In 4012, the focus of exploration changed from the small survey craft to the Tempest class survey frigate, a 15,000-ton vessel designed for long-term, deep space exploration. The first two frigates, Tempest and Emperor’s Light, were launched in June 4012, with Covenant and Acta Sanctorum following in October 4013. The original Tempest design was based on gas core engines so after the development of ion drives, conversion to the updated Tempest II design began in July 4016. The new class reduced hangar space to 1000 tons, which reflected the availability and loss rate of the Aquila class scout series. By the end of the decade, eight Tempest IIs and two of the original Tempests were in service.

Tempest class Survey Frigate      15,000 tons       357 Crew       2,273.7 BP       TCS 300    TH 750    EM 0
2500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 1-54       Shields 0-0       HTK 91      Sensors 5/6/5/5      DCR 23-15      PPV 0
Maint Life 5.95 Years     MSP 2,179    AFR 78%    IFR 1.1%    1YR 105    5YR 1,580    Max Repair 281.3 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 1,500 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Flight Crew Berths 30    Morale Check Required   

RM-150 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 15000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-750-ME (1)    Power 750    Fuel Use 13.86%    Signature 750    Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,763,000 Litres    Range 152.6 billion km (706 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1200     Range 21.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
Gravitational Survey Sensors (5)   5 Survey Points Per Hour
Geological Survey Sensors (5)   5 Survey Points Per Hour

Strike Group
2x Aquila II Scout   Speed: 3000 km/s    Size: 10

Tempest II class Survey Frigate      15,000 tons       356 Crew       2,300.3 BP       TCS 300    TH 938    EM 0
3125 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 1-54       Shields 0-0       HTK 89      Sensors 5/6/5/5      DCR 24-16      PPV 0
Maint Life 6.38 Years     MSP 2,800    AFR 75%    IFR 1.0%    1YR 118    5YR 1,775    Max Repair 351.6 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 1,000 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Flight Crew Berths 20    Morale Check Required   

RM-150 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 15000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-938-ME (1)    Power 937.5    Fuel Use 12.32%    Signature 937.5    Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 2,301,000 Litres    Range 224.1 billion km (829 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1200     Range 21.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
Gravitational Survey Sensors (5)   5 Survey Points Per Hour
Geological Survey Sensors (5)   5 Survey Points Per Hour

Strike Group
2x Aquila III Scout   Speed: 3750 km/s    Size: 10

Alongside the survey ships, the Imperium introduced the first warships, waiting until Ion technology was available before finalising their designs. Two complementary primary weapon systems were selected: the Astaroth Kinetics AK-25 Weapons Battery, for maximum rate of fire and overall damage output, and the Valentinian-Ventris V4-200 Lance Battery, for maximising damage output at long range in situations where the range could be controlled. A smaller version of the weapon battery, the AK-10, was used for increased point defence coverage. Although the Imperium had yet to deploy any torpedoes, it was assumed that other races could already have that capability. The engines for the new warships, the Firestorm class frigate and the Dauntless class light cruiser, were boosted by twenty percent above their normal output, which increased speed and therefore the ability to control range, at the expense of increased fuel consumption. The passive defences were a mixture of shields and armour.

The first warship to be constructed was the Dauntless, launched in October 4016 and followed by her sister ship Bloodhawk in September 4018. Two frigates, Firestorm and Heroic Endeavour, were launched in May 4017. These four ships comprised the offensive firepower of the Imperial Navy until the end of the decade.

Firestorm class Frigate      15,000 tons       503 Crew       2,689.6 BP       TCS 300    TH 1,500    EM 1,110
5000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 5-54       Shields 37-370       HTK 98      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 11-7      PPV 74
Maint Life 1.90 Years     MSP 1,407    AFR 164%    IFR 2.3%    1YR 504    5YR 7,557    Max Repair 750 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-150 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 15000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1500-MB (1)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 39.91%    Signature 1500    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 600,000 Litres    Range 18 billion km (41 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (1)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.1 per second)

Astaroth Kinetics AK-25 Weapons Battery (4x4)    Range 250,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 15-3.75    ROF 20       
Valentinian-Ventris V4-200 Lance Battery (4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 10-4    ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Weapons Battery (6x4)    Range 50,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 3-3    ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (2)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 5,000 km/s    ECCM-1
R-25 Magnetic Mirror Fusion Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 50.7    Exp 5%

MK I Small Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 6     Range 3.4m km    MCR 304.7k km    Resolution 1
MK I Frigate Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 4320     Range 40.9m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Dauntless class Light Cruiser      30,000 tons       986 Crew       5,302.8 BP       TCS 600    TH 3,000    EM 3,330
5000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 6-86       Shields 111-370       HTK 189      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 22-7      PPV 148
Maint Life 1.90 Years     MSP 2,930    AFR 327%    IFR 4.5%    1YR 1,043    5YR 15,652    Max Repair 750 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-300 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 30000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1500-MB (2)    Power 3000.0    Fuel Use 39.91%    Signature 1500.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,217,000 Litres    Range 18.3 billion km (42 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (3)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.3 per second)

Astaroth Kinetics AK-25 Weapons Battery (8x4)    Range 250,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 15-3.75     ROF 20       
Valentinian-Ventris V4-200 Lance Battery (8)    Range 200,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 10-4    ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Weapons Battery (12x4)    Range 50,000km     TS: 5,000 km/s     Power 3-3    ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (3)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 5,000 km/s    ECCM-1
R-25 Magnetic Mirror Fusion Reactor (4)     Total Power Output 101.3    Exp 5%

MK I Small Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 6     Range 3.4m km    MCR 304.7k km    Resolution 1
MK I Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 10080     Range 62.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Over a period of six months in the second half of 4018, the same hostile alien race was encountered in three different systems, none of which were connected based on available survey data. In each case, an Aquila class scout, deployed from a nearby Tempest class survey frigate, was destroyed by the same type of torpedoes launched from an unknown source. The survey frigates withdrew and monitored the respective systems but there was no sign of any pursuit or other alien traffic. Imperium Intelligence concluded the threat was probably defensive in nature, but recommended a military build-up and the development of a stand-off recon capability.

Despite their importance, the construction of survey ships and warships was massively overshadowed by the scaling up of the Imperium’s economic base, commercial shipping and scientific establishment. By January 2020, fourteen huge Universe class Mass Conveyors had been constructed, each of which could hold five mines or factories, plus four equally large Jericho class colony ships, each with a capacity of 500,000 colonists. As a result of the massive lift capacity provided by these ships, and the rapidly growing civilian shipping lines, the moon had reached a population of one hundred million, with a further fifty million on the rapidly expanding mining colony on Io. A further twenty million were spread across several extra-solar colonies. The number of mines had increased by almost four hundred since the conversion of industry was completed, with nine hundred remaining on Terra, three hundred and fifty on Io and the rest on the extra-solar colonies.

Jericho class Colony Ship      233,208 tons       1,226 Crew       6,962.5 BP       TCS 4,664    TH 9,500    EM 0
2036 km/s      Armour 1-337       Shields 0-0       HTK 257      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 18    Max Repair 400 MSP
Cryogenic Berths 500,000    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 30   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-500-C (19)    Power 9500    Fuel Use 2.56%    Signature 500    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 2,000,000 Litres    Range 60.3 billion km (342 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1200     Range 21.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

A dozen Hephaestus class orbital mining stations had been built, each with twenty-five orbital mining modules, and deployed to comets in the systems of Scarus, adjacent to Sol, and Kapteyn’s Star, three transits out via Proxima and Lalande. Twenty-three similarly-sized Ambrosia class fuel harvesters were in orbit of Saturn and fourteen Gaia class terraforming stations were in operation at various colonies. In addition to the freighters and colony ships, Terra’s expanding shipyards had provided the Imperium with tugs, replenishment ships, troop transports, salvage ships, jump tenders, stabilisation ships and a fleet of long-term intelligence platforms that monitored every jump point within two transits of Sol.

Hephaestus class Orbital Miner      127,645 tons       1,266 Crew       3,428.3 BP       TCS 2,553    TH 0    EM 0
1 km/s      No Armour       Shields 0-0     HTK 166      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 16    Max Repair 120 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   
Orbital Miner: 25 modules producing 350 tons per mineral per annum

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1200     Range 21.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km

A hundred fighter factories had been constructed on Terra to fill the hangars of planned future carriers while eighty ordnance factories would build torpedoes for their magazines. Maintenance facilities had been built to support the expansion of the Imperial Navy, while new academies and command facilities would provide the personnel and the planning. Eight new ground training facilities had provided equipment for the Ordo Mineralis,  Ordo Xenos and Ordo Mechanicus, in their efforts to survey planets and recover any usable materials, and surface-to-orbit weapons for planetary defence regiments. The largest construction project was the building of sixty-seven new research facilities, taking the total from thirty-three in January 4005 to one hundred by January 4020.



Status of the Imperium on January 1st 4020

Terra
Population: 2568.85m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 267,000 tons
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 3,390,309 tons
Maintenance Capacity: 240,000 tons
Research Facility: 100
Ground Force Construction Complex: 9
Construction Factory: 1,861
Ordnance Factory: 80
Fighter Factory: 100
Mine: 905
Automated Mine: 1
Fuel Refinery: 94
Maintenance Facility: 150
Financial Centre: 659
Deep Space Tracking Station: 10
Mass Driver: 7
Military Academy: 3
Naval Headquarters: 4
Sector Command: 1
Spaceport: 1
Refuelling Station: 2
Ordnance Transfer Station: 1
Infrastructure: 30
Low Gravity Infrastructure: 60

Terra Survey Report
Duranium:   157,140   0.70
Neutronium:   9,814   0.17
Tritanium:   1,215   0.11
Boronide:   7,003   0.16
Mercassium:   2,871   0.12
Vendarite:   50,973   0.41
Sorium:   13,289   0.19
Corundium:   9,796   0.18
Gallicite:   16,485   0.22

Luna
Population: 101.64m
Financial Centre: 45
Infrastructure: 20,423

Io
Population: 52.47m
Mine: 350
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Mass Driver: 3
Infrastructure: 11,575

Io Survey Report
Duranium:   3,727,483   0.80
Neutronium:   1,272,772   0.50
Vendarite:   258,446   0.40
Corundium:   451,669   0.60

Pan
Population: 0.05m
Maintenance Capacity: 16,000 tons
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Low Gravity Infrastructure: 41

Scarus - Comet #1
200x Orbital Mining Module
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1

Comet #1 Survey Report
Duranium:   311,553   0.90
Neutronium:   123,064   0.60
Corbomite:   42,754   0.70
Uridium:   28,221   0.60
Corundium:   102,824   0.50

Kapteyn Base
Population: 11.06m
Maintenance Capacity: 16,000 tons
Mine: 95
Automated Mine: 20
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Mass Driver: 1
Infrastructure: 1,415

Kapteyn Base Survey Report
Duranium:   439,114   0.90
Corbomite:   516   0.45
Tritanium:   340,805   0.90
Corundium:   340,805   0.90
Gallicite:   43,460   0.90

Kapteyn's Star - Comet #3
100x Orbital Mining Module
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Mass Driver: 2

Comet #3 Survey Report
Duranium:   369,449   0.80
Tritanium:   73,415   0.60
Boronide:   20,180   0.80
Corundium:   34,668   0.70
Gallicite:   62,169   1.00

Alpha Centauri-B V (was Ruined City)
Population: 5.92m
Terraforming Installation: 3
Deep Space Tracking Station: 2
Refuelling Station: 1
Ordnance Transfer Station: 1
Cargo Shuttle Station: 2
Infrastructure: 1,219
Low Gravity Infrastructure: 120

Hesperus II
Population: 3.84m
Mine: 40
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Infrastructure: 1,170

Hesperus II Survey Report
Duranium:   2,821,909   0.90
Corbomite:   2,439,238   0.70
Boronide:   3,253,723   0.80
Mercassium:   3,747,490   0.70
Sorium:   17,251   0.20

Wolf 359 III
Population: 0.53m
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Infrastructure: 105

Orpheus III - Moon 4
Population: 0.20m
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Infrastructure: 200

Imperial Navy
Dauntless class Light Cruiser: Bloodhawk, Dauntless
Firestorm class Frigate: Firestorm, Heroic Endeavour
Tempest II class Survey Frigate: Ascension, Black Star, Constantia, Emperor's Light, Evening Star, Morning Star, Red Dawn, Tempest
Tempest class Survey Frigate: Acta Sanctorum, Covenant
13x Aquila III class Scout
7x Aquila II class Scout
4x Jericho class Colony Ship
14x Universe class Mass Conveyor
2x Atlas II class Tug
1x Atlas class Tug
23x Ambrosia class Fuel Harvester Station
12x Hephaestus class Orbital Miner
14x Gaia class Terraforming Station
2x Phoenix class Salvager
4x Gateway class Stabilisation Ship
5x Orca II class Troop Transport
3x Carrack II class Freighter
2x Safe Harbour class Maintenance Base
1x Caravel class Colony Ship
3x Brigantine class Replenishment Ship
3x Empyrean class Jump Tender
1x Aether class Jump Tender Station
16x Raven class Intelligence Ship

Added the first section. I am going to do shorter updates on this one, but hopefully more often.

The fiction was a bit on the short side, but definitely good. I particularly appreciated the cliffhanger near the end.

Please add any comments in this thread.

If I don't know my enemy profile, what do you guys advise about STOs? Half with PD, half without? It means doubling on research also, and given my research speed, it's not completely trivial.
Plus I'm a bit confused, it seems the non-PD variant can still engage missiles?