 32.2
HTK 18   Sx4  Ax4  Gx2  Mgx1 
60x GM

Assault ship of the Shanirian Navy updated to a more advanced gun launcher and external ordinance racks.  Intended for attacks through contested WPs and as close in WP defenders.

LANCEA Mod 1 class DD     (AC)        6 XO  30 Hull    TL 2
[3] Sx3Ax4H(BbS)(I)Qs(I)(I)(I)RRM1Mg(I)(I)QsL(I) [7]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:2        Cost =  333/ 50.0
HTK 23   Sx3  Ax4  Lx1  Rx2  Mgx1 
60x SM

Primary general purpose combatent of the Navy.  The upgrade enhanced the targeting systems to allow for the lasers and missiles to be used against different enemy vessels.  The shields rather than the armour was reduced to maintain a defense against lasers in the case of a warp point attack.

Gladius class CL            9 XO  45 Hull    TL 2
[3] Sx5Ax8H(BbS)(II)(I)R(II)R(I)RMgM1L(II)LLhQ(I) [6]
45 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:2        Cost =  501.5/ 75.2
HTK 33   Sx5  Ax8  Lx2  Rx3  Mgx1
90 SM 

The class designed after the first prototype CL hull was finished.  An expanded Lancea class vessel with a mixed weapon package, a command variant that replaces the missile launchers with a command and control centre and expanded communication systems is planned.  Based on the decision to maintain a mixed weapon vessel the development of the more advanced launcher that would allow use of the new Standard missile in sprint mode was discontinued as it was felt that this weapon system did not work well with the exisiting ship board lasers and the advanced targeting would allow using the missile launchers on a target at range while the lasers engaged closer in targets.


Fortress Command

SLING Mod 1 class BS1           5 XO  25 Hull    TL 2
[1] Sx5Ax5HGx3QsGMg
25 RCP       Trg:1        Cost =  206/ 10.3
HTK 17   Sx5  Ax5  Gx4  Mgx1 
90x GM

The Sling enhanced by replacing its older basic launchers with more advanced ones this results in a 100% increase in damage for a 33% increase in cost. 
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2011, 05:28:31 AM »
Shanirian scientists have achieved another breakthrough in basic research and the applied labs and development companies quickly line up to present proposals on what new systems they can make available for the Navy.  Two systems, the tractor beam and the machine shop module, are approved for immediate development.  The first system is an absolute requirement for the construction of warp point defense arrays given the glacial rate of construction of bases by mobile yards.  A sling takes 9 months to build and 5 months to refit.  The tractor will allow the use, where available, of planetary facilities to conduct orbital assembly of pre-fabricated bases which can then be towed to the warp point by tugs.  The machine shop module will give a better forward repair service but also enable faster assembly of pre-fabricated bases in systems lacking planetary populations sufficient to allow orbital assembly.  The survey fleet will get the benifit of the next developed systems as their are promised advances in survey instruments and long range sensors, the combination of which will allow the probe starship to spot a populated planet well outside the range the planet could detect the ship itself.

The trouble is the current Seeker class corvettes are simply too small to mount both systems plus their existing equipment without removing both their armour and shields entirely.  As this for a survey vessel is not an optimal solution due to the requirement the ship be resistant to expected natural survey hazards the Naval board has called for a review of the class.  One proposal is to refit the Seekers to the new proposed Drusus Mod 2 standard (still on the drawing board) and build a new class based on the frigate hull.  This ship size has space to mount all required new systems and all the older systems as well.  The alternative relies on space savings by replacing the boat bay with the smallest available plus reducing the hold volume by more than 50% and thus enabling the retention of the minimal level of passive defenses.  Survey command is pushing for the first option as the ships produced are significantly more space worthy then the second version.

Another topic has been causing significant amount of meetings is the needed expansion of the existing Prime Yard facility orbiting Shanir.  Original plans were to refit two of the forward yard modules, and rebuild them further in the complex adding weapons and shields.  Looking at the plan in more detail this was clearly something that would cause disruptions of the available yard capacity.  Rather than refit the yards at the moment the design board is proposing that 4 additional yards plus 2 machine shop modules are added to the yard as well as updates to its targeting, weapon and defense systems.  The plans are still on the CAD station but given the proto-type heavy cruiser hull is taking 15 months to construct and a proposed new base would take slightly under 2 years to proto-type yard space must be expanded and alternative systems provided for things like refit and repair.  Both tasks which happen periodically and are a drain on the overall yard capacity.   The new Octavius Class command light cruiser is started in the yards as the first of the two authorized active service Gladius class ships is completed.

The Naval board also highlights the lack of a reserve of ships due to demands on the fleet of the active service defense squadrons and the home fleet itself.  Considering the cost of the development of the systems the replies from the parliament are not as clearly behind an expansion in construction as the Navy wishes.

There are three warp points in Shanir.  One leads to the Rome system which still requires a detailed WP survey but the rough survey yielded no new WPs and no habitable worlds were found there.

The second leads to the Vie system with the domed colony on Lyre Minor which has recently been classified as a settlement, the planet's mineral wealth is average and there has been little interest in a major colonization effort.  Out of Vie is Pisae, whose planet Argos was easily settled by the Shanirian's.  It's population is classified as of the last census as "small" as was it the census before.  The planet is the trade point with the aliens and Argora there is particularily busy given the size of the population.  A steady stream of freighters arrive at the planet on at the slowest a biweekly basis.  The 2nd Defense Sqn (3 Lancea Mod 1 DDs and 2 Drusus Mod 1 CTs) are present as is the 4th Construction Force which is engaged in building Sling WP defense bases at the WP to the aliens.  The other warp point in Pisea leads to Lugudum a red giant orbited by a smaller companion star that has several hot or cold inhospitable worlds.  The first warp point found in Lugudum lead to a starless area of space, the first such found in exploration.  No WPs were found in the vicinity of the entry warp point and so a detailed warp point survey of Lugudum was performed for which a future 4 warp points were found, the first two probed leading to systems with habitable worlds but no alien presence.  A 3rd Defense Sqn has been authorized for construction to picket the so called Nexus.

The third Warp point in Shanir leads to Antium, with a hospitable but not welcoming world.  The current population of Gateway as the planet was called is rated small but has been busy establishing mining outposts on several moons with large deposits of critical minerals.  Leading from this system is warp point that connects to Vicronium and barely hospitable world called Vulcan's Forge due to the high levels of mineral wealth found there.  A detail survey of this system revealed a single warp point that when explored leads to Byzantium a star system with three worlds all of which can be easily colonized by the Shanirians, the planets have been named: Primus, Secundus, and Tircius.  The initial colonization phase has been completed and currently all three have populations that are just barely of the size to be rated as small.  Mining sites are likely to be established soon.  Two warp points are known in Byzantium, one leading to Ceaseragustus a system with a barely habitable world barren of mineral wealth and the other leading to system without habitable worlds.  Ceaseragustus was surveyed and found to have no additional warp points.  After it finishes its refit the 1st Defense Sqn will take up station in Byzantium.

One survey force is engaged in a detailed survey in the barren system next to Byzantium while two more survey forces are engaged near Lugudum.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2011, 05:30:18 AM by Paul M »
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2011, 06:58:31 AM »
Yikes. .  turn 47 allready, and my turn 30 racial overview of the thebans isn't done yet.

Galactography is interresting for me.  I have one cluster wich will run out of open WP's next turn.  The second one allways has just one more open.  and the third immediately split into two long lines wich also only have one more wp . . .  and one is now brickwalled by an NPR.  4 habitable worlds and 4 belts. .  and the bloody real estate is occupied.  I am torn between going to war or establishing trade.  Guess it'll epend on how my survey goes.  The otehr chain now terminates at 6 jumps from my home sytsem with lots of junk systems. .  wich now makes my survey fleets run out of supplies and slows down the survey there.  At least they found a habitable world there.  Now I wave to put in enough people to allow supply to build up for further expansion.  :)

Ok, time to put in the last few names and post up the theban bureocratic nightmare.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2011, 07:15:59 AM »
Theban Empire – a Synopsis of the first three years.

Racial Overview
The thebans are 1. 7 m high bipeds who have a hairless, fairly leathery skin with horny ridges, and are adapted to a desert environement.  Some offshots of the race show slight adaptions to the higher latitudes of their homeworsd supercontinent, but civilisation overtook this beginning diversification into separate races.
Most of their homeworlds continents are joined into one large supercontinent wich is deeply divided by rift valleys who have just recently in geological terms been filled with ocean waters, forming long sea arms deep into what would otherwise be totally arid interior deserts.
Scarce resources of arable land and water have lead to a history rich of quick wars and raids untill the rise of the unifying empire arose from a fairly long river oasis of the northern quadrant desert.  Improved management of the water supplies and the construction of long underground aqueducts allowed this civilisation to devote resources towards a standing army, a rich culture of civil engeneering and a bureocracy wich organised and managed all those riches into an expanding nation.  Technical improvements opened more of the planet for farming, as well as specific breeding of adapted plants and animals for even the harshest places.  All this allowed science to florish, and the civilisation made rapid developments in the next four hundred years, aided by the fact that unifying the planet was a long, drawn out conflict due to various shifting alliances of the other populations.

But finally, they developed a spacefaring industry, and gained acess of the mineral wealth of the asteroids and moons in the system, wich enticed the other nations to join into exploration of this bounty from the heavens, ending the long wars.

The discovery of warppoints then ushered in a new age of wonders, where new oases among the stars beaconed the theban caravans.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2011, 07:16:29 AM »
Imperial Organisation
Pharao Ramses Imhotep III, Ra’s son on earth and glorious light of the empire. 
Under his auspiscious rule, the thebans have reached for the stars and embarked upon surveying the rivers between the sunds.  Bureocratic infighting over budget has lead to a large spending on colonisation and industrial expansion, fueled by rich new worlds in other systems. 

Imperial Military Advisors
These consist of the heads of the three military branches, and the chief advisor, Lord Privy First Oracle  Merha-Aptut.
His collegues are:
-   Second Oracle Tcheripep, Head of the Imperial Spaceforce Headquarters
-   Third Oracle Admu-Thoth-Rahat, Head of the Imperial Army
-   Fourth Oracle Khonsu-Khaibet, Head of the Imperial Fortification Command.

The military advisors are not very happy, as their part of the budget has been kept small.  Their warnings that the stars may not be as friendly as everyone things have been mostly ignored.  Still, with the proud military tradition of Thebes, their insistance on the development of new technologies and ship classes has been heeded.  Especially the new Aten class of light cruisers promises to be a prestigeous command, incorporating the cutting edge of imperial technology.

Fleet organisation
All military ships of the Imperial Spaceforce are currently in the Thebes system.

ATEN class CL        8 XO Racks    45 Hull    TL 2
[3] Sx4Ax3H(BbS)(II)QsW(I)W(II)DbM1W(I)W(II)WMgQsLDb(I) [6]
45 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:2        Cost =  559. 5/ 83. 9
HTK 30   Sx4  Ax3  Dbx2  Lx1  Wx5  Mgx1  - 100x SM

The pride and joy of imperial designers and the fleet, the three ships of this class currently under construction promise the Spaceforce never before seen ability to project imperial might among the stars.

CL NEKHBET II class CL        9 XO Racks    45 Hull    TL 2
[3] Sx4Ax4HW(II)QsW(I)W(II)W(I)W(II)(CIC)MgDbDbQs(BbS)(I) [6]
45 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  574. 5/ 86. 2
HTK 30   Sx4  Ax4  Dbx2  Wx5  Mgx1  - 120x SM

An upgrade to the first light cruiser ever build, the Nekhbet will serve as the flag ship of the imperial spaceforce, providing command and coordination.

MUT II class DD        6 XO Racks    30 Hull    TL 2
[3] Sx3AAH(I)Qs(I)W(I)W(I)W(I)W(I)DbMgQs(I) [7]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  360/ 54
HTK 21   Sx3  Ax2  Dbx1  Wx4  Mgx1  - 100x SM

An upgrade to the long serving Mut class of destroyers, replacing one missile launcher with a point defense and a shield.

AMON class DD            30 Hull    TL 1
[3] SAx3H(I)(I)Qs(I)L(I)LL(I)(I)Qs(I)L [7]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  351/ 52. 7
HTK 18   Sx1  Ax3  Lx4 

All four of this class are currently in mothballs to preserve resources.  They have been constructed upon a theoretical study for overcomming resistance on the other side of a warp point.  Imperial missile technology has been proven so far to be superior in the field, allthough the recent development of point defense may cause a rethinking of this assumption.  One aditional hull has been laid down in month 25 and will soon finish contruction.

AMATHAUNTA II class CT        3 XO Racks    16 Hull    TL 2
[2] SH(I)W(I)W(I)MgQsDb(I) [8]
16 RCP  9 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  174/ 26. 1
HTK 11   Sx1  Dbx1  Wx2  Mgx1  75x SM

This replaces the older Amathaunta class wich fielded 3 missile launchers but no point defense as fast, light skirmisher.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2011, 07:17:01 AM »
Fortress Command

ENNEAD class BS2           50 Hull    TL 1
[1] Sx10Ax5H(BbS)Rx8QLhRRMg

50 RCP       Trg:1        Cost =  371/ 18.6
HTK 30   Sx10  Ax5  Rx10  Mgx1  100x SM

Three of these bases are currently deployed covering the warp points of the Thebes system. Once mobile construction capacity is avaiable, an upgrade of the bases will be considered.

Nephet  class BS2           50 Hull    TL 1
[1] SAx13HQsLx4(BbS)QsLx4

50 RCP       Trg:1        Cost =  486/ 24.3
HTK 26   Sx1  Ax13  Lx8 

Another study for defense, alllthough for reasons of cost, all three currently deployed bases have been mothballed.
Three more are under construction as prefabricated parts.

CADMUS class BS0           15 Hull    TL 0
[1] Ax5HLQsL

15 RCP  10 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  116/ 5.8
HTK 9   Ax5  Lx2 
 
Three of these have been prefabricated for a rapid deployment where needed, to bolster a defense.


 
Imperial Surveyors and Buerocracy
-   Third Priest Ramses Anechotep, Office of Civil Services and Colonisation
-   Overseer Hamephat, Survey Fleet Headquarter

Office of Civil Services and Colonisation
Ramses Anechotep is very content. He has been able be granted a big part of the yearly budget to found the colonisation of new planets.

Survey Fleet Headquarter
Survey Fleet organisation
Survey fleets consist of mostly unarmed scouts lead by a tender/defender destroyer. Allthough the theban empire knows the stars might be hostile, this arangement suits the burocracy as it tends to discourage the comanders of survey squadrons from developping new ideas like using the armed might of their commands for a game of succesion.
Currently each survey fleet consits of ten Anuket explorers and an Ua tender.

   SURVEY TENDER UA class DD     30 Hull     TL 1
   [3] SAH(Ic)HQsHRH(Ic)XHRH(Ic)HRMg(Ic)Qs [4]
   30 RCP  20 MCP   Trg:1   Cost =  269/ 40.4
   HTK 20    Sx1  Ax1  Rx3  Mgx1

   EX ANUKET class EX                                               7 Hull     TL 1
   [2] H(BbS)HXQs(I)(I) [8]
   7 RCP  18 MCP   Trg:1   Cost =  104/ 15.6
   HTK 7