stDarNES1: Stars! -- UPDATE 12
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GALACTIC NEWS ORGANIZATION (NDE 12)
Once again, we must stress to our viewers that this recent depression of the pan-galactic economy is nothing to worry about. And to lighten the mood, we turn now to Mr Dee, reporting from the Backwater Region.
It only continues to get more interesting out her, Mr Grey. The Vakkra incursion is definitely giving these primitives a run for their money. Let's see what's going on.
VAKKRA INCURSION
Deep scans show Vakkra reinforcements arriving at Kalekka, Naqu, and Venever. Scans also show a small Vakkra force arriving at Mu'adib, settling the system, and apparently repairing the derelict Old Dominion Battleships.
Oncol (ASTRAL SOJOURNERS): --See Update--
Ingram (MIRIA): --See Update--
Astral Sojourners
Development in Sierra has brought a new prosperity to the colony. Trade continues with the Dysonians, resulting in new advances in Construction. Also, Sojourner scientists unlock new secrets in the field of Biotechnology, and have learned to ways to combat the Scourge. The resistance movement at Oncol has been successful in genetically modifying a small number of people to become 'super-soldiers,' known as Gentroops. 24 Destroyers come online at Sabro. Work continues by the resistance at Oncol to develop vaccinations and defenses against the Vakkra assimilation. Bodies that are recovered from combat are studied intensely, and while no direct vaccine has been found, several new weapons to try against the enemy have been developed.
Vengeance and Border Patrol jump to Oncol and merge into Blue Block. The new Destroyers at Sabro are designated as fleet Tresserhorn. A cruiser splits from first impressors and forms fleet: Second Impressors. FI jumps to Y'ssara (MDP: 5) and SI jumps to Aniqua (MDP: 3). Second Impressors encounter the Scourge, and are consumed before the ship can make its escape.
The ground battle appears to be going better for the Sojourner Resistance. With much of the populace retreated from the surface, the Vakkra have been slowed in their Assimilation process. Slowed, but not stopped. Vakkra groundforces are also being held back in many areas, but the guerrilla campaign run by Sojourner troops is not making much headway, and casualties are high (reflected in very low overall population growth).
The Vakkra Destroyers and fighters engage Blue Block shortly after Sojourner reinforcements arrive. The battle is intense, but the Sojourner ships have learned lessons of how the Vakkra fight, and use their knowledge to gain a small, but important, advantage over the Vakkra fleet. Fighters and Starlight Fliers use their advantage of maneuverability to help the cruiser mark each Vakkra ship manually, and also help destroy the assimilation pods. Although there is once again a high casualty rate, the main Vakkra fleet is destroyed, save for a few fighters that were able to escape back to inner system.
(SOJOURNERS: -2 Carriers, -101 Fighters, -12 Starlight Fliers, -7 Cruisers | VAKKRA: -3 Destroyers, -1 Carrier, -121 Fighters)
Harpellian Hegemony
Scout-1 begins the journey back to Qomoc. Harpellian scientist make new discoveries in the field of Construction. Lander is developed to a new level. A Space Station is constructed at Qomoc. 12 cruisers are built at Harpell. All is quiet in the Hegemony, otherwise.
Haven
Biotech is traded to Trinity for advanced troop weapons. A new fighter-class has been commissioned by the Havenite military. They are called "Stardancers," and are faster, more maneuverable versions of the standard fighter-class. Extensive research has gone into the design, and 100 Stardancers now complement the growing fleet at Xanthus Prime. 18 new cruisers are constructed, and divided into the Copper, Mercury, and Titanium Fleets. Fetarra is developed.
ShieldForce, Bronze and Platinum Fleets jump from Xanthus Prime to Byblos, where an extensive search for remnants of the Scourge is taking place. The foam used to encase the Scourge swarms is now constantly breaking down, and only a constant re-application is keeping the Scourge at bay. HiveForce returns to Xanthus Prime.
Sentinel jumps to Hari. Blue Flame is jumped to Xanthus Prime, where it is disassembled for much needed materials.
Preparations are made for an attack by the Vakkra on Byblos, but the invasion does not occur.
Jaenar
3,000 new soldiers are trained at Domaar. Scientists have made new discoveries in the field of Energy, providing new technologies that will be useful for conducting basic terraforming on Jaenar worlds.
Fleet-1 is created with 12 Cruisers and 10 Transports (loaded with colonists), and is sent to Asgron.
The battlestars at Xanj are redesignated as First Imperial Fleet, and are sent to Argus, where they open fire upon the Trinetev ships. The exchange is short, with few casualties on the Jaenar side, as the Composition is caught completely off-guard. Combat takes place against the Space Station, which quickly surrenders after taking a significant amount of damage. The Composition surrenders to the Jaenar Empire, but the Trinetev groundforce refuses to serve the Jaenar Empire, and abandons their posts, returning to a civilian life. As such, there is now chaos and disorder in many parts of the Argus system.
(JAENAR: -47 Fighters | TRINETEV: -5 Carriers, -100 Fighters, surrender)
Miria
Technology trade is conducted between Miria and Trinity. New technologies for ship weapons are developed, and the fleet is upgraded. A Starbase is constructed at Emey and Silodon. Improvements at Silodon increase the standard of living.
6 Destroyers and 5 Carriers are constructed at Centaus, and added to the White Guardian Fleet. 12 Destroyers and 18 Cruisers are constructed at Hr'Tor. Expeditionary Force maintains a defensive position at Xanthus Prime. Black Guardian jumps to Emey and merges with Yellow Guardian.
The military in Emey has begun sending a large number of asteroids through the jump gate to Venever. Whether this will provoke the Vakkra or distract them is not known. Also, work has begun on trying to make sense of the remains of the Vakkra ships recovered by Miria.
2 Vakkra Destroyers appear in Ingram. Defenseless, the population is quickly assimilated, and the Star System is now controlled by the Vakkra. (MIRIA: Ingram lost)
Republic of ZIB
A Space Station is constructed at Farell. New Zion is developed. 12 Cruisers are constructed in New Zion, and 12 are construction in Zadon.
Sellassie jumps to Tron. Jewels of Ethiopia splits into JoE-1 (1 cruiser, 3 transports) and JoE-2 (1 cruiser, 3 transports). JoE-1 jumps to Alphera; JoE-2 jumps to Atanka. Lone Ranger reaches Braedi and picks up the tell-tale sign of Scourge. The scoutship is able to avoid it, however. New Hope load colonists and jumps to Ophius. Midnight Marauder jumps to Crisium. Black Diamond Skunk jumpst to Ophius. All other fleets hold and maintain defensive positions.
Trade occurs between the Republic and the Olgev Collection. A trade deal with the Trinetev Composition fails to occure due to the Jaenar conquest of the Composition.
Contact is also made with the Skyjack Conclave.
Skyjack Conclave
Contact is made with the Republic of ZIB.
Var Hodis is developed. New research into Robotics has brought about technologies that will allow the construction of Robotic Troops. The Military is interested in this technology, especially given the Vakkra threat. Technology is also traded with Trinity.
220 Fighters, 26 Cruisers, and 6 Carriers are built at Lambert. 110 Fighters are built at Yenang. Thecoliv Restock (2 Carriers, 200 fighters) is designated at Lambert and sent to Ceiti. Haasted Reinforcements (2 carriers, 60 fighters) is designated at Lambert and sent to Nos. Henart Swarm (5 carriers, 200 fighters) is created and sent to Var Hodis.
Scorpleton1.1 loads with colonists and jumps to Yenang. Clearcutter continues its journey to Dominus. Trailblazer jumps to Yenang and merges with the fleet there. Tumbleweed jumps to Argus, witnessing the tail end of the Jaenar invasion of the Trinetev Composition. All other fleets maintain a defensive position.
Imperial Republic of Trinity
Due to the newly received Biotech from Haven, populations have doubled across Trinity Space. Techs are also trade with the 51st Air Survivors, Corporate Imerikans, Skyjacks, and Miria.
Project: REFLEX is begun, attempting to gain technological and/or weapons advantages through intense study of the odd solar flares at Hari. Success is not guaranteed, but the funding has been approved by the Government.
Military production is upped, with more than half the economy being spent on ship construction at Asuka, Trinity, and Holden. 7 Cruisers, 25 SJACs, and 65 Fighters merge with Strike One at Asuka. Distrib-A leaves its SJACs at Ragnor, then jumps back to Nolat. Distrib-B drops 2 SJACs at Hern, then jumps to Hari. Distrib-C jumps to Sakri'i after unloaded 2 SJACs. Taro is renamed Strike Two, and merges with 5 Carriers and 300 Fighters. Ra2 moves to Hari. Sypher and Obilesk disband.
The Economy stabilizes, in part from the massive war effort sweeping Trinity. At Pr'ator, on the Invid homeworld, all personnel are removed from the surface of the planet. A monthly service missions to the communications systems has been allowed by the highly-sentient Invid Queen, Regius, but only a Zentraedi scientist, Zor Prime, has been allowed to stay for months at a time on the surface.
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COMMUNICATIONS:
--NONE--
...And so it goes in the Backwater Region, Mr. Grey. Back to you.
STORY WINNERS
- Because I'm late AGAIN with the Update. Each Faction will receive ONE FREE TECHNOLOGY to Upgrade your LOWEST LEVEL technology. If you have a tie for lowest level technology, please specify in your orders which tech you want to bump up. If you fail to specify, then I will pick one for you.
- Also, because I'm a doofus, everyone gets a 1EP bonus.
NOTES:
-Andis-1: You can only research ONE tech level at a time. This is clearly stated in the rules. I banked the 3 EP you had designated for Robotics Level 3. ALSO, Destroyers are the first ships capable of planetary bombardment. A moot point, since Argus surrendered to you, but you should note this for further engagements.
-SW: Bob Marley cannot redirect itself during jump transit. You will have to wait to send the fleet back after it reaches Nellis.
-TerrisH: be aware that Strike One will not be able to leave Asuka with the SJACs and Fighters unless you add carriers to the Fleet.
- 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.
ORDERS ARE DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 18 AT 0900 (9AM) EST.