Anything big planned for diplomacy Steve? I would love something simple like Paradox war score to demand planets, systems, disarmament etc.

I don't have a war score concept. Also it would be difficult to know how well you are doing without some idea of the capabilities and scale of your opponents. If France fights Germany, each will have a reasonable idea of how well they are doing. If two races that don't know much about one another fight over a few border systems, they don't have a frame of reference. I might be inflicting twice as many casualties as I am suffering, but that doesn't help if my opponent is 5x larger for example.

It will probably be more about claiming territory or setting up neutral zones. Having wars that can end with an agreement, or even understanding what your opponent wants will be a major improvement over VB6.

Hmm. . .  Personally, I'd want my flagship to be the fastest of my big ships.  I'd load it with point defense and a moderate-sized hangar for shuttles, line-of-communication ships, and other utility vessels rather than combat fighters or FACs.  Certainly it needs its own jump drive, and I wouldn't want to skimp on defenses so I'd probably be removing half-to-all of its heavy armament.

If we assume my standard battleship mounts eight heavy guns (12") in four twin turrets, a secondary battery of 12-16 light guns (6"), and a mini-hangar for two-to-four scout planes; I'd drop two of the big turrets, double the hangar, and convert the secondary battery to dedicated point defense -- or at least dual-purpose 4" or 5" guns.  Depending on my engine & jump tech, I might need to drop the other two heavy turrets as well and/or add an engine.

All of which is way too much for a refit, so it'd be a dedicated class designed from the keel up to be fleet flagship, and merely 'inspired by' by the battleship design.

- - -

Though I must admit, I mostly use regular cruisers or battleships 'with a flag bridge bolted on' as my squadron & flotilla flagships.

23rd of August, 1st Year of Renaissance

 Yeah! It's finally happening! It's all over the news, in every herald, even the ones in Otslanspanse!

23rd of August, 1st Year of Renaissance

I don't really know how to do this whole, "journal" thing, but I'm just so excited! I just have to write this down, I just have to! Papa has said we're going to the fair! They have a wonderful contraption there which defies gravity!

7th of June, 12th Year of Renaissance

     Greetings reader, I am Cortez Meers, newly graduated Knight 3rd Class of the Principality of Sidon. I fell that I must apologize for my ten year old self, not too terribly fluent as I was and thoroughly disinterested in writing anything. in truth, it has not been so very long since last I wrote in this journal, but it feels very long indeed. In just a mere eleven years I feel as though I have aged an eternity, the Trials of the Knights were greuling, the education was laborious and my pride at having overcome them is... considerable. I am again taking up my journal in an attempt to leave behind an account of my experiences as a Knight 3rd Class in the service of the Princes and our Principality, if you are reading this, I hope it inspires you. I will take my leave of you now, but I feel compelled to remark that i am still unsure as to how this "journal" thing works, a thought which make sme chuckle, so much older and yet still so young.

 --- Those last words fell heavy from the mouth of Rachel Halcyon, the newly appointed Master Retainer of the Knights of the Principality. Her voice choked as she addressed the assembly, saying, "Kinght 3rd Class, Cortez Meers, who was a nexceptional Knight in conduct and prowess, is today no more." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, going on to say, "Yet on this day, we learn from Knight Meers that even the most dilignet of us can fall. Knight Meers hailed from Otslanspanse, a land of poor people and poorer opportunities. He worked harder than anyone here, and passed the Trials at the top of his class. He was mighty, shooting straighter and fighting harder than anyone yet. He was cunning and smart, having gone from barely literate to a wonderful writer with equally wonderful poems..." she trailed off as she stifled a sob, tears rolling down her cheeks, "and above all he was a good man." It was here where she finally broke down, and the other Knights assembled here wept freely also.

 --- No one wished to note his death, yet all who were assembled took it to heart, but none more than the Master Retainer. In the young Cortez she saw the makings of the next Master Retainer, and in her memories she would forever see his broken body at the foot of the stairs. So promising, and yet brought low by so humble a force. Emboldened by the thought and it's importance to her she sprang suddenly into a passionate tirade, "Fellow Knights!", she cried commanding the attention of all who were present. She carried on through tears and sobs, "Let us not forget Knight Meers, and let us not forget his lesson! We should remeber the warriors of myth, brough low by a single arrow! Let us not forget our diligence! Let us know him as Saint Meers of Diligence, and let us revere his lesson, that we may not be brought low by such trifling means! Let us not be brought low! ...let us... ...not... be... brought... ...low." Here even the will of the Master Retainer, would be Master of all the Knights of the Principality, was fully overcome and for a long time there was naught but the sound of weeping soldiers and the pounding of fists and feet alike.

 --- So it would be that Cortez Meers, Knight 3rd Class, hailing from Otslanspanse, would become the Patron Saint of Diligence for the Knights of the Principality, to serve as a reminder to them all that no matter how hard you work, how diligent you are you must always be still more diligent. When the Knights became formalized in the 15th Year of Renaissance and the Hall of the Knights would be founded alongisde the temple, Diligence would become one of the founding pillars. Cortez Meers would become known as the "Humble Saint" or the "Good Saint", and his patronage would become associated with charity and comradery. Some would call him the, "Saint of Brothers" as well as the, "Fraternal Saint" His name would go down in history in the Brotherhood of Cortez, his surname would come to mean "beloved brother" and his memeory would inspire others to band together as Knights would use his story as a rallying cry whenever the foes of Sidon would seek to break them.

[Based on the following In-Game Events]

7th June 12 00:00

Cortez Meers has joined your officer corps as Knight 3rd Class
Cortez Meers has died in an unfortunate accident. Assignment prior to death: Unassigned.

May 15, 2064

Ancient Guardian bases are occasionally garrisoned by 1-3 battalions of surface combat drones.  These formations typically consist of a variety of armored vehicles using articulated legs for propulsion.  Like their ships, these Ancient Guardian combat drones are technologically advanced, but their limited programming hinders their effectiveness in combat.  Despite facing off against three such battalions, the four battalions of the 108th Assault Infantry Brigade are able to take the supply base at Groombridge 1618-A I with limited casualties.   

The aftermath of the ground battle reveals some spoils of war.   Firstly, the two ground tracking stations there will also be moved to Groombridge 1618-A II.  Secondly, within the supply base is found a cache of nearly 5,300 "Terrible" anti-missile missiles.  Because these weapons have proven to be superior to the Republic's own Dart and Flash systems, they are highly regarded.  A pair of Fleet Support Vessels are dispatched to deliver these weapons to Earth, increasing the number stockpiled there to 10,484. These weapons form a valuable part of the Republic's missile reserve, especially since most missile production is currently dedicated toward the Harpoon.  Incidentally, there are also 1,270 AG "Janse van Rensburg" anti-ship missiles stockpiled on Earth as well.  However, these weapons are all size 3, and the Republic does not use a launcher of that type.  Because these weapons are known to have a very powerful strength-12 warhead there is some talk of designing a fighter-bomber capable of delivering them, but for now these weapons remain a curiosity.

Meanwhile, the main AG colony on Groombridge 1618-A II has been surveyed by our Xenology team.  This world was home to the Kingdom of Pitkin, another primitive TL 1 client-state of the greater Ancient Guardian Empire.  Of greater note is the fact that this world was host to an Ancient Guardian Sensor/Fire Control research facility (90%).  The discovery of this facility makes renders the terraforming effort at The Anomaly in Mu Herculis rather meaningless, since both worlds provide the same research bonus. 

Now known as Pitkin, this world orbits its dim red star at an incredibly close proximity of 32 million kilometers.  Despite having an oven-hot average temperature of 67C, this tidally locked world still boasts an earthlike liquid ocean and an atmosphere that could be rehabilitated with just a small amount of terraforming.  The terraforming fleet is therefore directed to leave Mu Herculis and make way to Tars Tarkas first (the biology research bonus there can help unlock further terraforming tech).  After Tars Tarkas has been terraformed, the terraformers will go to Pitkin.





Elsewhere in the Republic, all worlds with a population above 25 million now have some form of local system defense capability.  This typically consists either of a fighter base and one or two Starhawk squadrons, a pair of Mellor-class cutters, a Cheyenne Mountain-class missile base, or some combination of these three main elements.  Additional types of defensive units are also being evaluated, but for now the colonies are satisfied that they are adequately protected.

Troops have the added benefit of being able to suppress unrest from overpopulation.  And if you have an active civilian fleet that has access to the system, any colony that has any infrastructure on it could suddenly become the fad destination of millions of colonists.