stDarNES1: Stars!

This is the Official Game Thread for stDarNES1

stDarNES: Stars! is an attempt to make a fun, story-based NES set in a future time. The rules, while complex, should be simple enough for everyone to have fun and create an Interstellar Empire to Stand the Test of Time.

BACKGROUND

Mankind has long ago left the contents of the big ol' green-and-blue marble. Centuries of expansion led to the formation of the Dominion, a human Empire spanning hundreds of lightyears. Over time, however, the Dominion began to fall apart from internal strife and struggle, as all great empires do. War spread across Humanspace, ripping the Dominion to shreds, and casuing more death and destruction than the rest of Human history combined.

At the worst point in the conflict, almost a hundred years after the first shots were fired, a bio-mechanic virus began to spread through Humanspace. No one knows where it came from - perhaps it was alien in origin; perhaps a losing faction unleashed it to thwart their enemies; perhaps some angered AI Supermind concocted it to free itself from its Human masters - but regardless, it swept across Humanspace, corrupted every bit of flesh and machine it came across. No defense was found, and as every Human faction was severely weakened by the long, drawn out war, it spelled the end to Humanity.

In a last ditch effort, in various ways, the factions quarantined themselves into their respective homeworlds, and remote detonated ships and space stations in their systems. This worked to prevent the virus (now called the Scourge) from spreading onto the populated worlds, but also meant that Humanity had lost the ability to traverse the stars. Survival came at a high price.

Now, nearly two hundred years later, perhaps because of something inside of the human mind or spirity, several factions have rediscovered the secrets of space travel. All of these worlds retained stories and histories of the once great glory of the Human Dominion. And all believe that their people once ruled the Dominion.

The threat of the Scourge may still exist, but compared to the glory to be gained from re-establishing the Dominion, the risk is acceptable.

Do you have what it takes to lead your faction to glory? If so, then stDarNES1: Stars! is for you. More details will be forthcoming. I am currently working on a ruleset for this NES. It will take a little bit of time, but I would like to see what interest there is for people to play something like this. The more interest, the quicker I'll be motivated to finish developing the rules.

Also note, this will be a STORY NES. Please only sign up if you are interested in writing stories each turn to make things come alive and thereby making this NES more interesting. Bonuses will be handed out each turn to the TOP THREE stories (based upon a secret formula that only I am privy to). Also be aware that there are many dangers out there, so expect hardship during this game. But there are wonders and riches to be discovered, too.

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STAR SYSTEMS AND ECONOMY


Economy is produced by the # of star systems under your control. Each newly colonized Star System produces 1 Economic Point to start, which can be used to build starships, train ground soldiers, research new technology, increase the development of a particular Star System.

Unit production is done PER STAR SYSTEM. In order to produce starships, the Star System must construct a SpaceStation (despite the fact that each star contains multiple planets, only one SpaceStation can be constructed - this represents the infrastructure necessary to construct spaceships). EPs can be used in any Star System (representing Faction-wide production).

Economic Points used for research and/or development can be taken from any Star System.

Each Star System has a MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, which becomes known when the Star System is initially probed by a Faction. This is to help players to determine which Star Systems to colonize initially. The potential is pre-determined: each Star System was mapped out prior to gameplay beginning, so players can NOT declare any kind of bias (especially since each player can pick their Home System).

--ECONOMY LEVELS:

FAILED: -4 EP / turn
BANKRUPT: -3 EP / turn
DEPRESSED: -2 EP / turn
RECESSION: -1 EP / turn
STABLE: 0 EP / turn
GROWING: +1 EP / turn
STRONG: +2 EP / turn
RICH: +3 EP / turn
IMPRESSIVE: +4 EP / turn

--CONFIDENCE LEVELS:

OPEN REVOLT, RESISTING, LOATHING, BARELY TOLERATING, TOLERATING, RESPECTFUL, ADMIRING, UNIFIED, GRAND UNIFICATION

--EXPLANATIONS:

Economy will go up and down depending on a variety of factors. Constant development and trade will stimulate your economy, but if you move too far too fast, you can face Economic Troubles.

- RULES UPDATE #2: The Economy Level Rules sucked. So I'm changing them. If you fall below STABLE, it will cost 4 EP to go up one level. If you wish to bring your economy above STABLE, it will cost 6 EP. You can only increase your Economy by ONE LEVEL each turn.

ECONOMY CANNOT BE INCREASED BY EP INVESTMENT

Confidence is a representation of how your population views your Faction. The higher the confidence, the better your military will be, and the more resistant your people will be to invasion. This is mostly raised by GOOD stories, but impressive military campaigns, special projects, artifact discoveries, and more can raise (or lower) the Confidence level.

--BANKING:

From the first turn on, you will be allowed to bank your EPs for a rainy day. The maximum EPs allowed in the bank is 10. When your Economy is BELOW STABLE, the negative EP will come out of your BANKed EPs FIRST. If you hit BANKRUPT, you lose any EPs that are BANKED, and the negative EP will be deducted from your Faction's income.

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STAR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT:

There are TEN levels of development for each Star System (up to 14, with Terraforming Technologies). All newly colonized Star Systems start at LEVEL 1 (Homeworlds start at LEVEL 3). Economic Investment can increase the development of a Star System, up to it's MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL. Only Homeworlds have an MDP of 10. The MDP of each Star System on the map is determined prior to start of gameplay, so players cannot cry foul.

To increase the development to the next level, players must invest that number of Economic Points (it takes 4 EP to go from level 3 to level 4). Economic Points produced by that system are equal to the development level (Homeworlds, being level 3 to start, produce 3 Economic points at the start of the game).

--A Star System CANNOT produce anything while it is being developed. On the plus side, the EPs do not need to be invested in a straight shot - you can put any amount of EP into the investment (up to the Max for that level) on one turn, and on the next build some ships, then finish the development on the third turn.--

A Star System must also meet the MINIMUM POPULATION REQUIREMENT in order to develop to the next level.

-Colonies cost 1 EP to maintain until they reach Development Level 3.

DEVELOPMENT LEVELS

Dev01 - New Colony. 01 EP, minimum 1,000 colonists (to start viable colony);
Dev02 - 02 EP
Dev03 - 03 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev04 - 04 EP
Dev05 - 05 EP
Dev06 - 06 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev07 - 07 EP
Dev08 - 08 EP
Dev09 - 09 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev10 - 10 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev11 - 11 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev12 - 12 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev13 - 13 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)
Dev14 - 14 EP, +1 Defense (to ground attack)

Population no longer has any play on system development. The only requirement is 1,000 colonists to START a viable colony.

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STAR SYSTEM ANNOTATION:

<SYSTEM NAME>
<FACTION>
MDP: ? : (current level) / (current investment) / (investment to next level)
POP(ulation): ? / MINPOP: (# needed for next level)
DEFENSE BONUSES: +?(if any)
SPACESTAION (if any)
CURRENT FLEET: (if any)
CURRENT TROOPS: (if any)

--EXAMPLE:
--NELLIS PRIME
--FEDERATION FACTION
MDP: 5 : 3/2/6
POP: 10m / MINPOP: 1m
DEFENSE BONUSES: +1
SpaceStation
CURRENT FLEET: 1 Carrier(50f), 3 Cruisers
CURRENT TROOPS: 10k Troops, 1k Robots

EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION

Star Systems are explored by sending either a Fleet, or a Scout Ship. Once the Star System is explored, the MDP will be listed on the StarMap. If there are any anomalies, those will be mentioned in the update.

To Colonize a Star System, send Transports to the System with AT LEAST 1,000 Colonist (Transports can carry the same number of people as they can troops; the colonists are subtracted from the sponsor system's population).

A Colonization Fleet that is ordered to Colonize will set up the colony on the turn the Fleet arrives to the Star System. The Economic benefit will no be available until the turn AFTER colonization.

It also costs 1 EP to establish a colony.

INTERSTELLAR TRADE

Trade can be conducted between Factions. Each Faction must pay 3 EP to establish an open tradelane. If only one Faction pays the EP, then that Faction is the only one to reap the benefits of Trade. A TradeLane will generate +1 EP every 3 turns. TradeLanes can only be made through EXPLORED Star Systems. They can also run through another Faction's territory, if the trading Faction's are at peace with the 3rd Faction. Also, the 3rd Faction will occasionally recieve an EP bonus because of the TradeLanes.

TradeLanes that run through unclaimed Star Systems are at risk of Piracy. There are more human groups out there than the ones who are trying to re-establish the Old Dominion. It's a dangerous galaxy out there.

If WAR is declared between trading partners, the TradeLanes are disrupted permenantly, and the Factions must pay 3EP to re-establish trade after the war (if so desired).


--PLAY HAS BEGUN. CURRENTLY NOT OPEN TO NEW PLAYERS.--
--BONUSES WILL BE GIVEN TO THE TOP TWO STORIES EACH ROUND (not three). NO STORY WILL RESULT IN A PENALTY. LET'S MAKE THIS FUN!!--

TECHNOLOGY

Technology is divided into six areas of research.

WEAPONS: SHIP (self-explanatory. anything from hard munitions, to exotic energy, to missile technology. up to you)

WEAPONS: TROOP (self-explanatory. dictates ground troop combat strength)

CONSTRUCTION (allows larger ships, and better defenses on those ships)

ENERGY (unlocks terraforming, which allows higher development of Star Systems; can unlock shield technology for xtra defense)

ROBOTICS (unlocks robotic troops, can also add offense/defense value to ships and/or troops)

BIOTECH (provides an increasing resistance to the scourge, bonus to population, gentroops)

--THE SCOURGE IS STILL PRESENT. IT WILL BE ENCOUNTERED EVENTUALLY. A CURE CAN BE FOUND, BUT IT WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT IN EVERY TECHNOLOGY FIELD--
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-Cost of Technology:

Only ONE technology can be researched at a time. EPs must be invested in one technology until it is fully researched. If you switch gears to a different tech, you will lose ALL EPs invested in the other field.

Technology starts at TECH LEVEL 1. The cost of each level is the same as the level (tech 2 costs 2 EPs, tech 3 costs 3, and so on).

-Each Faction can pick 2 techs that they start with at TECH 2.

-Tech Trading: This question has been asked. Factions may sell their technology for half the cost (rounded UP) of researching it. You may trade only ONE tech level per turn.

TECHNOLOGY ANNOTATION:
<TECH NAME> - (current level) / (current investment) / (investment needed)
--EX: Weapons:Ship - 2/1/3

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MILITARY

---STARSHIPS---

SCOUTS - very low defense, almost no offensive capabilities. Good only for exploration. (CT1)

TRANSPORTS - carry ground troops/colonists. can be upgraded when larger hull designs are researched. (CT1)

FIGHTERS - smallest fighting ships. provide the basic escort for transports and carriers. (CT1)

ASSAULT SHUTTLES - small transport pods used to attempt to capture and enemy ship. (CT3)

CARRIERS - carry FIGHTERS. more advanced construction technology will allow larger carrying capacity. (CT2)

CRUISERS - smallest capital ship. can hold its own against smaller fleets of fighters. (CT3)

DESTROYERS - mid-size capital ship. about twice as strong as a cruiser of similar tech level. Capable of 'bombing' a Star System. (CT6)

BATTLESHIPS - large capital ship. about twice as strong as a destroyer, and only a VERY large fleet of fighters can hope to combat them. Capable of large-scale 'bombing' (CT10)

DEATH STARS - VERY powerful. VERY expensive. VERY high-tech (a very late game item). Can conduct devastating 'bombing' attacks (CT15)

SPACESTATION - required for a Star System to construct starships. Fairly expensive, but you only need one per system. SpaceStations also provide a +3 Defense Rating to the Star System. (CT1)


---TROOPS---

SOLDIERS - basic ground troops. research WEAPONS: TROOP to increase their strength. (W:TT1)

GENTROOPS - mid-level troops. research BIOTECH to initially discover. (BT3)

ROBOTS - research ROBOTICS to initially discover (R6)

---UPGRADING---

Army/Fleet Upgrades: This is now going to be done automatically. I think everyone was mostly assuming this anyway, so that's how it's going to be. As new technology is discovered, over the course of the "year" your troops will be outfitted.

---BUILDING SHIPS AND TRAINING ARMIES:---

Each Economic Point spent will build/train the following:

SOLDIERS = 1000
GENTROOPS = 500
ROBOTS = 100

SCOUTSHIPS = 1 (Escort)
TRANSPORTS = 10 (Escort)
CARRIERS = 5 (Escort)
FIGHTERS = 50 (Fighter)
ASSAULT SHUTTLES = 25 (escort)
CRUISERS = 6 (Capital)
DESTROYERS = 3 (Capital)
BATTLESHIPS = 1 (for 2 EPs) (Capital)
DEATH STARS = 1 (for 4 EPs) (Capital)
SPACE STATION = 1 (for 3 EPs)

---FLEETS---

PLEASE separate your starships into fleets. Provide me with the name of the fleet and what ships it contains. This will keep the micromanagement down to a minimum, and make it easier to keep track of what is where. Right now, there are no limits on how many fleets you can have.

SHIPS BUILT IN YOUR ORDERS CANNOT BE USED IN THE SAME TURN.

---COMBAT---

I encourage you to be creative in your orders. Comprehensive orders will stand a better chance of victory than single lines (unless, of course, those single lines are GOOD). There are a number of things that will affect combat: Confidence, Tech Levels, etc.

---UNIQUE UNITS---

Each Faction may create a Unique Unit. Please note, it should be something that would be feasibly tied-into your current technology. It will be allowed to grow and upgrade over time. Based upon how powerful it is, I will determine the cost for each Faction's UU.

SPACE TRAVEL

Travel is done through Jump Gates left behind by the Old Dominion. For some reason, the technology used was untouched by the Scourge, and rediscovered by each Faction as they returned to space and began re-exploring their Star Systems. (200 years is a long time, and one will often be surprised how much knowledge can be lost).

For gameplay purposes, there THREE Starlane types, GREEN, YELLOW, and RED. The distinction is as follows:

GREEN STARLANES: A fleet can travel a GREEN starlane in ONE turn, regardless of the length on the Starmap.

YELLOW STARLANES: A fleet can travel a YELLOW starlane in TWO turns, regardless of the length on the Starmap.

RED STARLANES: A fleet can travel a RED starlane in THREE turns, regardless of the length on the Starmap.

--Technology Advances can reduce the amount of Travel time--

- RULES UPDATE #3: Since a few of you had asked, I'm adding official rules for Espionage. It works pretty simply... you can specify in your orders that you want to build an espionage network in any Faction you have contact with. This basic network will relay basic information or perform simple sabatouge, with a high chance of failure. You can also dedicate EPs to acts of espionage, to increase the chance of accurate information, or the chance of success on a sabatouge mission. If the espionage goes off without any problems, I will send the info gained in a PM. If the mission fails, it will be posted in the update.

- RULES CLARIFICATION (from this point forward): If you receive a technology from trade, it does not count as 'researched,' and you may research the next level on your own. However, you can still only RESEARCH one tech level at a time.

- RULES CLARIFICATION #2: From now on, -->I<-- will add trade income to your stats. If you do not have a "+?EP from trade" in your stats DO NOT ADD IT on your own. It will become available on the next turn, and will show in your stats.

- RULES CLARIFICATION #3: When you research a new ship/troop class, you CAN start building them on that turn. You still cannot build anything at a new starbase, however.


You can also initiate counter-espionage, if you think you're being spied upon. As with espionage, you can dedicate EPs to the task, and increase your chances of uncovering a spy.


SPECIAL PROJECTS

B E C R E A T I V E ! ! ! !

Special Projects do not cost any EP, but the time to build is determined by the mod, based upon what kind of benefit it will give your faction. Each Empire is allowed THREE Special Projects. (This may change, depending on how long this NES goes on for).

Be mindful that your Special Projects don't bypass the inherent rules of the game. For example, don't try to build a Special Project that will give you a travel bonus on Starlanes. However, if you are close to discovering said technology, you can start a Project to give you tech levels upon completion.

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE PROJECT CONTINUATION IN YOUR ORDERS!!!

THE SCOURGE

Yes, the Scourge is still out there. Yes, it is still QUITE dangerous. But, researching BioTech will begin to give your Faction an increased resistance to the Scourge. Also, sufficiently advanced research will eventually unlock the secrets of the Scourge, which will render immunity to it. There are several paths to this, but they remain hidden from player view. (Makes it more fun, IMHO).

If the Scourge is found in a Star System there is a chance it can infect ships in your fleet. If the system is colonized, then you risk the Scourge making Planetfall, which could allow it to spread to other planets. The Scourge, according to the old databases, appears to be somewhat intelligent, and can be carried without sign of infection, in order to propagate itself.

At the beginning of the game, the only way to prevent Scourge Infection is to vacate the system entirely. However, this is not always possible, since the infected System might be an important point in the Starlane network. In these cases, travel can be conducted, but ensure your orders detail that your Fleet is just "passing through." This will minimize exposure to the Scourge. But there will still be a chance of infection.

Until more advanced technology is discovered, ships will need to be detonated, and planets sterilized. Unless, of course, you want to spread the infection, but that probably isn't a great idea.

Hey, it's a tough galaxy out there.

ON RANDOM DISCOVERIES / EVENTS

There is the opportunity to discover ruins from the Old Dominion, derelict Spaceships, and other goodies. These are found by exploring Star Systems. Some will require your Faction to Colonize the Star System and an EP investment to be able to research / use these artifacts; others (like derelict spacecraft) will only cost EP to make use of.

Not everything is beneficial, though. There are plenty of unknown dangers out there. Be prepared, and don't be surprised if it happens to you. These things are determined by Star System prior to the start of gameplay.

Occasionally, there will be things discovered that will add boosts to your Economy, or give permenant benefits. But those will be much more rare.

Star Systems with Special Items MUST be colonized before use can be made of them:

-->Derelicts: Invest 1 EP to repair at your current tech level; OR: Scrap the ship (1 turn) for an EP boost; OR: Invest 3 EP to strip the ship down and attempt to gain technology from it.

-->Old Dominion Ruins: Invest 2 EP to investigate the ruins. Can contain tech, or economy, or what not.

NPCs

Beyond the player Factions vying for control of the Old Dominion territory, there are other human colonies throughout that are content to stay in their Star Systems. They can become allies or enemies. It will be possible to try to integrate them peacefully into your Faction, or through conquest. Trade is possible, if they are willing.

When discovered, these NPC Factions will have their stats posted.

---FACTION INFO---

Use the following template to create your Faction:

<FACTION NAME>
<PLAYER NAME>
<HOMEWORLD>
GOVERNMENT: <BE REASONABLE AND CREATIVE>
TOTAL POPULATION: 500k
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 1/0/2
-Weapons:Troop - 1/0/2
-Construction - 1/0/2
-Energy - 1/0/2
-Robotics - 1/0/2
-Biotech - 1/0/2
-----
CONFIDENCE: Tolerating
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 3
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
-----
ARMY: 1,000 Soldiers
FLEET: 100 Fighters, 1 Scoutship
SPECIAL PROJECTS: (none)
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION:


-Select TWO technologies to start at TECH LEVEL 2.

-Be creative with you Government and such. You never know how it might affect the game.

stDarNES1: Stars! - FACTIONS - Turn 013
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Faction: Astral Sojourners
Player: Erik Mesoy
Homeworld: Oncol (3,5)
Color: Red
Government: Electoral Despotism
Total Faction Pop: 136.669M
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 4/0/5
-Weapons:Troop - 4/0/5
-Construction - 6/0/7
-Energy - 5/0/6
-Robotics - 4/0/5
-Biotech - 5/0/6
-->Scourge Resistance: +2
-->Terraforming: +1
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CONFIDENCE: Respectful
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 28 -3EP battle in Oncol +1EP from tech (+2EP banked)
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
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ARMY: Attack: +3 ; Defense: +2 | Gentroops Rating 3
-(Oncol): 128 Soldiers, 3,200 Gentroops
-(Enemsi): 900 Soldiers
-(Sabro): 1,500 Soldiers
FLEETS: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +5(Hull)
( UU: Starlight Fliers: Neural Implants in pilots, quick reaction. 25 per EP spent )
-(Oncol): 1 Carrier (near jumpgates)
-(Sabro): 15 Destroyers
-Blue Block: 2 Carrier(98f/63sf), 4 Cruisers (Oncol - near jumpgates)
-Interstellar Bus: 20 Transports (Y'ssara)
-First Impressors: 1 Cruiser (Colos)
-Barterusser: 21 Destroyers (Oncol)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-->Sustained Research (allows 2 techs to be research in the same turn) 4/5
-->Reaping the Fruits of Science (+1EP when new tech is discovered)

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Faction: Harpellian Hegemony
Player: Kamilian
Home System: Harpell (4,1)
Color: Yellow
Government: Parliamentary Electoral Monarchy (the Monarchs are elected - think Star Wars Naboo)
TOTAL POPULATION: 274.165M
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 3/0/4
-Weapons:Troop - 2/0/3
-Construction - 4/0/5
-Energy - 3/0/4
-Robotics - 3/0/4
-Biotech - 6/0/7
-->Scourge Resistance +1
-->Terraforming +1
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CONFIDENCE: Tolerating
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 8 (+2 Banked)
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
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ARMY: Attack: +3 ; Defense: +2 | GenTroops Rating 4
-(Harpell): 1,000 Soldiers, 2,000 Gentroops
-(Qomoc): 1,000 Soldiers, 1,000 Gentroops
FLEET: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +2
(Harpell): 8 Cruisers
-Fleet1: 4 Cruiser (en route to Lander 1/3)
-Flotilla-1: 5 Carriers(115f) (Harpell)
-Flotilla-2: 5 Carriers(115f) (en route to Lander 1/3)
-Colony-1: 2 Transports (Qomoc)
-Colony-2: 2 Transports (Lander)
-Scout-1: 1 Scoutship (en route to Qomoc 2/3)
SPECIAL PROJECTS: (none)

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Faction: Haven
Player: Lord_Iggy
Homeworld: Xanthus Prime (2,5)
Color: Dark Purple
Government: Total Democracy- Everyone votes on every issue.
Total Population: 103.187M (+31k Aquinna)
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 3/0/4
-Weapons:Troop - 3/0/4
-Construction - 5/0/6
-Energy - 2/0/3
-Robotics - 3/0/4
-Biotech - 5/0/6
-->+1 Scourge Resistance
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CONFIDENCE: Unified
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 6 (+1 EP Banked)
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
-----
ARMY: Attack: +3 ; Defense: +2
-(XanthusP): 1,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +3
( UU: Stardancers - faster, more maneuverable fighters. Same Cost. )
-(XanthusP): 50 Stardancers
-Bronze: 3 Cruisers (Byblos)
-Platinum: 6 Cruisers (Byblos)
-Mercury: 6 Cruisers (Byblos)
-Titanium: 3 Cruisers (Byblos)
-ShieldForce: 1 Carrier(100f) (Byblos)
-Haven Guard: 5 Carriers, 250 Fighters (XanthusP)
-SwarmForce: 1 Carrier (Byblos)
-HiveForce: 2 Carriers (113f/88sd) (Byblos)
-Sentinel: 1 Scoutship (Vayin)
-Silence: 1 Scoutship (Xanj)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-University of MechTech (-1 Cost to Construction, Robotics, and Energy)

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

Faction: Jaenar Empire
Player: Andis-1
Homeworld: Domaar (1,2)
Color: Light Blue
Government: Imperial Dictatorship
Total Population: 21.436M
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 3/0/4
-Weapons:Troop - 2/0/2
-Construction - 4/0/5
-Energy - 3/0/4
-Robotics - 3/0/4
-Biotech - 3/0/4
--> Terraforming +1
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CONFIDENCE: Tolerating
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 15 (+1 banked) -2 EP from Argus disorder
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
-----
ARMY: Attack: +3 ; Defense: +2
-(Domaar): 4,000 Soldiers
-(Crisium): 1,000 Soldiers
-(Totalus): 2,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +3
UU: Battlestar (advanced carrier with increased attack rating and can cargo twice the amount of fighters)
-(Domaar): 12 Cruisers, 1 Battlestar, 300 Fighters
-(Totalus): 4 Carriers, 1 Scoutship, 50 fighters
-BattleStar Solaria: 1 Battlestar(100f) (Argus)
-BattleStar Pacifica: 1 Battlestar(153f) (Totalus)
-Fleet-1: 12 Cruisers, 10 Transports(5,000c) (Domaar)
-Alphalian: 1 Carrier (50f), 5 Transports (Crisium)
-TotalusDefense: 100 Fighters, 10 Transports (Totalus)
-Cassini: 2 Scoutships (Totalus)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-Raptor Production Facility (+50% fighter production) (3/5)

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Faction: Miria
Player: Kal'thzar
Homeworld: Hr'tor (2,4)
Color: Purple
Government: Consitutional Monarchy
Total Population: 73.45M (178.2M Silodon)
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TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 4/0/5
-Weapons:Troop - 2/0/3
-Construction - 6/0/7
-Energy - 3/0/4
-Robotics - 2/0/3
-Biotech - 4/0/5
-->Scourge Resistance: +1
-->Terraforming: +1
-----
CONFIDENCE: Admiring
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 16 +1EP Bonus
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
-----
ARMY: Attack: +2 ; Defense: +2
-(Hr'Tor): 1,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +5 ; Defense: +3
-(Hr'Tor): 12 Destroyers, 18 Cruisers
-(Centaus): 6 Destroyers
-Yellow Guardian: 6 Destroyers, 12 Cruisers (Emey)
-Blue Guardian: 3 Destroyers (Silodon)
-MilitaryTransport: 18 Transports (Hr'Tor)
-Titan Fleet: 3 Destroyers, 26 Cruisers (led by Duke Atreides on destr A) (Venever)
-Expeditionary Force: 12 Cruisers, 3 Carriers(250f) (XanthusP)
-RedGuardian: 2 Cruisers (Arakis)
-EF2: 1 Scoutship (Jemma)
-EF1: 1 Scoutship (Fetarra)
-WhiteGuardian: 12 Destroyers, 13 Cruisers, 5 Carriers(100f) (Centaus)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-Project Reverse Gains (mod-given): 8/30EP

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Faction: Free Republic of Zadon in Babylon (Republic of ZIB)
Player: soul_warrior
Homeworld: Zadon (2,2)
Color: Emerald Green
Government: Hereditary Religious Leadership>
Single ruler of the PARTY. Also called Haile Selassie # (currently the 14th)
The day to day governing is done by local comitties and under direct orders of the upper party echelons.
Reminds the communist system, though a highly religious one, and a free one at that.
Total Population: 93.536M
-----
TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons: Ship - 4/0/5
-Weapons: Troop - 4/0/5
-Construction - 5/0/6
-Energy - 3/0/4
-Robotics - 2/0/3
-Biotech - 4/0/5
-->Scourge Resistance: +1
-->Terraforming +1
-----
CONFIDENCE: Admiring
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 16
TRADE ECONOMY: 1
-->51st Air (1/3)
-----
ARMY: Attack: +3 ; Defense: +3
-(Zadon): 1,000 Soldiers
-(Jaleen): 10,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +3
-(Zadon): 36 Cruisers, 10 Carriers, 150 Fighters
-(New Zion): 18 Cruisers, 4 Carrier(50f), 50 Fighters
-(Ophius): 2 Cruisers
-(Farell): 4 Cruisers
-(Jaleen): 12 Cruisers, 2 Carriers(110f)
-LoneRanger: 1 Cruiser (Tron)
-Jah Warrior: 3 Cruisers (Farrel)
-Sellassie: 1 Scoutship (Nolat)
-JoE-1: 1 Cruiser, 10 Transports (Alphaera)
-JoE-2: 1 Cruiser, 10 Transports (Atanka)
-Birds of Paradise: 2 Carriers(90f) (Asgron)
-Black Diamond Skunk - 1 Scoutship (New Zion)
-Midnight Marauder - 1 Scoutship (en route to Arakis 1/3)
-New Hope: 2 Carriers(100f), 10 Transports(3,000c) (Moda)
-Bob Marley: 2 Carriers(100f), 10 Transports(10k) (Nellis)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-Sound System, Stage I: (propaganda defense)
-Propagation Movement: (population boom, increased productivity) (3/6)

---------------------------------------------
Faction: The Skyjack Conclave
Player: Disenfrancised
Homeworld: Lambert Ring (5,1)
Color: Orange
Government: Anarchic Oligarchy
Total Population: 73.99M (14.875M Butu)
-----
TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 4/0/5
-Weapons:Troop - 2/0/3
-Construction - 3/0/4
-Energy - 3/0/4
-Robotics - 7/0/8
-Biotech - 3/0/4
-->Scourge Resistance: +1
-->Terraforming: +1
-----
CONFIDENCE: Admiring
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 24 +2EP bonus (+4 Banked)
TRADE ECONOMY: 0
-----
ARMY: Attack: +2 ; Defense: +2 | GenTroops Rating 1 | Robots Rating 2
-(Lambert): 1,000 Soldiers
-(Yenang): 3,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +5 ; Defense: +3
( UU: Ultranauts: ground/space robot troops. fast, weaker attack. carrier transported. 75/1EP )
-(Lambert): 10 Carriers(70f), 11 Cruisers, 75 Ultranauts
-(Yenang): 2 Carriers(20f)
-Henart Swarm: 7 Carriers(260f) (Var Hodis)
-Haasted Swarm: 3 Carriers(140f) (Nos)
-Testyr Swarm: 5 Carriers (160f) (Ceiti)
-Thecoliv Swarm: 2 Old Dominion Cruisers, 9 Carriers(283f) (Vayin)
-Scorpleten1.1: 40 Transports (Civa)
-Tumbleweed: 1 Scoutship (Totalus)
-Trollhatten Swarm: 2 Cruisers, 4 Carriers(200f) (Civa)
-Yenang Swarm: 5 Cruisers, 6 Carriers(170f) (Yenang)
-Glistner AC: 16 Cruisers (Ceiti)
-Lancet: 1 Carrier(10f) (Braedi)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-The Madya Halo (Lambert) (industrial/economic bonuses)
-The Taylor Protocols (tech/efficiency boosts)

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

Faction: The Imperial Republic of Trinity.
Player: TerrisH
Homeworld: Trinity Beta-Delta (3,3)
Color: Cyan
Government: Imperial Triumptive Republic (Each major Office is held by a group of three people)
Total Population: 283.87M (+24.1k Invid)
-----
TECHNOLOGY:
-Weapons:Ship - 5/0/6
-Weapons:Troop - 3/0/4
-Construction - 5/0/6
-Energy - 4/0/5
-Robotics - 5/0/6
-Biotech - 3/0/4
-->Terraforming +1
-->Scourge Resistance +1
-----
CONFIDENCE: Respectful
ECONOMY: Stable
TOTAL ECONOMY: 33 +2EP from tech trade +1EP Bonus
TRADE ECONOMY: 2
-Corp State of Imerik: (2/3)
-Roma: (1/3)
-----
ARMY: Attack: +4 ; Defense: +3
-(Trinity): 2,000 Soldiers
-(Holden): 4,000 Soldiers
FLEET: Attack: +5 ; Defense: +4
UU: SJAC - in-system Small Cruisers (6 per EP, take up twice the space as fighters)
-(Trinity): 20 Cruisers, 16 SJAC, 50 Fighters, 20 Transports
-(Asuka): 3 Carriers, 5 SJAC, 4 Cruisers , 5 Transports
-(Holden): 1 Carriers, 13 SJAC, 2 Cruisers
-(Nolat): 2 SJAC
-(Hari): 2 SJAC
-(Ragnor): 2 SJAC
-(Hern): 2 SJAC
-(Tron): 2 SJAC
-StrikeOne: 11 Cruisers, 2 Carriers(40sj/55a), 65 Fighters, 5 Transports (5,000s) (Asuka)
-Distrib-C: 1 Carrier (4 SJAC) (en route Sakri'i 2/3)
-Strike Two: 10 Cruisers, 5 Carriers(300f), 3 Transports (Holden)
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
-Monty Python (Construction bonuses)
-Dimensional Fortress (New Colonies Have Starbase, cost 2 EP to colonize) (5/7)
-Project Reflex (mod-given) 8/30(EP)

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

INDEPENDENT STAR SYSTEMS (NDE 13):


VAKKRA - Stats Unknown
Controlled Systems:
**DOMINUS (5,2) (MDP ?): 10 Battleships, 20 Destroyers, 42 Cruisers, 10 Carriers(2,000f) . Starbase
**INGRAM (1,4) (MDP 6 : 4/0/6): 2 Vakkra Destroyers
-->Mirian population assimilated: (4.43k)
**KALEKKA (4,4) (MDP 7 : 3/0/4): 12 Vakkra Destroyers, 8 Vakkra Cruisers, 4 Carriers (800f)
-->Metrev population assimilated (~50k)
**MU'ADIB (1,5) (MDP: 3 : 1/0/2): 2 Vakkra Destroyers, 3 Old Dominion Battleships
**NAQU (1,5) (MDP: 7 : 3/0/4) - 6 Vakkra Destroyers, 2 Cruisers, 1 Carrier (200f)
-->Havenite population assimilated: (~7M)
**ONCOL (3,5) - NO SHIPS
-->Sojourner population assimilated: (~36.7M)
**RAMIDI (1,5) (MDP 3 : 3/-/-): 1 Vakkra Carrier(200f)



--
51st Air Survivors
Nellis System (2,2)
MDP: 9 : 1/0/2
POP: 10.8k
Tech: W:S-2, W:T-6, C-3, E-3, R-4, B-2
Defense Bonuses: +0
No SpaceStation
Army: 7,000 Soldiers
Fleet:
Trade: with ZIB (1/3)
--
Corporate State of Imerik
Imerik System (1,2)
MDP: 8 : 6/0/7
POP: 11.23M
Tech: W:S-4, W:T-2, C-3, E-4, R-4, B-2
Defense Bonuses: +5
SpaceStation
Army: 10,000 soldiers
Fleet: 60 Cruisers, 11 Carrier(400f)
Trade: Trinity (1/3)
--
Dysonians
Phellant System (2,5)
MDP: 6 : 6/-/-
POP: 4.1M
Tech: W:S-4, W:T-3, C-8, E-5, R-4, B-3
Defense Bonuses: +10
Army: 5,000 soldiers
Fleet: 36 Cruisers, 6 Carriers(100f)
--DYSON SPHERE--
--
Principality of Zaira
Space Colony Zaira (5,4)
MDP: 10 : 3/0/4
POP(ulation): 29.12M
Tech: W:S-3, W:T-2, C-3, E-2, R-2, B-2
DEFENSE BONUSES: +4
SpaceStation
FLEET: 18 Cruisers, 5 Carriers, 500 Fighters
TROOPS: 3,000 Soldiers
--
Republic of Roma
Tagellis System (3,2)
MDP: 6 : 6/-/-
POP: 22.3M
Tech: W:S-4, W:T-4, C-3, E-3, R-2, B-2
Defense Bonuses: +4
Army: 7,000 soldiers
Fleet: 20 Cruisers, 2 Carrier(100f)
Trade: Trinity (1/3)
--

STAR SYSTEM INFO - Explored Stars Only - NDE 12



-----

STARMAP - Update 13



Index of Stories

TerrisH
The first interstellar ship
The ship leaves by Short Jump
Solar Flares
The Emperor goes insane
Lord Charles steps down from one of the Trinity thrones
Random ship movement
The secret of the Trinity Government

Erik Mesoy
Testing of spaceships
An early pilot
Dictator Jared Jenkis visits the Oncol Space Station
Dominion Planet Census and Travel Guide - Oncol III
Data on the nearby systems, and Group Thirteen Thirty-Seven
Mirmu hacks into government files on the new planets
Training simulation for the attack on Enemsi
Opening the Haven War

Kal'thzar
The Book of Truth and the Cult of Goners
Mirian History
Mirian Ships
Stargate stuff
Debates on the status of the colonies
News Release - colonists and businesses
Governmental Plans for the empire
Further News from Kalkella

soul_warrior
The journals of Haile Selassie 13th
A day at a school
The Midnight Marauder engages some pirates
Two brothers talking, and some new items
Heed his Highness' calls for peace!

Disenfrancised
Early prospectors
Super Long Bonus Christmas Story!
Inspection of an Old Dominion ship

Lord_Iggy
Dominion Planet Census and Travel Guide - Haven
Report on the 4th planet of the Byblos system - Continued

Gelion
A future civilization researches the Zentraedi
More data on the Zentraedi
Gelion rips off Japanese anime

Hellfury
Happenings at the council

Global Nexus
Brief History of Totalus[/

Greetings! My name is Mr. Grey, welcoming you to another edition of Galactic News Tonight.

It seems that there has been some development in the Backwater Region, and that's our first story tonight. As you all know, a mere 200 cycles ago, that Region was hit pretty hard by some sort of "bio-technical" plague. The developing bipedal hominids who had infested the Region were already engaged in wars with each other, and stood no chance against the Plague (which they call the "Scourge").

But now, after 200 cycles, we're picking up the first faint stirrings of intelligence returning to these barbarous creatures. Reports are already reaching us that there are at least eight groups of these humans that are ready to return to space.

So, let's turn now to Mr. Dee, who finally has justification for being in that Region of the Galaxy. Mr. Dee, can you hear me? Can you tell us what's going on out there?


Yes, yes, I can hear you. Am I coming through okay? There's a lot of interference in this Region, so let me know if I begin to get garbled.

Anyway, thank you Mr. Grey. I have a lot of interesting tidbits to share with our audience tonight. I tell you, these hominids never cease to amaze me. First they spread like solar fire across the region, then they start blowing each other up, and then they can't even handle a simple space-borne plague. And now there are several groups out here clawing their way back into space. These guys just don't give up!

I thought our audience would like to learn more about the various Factions that have appeared:

Astral Sojourners

Rising from a Star System they call Oncol (in Sector 5,3), the Astral Sojourners seek perfection in themselves and their machines. Resentful of the fact their ancestors ever left Space in the first place, this Faction seems deadset determined to build an Empire and defeating the Scourge.

Jaenar Empire

Not much is known about this Faction, Mr. Grey. What we do know is they have excelled in Biotechnology and Construction, perhaps trying to find ways to strengthen themselves and harden their ships against the Scourge. This Faction hails from the Anatolia System (Sector 3,5).

The Skyjack Conclave

Now this Faction is curious. Despite the fact that their ancestors evolved on a planet, the Skyjacks apparently prefer encasing themselves in technology, instead of atmosphere. They aren't quite as fanatical about it as the Zairans, but darn close. They call their Home System "Lambert's Ring" (sector 1,5). We haven't quite figured out what the name means, but we're sure it has something to do with the asteroids these people seem to like so much.

The Imperial Republic of Trinity

These brave folks originate in a very unusual trinary Star System they call "Trinity" (sector 3,3). They seem to be a rather "touch-and-go" kind of Faction. Their government is based on groups of three, indicating possible psychosis as induced by a trinary star system. Who knows? I'll definitely be watching this one.

Haven

Located on the bio-diverse world of Haven-Delta (sector 5,2), this Factions seems fascinated with anything mechanical. They seem very interested in the galaxy around them, and anxious to return to Space.

The Free Republic of Zadon in Babylon (ZIB)

Quite the religious nutjobs, Mr. Grey. I don't know whether to laugh or run away when I'm near ZIB's Home System of Zadon (sector 2,2). On the plus side, they are a pretty fun-loving people, although their society is quite chaotic and, at times, seemingly completely random. They fear the Scourge and seek to defeat it.

Miria

Well, we know their Home System is called "Hr'Tor" (Sector 4,2), and that they enjoy tinkering with their own genetic code. Other than that, we haven't been able to find out any more about them. Only time will tell.

The Principality of Zaira

Now, this Faction is truly odd. In a Scourge-ravaged sector, they are still bold enough to make their home completely in a Space Colony (named Zaira - Sectory 4,5). I don't know if they are utterly brave, or utterly lunatic.


Well, Mr. Grey, that's about all I have right now. We'll keep checking back in every cycle to see what's going on. I'm sure this Region is about to very interesting. Back to you, Mr. Grey.


Thank you for that illuminating report, Mr. Dee. Coming up next we'll discuss the upcoming Ascension. Is it a good idea to transcend out physical bodies, or utter madness? You decide, after these messages...



---------
Your First Turn Orders are Due By Wednesday, 21 December 2005, 0900 EST (I don't know the conversions for where everyone is located, sorry)

-I will only use orders that are PM'd to me. Please try to be clear, and PLEASE try to spell correctly. If I can't figure out what you're saying, it WON'T happen. Period.

-The First Turn is NDE 1, please label orders as such.

-After the New Year, we will adjust to a Friday morning orders due, and a Sunday night/Monday morning turn posting.

-Have FUN!!

Tempted but the mandatory stories make this a moot point...perhaps if I try really hard to wrestle some free time and get of my lazy tired arse to write a story.......ugh no.

Say, do we have space stations or do we have to build one before we can produce ships?

I really expect we have a homeworld space station. If we don't, everyone will build one on their first turn, and the game is slowed down one turn because the first turn's orders are mindless.

I also have a question: What happens when system pop or system development exceeds the limits of the other one due to events or techs? Is the higher stat cut, is it ignored, or is the lower stat brought up?

And on timing, how will early colonization work? Here's what I'm envisioning:
Turn 1 (now): Build transports.
Turn 2 (next): Move colonists.
Turn 3: Colony is founded.
On what turn do colonies start demanding upkeep?

And the most scathing: Did you think through the upkeep system when you decided that colonies require upkeep until they have 250,000 population (the min for Dev03), meaning that 50 transports will take 10 turns to transport that many people, which in turn means that researching BT02 is the only really viable choice? And since I picked BT02 as a starting tech, I'm hosed.

All Home Systems come equipped with a Space Station as standard. I'll change your Faction stats to reflect that.

~Erik - To answer your question. If the Population Max has been reached, the Planet cannot grow until the Development Level has been increased. A System cannot be Developed until it reaches the Population Minimum for the next Development Level.

Upkeep has been done away with. Without altering a ton of other rules, the system won't work. I'll have to think on it further for stDarNES 2... (if this works out, that is, I already have plans for a sequel).

On colonization - one must use scouts to explore to determine the MDP of a Star System, and to see if it is a 'safe' system to colonize. It may or may not be prudent to immediately colonize, depending on your local sector of space. As each turn represents a "year" 3 turns is not too unfeasible for colonization. It's a pretty big effort. Don't forget, as your Faction expands, and EP starts rolling in, building fleets to colonize and secure your Star Systems will become faster and easier.

I know this is nitpicking, but could you please turn my homeworld into yellow colour?

Hmmm Time to reveal Project Genesis so that everyone here will know why I've gone Space Colony.

Project Genesis: In order to combat the threat of the Scourge and to begin uplifting their population, the Principality of Zaira have been developing the ability to seed worlds with their genetic code, and colonize the region while helping to expand their people. Literally people are being grown. However, much time will pass before this process is perfected and implemented. Also in their children&#8217;s codes will be the desire to return home once they have built up their colonies technology to do so, by that time the Scourge may very well have already wiped them out, leaving Zaira to quarantine the sector until they have built enough technology to combat the Scourge. Until then the Principality plans to establish checkpoints in their sector, to observe if anyone coming in has the Scourge, if so then they and the entire population will unfortunately have to be sterilized.


One small thing can you call me "The Principality of Zaira"?

@andis-1: I'll change it on the next update. Sorry.

Darwin420 said:

~Erik - To answer your question. If the Population Max has been reached, the Planet cannot grow until the Development Level has been increased. A System cannot be Developed until it reaches the Population Minimum for the next Development Level.

Upkeep has been done away with. Without altering a ton of other rules, the system won't work. I'll have to think on it further for stDarNES 2... (if this works out, that is, I already have plans for a sequel).

Click to expand...

Well, how about Bio/Energy tech events? Do they get neutered?

BTW, here's an updated version of the Energy Tech tree: That's what you get for letting a math nerd play in your game. Moving right along...

Would you please display coordinates as (x,y) and not (y,x)? It's painful to see my homeworld being described as being in Sector 5,3 when it's in 3,5.



(If you think I'm nitpicking, read this quote.)

Eats said:

Where would extra-marital sex be without the hyphen?

Click to expand...

Trinity Solar Broadcasting
Center Point Station, between Trinity Beta and Delta, Trinity Star System.
Event: The cristining of the Thuverl Salan Class Interstellar Explore, Obilisk
Brought to you by: COSMIC COLA! There is no better drink, no matter what they think!


"Greeting viewers, and welcome to the live coverage of this historic event. As you may well know, for many years the High Triumptive has been pushing our efforts and encouraging the development of space. Today, we get to see the efforts of this push."

The camera turns away from the reporters face, revealing a very large view port, and many dignitaries and other reporters in the room. And beyond, outside past the view port, sat a brightly colored ship.

Farther in the distance sits another, half completed ship, seemingly of the same type. There are also 30 other ships under construction in the picture, but they are drably collared, and of indiscriminate design. In the distance, Trinity Beta can be seen.

"Behold the glory of the Obilisk, the first of the Thuverl Salan Class Interstellar Explores. Beyond, you can see her sister ship Syphir, which shall be completed in aproximantly a half a year. These two ships, along with their third counterpart Ra who's construction will begin once Obilisk departs, shall be our vanguards and lead the exploration of our naiboring systems. Hopefully, the worlds nearby will be free of the menace that once drove us from the stars. Already efforts are in progress to take advantage of whatever discovers they makes. Ah. Wait, there the bottle go... Ah @#$@ the @#$ idiot's rammed the ship. We have to sign off now and evacuate the area, because a dunkan shuttle pilot rammed the Obilisk. As the ship is now drifting our way. Well, this is Thoren Hope, signing off. Bloody hell, drop the camera and run!"
---
OOC: hmm first story. neat.

CLARIFICATION: Ships you build with your orders cannot be used until the following turn (which is why you are provided a Scoutship).

@Erik - Well, you never said you'd make this easy for me. I'll ruminate on your suggestions and make my decision by tomorrow.

MODing is a new thing for me, and an NES like this doesn't have much set precedence, so I think this will be a learning experience for all of us.

Confirming Haven!

Uh, how long are the turns?

Turns represent one cycle, which is roughly equivalant to a Terran Year (though not exactly).