The Northern Coalition (AAR)

[Conscript Gary]

Yeah, going to a x0.3 modifier from having x0.5 is 3000 RP but the exponential nature of the factor the modifier applies to fuel consumption allows for pretty massive gains. To get a multiplier of 'X' to your fuel efficiency you only need a modifier of (Original Modifier) / X^0.4 = (New Modifier). Which means... huh. You have to drop the modifier less the lower the original modifier is.
Math is a strange thing.

[MWadwell]

The Wounded Knee class of heavy frigate is a direct upgrade of the Terrier and is the ship the entire heavy frigate series will be based around for construction compatability.  It doubles the throw weight of the Terrier class ships but is capable of only 5 salvos.  The missile sensor can pick up a Wolver missile at over 100k km.

Just out of curiosity, why do you have an AAM that has a range of 5 million km, when you can only detect the missiles at 100 k - wouldn't it be better to decrease the amount of fuel and increase either the speed or the agility?

[Paul M (OP)]

Yeah, going to a x0.3 modifier from having x0.5 is 3000 RP but the exponential nature of the factor the modifier applies to fuel consumption allows for pretty massive gains. To get a multiplier of 'X' to your fuel efficiency you only need a modifier of (Original Modifier) / X^0.4 = (New Modifier). Which means... huh. You have to drop the modifier less the lower the original modifier is.
Math is a strange thing.

I have to admit I just look at the value and have not been interested in examinging the relationship between the values.  I almost didn't develop the current civillian engine because the difference between it and the old one was about 1% fuel efficiency, but went ahead and was pleasently surprised when the new ships got another 500m or more range.  It is probably not so easy to find this in the AAR but the range of the modern Bauxites is considerably better than the original series (13.9b to 11.6b I think).  I will keep this in mind for the future though as at some point the BIC ships will not need a speed boost and can afford to go down this road.  Also I am planning on a next generation of lifters and am waiting on the jump engines for them.  

One thing that is clear is that I need self jump capable small freighters that can do a lot of busy work in the colony systems.  The current political climate though basically requires the conversion of the remaining missile bases to the Fort Rostock class (something that the Navy would do but on a longer time scale).  This blocks major work projects that were on the planning board:  2 new yards dedicated to small ships (<15K tonnes civillian, 3000 tonnes military) with 2 yards each, expanding the academy and a new ground unit training facility.  Those are basically on hold for the next 2.5-3 years as the PDF refit goes in.

[Paul M (OP)]

Just out of curiosity, why do you have an AAM that has a range of 5 million km, when you can only detect the missiles at 100 k - wouldn't it be better to decrease the amount of fuel and increase either the speed or the agility?

The HAWK is: 0.5 (warhead), 0.2 (engine), 0.005 fuel, and 0.295 agility.  The range is an unwanted side effect of the low tech level of the other components.  I could reduce the fuel but I didn't see any improvement so I just left it at 0.005.  Theoretically the bases can fire them in Anti-shipping mode out to 5m km but it really just comes from me setting the fuel at 0.005 as that seemed to be "ok" in design terms.  With the Javelin IIIA I played around a lot more to give it nearly exactly 10m km range but found that it didn't actually matter if the agility was 0.x85 or 0.x87 kind of thing.

My next small missile engine will be 0.1 HS in size so I can be more graduated in my design.

[Conscript Gary]

I have to admit I just look at the value and have not been interested in examinging the relationship between the values.

It's (personally) fascinating and rather sobering to remind one's self how things actually work. I might make a big engine design thread with all the analysis I've done, but for now the simple math is:
Fuel storage multiplies straight into a ship's range. Obvious enough.

Power modifier multiplies straight into engine power which multiplies straight into speed.
Power modifier multiplies into fuel consumption as (power mod)^2.5, which conversely multiplies into a ship's range as (power mod)^-2.5.

Efficiency tech multiplies straight into fuel consumption, with the similar inverse to range.

Engine size multiplies straight into engine power straight into speed
Engine size multiplies into fuel consumption by (1 - Engine Size/100), again inversely to the range.

A ship's total size divides directly into the speed, and also into the range.

Engine tech multiplies straight into engine power straight into speed.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Unless you are using the maximum 3x multiplier fuel is only a tiny fraction of a missile design's weight.  I recently developed a size 10 missile that gets 47 mkm range out of 2.9% space spent on fuel. 

[Paul M (OP)]

I do numeric analysis for a living so I try to avoid doing it for fun too.  You have almost ispired me to make yet another excel spreadsheet.  I will resist the temptation, however.  The system with how the engines work and so forth is very good, it appeals to my builder side a lot.  I like that I can fine tune what I want from an engine.  I am just trying to keep the number of engines I develop down to a few series.  But I am seriously looking at a 10 HS engine varient since it would boost the fuel efficiency of the freighters yet again and they are the vast bulk of my fuel consumption currently.  For the Destroyer I would have to loose some speed since currently it uses 11 engines but I suspect I would see a marked improvement in range, nothing changes that the damn thing has more fuel then my tankers do.

Thanks for listing the details though, I may fail a willpower saving throw...


Yeah Shoe that is what I noticed as well.  It would probably be worth making missile engines need more fuel to help balance them out, the rather minimal requirement now seems a bit skimpy considering the amount ships use.  I am currently researching the 1.5x power multiplier so I am using the 2.5x multiplier for the current missile engines.  47m km exceeds by 50% the planetary search sensor range of the NCN...

[Conscript Gary]

Well don't mind the spreadsheet I just finished for people to use. Blue cells are unprotected, the obnoxious caution lines on everything else can be banished in the view menu.

[Paul M (OP)]

You are making this what a willpower -6 roll or something, that is grossly unfair.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]Ok my estimated completion date was a bit off...and Starslayer was muttering the words "Starfire Turn" in various and sundry emails so the Aurora stuff got a bit of a backseat.[/ooc]

AD 2278  (Aug 11-13) Operation Riposte

Well, to put it mildly, it was a flop.  An erzatz battlegroup composed of the Terriers: Bloodhound, Beagle, Mastiff, and Foxhound convyed by the Banff and Perryvale jumped into HIP51317 at 01:24 on the 11th.  No alien ships were detected near the jump point.  Cpt. Morgenrot kept the group in system for 2 hours and then jumped out.  On the 12th the ships again jumped in and remained in system for 3 hours and on the 13th for his last attempt the ships remained in system for 6 hours.  Clearly the Wolvers had abandoned the jump point and the human wrecks surrounding it.  This was tactical intellegence but not what the operation was intended to collect.  Cpt. Morgenrot orders the task group to head for the jump point to AD Leonis, he will send the 3rd Squadron back to Sol and remain in Wolf 358 with the 2nd as an advance picket. 

AD 2278 (September) to 2279 (February)  Keeping the Farm Afloat

The political parties spared in this time, neither side gaining any significant advantage.  The NCC seeing that the political interference was out of the way settled back into its normal mode of operation and pressed ahead with its short range plans.  The only real problem they had was fuel.  Operation Poet's legacy of a near empty farm required a quiet period to fix, and try as they might there seemed to be always another few ships needing fuel.  By defering miltary fueling, detanking fuel from the Husky and Petrocan as necessary and buying up as much civillian fuel as possible they were able to keep the Farm in fuel if only just barely.  A judicious amount of robbing Peter to pay Paula managed to alievate outright dissaster.  What was clear though was that the fuel harvester concept would work once the groups had their full complements.  Overall though the NCCFB was sucessful in keeping all the BIC and NC Navy balls in the air.  Currently the ships of 3rd squadron are on station at the jump point to Wolf 359 while the ships of the 1st squadron are in overhaul.  Fuel is tight and for operational needs fuel is being bought from civillian harvesters, it is expected that the military will inside of 3 months finish fueling operations without needing to draw significantly from Earths tank farm so long as no new operation is planned.


Earth's Industrial Efforts

Missiles/Fighters
AD 2278 (August 30) Fairmile B2(EW) 009 is built
AD 2279 (January 20) Fairmile B2(EW) 010 is built

AD 2278 (October10) Construction of Javelin IIIA Anti-ship Missile ends with the stockpile at 54 reserve missiles
AD 2278 (October 25) Construction of Hawk II Counter Missile ends with the stockpile at 140 reserve missiles

Primary Industrial Effort
AD 2278 (December 25) Construction of a new research complex is finished, a wonderful Christmas present for the Naval Research effort.
AD 2278 (December 25) 4 Construction Factories starts fabrication, three of them will eventually be transfered to Faewald.

Secondary Industrial Effort

AD 2278 (November 5) A new Fuel Refinery is finished.
AD 2278 (November  5) Construction of Infrastructure for BIC extra solar operations begins
AD 2278 (December 15) After completing all the colonial infrastructure an older mine begins the process of automization and conversion to teleoperated mode.


Civillian Yard:  Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Sol
AD 2278 (November 5) Opal and Palladium (Bauxite Long Range (HP) class) are built and assigned to ICG VI, completing it, and ICG VII respectively.

Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier & Sons, Sol
AD 2279 (January 5) Essence (Petrol (HP) class) finishes construction and is assigned to FHG II, completing it.

Naval Yard:  Victorias-Esquimalt Graving Dock, Sol
AD 2278 (August 25) Retooling for the Scout class completed, Scout the first of the class is laid down.
AD 2278 (September 30) Lookout (Guardian Mod1.2 class) is built and assigned to 3rd Squadron Battlegroup, using the now free slip work on the Scout class probe ship Trail Blazer starts immediately.


Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2278 (September 6) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 9 civilian mining complexes
AD 2278 (October 10) The civilian mining colony on Encke has been expanded to 11 civilian mining complexes
AD 2278 (October 30) The civilian mining colony on Haumea has been expanded to 8 civilian mining complexes


Research Efforts

AD 2278 (December 10) Dr. KnæikiR Hólmkellson's team advances our knowledge of Terraforming (Terraforming Rate: 0.0012 atm/year) and they start on developing a ship born Terraforming Module for BIC
AD 2278 (December 25) The new Research Lab is assigned to Dr. Stephanie Rees team working on the alpha jump engine series

BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Between August and the end of January the colonies factories turn out enough new construction material to house 20,000 new colonists [ooc]Infrastructurex6[/ooc].  FHG I's crews complete their much needed shore leave on September 6th and depart for A-C V to resume fuel harvesting and refining operations; arriving on station on the 13th.  The colony has 731k litres of fuel in its farm.  ICG I arrives on December 4th with more colonists, construction materials and a deep space tracking array.  The deapart for Earth on the 30th after spending Christmas with the fledgling colony.

BIC Operations in AD Leonis

The harvester groups FHG II and FHG V arrive back in Sol on the 7th and 11th of November leaving FHG III as the sole harvesting group.  On the 3Oth of November it offloads most of its fuel to Forge's tanks and resumes harvesting operations but soon after that departs for Earth (ETA February 10th, 2279) with 100,000 l of fuel in each ship.  That should be sufficient to make the round trip between Forge and Earth.  On the 18th of December FHG IV arrives on station at AD Leonis's gas giant and starts harvesting fuel, its ships can remain on station for about 1 year.  After all the draws on its tank farm Forge currently has 191k l of fuel.  ICG V is on the way back to Earth after delivering 1000 colonists, more pre-fabricated colony structures and a third automatic mine.  Currently both FHG II and V are at Jupiter making fuel for the return journey to AD Leonis.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]Rather than my usual update I have decided to do a summary of the state of the NC as of the current game date.  The game date is a bit further along now but only a month or so.[/ooc]

AD 2280 (January 5)  The State of Things

The government is doing much better in any of the polls, but the opposition knows there is a lingering dissastifaction that only needs a spark to re-ingnite but for the moment that is unlikely to show up.  The strong performance of the economy does a lot to offset the upset of people who have not lost family members.  The UN stops its boycott of BuSurvey operations once they see that 4 Scout class vessels enter into construction and that the upgrades to the Amundson occur.  One could argue the effectiveness of either ship but the fact that the effort has been made says to the UN that the NCC takes their position seriously.  The upgrading of the Fort Des Moines class missile bases occurs at a regular rate and now only 3 remain.  The Navy estimates it will take 18 months to complete these refits and then they intend to pre-fabricate more defences for Luna and Mars.

Human Colonies

Location          Population    Tax Base         Installations (CF=const. fact., FF=fight. fact., OF=Ord. fact., MI=mine, MA=auto. mine, MF=maint. facility, FR=fuel refinery, FC=financial centre,
                                                                              RC=Research Centre)
Sol
Earth               1053.7m       23401             CF: 233, MF: 28, FF: 5, OF: 30, FR: 80, MI: 39, FC: 10 RC: 12 (commercial space port 1, academy 2, ground unit training 1, deep space track 5, mass driver 30K/y)
Luna                   89.3           2074             CF: 10, FC: 5
Mars                   77.9           1739             CF: 10, FC: 5, MI: 50 (Terraformers: 9)
Io                       15.4           400              MI: 50 (Terraformers: 1)
Venus                 11.1            277              MA: 15
Ganymede            0.9             21                (Terraformers: 1)

Alpha Centauri
Faewald               1.4             29                CF: 2 MI: 15 (deep space track 1)
A-II                       0               0                MA: 2

AD Leonis
Forge                   0.01             --               MA: 4

Finances (last fiscal year)
Income (31 778.3 total)
Population Tax:  86%
Shipping Taxes: 13%
Financial Centres: 1%

Expenditures (27 507.6 total)
Purchase of Civillian minerals & fuel: 47%
Ship Building and Yard modifications: 27%
Research: 12%
Construction: 11%
Maintenance Facility operation: 2%
All others: 3%

Current Research
Leader                                      Topic          Assigned research complexes               Expected Completion Date
Charlotte Rowley            Fuel Refining Efficiency                 6                                          October 2281
Stephanie Rees              Higher Power Engines                   3                                          April 2280
KnaeikiR Holmkellson        Terraforming Module                     2                                          Novemeber 2283
Natasha Grey                 Implosion Fission warhead             1                                          January 2283


Mineral Supply
(given is stockpile/production.  *means sent by mass driver)
Mineral                       Earth          Venus          Io&Mars           Gov. AST          Faewald         Forge         CMC 
Duranium                    9778            4/21               -                   */168             109/175        98/50        */6608
Neutronium                 29662           4/21           88/630               */74               90/132            -           */3446
Corbomite                   20912             -                 -                   */153             125/197           -           */386
Tritanium                  43289/118         -                 -                       -                 57/88             -           */386
Boronide                     8403               -                 -                       -               139/219            -              -
Mercasium                  40 904         30/168             -                   36/306             45/66             -            */588
Vendarite                   3807                -                 -                    */154                -                 -               -
Sorium                       60974            4/21               -                       -               112/175           -            */3135
Uridium                      33433            8/42           147/588                  -                 83/110         11/6         */1346
Corondium                  18232            4/21               -                    28/121                -              11/6         */483
Galacite                     11481           30/168             -                     */106            112/175           -               -

The clear fact is that the CMCs are the primary source of the vital duranium and neutronium for expansion.  NCC directly controlled mines are mostly concentrating on producing what the civillian firms can no longer deliver.  It is clear that the number of automated mines the NCC directly controlls needs to be increased but primary manufacturing is dedicated to other tasks and the secondary manufacturing is devoted to BIC operations in AD Leonis and Alpha Centauri.  Not shown above are the 2 automatic mines from Alpha Centauri A-II.

Fuel
Location            Amount (l)              Production (Ml/y)
Earth                  736K                            3.136
Faewald              745K                            0
Forge                   16K                            0
Fuel Harvesters     -                                3.32 (5 full FHGs but not including the 4 civillian harvesters at Jupiter)

The NCCFB rates the current fuel status as critical.  However the FHGs are currently not in their final stations and it is expected that it will smooth out the draw on the main tank farm once capacity exists in all destination systems of the BIC ICGs.  They currently are the single largest drain on the tank farm:  18 million litres is required for all ships.  Task force 1 only uses 3.6 million litres in comparison.


Civillian Shipping Firms
Firm                                     Ships            Tonnage             Current Wealth            Share Price
Burns Freight and Logistics       25                 0.99m                   888                           17.40
Williamson Logistics                 18                 0.70m                  1423                          11.03
Hvikarson Carrier Ltd.              19                 0.67m                  1288                          11.13
Dilahunt Container Line              6                 0.22m                   718                            3.58
Mahood Transport Group            2                 0.01m                   121                            1.65

Terraforming Efforts

Location       Temperature (Delta)            Atmosphere
Mars               228.9 K (+3.9 K)                N₂: 0.0931, CO₂: 0.005, O₂: 0.0201, H₂O: 0.005  Total: 0.1232 atm.
Ganymede       125.9 K (+0.9 K)                 N₂: 0.013, CO₂: 0.005, O₂: 0.005 Total: 0.023 atm.
Io                  125.6 K (+0.6 K)                 CO₂: 0.0041 Total: 0.0041 atm.

Space Yards
Type                               Name                   Capacity(tonnes)  Slips          Yard Activities     Ships Under Construction
Civillian            Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp.        45000            2          Retool: Kingston           none
Civillian            Robert Napier & Sons                      30000            2                 none              Loch HP, Petrol HP
Naval               Weschimag A.G. Weser                   9000             1                add slip                 Tribal
Naval               Victorias-Esquimalt Graving Yard       4500             6                   none            Scoutx2, Wounded Kneex2, Flower, Gargoyle

NC Army
I Corps  (Based in North America)
3 Mobile Infantry Bn (Regina Rifles, Loyal Edmonton, Montreal Fusaliers)
1 Garrison Bn (Rocky Rangers)
1 Armour Division (Lord Strathcona's Horse)

II Corps (Based in Europe)
5 Mobile Infantry Bn (Freiwillig Rostock, Scandanavian Mnt, Danske Livgarde, Royal Marines, Sussex and Wessex Volunteers)
1 Infantry Division (Glasgow Highland Infantry)
2 Garrison Bn (Narvik Garrison, Londonderry Territorial)
1 Armour Division (Guards Armoured)

III Corps (Based in North America)
3 Mobile Infantry Bn (Blue and Grey, Fighting Second, Sightseeing Sixth)
1 Garrison Bn (Utah National Guards)
1 Armour Division (Hell on Treads)

7 Garrisons on the Civillian Mining Colonies in Sol

NC Navy Structure

1st Fleet
Task Force 1
1st Squadron
Battlegroup:
2xTerrier FF, 1xLondon ES, 1xGuardian FFG
Support Group:
1xEdmonton TJ, 1xProtecteur RS, 1xGuardian FFG
2nd Squadron
Battlegroup:
2xTerrier FF, 1xLondon ES, 1xGuardian FFG
Support Group:
1xEdmonton TJ, 1xProtecteur RS, 1xGuardian FFG
3rd Squadron
Battlegroup:
2xTerrier FF, 1xLondon ES, 1xGuardian FFG
Support Group:
1xEdmonton TJ, 1xProtecteur RS, 1xGuardian FFG

1st Troop Transport Squadron
3xCeylon TT

Auxillaries
2xPetrocan TK

Bureau of Survey (BuSurvey)
Interstellar Survey I
1xVancouver SS
Interstellar Survey II
1xVancouver SS
Interstellar Survey III
1xVancouver SS, 1xScout SC
Interstellar Survey IV
1xVancouver SS, 1xScout SC
Alpha and Beta Grav Survey Missions
1xOberon GrSV
Upholder Survey Mission
1xUpholder GeSV

Bureau of Interstellar Colonization (BIC) [Independent Fleet from both NCN and BuSurvey]
BICSol
1xMackenzie TR, 1xNorthstar FT

Interstellar Colonization Group (I-VIII)
1xColossus HP FT(J), 2xBauxite HP FT
Route:
Earth-Faewald:  ICG I-IV
Earth-Forge: ICG V

Fuel Harvesting Group (I-V)
1xLoch HP* FH(J), 2xPetrol HP FH
Planned deployment:
Alpha Centauri: FHG I, FHG II
AD Leonis:  FHG III, FHG IV
Gleisse 408:  FHG V, (FHG VI)
*FHG I still has an unrefit Loch class ship in it.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]It has been largely quiet, driven primarily by the low fuel levels operations had to be seriously curtailed.  I have been routinely buying up the fuel from the Harvesters at Jupiter for use by the Navy.[/ooc]

AD 2280 (January 5 to June 30)  Catching Their Breath

The NCCFB is required to detank from their strategic reserve on the Husky to keep the farm afloat but with more and more additional sources of fuel and the Navy routinely sending a Protecteur to Jupiter they managed to keep ships in fuel with only a single "Crisis" state of the Farm declaration.  Following their mandate to enhance defensive preparations the Navy has focused on refits of the forts on Earth but they have revised backwards their completion date from 18 months to 27 months as BIC complained that it would impact on their necessary construction tasks.  This lead to spirited debate in the Assembly but it soon became obvious that the representative for the outer colonies (though they don't always vote en bloc when they do they do wield a considerable clout) consider terraformers for Mars at least as important as refits to bases for Earth.  By the start of summer though given the situation in terms of construction and fuel survey operations are restarting timed to coincide with the change over of 1st and 3rd Squadrons.  Early in the year, the number of senior officers has increased to the point where Cpt. P. Morgenrot is promoted to Commadore, an action that was recieved with a noticable lack of enthusaum in Goose Green.  However, in the eyes of most of the NC Naval personnel his leadership role in several actions has now been rewarded.


Industrial Effort Earth, Sol

Over the last 6 months Earth's primary manufacturing centre have been working to build more maintenance facilities (ships up to 6000 tons can now be maintained), has build two new deep space tracking arrays for Faewald and Forge, and started on a new research complex.  For BIC the secondary manufacturing tasks have seen the conversion of an older mine to teleoperated, the completion of a new fuel refinery and the poduction of a significant amount of colonial infrastructure primarily destined for Faewald.  The Fairmile B2 013 has been completed in England and on the 23rd of March the only two Fairmile B class EW pinnances were scrapped as sufficient numbers of the B2 varient existed.  Ordinance factories have built up the stockpile of Hawk II (140) and Javelin IIIA missiles (60).

Operations in Sol

The 1st Geosurvey Team doing a ground survey of Callisto announce on January 20 that they have completed their survey and have found a new deposit of 594 749.44 tonnes of Corundium (Accessibility 0.9) on the moon.  This is welcome news, though politically it is another blow to Ganymede.  This will turn the local Jupiter space into extremely valuable real estate.  Neutronium on Io, Corundium on Callisto and fuel harvesting at Jupiter itself.  The NCC though intends to take the development of Callisto slower, as the Navy wishes the refits to the missile bases completed before the main industrial groups start working on the prepatory work for Callisto.  What is clear though is that the number of mines remaining on Earth will be insufficient to produce a reasonable mining return so new mines will need to be produced.  The 1st Geosurvey team is transported to the worked out asteroid of Minerva by the Upholder and begins a ground survey there on the 23rd of January.

NCCFB fuel status report AD 2280 (June 30)
Earth: 1.32 m l (prod: 3.1752 m l per year)
Forge: 0.577 m l
Faewald:  0.545 m l


Civillian Operations in Sol

AD 2280 (May 15) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 10 civilian mining complexes
AD 2280 (May 20) A new shipping line is created: Snærirson Carrier Company.  Most in the NCC are baffled by why investors would be willing to risk good money when you consider the poor performance of the Mahood Transport Group, unless they intend to build fuel harvesters whose valuable fuel is always in demand.


Research Efforts

AD 2280 (April 5) Dr. Stephanie Rees' team finishes development of higher exhaust velocity engines (Maximum Engine Power Modifier x1.5) and begins fuel utlization efficiency studies (Fuel Consumption: 0.7 Litres per Engine Power Hour) at the same time turning over 2 laboratory complexes to Dr. VíkingR Hœkillson and Rolls Royce to develop the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-01 missile engine.
AD 2280 (April 11) Dr. VíkingR Hœkillson's team hands over production drawings for the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-01 and begins work on the Javelin series replacement engine: the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-06.
AD 2280 (May 9) Dr. VíkingR Hœkillson's team completes the work to generate the production drawings for the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-06 and returns the two laboratory complexes back to Dr. Rees.

Based on these two new engines the Navy produces the conceptual designs for the Javelin IIIA2 missile and the Hawk IIF Counter Missile and while both are improvements over the existing missiles they decided to not invest in developing the missiles for series production as the overall benifit compared to the existing Javelin IIIA and Hawk II is not considered significant.  They also felt that should it be necessary the missiles could be put into production in under 3 months of concentrated effort.


Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier & Sons, Sol
AD 2280 (January 20)  Levy (Loch (HP) class) completes construction, and becomes the lead ship for the newly formed FHG VI.  It is dispached to Jupiter to begin making fuel for its journey to AD Leonis and beyond.

Naval Yard:  Desimag A.G. Weser, Sol
AD 2280 (April 25) The first NCN destroyer, the Algonquin (Tribal class), is built and assigned to 1st SQN Battlegroup/TG2/1st Fleet, the freed up slip is allocated to the Mohawk.  The Algonquin arrives to bolster the defences at the jump point to Wolf 358 4 days later and its mere presence doubles the fire power of the NC forces.  The Tribal destroyers have the fire power of a full battlegroup of the smaller frigates.  One issue remains though and that is Earth's maintenance capacity cannot yet handle this size of ship. 


NC Army
AD 2280 (May 25) The new Lunar Peacekeeper Detachment finishes its training and is loaded onto the TT Ceylon for transport to Luna, arrving there on the 5th of June.  The Martian Peacekeeper Detachment enters into training as the existance of the Ceylon troop transports now allows for off Earth deployments of NC Army troops.  As a few politians are heard to remark, the wild west atmosphere of the colonies is about to end.


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

The last 9 months marks the return of regular shipping to Faewald as BIC has strived to send an ICG to Faewald with approximately 90 days between each departure date.  As well FHG II has been dispached to Alpha Centauri V, arriving at Faewald on the 27th of May to give the ships crew R&R time before they go onstation at the gas giant.  The ships detank the bulk of their fuel to Faewald's farm.  As FHG II had jumped into Alpha Centauri the ships of FHG I had pooled their fuel into the tank of the Loch which then set course for Earth and its overdue refit.  At Faewald the delivery of a third construction factory by ICG I in late April has reduced the time to produce more material to expand the colonies lifesupport system to 15 days and in the first 6 months of the year the factories produced enough material to expand the supported population by 30,000 [ooc]infrastructure x9[/ooc].  ICG I departs dead head for Earth on the 25th of May while ICG II is enroute from the jump point.  Currently ICG IV is approaching the Sol-Alpha C jump point while ICG III is loading colonists and construction material in Earth orbit and making preparations for departure.

BIC Operations in AD Leonis

As of the last delivery by ICG V, Forge now has a population of slightly more than 10,000 people [ooc]it is hard to say how many exactly but I have moved 10,000 and they have had 10% growth for the whole time[/ooc], with enough assembled lifesupport in the various tunnels for twice that number.  Five automated mines are in operation pouducing a reasonable return for the investment in the colonial infrastructure of the colony.  The last trip of ICG V also brought a deep space tracking array to give the outpost a better idea of what is happening near it.  Currently FHG V is on station at AD Leonis II harvesting sorium for fuel while FHG III's crews are enjoying R&R at Forge's newly build recreation facilities.  The 5 month round trip to Earth to give FHG crews R&R time must no longer be done.  FHG IV and VI (when the ships are built for it) will be dispached back to AD Leonis and then beyond to Gliese 408.  But BIC marks off the establishment of a refueling stop from their long list of items they need to accomplish to set up a functional extra-solar economy.

NC Navy and Bu Survey Operations

The Navy has exchanged the vetran 2nd SQN Battlegroup for the in-experienced 3rd SQN at the jump point to Wolf 358 on the 16th of January.  3rd SQN Battlegroup begins training excersizes for the next three weeks before entering overhaul.  1st SQN is on station in Wolf 359 to see if there is any Wolver activity in that system that can be tracked.  On June 15th after having completed its overhaul 3rd Squadron leaves for AD Leonis.  It will first relieve 1st Squadron and let them return for R&R at Earth then stand guard while Interstellar Survey III resumes operations in Gliese 408 in preparation for the establishment of a colony in that system.  But due to a lack of Duranium in Gliese 408's so far surveyed bodies the numerous asteroids have to be fully surveyed, which will be the task of the Thor Hyerdahl and Scout after the Scout confirms that the Wolvers have not moved into the system during Humanities long absence.  After this a FHG will move into the system to support the survey operations.  Both IS III and 3rd Squadron are transiting Lalanade 21185 enroute to the AD Leonis jump point currently.

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Enchanter class Jump Ship    9,000 tons     218 Crew     1033.9 BP      TCS 180  TH 330  EM 270
2444 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 2-38     Shields 9-300     Sensors 15/15/0/0     Damage Control Rating 5     PPV 7.14
Maint Life 2.95 Years     MSP 359    AFR 129%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 61    5YR 922    Max Repair 158 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months    Flight Crew Berths 10   
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons     Magazine 20   

Saab JA3-180     Max Ship Size 9000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Rolls Royce NP E-M40S (11)    Power 40    Fuel Use 76%    Signature 30    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 620,000 Litres    Range 16.3 billion km   (77 days at full power)
GE Barrier A119 (9)   Total Fuel Cost  81 Litres per day

TorAr Goaltender Laser Array (1x1)    Range 30,000km     TS: 10000 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 1    ROF 15        3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grundig Sureshot Mk1-25/20X  BFC (1)    Max Range: 40,000 km   TS: 2500 km/s     75 50 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CANDU AHW 6MW (1)     Total Power Output 6    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Hawk II Counter Missile (10)  Speed: 4,000 km/s   End: 21m    Range: 5.1m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 25 / 15 / 7
Javelin IIIA Anti-ship Missile (2)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 14.3m    Range: 10.3m km   WH: 2    Size: 5    TH: 60 / 36 / 18

Seimens SSS 53-3000 (1)     GPS 1800     Range 11.6m km    Resolution 60
Seimens SCMS Super Vigilant 53/3-0050 (1)     GPS 33     Range 1.6m km    Resolution 1
NorTEL IR Array 0-3 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  15m km
Bell Phased Array P3-15 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  15m km

Strike Group
1x Fairmile B2(EW) Pinnace   Speed: 2325 km/s    Size: 4.3

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Enchanter class is required to move the Tribal Destroyers out of Sol.  Unfortunately unlike the Terrier and Wounded Knee Flights of ships it is not similar enough to the Tribal to be built without retooling of the yard.  For the first time the jump ship is no longer unarmed.  It is intended to also function as collier carrying a few extra missiles for the Tribals.  The Navy will produce a proper underway replenishment ship based on the Enchanter class (less the jump engine) and they hope this will be build compatable.  Doctrine for the number of Enchanters to Tribals is still being studied by a Naval Review Panel.

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Kingston class Colonist Transport    42,600 tons     228 Crew     1120.5 BP      TCS 852  TH 400  EM 0
469 km/s    JR 2-25(C)     Armour 1-108     Shields 0-0     Sensors 5/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 6     PPV 0
MSP 99    Max Repair 76 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Spare Berths 0   
Cargo 10000    Cryogenic Berths 50000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 20   

Saab CJA 2-900     Max Ship Size 45000 tons    Distance 25k km     Squadron Size 2
MAN NP CE-100 (4)    Power 100    Fuel Use 10.61%    Signature 100    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 19.9 billion km   (490 days at full power)

Seimens Civ Navi 2M/5000 (1)     GPS 500     Range 2.5m km    Resolution 100
NorTEL Civ IR Telescope (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Kingston is the big brother to the Colussus class.  It is designed to speed up extra solar colonization efforts as it can cary two and half as many colonists as a Colussus and is a third again as fast.

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Whiskey class Freighter    42,600 tons     118 Crew     497.5 BP      TCS 852  TH 400  EM 0
469 km/s     Armour 1-108     Shields 0-0     Sensors 5/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 0
MSP 18    Max Repair 25 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Spare Berths 3   
Cargo 35000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 20   

MAN NP CE-100 (4)    Power 100    Fuel Use 10.61%    Signature 100    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 19.9 billion km   (490 days at full power)

Seimens Civ Navi 2M/5000 (1)     GPS 500     Range 2.5m km    Resolution 100
NorTEL Civ IR Telescope (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Whiskey class is the consort to the Kingston and offers higher speed, longer ranger and increased cargo capacity to the Bauxite class.  The Whiskey and Kingston are also a "Flight" build and don't require retooling.

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Polestar class Jump Freighter    12,300 tons     81 Crew     252.5 BP      TCS 246  TH 200  EM 0
813 km/s    JR 1-25(C)     Armour 1-47     Shields 0-0     Sensors 5/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 0
MSP 32    Max Repair 25 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 1   
Cargo 5000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 10   

Saab CJA S-260     Max Ship Size 13000 tons    Distance 25k km     Squadron Size 1
MAN NP CE-100 (2)    Power 100    Fuel Use 10.61%    Signature 100    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres    Range 20.7 billion km   (294 days at full power)

Seimens Civ Navi 2M/5000 (1)     GPS 500     Range 2.5m km    Resolution 100
NorTEL Civ IR Telescope (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Polestar is a design revision to an older, as yet unbuilt, design intended to produce an interstellar capable class similar in function to the decades old Northstar freighter.  It is intended to be used for movement of materials inside of extra solar systems or for short jumps between them.  It is self jump capable, boast a reasonable endurance for its crew and low fuel footprint for a long range.  What is lacking is the dedicated small construction yard that BIC wants for ships like these and Petrocan tankers plus other smaller vessels.

[Charlie Beeler]

Paul, is the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-01 engine .1msp in size?  If so, look at using 4 instead of 2 and .0782 to agility.  You should get a missile speed of 9,600 / range 4.3m/km / hit chances of 41.6/25/12.5 and a unit cost of .33.  That is of course for the Hawk.  The Javelin would also see tactical improvements with this approach.

[Paul M (OP)]

Paul, is the RR Wildfire NPE-Mi-01 engine .1msp in size?  If so, look at using 4 instead of 2 and .0782 to agility.  You should get a missile speed of 9,600 / range 4.3m/km / hit chances of 41.6/25/12.5 and a unit cost of .33.  That is of course for the Hawk.  The Javelin would also see tactical improvements with this approach.

The NPE-Mi-01 is size 0.1 and MPE-Mi-06 is size 0.5
The change was made to give me a bit more flexibility than the older 0.2 and 1 size engines allowed.

I'll look into the 4 engine Hawk, as having a even half way useful counter missile would help the NCN greatly (they have a lot of CM tubes).  The Javelin IIIA2 with the 5x NPE-Mi-06 is better over all than the IIIA but just not enough better to invest the 254 or so RP into it.  The navy feels the real improvement will come with reduced size warheads freeing up considerable space in both missile bodies. 

But thank you for the tip, I'll have a look at a revised Hawk IIF or IICB tonight.  Range is pretty much not a real point, 2m km is probably all they need.  I know they can't target Wolver ships beyond 1.8m Km anyway.  The maximum range that they can be used from the forts in CM mode is around 1m km assuming that 2 pinnances are deployed to extend the detection envelope of the forts CM sensor.

[Charlie Beeler]

True, the range is a side effect of the engines only having a single point granularity compared to the 4 point we had prior to v6. 

What I tend to do with AMM's is apply the largest engine allocation that can be matched to a 1pt warhead and then adjust to the most agility that leaves some msp available for fuel. 

For ASM's I approach it a little different.  25% msp to warhead, engine space tends to be one step down from maximum allocation with the rest being fuel.  It usually supplies an offensive missile with good punch speed and still has a useful standoff range.  Since you're using 5msp and 20% warhead vs my 4msp and 25% you'll have the same punch in a faster bus than I normally use, which is not a bad thing.  With 7 of those MPE-Mi-06 engines you'll have a speed of 16,800 and without any added agility a base hit chance of 56/33.6/16.8 and an operational range of about 59.9m/km.  Personally I'd  prefer a dedicated 3.9msp engine for a little more speed and less fuel with a little less range, but that is just a personal preference.