Drgong and Team Russia,
We would like to clarify what is happening with the rest of the World while the three factions are duking it out. Are there possibilities of additional nation-states joining our Alliances, proxy wars, and so on so forth?
Thanks.
At the end of the year (When I as admin do a lot of my "out of program" activities) teams that are active role-players will be given amounts of conventional industry or population.
Generally speaking, as long as the teams are actively role-playing they will get this reward (same reward for all role playing nations). Think of it as flavor, not something to game. However the majority of the world is watching...
-- That said, I reserve to make a ground based crisis if things go slowly in space, but I suspect that will not be needed.
For a genuine Cold War feeling, this aspect could be quite important. We could have a list of some nations (or regions), their pop and CI and extras, like:
Switzerland - 30 Financial Centres
Northern Africa 25 mines
Japan - -10 mines (to supply the Japanese civilian industry), 5 Research labs
North Korea - 1 GFTF
Australia - 2 DSTS, 5 mines, 10 new officers (all named Bruce)
Denmark - 1 Civilian Shipping Line
India - 2 DSTS already deployed on comets
Pakistan - 2 top missile scientists, with some knowledge of advanced warhead designs
Peru - Certain strange artifacts found in ancient pyramids that may or may not be of extraterrestrial origin. Government hints that they will probably be sold to the highest bidder.
Egypt - Even more certain strange artifacts found in Egyptian pyramids, about a month after Peru announced auctioning off their finds
Italy - More strange artifacts, this time found under the Colosseum. Theirs are much more fashionable than everybody else's.
Luxembourg - Several strange artifacts found in long-unclaimed bank deposit boxes. Theirs come tax-free.
Easter Islands - Very strange artifacts on offer. Perhaps not entirely extraterrestrial, but they come at a competitive price.
Vanuatu - Carved wooden copies of definitely extraterrestrial artifacts on offer. Some still bear US Air Force markings.
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and then influence them the old-fashioned way, i.e. money, more money, diplomacy and the occasional espionage teams. No, wait, money, more money and the occasional cultural attache (i.e. spy). Once a year, a country/region would slowly drift more closely to the side spending significant resources on it. There's a minimum that must be spent to influence their politics and a maximum effective amount, both depending upon a country/region's size but unknown to the players.
If both sides spend money, there's automatic potential for conflict because CIA/KGB wouldn't have total control over their respective clients. Things can get ugly if neither side backs off.
BTW, what's the starting wealth?
What about civvie mining? Random or a SM decision? Random might cause large imbalances...