Chapter 1: Two Decades to the StarsOdds and Ends:Probably clear from the setup, but I don't think I mentioned it specifically, so, this is a random stars game. Also, I didn't start with any NPRs already activated, so I don't have to worry about that, but any that generate will generate fairly advanced, given the slow conventional start. Invaders are off, but all the other non-NPRs are on. Also, the start year was Year 1. If I had more of a concept of how the story here works I'd try to link the discovery of Trans-Newtonian elements to some new religious reformation that Pandom society reset their calendar after... but the truth is I just like starting on Jan 01 01 because it's easy to tell the time elapsed.
Starting Moves:January 1, 1 is a momentous day for Pandom society. Trans-Newtonian elements are discovered, materials that bring the promise that the vastness of space may be traversed as easily as the calm, shallow seas at the equator of Veccacopia. As is written, the Pandomn understand their destiny is to go forth into the darkness, multiply and build, and orient society to that end. Shipyards are set up and begun expansion, with the goal of developing one towards ships of scientific discovery and another freighters and transports. The peaceful trading relationships offer an obvious template for the organization of ships, with individual ships being combined into "Caravans" that undertake missions together, caravans with similar goals being overseen by "Entrepots", and Entrepots in turn grouped into Emporiums. This is the natural way of things, with trading companies being the clearest example of hierarchy and order anyone knows*.
*See "Naval Org"Gualtiero Brivio begins research into the newly discovered Trans-Newtonian elements. As expected, science is a sore point for the republic. Signor Brivio provides a 15% boost to research... quite mediocre, yet he is by far the best researcher available. Others are 5%, or nothing. Thankfully, Sr. Brivio's specialty is in Construction and Production technology, just the field needed to make the jump to the Trans-Newtownian era. All 8 starting labs are given over to him towards that goal, with an expected completion time of early August 03.
The same day, Cammeo Piccio takes over the Dogeship on Veccacopia. With a massive 30% bonus to production and a more modest, but still respectable 15% boost to population growth among her subjects, Signora Piccio is perfectly placed to lead the Pandomn into the spacefaring era of civilization. Her talents combined with the natural Pandom aptitudes should hopefully mean the Republic can paper over any problems due to lagging tech with improved production. To that end, she orders 25 financial centers produced. These should be finished almost at the same time as Trans-Newtonian tech, and will be dearly appreciated as society grows.
The Trans-Newtonian Overhaul:The Trans-Newtonian elements are fully characterized on August 14, 3. After this, the labs are split up, with 4 labs going towards research into new propulsion technologies, and 1 each to advances in construction rate, larger fuel tanks, lighter hulls, and geological sensors. This is initially undertaken by the rogue's gallery that passes for the Pandomn scientific establishment, but less than a year later, a brilliant graduate of Pandom Tech is hired. Fresh off his thesis "on the Interaction between Sorium and Electromagnetic Radiation", Pasquale D'Amico rates out as a 30% boost, with a specialty in power and propulsion research. An absolute godsend at this point.
August 19, 3, the financial centers are completed. 800 conventional industrial sites are identified for overhaul with use of the new elements. The plan is for a 500/300 split between conversion to Construction factories and Mines, happening concurrently with 66 rate to the former and 34 to the latter. With all the bonuses to production, complete industrial conversion is achieved May 24, 8. Wealth is in the red at this point... but there is another problem. Mercassium and Corbomite are both rare on Veccacopia, with a 0.4 modifier to each. This is a major issue, as Research Labs and Financial Centers are the main focus of industry at this point, and they require those minerals, respectively. Nevertheless, by alternating between orders of one, then the other, the Republic is able to push out those installations without stopping to make more mines, or falling *too* far in the red.
The Galileo Class:Galileo class Science Vessel 21,978 tons 374 Crew 1,684.7 BP TCS 440 TH 480 EM 0
1092 km/s JR 1-25(C) Armour 1-69 Shields 0-0 HTK 108 Sensors 25/25/3/3 DCR 40 PPV 0
Maint Life 10.64 Years MSP 1,916 AFR 97% IFR 1.3% 1YR 31 5YR 464 Max Repair 100 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 120 months Morale Check Required
Cavallo-Gentili Drive Systems JC22K Commercial Jump Drive Max Ship Size 22000 tons Distance 25k km Squadron Size 1
Bassano-Paolini Aeromarine Commercial Nuclear Pulse Engine EP160.0 (3) Power 480.0 Fuel Use 7.07% Signature 160.0 Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 2,250,000 Litres Range 260.6 billion km (2762 days at full power)
Cribari-Bertucci Sensor Systems Thermal Sensor TH5-25 (1) Sensitivity 25 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 39.5m km
Cribari-Bertucci Sensor Systems EM Sensor EM5-25 (1) Sensitivity 25 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 39.5m km
Geological Survey Sensors (3) 3 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (3) 3 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
A goal is set for the first Republic research ships; they are to be large science vessels, nearly independent, not mere survey boats, and for these to see operation before the 20s. To that end, most new labs are assigned to D'Amico in propulsion, seeing as he needs to research several levels of thrusters to make that goal worthwhile, as well as developing jump theory from scratch. Thankfully, he proves up to the task, although the first generation of engines is less fuel efficient than anyone is comfortable with. Supplemented with a few labs of their own, researchers in Hulls and Fuel Storage also finish their projects on time. Fausta Poletti, in Sensors, proves an endless headache, though. Despite constant work, she never develops her bonus beyond 5%. It was hoped that the first
Galileo Class would have a dedicated science department, but 5000 RP is too much of a burden at this point without a talented specialist. It takes more labs than expected just to finish research into gravitational sensors, and even so D'Amico has to moonlight as a sensors researcher to finish basic EM & Thermal sensors to keep the
Galileo from flying completely blind. Nevertheless, design of the class is completed May 22, 17, and the first two vessels,
Galileo &
Fermi start construction. These finish Sept 19, 18, when
Marconi &
Volta start. With an expected 10 year mission, the world they return to should be vastly different than the one they leave.
The Home System, Surveyed:With such overpowered science ships, the home system is surveyed in a flash, with Geo Survey finishing June 26, 19 and Grav Survey finishing Sept 24, 20, almost two years to the day after construction finishes. Catherine, Madre 4, Romulus 11, and Remus 5 are all potential mining sites**, with Catherine having a low probability for additional deposits. Matilda, as a good terraforming site, unfortunately has extremely limited deposits, meaning it will probably be ignored, although there is a minimal chance more minerals may be found. The real surprise is Garibaldi - with almost 50m tons of full-accessibility Sorium, the Republic's fuel supply will be set for the foreseeable future once infrastructure to exploit it can be developed and built.
**See "Minerals"Two interstellar connections are found. The first, transited May 16, 20 reaches a G2-V star remarkably similar to the starting star, Padre, a G1-V. This new star is renamed after our Doge, Cammeo Piccio. Signora Piccio has been hard at work ruling the republic, and has developed additional skills, adding Shipbuilding 10%, Mining 15%, Wealth Creation 5%, and Logistics 10% in addition to her starting Production and Pop Growth bonuses. Her wise leadership has made the honor well deserved. The second world in the system is a potential colony site, with near-habitable temperatures, a frozen ocean covering 76% of the surface, and a thin atmosphere of CO
2/Nitrogen.
The second jump point, transited May 29, 20, reaches a slightly smaller K0-V star, which is renamed after Pasquale D'Amico. Seeing as Signor D'Amico has done the lion's share of Republic research singlehandedly, this honor is also well deserved. Two potential colony sites exist, D'Amico II being slightly too hot with a thin Nitrogen-Methane atmosphere, and D'Amico III being slightly too cold with a very thin Nitrogen-Oxygen atmosphere. Both worlds have sufficient water.
Situation as of Sept 24, 20:At the conclusion of home system surveying, space assets consist of 4 science vessels,
Galileo, Fermi, Volta, and
Marconi with
Avogadro and
Cassini under construction. Science Vessels are divided evenly between the two new systems as of now. Veccacopia is building a large order of construction factories, and the current status of the planet is as follows:
Veccacopia
Population: 886.86m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 44,000 tons
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 260,000 tons
Maintenance Capacity: 49,632 tons
Research Facility: 25
Ground Force Construction Complex: 1
Construction Factory: 541
Mine: 400
Fuel Refinery: 50
Maintenance Facility: 50
Financial Centre: 200
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Military Academy: 1
Naval Headquarters: 1
Spaceport: 1
Though the Republic is still in the red, and all population remains confined to the homeworld, both those issues should be addressed over the next decade. The future looks bright for the Most Serene Republic.