The Northern Coalition (AAR)

[Brainsucker]

just an idea to make the AAR has more flavor.

When you have a new ship (with a more technological advanced), you can make a story of a mock battle training between two squadron or groups, and the winner will get upgrade in power (by taking that more advanced ship). It will give you a more reason to tell the story about your characters. Maybe Ewan will lose, so his squadron won't get upgrade in power.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]Well I'm afraid who got the Lake Ontario will have more to do with deployment schedules then training engagements.  I have to say that personally this was a rather interesting time in the game as a lot of things where converging.  The technology for better fire controls, the preperations for callisto, the 20 000 on Poesidean and the constant worry over the Gallicite level.  I was constantly being prompted to do just one more day...then one more week and so on.[/ooc]
AD 2289  (July to December)  Progress on many fronts!

For Commisioner Tobias Buxtorf this was an important year.  The work to prepare for the colony on Callisto was well progressed and it was projected that the first in team would land next year in the summer.  That would be a huge step forward as it would ensure a steady flow of Corundium to Earth.  Equally important was the progress in securing more Gallicite from Venus and other bodies.  Venus was now producing a solid amount of the material and when totaled with the other two sites nearly 500 tonnes a year was produced in Sol.  This would increase over the next two years both due to the addition of more mines but also due to technological improvements.  Coupled with the Gallicite from Faewald the stockpile should start growing inside of two years.  Consultation with mining executives show that the they feel none of the bodies in Sol that have not been exploited are really worth exploiting due to their lack of sufficient Duranium or Sorium but as far as the NCC was concerned they held treasure troves of vital minerals.  The comets "Comas Sola" or "Borrelly" were marked by the NCC for exploitation after the Venus mines were expanded.  Based on this projected demand it was clear that Callisto would need at least 100 mines but at least they would be manned ones.  As by the end of the year the progress on two Petrol class harvesters was underway without causing the Gallicite level to drop below 1000 there was considerable optimism that the NCC crissis management had worked.  Additionally, the brief from the NCCFB was completely encouraging for the first time since he accepted the job as commisioner the level of fuel in all the farms with the exception of Forge was increasing year by year over a 3 year period.  It was clear that the NCCFB would still need to keep an eye on the situation but no longer was it necessary to weigh every litre of fuels value.  The fuel crissis had required multiple solutions to solve but the NCC had managed to bring down demand on one hand via higher efficiency engines, and increase supply by enhancing refinery efficiency as well as building more refineries on the other.  But the clear saviour to the situation had been the sorium harvester.  It had allowed the commerical shipping lines to assist to the tune of nearly 800 000 litres in the year from their refinery platforms orbiting Jupiter to the sizable BIC fleet that ensured that fuel existed at the point it was most needed.  That one action had spared Earth's farm the shocks that had crippled it in the past.  The fact that unlike in the past his briefings were no longer full of doom and gloom made him friends in the Assembly.

Fuel Farm Status vrs Year

Location     Jan 2 88   Jan 2 89  Jan 2 90
Earth           5.43 m     6.29 m    6.97 m
Faewald       0.65 m     1.97 m    2.72 m
Forge          1.68 m     0.38 m     0.46 m
Biforst         1.86 m     2.66 m     3. 80 m
Rosetta       0.00 m     0.37 m     0.44 m

Still there were three minerals that were looking critical: Venderite, Boronide and Gallicite.  They all had stock levels of below 5000 and although production existed for each it was not overwhelming.  As they were key to factories, terraformers and engines they needed secure sources.  Once Callisto and Venus had been dealt with they would be next up on his plate for planning purposes.

For the NCN it was also a critical period in time.  Of most importance to the Navy was the fact that in the later part of the summer it was possible to start construction of the Lake class corvette Lake Ontario.  As well of equally critical importance were the development of the more powerful Ti-sapphire lasers and the algorithems for the firecontrols required to target them.  Naval engineering is confident that by the time the Lake Ontario is finished a new higher performance fire control system will exist to direct the Goaltender II arrays.  Due to the long construction time of a Lake the priority is set on developing the fire control first for an improved London class escort even though it will enter operation after the replacement Lake corvettes.  It is hoped by then to have a larger laser system ready for deployment.

Additionally the NCN administratively is growing resulting in changes with the command structure.

In July Commander Leon Barlow is promoted to Captain.  He served a good part of his career as the logistics officer on the staff of both the NCN and BIC.  His last postings were as CO of the FT(J) Cyclopes and then as the CO of the TJ Wild Rose.  In August is Commander Katherine Evans promoted to Captain.  She has served in BuSurvey commanding either Oberon class of George Vancouver class vessels.  In October is Commander Soren Becher promoted to Captain.  His early career was as CO of a frigate then he transitioned into fortess command and has held command positions with several of Earths bases.  This leaves the NCN with 9 Captains.

In July is Captain GlippiR Broddison promoted to Commodore.  He has served in BuSurvey, Fleet HQ as a staff officer, commanded a destroyer, or jump tender and held various fortress command posts.  He is one of the Navy's most broadly experienced officers.  In September is Captain Josh Bird promoted to Commodore.  At 32 he is one of the youngest senior officers in the Navy, he started in BIC and has since then held various ship and base commands.  He has been in command of the 3rd Squadron for several years.

Lastly in recognition of the new structure is Commodore Charlie Fraser promoted to Rear Admiral.  His many years of service to the Navy is fully acknowledged and as he jokes the new rank even fits since I'm flying a desk at the rear.  This marks a return to the more clean delianation of authority that existed around the time of the 1-1-1 incident.  Naval HQ is headed by a Rear Admiral, while the various task groups (1, 2 and Earth Fortresses) are headed by Commodores.  The BIC fleet command is headed by a Captain as a 2 year rotating post as it is looked on as a time for a senior officer to learn about management.  These ceremonies are broadcast thoughout the Sol system as the NCN works to regain its lost approval, aided now by a full staffed public affairs section. 

Captain Aaron Benson, CO of 1st squadron retires at the age of 62.  He has over his career served in many positions on different ships and is a reciepent of the award for the Battle of Wolf 359 where the Borsoi participated in the destruction of the Taiho 2.  His retirement marks the begining of what will be a clear trend of renewal in the senior staff of the navy over the next 3 or 4 years.  Both Rear Admiral Frasier and Commadore Ahmed are nearing retirement age.

The long term planning of the NCN notes the diminishing numbers of unexplored jumppoints in NCC controlled space.  The unfortunate truth is that eventually the jump points in Wolf 359 and other Wolver controlled systems will be possibly the only ones available.  Given the distances Wolf 359 will be a critical path in this new expansion so the erratication of the Wolver infestion will be necessary.  This becomes a background part of the Navy's strategic view. 

Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2289 (July 17) The machinery for 10 Mines is fabricated
AD 2289 (August 2) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport for Callisto is produced [ooc]Infrastructure x100[/ooc]
AD 2289 (October 21) The machinery for a further 10 Mines is fabricated
AD 2289 (November 10) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport for Callisto is produced [ooc]Infrastructure x100[/ooc] and production of the heavy equipment for 5 Mines begins

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2289 (July 17) An older mine is converted to Telepresence operation. 
AD 2289 (August 27) Housing prefabs and lifesupport equipment for BIC extrasolar colonies is fabricated [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2289 (November 10) A new fuel refinery comes on line (Production:  4.31 m litres per year)
AD 2289 (December 17) Housing prefabs and lifesupport equipment for BIC extrasolar colonies is fabricated [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] and the process of converting an older mine to telepresence operation begins.  This is the last mine that will be so converted and will be part of 5 moved to Gl 493.1

Missiles and Fighters
AD 2289 (July 27) Fairmile C1(EW/SAR) 027 completes space trials
AD 2289 (September 27) Fairmile C1(EW/SAR) 028 is accepted by the NCC and marks the end of this production run. [ooc]The previous update is incorrect: this is the last Fairmile C1 to be produced[/ooc]

Research Developments
AD 2289 (July 22) Dr. Charlotte Rowley's team gives over their completed study on industrial work flow planning (Construction Rate 16 BP) and begins looking into ways to make TN mineral refining more efficient to give a better yield of the critical minerals (Mining Production 16 tonnes)
AD 2289 (September 6) Dr. Lauren Wheeler's team completes the first prototype Ti-Sapphire laser system (Visible Light Laser) and begins work with Thales engineers on the first ship mountable version for the NCN (Thales MilL-VIS Dirk)
AD 2289 (October 16) Dr. Leopold Herz's team finishes off their work on advanced fire control concepts (Beam Fire Control Range 16,000 km) and starts to work with the company Grundig on the improvement of the Sureshot fire control system (Sureshot Mk2-40/32X BFC) for the London class.
AD 2289 (October 21) Dr. Lauren Wheeler's team meets their milestone for a successful spaceborne test of the Ti-Sapphire laser (Thales MilL-VIS Dirk) and turns their attention to making a larger focal array possible (12cm Laser Focal Size)
AD 2289 (November 3) Dr. Lewis Sullivan joins the NCC research staff.  His field of expertise is logistics and ground combat.  Although he has less experience then Dr. KnæikiR Hólmkellson he takes over the project developing the Salvage Module from him.  This results in a temporary slowing down of the work but it is expected he will, after he gains experience as a project leader, recoupe the time.
AD 2289 (December 22) Dr. Stephanie Rees's team finishes work on the jump vortex stabilizers and anounce they can hold the entrance stable to allow a further ship to pass through safely (Max Jump Squadron Size - 4 (Size x 1.1)) the team starts working on improving engine thrust output mainly with the goal of producing higher performance small engines for pinnaces and missiles (Maximum Engine Power Modifier x1.75)


Northern Coalition Army
AD 2289 (July 12) The personel of the Biforst Peacekeeper Detachment complete their last excersize at Camp Wainwright and parade before their CO, Colonel Sigurðr MistiviRson.  When the troops have cleared the base the new recruits for the Callisto Peacekeeper Detachment arrive to begin their basic training.

Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2289 (July 27) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 13 civilian mining complexes
AD 2289 (October 16) The civilian mining colony on Haumea has been expanded to 16 civilian mining complexes
AD 2289 (November 15) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 14 civilian mining complexes
AD 2289 (December 2) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 11 civilian mining complexes


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

The full out production of the industrial park as usual produces enough lifesupport and housing for some 160 000 people [ooc]~Intrastructure x50[/ooc] but the amount lags behind demand.  It is also becoming obvious that the production of housing is going to take more Duranium than the mines produce so the colony stops the export of this mineral.  The 1st Geosurvey team takes a break from the surface suvey of Calheme and the Upholder is in orbit around Faewald from July 14 to August 12 giving the ships crew leave.  The ground survey of Calheme resumes on August 15.  ICG I arrives on October 13 with a load of 20 000 new colonists, the equipment for a construction factory and the typical mix of prefabricated housing and lifesupport system parts.  ICG I departs for Sol on November 10.  The ships of FHG X are in Faewald orbit from October 30 to December 12 and resume harvesting of Doinenen on December 18.  This markes a low point of activity for Faewald in terms of shipping.

BIC Operations in AD Leonis

As usual for Forge traffic control they are rarely without ships to monitor.  FHG VI completes their shoreleave and is back harvesting at Deeper Sky by July 2.  ICG V arrives on July 27 and leaves for Sol on August 7.  FHG IV enters orbit on August 3 and is back harvesting on September 17.  ICG VI spends October 11 to 21st in orbit before continuing on to Biforst.  Heavy lift group II arrives at Forge on November 28 and departs on December 17 heading for Earth.  The ships of ICG VII arrive at Forge on December 20 and will spend the holiday season there before continuing their journey to Earth.

BIC Operations in FL Virginis

The Biforst industrial park turns out a small amount of housing and lifesupport systems but these are just stockpiled as the colony currently has more than twice what it needs for its population.  FHG VII's ships will spend from August 4 to September 17 on shore leave at the colony and resume refining operations on September 18.  ICG VII arrives with 20 000 new colonists, heavy equipment for a mine and housing and life support systems on August 24, the now empty ships head back to Forge on September 6.  FHG VIII's turn for shore leave comes up and the ships spend from October 23 to December 6 in orbit of Biforst and then return to the gas giant for more sorium fuel harvesting on December 8.
 
BIC Operations in Gliese 526

Rosetta is quiet.  The NCC Xenoarcheology team reports little significant progress and the colonial population is settling down to a normal existance.  The two terraformers continue to build up nitrogen in the atmosphere in preparation for the removal of the ammonia contamination.  FHG IX completes its shore leave on July 17 and by July 24 is back harvesting.  The colony is the epitomy of lazy back woods at the moment.

BIC Operations in Gl 493.1

On July 2 ICG VIII arrives at Poesidean and the first colony site is established.  Called, obviously, Atlantis the colonists are busy setting up their industrial park and mine sites on the one of the largest of the islands found in the equatorial region of the planet.  A high priority is the launching of several observation satillites designed to detect "super-Tsunamis" which the lack of significant land masses may be generated.  Equaly important will be warning of hurricanes and other such super storms that the planets near total lack of land mass makes it prone to.  ICG VIII leaves orbit heading for Forge on July 17.  The 20 000 colonists are busy with the exploration of their new world for the first time unconstrained by the need to provide a suitable environoment.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations

Groombridge 34

Interstellar Survey III returns to the waiting NCN at the jump point on July 12 and the human ships return to Sol.  The Pacific Dogwood detachment makes Earth orbit on August 4 and the slower BuSurvey ships arrive on August 21.  It is likely to be some time before a proper survey of this system is made due to the distances required to even get to it. 

GJ 1154

The two grav survey missions are still doing their outer system gravitational survey but the ships of Interstellar Survey II are finished with their part and are conduction scientific research while remaining near the jump point from September 30 onward.  Interstellar Survey III arrives from Sol to relieve the ships of Interstellar survey II on December 13 allowing them to start back to Sol.


Wolf 358

In August 1st Squadron relieves the ships of 3rd Squadron who proceed to Forge to take some well deserved shore leave.  3rd Squadron departs Forge heading back to Sol on August 17.  In November 2nd Squadron relieves 1st Squadron of their wolf-watch duties.  1st Squadron sets course for Sol at this point arriving at Earth on December 29.  These relatively quick changes were done to bring the overhaul and deployment schedules back into a normal rhythem.

So far no activity has been seen on any of the monitored jump points and so there seems to be no communication between the Wolvers in Ross 128 and HIP 51317.

[Paul M (OP)]

AD 2290 (January to June) Callisto is a go!

BIC had its eyes on the prize, namely a smooth and hopefully litigation free settlement of Callisto followed by the establishment of corrundium mines.  The last of the housing, lifesupport and other services needed for the colony were completed on April 9.  At this point civillian contracts were placed to transport sufficient materials to support 1 million colonists on Callisto.  The MacKenzie carrying 30 000 first in colonists is dispatched from Earth to get the colony set up started.  A second contract is placed to transport the machinery for 20 mines to Callisto.  The 5 shipping lines are dropping all there other business to grab the lucrative NCC contracts.  For about half the journey of the MacKenzie from Earth to Callisto all was well.   Then came the horrifying news that the colony ships were breaking their holding pattern and charging for Callisto full speed.  A bit over 900 000 colonists were heading for a "colony" that had the materials to support about that many.  BIC was horrified, as the civillian ships, being faster than the museum age MacKenzie were able to beat her by over a week.  Then they started recruiting people from the nearby colony of Io.  Shortly after the MacKenzie arrived over 1.2 million people were present on a colony that could only support 1 million.  The Ceylon with the Callisto Peacekeeper's is scrambled to deal with the resulting rioting.  The 30 000 first-in colonists thankfully had some training in crowd control and were able to keep the area around the Governors House free of rampaging rioters but it was a near thing.  The Peacekeepers first task was to secure the "space port" and then link up with the NCC government offices themselves still mostly in shipping cartons.

The death toll was well in excess of 15 000 in those first few chaotic weeks, but compared to previous such calamaties it was actually minor.  After they quelled several riots, and broke up a few gangs the Peacekeepers restored proper order and set up rationing stations and emergancy responce teams.  Through out May and June the shipping firms continued to bring in colonists from both the inner planets and nearby Io.  The mines are running by the middle of May and small amount of corrundium will be available when the Northstar comes by in July.  BIC is stuck fighting a PR battle with the shipping firms and dealing with various legal actions launched by, unsurprisingly enough, distressed family members.  BIC adds to its experience dealing with these sorts of situations and increases its definition of "minimum necessary support and service preperation" to 50% more than the current civillian fleet carrying capacity.  They also promise to organize more colonial supprt systems for Ganymede.  Due to the fact the Peacekeepers were trained and deployed to Callisto inside of a week was the severity of the rioting much reduced.  This, of course, prompted outcry's agains the NCC police state.

On May 6 Commander Rachel Lawrence is promoted to Captain.  Her first posting was to the now lost Lake Erie.  She was the commander of the Ortona during the Battle of Wolf 359, and at the moment commands the PDC Fort Brandon.  At 29 she is the youngest Captain or for that matter senior officer in the NCN.

June 6  Primary Airlock Heavy Escort Frigate Grendal
Lieutenant Commander Terressa Prey pushes off from the shuttles hatch drifting the short distance between the two ships and enters the airlock of the NCN Grendal, a gargoyle class missile escort.  The inner vacuum seal slice shut behind her though the twin armoured outer doors remain folded open.  She touches the glowing green switch and the hatch unseals allowing her in.  A brief tap with the toe of her dress boot and she floats into the Grendal proper grabbing the pole placed near the hatch and slipping her foot into the stirup.  This holds her upright in the ships microgravity field and allows her to salute the Ensign on duty.  "Permission to come aboard?"  Ensign Rainmaker glances down and then up at her and returns her salute, the straps holding his feet down stopping the spin it would have otherwise caused.  "Permission granted Ma'am....and welcome aboard Captain."  Terri has to fight to not beam at that statement.  "Uh..ma'am...you aren't scheduled to be here for hours yet..."  Unspoken of course was that her being there threw a spanner in the last minute work the crew was doing.  "I could not sleep so I came over early."  "Yes ma'am."  He reaches under the table and retrieves a red ballcap.  "Uh captain...you'll need this..." She grins and accepts the cap removing her, in the opinion of her and the vast bulk of the not New St. Petersburg born naval personel, signficantly oversized formal dress hat and leaving it floating tugs the, somewhat battered and stained, cap on her head.  "Let me contact the XO..." 



Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2290 (January 28) The machinery for 10 Mines are manufactured.
AD 2290 (February 13) Colonial housing and lifesupport for Callisto is fabricated and added to the existing stockpile [ooc]Infrastructure x100[/ooc]
AD 2290 (March 24) Another 5 Construction Factories join the industrial park
AD 2290 (April 9)  Colonial housing and lifesupport for Callisto is fabricated and added to the existing stockpile [ooc]Infrastructure x100[/ooc].  The full amount is now present and civillian contracts are placed to move enough to Callisto for 1 million people [ooc]Infrastructure x575[/ooc] the remainder [ooc]Infrastructure x25[/ooc] is sent via civillian contract to Ganymede.
AD 2290 (May 22) The machinery for 5 Mines is produced and the Terraforming Installations for Mars(1) and Callisto(2) begin.

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2290 (March 14) An older mine is converted to teleprence operated.  This is the last one that will be so converted.
AD 2290 (April 26) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] and work on a new Fuel Refinery starts.

Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier and Son's Ltd., Sol
AD 2290 (May 1) Natural Gas and Pentane (Petrol (EE) class) complete construction and are assigned to FHG XI, both ships arrive at Jupiter on May 17 bringing FHG XI to full strength.

Naval Yard: Victorias-Esquimalt Graving Yard, Sol
AD 2290 (May 22) Lake Ontario (Lake Mod1 class) is completed but immediately begins a refit to install the Snapshot Fire Control system.
AD 2290 (June 21) Lake Ontario (Lake Mod1.1 class) completes her refit and joins 5th Squadron BG currently under overhaul in Earth orbit.

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Lake Mod1.1 class Corvette 4500 tons     116 Crew     552.5 BP      TCS 90  TH 150  EM 180
2222 km/s     Armour 1-24     Shields 6-300     Sensors 15/15/0/0     Damage Control 4     PPV 13.44
Annual Failure Rate: 15%    IFR: 0.2%    Maintenance Capacity 307 MSP
Spare Berths 17   

Rolls Royce NP E-M40Si (5)    Power 40    Fuel Use 66.5%    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 360,000 Litres    Range 21.7 billion km   (112 days at full power)
GE Barrier A119 (6)   Total Fuel Cost  54 Litres per day

TorAr Goaltender II Laser Array (2x1)    Range 30,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 1    ROF 5        3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grundig Snapshot Mk1-80/16X BFC (2)    Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     69 37 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CANDU AHW 6MW (1)     Total Power Output 6     Armour 0    Exp 5%

NorTEL IR Array 0-3 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Signature 1000: 15m km
Seimens SSS 53-3000 (1)     GPS 1800     Range 11.6m km     Resolution 60
Seimens SCMS Extra Vigilant 52/3-0050 (1)     GPS 22.5     Range 1.1m km     Resolution 1
Bell Phased Array P3-15 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Strength 1000: 15m km

This design is classed as a military vessel for maintenance purposes
The new Snapshot fire control system coupled with the TorAr Goalkeeper II arrays makes this a valuable asset to a formation under missile attack.  Although the overall accuracy of the system is below the Sureshot the fact it can employ nearly the full tracking capactiy of the Goalkeeper means that the effective chance to engage the target sucessfully is improved.  Grundig engineers give it a nearly 10% chance to engage even a Wolver "magic missile."  This is substantial improvement and against a regular wolver missile the system is about 45% effective at closer range and is down to 4% at maximum range.  The later number being not significanly worse than the Sureshot Mk1 the system is replacing.  The NCN review board is not completely happy with the system's lower base accuracy and it is clear that when technical improvements to the maximum range of the system are possible they will be applied.  Overall though the NCN is happy with the system and the Snapshot/Goaltender II array will likely be the standard DPPD system for all ships that can mount it.

Naval Yard: Deschimag A.G. Weser, Sol
AD 2290 (May 16) Enchanter, Wizard, and Sorcerer complete their refits to the Enchanter Mod1.2 class

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Enchanter Mod1.2 class Jump Ship 9000 tons     217 Crew     1056.25 BP      TCS 180  TH 300  EM 270
2222 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 2-38     Shields 9-300     Sensors 15/15/0/0     Damage Control 5     PPV 6.72
Annual Failure Rate: 66%    IFR: 0.9%    Maintenance Capacity 367 MSP
Parasite Capacity 250 tons     Magazine 92   Flight Crew Berths 7   

Saab JA3-180     Max Ship Size 9000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Rolls Royce NP E-M80Si (5)    Power 80    Fuel Use 63%    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 620,000 Litres    Range 19.7 billion km   (102 days at full power)
GE Barrier A119 (9)   Total Fuel Cost  81 Litres per day

TorAr Goaltender II Laser Array (1x1)    Range 30,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 1    ROF 5        3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grundig Snapshot Mk1-80/16X BFC (1)    Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     69 37 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CANDU AHW 6MW (1)     Total Power Output 6     Armour 0    Exp 5%

Falcon Counter Missile (42)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 2.8m    Range: 2m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 60 / 36 / 18
Arrow Anti-Ship Missile (10)  Speed: 12,000 km/s   End: 16.6m    Range: 12m km   WH: 4    Size: 5    TH: 64 / 38 / 19

NorTEL IR Array 0-3 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Signature 1000: 15m km
Seimens SCMS Super Vigilant 53/3-0050 (1)     GPS 32.5     Range 1.6m km     Resolution 1
Seimens SSS 53-3000 (1)     GPS 1800     Range 11.6m km     Resolution 60
Bell Phased Array P3-15 (1)     Sensitivity 15     Detect Strength 1000: 15m 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
The Enchanter is now updated with an identical fire control system as the London Class.  This improves the DPPD array for its intended purpose and allows it be better employed against Wolver ship targets as well.

Research Developments
AD 2290 (January 12) Dr. Ben Knowles joins the NCC Research staff, his field of speciality is Logistics / Ground Combat and he takes over development of the salvage system from Dr. Lewis Sullivan.
AD 2290 (January 28) Dr. Leopold Herz's team sucessfully tests the pre-production prototype of the Grundig Sureshot Mk2-40/32X fire control intended for the London Mod2 class, they turn their atention to the fire control system intended for the DPPD laser arrays (Grundig Snapshot Mk1-80/16X)
AD 2290 (May 1) Dr. Leopold Herz's team delivers the final design of the Grundig Snapshot Mk1-80/16X and Grundig gets formal approval from the NCN, the contract for the ground based version was won by a new spin off company from Burns Freight and Logistics, and the engineers from this company arrive to collaborate on the Burns HiTech OptoLok 1 ground based fire control system.

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London Mod2 class Escort    3,000 tons     90 Crew     363.5 BP      TCS 60  TH 120  EM 120
2666 km/s     Armour 1-18     Shields 4-300     Sensors 15/15/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 6
Maint Life 6.94 Years     MSP 151    AFR 36%    IFR 0.5%    1YR 5    5YR 82    Max Repair 30 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months    Spare Berths 1   

Rolls Royce NP E-M40Si (4)    Power 40    Fuel Use 66.5%    Signature 30    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 9.0 billion km   (39 days at full power)
GE Barrier A119 (4)   Total Fuel Cost  36 Litres per day

Thales MilL-VIS Dirk (2)    Range 60,000km     TS: 2666 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 2    ROF 5        3 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
Grundig Sureshot Mk2-40/32X BFC (1)    Max Range: 64,000 km   TS: 4000 km/s     84 69 53 37 22 6 0 0 0 0
CANDU AHW 6MW (1)     Total Power Output 6    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Seimens SSS 53-3000 (1)     GPS 1800     Range 11.6m km    Resolution 60
Seimens SCMS Vigilant Plus 51/4-0050 (1)     GPS 14     Range 700k 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

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The London class is optimized for long range engagement of ships rather than point defence against missiles.  It is at least twice as effective as a early version of the ship due to the Dirk's longer range.  This version of the London will also be used as a test bed for the installation of larger lasers currently under study.  It will also be retained in service even after the other older frigates are phased out as a jump point defence ship.

Northern Coalition Army
AD 2290 (February 18) The final inspection of the Callisto Peacekeeper Detachment occurs under the watchful eye of the CO Col Mason Nixon.  After the barracks have a cleaning the recruits that will be shaped into the Steadfast Cork Bn [ooc]Mobile Infantry Bn[/ooc] arrive at Camp Wainwright.

Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2290 (January 8 ) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 15 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (May 1) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 12 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (June 2) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 13 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (June 21) The civilian mining colony on Van Biesbroeck has been expanded to 8 civilian mining complexes


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Due to the concerted efforts of BICs ICGs the Industrial Park on Faewald continues to expand.  Unfortunately so to does the population and their immediate needs.  Enough new housing and lifesupport is now produced for nearly 250 000 people [ooc]Infrastructure x70+[/ooc] and more factories are scheduled to arrive.  The current yearly production from the factories now requires more Duranium than the mines on Faewald can provide so no further Duranium will be shipped to Earth, and additional mining machinery will be sent.  Faewald is now producing over twice the housing that Earth is shipping to them.  The resources from Banshee make up the Duranium short fall on Faewald and the situation is not deemed critical as the Governor Naomi Jackson sets the stockpile level fairly high. 

Planning looks at how to start the settlement of Calheme.  The long term plan is to build the terraformers on Faewald.  This will require doubling its industrial output.  Population will be then moved from Faewald to Calheme and this will simultaneaously bridge the usual start up time issues due to low population and also relieve the stress on Faewald's lifesupport infrastructure.  But this has to be done only when the Industrial Park can deal with the population growth rate.  Planning statements are sent back to BIC in Sol for consideration.  This is clearly a long term endevour.

FHG I completes its alloted shore leave time on January 3 and the ships return to Doinenann, resuming harvesting operations on January 8.  ICG IV arrives on January 11 with 20 000 new colonists, machinery for the industrial park and prefabricated housing materials for colony expansion.  The ships depart for Earth on February 3.  ICG II arrives on April 15 with the same manifest as ICG IV, the ships depart on May 6 after their crews enjoy some R&R time on the colony.  The 1st Geosurvey team, currently doing a survey of Calheme, take a break from April 15 to May 23 to allow the crew of the Upholder shore leave.  Heavy Lift Group I arrives on May 29 with 40 000 colonists and their housing and lifesupport systems, plus machinery for mining and expanding the Industrial Park.  The ships depart for Sol on June 16 after allowing the crews shore leave.  FHG II arrives for shore leave and to add to the colonies fuel farm on June 13.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

Forge Traffic control is busy juggling the needs of the various ships passing through the system.  On January 3 ICG VII departs Forge orbit for Sol.  FHG V arrives to refuel the farm on January 23 and the crews enjoy shore leave until March 4 where they are back at Deeper Sky harvesting fuel.  The now empty ships of ICG VIII stops in at Forge to refuel and gives its crew shore leave on its way back from Poesidean.  The ships depart for Earth on February 28.  FHG III arrives the same day and departs for Deeper Sky on April 4.  ICG V arrives on March 23 and departs for Biforst on April 4 as well.  Heavy Lift Group II on its way to Rosetta arrives on May 26 and departs on June 6.  ICG VI enroute to Sol arrives on June 2 and departs deadhead on June 11.

The fuel situation during this 6 months is a yo-yo.  Sufficient production is occuring that the Fuel Farm never flat lines but quite often dips to as low as 250 000 l.  This leads to the BuSurvey vessels not being refueled as would be typical before being sent on to Sol.  It is clear that one more FHG would improve the situation.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

Biforst's Industrial Park produces housing prefabs and additional lifesupport subsystems for 10 000 people [ooc]Infrastructure x2[/ooc].  While it is only a token amount experience has shown that eventually it will become more important.  ICG VI arrives on February 5 with 20 000 colonists, housing and lifesupport equipment, and heavy mining machinery.  The ships depart for Forge on February 18.
 

Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations

GJ 1154

Interstellar Survey III plus the two Grav Survey missions complete their survey work on January 19 finding no outgoing jump points in the system.  This is dissapointing as it closes off the chain that includes Poesidean.  The ships start their journey back to Earth.  The will arrive there on May 5, without pausing to refuel at Forge as when they pass through AD Leonis in early April the fuel farm is at a critical level.

AD 2290 (January 19) Gravitational Survey Completed in the GJ 1154 system. The system has a total of 1 jump points

Wolf 358

2nd Squadron remains on station but the sensor platforms near each of the systems jump points have not regestered anything so it is a quiet time for the crews.

[Alfapiomega]

Any updates?

[Paul M (OP)]

Having slept for the first time through the night in a week...damn jet lag I wil start updating soon.  I have 18 months of game time to catch up on.   Be a few days more though.

[Alfapiomega]

I wil start updating soon.  I have 18 months of game time to catch up on.

[Destra]

Yay, was starting to wonder what happened to you :p

[Bryan Swartz]

Sweet!  Get some sleep ... and then get some updates up doggone it!!

[Alfapiomega]

[Paul M (OP)]

Because it isn't...but the best laid planning is subject to revision due to unforseen circumstances.  I'm actually working on the first 6 months update, have the next 6 month update sorted out and am currently playing in 2292.   Basically, the jet lag left me very tired, and then putting my routine back in normal operation has taken time.  This years Christmas wasn't exactly "holiday" unfortunately.  Also for reasons best known to firefox I can't log in and do a bit of writing at lunch from work...complains about my cookie settings, which appear to me to be fine.  This year is just wacky for getting back to normal operational conditions with respect to life, the universe and other things.  I think someone changed the answer from 42 to 21 or something.

However, the sorting out of two updates has been done and I'm rendering that down into a readable form...so there is some saying I think that applies about premature death announcments.   

Ok...the cookie problem is solved, I deleted the old cookies and that seems to have done the trick.  Great, now I can get a bit of stuff done at lunch.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]My appologies for the delay, the next update is sorted though I need to get it over into the board for the final editing.  Current game date is spring of 2292 so there is more to come.  Unfortunately it is mostly mundane logisitics to deal with the mineral situation.  I am baffled by the lack of progress of the Xenoarcheology team which I must admit still worries me if it happening or not.  Discovering how CMC's are selected and emplaced has also helped a great deal in terms of long term planning.[/ooc]

AD 2290 (July to December) The Way Forward Become Clear

Commisioner Buxtorf isn't happy after the NCC negotiation team returns from intensive meetings with the civillian mining sector.  The CEOs of the various mining firms had been clear without easily accessable and large deposits of either Duranium or Sorium, not to mention a sufficiently large population to purchase the more mundane minerals processed as a by product of the extraction of the rare TN minerals they had no interest in setting up shop on the remaining comets in Sol.  This left the NCC in a serious problem as the only sources of Boronide, Galicite, Vendarite and Corundium in Sol were on comets and to a lesser degree on various asteroids.  If the civillian mining sector could not be convinced to go after these deposits the only alternative was for the NCC to set up its own mines.  That would require a substantial investment in telepresence operated mines, which would require Corundium and lots of it.  That meant that Callisto would need to have at the very least 100 mines on it, which would require both time, and mineral investment.  The commisioner directs his staff to begin the selection proceedure for the first NCC run cometary extraction facility.

On the other hand the supply of Gallicite was increasing and the new telepresence mines for Venus would soon bring the supply to a point where regular ship construction could be undertaken without significant worry of causing a shortage.  Between the mines in Sol and Alpha Centauri the amount in stockpile would increase even with new construction.  The NCC planned; however, to ramp up ship production conservatively to allow the stockpile to also grow.  The NCCFB reported again a growth in the projected or known values of the various fuel farms.  It was begining to look like the fuel crissis was over with as Earth's fuel farm was showing levels of fuel it had not seen in nearly 25 or more years.

Rear Admiral Frazier was happy with the news that the Gallicite issue had been handled by the NCC and that the Navy could expect to be able to replace the Tribal's inside of 3 years.  As both he and Commadore Ahmed are approaching retirement age it is now a race against time.


Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2290 (September 17) 3 Terraforming Installations finish construction.  Via civillian contract two are moved  to Calisto, and the last one is transfered to Mars.
AD 2290 (October  25) 5 Construction Factories are produced largely intended for export off world.
AD 2290 (December 6) Another 2 Deep Space Tracking Stations are built and shipped via civillian contract to Mars and a new Research Lab has its ground breaking ceremony.

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2290 (July 6) A new Fuel Refinery is added to the NCCFBs world wide network.
AD 2290 (August17) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2290 (October 25) The machine tools for a construction factory are produced, destined for eventual shipment offworld to one of BICs extrasolar colonies.
AD 2290 (December 1) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] and Construction of a Mine begins

Research Developments
AD 2290 (September 30) Dr. Leopold Herz's team delivers the Burns HiTech OptoLok 1 beam firecontrol system intended for use with planetary bases, and then begins research into improvements in recievers for gravitic sensors (EM Sensor Sensitivity 6)


Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2290 (July 16) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 14 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (July 27) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 15 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (July 27) The civilian mining colony on Encke has been expanded to 16 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (August 22) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 14 civilian mining complexes
AD 2290 (October 30) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 16 civilian mining complexes


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Faewalds industrial park continues to operate at full capacity producing housing and lifesupport for an additional 230,000 people [ooc]Infrastructure x70+[/ooc] over these 6 months.  The situation is improving although slower than hoped either on Faewald or by the Commision back on Earth.  There was limited shipping in Alpha Centauri during this period of time.  FHG II completed their allowed crew shore leave period and was back harvesting fuel at Doineann on August 2.  ICG III arrives on August 8 with 20 000 colonists, the machine tools for a new construction factory and sufficient colonial lifesupport and housing for nearly 50 000 people and then departs for Banshee with a return to Faewald on August 14, after picking up the minerals from Banshee, it will depart for Earth with the output of Faewalds mines on September 7.  FHG X arrives for shore leave on December 16.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

Forge traffic control faces its usual traffic issues.  FHG VI arrives in Forge obit on July 7 and is back harvesting at Deeper Sky on August 22.  ICG VII arrives on August 29 and departs on September 12 heading for Biforst.  FHG IV spends from September 23 to November 6 in Forge orbit with its crews on leave.  ICG VIII enroute to Poisidean is refueling and resting its crews from November 2 to November 16, when it breaks orbit heading for Gl 493.1.  ICG V on the return leg of its journey spends from November 15 to 26th in Forge orbit before making for Sol.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

Biforst's industrial park churns out sufficient housing and lifesupport for 20 000 colonists [ooc]Infrastructure x~4[/ooc], this is put into storage for the future as the colony is at the moment using less than half its available capacity.  ICG V arrives on July 19 with a load of 20,000 colonists, colonial lifesupport and housing for 70 000, and the heavy machinery for a mine.  The ships depart for Forge on August 2.  FHG VII crews spend from October 10 to November 26 on leave at the colony and are back harvesting the next day.  FHG VIII arrives in Biforst orbit on December 22 and its crews will celebrate Christmas on planet with the colonists.  ICG VII arrives on December 26th as a slightly late Holiday present for the colony with a load of 20 000 new colonists, additional lifesupport and housing for 70 000 and yet more heavy machinery for the colonies miners. 


BIC Operations in Gliese 526

The Xenoarcheology team has nothing significant to report by the end of this period and it is clear that making heads or tails of the alien ruins is going to be a long term task [ooc]I am worried that even though I have a Xenoarch team on planet that the summary page still says "Xenoarcheology team required."  I'd be a lot less worried if I got some sort of feedback that they were actually working.[/ooc]  FHG IX's crew are on shore leave at Rosetta from July 24 to September 7, and the group is back harvesting a week later.  Heavy Lift Group II delievers 50 000 new colonists, colonial lifesupport and housing for 60 000, and the heavy machinery needed for an additional mine on November 20, the fully fueled ships leave Rosetta heading for Forge on December 6.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations
Lacaille 9352

Even though there is no serious expectation of exploiting either of Lacaille 9352 or Groombridge 34 BuSurvey recieves permission to complete the surveys of both systems.  Neither system is outside of the range of BuSurvey's ships even though it is clear that a new generation of engine will be required to bring the journey time of a freighter down to something acceptable.  IS I and both grav survey missions are dispatched to Lacaille 9352 begining their survey operations in late October.

AD 2290 (November 16) New Jump Point found in the Lacaille 9352 System
AD 2290 (December 5) New Jump Point found in the Lacaille 9352 System
AD 2290 (December 6) Minerals Discovered on Lacaille 9352-A IX: Duranium 1,663,488 (1) 

Wolf 358

1st Squadron relieves 2nd Squadron at the entry jump point to Wolf 358.  The "Wolf Watch" has been utterly uneventful with the buoys emplaced sending back no indication of any communication between the Wolvers at all.  2nd Squadron will return to Sol after refueling from Forge and then go into overhaul before replacing 3rd Squadron at the Sol-Wolf 359 jump point.

[Paul M (OP)]

AD 2291 (January to June)  Mines, mines and more mines!

Faced with the intragience of the Civillian Mining Sector the NCC shifts the mines and mass driver currently on the dwarf world Odyessus to the comet Comas Sola which has moderate deposits of Mercassium, Sorium, Vendarite, Corundium and Galicite.  It also has a very small deposit of Corbomite.  There is no escaping the fact that more telepresence operated mines will be necessary plus the more mundane mines needed on Callisto.  The NCC now looks to balance its production of mines, factories needed on Faewald and the needs of Earth.  Recommended is that ~10 construction factories, 5 telepresence operated mines, and ~15 regular mines are routinely produced.  This after the 50 telepresence mines for Venus are completed.  But this will put an increased stress on the Vendarite and Corundium levels of the strategic reserve so the mines on Callisto will need to be carefully expanded and new sources of Vendarite found.  Bornide continues to be a concern for the NCC as no significant production of it remains in Sol.  Luckily several as yet unexploited comets have moderate deposites of it, but for the moment the sole source is Alpha Centauri.  The NCC hopes to resume strategic constructions (space yards, academies, etc) in 2293 as there is a growing demand for more of these things.  They have been delayed due to the pressing need to solve the Galicite crissis. 

Rear Admiral Frazier is pleased when the Lake Michigan is commissioned as now both 5th and 6th Squadrons are at full TO&E.  Training of the Navy is ongoing and the various formations of Task Group 2 are now approaching optimal levels.  The formations of Task Group 1 are for the moment left off the training schedule as a large number of the ships are slated to be scrapped as soon as it is possible to replace them with more modern ships.  The levels of Galicite and in particular the increased production of it due to technological advances makes the replacement of the Tribal's starting in 2292 highly likely.  Rear Admiral Frazier states that he and Commadore Ahmed will remain in the service until such a time as a Tribal class destroyer is laid down.  A statement that is greated with a full spectrum of reactions from the Assembly.  But it would take intervention by either the Minister of Defence or the Prime Minister to remove the pair earlier.

On the research front a number of minor decisions are made.  It is decided to fix the ratio of primary basic research to secondary basic research at 3:1 so the next research complex will go to the secondary side.  The secondary research will alternate between logisitics and terraforming.  The Naval Centres of Excellence will break the weapons development into a dedicated missiles and energy weapons research track.  Also fixed is what research the next set of complexes will go to: propulsion, sensors, defences and then weapons.  Neither more weapons nor advanced defences will help the NCN until it can at least come close to the Wolvers in terms of ship speed and sensor capabilities.

BIC submites a request for additional heavy lift groups.  They point to the fact that a single heavy lift group is supplying the colony in Rosetta while 3 ICGs are doing the same for Biforst yet the population of the two colonies remains similiar.  In particular for Poesidean would a heavy lift group be of considerable value.  However, for the moment the Galicite situation is not completely resolved and the report is tabled for future consideration.

Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2291 (May 7) The newest Research Lab is turned over to Dr. Rowley to add her efforts designed to increase the basic production technology of the NC.
AD 2291 (June 23) Construction of 5 Construction Factories ends and construction of 10 telepresence operated mines for Venus starts.

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2291 (February 11) Construction of the required heavy machinery for a Mine is finished
AD 2291 (March 22) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2291 (May 29) A new Fuel Refinery enters operation and colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts start production [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]

Industrial Efforts Luna and Mars, Sol
AD 2291 (February16) The refit of PDC Tharsis ends on Mars and construction of additional housing and lifesupport for 1 million people to ease the population pressure begins [ooc]Infrastructure x200[/ooc]
AD 2291 (March 7) The refit PDC Tranquility ends on Luna and construction of additional housing and lifesupport for 1 million people to ease the population pressure begins [ooc]Infrastructure x200[/ooc]

Code: [Select]

Tranquility U2 class Point Defence Base    4,600 tons     119 Crew     525 BP      TCS 92  TH 0  EM 0
Armour 7-24     Sensors 15/100     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 40.32
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 1   

TorAr Goaltender II Laser Array (6x1)    Range 30,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 1    ROF 5        3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Burns HiTech OptoLok 1 (2)    Max Range: 48,000 km   TS: 8000 km/s     79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
CANDU AHW 6MW (3)     Total Power Output 18    Armour 0    Exp 5%

PDC CMS 510-0050 (1)     GPS 100     Range 5.0m 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


This design is classed as a Planetary Defence Centre and can be pre-fabricated in 2 sections
This is straightforward update of the Tranquility class of point defence base with a dedicated ground based fire control system and the latest Toronto Arsenal DPPD turrets.

Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier and Son's Ltd., Sol
AD 2291 (May 12) High Test and Bunker Oil (Petrol (EE) class) exit their slips and start the journey to Jupiter where they will join Fuel Harvester Group XII on May 17.

Naval Yard: Victorias-Esquimalt Graving Yard, Sol
AD 2291 (January 6) Retooling for the London Mod2 class completed
AD 2291 (February 11) Cheshire and Shetland (London Mod2 class) are refit
AD 2291 (June 4) Lake Michigan (Lake Mod1.1 class) completes construction and is assigned to 6th Squadron Battlegroup


Research Developments

AD 2291 (April 22) Dr. Stephanie Rees has developed a severe medical problem and has been forced to retire.  There is considerable speculation it may have been a complication resulting from accidental exposure to the field of a jump engine during testing some years ago.  This is a major blow to the Navy's propultion program as she was working on higher performance small engines for missiles and pinnances(Maximum Engine Power Modifier x1.75).   Dr. Viking Hjjkillson takes over the project from her but with a marked decrease in efficiency and the completion date slips backwards.
AD 2291 (May 29) Dr. Charlotte Rowley's team finishes their studies on TN mineral refining (Mining Production 16 tons) and begins an indepth examination of the current NCC taxation policy (Expand Civilian Economy by 20%)

It turns out that not only does this development increase the productivity of the mines currently in use but had the quite unexpected but very welcome effect of increasing the production of the fuel harvesters currently deployed.  A typical FHG now produces 736 000 litres of fuel every year in the most ideal of situations.  This means that BIC's 12 FHGs can produce up to 8.83 m litres of fuel (though in practice the total amount is lower).

Northern Coalition Army
AD 2291 (February 22) the Steadfast Cork Bn (CO: Colonel Snækollr Rauðbjörnson) completes their training at Camp Wainwright and a few days later the training of the Biforst Peacekeeper detachment begins.

Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2291 (January 16) The civilian mining colony on Reinmuth has been expanded to 12 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (February 22) The supply of Boronide on Hestia has been exhausted
AD 2291 (February 26) Sol,Williamson Logistics has launched a new Williamson H2 class Fuel Harvester
AD 2291 (March 17) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 15 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (March 27) Williamson Logistics has launched a new Williamson H2 class Fuel Harvester
AD 2291 (April 16) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 16 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (May 2) Williamson Logistics has launched a new Williamson H2 class Fuel Harvester
AD 2291 (May 23) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 16 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (May 29) The supply of Corbomite on Comas Sola has been exhausted
AD 2291 (June 4) The civilian mining colony on Haumea has been expanded to 17 civilian mining complexes

The NCCFB is estatic at the expansion of the civillian harvester fleet.   Production is now approaching 2 million litres of fuel a year.  They urge the other shipping lines to consider adding their own harvester ships.  Williamson Logistics though has a clear lead having over twice the number of harvester ships as the total of the other lines.


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Faewald's industrial park is now turning out sufficient lifesupport and housing for 267 000 pepople [ooc]Infrasturcture x80+[/ooc] in this six month period but that is still lagging behind the population growth.  However, the amount of lag has been fairly stable indicating that the production is closing in on the growth rate at long last.  This is a welcome sign for Govenor House as is the arrival of more machine tools for the industrustial park itself.  The 1st Geosurvey team takes a break from January 20 to Febuary 25 when they again resume their ground level survey of Calheme.  The shear size of the planet is slowing down even this experienced team dramatically.  FHG I is in Faewald orbit from January 20 to March 2 and back harvesting at Doineann on March 9.  FHG X's crews finish their shore leaves and the ships depart Faewald orbit on February 1 and is at Doineann on February 6.  ICG I arrives on February 15 with machine tools and heavy machinery for both a mine and construction factory plus 20 000 new colonists and a small stock of pre-fabricated lifesupport.  They depart for Earth on March 7.  Heavy Lift Group I arrives on May 27 with 40 000 colonists, sufficent housing and lifesupport for them, plus more machinery for a mine and construction factory.  The group leaves for Earth on June 14.  ICG IV arrives on June 1 with the same load as ICG I expanding both the industrial park and the mines feeding it.  It departs on June 28.  On May 25 the Troop Transport Squadron arrives carrying with it the Steadfast Cork Bn and the 2nd Extrasolar Bde support troops.  The offloading is completed by June 10 bringing the combat strength of the 2nd Extrasolar Bde to its full value.  The next day the Squadron departs for Earth.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

This six months is somewhat busier for Forge Traffic Control.  FHG XI's ships crews are on liberty from January 12 to February 16 after their journey from Earth.  They then move to Deeper Sky on February 17 to harvest fuel for the rest of their journey to Gl 493.1.  FHG V arrives in Forge orbit on the same day FHG XI leaves and the ships crew are on shore leave until March 27 when they return to Deeper Sky.  ICG VI arrives from Earth on February 7 and departs for Biforst on February 22.  On April 9 ICG V arrives at Forge to refuel and gives it crews a rest before resuming its journey to Earth on April 22.  FHG III arrives at Forge with a full load of fuel and crew eager for some time away from their ships on April 17, and the ships are back harvesting on May 30.  ICG VII pulls into Forge orbit on May 9, departing deadhead for Earth on May 23.  Heavy Lift Group II arrives from Rosetta on May 18 and leaves for Earth on June 8.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

Biforst's industrial park again churns out enough housing and lifesupport for 20 000 people [ooc]Infrastructurex4[/ooc] that is added to the amount in storage.  ICG VII completes their shore leave on January 6 and departs for Forge.  FHG VIII's crews finish their shore leave the same day and the ships are back harvesting fuel the next day.    ICG VI arrives on June 6 with a load of 20 000 new colonists, machinery for the industrial park and yet more pre-fabricated housing and lifesupport systems.  The ships crews are finishes their shore leave and depart for Forge on June 23.


BIC Operations in Gl 493.1

On June 13 ICG VIII returns to the colony on Poisidean after dropping off a telepresence operated mine on moon 6 of planet V.  The ICG's ships offload 20 000 new colonists to the planet surface and assembles the mass driver in orbit.  NCC Govenoress Kay Gardemal arrives with this group and the official colony founding ceremony is held.  The work of the first-in colonists over the last year has made a major difference and the new arrivals either join the small harbor town site or the farms surrounding it.  The plans for the next trips of ICG VIII are to ferry in another mass driver and then more telepresence operated mines for moon 6.  That moon is rich in Duranium and Corundium and will allow the colony to build the heavy machinery required for more mines in-system.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations
Lacaille 9352

Interstellar Survey I and the two grav missions complete their survey operations for Lacaille 9352 by the end of June.  A total of 4 jump points are found to exist in the system.  This is welcome news for the future.  The BuSurvey ships will rendevous at the jump point to Sol for the return to Earth.

AD 2291 (February 14) New Jump Point found in the Lacaille 9352 System

AD Leonis

3rd Squadron arrives in system in the middle of June, and commences refueling operations before heading for the jump point to Wolf 358.  They will relieve 1st Squadron currently in that system when they arrive in early August.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]Current game date is December of 92.  Things are quiet due to the fixation on dealing with mineral issues and the overall situation with respect to available exploration/exploitation.  But the galicite issue is being dealt with and corrundium is next up.  Basically lots more mines but there is a light at the end of the tunnel now.[/ooc]

AD 2291 (July to December) Carrying on Carrying on

This time period is one which sees the developments fixed on the NCCs primary goal of mitigating the Galicite issue and the Navy's desire to restart heavy warship production ASAP.  The good news from the NCCFB is that even the most pessimistic members now have to conclude that baring a major expansion in BIC and the NCN the fuel situation is no longer a top priority.  All farms have shown a steady growth as clearly at all points along the supply path the demand is below the production.  The NCCFB still recommends the upgrade to the existing ICG's as the new engines add a total of 10 billion km to the ships range bringing it to slightly over 24 billion km making them capable of a full two round trips to Alpha Centauri without needing to refuel.  This is a massive improvement in fuel economy and well worth the Galicite investment.

The NCC is seeing the M^3 plan working well with Galicite production now sufficient that in 2292 it will be possible to restart Tribal production and to finish off the remaining 4 planned terraformers.  The primary issues facing the NCC planning boards is increasing the mines on Callisto and bringing into production more Venderite and a new source of Boronide in Sol itself.  The construction of more heavy lift groups is also looking to be more and more a requirement to boost the rate of extra solar population growth.

The NCN though wants to modernize the fleet and retire the Terrier's from active service.  This will be accomplished by building 4 Flower class jumptenders, and 4 Gargolye class escorts.  This to be followed by the construction of 2 Lake class Corvettes, then 4 Wounded Knee class heavy frigates, followed by the Edinborough support vessels.  This will leave them with a squadron composed of three London Escorts and a Guardian area defence frigate useful for mobile jump point defence.  A further 3 Guardian class frigates will be retained in service while the rest along with five of the six Terriers are sent to the breakers.  The last Terrier will be retained in service for use as a minelayer.


Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2291 (November 23) Construction of ten telepresence operated mines is finished.  The mines are moved via civillian contract to Venus.
AD 2291 (December 17) Construction of two maintenance facilities ends (ships of up to 11 000 tonnes can be maintained) and production of the heavy machinery for five mines begins.

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2291 (July 8 ) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2291 (September 19) The machine tools for a new construction factory are shipped.
AD 2291 (October 24) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] and production of the heavy machinery for a mine begins.


Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier and Son's Ltd., Sol
AD 2291 (December 17) Retooling for Colossus (EE) class ends.  Unfortunately their Bauxite class consorts will require another retooling but the first priority is to modernize the jumpships.

Naval Yard: Victorias-Esquimalt Graving Yard, Sol
AD 2291 (September 9) Dorset (London Mod2 class) finishes her refit.  All 3 London's have now been refit.
AD 2291 (November 2) Retooling for Gargoyle Mod1 class if finished.  This will allow the construction of both the Gargoyle and Flower classes.


Research Developments
AD 2291 (December 28) Dr. VíkingR Hœkillson's team completes their work on higher performance small engines for missiles and pinnaces (Maximum Engine Power Modifier x1.75) and starts research into the next generation of fission power plants (Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor Technology)


Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2291 (August 24) The civilian mining colony on Haumea has been expanded to 18 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (October 10) The supply of Mercassium on Neujmin has been exhausted
AD 2291 (November 18) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 17 civilian mining complexes
AD 2291 (December 28) Burns Freight and Logistics has scrapped Burns H2 056 (Burns H2 class) due to its age.  This is dissapointing news for the NCCFB, who is baffled by the failure of the firm to replace the harvester with a newer model.


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

The industrial park on Faewald produces enough lifesupport machinery and housing for slightly over 300 000 people in this six month period [ooc]~Infrastructure x90[/ooc].  This lags behind growth but the gap between the numbers is decreasing.  Projections for the size of the industrial park grow continously, while the shipping space and more importantly the production of machinery on earth is more or less fixed.  The policy changes in BIC and the NCC at Sol have made an impact and after next few years it is hoped that the production capacity of Faewald's park will exceed its requirments.  On October 24, the 1st Geosurvey team takes a break in its survey of Calheme to return to Faewald to allow the crew of the Upholder to have some R&R.  The team is dropped off on Calheme again on November 26.  The sheer size of Calheme's land area is making the survey process a long and slow one.

On August 18 FHG II pulls into Faewald orbit to give the ships crews shore leave.  The ships are back harvesting at Doineann on October 8.  ICG II arrives with 20,000 new colonists, life support system and housing prefabs for 47 000 colonists and the machine tools for an expansion to the industrial park on August 25.  The group departs for Earth on September 14.  ICG III arrives on December 13 at Faewald after offloading 20 000 new colonists, life support and housing prefabs for 47 000 colonists and machine tools for the industrial park then making a trip to Banshee to pick up the minerals the telepresence mines have extracted.  The Duranium is off loaded to Faewald but the rest of the minerals remain in storage on board the ships.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

Forge traffic control has a much less busy time this half of the year.  FHG VI arrives on August 10, and is back harvesting on September 20 after its crews enjoy some liberty.  FHG XII arrives from Earth at Deeper Sky on September 17.  This group will join the other 4 at Deeper Sky and increases Forge's fuel production by 736 000 litres per year.  FHG IV arrives in Forge orbit on September 20 and after shore leave returns to harvesting on December 17.  Heavy Lift group II makes Forge orbit on December 1, and after gives its crews a break departs for Rosetta on December 11.  ICG V arrives on December 24, so its crews will spend the holidays ashore enjoying the hospitality of Forge's liberty row.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

The industrial park on Biforst stockpiles another 40 000 colonists worth of life support machinery and housing prefabs over the last 6 months [ooc]~Infrastructure x8[/ooc].  FHG VII arrives at Biforst on December 12 so the groups crews will be spending this holiday season with the colony.  The colony is still dealing with the serious worker shortages that are typical for starting colonies, essentially both the industrial park and mines are only able to operate 1 shift per day.


BIC Operations in Gliese 526

The NCC Xenoarcheology team as usual has no news on the alien ruins they are exploring.  Their efforts at decifering the alien language is only making slow progress due to the difficulties in finding correspondences, since unfortunately the equivelent of a childrens book or elementary school text has so far not been located in the data recovered.   The colony is growing steadily waiting on the orbiting terraformers efforts to thicken the nitrogen in the atmosphere before removing the amonia.  FHG IX arrives in Biforst orbit on September 15 and after shore leave is back harvesting on November 8.


BIC Operations in Gl 493.1

By July 3 the ships of ICG VIII have completed their shore leave and they depart Poisedean heading for Forge.  On December 17 the ships of FHG XI arrive from Forge and the crews are given shore leave at the colony.  The arrival of the FHG gives the colony in system fuel production and closes the last round trip that had thirsty ships arriving at their next destination.  This will lower the demand on Forge as previous to this it had to provide nearly 750 000 litres of fuel to the ships of ICG VIII, as the ship would arrive with less than 10% fuel onboard.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations
Lacaille 9352

Interstellar Survey I ferries Alpha and Beta Grav Survey missions back to Sol in the middle of August, with the ships arriving back in Earth orbit on September 21.  The Oberon's of the grav survey missions complete their overhauls on December 22.  Lacaille 9352 will clearly give BuSurvey and BIC a lot of work once they have engines that can reduce the travel time from Earth to the jump point to something reasonable.

AD 2291 (July 23) Gravitational Survey Completed in the Lacaille 9352 system. The system has a total of 4 jump points

Wolf 358

On July 2 3rd Squadron relieves 1st Squadron of the "Wolf Watch."  1st Squadron heads back to Earth for their overhaul stopping briefly at the jump point to Lalande 21185 to refuel from Forge using their tanker.  1st Squadron will be in Earth Orbit on August 7.  The squadron's overhaul will be finished on November 14.

[Paul M (OP)]

AD 2292 (December to June) The Apache

For the NCN Febuary of 2292 is a major time of change and renewal.  In early February the first of the replacement Tribal Class ships, the Apache is under construction.  Rear Admiral Frazier and Commadore Ahmed give a talk to the Naval Academy students on Feb 16.  Rear Admiral Frazier speaks first, his talk focusing on the duty's of an officer in the NCN.  He points out to the audience that unlike in the past in the NCN officers of all ranks are often called on to make "The Call."  Oversight is not possible with the limitation impossed by light speed communications.  To illustrate this point he tells about how he and the Prime Minister had observed the battle at the Sol-Wolf 359 jump point.  "The PM was suprised we were in a conference room with coffee and snacks.  But with over 5 minutes light speed comm lag I could only observe, the battle was over before we knew for certain it had started."  He then points out that it is only the network of buoys and the jump ships moving between the systems that keeps the various colonies in contact with Earth and each other.  And even with military ships the time between Earth and the limits of settled space is over a month, not since the time of sailing ships has the communications system been so slow.  He goes on to speak of the sacrifices necessary whether that of direct danger in combat, to simply the normal hazards of living in a metal can surrounded by hostile vacuum, or the more mundane fact that ships will spend 1 year away from Earth generally.  BIC destined officers have an even more insidious enemy to combat: boredom.  Maintaining crew morale and attentiveness in the face of often month long montonous voyages will test their leadership skills.  He points out that as critical as Forge's fuel farm is the fact it allows crews a chance off of their ships is probably of a more vital value.  He closes his talk by pointing out to his audience that they are the future of the Navy and his last slide is a real time view of the Apache's Number 1 Spinal Strut being worked on at the moment at the dockyard.

Commadore Ahmed then takes over to talk about the future, discussing the plans for the Navy in terms of ships, technology, and people.  His talk includes the first mention of two new ship classes the Fallen class of cruiser [ooc]official NCN parlance is either light cruiser or destroyer leader[/ooc] the last ship the navy will produce that will be based around a jump tender and the Queen class of troop transporter which can transport a full brigade.  His talk highlights that the Apache is likely to undergo a major refit before the last of her consorts are finished as significant technological inovation is in the pipeline from the Navy's Center's of Excellence.  Improved electronics, armour, and engines are going to be entering service in the next five years.  He stresses the need to secure Wolf 359 as it is still the most valuable real estate near to Sol, plus the aliens present a clear danger to Earth should they invade and lastly the wrecks represent the possibility of advanced technology.  All these combine to make the system one that simply can't be ignored. 

As Rear Admiral Fazier, Commadore Ahmed and Captain Aaron Manning, currently head of BIC retire at the same time the Navy is faced with a major leadership vacuum.  It takes around 6 weeks for the various review boards to finish their tasks of shuffling and promoting.  In terms of leading the Navy, it is to no-ones suprise that Commadore GlippiR Broddison is promoted to Rear Admiral.  Fortress command officers being stationed on Earth have a generally easier time making the useful political connections but he has also commanded BIC and so is one of the Navy's most broadly trained officers.  Beyond that after the dust settles the NCN's upper echelons look like the following:

NCN Naval Command:  Rear Admiral GlippiR Broddison

Sol Fortress Command: Commadore Leon Barlow
Task Group 1: Commadore Rúnfastr Unnvaldrson
Task Group 2: Commadore Josh Bird

BIC: Cpt. Katherine Evans
Earth OWP: Cpt. Max Parker
1st Squadron: Commadore Rúnfastr Unnvaldrson
2nd Squadron: Cpt. Soren Becher
3rd Squadron: Cpt. Veronika Zweig
4th Squardon: Cpt. Lucas Benson (CO 4th Squadron Support Group)
5th Squadron: Commadore Josh Bird
6th Squardon: Cpt. Alice Hill

[ooc]
AD 2292 (February 25) Commander Alice Hill has been promoted to Captain
AD 2292 (March 6) Commander Max Parker has been promoted to Captain
AD 2292 (March 16) Commander Bart Kubo has been promoted to Captain
AD 2292 (March 1) Captain Leon Barlow has been promoted to Commodore
AD 2292 (March 11) Captain Rúnfastr Unnvaldrson has been promoted to Commodore
AD 2292 (March 6) Commodore GlippiR Broddison has been promoted to Rear Admiral
[/ooc]

Rear Admiral Charlie Frazier served in Fortress Command on Earth from 2252 to 2272 when he was promoted to Commadore and became the head of the NC Naval Command at Churchill.  He was respected by most of the Assembly but developed a good working relationship with the current PM Ron Getty.  Commadore Ewan Ahmed served in Fortress Command from 2258 to 2278 baring 72-74 where he was the CO of the Jump Tender Banff.  In 2277 he was promoted to Captain and was the CO of the frigates Mastiff and Vimy Ridge.  In 2286, just before the Battle at the Sol-Wolf 359 jump point he was promoted to Commadore.   Captain Aaron Manning started his career as the CO of a frieghter for BIC, followed by a stint in Churchill with Fleet HQ, then more time commanding a freighter, before he was transfered to Fortress Command, after promotion to Captain his last post was commander of BIC operations.


Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2292 (January 25) The heavy machinery for 5 Mines is produced
AD 2292 (March 6) 5 Construction Factories worth of machine tools are constructed, like the mines they will be used mainly in BIC offworld colonies
AD 2292 (April 11) The production of 3 Prefabricated PDC Listening Post class bases ends
AD 2292 (April 21) Construction of additional housing and life support 100 000 colonists on Ganymede is completed. [ooc]Infrastructure x57[/ooc]  It is shipped to the moon via civillian contract.
AD 2292 (June 2) For Callisto the machinery for 5 Mines is completed and shipped to the moon and production of the satalites for 2 Deep Space Tracking Stations starts

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2292 (January 3) Heavy machinery for an offworld Mine is ready
AD 2292 (February 11) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2292 (April 21) A new Fuel Refinery starts operation
AD 2292 (May 27) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] and the fabrication of machine tools necessary for a new construction factory begins

Naval Yard: Deschimag A.G. Weser, Sol
AD 2292 (January 30) Retooling for Tribal Mod2 class is finished and the first replacement Tribal, the Apache, begins construction the next day.

Northern Coalition Army
AD 2292 (February 25) The North Shore Bn (CO: Colonel Liam Knight) ends their advanced infantry training at Camp Wainwright.  Shortly after they leave the recruits for the Forge Peacekeeping Detachment arrive for their training.

Research Developments
AD 2292 (March 16) Dr. Charlotte Rowley's team finishes their indepth examination of the current NCC taxation policy and the recommendations of the report are implemented in the next proposed Government Budget (Expand Civilian Economy by 20%)and starts researching improved shipyard management (Shipyard Operations: 20% Time/Cost Saving)
AD 2292 (March 16) Dr. Lauren Wheeler's team develops the prototype for the next larger laser focal array (12cm Laser Focal Size) and with the help of the engineers from Thales starts on the pre-production prototype weapon (Thales MilL-VIS Estock)
AD 2292 (May 11) Dr. Lauren Wheeler's team demonstrates the Thales Estock to the NCN (Thales MilL-VIS Estock) and then resumes development of a yet larger focal array (15cm Laser Focal Size). 

The NCN engineers present at the weapon test are forced to write that they specified the weapon poorly.  The weapon can only fire every 10 seconds but has most of the power loaded into the capacitor bank during the first 5 seconds rather than a balanced draw over the full charge cycle.  This results in a weapon that costs more and performs essentially identical to the possibly cheaper version.  The NCN concludes that since the weapon outranges its current fire control, and has a larger footprint in the ship plus this design failure they will not mount it on the London class Escorts.  Although it outranges the Dirk if the Dirk is within range it will have a higher damage output than the Estock.

AD 2292 (March 25)  Dr. SigræifR Hildibjörnson joins the NCC scientific establishment.  His area of specialization is Energy Weapons which is a welcome addition to the team as it means that Dr. Wheeler's retirement will not mean the end of the development of energy weapons.

Civillian Operations in Sol

AD 2292 (February 5) New Shipping Line created: Lloyd Container Limited, as the last three lines founded are struggling financially it is completely baffling where the capital for this line is coming from.
AD 2292 (February 16) The supply of Neutronium on 2001 KC77 has been exhausted
AD 2292 (April 11) The supply of Tritanium on Van Biesbroeck has been exhausted
AD 2292 (April 16) The civilian mining colony on Neujmin has been expanded to 17 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (June 6) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 18 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (June 21) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 19 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (April 11) Williamson Logistics has launched a new Williamson H2 class Fuel Harvester
AD 2292 (June 16) Burns Freight and Logistics has scrapped Burns H2 058 (Burns H2 class) due to its age
AD 2292 (June 21) Burns Freight and Logistics has scrapped Burns H2 059 (Burns H2 class) due to its age

The NCCFB welcomes the new Willamson harvester and is utterly baffled by why Burns is scrapping their harvester fleet.  As they point out, every litre of fuel the civillians produce is purchased by the NCC.  A harvester is sure and certain income.

BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Faewald's industrial park turns out enough lifesupport and housing for around 270 000 people [ooc]~Infrastructure x80, I'd have thought it should be more than previously but there are extreme roundings to these estimates so it is more likely both 6 month periods produced around the same amount of infrastructure[/ooc].  Currently Faewalds population growth is between 0.7 and 1 million people per year, and the industrial park is producing approximately 0.6 m worth of lifesupport and housing.  Each load of CNC machine tools transfered from Earth adds around 30 000 more peoples worth of production per year to the park.  The park is within in one full years worth of transfers of meeting demand, which is unfortunately also increasing with the population but for the first time the goal doesn't seem so far out of reach.

ICG III loads its now largely empty cargo holds with the fruits of Faewalds mines and sets off for Earth on January 9.  The most critical of its mineral cargo is over 700 scu's of Boronide and more than 400 scu's of Galicite.  FHG X arrives at Faewald for R&R on January 25, and its ships are back harvesting fuel at Doineann on March 8.  On March 3 FHG I makes Faewald orbit with a full load of fuel and crews eager for liberty, they are back at Doineann on April 24.  Heavy lift group I finishes offloading its cargo of 40 000 new colonists plus the lifesupport and housing prefabs for them, the machinery for a new mine and more tools for the industrial park on May 16, after giving their crew shore leave the ships depart for Earth on June 2.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

Forge traffic control sees traffic pick up again.  ICG VI arrives on January 2 from Biforst and departs on January 9 for Earth.  ICG V has completed its shore leave as well and departs for Biforst on the same day.  FHG V arrives to offload fuel on January 20 and will be back harvesting at Deeper Sky on Febuary 26.  ICG VIII on the way back from Poisidean to Earth arrives on January 25, after giving their crews shore leave the group breaks orbit on February 16.  ICG VII arrives from Earth on May 5 and departs for Biforst on May 16.  That same day FHG III arrives to detank into the farm and the group will be back harvesting at Deeper Sky on June 27.  FHG XII arrives on June 2 and its crews are happy to deship if only for a few weeks.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

The industrial park on Biforst produces another 30 000 colonists worth of lifesupport and housing for the stockpile.  FHG VIII pulls into orbit on January 21 and is back harvesting March 2.   FHG VII finishes their shore leave on January 25 and is back harvesting on January 26.  ICG V arrives with 20 000 colonists, their attendent support system hardware, plus additional machine tools for the industrial park on April 23.  The ships of ICG V leave for Earth on May 6.


BIC Operations in Gliese 526

More non-news from the Xenoarcheology team, but that is starting to become the norm.  Heavy lift group II arrives on May 26 fully loaded with 50 000 new colonists, lifesupport and housing for 60 000, plus the heavy machinery for a mine and machine tools to expand the currently idle industrial park.  The addition of nitrogen continues but everyone is looking forward to the start of the removal of the amonia.  None more so than anyone who has to spend any amount of time outside the colony as the amonia permates their clothes and its stench is nearly impossible to completly remove.


BIC Operations in Gl 493.1

FHG XI's crews finish their shore leave and depart orbit heading for the newly named gas giant Amphitrite, arriving on station on January 21.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations
Groombridge 34

BuSurvey gets approval to complete the gravitational survey of Groombridge 34.  Alpha and Beta Grav survey missions plus Interstellar Survey II arrive at the jump point to Groombridge 34 and refuel from the Petrocan on January 30.  IS II ferries the Oberon's through a few hours later.  The Voyageur sets course for the B component of the binary star system 157 AUs distant.  The round trip distance exceeds by some 8 billion km the range of the ship but given the fact that a tanker will be able to rendevous with the ship to refuel it on the return journey there is no concern on board the Voyageur or in the mind of her CO Lt. Cmdr Grace Metcalfe.  The Oberons set out to survey the outer system while the James Cook will survey the inner system. 

AD 2292 (February 23) New Jump Point found in the Groombridge 34 System
AD 2292 (May 14) New Jump Point found in the Groombridge 34 System
AD 2292 (June 8 ) New Jump Point found in the Groombridge 34 System

Wolf 358

2nd Squadron departs Earth mid of March heading for Wolf 358.  The squadron is at the jump point to Wolf 358 on April 15 and after refueling the ships and sending its Protecteur class tanker back to Forge to refuel, jumps into Wolf 358.  The relieved 3rd Squadron, with the newly promoted Commadore Josh Bird, head back for Earth the next day arriving at Earth orbit on May 20.

[Paul M (OP)]

[ooc]My appologies, it has taken considerably longer than it should to get this one out the door.  It has been basically organized for more than 4 days now.  Current date is late '93 so the AAR is catching up.[/ooc]
AD 2292 (July to December) New People New Plans

After the period of shaking down that is necessary with so many changes to the command structure of the Navy the first order of business was the long term planning.  This remains unchanged for the most part.  The Navy is dedicated to replacing and strengthing its primary strike unit of 4th Squadron.  It also wishes to replace the aging Terrier and Guardian frigates.  Included in its modernization program though is an additional project to develop a meson weapon capable of being used in a point defence mode regardless of atmospheric thickness, something which limits the use of the Goaltender based Tranquility bases.  The research effort is not trivial at some 5 years but it is also considered worth it.

The biggest issue to all of these plans remains the Gallicite supply.  Each Tribal or Quiver requires 250 scu's worth.  That is 1500 scu's to build the ships, 500 scu's more for thier missiles and pinnaces.  Replacing the 2 squadrons of older naval vessels requires construction of 18 heavy frigates at 125 scu's per ship.  That is 2250 scus plus a further 750 scus for missiles and pinnaces.  The total cost in gallicite is:  5000 scu's.  Gallicite production is expected to be slightly more than 1300 scu's per year inside of a year or so.  The NCC has indicated clearly they wish to build the stockpile up to 5000 scu's on Earth so only about half the available Gallicite is available for construction.  BIC wants to build at least 2 more heavy lift groups, a further 2 terraformers and refit all existing ICGs.  That is a total of 2000 scu's.  There is also additional troop transports and salvager ships in the pipeline.  This means that Gallicite remains a critical strategic TN mineral.

The commision has stated that after the next set of mines for Venus are completed they have to focus on building up the mines on Calisto to increase production of Corundum to a level where further telepresence operated mines are viable.  It is clear that Faewald requires a substantial investment in machine tools for its industrial park.  The good news is that the population on Calisto is growing steadily so operating upwards of 100 mines will not present any difficulty.

In October Governor Bethany Wells retires from her position as leader of the Venusian colony after more than 30 years of service.  Her time there has been one of the most difficult posting in the NCC.  Venus has suffered from a series of tragic Colonist Dumpings and in the last decade or so from basically a stagnant interest of civillian lines to ship more infrastructure there.  Although the NCC has decided to subsidize the Ganymede colony the shear demand needed for Venus makes that unfeasable.  The population as a whole has mixed feelings about the outgoing Governor as she has done a diffult job well enough but has not managed to secure necessary improvement for the colony.  The recent demand for Venusian minerals is the only positive sign the colonists have seen in decades.  The NCC is at least at the moment looking into a plan to develop orbital habitates to be used to operate initially 25-30 mines and 2 terraformers.  But as the technology to make O'Neil type habitates is not developed the cost of such structures is not known.  But building sufficient to house 3 million people and using that to run 6 terraformers and 30 mines would be their eventual goal.  Ms. Naomi Murray takes over position as the Govenor of Venus.

Industrial Efforts, Earth, Sol
Primary Industrial Tasks
AD 2292 (July 11) Construction of 2 Deep Space Tracking Stations completed they are shipped via civillian contract to Mars.  This finishes off the Martian array.
AD 2292 (December 11) The just finished Research complex is assigned to the Centre for Excellence in Propulsion studies and the infusion of extra manpower and laboratory space is expected to reduce the deliverable time schedule by 8 months, after this the production of tools for 5 new construction factories starts.

Secondary Industrial Tasks
AD 2292 (August 8 ) The tools for a new factory are produced.
AD 2292 (September 18) Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc]
AD 2292 (November 25) Fabrication of the heavy machinery necessary for a Mine completed and construction of Colonial housing prefabs and lifesupport systems for BIC extrasolar colonization efforts is complete [ooc]Infrastructure x32[/ooc] has begun

Missiles and Fighters
AD 2292 (October 15) Construction of 48 Arrow Anti-Ship Missiles (Batch 3) completed
AD 2292 (November 14) Construction of 120 Falcon Counter Missiles (Batch 3) completed
AD 2292 (November 1) Fairmile C1(EW/SAR) 029 is accepted by the NCN and is assigned to the Apache's EW squadron, as the ship is not completed they are assigned to Fort Dublin until the ship is finished.

Civillian Yard:  Robert Napier and Son's Ltd., Sol
AD 2292 (September 18) Behemoth (Colossus (EE) class) refitted with new more efficient engines.

Civillian Yard: Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Sol
AD 2292 (August 3) Tigris and Euphrates (Amazon class) are completed and then assigned to Interstellar Terraforming Mission II.  The mission is dispatched to Gliese 408 to bring the atmosphere of planet II up to a state where it no longer requires supplemental oxygen to breath.  The planet's current atmosphere has oxygen at the level of 0.09 Atm, so it will take some 6 years to raise the oxygen level to 0.11 making the planet minamally breathable.  The planets temperature will also be raised, bringing its already high 44°C mean temperature upwards.  However, the planet will have water, and a breathable atmosphere and the amount of lifesupport needed will be minimal [ooc]colony cost will be ~0.3[/ooc].

Northern Coalition Army
AD 2292 (October 5) The Forge Peacekeeper Detachment (CO: Colonel Clifton Isakson) completes their training at Camp Wainwright and are railed to Victoria and will board shuttles to take them to the waiting Ceylon for transport to Forge in December.  The St. Petersbourg Independant Rifle Bn starts training a few days after the Peacekeepers are gone.

Civillian Operations in Sol
AD 2292 (July 11) The supply of Duranium on Encke has been exhausted
AD 2292 (August 8 ) The civilian mining colony on Reinmuth has been expanded to 13 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (August 8 ) The civilian mining colony on Wolf-Harrington has been expanded to 17 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (September 4) The civilian mining colony on 2004 NT33 has been expanded to 20 civilian mining complexes
AD 2292 (October 21) Addition of Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere of Callisto has been halted and the Terraformer engines begin liberating Nitrogen


BIC Operations in Alpha Centauri

Faewald's industrial park turns out life support and housing for 400 000 colonists [ooc]Infrastructure x120[/ooc] a major boost, but still below growth.  The gap between what the colonies capacity is and the demand on it slowly but surely edges upwards, although it remains less than 5%.  [ooc]I have a growth rate of 13%, if I had only 10% I would probably have made it by now.  The status page shows -3.5% so I suspect my true growth rate must be closer to 10% which is right close to 800 000 per year.[/ooc]  BIC wants the industrial park to be able to produce locally installations but at the moment the capacity is not there.  The only solution seems to be enhancing the lift capacity of BIC to bring over more machine tools to expand the industrial park.

The 1st Geosurvey team takes a break from the ground survey of Calheme between July 27 and August 29.  The decision is made to delay the return to the survey in order to complete the survey of A's inner worlds.  The Upholder makes orbit around A-I on August 29 some 15 hours after departing Faewald.  The team starts ferrying down to work on this body.  The plan is to work their way back to Calheme finishing off the quicker smaller bodies and moons.

On July 6 ICG I arrives from Earth with 20 000 colonists, lifesupport and prefabs for 60 000, and more machine tools fro the industrial park.  The ships depart deadhead for Earth on July 27.  The ships of FHG II make Faewald orbit on September 27 and after shore leave are back harvesting at Doineann on November 14.  A week after FHG II, the ships of ICG IV arrive with the same manifest as ICG I, they remain in orbit until October 26 when they depart for Earth.  As a Christmas bonus the ships of ICG II arrive at Faewald with a load of 20 000 colonists, lifesupport and prefabs for 60 000 and machine tools for the industrial park on December 25.


BIC Operations in AD Leonis

Things get busy again for Forge Traffic control.  FHG XII completes its shore leave on August 11 and is back at Deeper Sky harvesting on July 12.  The Ceylon Detachment (TT Ceylon, FGE(H) Wyvern, JT Fireweed) arrive on August 7 and departs for Biforst on August 8.  The ships of ICG V arrive on August 19 and depart on September 4.  ICG VI arrives on September 3 and depart 10 days later on September 13.  FHG VI arrives at Forge on September 19 and after shore leave resumes harvesting operations on November 2.  On its way from Earth to Poesidean ICG VIII spends from October 16 to November 1 orbiting Forge.  The Ceylon Detachment returns to Forge on October 27 and leaves for Earth on November 1.  Interstellar Terraforming Mission II stops off to rest their crews and refuel on October 28 and departs for Gliese 408 on November 7.  FHG VI arrives at Forge to transfer fuel to the farm and rest its crews on November 2.  Heavy Lift Group arrives on November 23 and departs on December 11 for Earth.  FHG IV makes Forge orbit on November 26.  ICG VII arrives from Biforst on December 11.


BIC Operations in FL Virginis

The industrial park produces enough lifesupport systems and prefabricated housing for 40 000 colonists over this six month period and it is warhoused against future need.  ICG VII arrives with 20 000 colonists, more life support and housing prefabs and machine tools for the industrial park arrives on August 30.  After shore leave the ships depart on September 9.  Ceylon detachment with the Biforst Peacekeeper Detachment arrives in the middle of september.  ICG VI with 20 000 colonists, yet more housing and lifesupport and heavy mining equipment on December 28 as a late Christmas present for the colony.


BIC Operations in Gl 493.1

Poesidean is growing slowly and only the arrival of FHG XI on August 10 and its departure on September 4 breaks the colony's steady progress.  The FHG is back harvesting on September 6.


Outsystem Survey Efforts and Naval Operations
Gliese 408

Interstellar Terraforming Mission II arrives in orbit around planet II on November 21.  The ships begin adding extra oxygen to the atmosphere the next day.  Their mission should last around 6 years.

Groombridge 34

Only the breakdown of one of the Voyageur's engines interupts the dull voyage to the B component of the system.  'Excitment like this I can live without' remarks the CO in her daily transmission from the Voyageur to the Cook.  By September 7 the Voyageur has completed the transit and surveyed the outermost gas giant finding harvestable sorium, which was prerequist for exploiting this suns planets.  The scout ship had not picked up any indication of alien life and proceeds through the systems 4 planets and their moons.  The system proves to be mineral rich, even though most of the minerals are not so easy to extract.  After completing its geo survey the ship heads back towards the jump point to Sol.  It hasn't got enough fuel on board to make the full journey but a rendevous with a Petrocan class tanker is expected.

The Oberon's finish their gravitational mapping on October 5 and the result is that the system has a total of 4 jump points.  The Cook ferries the grav missions back through to Sol and sends a message to Earth requesting tanker support for the Voyageur on November 10.  The Oberon's will be back home on December 14 but the Cook remains in Groombridge 34 to keep communications open with the Voyageur.

AD 2292 (September 7) Minerals Discovered on Groombridge 34-B V: Sorium 104,400 (0.9) 
AD 2292 (October 5) Gravitational Survey Completed in the Groombridge 34 system. The system has a total of 4 jump points
AD 2292 (October 9) Minerals Discovered on Groombridge 34-B III: Corbomite 9,320,809 (0.6)  Tritanium 1,347,921 (0.3) 
AD 2292 (October 24) Minerals Discovered on Groombridge 34-B II: Duran 80,594,210 (0.1)  Corb 7,241,481 (0.1)  Boron 1,375,929 (0.1)  Sorium 18,896,410 (0.1)  Urid 8,803,089 (0.7)  Corun 42,068,200 (0.1)  Gall 12,383,360 (0.7) 
AD 2292 (November 9) Minerals Discovered on Groombridge 34-B I: Duranium 1,292,832 (0.1)  Neutronium 287,296 (0.9)  Corbomite 2,805,625 (0.1)  Tritanium 15,626,210 (0.1)  Vendarite 1,620,529 (0.1)  Corundium 37,173,410 (0.1) 

Wolf 358

The Wolf Watch remains a decidely dull posting.  1st Squadron departs Sol on November 25 to replace 2nd Squadron.  1st Squadron will arrive in Wolf 358 on December 19, and 2nd Squdaron will be at the jump point to Lalande 21185 on December 30, where it detaches its Protecteur class tanker to make the short journey to Forge to refuel after topping up the other ships in the squadron.