SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread II

[Zor]

Zor, we still good for the Fleet Review? I plan for the Bragulans to actually use the place for some diplomatic attempts at communication.

Alright, so long as you behave and we don't have to reprogram any beligerents.

Zor

[Shroom Man 777]

There will be no violences. Just talkings.

YES


When does the Fleet Review commence? After the Pendleton thing?

[Kartr_Kana]

Ok the Hiigaran reaction is up, much later then I expected and way to dramatic for my tastes, guess that's what happens when you stay up till 330am writing.

[KlavoHunter]

Now with a an even better tactical map!

Also, a question that's been niggling me... You refer to both anti-starship force, and ground forces here when it comes to system defenses. What's the split between those two different forces?

System Defenses:

Every planet is presumed to have a planetary militia of some form, be it reservist formations or literal town militias in the Colonies, also things like paramilitary gendarme forces. These forces are nominally not available for war, but rather mobilize and deploy when a planet is faced with invasion.

Much the same way, a planet or solar system's defense forces also control planet-based craft and weapons, including anti-starship artillery, minefields, theater shields, space stations, and orbital defensive weapon platforms. The quality and quantity of these forces varies by kind of Sector: Home Sectors have the best defenses and Colony Sectors have the least.

A Sector's overall defensive point power is determined by its GDP divided by 2. Therefore a Colony Sector's innate defenses are equivalent to $1,000, a Midrange Sector's is $3,000, a Core Sector $5,000, and a Home Sector $7,000. Each major planet in the sector enjoys a fifth of this as a defensive combat value: a Colony Sector planet has a value of $200, a Midrange Sector's system defense is $600, Core Sector system-planet gets $1,000, and a Home Sector planet gets the maximum value of $1,400.

Note that while an invading force that has seized control of orbital space can give its army superior planet-wide tactical maneuverability, to completely conquer a planet without permitting pockets of resistance to continue fighting will require you to achieve a ratio of at least 3:1 in your favor Thus a colony sector planet will require an invasion force of at least $600 to take over - a Home Sector world will require a full assault of troops with a combined value of $4,200 to conquer.

Moderators do reserve the right to determine exceptions in either direction based upon particular circumstances and situations.

[Shroom Man 777]

Shepistanis have three ships BTW.

[KlavoHunter]

*Beats the fungus with a stick*

[Darkevilme]

Now with a an even better tactical map!

Also, a question that's been niggling me... You refer to both anti-starship force, and ground forces here when it comes to system defenses. What's the split between those two different forces?

If Pendleton was a full colony world it'd have $200 points worth of space based defences and $200 points worth of ground forces. From the description of it though i'd be surprised if it was one though and the values are probably lower to reflect it being somewhat of a craphole. Then again people sent a truly staggering amount of overkill to the system if that's the case (remember, you lot originally just expected to face said planetary defences and maybe whatever ships the Pendletons could beg borrow or steal in addition) so i could be very wrong.

[Steve]

Pendleton doesn't even rate a full colony world for the rest of us. So I'm not applying the rules to it.

[Steve]

I'm presuming the Commune cruiser went through the Gap before the blockade fleet arrived?

Also, uh, transmitting through shoals requires a lot of power and keeps things simple - text and maybe audio. Though the Core certainly qualifies for enough power to do that and make the replies timely, the cruiser would probably be more hard-pressed, though presumably they only need transmit to Lochley's Retreat for Commune operatives to then send the data on to the Core.

[Dave]

Quick question on the Fleet / Naval review: Are we supposed to send shiny spaceships, admirals to chat about shiny spaceships, or both?

[Simon_Jester]

On the subject of the Pendletonian Navy, I submit that the implied force level for Pendleton suggests a space defense force of about 500 points (much of that tied up in the two cruisers). The Anglians could have easily overpowered it alone, but not without at least some risk of taking damage or even losing a ship; without the Coalition forces they would most likely have deployed a larger screening force to cover the intervention cruisers.

The combined task force was confidently expected to be able to run over the entire Pendleton Navy while barely noticing the bump; since foreign powers were ponying up the cost of maintaining such a force, it looks like His Majesty's Government pretty much shrugged and said "Meh. Why not?" Honestly, I'm surprised we didn't see more forces relegated to the blockade duty...

Quick question on the Fleet / Naval review: Are we supposed to send shiny spaceships, admirals to chat about shiny spaceships, or both?

Both, I think.

Speaking for myself, the Umerians have something much, much, much more important than the fleet review to worry about at the moment, so no decision on that is liable to be made for some time...

EDIT: Earlier Battle of Bannerman segments made inadequate allowance for the extensive cybernetics used by the HCN, mostly because it hadn't come to my attention the way it did in Kartr's most recent post. From now on, I will take that into account as applicable.

[Steve]

And we have a new story update.

[RogueIce]

Actually, would the Commune be interseted in a "Technology Liason Office" staffed by Inquisitors and Ad Mech fellas?

Aren't you a monarchy? What with the whole God Emperor thing? I would think you're one of the last nations the Commune would be 'trading' with.

Monarchy yes. Byzantine law on the other hand still stipulates freedom of worship.

The Church has grown assertive, but this doesn't change the fact that the Byzantium still has Jewish and Muslim communities, never mind die hard atheists of UCSR descent.

The religion thing isn't as important as the fact you're a monarchy. The Commune doesn't like monarchies, remember? On The Chart you're pegged as "Dislike".

Thus my disbelief that they would share any technology with you.

[Simon_Jester]

[Reads Steve's update]

Recommended listening from the Master of Orion II battle soundtrack:

http://dvc.f2o.org/moo2/MOO2%20-%20Batt ... me%201.mp3

Unfortunately, it's only two minutes long; in the game, it plays on a recurring loop.

[Steve]

That propaganda bit wouldn't be out for a week or so from now, y'know....

[Darkevilme]

If you say so, but apparently the commune has fairly up to date knowledge of what's goings on there so i figured the Chamarran's could get some as well.

[Simon_Jester]

The Commune explicitly sent a ship to monitor the proceedings, and limited themselves to text broadcasts. That said, THIS! IS! UNREAL! TIME! so I don't see the problem.

[Akhlut]

Well, shit, Steve, my story post needs to go before yours. Oh well. I'll still post it IN UNREAL TIME! WOOOO!

[Akhlut]

[Reads Steve's update]

Recommended listening from the Master of Orion II battle soundtrack:

http://dvc.f2o.org/moo2/MOO2%20-%20Batt ... me%201.mp3

Unfortunately, it's only two minutes long; in the game, it plays on a recurring loop.

I recommend this, meself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ov-Zk-KX4

I think that better conveys a sense of frenetic and terrible space battle.

Just my $0.02, though.

[MKSheppard]

Shepistan has taken preparatory measures for the deployment of the ultimate weapon -- the adamastache.

[K. A. Pital]

I'm presuming the Commune cruiser went through the Gap before the blockade fleet arrived?

Yes, and they did it mostly of their own volition (CNS Eat the Rich decided to take the initiative and spread some "We come in Peace, Always" to the Pendletonians).

Also, uh, transmitting through shoals requires a lot of power and keeps things simple - text and maybe audio. Though the Core certainly qualifies for enough power to do that and make the replies timely, the cruiser would probably be more hard-pressed, though presumably they only need transmit to Lochley's Retreat for Commune operatives to then send the data on to the Core.

Well, the transmission is the equivalent of a much-discouraged one-liner And the Core wouldn't want to transmit directly, since it's location would be too easily tracked. It went through several proxies for that reason exactly.

[Steve]

Probably from a planetary station, then.

[Simon_Jester]

I recommend this, meself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ov-Zk-KX4

I think that better conveys a sense of frenetic and terrible space battle.

Just my $0.02, though.

Hmm. Not sure I agree; I like the omniscient-sounding string and brass combination (I think string and brass) more than the animalistic percussion and heavy metal guitar combination.

Now, for say giant dinosaurs fighting giant robots or something, this is great music.

[Shroom Man 777]

And then the blip representing the Shooting Pains winked out of existence.

This was the Umerian ship with an Anglian liaison on board, right?

Man, RogueIce, you are terrible.

[RogueIce]

This was the Umerian ship with an Anglian liaison on board, right?

IIRC, that ship went to Pendleton itself. I'm writing in Simon_Jester's Battle at Bannerman.

Man, RogueIce, you are terrible.

Simon is the one who had the Shooting Pains go down. I just wrote an alternate POV on his piece.