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Growing Horizons: Inner Sphere - Quest

Intro
  • Warringer

    Goto Wogon for Hard SciFi
    Author
    The World changed fifty years ago, big time.

    However, no one really noticed that it changed at all. No big Rings of Fire in the sky. No mysterious changes of the constellations overhead, nothing changed in any obvious way.

    Only today, only today the world found out that the unverse around them had changed. Gone was the old universe around everyone, to be repolaced with a new one.

    A universe where it was usually large bipedal walking war machiens that were the kings of the battlefield. Where five Scavanger Lords were fighting over the corpse of a by now centuries dead corpse of a dream that had never really come to fruition.

    Welcome to the Universe of Battletech, where 50 years ago a very rare multiversal event had exchanged an area of space fifty lightyears in diameter, centered around a point just a lightyear away from Sol.

    This area contained


    [] A saner early 21st Century

    There had been no terror attacks on September 11, 2001, no War on Terror. The world was mostly at peace, aside from the usual squabbles in the Middle East. The United Kingdom had said 'NO' to Brexit (with a 52% majority) and while there had been an economic crisis, cooler heads had prevailed.

    Notes and Rewards: No special knowledge needed to deal with this universe, just assume sane politics.

    [] The World of Jack Ryan

    In a World where an ex-Marine, ex-Investment Banker, ex-CIA agent, ex-Vice President has taken the lead of the most powerful nation of the world following a war against Japanese 'patriots' in the early 2000s, the United States are just coming back to their feet. Terrorists fear the might of Rainbow Six, while a NATO that includes the Russian Federation, has to keep an eye out for possible war with China or maybe even India.

    Notes and Rewards: Everything in the Main Line Jack Ryan Novels can be assumed to exist and be used.

    [] Patlabor - less stompy big robots

    The late 1980s never saw the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern block and the Cold War is still in full swing in the early 21st Century. Still, there were massive advancements of computer technology in the 1970s that made it possible to build large bipedal machines for construction and logistics work, kown as Labors. Labors were abused in crimes, like opening saves in banks or stealing entire trucks, that made it nessecary to equip the police with Labors of their own. And of course the military was all over Labors.

    Notes and Rewards: Earth got their own stompy robots, even if they are not very useful compares to Mechs.

    [] The Solar System of The Expanse

    320 years have passed since mankind settled on Mars. 130 years since the invention of the Solomon Epstein developed a fusion drive that opened up the rest of the Solar System, and gave Mars its independence from Earth.

    Now The Belt is in uproar as tensions between the United Nations and the Mars Congressional Republic are at the breaking point and the ice hauler Canterbury has been destroyed by unknown forces. In turn the MCRS Donneger was destroyed by supposed UN forces, leaving only the corvette Tachi, now known as Rocinante as survivors, while its crew tries to find out what has happened.

    Notes and Rewards: A solar system that is dying to face an external threat before war can break out between the two solar super powers. Heavyly industrialized solar system, and a drive system that is the equivalent (if not better) to BT drives. Comes at the problem of political differences in how to deal with things. Powerful spaceships of their own and ground forces that can be power armored.

    [] A local space of Growing Horizons

    1969 already had been a date the change humanity, as they found that they were not alone in the universe. in the 2030s Jupiters moon Europa turned out to host largely isoliationistic alien intelligences with Shizo-tech, worshiping AI gods concerned only with their security. The late 21st and early 22nd century saw the formation of extra planetary nations, like the Federal Districts of Ceres, or the Communes of Io, while SETI found live intelligent aliens just under thirts lightyears away. More refugees were found in an asteroid in the main asteroid belt, waking from more than 3000 years of slumber after the destruction of their homeworlds, and opened up the universe to humanity with the Heim-Feynman Event Generator for faster than light travel.

    So humanity and their AIs contacted the aliens they already knew of directly, while finding the remnants of one of the three alien races had developed their own striving societies.

    Notes and Rewards: Three heavily industrialized solar systems, a multipolar place of hundred of policies, be they everything between anarchistic, over autoriatrian and theocratic to fully democtatic, Five distinct alien species, one of them with three distinct sub-species, AIs and their own FTL system. Less powerful sublight and space weaponry, but control of the ultimate high ground gives support on the ground.


    How will the world react to be transported to the area of space known as

    wJ8KQnP.jpg

    [] The Grantville Cluster
    [] The Nantucket Cluster
    [] The Walker Cluster
    [] The Mahan Cluster

    Of course they were discovered by

    [] A down on their luck group of Mercenaries

    A Mercenaries life of frought with peril and this group of Mercs had gotten into quite rotten times and need to lay low. The Periphery sounds like a good place to lay low for a bit and not attract any attention.

    Composition: 1 Invader class Jumpship, 2 Leopard dropships

    [] Some Pirates seeking a Motherlobe

    Pirates were always drawn like a fly to rumors of vast riches to plunder. So this group is seeking out rumors of a Star League base, undiscovered by anyone else!

    Composition: 1 Scout class Jumpship, 1 Union class dropship

    [] A trader just doing the rounds

    There are only a few traders out here in the perephiry and most systems only see one on maybe fifty years. And for the most part these traders are not carrying very much, aside from baubles and shinies to distract the locals to get their hands on the valuable things. And of coruse he always has a friend or two with a Mech to run security for him.

    Composition: 1 Tramp class Jumpship, 1 Mamoth class dropship, 1 Leopard class dropship

    [] An Explorer Corps vessel

    At times the Explorer Corps of Comstar needs to take a look at places in the Periphery to see how much things have changed, and so this vessel has moved into the area and made contact.

    Composition: 1 Maggelan class Jumpship, 1 Union class dropship

    So who shall it be that is disovered and does the discovery?

    Choose wisely...

    ----------------------------------------------

    This is largely just a test to see whethere there is actually any interest in this and for me to get my feet wet in Quest building. The Quest is going to be a hodgepodge of things and stuff, but we shall see...
     
    Last edited:
    Prologe 01
  • March 3, 2174 / April 21, 3024
    Sol, Nadir Jump Point, Walker Cluster

    Home, Sweet Home hung high above the yellow main sequence star, the Invader class jump ships large sail unfurled and greedily soaking in its rays.

    On the bridge of the jumpship, Stephan Köhler, head and owner of the mercenary company Köhler Military Services, stares out of a porthole and at several distant dots as they moved a little. Another glance over to a sensor readout showed him the twenty ships had had, somehow appeared a thousand kilometers away, without any sign of the usual pre-event.

    "About two hours," Gabriela Wong, the captain of Home, Sweet Home said.

    "What?"

    "Whoever these people are, they saw us come in, had a conference and then jumped here from a pirate point."

    It sounded pretty logical, and still, it did not make any sense to Stephan. This was the Deep Periphery. No one out there should have more than one or two, maybe three jump ships at most. Not twenty of them, of unknown classes and all armed to one degree or another. And the majority were smaller than even a Scout.

    "Captain?" Mike Cranz, the radio operator suddenly said. "They are hailing us..."

    Instead of saying something Wong just looked at him, and he sheepishly put it on the speakers.

    "...fy yourselves. I repeat. This is Hamburg of the Solar Defensive Initiative Squadron 5, to unknown vessel. Please identify yourself."

    The voice was speaking English, but he could sense a strong German accent in it.

    "Hier spricht die Hamburg von Geschwader 5 der Solaren Defensive Initiative. An unbekannes Schiff. Bitte identifizieren Sie sich."

    Stephan looked at Wong, who nodded. They were working together for a while now and understood each other. This was a case of better work with the other side. Especially considering twenty unknown armed jumpships. She floated over to Cranz, taking a headset and speaking into it.

    "This is the private Jumpship Home Sweet Home," she said. "We are just passing through on the way to the Lothian League."

    That made Stephan sigh and shake his head. The past years had been a disaster. They had lost out on several contracts, lost some good people, and he had been forced to sell their third Leopard to keep the company afloat. And there were some credit sharks after them, one of which was rumored to have signed another merc company to hunt them down. So the only thing Stephan could do was to lie low in te Deep Periphery. A nice cushy job in the Lothian League sounded like a good idea, even though they had to take the long way around from Issaba, keeping away from the Commonwealth to keep away from the credit sharks...

    "The Lothian League..." the voice on the other side said. "Please wait."

    Stephan looked back out of the porthole, waiting.

    "Home Sweet Home, please prepare to receive an inspection team."

    An hour later, a shuttle had docked with Home Sweet Home, or at least had tried to. For some reason the docking mechanisms were incompatible and shuttle was instead floating ten meters away, making the inspection team EVA to get over. The shuttle had not come from the ship that had contacted them, but from one of the ships closer to them, a small ship. And the shuttle itself was a small and dinky affair, even if it seems to do the job.

    The airlock cycled open, revealing the four person team on the other side. The EVA suits the team wore were different to those Staphan was used to. Two looked like some sort of simple skin suits, while the other two were bulked up, armored suits, clearly guards. What all had in common was the same icon in the shoulder area, a rectangle with in three colors, red, blue and white. The simple suits also had name tags on them, one reading Davidson and the other Franklin.

    These two opened up their helmets by simple lifting up the front, making the entire helmet fold up and collapse into a neck ring. Davidson and Franklin gave the two of them a salute.

    "Permission to come aboard, sir," Davidson asked in an unfamiliar accent.

    Its not like we do have much of a choice, Stephan thought to himself. Even if those ships outside were armed with peashooters, which he somehow doubted, he might lose everything.

    "Permission granted," Wong said with a slight sour look on her face.

    ---------------

    "First Lieutant Davidson, USS Thunderbolt," Davidson introduced herself to the two human in front of her and then pointed at Franklin, "Ensign Franklin. Thank you for allowing us aboard."

    Both humans made a sour face and further in the back, she could see some people peeking through ports with stormy looks on their faces. She made a light gesture with her fingers, accessing the systems of her suit to turn up the gain of the suits microphones, making the ALI begin to record everything, after filtering out any noise. A readout in the lower left corner of her field of vision told her that the hull of this spacecraft let their communication through, allowing the rest of the Squadron to listen in and the data specialist to work with something.

    "Captain Grabriela Wong," the woman said, Davidson noting only a few Asian features. "Welcome aboard my ship, the Home Sweet Home."

    For Davidson, it was not that much of strange name, considering that her brother owned and commanded a transport named Pushing Dasies.

    "Stephan Köhler," the man said. "Head of Köhler Military Services and owner of the two dropships."

    Davidson was confused about that for a moment, before a popup opened on the edge of her field of view. 'Possible Mercanary company' the popup read, and she dismissed it with a light flick of her fingers.

    Davidson looked around for a few moments, the camera optics of her own suit adding to those of Franklin and the two Marines of the security detachment.

    "Nice to meet you, sir," she answered. "I would like to inspect your space craft."

    There was something wrong with the whole situation. Half an hour ago a craft from Ceres had suddenly dropped out of Heim-Feynman space on top of the Squadron, and dumped some sort of data from a Data Analyst on Ceres. The captain of the Thunderbolt had been mystified about the dump, and Davidson even more so.

    "If you would please follow me," Wong said, doing a bad job at hiding a frown. The captain of the Home Sweet Home Lead them through the spacecraft as Davidson looked around.

    Almost everything she saw around her had been patched up at one time or another, grime sat in corners and in one case a technician was stuck halfway inside a wall panel, cursing up a storm as tools floated around. Some things made Davidsons stomach turn, casual disregard of security measures she saw in one case, as they passed an airlock filled with tied down boxes and unable to close the inner hatch. As a Vestan, she almost reeled back at that. There just had to be a fault in the controls and the airlock might open, especially in an obviously old spacecraft like this one. Next to her Franklin, a fellow Vestan, almost gagged.

    They passed into what appeared to the control center of the spacecraft and Davidson looked around. The equipment was different from what she was used to. Consoles with switches, dials and buttons were nothing uncommon, but there was a mismatch in what she had expected.

    Then her glance fell on a simple calendar on a bulkhead, showing the image of a scantily clad woman, standing in front of some sort of robot. Miss Atlas, the text on the image read. April 3024.

    ---------------

    "Someone pick up that bloody phone," Adam almost screamed. "Because I bleedin' called it."

    The rest in the room were silent, as he struck a pose, pointing towards the large display showing the video of the Inspection of the Home Sweet Home. The same was likely happening all over the solar system.

    "Sir Adam," Juliand started.

    "Do not 'Sir' me," Adam said with a frown, which looked more ferocious on his face than it would look on any human. "The same as with my 'godhood'. I may have the title, but I don't care for it."

    Juliand sighed and shook his head.

    "I find it hard to believe that these people are somehow from a late 20th century computer game... I t is just..."

    "Tabletop game," Adam corrected. "It was a Tabletop strategy game."

    Juliand rolled his eyes. Adam Prometheus was one of the wealthiest people on Cerees, but a little eccentric. But then again, old AIs, especially ASIs tended to be.

    "How did you know this anyway," Minister for Defense Wójcik asked.

    "I am a Nerd," Adam said. "I have a lot of time and an interest in old Science Fiction."

    He paused for a moment, blue plumage shifting in a way accurate to the Ormiold, which his body resembled.

    "And I have actually just read all the novels and the three source books. So it was in my mind."

    "So what are we going to do now...?"

    ---------------

    Okay... Now I need to come up with options... >_>

    Also added some general infos on the Walker Cluster.
     
    Prologe 01 - Votes
  • With the big reveal that other humans were out there and that they came straight out of a 20the century game, conspiracy theories began to raise up about someone in the company, FAFA, being a refugee from the Inner Sphere writing about their future, only to run into the problem that they had written accurately about a time 200 years in the future.

    The nation states of Sol however needed to react. An emergency meeting of the full UN is called in to deal with the situation. A decision must be made fast, before the Home Sweet Home can jump out again and contact someone to tell them that Earth is out there, making pirates and other not nice people come knocking.

    [] Cool heads prevail
    In the end the United Nations Office of Extrasolar Affairs (essentially a Foreign office for the entirety of the UN to present a united face to aliens) is asked to go and negotiate a contract with Köhler Military Services.

    Reward: A 'Training' Contract with Köhler Military Services, giving them the opportunity to lie low in the Outer Perphery, while allowing Earth to get more information out of them, the Home Sweet Home remains at the Nadir Jump Point of Sol for the time being

    [] They cannot be allowed to get away
    The paranoids within the UN prevail. SDI Squadron 5 and the recently arrived Squadron 8 are ordered to board and take over the Home Sweet Home to prevent if from jumping out. All crew member are restraint and moved to an internment facility, while the Jumpship, Dropships and Mechs are moved to facilities where they can be taken apart to be studied.

    Reward: Home Sweet Home and the Drop ships are taken heavily damaged, five spacecraft of SDI Squadron 5 and four of Squadron 8 are destroyed. Several deaths in the crews of the jump and dropships, two Mechs destroyed.

    [] Rogue national actors happen
    The UN cannot come up with any solution at all. One of the solar powers, or at least one with a small space force tries to move in to attack and destroy the Home Sweet Home while they still have the chance. Lacing orders SDI Squadrons 5 and 8 are forced to intervene, leading to an international crisis.

    Reward: Home Sweet Home is defended, but sustains damage. Köhler Military Services is suspicious about everything and might jump out as soon as they can (50% chance, roll of the dice). International crisis with the rogue actor


    [] Panic!
    Everyone starts to panic and run around like headless chicken for at least three months, getting nothing at all done

    Reward: Nothing at all happens and the Home Sweet Home may jump out (50% chance, roll of the dice).
     
    Prologe 02
  • March 5, 2174 / April 23, 3024
    Sol, Earth, New York, Walker Cluster

    The UN main assembly was in uproar, even though the 235 delegates from the various nations of the solar system concentrated on General Gong Jia-li of the Solar Defense Initiative spoke. There were still comments given to various assistants outside of the more than 220 year old General Assembly Hall. Others were talking to assistive software or among themselves.

    "I am not sure," Ramil Gamboa, the Ambassador of the Philipines, said, looking at the Chinese General, "If I should believe this story. Humans from outside the solar system that come straight out of an old war game?"

    Jia-li made a sour face for just a moment, before answering.

    "There are two things that might change your mind, Ambassador."

    "And those would be?"

    Jia-li took a deep breath and closed her eyes for just a moment, before she looked around, her glance moving to the Ambassadors of the extra-terrestrial nations of the UN.

    "We have done an analysis of the data returned by the first Inspection of the Home Sweet Home," she said, letting the statement hanging for a moment. "We have not been able to find the telltale mesh networking activity of any Smart Dust networks. There has been no wireless network traffic within Home Sweet Home and the two Drop ships at all."

    The room went completely silent, one could have heard a pin drop. Smart dust was a fact of daily life. It was everywhere and there was no place that had seen human feet within the past hundred and fifty years where it was not found. It was simply too useful for environmental sensing, scanning objects, in volumetric display tanks and even limited repairs on a micro level.

    The paleness of most of the extra-terrestrial nations Ambassadors spoke volumes. No one in space could even conceive not having the additional security blanket of having smart dust everywhere to detect failures of machinery and structure. And now they were presented with a space craft that had none.

    "Lies!" the voice of Ambassador Mitchell Mathews called out. "You are spreading lies! All this is just an elaborate hoax to force our glorious nation..."

    Before the Ambassador of the Free Democtatic Peoples Republic of Aether, a relatively small Habitat at EML5 that had become the modern equivalent of the old North Korea, could go into a full rant, as he was likely to do at any opportunity, he was silenced by the Asswembly Halls systems.

    "I can only conclude this is the truth, unless there have been aliens abducting humans a long while ago."

    ---------------

    March 6, 2174 / April 23, 3024
    Sol, Nadir Jump Point, Walker Cluster

    Stephan Köhler looked at the man sitting across him, once again wondering how he had managed to get a turban into his spacesuits helmet. He had been, Köhler Military Services had been ordered very cushy contract with the UN Office of Extra-Solar Affairs, whatever that was. Essentially it was garrison duty, without, allegedly, no possibility of combat at all, no need to patrol any place. They were eventually offered a contract to rest and recuperate. The whole offer stunk, it was too good to be true.

    "What is the catch?" he asked, leaning back and crossing his arms.

    Hakam Singh gave Stephan a look, stroking his beard with a gesture that looked way too artificial to Stephan to actually be something the man did regularly. Singh sighed.

    "Your arrival has been a shock for everyone in this system." he said. " Humans from outside of Sol? Non-human sophonts are pretty much guaranteed, but humans?"

    Stephan pushed down a snort. Did the man actually believe in non-human aliens? Seriously?

    "There has been a large uproar in the UN General Assembly and the media. There are calls from some nations to destroy you and your ships. Others want to board and take over."

    Singh rolled his eyes.

    "There are some online 'personalities' that talk about massive conspiracy theories."

    He paused for a few moments.

    "There is a catch," he finally continued. "It is that we need information about where you come from. It is largely the political and military situation."

    Stephan looked at Singh, saying nothing.

    "You are a mercenary. And we are offering you good money, doing nothing but tell us what we would like to know."

    "Money worth nothing outside of this solar system."

    Singh gave him a look.

    "You know what I am talking about. Valuable metals and gemstones. Easily transportable goods that can be turned into money where are come from. WE will of course offer you local money, so that you can buy food, entertainment, pay your people to go into bars, theaters or the movies."

    Singh's glance moved to Frank Simmer, the commander of Köhler's security and infantry, who had lost an arm in the last engagement that had made them run out here.

    "We offer you medical treatment. We can give him an artificial arm or regrow it."

    Frank twitched and Stephan frowned.

    "Let me think about it."

    ---------------

    Stephan looked at his people, watching their reactions. They were varied. Martina Jäger, his second in command and significant other, looked like a storm cloud.

    "They are threatening us," she said drily. "Who's to say that they won't let these 'nations' of theirs come in and board or destroy us when we don't say yes?"

    "Who know what these primitive Periphery fucks think," came the comment from one of the technicians, followed by a murmur of consent.

    "I wouldn't say that they are primitives..." Wong said with a sour look on her face. "Not with almost forty ships out there that just jumped in from their inner system. Heavily armed ships that jumped here from pirate points."

    There was a sudden silence.

    "And at least three of them jumped back in system within a day."

    The silence stretched out.

    "Maybe they are Kerenskis bunch?" someone in the crowd said. "THey could have forgotten everything about the Inner Sphere."

    "And nobody discovered them?"

    "We did."

    Another murmur.

    Stephan sighed and shook his head.

    "I say we take the deal," he said. "Whether they have threatened us or not. We wait until we are on the ground and see what happens. If worse comes to worst we defend ourselves. If not, we get the time to pull ourselves together. Who knows? Maybe we can buy one or two of whatever Mechs they still have and reinforce ourselves."

    "Yeah, and help them plan for an invasion of the Inner Sphere," came from the same guy.

    Stephan ignored him.

    "In favor?"

    About three fourth of those present raised their hand.

    "Against?"

    He looked around. Of the rest, there were a several undecided, making him nod.

    "So we will take the contract."

    ---------------

    And so Köhler Military Services took the contract with the UN Office of Extra-Solar Affairs, burned to Earth and landed in

    [] North America
    [] South America
    [] Europe
    [] Africa
    [] Asia
    [] Australia

    (Write in for a location)

    And with the non-human sophonts on Earth, they are like to meet some of them in the form of

    [] some locals. Aliens that have settled down relatively close by.
    [] some VIPs. Hearing about it Ambassadors from Jerat and 61 Virginis move in to take a look at them.
    [] some business people. There is always business to make with new people, and why would there only be humans?
    [] some technicians with the crews taking a closer look at the mercenaries.
    [] other (write in)

    On the other end, the UN must deal with the extra-solar powers and telling them about it.

    [] So the UN goes out and tells them straight out.
    - [] (optional) And get met with disbelief. (1d100 for how much, safe for the Empire of Jerat)
    - [] (optional) And get met with some hostility. (1d100 for how much, safe for the Empire of Jerat)
    [] It is the Ambassadors that are the ones telling their home nations about the situation, before the UNOOESA can.
    - [] (optional) And get grief for not telling them.
    - [] (optional) And get some hostility. (1d100 for how much, safe for the Empire of Jerat)
     
    Prologe 03
  • March 12, 2174 / April 30, 3024
    Sol, Earth, Brétigny-sur-Orge Air Base, 27 km southeast of Paris, Walker Cluster

    Stephan Köhler stretched a little as he stepped out of the Angelika, one of his two Leopard class dropships. They had landed two days ago in this place, on a nice tarmac runway that looked well maintained. This place had been a military base until about twenty years ago, housing a fighter squadron. While some parts of the old base were still maintained to act as an emergency runway, most had been left to itself, partially looted and unusable for his mercenary company for the time being.

    He looked around and breathed in the fresh air and over towards the town that butted to the base in the northwest. Brétigny-sur-Orge, a french name that was more at home in the Suns and looked like it had a long history behind it. Most of the people around spoke English to various degrees of fluency however, and they had been able to find themselves a place to buy food at a large Metro store in town, which usually supplied restaurants and smaller markets.

    This whole place was strange to him. Angelica had orbited the planet for a while and the night side was alight with artificial lighting. He was not sure, but even Luthien hadn't had this many lights. Not to mention the orbitals. They were packed with ships, stations and satellites. There were dozens if not hundreds of truly massive stations orbiting around the Libration Points of the planet and its single moon and even the dark side of that moon had seas of light covering it.

    He stared into the distance, wondering what they had found out here. This was not some primitive periphery world. Sure the tech these people had was bound to be primitive, but the population and the culture? Far from it. He himself had been out and in a bar. There had been a TV in a corner, showing a football match, Paris St. Germain playing Bayern München in something called Champions League. It had been a fun game to watch, even if Stephan would have liked to see Paris win for playing the better game. At least the beer and the wine were excellent.

    He turned around, as he heard a car pull up, its electro motors whining a little bit as they slowed the vehicle down. He looked at his watch. That would be the Rothikel Brothers, owners of a 'traveling construction company' that had been suggested to them by some locals. If this interview went well, they would get the buildings of the base up to local standards, which were hopefully good, and construct some mech hangars. He then looked over to the entrance to the base, frowning a bit. They would need to replace the guards with some of their own soon. The local army people were looking professional in their snazzy uniforms, but he rather had someone he could trust. And they could at least have told him that the two business men were arriving.

    The doors of the car swing open, and he blinked as two animals jumped out. As he waited for their owners to follow them, he looked them over. They looked dangerous to a degree. They were about three meter long bipeds, and covered in earth toned feathers, making them look like birds, but their heads looked more reptilian. Both were wearing vests of some sort, as well as necklaces and bangles with various trinkets. Their owners must like them.

    He looked over to the car, still waiting for two humans to leave the car, when one of the animals spoke.

    "Bonjour, Mr. Köhler," the taller of the two animals said in a friendly and enthusiastic tone of voice. "I am Adam Rothikel, this is my brother Jamie."

    Stephan blinked and was unsure how to react. He knew that some birds and other animals could be trained to talk, but...

    "What." was all he could say, making the two animals tilt their heads looking at him.

    "I'm Adam Rothikel," the taller one repeated, again pointing at the other. "He's Jamie. We're from Rothikel Construction. Your 11am appointment?"

    'Adam' looked around.

    "You wanted to hire us for getting his place into shape."

    "What" Stephan repeated and continued to stare at these two apparently intelligent animals. No. Aliens.

    'Jamie' looked at his 'brother'.

    "I do not think that he expected Ormiold," he said in a gruffer sounding voice.

    ---------------

    March 13, 2174 / May 1, 3024
    Sol, Earth, New York, Walker Cluster

    "Mr. Durenbaker," Tondyn of Nemefo, the Ambassador of the United Colonies to Earth, said, carefully controlling his reaction and plumage, his lower arms crossed and his upper arms places on the table in front of him. "I do not believe a single word you have just said. Frankly, it is impossible."

    Maxwell Durenbaker, who had been put into this situation by his superiors in the UNOOESA, nodded.

    "I know how this mist look, but..." he started before he was interrupted.

    "Humans from outside out little area of space? How do you expect us to believe something like this."

    "I do believe it handily," Morul Lye'mosu, Ambassador of the Empire of Jerat, countered his colleague from one of the Quetzal survivor nations at 61 Virginis. "The Emperor has foreseen such an event fifty years ago and given out orders..."

    Tondyn had his feathers fluff out in a threatening gesture.

    "You and your Emperor," he hissed out. "You seem to have an answer to everything, don't you?"

    "Gentlebeings," Durenbaker said and held up his hands, trying to prevent the Quetzal from attacking the Tiaunt. Again.

    "There is no need to..."

    Tondyn turned back to the human.

    "I you want me to believe you," he said, steel in his voice. "You better give me unrefutable evidence. Evidence my nation can double and tripple check. Without that evidence, I will not believe a single word."

    With that the Quetzal rose from his seat, dropped to the floor and slithered out of the room, almost all the aliens present making various gestures of approval.

    Durenbaker had to suppress a sigh. Diplomacy with aliens was hard, especially when their diplomatic methods were different to those of humans. At least the Quetzal were direct...
     
    Prologe 03 - Voting
  • With the Mercs on Earth and their jump ship going to arrive at the Earth-Sol Libration Point 1, also called a Pirate Point by the the Mercs, there is the need to take a look at their computers and their information.

    [] Take a covert look at the computers and data bases, with the help of some agents and some smart dust. (50% success)
    [] Ask them about a few things and attempt to access their computers covertly. (50% success)
    [] Just ask them about themselves and about gaining access to their computers and databases. (50% success)

    Result: Gain some information about the 'Inner Sphere' and some technical documentation

    But there are other potential sources of evidence for Earth and the alien nations doubting everything. Attempt to gather additional evidence about the whole situation by sending an expedition out there to try and find one or two planets that could corroborate the Mercs information.

    [] Send out one or two squadrons of survey craft in an attempt to gather information. (75% success)
    Result: Gaining some additional evidence about the entire story, but 1d10 alien nations are unwilling to take the evidence at all
    [] Invite some alien nations into the survey squadrons. (65% success)
    Result: Gaining some additional evidence about the entire story, most of which will be believed, but with 1d6 nations not believing any of it, due to national rivalries.
    [] Invite all alien nations into the survey squadrons. (45% success)
    Reault: Gaining some additional evidence about the entire story, most of which will be believed.

    Those missions will run for about three months.
     
    Turn 1 - Autumn 2174/3024
  • June 14, 2174 / August 2, 3024
    Sol, Earth, Brétigny-sur-Orge Air Base, 27 km southeast of Paris, Walker Cluster

    "Today, 251 nations of Sol, 61 Virginis and Beta Hydri have come together in the Imperial Palace of the Empire of Jerat to sign the historic document that announces the formation of the Walker Cluster Defense Committee. With the formation of this multinational organization, the member nations hope to combine their efforts to defend the local cluster of systems against outside threats.

    "This follows the discovery of at least five large human polities outside of the local cluster, all of which are highly militarized and in a constant state of low intensity warfare .

    "As the local cluster if known as the 'Walker Cluster' to these polities, it was decided to call..."

    Stephan Köhler kept watching the newscast on the large screen in the mess hall for the time being, until a snort made him turn his head, looking at Martina Jäger.

    "First aliens and now we find out that these people are not even unified," she said, shaking her head. "251 nations? How can they get anything done with that many diverging interests?"

    Stephan shrugged his shoulders. Truth be told, he had thought the United Nations were the single unifying government of this planet, Earth. It had been something of a shock to discover it wasn't and it was a multinational organization with the about 189 nations of this system working together.

    "The UN has been working together for more than 220 years or so," he said.

    "That is correct," Hakam Singh, their UN liaison, noted as he put his tablet with food on the table opposite of them. "Though there have been times when the UN has only been a debating club. It only developed some real power when the United States, European Union, Peoples Republic of China and the Russian Federation pushed unwanted powers at the UN. Like orbital traffic control, standardizing life support systems... Things like that."

    The two Lyrans looked at each other, while Singh began to eat from his tablet.

    "Though I have to say that the WCDC formed rather quickly, considering the usual glacial speed of international diplomacy and politics between three different solar systems and four different species. I really hope it won't lead to any problems."

    Martina blinked, looking at Singh.

    "What problems?"

    The man thoughtfully chewed on a piece of bread and swallowed before answering.

    "For one the Federation of South East Asian Nations, the Russian Federation and the Ares Democratic Republic have not ratified the WCDC treaty and declined to take part in further discussions," he said and shrugged, dipping the bread into some sauce on his plate. "14 nations between our three systems have done so. Though one has not been invited to the Jerat Conference anyway..."

    "What will they do?"

    "Most likely set up one or two organizations to try and provide a counter balance to any policies the WCDC might set up. Thought the Free Democratic Peoples Republic of Aether are likely going to just scream loudly whenever something is done anyway."

    ---------------

    Walker Cluster Defense Committee

    Headquarters:
    - To be determined

    Sub organizations:
    - WCDC Defense Council
    - WCDC Survey Office
    - WCDC Diplomatic Corps
    - WCDC Trade Organization
    - WCDC Office for Science and Development

    ---------------

    Turn 1 Autumn 2174/3024

    WCDC Defense Council:

    The WCDC has just been established and the nations of the WCDC need to set up the actual organization for the defense of the local cluster (Walker Cluster). (1 action)

    [] Establishing Headquarters:
    One of the first things to do is of course to search for a place to build or rebuild a headquarters for the Defense Council. For the time being there is precious little that can be done without headquarters and a bureaucracy to deal with the things that will come up sooner or later.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%, Reward: +1 action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs.

    [] Navy Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So, any invasion needs to be taken care off in space. As such a survey of all available space forces, stations and defensive satellites is needed, as well as the development of tactics and strategies to prevent potential hostile forces from even entering atmosphere.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships

    WCDC Survey Office:

    The biggest problem the WCDC faces is insufficient information, aside what is available from the three BattleTech sourcebooks, most of which may be completely wrong, and what data could be gathered from the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services, of course limited as well. So intelligence is key to be albe to make decisions in the future. (1 action)

    [] Spy Central:
    As the nascent intelligence agency for the WCDC, the Survey Office does need their own headquarters, where data can be gathered, collated and suggestions be made for the Defense Council.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%, Reward: +1 intelligence action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Initial Survey:
    The first few surveys have discovered three systems with habitable planets and human populations. It is the best if there was a much more intense initial survey of the space surrounding the local cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: (40+3d20)% of all systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows to survey the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    Even if the WCDC has being founded, there are still things that need to be addressed to make sure it does not fall apart within its first few years. (1 action)

    [] Selecting a Main Office:
    One of the main problems is every nations wants to be the one to provide the Headquarters to the WCDC. So there need to be talks to address this issue.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 diplomatic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Why not remain?:
    With 14 nations not taking part in the WCDC there are some nations that are on the edge of leaving the WCDC and join one of the three (okay lets be real, its actually just two) rival organizations and gain 'better' status.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 85%, Reward: the 1d6 nations that thought about leaving, remain in the WCDC

    [] We want to help:
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    There is already some trade between the WCDC nations and with the discovery of the polities outside of the local cluster, it makes sense to increase internal trade and strengthen the economy of every nation. (1 action)

    [] Central Trading Post:
    Much like any other organization, there needs to be a central point where decisions can be made by the economists of the WCDC to make more and better decisions with the information available.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 economic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Stronger Economy:
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and strengthen the economy and give incentives to build closer links of trade within the local cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, the beginnings of a WCDC merchant marine (of sorts)

    [] Agile Economy:
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and make the economy more agile and able to react to new opportunities quickly, be it new technologies or new production techniques that make non-Fabricator production more effective.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    WCDC Office for Science and Development

    Science and Research are of course a base for any technology that can help defend the local cluster, so it is only logical that the WCDC would be handing out grants for new research that can further that goal.

    [] Central Campus:
    The research campus is of course one of the traditional ways to centralize research, but too centralized is always a bad idea as things can become entrenched and the scientific method ignored. So instead there needs to be a place that can take in information, make decisions and offer grants to any research project that can help the local cluster in the long run.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 scientific action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] New and old Physics:
    The Heim-Feynman theory is the basis of a number of advanced technologies used systems used to travel between planets and stars, but there is now a new theory that has come to the attention of the scientists at CERN, the Kearny-Fuchida theory. Perhaps Darcia Sandoval from the mercenaries can be brought to CERN and give a series of lectures on the properties of the Kearny-Fuchida theory to make the scientists there more familiar with the new theory.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Kearny-Fuchida theory, 2 new research options

    [] Big Stompy Robots:
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Shpere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities
     
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    Turn 1 - Results
  • And we have the results of Turn 1.

    I've taken every single department on its own and went for the most votes. In two cases, there were two votes for two actions, where I needed to make a decision. So I rolled a 1d6 for each, with even numbers for one option and uneven for the other.

    So, without further ado, the results of Turn 1:

    Code:
    WCDC Defense Council:
    [X] Establishing Headquarters - 4 - Denver(2)
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%, Reward: +1 action
    Roll 1d100: 47 - Simple Success
    
    WCDC Survey Office:
    [X] Initial Survey - 2
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: (40+3d20)% of all systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows to survey the remaining space
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success
    
    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:
    [X] Why not remain? - 2
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 85%, Reward: the 1d6 nations that thought about leaving, remain in the WCDC
    Roll 1d100: 18 - Just barely a success
    
    WCDC Trade Organization:
    [X] Stronger Economy - 3
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, the beginnings of a WCDC merchant marine (of sorts)
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 65 - Success
    
    WCDC Office for Science and Development
    [X] New and old Physics - 3
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Kearny-Fuchida theory, 2 new research options
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 12 - Failure

    That means that next turn, there will only be two actions avaiable for use. Or rather three, due to the Headquarters of the Defense Council.
     
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    Turn 1 - Autumn 2174/3024 Content
  • The Autumn of the Year 2174, or 3024 saw quite a lot of development within the Walker Cluster. The Walker Cluster Defense Committee had been founded and within it five sub organizations had come into being. And within each of these organizations, different things had been prioritized.

    WCDC Defense Council:

    [] Establishing Headquarters - 4 votes - Denver(2)
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%
    Roll 1d100: 47 - Simple Success

    There had been a lot of back and forth between all the member nations of the WCDC about who would be hosting the headquarters of the newly formed WCDC Defense Council for almost two months from its temporary headquarters in the Imperial Palace on Jerat.

    The United States of America first had attempted to use its old power and push the other nations into accepting Colorado Springs and the old Cheyenne Mountain Complex as the new headquarters, stating that it had been the home for aerospace and space defense for the United States for more than 200 years. Extensive upgrade had of course been used to expand and modernize the structure. While there had been some interest, it had been shot down by the US Space Forces themselves, stating that the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was still an active base and the heart of US aerospace defense. So why the fuck were the politicians trying to push it into the hands of the new WCDC?

    Beijing had also been on the table as home for the new headquarters and with Colorado Springs falling out of the race, it had appeared to be a good replacement candidate. It was situated in a mega city of more than a hundred million people and as such would have access to all the amenities of such a metroplex. On the other hand, the United States and the European Union noted that Beijing was the capital city of one of the largest nations in Sol, with almost one quarter of the population of the system being Chinese, only barely beating the Indians. And as such, it was feared by more and more of the Sol based nations that Beijing would force itself into a larger and larger role within the WCDC.

    While Brussels, the Jerat Imperial City in Beta Virginis, Shaghen City in 61 Virginis had come up, the United States had returned into the frey by suggesting Denver north of their previous choice of Colorado Springs. While previously they had suggested an existing military base, now they were offering the site of the Rocky Mountain Arcology, an arcology project for ten thousand people that had one of the first arcologies on Earth, but had failed just before opening, when Rocky Mountain Arcology Co. had gone bankrupt. There had been multiple attempts to open the arcology in the past hundred years, but all had failed. The structure itself was sound as was most of its infrastructure, even after more than a century, thanks to Rocky Mountain Arcology Co. overengineering the entire project to space born construction standarts. Currently the Rocky Mountain Arcology was owned by the US Department for Housing and Urban Development, who had tried to revitalize the structure for the last fifty years.

    The US Government was willing to provide the structure free of charge for the WCDC Defense Council, even planning to pay for half of the costs needed to upgrade it, so that it could be used by the WCDC Defense Council.

    After intense talks, and with resistance from China, the WCDC Defense Council had come down in favour of the Rocky Mountain Arcology, though China would provide the majority of technology to upgrade the Arcology.

    Reward: +1 action

    WCDC Survey Office:
    [] Initial Survey - 2 votes
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success

    The WCDC Survey Office on the other hand decided that choosing headquarters, a full survey of all systems in a sphere 60 ly around the center of the Walker Cluster was needed, as the members of Köhler Military Services had notified that almost the entire 'Periphery' of the Inner Sphere had Pirate Problems. Additionally the people of Llyn Ogwen had been on the receiving end of a Pirate Raid only a year previous and were still rebuinding part of their capital city.

    As such, the WCDC Survey Office requested spacecraft to set up twenty surnvey squadrons, aimed to speed up the survey of the space around the Walker Cluster as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, only spacecraft of Escort and Guardian types as well as some tanker and supply spacecraft had been requested, as it was expected that Bombardment type spacecraft might not be seen as peaceful by any of the habitated systems. Additionally it was decided to mix the squadrons in nationality in an attempt to foster closer cooperation between the member nations of the WCDC.

    Finally, after almost six weeks of setting up and supplying the survey squadrons, they moved out to begin their survey.

    By the end of Autumn, the squadrons had discovered two additional habitated systems and prepared for the discovery of more.

    Active for 1 more turn


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:
    [] Why not remain? - 2 votes
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 85%
    Roll 1d100: 18 - Just barely a success

    As they were blocked during the talks over the WCDC Defense Council Headquarters by almost every other nations, the Peoples Republic of China loudly wondered whether it was a good idea to remain within the WCDC, threatening to leave the organization before it had even begun to really find its own. Additionally several nations in Chinas sphere of influence, the Republic of Korea and Mongolia, were influenced by by China to follow them, should they choose to leave.

    This sent panic through the WCDC as China leaving would lead to massive repercussions and might make other nations that had only just become partners, like Brazil, think about leaving. It made the WCDC Diplomatic Corps scramble heavily and intense talks in Beijing were the result.

    China was slated to become a core part of the WCDC for the fact that it was the largest of the human nations and massive industrial powerhouse alone. Not to mention the massive fleets of spacecraft the People Liberation Army Space Forces would provide to the WCDC. So the Diplomatic Corps concentrated on these facts, only barely managing to keep China as partner within the WCDC, making large concessions to the Middle Kingdom.

    While the WCDC Defense Council would not make its headquarters in Beijing, the majority of all contracts to upgrade the Rocky Mountain Arcology were given to Chinese corporations. Additionally Chien Yue, then Prime Minister of China, was slated to become the first General Secrety of the Walker Cluster Defense Committee.

    Reward: China, Korea and Mongolia remain in the WCDC
    Additional: Large Chinese influence in the WCDC for the first 20 turns


    WCDC Trade Organization:
    [] Stronger Economy - 3 votes
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 65 - Success

    While there were large problems on the diplomatic front, the newly formed WCDC Trade Organization was able to begin their work successfully. While pirate raids were a distanstant possibility, most of the corporations within the nations of the WCDC were more fearful of the large industrial capabilities of the Successor States. With hundreds of planets for each of these polities commanded would come massive industrial complexes churning out goods that could flood the nations of the WCDC, once their existance was known.

    To combat these fears the members of the WCDC Trade Organizations began to work on plans to get the economy of the Three Systems onto an even footing. Plans were drawn up provide incentives for increasing the nascant internal trade between the nations and to build more civilian transport spacecraft capable of FTL travel.

    Active for 1 more turn

    WCDC Office for Science and Development
    [] New and old Physics - 3 votes
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Kearny-Fuchida theory, 2 new research options
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 12 - Failure

    The new Office of Science and Development initially thought about finding new headquarters, but some of the scientists within the organization noted that it was more important to try and come to terms with the new Kearny-Fuchida theory that was so important for the form of FTL travel used by the Inner Sphere as compared to the Heim-Feynman theory used by the Three Systems. After all the KF jump drive was an instantanious mode of transport, while the HF Event Generator was continous and needed time to move between the stars. Maybe it was possible to understand the theory and build their own Jump Drives and combine them with the HF Event Generator? And KD theory apparently had the potential to allow FTL communication, the holy grail of theoretical physics for the last fifty years!

    So the Office of Science and Development gave grant money to CERN to try and get Doctor Darcia Sandoval of Köhler Military Services to CERN and explain KF theory to some of the best theoretical physicists on Earth. While the attempt was made, Doctor Sandoval declined the initial offers, stating that she was merely a mechanic and needed to take care of the Battle Mechs. For the time being all further attempts failed.

    Active for 1 more turn
     
    Turn 2 - Winter 2174/3024
  • Turn 2 - Winter 2174/3024

    WCDC Defense Council:

    The WCDC has just been established and the nations of the WCDC need to set up the actual organization for the defense of the local cluster (Walker Cluster). (2 actions)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Navy Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So, any invasion needs to be taken care off in space. As such a survey of all available space forces, stations and defensive satellites is needed, as well as the development of tactics and strategies to prevent potential hostile forces from even entering atmosphere.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some of the people within the Defense Council begin to think that it is time that the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standartized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that the ground forced need standartized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standartized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some of the people within the Defense Council begin to think that it is time that the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standartized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and that is easier with standartized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standartized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons

    WCDC Survey Office:

    The biggest problem the WCDC faces is insufficient information, aside what is available from the three BattleTech sourcebooks, most of which may be completely wrong, and what data could be gathered from the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services, of course limited as well. So intelligence is key to be albe to make decisions in the future. (0 actions)

    [] Spy Central:
    As the nascent intelligence agency for the WCDC, the Survey Office does need their own headquarters, where data can be gathered, collated and suggestions be made for the Defense Council.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%, Reward: +1 intelligence action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Initial Survey: active
    The first few surveys have discovered three systems with habitable planets and human populations. It is the best if there was a much more intense initial survey of the space surrounding the local cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: (40+3d20)% of all systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows to survey the remaining space

    [] Initial Survey 2:
    The beginning of the Initial Survey has found m habitated systems, and surveyed a large percentage of the space outside of the Walker Cluster, so it is only logical to survey the rest.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: All systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows to survey of the space out to 90ly

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    Even if the WCDC has being founded, there are still things that need to be addressed to make sure it does not fall apart within its first few years. (1 action)

    [] Selecting a Main Office:
    One of the main problems is every nations wants to be the one to provide the Headquarters to the WCDC. So there need to be talks to address this issue.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 diplomatic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] We want to help:
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endager the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    There is already some trade between the WCDC nations and with the discovery of the polities outside of the local cluster, it makes sense to increase internal trade and strengthen the economy of every nation. (0 actions)

    [] Central Trading Post:
    Much like any other organization, there needs to be a central point where decisions can be made by the economists of the WCDC to make more and better decisions with the information available.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 economic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Stronger Economy: active
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and strengthen the economy and give incentives to build closer links of trade within the local cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, the beginnings of a WCDC merchant marine (of sorts)

    [] Agile Economy:
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and make the economy more agile and able to react to new opportunities quickly, be it new technologies or new production techniques that make non-Fabricator production more effective.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    Science and Research are of course a base for any technology that can help defend the local cluster, so it is only logical that the WCDC would be handing out grants for new research that can further that goal. (0 actions)

    [] Central Campus:
    The research campus is of course one of the traditional ways to centralize research, but too centralized is always a bad idea as things can become entrenched and the scientific method ignored. So instead there needs to be a place that can take in information, make decisions and offer grants to any research project that can help the local cluster in the long run.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 scientific action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] New and old Physics: active
    The Heim-Feynman theory is the basis of a number of advanced technologies used systems used to travel between planets and stars, but there is now a new theory that has come to the attention of the scientists at CERN, the Kearny-Fuchida theory. Perhaps Darcia Sandoval from the mercenaries can be brought to CERN and give a series of lectures on the properties of the Kearny-Fuchida theory to make the scientists there more familiar with the new theory.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Kearny-Fuchida theory, 2 new research options

    [] Big Stompy Robots:
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Shpere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities[/I]
     
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    Turn 2 - Winter 2174/3024 Results
  • Turn 2 Winter 2174/3024

    WCDC Defense Council:

    With its Headquarters in place, though still under construction, the WCDC Defense Council began to set up several think tanks to work on the various problems that would face the WCDC militarily to facilitate the defense.

    [] Navy Men: - 3 Votes active
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success

    One of the first things to deal with would be to set up an initial line of defense. And as any potential invasion had to first cross the space from the Heim-Feynman Limit to the habitated worlds in two of the Three Systems, the space forces were expected to have some time to facilitate a defense.

    It was noted however that the existing defenses, meant to intercept and destroy any incursion of the Onouch'l Automatons with the goal of delivering The Plague, were wholly inadequate. Those defenses were constructed with the notion in mind, that any Onouch'l Automaton space craft would need a few weeks to move in system, as they had never been seen to use a Libration Point for leaving HF Space. Inner Sphere Dropships however were capable of crossing the same distances within a few days, moving at higher speeds than were possible for any combat space craft in the Three Systems.

    So work began on drawing up tactics to use against potentially hostile dropships making their way to a habitated world.

    Active for 2 more turns

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): - 3 Votes active
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 92 - Success

    Meanwhile another think tank began to work on attempting to standardize the ground force equipment for not only over 200 nations, but to be used by five different species, not counting the Europans who rather were left alone.

    The initial problems were what to standardize on and to what degree.

    For infantry weapons, both humans and Quetzal/Aldmoru were making use of rail or coil gun designs for ranged weapons, while the Tiaunt and Quetzal/Rac'ris'ayc were using infantry chemical laser weapons.

    For fighting vehicles a similar problem presented itself, the choice between rail and coil guns, as well as lasers.

    The only common weapon systems were rockets and various other forms of indirect fire artillery.

    Other things involved rations, medical equipment and training and all other small things that would make logistics so much harder.

    Active for 3 more turns


    WCDC Survey Office:

    [] Initial Survey: active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 2, 1d100: 64 - Success
    Overall: 48 - Success

    Three more month go by and the twenty survey squadrons keep moving through the 60 ly diameter volume surrounding the already known Walker Cluster. For the most part it is the F, G, K and M class stars that are of most interest, though there are some brown dwarfs that are discovered and looked at.

    In all, two more habited planets are discovered by the squadrons during that time, raising the entirety of four discovered during this initial survey, and making a total of seven human habitated worlds.

    These new worlds are Bernstein, primarily inhabited by people of Jewish faith, and Craigh, with an Irish population speaking Gaelic. Then there is Farnham's Planet, which appears to have once been an attempt at a communist workers' paradise, only to collapse into an anarchist nightmare and ended up as a feudal society. The last would be Pandemonium, a desert world, where the originally English settlers had moved to a Bedouin like life style moving from oasis to oasis, with some settlements here and there.

    Between these worlds and those already known ones, theories are abounded about the settlement movements from the Inner Sphere. So far the known information seems to lead to the conclusion that every planet was settled by a privately organized group, much like the settlement of the North American continent, rather than any coordinated effort to colonize.

    Reward: 67% of all systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows to survey the remaining space

    ]
    fIru9RU.png

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    [] Selecting a Main Office: - 4 votes
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%
    Please write in a potential HQ : Imperial City, Empire of Jerat - 3 Votes
    Roll 1d100: 5 - Critical Fail

    With the somewhat successful talks to keep China and its clients in the WCDC, the Diplomatic Corps could finally begin to try and find a place to set up the organizations Main Office.

    The Emperor of Jerat, as the one who had invited everyone to the Imperial Palace for the summit that founded WCDC suggested a place within the Imperial City, stating it would only be logical that the place where the WCDC began would also be the place to host its headquarters.

    The Peoples Republic of China was of a different opinion however, diplomatically demanding that the WCDC Main Office was to be placed in Beijing, with cynics within the Dilomatic Corps whispering that they would be okay if the Main Office was to be place on Earth in a somewhat covert display of xenophobia.

    To make matters worse, the United Colonies of Dran from 61 Virginis put forth the Habitat City of Riselddra on the moon Iabsul as the selection of the Aldmoru nations of the WCDC, stating that they were the least many if the WCDC species, and as such should be given more of a say in matters.

    As such, talks deteriorated and eventually broke down, with all parties pulling back to regroup for another talk.

    Reward: No Main Office Selected

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    [] Stronger Economy:
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 65 - Success
    Roll 2 of 2, 1d100: 42 - Success
    Overall: 54 - Success

    With the incentives given in Autumn 2174/3024 for interstellar trade, several of the transport corporations in the Three Systems have begun to expand their business into interstellar trade, ordering FTL capable transport spacecraft from the various yards capable of building spacecraft equipped with HF Event Generators. Additionally, some of these corporations have begun talks about cooperation in reaction to the Trade Organization giving more incentives to the formation of a sort of 'Merchant Marine'.

    As such trade between the systems has picked up, with Helium-3 being one of the main exports of 61 Virginis, while optical systems are a staple of Beta Hydri and cheap fabricator systems one of the exports of Sol.

    It was hoped this internal trade will help the Three Systems to fend of potential trade from the Inner Sphere.

    Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, the beginnings of a WCDC merchant marine (of sorts)

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    [] New and old Physics:
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 2, 1d100: 12 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 2, 1d100: 54 - Success
    Overall: 33 - Marginal Success

    Over time, everything and everyone wears down. That turned out to be the case for Doctor Sandoval as well. She might have presented herself as a 'humble mechanic' for the most part, but eventually her curiosity got the better of her, and she did give her agreement to visit CERN for three weeks and give a series of talks concerning Kearny-Fuchida theory. During the time at this venerable institute, she did give the physicists in the area more insight into KF theory, allowing them to begin their own work on the theory.

    On the other side, Doctor Sandoval noted it would be the last time she would give these talks and that she was much more at home in the guts of a Battle Mech than she was in the 'shark tank' that was the internal politics of the scientific community. That and she did not want to do battle to get grants and have to defend herself and her theories in publications.

    In the end, she did leave CERN again, amidst loud protests, leaving behind a beginning understanding of KF theory among the scientists of CERN and some other institutions that had sent their own physicists to CERN to listen to the lectures and talks of Doctor Sandoval.

    There are rumors that the Doctor Sandoval left following the question by Professor Dick Feynman (AGI scientist of CalTech) whether Inner Sphere Science was 'cargo cult science', followed by auditorium wide laughter at Sandoval's answer of 'Surely you are joking Mr. Feynman'.

    Reward: Kearny-Fuchida theory, 2 new research options
    New Research option: Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster
    New Research option: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy

    Random Event:

    London Times said:
    Formation of the Prometheus Foundation by Adam Prometheus

    Ceres, December 2, 2174

    Sir Adam Prometheus CBE, first British ASI, former God (retired) and second richest person on Ceres, announced today the formation of the Prometheus Foundation for Humanitarian Aid.

    Sir Prometheus said the Prometheus Foundation is not named after him, but after the Greek god Prometheus, who gave humanity fire and is sometimes considered the author of human arts and sciences. As such, the Prometheus Foundations intends to deliver humanitarian aid to any planet discovered outside the Walker Cluster by the WCDC, as needed, as well as technological uplift. He further notes he intends to work in cooperation with the WCDC Diplomatic Corps and Survey Office, so that the aid is received by those that need it.

    ...

    Daily Mail said:
    AI GOD INTENDS TO GATHER NEW DISIPLES!

    Reward: +5 on external diplomatic actions, +5 on humanitarian aid actions
     
    Turn 3 - Spring 2175/3025
  • Ahhhhhh... The joy of being able to prepare shit, when you know how some things are going to turn out... ;)

    Turn 3 - Spring 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    The WCDC has just been established and the nations of the WCDC need to set up the actual organization for the defense of the local cluster (Walker Cluster). (0 actions)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Navy Men: active (2 turns)
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So, any invasion needs to be taken care off in space. As such a survey of all available space forces, stations and defensive satellites is needed, as well as the development of tactics and strategies to prevent potential hostile forces from even entering atmosphere.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active (3 turns)
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that the ground forced need standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons

    WCDC Survey Office:

    The biggest problem the WCDC faces is insufficient information, aside what is available from the three BattleTech sourcebooks, most of which may be completely wrong, and what data could be gathered from the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services, of course limited as well. So intelligence is key to be albe to make decisions in the future. (1 action)

    [] Spy Central:
    As the nascent intelligence agency for the WCDC, the Survey Office does need their own headquarters, where data can be gathered, collated and suggestions be made for the Defense Council.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%, Reward: +1 intelligence action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Initial Survey 2:
    The beginning of the Initial Survey has found 4 habitated systems, and uncovered two-thirds of the space outside of the Walker Cluster, so it is only logical to survey the rest.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: All systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows surveying of the space out to 90ly

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research:
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    Even if the WCDC has being founded, there are still things that need to be addressed to make sure it does not fall apart within its first few years. (1 action)

    [] Selecting a Main Office:
    One of the main problems is every nations wants to be the one to provide the Headquarters to the WCDC. So there need to be talks to address this issue.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 diplomatic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] We want to help:
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid:
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    There is already some trade between the WCDC nations and with the discovery of the polities outside of the local cluster, it makes sense to increase internal trade and strengthen the economy of every nation. (1 action)

    [] Central Trading Post:
    Much like any other organization, there needs to be a central point where decisions can be made by the economists of the WCDC to make more and better decisions with the information available.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 economic action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Agile Economy:
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and make the economy more agile and able to react to new opportunities quickly, be it new technologies or new production techniques that make non-Fabricator production more effective.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    [] Diversifying Economy:
    With more and more known worlds habited by humans outside of the Walker Cluster, it might be a good idea to give incentives to set up factories and corporations to produce lower tier technologies that can be exported to any of these worlds. This would give the economy some experience with external trade and potentially allow more diplomatic success with the worlds surrounding the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +5 on external trace actions, +5 on diplomatic actions on nearby worlds

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    Science and Research are of course a base for any technology that can help defend the local cluster, so it is only logical that the WCDC would be handing out grants for new research that can further that goal. (1 action)

    [] Central Campus:
    The research campus is of course one of the traditional ways to centralize research, but too centralized is always a bad idea as things can become entrenched and the scientific method ignored. So instead there needs to be a place that can take in information, make decisions and offer grants to any research project that can help the local cluster in the long run.
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%, Reward: +1 scientific action
    Please write in a potential HQ

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster
    One of the first things revealed by KF theory, was the potential to massively improve existing fusion drive systems. Considering that current combat space craft face a large disadvantage compared to drop ships, it would certainly a boon to space flight if it was possible to reduce that disadvantage. It would also make interplanetary travel faster and surprisingly enough reduce fuel consumption noticeably.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Big Stompy Robots:
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Shpere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities[/I]
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 3 - Spring 2175/3025 Results
  • Turn 3 - Spring 2175/3025 - Results

    WCDC Defense Council:

    [] Navy Men: active (1 turn)
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 1 - Critical Fail (1d100: 96 - It can be recovered from)

    Even while planning things can go wrong. Especially if one is working in an active construction zone.

    Here, repairs and upgrades to the internal structure of the Rocky Mountain Arcology lead to a massive power failure in one of the sub sections of the massive building for an entire week. During that time the Think Tank responsible for taking stock of all space forces within the WCDC, as well as planning new tactics to deal with the much faster drop ships, lost time.

    But it came worse than that, as a water coolant pipe in the subsection's server room burst, shortening out entire racks of servers before the building systems could shut them down. With the loss of the servers came the loss of most of the already gathered data, some of which was thankfully backed up off site. But it still threw the entire project back by two months and the Think Tank would have to work much harder to meet the projects' deadline.

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active (2 turns)
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 92 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success

    More time was spent with gathering data for the WCDC Standartized Equipment Project, to find weapons and equipment that could be used by either of the species involved in the project. But there were more problems that there were solutions.

    Making use of Fort Carson, a US Army Base in El Paso, the Project pulled together weapons from all nations partaking in the WCDC and personal from a number of their armies. That alone was a big problem as some equipment needed to be shipped from their respective worlds to Earth for testing. And even then not all the weapons and equipment was usable inside the Earth's gravity well.

    Testing was done over two months, in which time it became clearer that if anything, new weapons would need to be designed that could be produced everywhere and easily adapted to the physique of and of the Five species. The 34 Coil Pulse Rifle of the US Army for example could not be used at all by the Tiaunt or the Turukal. The Ormiold and the Quetzal had fewer problems with the weapons, but the ergonomics was bad for them as well.

    At the End of Spring, not much progress had been made, though some experiments were made with refitting some existing weapons in such a way that they could be used by the other species.

    Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development

    WCDC Survey Office:

    [] Spy Central: - 3 - Berlin(3)
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 90%
    Roll 1d100: 43 - Success

    For the most part, the WCDC Survey Office was still digesting the results from the first initial survey of the space around the Walker Cluster, out to 60 lightyears. It rapidly became clear the organization did need Headquarters to be albe to be much more effective.

    Talks were held between the various nations, and other than those of the diplomatic service, at least some involved organizations favored the City of Spied from the Cold War, Berlin. The Bundesregierung of Germany had offered not merely one, but three locations for the Headquarters, as there were of course sub organizations of the Surveys Office to consider.

    The first location was half of the new old Stadtschloss on the Museeum Island, half of which was already occupied by the Humbold-Forum, containing the Ethnological Museum of Berlin and the Museum of Asian Art. The idea behind the Stadtschloss was to give the Survey Office a big and visible place for the public and official business to take place, directly on the Strasse under den Linden between the Brandebug Gate and the Alexanderplatz.

    The second location would be the old Teufelsberg, an ancient man-made rubble mount, topped by the remains of an old US listening post. Here, the WCDC could build their own installations, dealing with the much more covert operations of the Survey Office, with the area completely covered by a 200-year-old wood and easily surrounded by modern security.

    The final location was to be the old Airport Tempelhof, which was offered to be turned into a local space port for use by the Survey Office, so that they could land their shuttles close to any of their other installations and deal with either the covert or public situations.

    Reward: +1 intelligence action

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:


    [] Selecting a Main Office: - 3 - Imperial City, Empire of Jerat (3) - Diplomatic Quarters
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%
    Roll 1d100: 73 - Success

    With the previous rounds of talks for the WCDC Main Office having failed previously due to the heavy obstructionism of the Peoples REpublic of China, many the more powerful WCDC nations had begun back room talks, aimed to find a solution and to put pressure on the Chinese. While they made up a fourth of the entire human population of the Walker Cluster, and as such were powerful in an economic and political sense, they would have to learn that they were not alone and that all other nation combined could fight the Chinese pressure.

    Interestingly, the other two major powers of Earth WCDC members, the United States of America and the European Union, kept themselves in the background, as the combined political force of all Jerat nations and the largest of the Aldmoru nations put the pressure on the Chinese.

    Eventually the Chinese had to back down, faced by what was essentially the economic and political might of two entire planets. With that, The Emperor of Jerat gracefully once again offered use of the old Imperial Ministry of Agriculture for use by the WCDC, as the Ministry itself had long since moved into a new building, leaving the old one standing empty for the past fifty years.

    There would be the need to do renovations and upgrades to the building, but not considered a great problem, a 90 percent of all diplomats were in favor for this new Main Office.

    Reward: +1 diplomatic action

    WCDC Trade Organization:


    [] Central Trading Post: - 3 - Ganymede Domed City, Moon of Jupiter (3) - Gallileo
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%
    Roll 1d100: 70 - Success

    While the pressure was on the Chinese over the Main Office, the Trade Organization was in search of their own headquarters, best located in a potentially new large trading hub. A place on Earth or JErat was considered, but rejected. If there was to be more trade and commerce between the Three Systems, the new headquarters would need to be located centrally and easily reached by HF drive or now by KF drive.

    After a long search, the selection was made for Gallileo, the capital city of the Gallileo Union of habitats on Ganymede and Callisto, and the only domed city on the largest of Jupiters moon. The large domes of Gallileo only existed as a testament for human ingenuity, or so its habitants told everyone, with massive magnetic coils reducing the normally lethal radiation on the surface of the moon to manageable levels.

    With Jupiters orbit nearly crossing the Feynman Limit, it was easy for any spacecraft to arrive at the largest of Sols planets and the Economical planners, as well as the City and Union governments were hopeful that the city would become a new hub for interstellar commerce and the new WCDC Trade Organizations headquarters was placed into the same dome as the City and Union governments, in the hope of strengthening the nations ties to the organization for a golden future.

    Reward: +1 economic action

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:


    [] Central Campus: - 3 - Paris (3) - Sorbonne Université, Campus Pierre-et-Marie-Curie
    Time: 1 turn, Chance of success: 80%
    Roll 1d100: 89 - Success

    With the almost disaster at CERN concerning the Doctor Sandoval over and Earth getting their first glimpse at a new hyper-dimensional theory, the Office for Science and Development noted they were in desperate need of their own headquarters. Hearing about that more than two thousand universities from every WCDC nation offered buildings and services, most with the hope to be on the receiving end of more than their fair share of grants.

    Collating the offers and the known data of these universities, the AIs employed by the Office, suggested to three potential candidates, the Sorbonne Universrté in Paris, The Imperial University of the Empire of Jerat and the Technical University of Kaldran of the United Colonies.

    Believing that being in a somewhat central position would be an advantage, the selection was made with the Sorbonne Université over the other suggestions, to with the University replied the Office would be welcome to set up their offices at the Campus Pierre-et-Marie-Curie.

    Reward: +1 scientific action

    Random Event:


    Hidden Event
     
    Turn 4 - Summer 2175/30254
  • Turn 3 - Spring 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (0 actions)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Navy Men: active (1 turn)
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So, any invasion needs to be taken care off in space. As such a survey of all available space forces, stations and defensive satellites is needed, as well as the development of tactics and strategies to prevent potential hostile forces from even entering atmosphere.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active (2 turns)
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that the ground forced need standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (2 actions)

    [] Initial Survey 2:
    The beginning of the Initial Survey has found 4 habitated systems, and uncovered two-thirds of the space outside of the Walker Cluster, so it is only logical to survey the rest.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: All systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows surveying of the space out to 90ly

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research:
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (2 actions)

    [] We want to help:
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid:
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (2 actions)

    [] Agile Economy:
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and make the economy more agile and able to react to new opportunities quickly, be it new technologies or new production techniques that make non-Fabricator production more effective.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    [] Diversifying Economy:
    With more and more known worlds habited by humans outside of the Walker Cluster, it might be a good idea to give incentives to set up factories and corporations to produce lower tier technologies that can be exported to any of these worlds. This would give the economy some experience with external trade and potentially allow more diplomatic success with the worlds surrounding the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +5 on external trace actions, +5 on diplomatic actions on nearby worlds


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (2 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster
    One of the first things revealed by KF theory, was the potential to massively improve existing fusion drive systems. Considering that current combat space craft face a large disadvantage compared to drop ships, it would certainly a boon to space flight if it was possible to reduce that disadvantage. It would also make interplanetary travel faster and surprisingly enough reduce fuel consumption noticeably.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Big Stompy Robots:
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Shpere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities[/I]
     
    Turn 4 - Summer 2175/3025 - Results
  • Very well, Gentlepeople, the voting is over, have the results.

    -------------------------------------------

    Turn 4 - Summer 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:


    [] Navy Men:
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 1 - Critical Fail (1d100: 96 - It can be recovered from)
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Combined: 46 - Success

    While there had been some setbacks concerning the Project, in the end all data had been recovered from various sources, be if offsite backups or the memories of the members of the think tank.

    As the final report is typed up, it is taken as a success and a full list of defense installations and space craft is available. The first few simple tactics have been written up, mostly based around using squadrons of FTL capable spacecraft stationed in the L1 points of various planets, as well as cycling at least one squadron of spacecraft through the defense of the so called 'Nadir' and 'Zenith' jump points.

    In the climate of wishful thinking the Defense Counsl and the Office for Science and Development began to inquire with Köhler Military Services, whether it would be possible to take a much closer look at the design and construction of these massive machines, hoping to gain a lot more insight into them, hoping to gain more insight.ing.

    Reward: Full survey of all space forces available in all major systems, initial tactics to defeat dropships, +5 to engagements against dropships

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 92 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 89 - Success

    More data is gathered by the think tank, and they begin to collate the data. Over time, it becomes clear that human weapons are squarely in the average of all weapons used by the Three Systems.

    The Aldmoru of 61 Virginis had designed superior kinetic weapons over the past 3000 years since the fall of Cterin and occasional low intensity warfare between the various nations, though most of their weapons were mostly designed for micro and low gravity use.

    The Tiaunt comparatively had developed superior laser based weapons, considering their natural leaser weapons.

    So far the only weapon systems of human make better than average were artillery and ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missiles.

    Any of the ground vehicles of the Tiaunt and humans were broadly comparable in capabilities, with the various designs largely differing with their design goals. The same went broadly for aerospace fighters and bombers, with Tiaunt planes being larger due to the generally larger size of the Tiaunt compared to humans. The Aldmoru however were more effective when it came to low gravity ground vehicles and lack of any aerospace planes as none of their moons has an atmosphere.

    All that would be left to do, was to decide what weapons would need to be standardized around.

    active for 1 more turn


    WCDC Survey Office:


    [] Initial Survey 2: - 4 votes active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 55 - Success

    Some time used to collect and then collate the data collected by the first initial survey, there was the additional discovery of two more planets that used to be settled, but are by now uninhabited. However, as there was at the time no obvious settlement, no shuttle had settled down on the planets.

    As it was decided the previous scout squadrons had worked well together, they were sent out again, aiming to scout out the remaining third of the volume up to 60 ly distance from Sol. This brought the scouts into contact with the planet of Santa Alvarez, colonized by Latin American settlers.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Rimworlds Research: - 3 votes active
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail

    Another, much bigger scouting mission was proposed by some people in the Survey Office and to go to the system of Erdvynn, the former provincial capital of the Erdvynn Province of the Rim World Republic, about 111.6 lightyears distant from Earth. During the Fall of the Rimworlds Republic about 250 years ago, it appeared to have fallen after a large scale battle and the proposal noted it might be possible to find some remains in system. Maybe a Jumpship, maybe even a warship.

    The scope of this mission was larger than the relatively simple scouting missions however, mostly due to the distances involved. While it would certainly help with learning how to run missions over this distance, especially once there were scouting missions into the nearby star nations, there remained significant misgivings about the planning.

    Rather than fully endorse the plans however, the upper management of the Survey Office only tentatively endorsed the plan, beginning to only slowly pull together some logistical support, while any scout squadron that could be used was instead sent out to survey close by systems instead, leaving the missions in a planning stage limbo for the moment.

    active for 7 more turns


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:


    [] We want to help: - 4 votes active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 60+5 = 65 - Success

    Slowly the first diplomatic missions were prepared to visit Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann, aiming to gather more information about these three worlds the WCDC had the most contact with, as well as opening some more conventional diplomatic contact.

    A few diplomats of all Three Systems have been selected on the credentials and previous work and small squadrons of space craft, some civilian craft with military escorts, to bring the ambassadors to the three worlds and initialize more official contact.

    active for 2 more turn


    [] Humanitarian Aid: - 4 votes - Hannover (3 votes) active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 29+5 = 39 - Fail

    While the diplomatic mission prepared itself, the Prometheus Foundations did the same, but they started out badly.

    As a new NGO, backed by an extremely wealthy ASI, who also happened to be the former god of an entire religion, but had fled from that responsibility on the ground of 'it being tedious repetitive work without any real effectiveness', brought its own problems. While the Prometheus Foundation did manage to buy a pair of spacecraft, both of them medium transports for up to 5000 tonnes, it turned out that one of them was run down and all its systems needed a massive overhaul before it could even be used, making it stuck in dock for at least six months.

    Additionally, new applicants for the organizations needed to be screened to keep out members of the Church of the Universal Algorithm, the former religion of Adam Prometheus, trying to get closer to their god and likely to thoughtlessly follow his suggestions, while Adam was much more interested in people who would creatively deal with any problem.

    There were also problems with the three Planetary Settlement Kits the Foundation had managed to build on the open source plans available, as hard and software did not work as expected, necessitating long hours of bug fixing and repairs.

    It was not a lucky beginning for the work of the Prometheus Foundation.

    active for 2 more turn

    WCDC Trade Organization:


    [] Agile Economy: - 4 votes active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 68-10 = 78 - Success

    The fears of being swamped by potentially cheaper good from outside of the Walker Cluster and the Successor States remaining, the WCDC Trade Organization began to plan for the countless companies and corporations of the Three Systems to improve their own organizations to react faster to the potential new goods that would come in from the Inner Sphere and develop comparable and perhaps even superior good on a short notice.

    As such incentives were given out to begin strengthening the various R&D departments of these companies. Time would tell how well these incentives would be taken up by the companies to make the economy more agile in its reactions to external 'threats'.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Diversifying Economy: - 4 votes active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 46-10 = 56 - Success

    While the economy saw itself under threat from the Successor States, many economists in the Trade Organization also saw new markets for good from the Three Systems appear, as more and more settled systems were discovered by the Survey Office. Most of these planets were behind in their technological development however and going the history of the species of the Walker Cluster, swamping these markets with comparably massively advanced goods might lead to the destruction and failure of these new markets.

    So the economists within the Trade Organization began to plan for giving out more incentives for companies to develop less advanced good of various forms that could be sold in these new markets for a good profit.

    active for 1 more turn


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:[/I][/B]

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster - 4 votes active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success

    Following the almost disaster of getting Dosctor Sandoval to talk about Kearney-Fuchida theory to the scientists at CERN, trying to digest the theory itself proved to be something of a challenge to any of the scientific centers of the Three Systems. Documentation was understandably scarce and the video documentation was only partially useful, especially for the non-human scientists that needed to work out human idioms and saying before they could make out any useful information at all.

    Given the origin of the theory itself in fusion research, it was decided in the Office for Science and Development, that it would only be natural to begin working from the fusion angle of the theory, as likely the most easily understandable and grants were given out to various researches in the area to begin working on the theory to that angle, but the research itself proved to be problematic in itself.

    Though most researchers were looking forward to the challenge. And some noted it might be possible to use that work to develop a Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster system to replace conventional fusion thrusters.

    active for 3 more turns

    [] Big Stompy Robots: - 3 votes active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success

    With Köhler Military Services under contract with the United Nations for one year now and more than enough footage about the Battlemechs of the mercenary company available on the Internet, many people began to look wistfully at the large war machines. Would it not be cool or awesome if the WCDC had some of them of their own?

    In the climate of wishful thinking the Defense Counsl and the Office for Science and Development began to inquire with Köhler Military Services, whether it would be possible to take a much closer look at the design and construction of these massive machines, hoping to gain a lot more insight into them, hoping to gain more insight.

    The chief engineer, Doctor Sandoval, however was not looking forward to having 'Earth science monkeys' all over her Battlemechs, no doubt feeling significant lingering resentment, considering her treatment at CERN and the comments of one Dick Feynman to have been below anything she had ever experienced before in the scientific community of the Inner Shpere, even though she had only been in it for a short while.

    It needed significant intervention by Stephan Köhler and his second in command Martina Jäger, to get Doctor Sandoval to grudgingly allow Earth technicians and scientists to have a closer look at her precious Battlemechs.

    active for 2 more turns

    Random Event:[\i][\b]

    Nothing of note happens.
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 5 - Autumn 2175/3025
  • Turn 5 - Autumn 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (1 action)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active (1 turns)
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that the ground forced need standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons

    [] Jump Point Defense:
    After the initial survey of the space forces, the think tank made the recommendation to develop a form of static jump point defense and deploy them to the zenith and nadir jump points. It might be a good idea to talk to several contractors to begin the development of such stations. Perhaps it might even be possible to develop a design that can be carried through FTL and deployed as a local jump point defense outside the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 70%, Reward: Basic design of a static Jump Point defense system, 35% chance of the design being FTL mobile


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    [] Initial Survey 2: active (1 turn)
    The beginning of the Initial Survey has found 4 habitated systems, and uncovered two-thirds of the space outside of the Walker Cluster, so it is only logical to survey the rest.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75% Reward: All systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows surveying of the space out to 90ly

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (7 turns)
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (0 actions)

    [] We want to help: active (2 turns)
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid: active (2 turn)
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (0 actions)

    [] Agile Economy: active (1 turn)
    With the knowledge about the sheer size of the policies outside of the local cluster, some of which count several hundred systems, immediate action is needed. When they get contact they could well flood the markets of the local cluster with cheap goods made in hundreds of systems. So the WCDC needs to prepare for that inevitable moment and make the economy more agile and able to react to new opportunities quickly, be it new technologies or new production techniques that make non-Fabricator production more effective.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    [] Diversifying Economy: active (1 turn)
    With more and more known worlds habited by humans outside of the Walker Cluster, it might be a good idea to give incentives to set up factories and corporations to produce lower tier technologies that can be exported to any of these worlds. This would give the economy some experience with external trade and potentially allow more diplomatic success with the worlds surrounding the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +5 on external trade actions, +5 on diplomatic actions on nearby worlds


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (0 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster active (3 turns)
    One of the first things revealed by KF theory, was the potential to massively improve existing fusion drive systems. Considering that current combat space craft face a large disadvantage compared to drop ships, it would certainly a boon to space flight if it was possible to reduce that disadvantage. It would also make interplanetary travel faster and surprisingly enough reduce fuel consumption noticeably.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Big Stompy Robots: active (2 turn)
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Shpere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities[/I]

    -------------------------------------

    As it is, there is only one action avaiable in the Defense Council.
     
    Turn 5 - Autumn 2175/3025 - Results
  • Turn 5 - Autumn 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    [] Jump Point Defense: - 4 votes
    Time: 3 turns, chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 8 - Failure

    As the initial studies to shore up the defenses of the Three Worlds was largely dependent on the development of strategies to defend a systems Nadir and Zenith jump points, it was only logical for the military that they should go and go to their contractors and begin an official Request for Designs.

    The Defense Council did still have teething problems however and miscommunication as well as insufficient bureaucracy within the new organization (rather than too much of it) delayed the Request for Designs from being given out. And by the time the RFDs were sent out, the deadline for the designs was just six months away...

    [] Standartized Equipment (Ground): active
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 92 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 89 - Success
    Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 82 - Success
    Combined: 75 - Success

    The remaining time of the look into standardized ground equipment was needed to write up the report for the Defense Council, as well as making a few recommendations.

    For kinetic assault rifles, the Think Tank recommended using the Quetzal 5.4 mm sabot coil gun ammunition, making use of copper drive rings integrated into a 5.4 mm self forging tungsten penetrator dart in a polymer sabot, with muzzle velocities of up to 3430 m/s, capable of penetrating Type V personal protective armor over a distance of 1.5 km, and 20 mm of rolled homogeneous armor over a distance of 750 m. Against soft targets, hydrostatic shock would have devastating effects.

    While a Tiaunt laser rifle was recommended, it would be less effective against hardened targets, but more successfully deployed in specialist applications against soft targets and sensory equipment.

    Artillery was recommended to make use of either human 155 mm or 205 mm calibers with its various sub munitions, from conventional explosives, over armor penetrating to terminal guided ammunitions. Similar was true for the various missile systems developed by various human nations, from 75 mm guided short range missiles to large long ranged theater artillery missiles.

    For tanks, no fixed design was recommended, rather noting these vehicles should be developed based on the final role. Here, both laser and 135 mm mass drivers have been recommended as weapons.

    In the end, suggestions were made to compare Inner Sphere armor to the present composite armor employed by the Three Systems. Potentially reactive armor would be useful against weapons employed by Battlemechs.

    Reward: Initial Designs for standardized ground force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to ground weapon development


    WCDC Survey Office:

    [] Initial Survey 2: active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 55 - Success
    Roll 2 of 2, Roll 1d100: 53 - Success
    Combined: 54 - Success

    The time of the remaining survey of the space up to 60 lighyears around Sol and the Walker Cluster was successful and the twenty squadrons of survey craft returned to their previous posts. With their return, the number of habitated worlds around the Walker Cluster increased by three.

    Santa Alvarez, with a Latin American population, Washington, a world with a population of Native and African American Settlers from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, and Solidarność with somehow is the home of a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

    To these planets, two more worlds were found to have been previously settled, but there were no people around when the shuttles landed and there was no time to look further into the abandoned settlements.

    Reward: All systems outside of the Walker Cluster surveyed (up to 60ly), followup action allows surveying of the space out to 90ly

    lfHVSRR.png

    [] Rimworlds Research: active
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success

    While the plans for the Forwards Research Mission to Erdvynn continued to be made, but as before, the higher ups on the Survey Office did not think that the mission would be of any use for the moment.

    There was some hope for the mission to get off the ground as there was a vote in the Survey Offices Control Council, but the Mission to Erdvynn lost by 4 to 7 votes.

    active for 6 more turns


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    [] We want to help: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 60+5 = 65 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 75+5 = 80 - Success

    Initial talks successfully begin on the planets of Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann.

    While the Amish of Ammann are skeptical about their contact with the WCDC and fear it would bring in influences that might destabilize their world, they do note they would be grateful concerning help against any pirate raid. They were also informed the discovery of their world by the WCDC made it likely that Amish from Earth would like to immigrate to their world, something they were surprised by, but would welcome any new immigrants.

    On Llyn Ogwen the contact went more geared into the direction of helping the population with their limited arable land, with farmers interested in any crops, bio-engineered or not, as well as fertilizer. When asked about that, one diplomat notes it might be possible to set up a plant for modern fertilizer, which was surprising for the Llyn Ogwen representatives, who noted it was unusual for a more advanced world to import production plants onto a lesser advanced one. There was of course also the problem of pirates to consider.

    Hannover finally welcomed the diplomats with open arms, with Kaiser Hiroshi von Hohenzollern himself giving a party to welcome them himself, as well as taking part in the talks along with the Bundestag. Talk largely feature support with technology that would help supply the industrial complexes that stabilize the planets' ecosphere, while simultaneously going into more direct help improve the planets' industry itself. Pirates are less of a problem to the Hannoverians, though there has been at least one raid targeting one of the industrial complexes, heavily damaging it and abducting many technicians.

    active for 1 more turn


    [] Humanitarian Aid: Hannover (3 votes) active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 29+5 = 34 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 77+5 = 82 - Success

    Compared to the beginning, the Prometheus Foundation was finally able to get their problems squared away, the refit of their second transport craft complete. Some logistics support was given by the WCDC, before the two transports and two passenger craft were finally on the way to Hannover.

    The arrival of the four space craft was taken with some trepidation by the diplomatic mission already on the planet, but after being informed about the mission itself, Kaiser Hiroshi von Hohenzollern giving his support to the Foundation. Allowed landing at a military airfield near Döhren, the capital of Hannover, the Foundation landed two large single use 5000 tonne cargo pods, containing not just one, but two Open Source Planetary Settlement Kits, containing all systems needed to set up a settlement on a 'virgin planet'. Additionally, some technicians were provided to support the local industrialists to make use of them.

    To top it off, the Foundation would support a set of one thousand students with stipends in universities and other technical campuses on Earth. It was made clear any other planet would be getting the same help from the Foundation.

    active for 1 more turn

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    [] Agile Economy: - 4 votes active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 68+10 = 78 - Success
    Roll 2 of 2, Roll 1d100: 12+10 = 24 - Fail
    Combined: 51 - Success

    The attempt to make the economy of the Three Systems more agile and help the various companies to adapt to any external commercial threat from the Inner Sphere was taken up by the companies with almost insufficient enthusiasm.

    While many of the companies had asked for some support from the WCDC in monetary incentives, initially most instead used them to invest into anything but their R&D departments. Especially Chinese companies were adept in this, receiving most of the Trade Organizations ire.

    It took the heavy hand of the Trade Organization to inform the various companies that taken up the support, that the contracts contained various sanctions against any corporation that would not follow the contract to the latter.

    So with a measure of grumbling, the companies were made to see sense and adapt their organizations to be more agile.

    Reward: +10 on external trade actions, +5 on adaption of new products

    [] Diversifying Economy: - 4 votes active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 46 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 2, Roll 1d100: 85 - Success
    Combined: 65 - Success

    Other than the incentives to make the economy more agile, the encouragements for companies to diversify their offerings to the less developed planets surrounding the Walker Cluster, were taken up much more enthusiastic. Cynics would of course note this was largely due to the greater potential to make more money from those new markets on the newly discovered planets.

    In the end, many corporations began to produce the first items meant for the new markets, even though most were mostly old technology, slightly refurbished, needing less development than entirely new designs.

    Reward: +5 on external trade actions with Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann, +5 on diplomatic actions on Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success

    The challenge of Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Theory was taken up willingly by the various scientific institutions of the Walker Cluster. Insufficient fast communication between the various teams on different systems was making cooperation harder however, making most of the scientists wish for a viable FTL communication system, like the Hyper Pulse Generator used in the Inner Sphere.

    Still, the theory slowly was worked on and the various teams did manage to set up some communication links through the courier craft currently linking the Three Systems.

    active for 2 more turns

    [] Big Stompy Robots: active (1 turns)
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 51 - Success

    While Doctor Sandoval of Köhler Military Services still gave air to her grievances concerning her perceived treatment at CERN, work on inspecting the various systems and designs of the Battlemechs were coming along nicely. Eventually it was possible to get the Chief Engineer to shut up, after telling her that this was helping out KMS as well, as it might allow various Earth companies to supply KMS with replacement part, maybe even upgrades.

    Additionally, some observers were present during some training maneuvers of the Battlemech pilots, allowing the technicians to get a feel for the capabilities of the Battlemechs themselves.

    active for 1 more turn


    Random Event:

    Roll 1d100: 68 - Political scandal at newly discovered World with Survey Squadron present - Planet: Washington

    New Portland Daily Telegraph said:
    Senator Aliston Oronhiatékha Arrested for Murder amidst WCDC Contact

    Today, Iroquois Senator Alliston Oronhiatékha (WIG) had been arrested by the New Portland Police, after FOI investigations have linked her to the Bearfoot Blood Cult. From the evidence collected Oronhiatékha is alleged to have taken part in at least ten of the Cults murders (blood offerings) and in three cases is alleged to have been the killer.

    ...

    This comes with bad timing, as Senator Oronhiatékha has been part of the delegation dealing with the arrivals from the 'Walker Cluster Defense Committee'. This might present our world as being primitive to the newcomers.

    ...

    It is expected the President and the State Department will work harder with the WCDC following this revelation.

    Chance of the Washington State Department working on better relations following the scandal: 50%

    Roll 1d100: 3 - Failure

    New Portland Daily Telegraph said:
    Walker Cluster Delegates Leave Amidst Bearfoot Blood Cult Scandal

    Today, the representatives of the Walker Cluster Defense Committee have left New Portland aboard their shuttle craft and even now their starships are on the way out ouf our system.

    This presents a failure of President Williams, after the revalation that former Senator Oronhiatékha is alledged to be a member of the Bearfoot Blood Cult.

    ...

    It is hoped that future contact with the WCDC will be able to alleviate the views the representatives might have of our world.

    Result: -5 in diplomatic actions with Washington

    ---------------------------------------------------

    I've also updated the various Informational Pages with Known Worlds
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 6 - Winter 2175/3025
  • Turn 6 - Winter 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (1 action)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons

    [] Jump Point Defense: active (2 turns)
    After the initial survey of the space forces, the think tank made the recommendation to develop a form of static jump point defense and deploy them to the zenith and nadir jump points. It might be a good idea to talk to several contractors to begin the development of such stations. Perhaps it might even be possible to develop a design that can be carried through FTL and deployed as a local jump point defense outside the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Basic design of a static Jump Point defense system, 35% chance of the design being FTL mobile

    [] Future Space Combat Craft:
    With the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster in development, the future of space combat is about to change, as soon as the first prototypes are in development. So it only makes sense if the Defense Councils Think Tanks begin to think about future space combat craft and their roles. How will the use of Escort, Guard and Bombardment craft change with the much more powerful thrusters ad multi gravity accelerations? How will weapons systems need to change to be equipped for the new combat environment?
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Basic initial designs for light combat spacecraft, new economic action once Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster are availabl for production


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (1 actions)

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence:
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (6 turns)
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship

    [] Abandoned Settlements:
    The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and look for anything the old habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 useful artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled

    [] Permanent Survey Squadrons:
    Following more than a year of cooperation between the various nations and their space forces to survey the large volume of space around the Walker Cluster, someone within the Survey Office suggested that it might be a good idea if they could request these space craft and squadrons to be semi permanently attached to the Survey Office. Such a move would further cooperation between the nations as well as allowing the crews to do what they apparently did best, Survey and gather intelligence.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: 20 squadrons removed from military and attached to the Survey Office, +10 to survey and intelligence actions


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (0 actions)

    [] We want to help: active (1 turns)
    Three systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: diplomatic relations with three human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We want to help II:
    Seven more systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: diplomatic relations with seven more human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid: active (1 turn)
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (2 actions)

    [] Economic Ties:
    One of the biggest problems that would be faced by the Three Systems of the WCDC at the moment would be that internal trade was not all that much up to what people were expecting concerning the healthy economy. Instead the Three Systems were islands of their own when it came to internal trade. There would be a need to set up incentived for the economies of the Three Systems to mesh into each other stronger than before.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, official WCDC merchant marine

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex:
    The industry always profited by the developments of the scientific community and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prident of ther ties between the scientific community and industry was stengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the scientific and industrial communities of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the scientific community

    [] Military-Industrial Complex:
    The industry always profited by working closely with the military and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prident of ther ties between the military and industry was stengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the military and industry of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the military

    [] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems
    Following the work by the Defense Council on cataloging the military weapons of all nations that were part of the WCDC, they were able to come up with some recommendations concerning the development of new standartized equioment. Giving it out to the various contractors building these weapon systems, it was going to be time to begin trials to select these weapons.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 60%, Reward: Standartized Weapon systems for ground combat, +5 to ground combat


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (0 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster active (2 turns)
    One of the first things revealed by KF theory, was the potential to massively improve existing fusion drive systems. Considering that current combat space craft face a large disadvantage compared to drop ships, it would certainly a boon to space flight if it was possible to reduce that disadvantage. It would also make interplanetary travel faster and surprisingly enough reduce fuel consumption noticeably.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Big Stompy Robots: active (1 turn)
    With the contact to the wider galaxy in general and the mercenaries in particular, it became clear they have developed a new form of weapons platform not used by any of the nations of the local cluster. So it is only natural that they should be asked to show us those weapon platforms and allow us to make detailed studies of their weapons effects and their protection. Who knows, maybe the friends of big stompy robots will have their wet dreams come true afterwards?
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on research of Inner Sphere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities[/I]

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    The voting is going to end on Wednesday, November 6, in the afternoon UTC.
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 6 - Winter 2175/3025 Results
  • Turn 6 - Winter 2175/3025

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (1 action)

    [] Future Space Combat Craft: - 3
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 7 - Failure

    With the new Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster on the way and poised to revolutionize interplanetary spaceflight within the Three Systems, one of the Think Tanks in the Rocky Mountain Arcology is tasked to work on the future of spacecraft combat and how the WCDC should implement changes.

    Of course the first thing of note was to note the current combat space craft could not be upgraded to the new thruster technology at all, their structural integrity and internal spaces designed for up to 0.1g of constant acceleration at most.

    But about as far as the think tank gets with its work, when one of its members introduces all the others to a new VRMMORPG recently released, Defense of the Imperium, which spreads through the think tank like a virus, shutting down any work hard.

    active for 3 more turns

    [] Jump Point Defense:
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 8 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 15 - Failure

    Development of a Jump Point Defense System turns out to be harder than originally expected as many of the contractors contacted about the Request for Designs for it fail to react. After almost a month goes by without a reaction to the request, inquiries are made, resulting in surprised contractors who have not gotten the EMails containing the RfD.

    Investigation into that situation leads to massive embarrassment as the mail server used to send out the RfD has 'eaten' the mail and not sent it out at all.

    active for one more turn


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (1 actions)


    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: - 3
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 56 - Success

    With the space up to 60ly known and ten habitated planets discovered, and the planned and subsequently ignored mission to Erdvynn in the background, the planners of the Survey Office are somewhat reluctant to propose another deep space mission. But other than the Erdvynn project, this plan is much more successful.

    With this project several of the survey squadrons are requested from their respective militaries to be sent out into the direction of the closest 'periphery powers', the Lothian League, the Illyrian Palatinate and the Cincinus Federation. In fact the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services were on the way to the Lothian League in a roundabout way when they stumbled over Sol.

    The plan for the operation is to remain in deep space of the ecliptic of the various systems of the three star nations and work on signal intelligence, gathering as much EM radiation as possible to get a good idea about the nations in question without being seen. Considering that most of the systems seem to have their eyes firmly on the Zenith and Nadir Jump Points of their systems, it is thought to be unlikely that they will notice the squadrons hanging out in deep space.

    Additionally, each of the surveyed systems will receive at least three survey satellites, designed for long term deployment and with a limited ALI aboard to do some preliminary data analysis of the gathered EM radiation. In the future, it is believed that small detachments can go to these systems again to recover the data from the satellites and return them to Berlin for further study.

    active for 3 more turns

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (5 turns)
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
    Roll 3 of 8, Roll 1d100: 41 - Fail

    The research mission to visit Erdvynn continues to labor in limbo, as most of the main managers of the Survey Office remain uninterested into the project, no matter what the last voting on the project has been.

    However, the plans are refined further by the project team, hoping it will eventually be picked up.

    active for 5 more turns

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (0 actions)

    [] We want to help:
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 60+5 = 65 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 75+5 = 80 - Success
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 100+5 = 105 - Crit Success (Crit Roll 1d100: 24)
    Combined: 83 - Success

    The diplomatic missions to Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann slowly wrap up and the three missions begin to set up permanent embassies, after the governments of the three systems have invited the missions to stay.

    The Amish of Ammann have slowly come over to the side of the diplomats and the initial embassy is invited to stay at the house of one of the main settlements Elders until the spacecraft return with material and people to help build a more permanent solution.

    The Llyn Owgen government has also come down nicely on the side of the diplomats, especially since several members of the ambassy are Welsh and native Welsh speakers who had been specially selected for the work. Over glasses of Llyn Seaweed Gin, the Tiaunt ambassador is given one of the older houses within the capital of Machynlleth to set up an embassy and a part of the Machynlleth airport for WCDC shuttles. This is somewhat unsurprising, as the Tiaunt are somewhat dragonoid and dragons play a big part in Welsh mythology, especially on Llyn Ogwen, where the primary apex predator looks like a wyvern.

    On Hannover, the reaction was similarly positive, this time due to the mission being led by Andreas von Hohenzollern, the current Prince of Prussia. Here it was a deliberate selection on the side of the WCDC, as well as a request by the ambassador. The massive support coming from the Prometheus Foundation to the Hannoverian economy also had its effects. Consequently, the embassy was set up within one of the oldest palaces of Döhren, a replica of Schloss Bellevue and formerly the home of the President of Hannover, before the office was replaced by the Kaiser, living in the Stadtschloss of Döhren.

    Reward: diplomatic relations with Llyn Ogwen, Hannover and Ammann (permanent ambassy, +5 diplomatic actions (from crit)), new Trade option available

    [] Humanitarian Aid: Hannover
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 29+5 = 34 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 77+5 = 82 - Success
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 95+5 = 100 - Crit Success (Crit Roll 1d100: 27)
    Combined: 72 - Success

    Within weeks of landing the two Planetary Settlements Kits, the Kaiser has ordered the Arbeitsdienst to construct a subterranean base to install the fabricator subsystems that are part of the Kits. Largely this was done to protect these valuable systems from potential pirate raids, as has previously been done with the libraries of old knowledge from before the settlement.

    The Prometheus Foundation was a little gobsmacked by the high valued placed on the fabricator subsystem, but to the economists of Hannover and the Kaiser himself, machines that can produce almost everything from a blueprint and copy anything atom by atom, are god sent to lift the world back into the space age, and as such needed to be protected. The information that the fabricator subsystem could duplicate themselves within a month was greeted with disbelief, but after the machines were installed inside the new Brocken Maschinenwerk, together with the fusion reactors from the Planetary Settlement Kits, they were tasked to replicate themselves. After one month and some assembly, Hannover had doubled its ownership of fabricators, something that would be bound to get Hannover up to speed in a relatively short time.

    Simultaneously, the Prometheus Foundation used its shuttle craft to place the combined 2000 Stratolink Communication and planetary observation satellites in orbit around Hannover, which resulted in a full global coverage within less than one month.

    The various vehicles part of the PSK were given to the Arbeitsdienst to make use of. The medical, food and building supplies automatically part of the PKS were also given away to those planetary settlements that needed them most.

    Around the same time, the first hundred students from Hannover were shipped out towards Earth, where they were slated to enter various universities, though due to their mother languages, many of these universities would be in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Half of these, including Princess Kimiko von Hohenzollern, would visit the Humbold University of Berlin.

    The entirety of the Planetary Settlement Kit answered many prayers of the Hannoverian people and its government, and would be heavily used to bring the planet to a modern technology level, as well as help modernize the massive planetary preservation complexes dotting the planet. Already plans were made by the Arbeitsdienst to install copies of the Fabricator subsystems into each of the complexes to fabricate new and replacement parts.

    A study of the impact of the PSK by the Prometheus Foundation noted Hannover should have absorbed the technology of the PSK by 2190/3040.

    Reward: +15 on diplomatic action on Hannover (+5 due to crit), Hannover reaches technological parity with the WCDC by 2190/3040


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (2 actions)

    [] Economic Ties: - 3
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 34 - Failure

    With the previous activity of the Trade Organization working to strengthen the economy by making it stronger, more agile and diversifying the economy of the Three Systems, morale within the Trade Organization is high and the various teams begin to work on further activities to improve the economic situation.

    One such activity would be to improve the economic ties between the Three Systems, as well as the colonies. There is however a problem. Sol, 61 Virginis and Beta Hydri are essentially completely independent when it comes to their economies. Every system produces what it needs and there is little need to actually import or export things.

    That there is any trade between the systems at all, is thanks to luxury articles, where something from one system is considered a luxury item in another, allowing traders to make some money, as well as the few incentives given to facilitate trade in mid to late 2174/3024, with Helium-3 being one of the main exports of 61 Virginis, while optical systems are a staple of Beta Hydri and cheap fabricator systems one of the exports of Sol.

    The problem still remained, what more could be traded between the Three Systems to tie the systems closer together?

    active for 2 more turns

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex: - 3
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 70 - Success

    Another of the new activities in the Trade Organization proved much more fruitful in its beginnings, as the WCDCTO began to inquire about the working relationships between the various universities, collages and research organizations with the local economy. In the past cooperation between the scientific community and the industry had always been to the profit of both sides.

    This neatly tied into the attempt about furthering the economic ties however as there was the vague idea out there that ideas and scientific work might be one of the tradable goods between the Three Systems. Much like patterns for fabricators.

    And the scientific community was indeed open for cooperation between the systems, especially the scientist that had already visited another system, either for a scientific conference or to work at an university.

    But it would remain to be seen how successful the future of this Three System Scientific-Industrial Compley might be.

    active for 2 more turns

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (0 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster active (1 turns)
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 39 - Marginal Suceess

    Work continued on the various projects to understand and develop Kearney-Fuchida Fsuion Thrusters and some scientists from the Sorbonne managed to get Doctor Sandoval to allow them to take a closer look at the drive systems of the dropship St. Peter Ording, hoping it would allow them to get a lead on any of the other teams within Sol, 61 Virginis or Beta Hydri.

    For anyone betting however, three teams seemed to be closest. One team at CERN, another team at the University of United Colonies in 61 Virginis and a third team of the Imperial School of Technology on Jerat.

    active for one more turn

    [] Big Stompy Robots: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 31 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 51 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 57 - Success
    Combined: 46 - Success

    Observations of the capabilities of the Battlemechs of Köhler Military Services continued in the field, while the mercenaries trained, while several technicians were able to get much closer looks at the various internal sub-systems of the 'mechs.

    It was possible to get some samples of the Myomer bundles used to articulate the various limbs of the large combat vehicles, and an analysis showed they were not all too different to modern memory polymers and could easily replicate using conventional chemical processes, or fabricators.

    More scrutiny was directed at the reactor systems of the 'mechs. It was possible to measure the energy production of the reactor of one of the mercenaries Phoenix Hawk mechs, allowing to state it was comparable to the compact DHe³ fusion reactors used in modern MBTs. However, the protium fusion nature of the Battlemechs reactor (or engine) made heavy shielding necessary, due to the high neutron flux of the fusion reaction. While it did produce twice the energy per kg of fuel than the DHe³ reaction, the simpler nature of the DHe³ reactors reduced the needed shielding by at least 50%. Potentially, such a fusion engine could be replaced with an MBT reactor with the remaining space taken up by superconducting energy cells, allowing the mech to operate normally for a time, without the reactor producing energy, much like it was done with modern MBTs.

    The Heatsinks were also of interest to the observers, noting they would be a worthwhile to take a closer look at, potentially easing the massive requirement of air based cooling of the modern MBT reactor system.

    In the end two groups of people left the training area with their observations and advocating for two possible followups for the military.

    Reward: +10 on research of Inner Sphere weapons, +5 on military ground actions to better knowledge of Inner Sphere capabilities

    Random Even: (or not so random)

    London Times said:
    Formation of the Interstellar Federation

    Moscow

    Today, President German Isayev of the Russian Federation announced Russia, together with Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Emkin Assembly of 61 Virginis and the Union of Free Jerat Republics, would come together in Moscow to sign a treaty creating the Interstellar Federation.

    This is a move wherein Moscow hopes to form a powerful counterweight to the WCDC.

    ...
     
    Turn 7 - Spring 2176/3026
  • Turn 7 - Spring 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (0 action)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons

    [] Jump Point Defense: active (1 turns)
    After the initial survey of the space forces, the think tank made the recommendation to develop a form of static jump point defense and deploy them to the zenith and nadir jump points. It might be a good idea to talk to several contractors to begin the development of such stations. Perhaps it might even be possible to develop a design that can be carried through FTL and deployed as a local jump point defense outside the Walker Cluster.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Basic design of a static Jump Point defense system, 35% chance of the design being FTL mobile

    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active (3 turns)
    With the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster in development, the future of space combat is about to change, as soon as the first prototypes are in development. So it only makes sense if the Defense Councils Think Tanks begin to think about future space combat craft and their roles. How will use of Escort, Guard and Bombardment craft change with the much more powerful thrusters' ad multi gravity accelerations? How will weapons systems need to change to be equipped for the new combat environment?
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Basic initial designs for light combat spacecraft, new economic action once Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster are available for production

    [] It's a Gundam!:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Mech Heads' among the observers have gushed with praise for the effectiveness of Battlemechs and started to get more and more observers to their side. Combined with the fact that everyone is the Inner Sphere has used Battlemechs for centuries and found no better combat vehicle, it is only natural that the WCDC should adopt Battlemechs and develope their own to adopt this new weapon to replace the now outdated Combined Arms doctrine.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Battlemech technology development action, +5 on Battlemech development, Battlemechs become the primary replacement for combined arms
    If this is selected Combat Evolved is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, Combat Evolved gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.

    [] Combat Evolved:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Tankers' remained on top of the few 'Mech Heads'. While Battlemechs are impressive weapon system carriers, they remain extremely complex machines that needs significant maintenance and repairs, even after simple overland trecks. While there are one or two specialized roles where a Battlemech can support conventional Combined Arms doctrine, they should not be considered a replacement for tanks and other weapon system carriers.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Tank technology development action, Battlemech development action for specialized Battlemech, +5 on conventional ground vehicle development, Combined arms remain main doctrine
    If this is selected It's a Gundam! Is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, It's a Gundam! gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active (3 turns)
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (5 turns)
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship

    [] Abandoned Settlements:
    The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and look for anything the old habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 useful artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled

    [] Permanent Survey Squadrons:
    Following more than a year of cooperation between the various nations and their space forces to survey the large volume of space around the Walker Cluster, someone within the Survey Office suggested it might be a good idea if they could request these space craft and squadrons to be semi-permanently attached to the Survey Office. Such a move would further cooperation between the nations as well as allowing the crews to do what they apparently did best, Survey and gather intelligence.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: 20 squadrons removed from military and attached to the Survey Office, +10 to survey and intelligence actions


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (2 actions)

    [] We want to help II:
    Ten more systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: diplomatic relations with Ten more human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid II:
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (0 actions)

    [] Economic Ties: active (2 turns)
    One of the biggest problems that would be faced by the Three Systems of the WCDC at the moment would be that internal trade was not all that much up to what people were expecting concerning the healthy economy. Instead, the Three Systems were islands of their own when it came to internal trade. There would be a need to set up incentives for the economies of the Three Systems to mesh into each other stronger than before.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, official WCDC merchant marine

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex: active (2 turns)
    The industry always profited by the developments of the scientific community and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prudent of their ties between the scientific community and industry was strengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the scientific and industrial communities of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the scientific community

    [] Military-Industrial Complex:
    The industry always profited by working closely with the military and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prudent of their ties between the military and industry was strengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the military and industry of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the military

    [] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems
    Following the work by the Defense Council on cataloging the military weapons of all nations part of the WCDC, they were able to come up with some recommendations concerning the development of new standardized equipment. Giving it out to the various contractors building these weapon systems, it was going to be time to begin trials to select these weapons.
    Time: 4 turns, chance of success: 60%, Reward: Standardized Weapon systems for ground combat, +5 to ground combat


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (1 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster :active (1 turns)
    One of the first things revealed by KF theory, was the potential to massively improve existing fusion drive systems. Considering that current combat space craft face a large disadvantage compared to drop ships, it would certainly a boon to space flight if it was possible to reduce that disadvantage. It would also make interplanetary travel faster and surprisingly enough reduce fuel consumption noticeably.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy:
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Hypercom:
    With Kearney-Fuchida slowly percolating through the scientific community, some physicists have locked on the information that the theory can be used for FTL communication. Not knowing all that much about the method of communication, some of these researchers nonetheless thing it should be possible to develop an FTL communication system out of the currently knowledge of Kearney-Fuchida theory.
    Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: FTL communication system, 50% for Black Box, 50% for Hyper Pulse Generator

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks:
    Following the observation of the Battlemechs and closer inspections led some engineers to wonder if it would be possible to replicate the technology for heat sinks. Currently the fusion reactors of modern MBTs were making use of large radiators and forcing cooler air through them with high volume blowers. If the technology could be replicated, and maybe improved, the technology could be used to replace current day radiator systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent Heatsinks, 40% chance of higher efficiency heat sinks (1d100% more efficient)
     
    Turn 7 - Spring 2176/3026 Results
  • Turn 7 - Spring 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (0 action)

    [] Jump Point Defense: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 8 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 15 - Failure
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 88 - Success
    Combined: 37 - Marginal Success

    Interestingly enough, once the emails finally were sent out with the Request for Designs, things did move quickly.

    More than a dozen design companies and dock yards within the Three Systems replied before the end of the deadline, making the process of decision harder than expected, considering the abject failure the project had almost become. Sadly, none of the designs had been able to complete the optional step of integrating a Heim-Feynman Event Generator into the Jump Doint Defense Station, as such a move would need time-consuming simulations to calculate the field envelope of the HFEG.

    The winning design was proposed by Yodarban Heavy Industries of the United Principalities of Jerat, named the Raytan. The Raytan was shaped like a smaller version of the human designed Kalpana style of space habitats, with a diameter of two hundred and fifty meters.

    It would be equipped with a Shrivatsa mini magnetospheric plasma propulsion system, allowing the station to remain stationary in a jump point without the need of a heavy fusion drive, doubling as a protective field against charged plasma and particle weapons. Primarily armed with Class II and Class III missiles and drones, the secondary armament included two 500MW laser fusion core systems with various apertures, as well as many coil guns of various calibers. It would provide docking space for up to two squadrons of spacecraft and rest and recreation facilities for these squadrons and the crew.

    It would be possible to build these Jump Point Defense Stations in every system and place them in their intended positions within one year.

    Reward: Basic design of a static Jump Point defense system, 35% chance of the design being FTL mobile -> Roll 1d100: 49 - Fail, no FTL mobile

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 7 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Failure

    After the fad of Defense of the Imperium within the think tank quickly lessened after the novelty wore off, the members began to slowly get back to work on the ideas of future combat space craft.

    Only to hit a snag, as it was hard to say what sort of weapons should be used by the spacecraft as there were just too many designs to choose from and the total lack of any standardized weapon systems. Simultaneously a heated debate began about the role such a combat space craft would fill.

    active for 2 more turn

    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 56 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 82 - Success

    In early spring three survey squadrons were selected to take part in the Deep Signal Intelligence operations planned for the three closely neighboring star nations and loaded with supplies and survey satellites designed for long term operation.

    These three squadrons were also asked to keep an eye out on anything interesting that might prove to be useful for the WCDC in the future.

    active for 2 more turns

    [] Rimworlds Research: active
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
    Roll 3 of 8, Roll 1d100: 41 - Fail
    Roll 4 of 8, Roll 1d100: 94 - Success

    Finally, after nine months of constant lobbying with the upper management of the Survey Office in the Stadtschloss, the team that had developed and finally refined the mission to Erdvynn was given the go ahead to prepare. However, the team was only given use of a single survey squadron and a limited time frame.

    With the plans in an advanced state, it was relatively simple for the Erdvynn team to select a squadron. They collected supplies and people with the needed expertise needed for the job and embarked within one month of the go ahead.

    Finally, in late spring, after some more delays concerning supplies, the Erdvynn squadron was under way to their target.

    active for 4 more turns

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (2 actions)

    [] We want to help II: - 3 votes
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 52 - Success

    With the success of the last mission to the first three system discovered, a larger mission to the other ten systems was planned, hoping to get similar results.

    Ten teams of diplomats were assembled and prepared to disembark to the ten systems to begin their work of establishing a connection to those systems.

    active for 3 more turns

    [] We need new members: - 2 votes
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 97 - Success

    Some time has passed since the formation of the WCDC and the organization has had used the time to establish itself and get some successes under its belt.

    It is believed those successes can be used to get some nations that had not signed the WCDC Treaty into the organization. Talks with the Interstellar Federation also begin of either a close cooperation or an absorption of the rival organization into the WCDC.

    active for 1 more turn

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (0 actions)

    [] Economic Ties: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 34 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 61 - Success

    What could be traded between the planets and nations of the Three Systems? That was the big problem that remained to find a solution to by the WCDC Trade Organization, as to foster closer economic ties between the systems. A trading relationship could not only be for luxury goods and some specialties.

    One of the first things that came to mind was ideas and designs. Companies certainly would make a profit by cooperating between systems? Joint ventures, corporate mergers and licensing agreements for patents were certainly a way to foster cooperation and the lack of any viable FTL communication alternative space craft would need to carry data and passengers.

    And there was another possible avenue of trade, tourism. People, no matter their race loved to travel and see new sights, immerse themselves in different cultures. What was to stop people from going to a different system and take a personal look? It did certainly work out well for close by planets in the systems and with the new Fusion Drive travel times would only speed up.

    Music, art and entertainment was something to trade. Someone had recently brought some Spanish soap operas to 61 Virginis, where they had become a runaway hit and Classic Tiaunt music was a growing fan base in Sol.

    It certainly was a start to solving the problem, but there was still insufficient material goods that could be transferred between systems for higher profits.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 70 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 96 - Crit Success (Roll 1d100: 28)

    The first initial attempts to foster a close cooperation between the scientific community of the Three Systems with the industrial side was not the mixed bag the Trade Organizations expected. Instead, it proved to be a runaway success. Especially as the WCDCTO worked to improve the economic ties between the systems.

    As it turned out, not only were ideas and cooperation between universities and corporations between systems lucrative for the universities and the corporations in question, but they were also lucrative to the shipping companies that moved the informations, researchers, engineers and other personal between the systems.

    Indeed, one of the first cooperations to profit from the easier transport were researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working with Memraba Heavy Industry on Jerat, helping with the development of a new industrial laser system.

    active for 1 more turn

    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (1 actions)

    [] Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster:active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 39 - Marginal Suceess
    Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 50 - Success
    Combined: 49 - Success

    Finally, after a year of research it was a team at the University of Colndra of the Runel Association in 61 Virginis, that cracked Kearney-Fuchida Fusion and in turn the fusion thrusters that could be developed from the research, beating even those research organizations expected to be the first. The papers written on the research notes were first to hit the servers a day before any others and were rapidly peer reviewed.

    As the other papers did follow, it was possible to collate the information from all the teams and a data mining specialist at Port Vesta Technical Collage could produce a new paper with all the informations the research teams produced.

    The final document was then presented to the WCDC Office for Science and Development in Paris, enabling the future design and construction of these drive system by the engineers. Though it is to be noted the engineers in the various teams noted a drive build by the WCDC would be bulkier, heavier and have a lower efficiency.

    Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent drive systems, new economy action for designing and building these drive systems

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks: - 3 votes
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 17 - Fail

    With the new fusion reactors and the research into Mechs, researcher have noted the Inner Sphere did possess an advanced technology to deal with waste heat from their reactors and weapon systems, in the 'Heat Sink'. This did mean of course it was a technology that researchers felt would need to be understood to reduce the size of the massive heat regulation systems currently used by the Three Systems spacecraft.

    The research did however hit a snag early on, as it was hard to get access to a working sample of a heat sink that could be taken apart for study. Simultaneously it was hard for the researcher to fully grasp the theory behind the technology.

    active for 2 more turns

    Random Event: Natural catastrophe at Colony - Eridu (Epsilon Eridani - humans, Quetzal, Ormiold and Turukal)

    London Times said:
    Heavy Earthquake hits Uruk

    A strength 8.5 Earthquake has hit the capital city Uruk on the planet Eridu in Epsilon Eridani, two weeks ago. The effect of the Earthquake had all but leveled the settlement and killed at least ten thousand inhabitants, humans, Quetzal, Ormiold and Turukal.

    ...

    Other Events:

    Hannover:

    The government of Hannover gets to experience the drawbacks of fabricator technology, as they install the final fabricator complex in the seventh and largest planetary preservation complexes. The plan was to fabricate the first part of the first fusion reactor build on Hannover for several hundred years, which needed one week to finish fabrication. While it only needed the input of raw materials, some engineers found at least three of the large industrial corporations, Thyssen, Altnana and Lüssen would have been perfectly capable of producing the parts within a few days.

    Some trainers left behind by the Prometheus Foundation note in many cases a fabricator might produce a perfect part, but that conventional industry would produce many adequate parts much quicker. They also were quick to inform that fabricators were perfect to build much better machines that would be used by the conventional industry, like lathes, mills or hammers, machines with good tolerances. Additionally, some meta materials, like modern extremely high temperature superconductors or the drive rings of a Heim-Feynman Event Generator, could only be produced by fabricator systems.

    The lesson was taken to heart and while more fabricator complexes were fabricated and emplaced in industrial complex across Hannover, most of them were used to make better machines and tools for the start.
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 8 - Summer 2176/3026
  • Turn 8 - Summer 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (1 action)

    [] Army Men:
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons


    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active (2 turns)
    With the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster in development, the future of space combat is about to change, as soon as the first prototypes are in development. So it only makes sense if the Defense Councils Think Tanks begin to think about future space combat craft and their roles. How will use of Escort, Guard and Bombardment craft change with the much more powerful thrusters' ad multi gravity accelerations? How will weapons systems need to change to be equipped for the new combat environment?
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Basic initial designs for light combat spacecraft, new economic action once Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster are available for production

    [] It's a Gundam!:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Mech Heads' among the observers have gushed with praise for the effectiveness of Battlemechs and started to get more and more observers to their side. Combined with the fact that everyone is the Inner Sphere has used Battlemechs for centuries and found no better combat vehicle, it is only natural that the WCDC should adopt Battlemechs and develope their own to adopt this new weapon to replace the now outdated Combined Arms doctrine.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Battlemech technology development action, +5 on Battlemech development, Battlemechs become the primary replacement for combined arms
    If this is selected Combat Evolved is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, Combat Evolved gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.

    [] Combat Evolved:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Tankers' remained on top of the few 'Mech Heads'. While Battlemechs are impressive weapon system carriers, they remain extremely complex machines that needs significant maintenance and repairs, even after simple overland trecks. While there are one or two specialized roles where a Battlemech can support conventional Combined Arms doctrine, they should not be considered a replacement for tanks and other weapon system carriers.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Tank technology development action, Battlemech development action for specialized Battlemech, +5 on conventional ground vehicle development, Combined arms remain main doctrine
    If this is selected It's a Gundam! Is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, It's a Gundam! gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.

    [] System Defense MKI:
    With the Raytan Jump Point Defense Station available for construction, it would be a good idea for yards within the Three Systems to build a few of them and emplace them within the Jump Points of their systems.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Two Raytan Jump Point Defense Stations placed into the Jump Points of Sol, 61 Virginis and Bety Hydrii, +15 against belligerent jumpships and dropships


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active (2 turns)
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (4 turns)
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship

    [] Abandoned Settlements:
    The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and look for anything the old habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 useful artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled

    [] Permanent Survey Squadrons:
    Following more than a year of cooperation between the various nations and their space forces to survey the large volume of space around the Walker Cluster, someone within the Survey Office suggested it might be a good idea if they could request these space craft and squadrons to be semi-permanently attached to the Survey Office. Such a move would further cooperation between the nations as well as allowing the crews to do what they apparently did best, Survey and gather intelligence.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: 20 squadrons removed from military and attached to the Survey Office, +10 to survey and intelligence actions


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (0 actions)

    [] We want to help II: active (3 turns)
    Ten more systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: diplomatic relations with Ten more human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members: active (1 turn)
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid II:
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster

    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (0 actions)

    [] Economic Ties: active (1 turns)
    One of the biggest problems that would be faced by the Three Systems of the WCDC at the moment would be that internal trade was not all that much up to what people were expecting concerning the healthy economy. Instead, the Three Systems were islands of their own when it came to internal trade. There would be a need to set up incentives for the economies of the Three Systems to mesh into each other stronger than before.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, official WCDC merchant marine

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex: active (1 turns)
    The industry always profited by the developments of the scientific community and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prudent of their ties between the scientific community and industry was strengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the scientific and industrial communities of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the scientific community

    [] Military-Industrial Complex:
    The industry always profited by working closely with the military and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prudent of their ties between the military and industry was strengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the military and industry of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the military

    [] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems
    Following the work by the Defense Council on cataloging the military weapons of all nations part of the WCDC, they were able to come up with some recommendations concerning the development of new standardized equipment. Giving it out to the various contractors building these weapon systems, it was going to be time to begin trials to select these weapons.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Standardized Weapon systems for ground combat, +5 to ground combat

    [] New Fusion Drives:
    As the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster has been successfully understood by the scientists, it is now the turn of the engineers and corporations to turn that knowledge into a viable fusion thruster that can be used in future spacecraft.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Various companies within the Three Systems now produce Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thrusters of various sizes and power levels


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (1 action)

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy:
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Hypercom:
    With Kearney-Fuchida slowly percolating through the scientific community, some physicists have locked on the information that the theory can be used for FTL communication. Not knowing all that much about the method of communication, some of these researchers nonetheless thing it should be possible to develop an FTL communication system out of the currently knowledge of Kearney-Fuchida theory.
    Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: FTL communication system, 50% for Black Box, 50% for Hyper Pulse Generator

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks: active (2 turns)
    Following the observation of the Battlemechs and closer inspections led some engineers to wonder if it would be possible to replicate the technology for heat sinks. Currently the fusion reactors of modern MBTs were making use of large radiators and forcing cooler air through them with high volume blowers. If the technology could be replicated, and maybe improved, the technology could be used to replace current day radiator systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent Heatsinks, 40% chance of higher efficiency heat sinks (1d100% more efficient)

    [] Inner Sphere Armor:
    Modern armor as used by the Three Systems compares favorably with the armor used by the Inner Sphere in trials reaching 95% of the protection value of the pieces of Armor donated by Köhler Military Services. However, protection against the weapons used in the Inner Sphere has a comparably high importance. So steps should be made to replicate and maybe even improve on the armor used by the Inner Sphere.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent Armor, 40% chance of higher protection (1d20% more protection)

    -------------------------------------------

    The Vote will be closed on Saturday afternoon.
     
    Last edited:
    Turn 8 - Summer 2176/3026
  • Turn 8 - Summer 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (1 action)

    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 7 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Failure
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 24 - Failure

    More and more problems made themselves known to the Think Tank for the Future Space Combat Craft. There were no standardized weapon systems, no standardized life support equipment and a whole slew of other things that made the project harder and harder, leaving some team members almost tear their hair or feathers out.

    It looked grim for the project and the higher up echelons of the Defense Council began to wonder whether to make changes to the think tanks.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Army Men: - 3 votes active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 49 - Success

    Finally, it was time to get a good look at the ground and aerospace forces of the WCDC nations, in the minds of the Defense Council, something considered a bit late by some, as there had already been a good look at the various weapon systems of said ground forces.

    The ground forces were to be the last line of defense against any invading Inner Sphere power and would need to not only fight against Battlemechs, but also make sure that any other ground forces would have a bad time. So to best make use of the forces within the WCDC and develop strategies against the predominating tactics of the Inner Sphere, it was needed to take a close look at the size and makeup of all ground forces within the WCDC.

    One of the first thing to make note of however was that the various nations of the Aldmoru in 61 Virginis didn't have what others would think of as ground forces, as their habitats and worlds were almost entirely low and microgravity worlds and has at least two and a half millennia of experience of fighting in these environments. It was hard to decide whether they would be categorized as Marines/Espatiers or conventional Army/Air Force.

    actibe for 2 more turns


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 56 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 82 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 3 - Failure

    For the most part the Deep Signal Intelligence operation was successful in this quarter, with a number of systems seeded with the observation satellites.

    As soon as the DSI Squadron sent into the Circinus system itself began its work, it was detected and hailed, with several Dropships launching from the capital world of the Circinus Federation. While orders had been given to go and try to appear as jumpships if detected, the communication coming from the Circinus dropships indicated that lingering overly long would be a problem.

    In a decision that came hard to the commander of the squadron, the squadron retreated by one light year, to plan for the continued operation and find a way to emplace the satellites. The satellite that had already been placed was written off and through its programming activated its self-destruction charges. It did not however keep the Circinus dropship from recovering some debris from the satellite, which were given over to the Analysis Division of the Federal Intelligence Command.

    Result: The Circinus FIC knows someone is snooping around
    active for 1 more turn1

    [] Rimworlds Research: active
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
    Roll 3 of 8, Roll 1d100: 41 - Fail
    Roll 4 of 8, Roll 1d100: 94 - Success
    Roll 5 of 8, Roll 1d100: 61 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success

    It seemed that the Erdvynn Project was fated to have severe problems from the start. Not only had the project lingered in a sort of Limbo for months, but as soon as the Erdvynn squadron had gone half the way, an unfortunate incident happened.

    One craft, the transport MacBeth, encountered a small asteroid upon leaving Heim-Feynman Space, destroying half its radiator systems, it propulsion and loosing most of its cargo. The worst problem however was the loss of its Heim-Feynman Event Generator, which made is necessary to leave the craft behind. Additionally, the quickly rotating drive rings of the HFEG shattered during the incident and two large pieces, each weighing at least fifty tonnes, impacted in the nearby Escort USS Porter, destroying half of its armament, penetrating its armor and opening up the water propellant tank in the quadrant, as well as the small gravity deck.

    The incident made it necessary to leave the transport behind, while the Porter had to return to the Walker Cluster, escorted by another Escort HMS Encounter, leaving only seventeen spacecraft to complete the Project.

    active for 3 more turns


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (0 actions)

    [] We want to help II: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 52 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 51 - Success

    The missions to the ten systems arrived at their destination, where they were welcomed, though on Santa Alvarez and Farnham's Planet the reception was icy, thanks to the split political reality on both worlds. In both cases, the diplomatic missions chose to select on of the multiple nations to land and initiate talk, leaving the other nations to wait, not something they were keen on, as they feared these nations would get help over them.

    While the diplomatic climate on Santa Alvarez and Farnham's Planet worsened, it was not a situation that would lead to one of the frequent wars, especially on Santa Alvarez, where nuclear missiles were a big concern.

    active for 2 more turns

    [] We need new members: active
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 20%
    Roll 1 of 2, Roll 1d100: 97 - Success
    Roll 2 of 2, Roll 1d100: 40 - Failure
    Combined: 68 - Failure

    Even if the talks with the thirteen of the fourteen nations outside of the WCDC had been successfully initiated and some diplomatic arrangements made, none of the fourteen nations showed any willingness to become a member of the WCDC.

    It was suspected that, in the case of the Interstellar Federation, the Russian Federation wanted to work towards receiving strong concessions and more power within the WCDC, before they were willing to become a member. As such it was considered a repeat of the initial talks that had led to the formation of the WCDC.

    Still, the diplomats were sure that eventually, they would talk some nations into joining.

    Reward: The action may be attempted again


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (0 actions)

    [] Economic Ties: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 34 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 61 - Success
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 80 - Success
    Combined: 58 - Success

    More and more ideas had been shared with the various economists of the Trade Organization and slowly a workable model for an interstellar economy had emerged.

    While there was little need to transport raw materials and most industrial products between systems perfectly self-sufficient, there were still enough things to trade that would make the economy successful and permit growth. Even stock trading would be possible and lucrative again, after it had become dominated by electronic means.

    In the end, the incentives given to the various shipping and trading companies within the Three Systems lead to the growth of the merchant marine, though most transports were designed for passengers and electronic data.

    Reward: +10 on internal trade actions, official WCDC merchant marine

    [] Scientific-Industrial Complex: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 70 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 96 - Crit Success (Roll 1d100: 28)
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 13 - Fail
    Combined: 59 - Success

    One past the initial Hype surrounding the interstellar Scientific-Industrial Complex and several high profile cooperations between researchers and private industry, it was as if more pessimistic heads had taken control. There were little in the way of cooperation between the systems, as the Trade Organization noted they would soon stop giving out incentives to companies to work with researchers from other systems.

    It was something that the economists had expected to happen. Before, the Trade Organization had paid for the majority to transports to carry scientists into other systems, but now the companies would have to pay for themselves.

    The economists remained positive however, the great Hype might have been short, but the high profile results would certainly make sure that the project was a success and that slowly the Interstellar Scientific Industrial Complex would grow.

    Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the scientific community


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (1 actions)

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks: active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 17 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 19 - Fail

    There was little in the way of any progress in the attempt to investigate Inner Sphere heat sink technology. While there were some theoretical models made and even a physical test model, the test model had a much lower efficiency, not even 25%, compared to the actual heat sinks employed by the Inner Sphere.

    The problem was simple for the most part. Without a physical model to take a good look at, it would be hard to copy the technology.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Inner Sphere Armor: - 3 votes active
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success

    Where the teams working on the Heat Sink technology were lacking any physical models to take apart and make use of, the new project to attempt and copy, maybe even improve on Inner Sphere armor was much more successful.

    Indeed, there were several physical samples of armor plate available from Köhler Military Services, and they were closely studied by the researchers. The analysis of the armor was pretty straight forwards.

    Inner Sphere armor turned out to be a composite armor as used by any of the militaries within the WCDC. The first layer is an extremely strong, but brittle titanium-iron alloy, the result of crystal alignment and radiation treatment. The second layer is a ceramic, cubic boron nitride, which combined with a web of artificial diamond fibers acts as a backstop to the steel layer. These two layers rest atop a titanium alloy honeycomb structure which provides support, and a layer of self-sealing polymer sealant which allows for space and underwater operations.

    It would certainly be possible to straight up copy this form or armor, using specialized fabricators, but perhaps it would be possible to improve on the armor and several researchers already had an idea or two.

    active for 2 more turns

    Random Event: - Trader Arrival at habitated planet outside the Walker Cluster - Solidarność

    On August 4, 2176/3026 a trader arrived in the system of the planet Solidarność, in the form of the Merchant class jump ship Valerian, carrying two Mule class dropships, the Albatross and the Big Bargain. As it turned out the trader was a relatively common sight on Solidarność, coming once every five or six years, trading in some raw materials, food and industrial products from the planet for materials and technology from the Inner Sphere.

    This last item lead to the involvement of the WCDC diplomatic team with the trader, buying a few samples of IS technology.

    It was however not enough for Tomasz Jarosinski, one of the young aides of the team. He had his eyes on a KK78 Laser Pistol one of the traders had to offer. The trader himself readily told Tomasz that the pistol was very, very valuable and had belonged to a hero of the Star League, which, of course, was far from the truth, as the KK78 was a common laser pistol within the Inner Sphere. The young man however bought the story without problem, but not without some deviousness on his own part.

    Seeing the high price for the pistol, he tried to find a way to pay for it and found it in the tablet he was using. It was a commonly used tablet computer, a completely open source design, from the software to the hardware and easily produced by a home desktop fabricator within two days. The mission was using hundreds of these tablets, preloaded with data about the WCDC during the initial programming of the device. Tomasz was sure that some tablets would not be missed, so he got his hands on twenty of them and exchanged them for the laser pistol.

    While the trader was now the owner of twenty low cost and low power tablet computers, he himself was of the opinion that he had received priceless Star League artifacts from a periphery hick, something he could turn into much money fast once he had returned into the Inner Sphere.

    And so, both sides left the trade in the knowledge to have outsmarted the other side.

    It would not be the only tablet computer that would end up in the hands of the trader and his crew, as several ended up in the hands of crew men who were impressed by the pre-installed games and media collections.
     
    Turn 9 - Autumn 2176/3026
  • Turn 9 - Autumn 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (0 actions)

    [] Army Men: active (2 turns)
    With the limited intelligence available, the Defense Council must make a decision whether to concentrate on the ground and aerospace forces or the space forces when it comes for the main defensive line. The policies outside of the local cluster are mainly ground and aerospace forces, but their spacecraft are a lot faster than any of the spacecraft available to the nations of the WCDC. So for the time being the best choice for a successful defense is to survey the ground forces and develop tactics and strategies to defend the local cluster on the ground.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Full survey of all ground forces available on all major worlds, initial tactics to defeat BattleMechs, +5 to engagements against BattleMechs

    [] Standartized Equipment (Space):
    Taking a book from the old NATO in the 20th and 21st centuries on Earth, some people within the Defense Council begin to think it is the nations of the WCDC begin the development of standardized equipment as early as possible, so that any defense against pirate raids or the polities of the Inner Sphere can be improved. As the Inner Sphere seems to employ largely ground forces to combat each other, it is only natural that these ground forced need to be intercepted and defeated in space and easier with standardized equipment.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Initial Designs for standardized space force equipment, weapons and weapon delivery platforms, +5 to developments of space weapons


    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active (1 turns)
    With the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster in development, the future of space combat is about to change, as soon as the first prototypes are in development. So it only makes sense if the Defense Councils Think Tanks begin to think about future space combat craft and their roles. How will use of Escort, Guard and Bombardment craft change with the much more powerful thrusters' ad multi gravity accelerations? How will weapons systems need to change to be equipped for the new combat environment?
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Basic initial designs for light combat spacecraft, new economic action once Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster are available for production

    [] It's a Gundam!:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Mech Heads' among the observers have gushed with praise for the effectiveness of Battlemechs and started to get more and more observers to their side. Combined with the fact that everyone is the Inner Sphere has used Battlemechs for centuries and found no better combat vehicle, it is only natural that the WCDC should adopt Battlemechs and develope their own to adopt this new weapon to replace the now outdated Combined Arms doctrine.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Battlemech technology development action, +5 on Battlemech development, Battlemechs become the primary replacement for combined arms
    If this is selected Combat Evolved is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, Combat Evolved gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.

    [] Combat Evolved:
    With Battlemechs having gotten a crucial inspection and watches during training and maneuvers, the 'Tankers' remained on top of the few 'Mech Heads'. While Battlemechs are impressive weapon system carriers, they remain extremely complex machines that needs significant maintenance and repairs, even after simple overland trecks. While there are one or two specialized roles where a Battlemech can support conventional Combined Arms doctrine, they should not be considered a replacement for tanks and other weapon system carriers.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Tank technology development action, Battlemech development action for specialized Battlemech, +5 on conventional ground vehicle development, Combined arms remain main doctrine
    If this is selected It's a Gundam! Is unavailable. If Unsuccessful, It's a Gundam! gets a 10% higher chance of success during the next action.

    [] System Defense MKI:
    With the Raytan Jump Point Defense Station available for construction, it would be a good idea for yards within the Three Systems to build a few of them and emplace them within the Jump Points of their systems.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 75%, Reward: Two Raytan Jump Point Defense Stations placed into the Jump Points of Sol, 61 Virginis and Bety Hydrii, +15 against belligerent jumpships and dropships


    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    []Further Survey:
    Following the Initial Survey, more information should be gathered further outside of the Walker Cluster and the already known space.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: (10+2d20) systems from 60 to 90 ly discovered, followup action allows surveying the remaining space

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active (1 turns)
    With the information provided by the mercenaries of Köhler Military Services it is possible to begin some long range intelligence gathering missions. Initial targets of these missions would be the Lothian League and the Illyrian Palatinate.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active (3 turns)
    From the information already gathered, there appears a now defunct polity to the core-spinwards of the position of the Walker Cluster, the Rimworlds Republic. It has apparently been destroyed in the massive war that destroyed the Star League, following a coup. Considering the massive use of warships and ground forces in the area, it might be possible to find one or two battlefields and potentially recover technology from any dropship or warship wreck.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: Discovery of an old Battlefield, 1d6 jump ships and 1d4 derelict warships, 30% chance of one recoverable jump ship, 15% chance of one recoverable warship

    [] Abandoned Settlements:
    The initial Survey has discovered several previously habitated worlds where the initial settlers seem to have died out of left for greener pastures. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a closer look at these worlds and look for anything the old habitants might have left behind. Maybe it would also be possible to resettle these worlds, if the ecology allows it.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: Discovery of 1d10 useful artifacts, 1d4 of these worlds can be resettled

    [] Permanent Survey Squadrons:
    Following more than a year of cooperation between the various nations and their space forces to survey the large volume of space around the Walker Cluster, someone within the Survey Office suggested it might be a good idea if they could request these space craft and squadrons to be semi-permanently attached to the Survey Office. Such a move would further cooperation between the nations as well as allowing the crews to do what they apparently did best, Survey and gather intelligence.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of Success: 60%, Reward: 20 squadrons removed from military and attached to the Survey Office, +10 to survey and intelligence actions


    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (1 action)

    [] We want to help II: active (3 turns)
    Seven more systems outside of the local cluster have been discovered to be the home of humans. Every one of them remembers a bit of their past and it would be a good idea to offer them help and in the least open diplomatic relations with them.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: diplomatic relations with Ten more human systems, new Trade option available

    [] We need new members:
    There are 14 nations in the Three Systems that have declined to become members of the WCDC. The Three Systems can't effort to have some nations working on cross purposes and endanger the entire rest of the Walker Cluster. So there is a need to get them aboard and into the WCDC.
    Time: 2 turns, Chance of success: 25%, Reward: 1d6 nations of the 14 nations that declined WCDC membership initially, become WCDC members

    [] Humanitarian Aid II:
    With the formation of the Prometheus Foundation, it would be a shame not to make use of it. As such, it might be useful to send out a diplomatic mission to one of the neighboring systems discovered recently, and offer the planet some humanitarian aid. Rumors within the Foundation note they have been able to produce a couple of Planetary Settlement Kits, usually meant to establish new settlements on habitable worlds.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: +10 on diplomatic action on targeted world, targeted world is slowly brought up to a Walker Cluster tech level
    Please select a world from the list of Known Habited Worlds neat the Walker Cluster


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (2 actions)

    [] Military-Industrial Complex:
    The industry always profited by working closely with the military and in these trying times of massive change brought by the mere idea of the Inner Sphere and the Successor States this was only going to increase. So it would only be logical and prudent of their ties between the military and industry was strengthened. Not only in the Three Systems internally, but going as far ans integrating the military and industry of the entirety of the Three Systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: +10 on trade actions initiated by the military

    [] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems
    Following the work by the Defense Council on cataloging the military weapons of all nations part of the WCDC, they were able to come up with some recommendations concerning the development of new standardized equipment. Giving it out to the various contractors building these weapon systems, it was going to be time to begin trials to select these weapons.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%, Reward: Standardized Weapon systems for ground combat, +5 to ground combat

    [] New Fusion Drives:
    As the Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thruster has been successfully understood by the scientists, it is now the turn of the engineers and corporations to turn that knowledge into a viable fusion thruster that can be used in future spacecraft.
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%, Reward: Various companies within the Three Systems now produce Kearney-Fuchida Fusion Thrusters of various sizes and power levels


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (0 actions)

    [] Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy:
    One thing that has come out of Doctor Sandoval's talks is Kearny-Fuchida theory has a few similarities with Heim-Feynman theory. Now, there are some within the Scientific community that believe it should be possible to integrate both theories into a single theory. A theory that can only lead to new knowledge and scientific advancement.
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 50%, Reward: Great Unifying n-Dimensional Theroy, new research action

    [] Hypercom:
    With Kearney-Fuchida slowly percolating through the scientific community, some physicists have locked on the information that the theory can be used for FTL communication. Not knowing all that much about the method of communication, some of these researchers nonetheless thing it should be possible to develop an FTL communication system out of the currently knowledge of Kearney-Fuchida theory.
    Time: 6 turns, Chance of success: 40%, Reward: FTL communication system, 50% for Black Box, 50% for Hyper Pulse Generator

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks: active (1 turns)
    Following the observation of the Battlemechs and closer inspections led some engineers to wonder if it would be possible to replicate the technology for heat sinks. Currently the fusion reactors of modern MBTs were making use of large radiators and forcing cooler air through them with high volume blowers. If the technology could be replicated, and maybe improved, the technology could be used to replace current day radiator systems.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent Heatsinks, 40% chance of higher efficiency heat sinks (1d100% more efficient)

    [] Inner Sphere Armor: active (2 turns)
    Modern armor as used by the Three Systems compares favorably with the armor used by the Inner Sphere in trials reaching 95% of the protection value of the pieces of Armor donated by Köhler Military Services. However, protection against the weapons used in the Inner Sphere has a comparably high importance. So steps should be made to replicate and maybe even improve on the armor used by the Inner Sphere.
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 65%, Reward: Inner Sphere equivalent Armor, 40% chance of higher protection (1d20% more protection)

    -----------------------------------

    There are two Trade actions and one Diplomatic Actions open.

    The vote will be closed on Wednesday.
     
    Turn 9 - Autumn 2176/3026 Results
  • Turn 9 - Autumn 2176/3026

    WCDC Defense Council:

    (0 actions)

    [] Army Men: active (1 turns)
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 75%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 49 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 53 - Success

    More and more information comes in and there are a few surprising pieces of information, but in the end there is little actually new for the think tank, as they continue their work to collate all the data that can be gathered about the over 250 national militaries.

    active for 1 more turn


    [] Future Space Combat Craft: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 7 - Failure
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 37 - Marginal Failure
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 24 - Failure
    Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 40 - Almost success
    Combined: 27 - Failure

    In the end, the conduct and the problems within the Think Tank turns out to be too much as that there would be any success with the project.

    It was not only the fact that the entire group decided to collectively play a VR game the moment one of them introduced it, but also the fact that the people of the thing tank had dissolved into bickering groups once the actual work had finally been taken up. Animosity between people within the think tank had boiled over and at least twice it had come to blows.

    So the higher management of the Defense Council have decided they would allow the other team to complete their project, but that the mostly freewheeling work had to be more regimented for it to work out better.

    Reward: New Action to replace the Think Tanks with better Project Teams, Action may be repeated after the implementation of the new Project Teams

    WCDC Survey Office:

    (0 actions)

    [] Deep Signal Intelligence: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 56 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 82 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 3 - Failure
    Roll 4 of 4, Roll 1d100: 89 - Success
    Combined: 57 - Success

    Even with the incident that led to the possible discovery of one of the Squadrons by the Circinus Federation, the Operation has been a success.

    All three of the nearby 'small' star nations have been seeded with intelligence gathering satellite networks. The routes to these nations and back have been mapped out and the navigational data is clear. It will be easy and quick to go to do a circuit around the various satellite networks to gather the collected data and return it to Berlin.

    Reward: Simple signal intelligence network that needs to be regularly visited to collect the intelligence

    [] Rimworlds Research: active
    Time: 8 turns, Chance of success: 25%
    Roll 1 of 8, Roll 1d100: 24 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 8, Roll 1d100: 65 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
    Roll 3 of 8, Roll 1d100: 41 - Fail
    Roll 4 of 8, Roll 1d100: 94 - Success
    Roll 5 of 8, Roll 1d100: 61 - Marginal Fail/Almost Success
    Roll 6 of 8, Roll 1d100: 12 - Failure

    The Erdynn Project finally arrives in the system believed to be Erdynn and begins its search, the spacecraft of the diminished squadron spreading out to search for something, anything in the system that could be of interest.

    Nothing is to be found however during the two and a half months that the spacecraft are searching and slowly there are suspicions that come up concerning the system, but there is nothing concrete. Eventually, the squadron meets up around the sole habitable planet, the project leaders planning to send a shuttle down to the surface.

    active for 2 more turns

    WCDC Diplomatic Corps:

    (1 action)

    [] We want to help II: active
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 52+5 = 57 - Success
    Roll 2 of 4, Roll 1d100: 51+5 = 56 - Success
    Roll 3 of 4, Roll 1d100: 48+5 = 53 - Success

    The diplomatic missions continue to give good results, though sometimes the idiosyncrasies of the planetary populations give the diplomats pause.

    The people of Pandemonium almost always manage to make the diplomats stumble, as they have been selected from both the United Kingdom and Arabia. But none of them area ready for dealing with Bedouins that talk deep, darkest Cockney.

    On Farnham's Planet, the hatred between the two planetary nations has almost led to a war over the next two months, as the rhetoric between the two kingdoms intensifies, both strongly attacking the other verbally for their apparent break with Marx, Engels, Lenin... It remains unclear wither either of the monarchs and their nobles are aware of the irony of their statements.

    The nations of Santa Alvarez in contrast have somehow managed to come closer together as they are informed about the state of the outside galaxy and especially Nuevo Tejas, a nation that closely resembles Texas in its outlook on life, seems willing to bury the hatchet with Gran Bolivar and Hispanola for a better defense against outside threats.

    The best results are made on Solidarność and Washington, where the somewhat modern technology gives both planetary governments are better idea about the potential outside threats. On Washington, one lobby group comes out strengthened, as they have tried to advocate for building native Washingtonian jump ships, something that the planet is capable of doing for the past four hundred years, but has not done due to insufficient need.

    All in all it was a successful time for the various diplomatic teams.

    active for 1 more turn

    [] Humanitarian Aid II: - 4 - Pandemonium
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 50%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 49+5 = 54 - Minor Success

    The success of the Prometheus Foundation on Hannover has given the NGO a shot in the arm, after their not successful start, but they have managed to acquire several additional FTL capable space craft, bringing their number up to full squadron strength. The past few months since Hannover, the Foundation has also set up a small production line for complete Planetary Settlement Kits.

    As the next target, the Foundation selected Pandemonium, the desert world colonized by the English and turned into desert dwellers. Here, not a 'mere' there PSKs are taken to the world, but ten, considering the comparably low technological development of the world. One on orbit around the planet, the Foundation contacts the diplomatic mission already on the planet and some time later a shuttle arrives at the Brimingham Oasis for a closer contact and talks with the Council of Elders.

    active for 2 more turns


    WCDC Trade Organization:

    (2 actions)

    [] Standartized Ground Weapon Systems - 4
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 60%
    Roll 1 of 4: Roll 1d100: 21+10+10 = 41 - Minor Success (Stonger Economy, Economic Ties)

    Finally, it is time to begin the work on Standartized Ground Weapon Systems, after the WCDCTO has heard of the problems that had popped up during some projects in the Rocky Mountain Arcology concerning advanced space craft. The contacts to the Defense Council are adamant about beginning this economic project that would provide standardized weapons to the various national militaries, the number of them to replace older weapons enough to vitalize the defense economy.

    So, having learned from past mistakes, even though they had almost been repeated, the Trade Organization begins to send out Requests for Designs to the many defense contractors of the various nations, containing the complete documents from the Defense Council think tank available for a while now.

    active for 3 more turns

    [] New Fusion Drives: - 4
    Time: 4 turns, Chance of success: 70%
    Roll 1 of 4, Roll 1d100: 98+10+10+10 = 128 - Crit Success (Roll 1d100: 31) (Stonger Economy, Economic Ties, Scientific-Industrial Complex)

    The other development project the WCDCTO began was that for the new fusion drive. There were of course many companies in the development and the production of fusion drives already, and they all knew that as soon as the first of the new fusion drives were to hit the market, they would be out of customers.

    As a response to that potential threat to their business, each of the companies greedily accepted the full scientific papers to present to their engineers and engineering AGIs. Another response was the formation of new joint-ventures specially to develop, build and sell these new fusion thrusters. Some of these joint-ventures were even formed between different systems, with Interstellar Thruster Works being formed by three companies, each from one of the Three Systems.

    active for 3 more turns


    WCDC Office for Science and Development:

    (0 actions)

    [] Inner Sphere Heatsinks: active (1 turns)
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 17 - Fail
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 19 - Fail
    Roll 3 of 3, Roll 1d100: 42 - Success
    Combined: 26 - Failure

    Eventually, one of the development teams for the Heatsink technology managed to talk Doctor Sandoval of Köhler Military Services into allowing them to take one of the heat sinks apart and take a close look at them. They would have to put it back together however, as it belonged to one of the mercenary units Pheonix Hawk 'mechs, undergoing repairs after some mishaps during training.

    After the coolant was drained, in this case a high boiling point hydrocarbon, the team could take a close look at the heat sink, measuring its components and function.

    However, the project ended before any progress could be made. Leaving just some data on the heat sink to be picked up by other followup teams.

    Reward: Action may be tried again with 70% chance of success

    [] Inner Sphere Armor: active (2 turns)
    Time: 3 turns, Chance of Success: 65%
    Roll 1 of 3, Roll 1d100: 69 - Success
    Roll 2 of 3, Roll 1d100: 24 - Failure

    As soon as the research team looking into IS armor had analyzed the pieces they got from KMS, they encountered problems. Computational analysis of the initial data did not show the observed effectiveness of the armor, making the team wonder about their data.

    They analyzed the armor again, but again, the data did not lead to the results expected. Over the course of several weeks the samples were analyzed again and again, refined to a degree that a fabricator was used to analyze the armor to the atomic level, but the computational analysis continuously not meeting up with the observed test data.

    Eventually it turned out that the analysis program used by the research team had several bugs in it that messed up the initial data and time had to be spent to correct the bugs.

    active for 1 more turn

    Random Event: - Well regarded politician dies

    London Times said:
    The Emperor Of Jerat Is Dead
    On September 3, 2176, the 37th Emperor of Jerat has died at the age of 76 years.

    ...

    The Empire of Jerat now goes into a two-week period of mourning, during which all work, whether governmental, civil or military will come to rest. Following this time of national mourning, the Priests of the Imperial Faith will begin their search for the new Emperor, who is said to be the reborn soul of the old Emperor and born on the exact moment the Emperor has died.

    ...

    --------------------------------------

    He did not know where he was. His eyes were open, but he could not see. Or rather, he could see, but all he saw was black. A few moments passed, and he thought that he could see the shade of perfect blackness chance to another shade of perfect blackness. Then it changed again. And again. It took another few moments to realize that the surrounding blackness was always changing.

    There was no panic as he looked around in the perfect blackness, trying to find patterns around him. Trying to find something, anything. No panic, no fear.

    It was suddenly there. The creature.

    It stood there in the darkness of the always changing blackness, as if standing on a floor, while he himself seemed to float like in microgravity. It visible as if illuminated by the light of day.

    He tried hard to gauge its size. It could be the size of a horse, standing just a few meters away. It could be smaller, standing closer. Or much, much larger, standing far away.

    The creature had four legs, two arms and a pair of wings sprouting from its back. It looked much like an old dragon, if one put a pair of arms to its chest. It was covered in brown fur like feathers or feather like fur and its face has not two, but six open eyes, each seeming to contain the same everchanging blackness as was surrounding it.

    Those black eyes were looking at him and its head tilted to a side, judging him.

    "Who are you, Child of Kerensky?" the creature asked, its voice soft and curious. He realized that he could perfectly understand the creatures question, even as he knew it was not speaking in a language that could be pronounced by a human tongue.

    He opened his mouth to answer, to give his name to the creature, but it held up one of its hands, stopping him from giving his answer.

    "Who is it that you revere?" it asked. "The father or the son?"

    Slowly the creature began to walk, moving around him, as it kept its black eyes on him.

    "The father? The man who swore to protect his lord and his lands? The man forced into the most despicable acts by circumstance and his belief in what he protected above all? Who in the end lost it all and fled as a broken man? Who tried to rebuild in exile and lost all again before he died? A man who was always true to himself, an honorable man and a protector?"

    He could feel the creatures gaze glance at his back.

    "Or the son? Who was broken long before his father by the constant danger, as the father was away to protect him and the lands? Who, in this broken state turned to become ambitious and power hungry, killing his own brother? Who went into exile and created a society, only to conquer what he left behind, to remake it in his own image? A man who told lies to his followers to destroy those who rejected his 'truth'? A Conquerer?"

    The creatures words rang in his ears as it came around again, moving closer and its six open, everchanging black eyes staring into his own, as if to stare into his soul.

    "Who are you, Son of Kerensky? Who do you follow?"

    The creature paused.

    "What are you?"

    The pause lasted longer as he felt himself wondering.

    "Are you a Conquerer?" it asked and to its left, the everchanging black of their surroundings seemed to open a rift, allowing him to see into real space.

    "Who goes out to conquer entire worlds for your own advantage and aggrandizement?"

    The rift showed how dropships descended from the sky of a planet, landing on and crushing buildings of a city. It bays opening and large masses of... things swarming out of them. Things of flesh, skin, feathers, fur, scales and metal that moved in a frenzy as they demolished buildings, destroyed vehicles and ripped people, that weren't people, apart.

    "Who crushes everything before him, leaving nothing of consequence to rule over? Who will slink back when defeat comes near?"

    Another rift opened up to the right of the creature.

    "Are you a Protector?" it continued. This rift showed a different image, but perhaps it was from a different angle to that image of the left rift.

    "Who goes to protect those who cannot protect themselves from those that want to conquer?"

    The right rift showed a large 'mech, a Wolverine, accompanied by infantry vehicles and infantry. They were fighting their way through the things that had swarmed into the city, firing their weapons lasers and autocannons into the teeming masses, destroying countless of the things. But there were always more it seemed. They practically swarmed all over the 'mech and the vehicles starting to cover them with their bodies, even as their weapons continued to speak in fury and defiance, while they ripped apart the infantry. As it was covered up completely, there was an intense flash of light as the 'mechs pilot seemed to had ignited a nuclear device in his 'mech.

    "Who will do everything in his power to defend what it is yours? Fighting until the end, sacrificing yourself to buy reinforcements the time to arrive or to facilitate an evacuation?"

    The last image of the mech, covered by the unnatural things remained in his mind, showing him a number painted in the mechs arm. '331'

    The creatures face came much closer to his face, until he could almost feel its muzzle touch his nose, feel its breath on his skin.

    "Who are you, Joshua Wolf of Clan Wolf?" the creature asked. "A Protector or a Defender? Like father? Or like son?"

    He awoke with a start, shooting up in his bed, eyes wide open, his body covered in sweat, the prosthetic of his right arm and many scars itching, the images of the dream burned into him mind and a question nagging at him.

    'Who are you, Joshua Wolf of Clan Wolf?'

    He would only be one of hundreds of thousands of the Clans who received this dream over the next five months.

    ------------------------------------------

    I forgot to add the diplomatic and economic bonuses in the last few turns... >_<

    But as far as I can tell, there haven't been any different results due to those...
     
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