Children of Sol: Multiplayer Aurora

[Panopticon]

We of Venus applaud Mars' commitment to defense, having lost a survey craft of our own we shall be making aggressive moves once our new battleships come online.

[Ektoras]

I want to express Earthling’s sorrow to the Martian crewmen of the survey ship and I offer my condolences to their families. Unfortunately Prospector 2, a science vessel, was in the system but it was very far away from the Tarn homeworld, to reach the lifepods and rescue any survivors. It has orders to move closer and help any survivors of combat. If asked or Sol system is theratened Syndicate Navy is ready to assist Venusian and Martian battle fleets into their future endeavors.

Meanwhile we warn the Martian government for some high ranking members that want to defect and sell sensitive information. We advise password protection to be active all times.

[ooc]Surveying NPR’s planet can be deadly [/ooc]

[Panopticon]

[ooc]And so hostilities begin with the traditional sacrifice of the survey vessels.[/ooc]

[sublight (OP)]

July 2080

<insert generic news here>

Save posted. Private Messages coming soon.
Sorry, but no public game report this time. The one story my imagination really wants to tell is The Dual. I think I'll go ahead and include that 8-year old event in the coming 10-year history report.

[Ektoras]

[ooc] The Dual can make a good story. I am eagerly waiting for it.
The Dual is a sad event for the Earthlings, many good sailors and officers lost their lives. But they protected Earth and defended its honor. The story of Syndicate heroes, true pioneers of space warfare that served in the two Mahadeva class destroyers, have inspired the crews of the SWN ships to train harder and Syndicate engineers to make better designs. The crews of Mahadeva II and III class feel specially honored to serve in a ship with the same name and SWN high command has utilize this by assigning there the best officers. Of course someone can point that the class name is different than the ship name but SWN never named any Mahadeva class ship. [/ooc]

[Jikor]

"Greetings from Mars!

Welcome to the SBC News Hour! I am Ko'Jontag your reporter for this evening.

We have grave news that a majority of the top officials in the Martian cabinet where lost earlier this evening when a terrible accident occurred during the annual Martian Government rally.
Luckily First Citizen Karr Jion avoided this incident through a stroke of luck. He had planned to attend the meeting but at the last minute he was unable to make it due to 'technical difficulties'.

From the report provided to us graciously by the First Citizen's staff it appears that the accident occurred at the most inopportune time when all the attendee's where gathered together there was a small explosion that seemed to come from somewhere in the center of the group. The report states this appears to have been due to a gas main leak that had not been previously known to run under the convention center.

We shall now have a moment of silence to honor these men.



Now on to other news!
Our war with the Boron Aliens is going well. We do not have any clear reports from the front yet due to it's large distance away but the reports from the office of the First Citizen state that it is a glorious war and Mars has had many victories.

Martian Military day is coming up. All citizens should report for duty at your nearest Citizen Center.
Remember We are Mars, Mars is us.

The Solar Wrestling Federation in still on Hiatus after the tragic events of our last match in which the Venusian Champion tore the Human champion in half. He has been disqualified and will not be allowed to return. "

[Panopticon]

Venus ads the technology for Command Module to its previously available tech for sale. Additionally 3 units of the Azazel class escort have been put on the market, the Azazel is an antimissile armed vessel displacing 6000 tons and using Nuclear Pulse Engines.

[sublight (OP)]

January 2081 - Drum Beats of War

For the last 18 months both Venus and Mars have named a hated foe residing on a distant star, and pledged efforts of extermination. The news has been mildly distressing in the Syndicate, whose shrewd traders have already secured at least one trade agreement and are (mostly) at peace with all. While the warring nation states have steadily declared tidings of an inevitable victory, analysts agree that the fleets are actually still building with a decisive battle still many months distant.

Fall - 2072 - The Dual
At mid summer 2071 a disagreement over Active scanners arouse in Sol between Venus and the planet's closet neighbor, Earth. The primary point of contention was that the active scanner was strong enough to cover Earth's Orbit. Opinions were strong, but in the end Venus agreed to shut down the scanner if the Syndicate would prove their strength in honorable combat. Asteroid #1. One year. Be there.

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Vhaeraun B class Frigate    6,000 tons     599 Crew     755 BP      TCS 120  TH 280  EM 0
2333 km/s     Armour 2-29     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/5/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 24
Maint Life 2.71 Years     MSP 236    AFR 96%    IFR 1.3%    1YR 46    5YR 689    Max Repair 120 MSP
Magazine 324   

Nuclear Pulse Engine E9 (7)    Power 40    Fuel Use 90%    Signature 40    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres    Range 50.0 billion km   (248 days at full power)

Size 4 Missile Launcher (ship) (6)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 60
Missile Fire Control FC55-R60 (2)     Range 55.8m km    Resolution 60
Hellfire ASM 1 (81)  Speed: 15,200 km/s   End: 30.2m    Range: 27.6m km   WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 76 / 45 / 22

Active Search Sensor MR46-R60 (1)     GPS 7200     Range 46.5m km    Resolution 60
EM Detection Sensor EM1-5 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

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
With a crew of 600 souls less one, the Acid of the Vhaeraun B class was the ship of war of the chosen by the Venusians as their challenger. While records show that the Acid was originally constructed under the class name 'Vhaeraun' no records of that class could be obtained, assuming anything before the V-B even existed off the drawing board.

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Mahadeva class Corvette    3,000 tons     292 Crew     337.5 BP      TCS 60  TH 125  EM 0
2083 km/s     Armour 1-18     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 7
Maint Life 5.42 Years     MSP 141    AFR 36%    IFR 0.5%    1YR 8    5YR 121    Max Repair 84 MSP
Magazine 127   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E10 (5)    Power 25    Fuel Use 100%    Signature 25    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres    Range 30.0 billion km   (166 days at full power)

Size 1 Missile Launcher (7)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 15
Missile Fire Control FC5-R1 (1)     Range 5.4m km    Resolution 1

Active Search Sensor MR5-R1 (1)     GPS 84     Range 5.0m km    Resolution 1

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The Mahadeva was the Syndicate's answer to the Venusian challenge. With no existing ship designs capable of reaching production early enough to face the challenge, the Mahadeva corvette was created by combine the designed hardware for a planned PDC class with existing ship technology. Only the ship mounted missile launcher needed to be researched, and scarcely 10 months after the challenge was issued the first pair of Mahadeva's were launched.

Tactics:
Using then state-of-the-art Nuclear Pulse engines the Acid had simple orders: use the superior speed of the Nuclear Pulse engine technology to maintain 20m km separation and fire at will.

The Mahadeva's battle plan was also simple: every ton on those ships had been dedicated to anti-missile defense and speed. In fact, with a 41.7% engine ratio it was hopped that the Mahadeva would prove faster. With a faster speed and dedicated AMMs The Mahadeva ought to force a closure, swat aside any Anti-Ship Missiles, and then sandblast the Venusian ship into oblivion. Sadly, none of this worked. Below, newly available for release, is the Bridge voice-record of the Mahadeva 001.

Narrator: Recording starts 2 hours before first missile impact when the Manadeva task force enters Venusian sensor range.

Task Force Commander (TFC): COM, prepare a shipwide broadcast. *ehm* Men, On this day we, the free traders of the Syndicate Empire stand forth to prove our honor to the dragons of Venus. Our ship is one of the fastest produced, and our counter missiles stand ready to keep our path clear. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

*faint cheering is heard*

Bridge Sensor Watch (SW): Sir, Earth command reports that the Venusian contact has stared moving to intercept. 2333 kip-s.
TFC: 233... maintain course. They know where we are, and we know them. For now, we wait. Attendant, Tea! We'll need wits and voice enough quite soon, and even a long missile would be nearly an hour out.

*for about 100 minutes nothing changes. Tea is served, minor orders are issued, and "are we there yet?" inquires are made.*

COM: Sir! Venusian course change at 20 mill-k! They have reversed course and are maintaining separation!
TFC: Missiles, at has to be. ... Maintain course. We'll deal with the the missiles when they come, and this battle is for honor. Pass word that we have the Dragon's on the run, and bring us to Red alert.
Unidentified Bridgeman: "On the run... will the men believe that?"
TFC: Quiet! It matters not. If the men pretend it is so moral will improve, and once their missiles run dry the fiction will become fact.

*19 minutes of tense silence pass while the commander plans an inspiring speech. Venusians missiles arrive before the speech is broadcast, after which the speech is quickly forgotten.*

SW: Missiles! Two flights of three, size 4 on the MSP register, 480 k-k distant and closing. 1-5-20 kp-s closing
TFC: *swears softly* COM, confirm telemetry downlink to Earth. Wep's, set autofire at will. EGR, standby for damage control. COM, sound Black Alert. Prepare for impact. Sensors, will we launch a 3rd counter salvo?
SW: *whistles* No- err-  no sir. 21 sec to impact, 10 sec 'till volley 2.
TFC: Wep, Try! A 3rd wave could make the difference. Helm, Forward evasive. Interception chance?
Weapons (WPS): 10% Sir. Intercept in 3, 2, 1... One down! We should see 1 or 2 interceptions each time. 2nd wave launching.
TFC: *swears louder* Get that 3rd counter launched!
SW: NO! They all missed!
TFC: WHAT?
WPS: 3rd wave la...
BBBROOOOONGGG!

TFC: Damage...?
Engineering(EGR): Active sensor... offline. Thermal Engines B offline. Launch Tubes 4 and 5 offline. Senior Crew bunk compartment vented. Five hull plates lost. Sir, we just took two strength 4 hits almost on top of each other.
WPS: Third wave didn't get off in time. Those AMMs just self destructed with no target.
SW: Mahadeva 001 got clobbered! Three hits!. Sir.. they want orders. They lost the bridge. And two engines. And an engineering compartment... and their fire-con.
TFC: All non essential crew to life pods, but no evacuations! Not yet. Helm, slow to match speed. We'll need the 001's active scanner to keep up counter fire. The battle is lost, but our honor not. As long as we have a weapon to fire we'll keep on firing, for we are free men!
COM: 001 reports more incoming!
WPS Launching
COM: Linking Telemetry to bridge
SW: AH! excellent! Intercept in 6, 4, 2... NO! not again!
TFC: Did we load duds!??
WPS: Launching...
SW: Intercepting! And ... *sigh*
WPS: *groan*
COM: Brace fo..

BBBROOOO-ckririrk[/b][/size]
-End of Recording-

[EDIT: Continued]
A post-battle interview with the survivors led to three findings:
1) A single fire control is a potential single-point failure weakness.
2) Single layer shell armor leaves a ship vulnerable to missile leakers.
3) The SilverDart AMM requires upgrading, urgently.

The Venusian reaction is best summed up in this interview quote:
"Earthmen war tech is pathetic, but they have ok courage."

Spy Report: January 2071

Missiles of War: The following are all missiles with stockpiles of at least 100 as of 2071. Presumably, these were the ordinance of the Dual.
Mars:       None.
Syndicate:   SilverDart AMM   Size1   12500km/s   1.8m km   maneuver13   warhead1
Venus:   Spark AMM      Size1   16800km/s   1.0m km   maneuver18   warhead1
Venus:   Hellfire ASM   Size4   15200km/s   27.6m km   maneuver15   warhead4

And now, for the 2nd facility tally of the game:

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Empire Mars Syndicate Venus
Yards 2C 2N 7Slip 3C 3N 9Slip 2C 2N 8Slip
Labs 14 14 21
Con Factories 500 541 257
Ord Factories 10 5 103
Ftr Factories 0 0 2
Refineries 32 20 102
Mines 322 420 306
Automines 187 68 23
Maintenance 20 55 35
DSTS 4 2 5
GFTC 1 1 3
Accademy 2 2 1
Teraform 0 0 4
Mass Driver 3 0 3
Space Port 1 0 2
Genetic Centers 0 0 5
Fleets:
Mars:
   6x Einstein A's
   2x Geologist A's
   4x Liberties
   1x Trade
Syndicate:
   1x Colony
   1x Colony Mod 1
   4x Prospectors
   3x Trade
   3x Virtuvius
   5x Wayfinders
Venus
   1x Archeon
   2x Balor-II
   2x Besheba
   1x Colony
   1x Hecate
   6x Myrkul-II

New Classes:

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Colony mod 1 class Colony Ship    30,200 tons     401 Crew     868.4 BP      TCS 604  TH 750  EM 0
1241 km/s     Armour 1-86     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
MSP 18    Max Repair 16 MSP
Colonists 50000    Cargo Handling Multiplier 10   

Nuclear Thermal Engine E1 (12)    Power 62.5    Fuel Use 10%    Signature 62.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 59.6 billion km   (555 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
This Syndicate class was developed to better colonize the claimed Lithium System. Primary differences included more engines and much more fuel.

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Acheron class Planetary Defence Centre    9,900 tons     590 Crew     1377.5 BP      TCS 198  TH 0  EM 0
Armour 11-41     Sensors 30/192     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 20
Magazine 920   

Size 1 Missile Launcher(ship) (20)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 15
Missile Fire Control FC10-R1 (4)     Range 10.8m km    Resolution 1
Spark AMM 1 (920)  Speed: 16,800 km/s   End: 1m    Range: 1m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 100 / 60 / 30

Active Search Sensor MR9-R1 (1)     GPS 192     Range 9.6m km    Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR46-R60 (1)     GPS 7200     Range 46.5m km    Resolution 60
Thermal Sensor TH5-30 (1)     Sensitivity 30     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  30m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-5 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

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 Planetary Defence Centre and can be pre-fabricated in 4 sections
The Acheron was the Venusian's first upgrade to the obsolete IBM bases. Featuring a powerful wide area search sensor in addition to its anti missile capabilities, the Acheron was also the instigating cause of the Dual.

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Beshaba class Jump Scout    6,000 tons     592 Crew     1224.5 BP      TCS 120  TH 240  EM 0
2000 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 1-29     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/2/2     Damage Control Rating 6     PPV 0
Maint Life 3.79 Years     MSP 765    AFR 48%    IFR 0.7%    1YR 83    5YR 1251    Max Repair 400 MSP

J6000(3-50) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 6000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Nuclear Pulse Engine E9 (6)    Power 40    Fuel Use 90%    Signature 40    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres    Range 66.7 billion km   (385 days at full power)

Active Search Sensor MR46-R60 (1)     GPS 7200     Range 46.5m km    Resolution 60
Gravitational Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour
Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This primary exploration vessel was built as a replacement to the aging Hecate ships. These jump capable ships were designed to be highly versatile and would spear head the Venuian exploration of the local stars.

The Balor-II and Myrkul-II are basically identical to the earlier variants, only with the new improved Nuclear Pulse Engine.

[ooc]Ok, report posted. Save uploaded. Now sending PM's.[/ooc]

[sublight (OP)]

July 2081 completed.

[ooc]I'll add a news bulletin tomorrow if I'm not too busy watching the Olympics.

Save Posted. PMs Coming Soon.[/ooc]

[Panopticon]

Venus adds Mining Rate 16, Thermal Sensor Strength 8, and Fuel Storage(Tiny) to available technologies for trade.

[sublight (OP)]

January 2082 - Fall of Wrecks

Through the fall of 2081 nearly a dozen wrecks appeared in the Sol system. Eight wrecks appeared on Mercury where the Martians scuttled their ancient IBM-PDCs. While an official explanation still waits, intelligence indicates new replacements have been constructed, including a modest planetary active scanner. Radio astronomers on Earth and Venus have confirmed the Solar Press that the Martian scanner has, at best, a 40m km range and will not sweep the orbits of either Earth or Venus.

Of much greater excitement are the three 2,000 ton wrecks that appeared at JP#5 following a staccato of nuclear fire. The Venusians were quick to claim credit, promising a similar fate to all of their enemies. While no official source has commented on the condition of the survivors, one unofficial source assured questioners that the prisoners were "delicious." The implications and truthfulness of this comment are under some dispute.

Spy Report: January 2075

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Planet Population SY workers SY size Fleet Size Industry Logistic Labs
Mars 833m    8.1m 193,000 484.0 kT 42.2m 2.6m 22
Earth 743m    23.9m    816,000 761.0 kT 49.5m 4.3m 18
Venus    782m    15.0m    409,000 824.0 kT 35.0m 7.3m 27

Mercury    17.8m
Titan    25.8m 1.8m  1.2m
Lithium-IV 3.5m  0.3m

Shipping Line Flag Ships Tonnage Income
Moore Colony Company Syndicate 26 1,105 kT 2040c
Horton Lines Syndicate 17 753 kT 1500c
Jawoski Colony Group Venusian 35 1,117 kT 4260c
Dawdy Shipping      Venusian 36 1,148 kT 4220c
Turn posted. Private messages coming soon.

[Panopticon]

Fellow Children of Sol, be warned that the systems that lie beyond Sol JP5 are no longer considered safe by the Venusian Navy, are force we believe responsible for the loss of at least two of our vessels has been surveying aggressively throughout, the latest conflict you may have seen here in Sol was the result of an incursion consisting of three presumed survey vessels belonging to that power, Venusian military is engaged in a build up to fortify the jump point as well as begin offensive operations down the Oinos chain. As per our standard policies, while we welcome assistance if you should care to offer it, obstruction will be met with destruction.

That is all.

[sublight (OP)]

July - 2082 - Year of Empty Mines

Year by year the inner planets have just a little less to give. By 2082 over half the mineral deposits had become depleted. Where once each planet had a reserves of all 11 minerals, now only seventeen deposits remained scattered across the home worlds with dwindling accessibility. Uridium was mined out on all: existing only in reserves and on colony worlds. Time would tell which of Sol's children had established sufficent stockpiles and colonies to weather the crunch - and which would fail.

[ooc]Save uploaded. Private messages coming shortly.[/ooc]

[Jikor]

Greetings Leaders of Sol.
This is First Citizen Karr Jion speaking.
Mars would like to offer the following Technologies for trade:
Fighter Engine
Capacitor Recharge Rate 3
Shipyard Operations 5%
Shipyard Operations 10%

We will accept equivalent technology (or a combination of lesser technologies of similar RP)
We will also accept minerals on a 1:1 ratio (Primarily we would like Duranium.)

[sublight (OP)]

January - 2083 - Year of Reflection

The last 10 years have been some of the most interesting in exploration and ship development. In this time all three factions have deployed armed military ships, and all three have encountered multiple non-sol alliens, and all three have lost at least one scout ship. All of this started, roughly with a dual. Two years latter...

Spy Report: January 2073

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Mineral Martians Syndicate Venusian
Duranium  25K + 4.3K/year 1K + 2.7K/year 33K +5K/year
Neutronium  35K + 3.7K/year 16K + 1.9K/year 12K +1.6K/year
Corbomite  20K + 2K/year 32K + 1.9K/year 30K +1.3K/year
Tritanium  55K + 3.1K/year 22K + 1.4K/year 28K +1.7K/year
Boronide  30K + 2.7K/year 21K + 0K/year 20K +0.1K/year
Mercasium  14K + 1.8K/year 17K + 1.8K/year 14K +0.3K/year
Vendarite  24K + 3K/year 19K + 0.9K/year 20K +0.7K/year
Sorium  52K + 1.5K/year 52K + 0.9K/year 40K +2.1K/year
Uridium  52K + 2.1K/year 26K + 0.7K/year 40K +0.6K/year
Corundium  26K + 2.4K/year 21K + 1.3K/year 36K +0.9K/year
Gallicte  22K + 1.4K/year 19K + 0.5K/year 18K +0.8K/yearSaddly, the spies are unable to privide mineral consumption rate information due to the extreme variability. As shown, in the early 70's the Syndicate ran into a Duranium crunch, hard. As a short term solution the Syndicate would trade technology and more plentiful minerals for Duranium, but a long term solution was also started: Lithium. By 2073 only two automines had been located to that system, but that number would steadily grow in the coming years.

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LastBastion class Planetary Defence Centre    9,950 tons     285 Crew     638.5 BP      TCS 199  TH 0  EM 0
Armour 11-41     Sensors 1/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 20
Troop Capacity: 2 Battalions    Magazine 140   

PDC Size 1 Missile Launcher (20)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
Missile Fire Control FC5-R1 (4)     Range 5.4m km    Resolution 1


This design is classed as a Planetary Defence Centre and can be pre-fabricated in 4 sections
This heavily armored bunker was the first in the line of PDCs built to replace the aging Syndicate IBM bases, and in many ways is comparable to the Venusian Acheron. With the recent release of design plans armchair generals on all sides have begun debating the areas of superiority between the two.

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Katrina class Cruiser    11,000 tons     704 Crew     989.5 BP      TCS 220  TH 350  EM 0
1590 km/s     Armour 5-44     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 7     PPV 68.82
Maint Life 2.8 Years     MSP 394    AFR 138%    IFR 1.9%    1YR 73    5YR 1096    Max Repair 103 MSP

Nuclear Thermal Engine E10 (14)    Power 25    Fuel Use 100%    Signature 25    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 16.4 billion km   (119 days at full power)

Twin Gauss Cannon R2-100 Turret (3x4)    Range 20,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 2    ROF 5        1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S16 40-8000 (1)    Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0

Active Search Sensor MR5-R1 (1)     GPS 84     Range 5.0m km    Resolution 1

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Technically the first warship the Syndicate began to construct, this titian was both too large to face the challenge and too slow: with a construction time of over 18 months it was still in the shipyard when the dual was fought.

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Baphomet class Construction Ship    66,950 tons     844 Crew     1562 BP      TCS 1339  TH 1200  EM 0
896 km/s     Armour 1-146     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
MSP 15    Max Repair 25 MSP
Jump Gate Construction Ship: 180 days

Nuclear Pulse Engine E0.9 (12)    Power 100    Fuel Use 9%    Signature 100    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres    Range 59.7 billion km   (771 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
Although the Venusians had still not mastered jump gate technology at this time, several functional Jump Gate modules were recovered from the Mercury ruins and shipped to Venus for installation onto ship hulls. 

Fleets:
Martian
6x Einstein A
4x Geologist A
4x Liberty
1x Trade

Syndicate
1x Colony: 2x Colony Mod1
2x Katrina
2x LastBastion
4x Protector
5x Trade
3x Vitruvius
5x Wayfinder

Venusian
2x Acheron
2x Balor-II
2x Baphomet
4x Beshata
1x Colony
1x Hecate
6x Myrkul-II
3x Vhaeraun B

[ooc]Save Uploaded. Galactic Map screen shots coming later. Personal messages coming sooner.[/ooc]