*Campaign* China Unbound

[AlqVeers (OP)]

China Unbound
Aurora V7.10

Starting Year: 2020
NPR Gen: 5/15
Disaster: Sun Warming 0%
Scientists can study in any field, but only up-to 5 labs in a non-specialised field

People's Liberation Aerospace Force (PLAF)
The People's Republic of China
1000m / 1120c / 40r / 1 shipyard

2016

The People’s Liberation Aerospace Force (PLAF) was formally established in 2016 under the orders of President Xi Jinping. The PLAF was formed as an intelligence and cyber division of the People’s Liberation Army, and quickly began to focus on space-based services to aid in the ultimate victory of China over its enemies.

2018

However, student  from the Beijing Steel & Iron Institute discovered materials hidden in the Chinese mountains that were unlike any previously known to mankind. Dubbed “Trans-Newtonian Materials”, these materials were to begin a new golden-age for China, building upon the already extensive, centuries of history and innovation. And project China into space and the stars beyond.

As the People’s Liberation Aerospace Force were already the forerunners in space science and warfare, the PLAF division was re-tasked to specifically space-based endeavors with the majority of intelligence and cyber-warfare objectives being handed back to the PLA.

Minister Hao Qiang Tao was reassigned to the newly created position of Minister of Aerospace (Governor of Earth) and given the objective of claiming the solar system for the Communist Party, and for China. Her goals being set out by the Central Military Commission and by the President himself:

- To consolidate the ruling status of the Communist Party
- To safeguard Chinese Interests
- To explore and claim space in the name of the Communist Party of China

2020

By the beginning of 2020, the PLAF had grown and been re-organised into an full branch of the People’s Liberation Army. The China National Space Administration had been reduced in size, with most of their assets and personnel being reassigned to the PLAF branch. Including the renamed Tianyang Yards, originally constructed to maintain space-based telescopes and other constructions. Initial improvements from the Trans-Newtonian discoveries benefited the PLA and projected China into and beyond the status of ‘super-power’. No other Earth power had discovered these materials, or at least not in quantities that were usable, leaving China as the sole space-faring power. This also tipped the military balance heavily in China’s favour, with minor police actions proving the benefits of limited deployments of prototype equipment, based upon Trans-Newtonian Materials.

Research Project(s)	Estimated Completion
DS: High Density Duranium Armour	9th May 2020
MK: Missile Launcher Reload Rate 2	1st Jan 2022
MK: Implosion Fission Warhead 3x	25th Oct 2021
PP: Fuel Consumption 0.9L	28th Nov 2020

Construction Project(s)	Number of	% of Construction	Estimated Completion
Construction Factory	80	20	13th April 2024
Ordnance Factory	80	20	13th April 2024
Commercial Shipuard	1	10	22nd February 2022
Financial Centre	10	10	26th January 2021

The PLAF only has limited access to Chinese Research and Manufacturing, it is hoped that as developments continue to mature, that additional resources will be made available and increase support of the PLAF’s projects.

2021

Barely a year later, the breakthrough happened. Several theoretical designs had minor sections put into pre-production for testing purposes with positive results, but two missile designs displayed the power and massive benefits that Trans-Newtionian Materials could provide. As only a few had been constructed for testing purposes, in a massive display to the scientific community and the world, China launched two of each missile into space.

Named as the Chinese Dragon Series, the CD-1_Sz2 missile fitted a strength-1 warhead onto a size-2 frame, with a tested top speed of 5100km per second, range of 9.6 million km and a flight time of 31 minutes.
The CD-2_Sz8 fitted a size-4 warhead onto a size-8 frame, travelling at 7600km per second for 208 minutes, with an estimate range of over 94 million kilometres. It was these two missiles, that convinced China to push ahead with their space program, they also subjugated the world and formally established China as the domination military and space-faring power of the 21st century.

New projects in propulsion kicked off shortly after, and resulted in several test-bed models by Tang-Shi Motors. The SE series produced the SE-1_NT_500T, a 500tonne engine based on Nuclear Thermal technology, followed by the smaller SE-1s_NT_250T model and an efficient model designated as the CSE-1_NT_1250T which would soon be used to power the first true, space-faring vessel of Earth.

2022

Januray 2022 officially began on the 6th with the construction of the Shenzhou, the first space-craft for manned flight and exploration of the solar system. Shenzhou literally meaning “Divine Craft”, a simple design with much of the 1800tonne vessel being devoted to engines and life-support for her 26 crew members, an estimated range of 23.7 billion km on the 5,000 litre fuel tank. The Shenzhou would travel the solar system at an impressive 861km/s


Shenzhou class Survey Craft    1 800 tons     26 Crew     152.2 BP      TCS 36  TH 31  EM 0
861 km/s     Armour 1-13     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/1     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
MSP 53    Max Repair 100 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Spare Berths 0   

Tang-Shi CSE-1_NT_1250T (1)    Power 31.25    Fuel Use 2.11%    Signature 31.25    Exp 2%
Fuel Capacity 5 000 Litres    Range 23.7 billion km   (318 days at full power)
Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes


It was around this time that thoughts of faster travel to other systems and galaxies began to surface, some inspired by science fiction, some by legitimate scientific thought. Loosely titled “Jump Point Theory”, studied had begun into faster forms of intergalactic travel, but were largely ignored with a focus being on the solid evidence before the PLAF.

Research Project(s)	Estimated Completion
CP: Construction Rate 12BP	1st Jan 2023
PP: Reactor Power Boost 5%, Explosion 7%	3rd October 2022
PP: Fuel Consumption 0.8L	30th August 2023
PP: Jump Point Theory	22nd April 2026

Construction Project(s)	Number of	% of Construction	Estimated Completion
Construction Factory	38	40	5th January 2023
Ordnance Factory	38	40	5th January 2023
Military Academy	1	20	18th January 2023

October 2022

The Shenzhou is launched to great fanfare. The vessel orbits Earth for several days, entertaining the politicians, scientists and military leaders before heading to Luna on a shakedown cruise to test her systems.

Several scans of Earth and Luna were performed, base-lines established and with these successful tests, she departed on her first inter-solar system voyage to Mercury.

Earth
Duranium	265 018 (0.9)
Neutronium	78 378 (0.6)
Corbomite	82 999 (0.5)
Tritanium	42 819 (0.4)
Boronide	183 319 (0.4)
Mercassium	154 419 (0.4)
Vendarite	27 318 (0.9)
Uridium	108 199 (0.5)
Corundium	42 958 (0.7)
Gallicite	113 618 (0.9)

Luna:
No Mineral Deposits

The survey of Mercury was completed 16 days later, to much disappointment. The Shenzhou departed for Venus, with a worry that perhaps her systems were not functioning as anticipated.

Mercury
No Mineral Deposits.

Venus turned out to be somewhat more promising, with her survey being completed 42 days later. The mineral deposits were a welcome sight, but it was estimated that to access them would be incredibly difficult and costly, if not impossible.

Venus
Duranium	65 928 (0.1)
Tritanium	91 567 (0.1)
Vendarite	1 186 705 (0.4)
Sorium	3 296 403 (0.1)
Uridium	27 089 110 (0.1)
Corundium	14 651 (0.1)

2023

With the voyage of the Shenzhou in full swing around the solar system, research and development returned to theoretical designs and improvements. Several ship designs continued development, but were not planned for any construction for some time, or until the survery of the solar system was completed. The delay would allow for refinements to be included in these designs before production.

But some urgency to establishing off-Earth mining would need to be acknowledged, the fuel refineries had outstripped income from the mines and depleted all reserve stockpiles. Production was suspended and 20 million workers were now on extended holiday, the upside was that fuel usage is minimal, with only one vessel in operation and over 70 million litres of fuel available.


8 May

The survey of Jupiter is completed, revealing an additional 643 000 tonnes of Sorium and an estimated accessibility level of 0.3.


28 May

Callisto is found to have over 1.5 million tonnes of Duranium and over 2.6 million tonnes of Uridium, available at 0.7 and 0.1 accessibilty respectively. These were 6 and nearly 24 times as much as the Earth based mines would have access to.


28 June

Saturn however, made every other survey pale in comparison. 13.3 million tonnes of Sorium were discovered, and very easy to access at 0.9, in comparison Earth has 172 000 tonnes remaining at 0.6 accessibility. Designs for a new refinery ship to replace the planned ground-side refineries were started, with the goal of replacing Earth’s fuel production in the long term.


28 September

Small amounts of minerals were discovered on Enceladus, all with 0.9 accessibility but nothing over 15 000 tonnes

Enceladus
Neutronium	1 000 (0.9)
Corbomite	15 625 (0.9)
Vendarite	12 100 (0.9)
Sorium	7 000 (0.9)

2026 – A New Era

Fast forwarding to January 2026, the previously dismissed theories of “Jump Point” travel had turned into reality, scientists from the Beijing Steel & Iron Institute cracked Jump Point Theory into appliable science, and now the race began to ground these findings into reality and spread Chinese influence beyond Earth and the Solar System.

Plans were already underway to move infrastructure around the system for mining colonies, these would now continue in planning stages, but perhaps.. perhaps new solar systems could be colonised as well. With these new advancements, new technologies were called for. A dedicated gravitational sensor was designed to be used upon space ships, planetary sensors had been tuned to search for the points, but only returned very weak, but promising signals. Engine Technology also progressed to Nuclear Pulse Drives, with theory now starting on a new level of particle technology as an engine force.



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[AlqVeers (OP)]

2027

Hao Qiang Tao, Minister of Areospace has stepped down after serving as the first minister for a period of 7 years and retired due to ill-health. While an unfortunate outcome, she will be able to spend time with her family in relative comfort as her health continues to slowly fade. Tsang Hui Cheng as been assigned as her replacement. A young but knowledgeable woman in the construction and social-economic fields.

Name	Tsang Hui Cheng
Allegiance	PLAF (China)
Title	Minister of Aerospace (Governor of Earth)
Skills	Admin 6, Shipbuilding 20%, Terraforming 10%, Population Growth 15%, Ground Unit Construction 30%

Meanwhile, the lone Shenzhou ship continues to survey the Sol system, the next planetary body to reveal any mineral content is Uranus. With just over 2 million tonnes of raw Sorium fuel at an estimated extraction rate of 0.8. But the majority of bodies are void and empty, and what has been found remains as slim pickings.

Research however is continuing at a blistering pace, with the functionality granted by the additional research labs and recent university graduates, additional projects are now underway. Including advanced designs for a 120mm Railgun, Mining Production and Shipyard improvements and new engine and grav sensor designs.

Construction also commenced on a new Commercial Shipyard and a new slipway was finally added to the Beijing Steel & Iron Yards. The first new Brigade Headquarters  also completed basic training.

2028

The following few years saw a slowdown in developments as research and expansion took priority over exploration or vessel construction. A decision that would later be severely questioned by the Government.
Construction continued on shipyard infrastructure with the construction of the new Naval Yard and a new slipway to the Tongling Docks, with an additional 10,000 tonnes capacity being added to Horiuchi Shipbuilding

A Jump Gate construction module was completed, but unless a vessel was deployed to pinpoint possible jump points, the module was utterly useless. No new developments in the Shenzhou’s search for minerals, and all shipyards were currently undergoing expansion with no new ships planned for the immediate future.

The first Divisional Headquarters completed basic training and began additional training with the Brigade Headquarters before assignment with the People’s Liberation Army would take place.

Additional Financial Centres and Mass Drivers were constructed, enabling continual refit of manual mines into automated mines, along side additional new production, in preparation for sending mines to stellar bodies to mine minerals to be sent back to Earth via the new Mass Drivers. Venus and Callisto were to receive the first automated mines as soon as a freighter could be constructed for transport.

2029

A small amount of nearly 3,000 Uridium was discovered on Galatea, still dashing any possibility of finding extensive sources of minerals within the Sol system.

The First Dongfeng freighter was laid down in August, each freighter can hold a single mine or mass driver. A slow endeavour to transport enough to create viable mining colonies however, but the freighter is designed to operate in groups rather than as single entities.

However the biggest development this year aside several new technologies is the exhaustion of Earth’s first mineral, mines of Vendarite are now empty with 59,000 tonnes in storage.

2030 and 2031

By the start of 2030, the two Dongfeng freighters were launched and started to transport automated mines and a single mass driver to Venus, with trips being made to Callisto. With a total of 27 to Venus and 10 to Callisto, a change in thought would see Callisto become the main focus for off-world mining, with the goal to employ 100 mines before bringing the number of Venus to 100 as well.

Annual growth continued to remain steady at 2.13%, and all manufacturing and research continued on schedule. Shipyards continued their expansion, with the Horiuchi Shipbuilding Yards starting another 10,000 tonne expansion to 60,000, and both Tongling and Beijing Steel & Iron continuing to 30,000 tonnes each. All shipyards currently consist of two slipways, however this has not been identified as a potential improvement area just yet.
A scout ship with jump-drive was designed but postponed indefinitely for upcoming technologies and missile stockpiles were ordered to 4000 of the p3 and p4 designs, even though no missile armed combatants were beyond preliminary design phases.

Chinese Dragon-p3_Sz1
Missile Size: 1 MSP  (0.05 HS)     Warhead: 1    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 11
Speed: 10500 km/s    Engine Endurance: 8 minutes   Range: 4.8m km
Cost Per Missile: 0.398
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 115.5%   3k km/s 33%   5k km/s 23.1%   10k km/s 11.5%
Materials Required:    0.25x Tritanium   0.148x Gallicite   Fuel x100

Development Cost for Project: 40RP

Chinese Dragon-p4_Sz2
Missile Size: 1.753 MSP  (0.08765 HS)     Warhead: 1    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 13
Speed: 10000 km/s    Engine Endurance: 97 minutes   Range: 58.0m km
Cost Per Missile: 0.5578
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 130%   3k km/s 39%   5k km/s 26%   10k km/s 13%
Materials Required:    0.25x Tritanium   0.3078x Gallicite   Fuel x700

Development Cost for Project: 56RP

By mid 2030, it had become very clear to the Government that there was limited communication and interaction between the manufacturing and design facets of the PLAF, and improvements would need to be made to avoid continual waste and delays in ship production and exploration. Considering the Shenzhou was launched nearly 8 years ago, with only two freighters and two automated mining colonies which were shipping back less than 12 tonnes of materials.

A very poor result considering the limitless potential of the PLAF.
To finish off the year, a new discovery of minerals on Quaoar, great accessibility with sizeable deposits of Tritanium and Uridium.

Quaoar
Tritanium:	277 000 (1)
Uridium:	119 000 (0.9)
Corundium:	26 000 (0.9)
Gallicite:	66 000 (0.7)
Sorium:	9 000 (1)

2032

A secret investigation was made into the PLAF by elements of the Ruling Party, unbeknownst to the Minister of Aerospace Tsang Hui Chen, who had been working on improving production capabilities and unfortunately had let communications slide. The investigation recommended the implementation of a new oversight committee and restructuring of both research, design and production teams and protocols.

It was also recommended that minor changes be made to current designs if applicable, with the aim to begin immediate construction as soon as the shipyards completed their current expansions.

Production restarted on the first of June with the Horiuchi yards to retool for the Zhuoyue-class gate constructor. A 59,750 tonne class capable of building a large device to function similar to an on-board jump-drive, except on a larger scale as a gate. At least the theory was sound until an actual jump could be made, and then the systems could be adjusted as required. And to the tooling of the GuangZhong Co Yards for the Baidu, a sensor/scout ship, with two units scheduled for completion in March 2033.

The committee did acknowledge that several new technologies were nearing completion, but decided they could be used in newer, compatible designs rather than holding onto and fitting into designs that were already years old. Not two months later, did scientists announce a new form of propulsion technology, the Ion Drive. However, as no drives were nearing completion for production, further reinforced their decision to commence construction rather than holding off for new technologies.

Little mention was made of Minister Chen, or how the PLAF took the internal investigation. She had continued successes since the departure of Minister Qiang Tao, even if she had failed to produce active expansion or direction into exploration outside of the solar system, her role was secure for the time being.


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