From the Exploration Force High Command to the Government and the Press:It is now July 2023. This is an early decade report from the exploration service to the public. This report was made early due to the overwhelming success of the Poeper-Optimist combo in exploration. This report will quickly guide all newcomers through the most important things since 2117. For information on the precursor infestation found in 2115, we would like to redirect all readers to the 2114-2117 Poeper-Optimist quality report, now declassified, which goes into detail on how the ships handled during that period.
In 2117, multiple new systems were explored, notably R Coronae Australis, which is so large our current fighters could only reach the first few planets, and which once again threw apart theories on solar system development. Another special: In early November, an expedition was sent into the jump gate which was found in GJ 1002. They discover Tau Ceti, otherwise unremarkable.
The year 2118 mainly shows a lack of administration: Although the Risico spent most of the year flying, there is no knowledge of where it went anywhere in the command post.
In 2119, the Poeper 2 goes from Tau Ceti into Heintz 299 in February, and then to the new system of HIP 113296 on July 16th. Within 24 hours, an active sensor pinged one of the fighters so strongly, the enemy showed up on our scanners. He was approaching fast, and even if all fighter dashed back, would easily take out the carrier before they reached it. The Poeper prepared a jump, while ordering the fleets to scatter. There was one confirmed beam kill before the Poeper jumped out, and what happened to the rest of the crews is unknown. By the 25th, construction of a replacement squadron is started on Earth, which will take almost two years.
During 2120 the exploration service mainly sent missions to the ‘north’ on our maps. Starting at GJ 1286, they went on and discovered these systems: EG 453, an empty, Gliese 908, EQ Pegasi on the 10th of march, 2 jump point there are still unexplored, WISE 2056+1459 the 16th of June, GJ 1256 in the beginning of august with two remaining jump points to check. Then came a dead end with the systems of Gliese 740 and Luyten 997-21. The survey of this branch was finished by May 2121.
EQ Pegasi is special, as an unknown installation was found, which made our researchers find out things really quick. It is advised to build labs here for further study of this ‘hyperlearn’ effect. Another special: in June 2120, the colony of Lacaille 9352 A-II was opened to public import of migrants. Today it stands at 5.8 million inhabitants.
From the moment we finished that branch, the service has now aimed at the area around HIP 86961, which contains one planet considered easily colonisable. One jump away, Gliese 615 and WISE 1741+2553 were discovered. WISE quickly proved precursor infested, although all ships managed to escape without casualties. Gliese seems to be something of a hub, with 4 jump points. 2 of those have been explored and lead to 41 Arae and 36 Ophiuchi. 41 Arae seems to be a hub again, with 4 jump points of its own. This sector will need a lot more exploration. Currently, the fleets are still finishing up the expeditions to these two systems.
Map of the known systems:
In the computer of Optimist R 011:July 17th, 2119: We are running like hell, each of us to a different location. The pings of the enemy sensors show where his missile combatant is, but the E 016 reported a large vessel approaching to melee range before her signal cut. The enemy beam vessel has been classed as a ‘Brilliant Carpace’. Will we get out of his scan range?
July 25th: 2 more fighters have been lost, and a third is currently under attack. Until now, it has only been the E’s which have been attacked, possibly because the R went out and they went in when the scatter came. We have decided to go into silent running, and are advising others to do the same.
August 2nd: Our low power messages have slowly jumped through the system, moving at the speed of light, but often failing to be received. By now, we are all picketing out original survey targets awaiting rescue. We have emergency food for a year, but in that time we need to be rescued or we need to create cryo pods somehow. We got quite some tools here, and a lot of electronics and special hardware in the sensor. I think we can do this.
December 5th: We succeeded, after a long process of trial and error. We coordinated attempts between the different fighters, using all computers and making sure to conserve as many differnet parts as possible on each ship for the final designs. Now the E 018 has a working design, we only need to duplicate it.
December 24th: Today we ate some extra for Christmas, and now everyone has a cryo pod. Tonight we will go to sleep. I will now order the computer that if we are attacked, or in 25 years, it will beam this log in the direction of Lacaille 8760 with full power, hopefully someone on Heeg will pick it up after its journey of a century.
On fleet design:The past years have seen a lot of focus going to exploration, however another important thing happened. I started modernising the fleet. As I basically needed to research techs for things like beams and armor, and I need ridiculous amounts of new sensors, engines and weapons, this process is not yet complete. However, some ship classes are already close to completion. The new fleet is fighting with bigger warships utilizing better tech, with the goal of eliminating precursor nests with minimal losses. To this goal, the new fleet has 3 classes of sensor scouts, a (unfinished) sensor boat/carrier, a pure carrier/jump tender, a beam FAC and PD Gauss fighters. Yet to be designed are the missile cruisers and possibly accompanying PD cruisers. Battle formation will be a sensor boat in the back, taskgroups containing PD, missile strike and sensor boats so far front that the missiles can hit at the edge of my active detection, and scouts forming a line at that edge to check for incoming fire and smaller ships. The beam FAC will fly just behind this line, ready to charge at any enemy FAC trying to break through, or to chase enemy missile ships which ran out of ammo. Here come the schematics:
2,4m Rx: The 2,4m is a small type of sailing boat used in competition. Here, it’s a scout fighter, with the addition Rx to the name, with x being the sensor resolution. Three variants have been designed: the R1, R15 and R100:
2,4mR1 class Scout Fighter 500 tons 14 Crew 274.5 BP TCS 10 TH 25 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 100% IFR 1.4% 1YR 114 5YR 1714 Max Repair 216 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 3
FE 50 EP MagFusDrive(Sig50%) (1) Power 50 Fuel Use 29.4% Signature 25 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 50 000 Litres Range 61.2 billion km (141 days at full power)
Active Missile Search Sensor MR4.2-R1 (1) GPS 216 Range 38.9m km MCR 4.2m km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
Bergumermeer: Named after the full name of the BM class sailing vessel, this is a PD gauss fighter. It’s unknown whether I’ll actually use it, as this would require a massive amount of carriers.
Bergumermeer class Point-Defense Fighter 500 tons 9 Crew 191 BP TCS 10 TH 80 EM 0
16000 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 3
Maint Life 23.48 Years MSP 239 AFR 2% IFR 0% 1YR 1 5YR 12 Max Repair 120 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 0.5 months Spare Berths 3
160 EP Inertial Fusion Drive (1) Power 160 Fuel Use 50.31% Signature 80 Exp 12%
Fuel Capacity 35 000 Litres Range 25.0 billion km (18 days at full power)
Gauss Cannon R3-50 (1x3) Range 30 000km TS: 16000 km/s Accuracy Modifier 50% RM 3 ROF 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FTR Beam FC R32k TS20k (1) Max Range: 64 000 km TS: 20000 km/s 84 69 53 37 22 6 0 0 0 0
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
Laser Pico: called after the Laser Pico sailing vessel, this is a laser equipped FAC:
Laser Pico class Fast Attack Craft 1 000 tons 19 Crew 371 BP TCS 20 TH 100 EM 0
10000 km/s Armour 4-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 8
Maint Life 3.58 Years MSP 116 AFR 16% IFR 0.2% 1YR 14 5YR 209 Max Repair 150 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 0.5 months Spare Berths 6
FE 200 EP InertFusDrive(Sig 50%) (1) Power 200 Fuel Use 49.79% Signature 100 Exp 12%
Fuel Capacity 50 000 Litres Range 18.1 billion km (20 days at full power)
25cm C5 Far Ultraviolet Laser (1) Range 64 000km TS: 10000 km/s Power 16-5 RM 5 ROF 20 16 16 16 16 16 13 0 0 0 0
Beam FC R32k TS10k (1) Max Range: 64 000 km TS: 10000 km/s 84 69 53 37 22 6 0 0 0 0
InertConFus Reactor PB-1 P6 HS0.5 (1) Total Power Output 6 Armour 0 Exp 5%
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Schoener: Called after the big ships known in English as Schooners, this is the carrier supposed to take scouts to the battlefield:
Schoener class Carrier 30 000 tons 440 Crew 4111.4 BP TCS 600 TH 2520 EM 0
4200 km/s JR 6-500 Armour 4-86 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 20 PPV 0
Maint Life 0.07 Years MSP 2043 AFR 14400% IFR 200% 1YR 28746 5YR 431191 Max Repair 823 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months Flight Crew Berths 190
Hangar Deck Capacity 10000 tons
J30k(6-500) Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 500k km Squadron Size 6
840 EP Inertial Fusion Drive (3) Power 840 Fuel Use 9.5% Signature 840 Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 4 950 000 Litres Range 312.6 billion km (861 days at full power)
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes