Let's play: Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space

[ChaserGrey]

I should be around more often now. I've had some RL shit in recent weeks that's kept me more or less away from the boards, but things seem to be stabilizing a bit. (Knock on wood)

I also drew back a little bit after you took the game back over so it didn't look like I was still trying to run things from the backseat. Looks like I might have overdone it a bit. :-/ So, your call. If you want to keep command I should be around more often, or I'm willing to take over if you're just burnt out on the whole thing.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I'll keep command if you don't mind, but I would greatly appreciate your assistance. Basically, you know how the game works and I don't, so perhaps having you figure out what needs doing and I can shoehorn it into the budget.

[ChaserGrey]

Works for me. Basically, I don't see that we have a lot of options at this point. As my previous post indicated, that budget cut right then kinda left us up shit creek.

Basically- R&D XMS-2 and the boosters as much as possible. We should think about pulling some astronaut candidates out of training to form two XMS-2 crews if need be- don't worry too much about compatibility, just put them together as a temporary measure. Then, as soon as the shuttle is in the high 70s or low 80s reliability rating, we schedule a suborbital flight, cross our fingers, and go.

If the flight succeeds, we get lots of prestige and just might be able to make up lost ground and get back in the race. If it fails, especially if it fails and kills the crew, we're hosed. But I don't see any other alternatives.

[FaxModem1]

Heh, no wonder the Zenobians are doing so well, they have Bragulans on their side.

Was that a joke, or did you just not read the above spoilers?

That's what happens when people post when I post, everyone hits the same joke at once.

[Eternal_Freedom]

All right then. The Plan:

-Research XMS-2, 5 teams (35 MB)
-Research Boosters, 5 teams (10 MB)
-Purchase 1x Titan Rocket (12MB)
PeZook, set up those two XMS flight crews you suggested.

-Schedule a manned suborbital XMS-2/Boosted Titan flight

[ChaserGrey]

Um. We're at 37% reliability on the shuttle right now, I'd like it to pick up at least another 40% before I'd risk a suborbital flight. We're under pressure, but not that much pressure- the Zenobians haven't even started their minishuttle yet.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I know this, but I'm scheduling that mission so that if things go faster than expected we can launch ASAP. I'll probably scrub that mission come the Fall and schedule another for Spring next year. Keeping one scheduled gives us a faster response time.

[Simon_Jester]

Don't buy the Titan in advance. It commits you to making the launch, effectively- that money might be better spent on other things this year.

[ChaserGrey]

What he said. Make sure we have money in our account for it, but the cash can go elsewhere if we don't proceed with the launch.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Ok then.

REVISED plan:

-Funds: 85 MB
-Research XMS-2, 5 teams (35 MB)
-Research Boosters, 5 teams (10 MB)
-Set aside 12 MB for a Titan rocket later.

Remaining unallocated funds: 28 MB
PeZook, set up those two XMS flight crews you suggested.

-Schedule a manned suborbital XMS-2/Boosted Titan flight

[Simon_Jester]

Barring completely bizarre events, I doubt I can get the minishuttle ahead of you even if I take some risk and chance a suborbital flight at low. I'm pursuing other angles, of course (Luna), but Lapot is going to be coming along rather late, really.

I may also throw you a few handicaps in the later game, if I can think of a suitably Zenobian way to do it.

[Eternal_Freedom]

That's...uncharacteristically generous of you Comrade!

As for making it Zenobian....just convince Shroomanski that the Onion's victory will be all the sweeter if the Murcan's get close enough to taste victory before their defeat.

[FaxModem1]

Either that or the Political Officer has to do a clean sweep of capitalist dogs.

[Scottish Ninja]

Who knows; we (or you) could get the event that gives you +6d6 to the most advanced capsule. But I guess that does count as "completely bizarre".

[Eternal_Freedom]

I'd rather have a "+6d6 to docking skill" all told.

[That_Guy]

In an effort to reduce the loss of his remaing stash from 'Inspections' by the director, John was struggling with a large bear trap. This was not easy whilst a good portion of said whiskey was still sloshing around his brain blurring his sight and disrupting his balance. "Sod it!" he slurred suddenly loosing patience with it and dropped the device with a crash, the device bounced and the steel jaws took a leg off the wooden bedframe of the nearest bed...
This was just as the owner of said bed walked into the room. He looked from the trap
and now three legged bed to the drunken Haggistanian who was taking yet another swig from a half full bottle of scotch...

[Eternal_Freedom]

"Uh, should I come back later John? I don't want to interrupt this vital...bear-trap-setting-practice. What are you doing with it anyway?"

Edward did not really expect a coherent response from his old friend, he had long ago learned to recognise when May was too drunk to think clearly. Judging from the pure (and silly) rage on his face, directed towards the intransigent beartrap, he was waaaaaay past coherent by now.

"I'm trying to stop the director from stealing my scotch..."

At least, that's what Ed understood from the drunken tirade. An idea formed in his head.

"Tell you what my friend. I'm kinda pissed at the Director as well, so how about I give you a hand with some traps that are, how can I put this...less lethal and more embarassing?"

[FaxModem1]

'Bob' looked around the facility. It was impressive. Although there were the occasional mutterings of budget cuts.

[Simon_Jester]

Who knows; we (or you) could get the event that gives you +6d6 to the most advanced capsule. But I guess that does count as "completely bizarre".

Even that might not kick me ahead of them at this rate- my decision to do Luna and a Duration C flight in Voskhod have delayed Lapot; again, this is a fairly conscious choice on my part, but I feel it's better for the Zenobian space program than just mindlessly rushing ahead on Lapot. Especially since I doubt we'll be able to form useful cosmonaut teams for Lapot anyway until we've got the Group III cosmonauts into service.

Either that or the Political Officer has to do a clean sweep of capitalist dogs.

Don't worry, I have ideas which are fully consistent with the unique gloury of the OSCR*, and which in no way concede a thing to the Murcan degenerate capitalists... in character.

Out of character, I like a good game.

*Onion of Soviet Commienist Republics

[Scottish Ninja]

Indeed, it's a perfectly valid excuse to take things a little slower and make sure to do them right the first time, when we do have such an advantage over our rivals.

It also happens to be sporting, but no one ever accused the Onion of playing foul!

And lived to tell the tale.

[xthetenth]

Remember to put birthday cakes for the Zenobian Onion on the Red Planet to celebrate that redest of days. Simple and effective.

[PeZook]

All right then. The Plan:

-Research XMS-2, 5 teams (35 MB)
-Research Boosters, 5 teams (10 MB)
-Purchase 1x Titan Rocket (12MB)
PeZook, set up those two XMS flight crews you suggested.

-Schedule a manned suborbital XMS-2/Boosted Titan flight

I did put these two crews together, which shored up morale a tiny bit ; However, both crews will break up next season as their docking specialists leave the program, and thus any manned flight scheduled with them will be scrubbed. However, Group III will graduate basic training in Fall 1968.

There are three basic options here:

1) Don't schedule the flight this season ; Delay it, form compatible crews in Fall 1968.

2) Take a chance and reform the crews with non-compatible crewmen, in the hope they will stay together long enough to potentially launch the flight ; This will damage morale

3) Schedule the flight with crews as they are, and accept that it will be scrubbed. You may or may not get a couple morale points out of it.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Do I lose any prestige for scurbbing the launch because the flight crews break up?

[Scottish Ninja]

I don't think you do, just like scrubbing the mission at any other time. I also believe there's no prestige penalty for a mission downgrade, though the game reports that you'll suffer one; sort of like the "50% chance your next mission will explode" event.

[PeZook]

I don't think you do, just like scrubbing the mission at any other time. I also believe there's no prestige penalty for a mission downgrade, though the game reports that you'll suffer one; sort of like the "50% chance your next mission will explode" event.

I just tested both scenarios: no, there is no penalty for scrubbing a mission, whatever the reason ; And there doesn't seem to be a penalty for downgrading, either, despite what the game says.

BUT astronauts don't like getting missions scrubbed for obvious reasons, so you have lose some morale over it.