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Old 08-04-2017, 10:29 PM   #41
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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This is basically what I was thinking. So, for a hypothetical human preserve, would it look more like a savannah or forest, or more like Tokyo metropolis? Perhaps the like a stereotypical space colony?
I figured that there might be multiple preserves for each species. A hypothetical set of Human preserves might include a Tokyo Metropolis, a small town America, a Pago Pago, a Pyongyang; essentially a collection of all the cultures and suitable terrains of a species, but no enforced back to naturism.


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Why has there only been this little explored?
I figured it was really huge and mechanized travel would be considered impractical because of many obstacles, broken robots, piles hibernation pods, machinery, fallen over crates etc. You could push up date people get in it in order to make it more plausible, and maybe bump up the explored area, but it's meant to be something that still has lots of unknowns.
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Old 08-04-2017, 10:46 PM   #42
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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I figured it was really huge and mechanized travel would be considered impractical because of many obstacles, broken robots, piles hibernation pods, machinery, fallen over crates etc. You could push up date people get in it in order to make it more plausible, and maybe bump up the explored area, but it's meant to be something that still has lots of unknowns.
Ok, but we're talking about 200 years of occupation, with access to TL9+ drones and mapping software. Every inch would have been surveyed and data-mapped to a 3D model, and every fallen crate and broken robot would have been gathered up and analysed or salvaged by now.

To plausibly retain unknowns, you'd have to say either that working alien tech has quarantined massive areas, or perhaps say that any time one faction has occupied it, it has been quickly ousted by another faction before any work could get done.
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Old 08-04-2017, 11:00 PM   #43
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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Accelerations of up to 3gs are possible, but most practical designs operate between .5 and .75 g for routine transit.
So cracking open Humabaout's Halfway to Anywhere spreadsheet and looking up brachistochrone transfers, I get a few travel times:

(for minimal distances, all from Earth)
For 0.5g, Earth to Mars is 3 days, to Jupiter 5 days, then Saturn, Uranus, Neptune take 10, 20 and 30 days respectively.

At full 3g, Mars is 1.2 days, then J/S/U/N are 3.3/5/7.2 and 8.9 days.

Since we've mentioned the Kuiper Belt: it's outer radius is around 50 AU, which is 28 days at 0.5g, or 12 days at 3g. So we could cross from one side of the occupied Solar System to the other in no more than 2 months. (I guess, that's based on 2 brachistochrone transfers via Earth, which may not actually be the fastest transfer path.) This is on a similar scale to modern Earth ship transport, where it might take 2 months to get from London to Sydney.
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Old 08-04-2017, 11:28 PM   #44
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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So cracking open Humabaout's Halfway to Anywhere spreadsheet and looking up brachistochrone transfers, I get a few travel times:

(for minimal distances, all from Earth)
For 0.5g, Earth to Mars is 3 days, to Jupiter 5 days, then Saturn, Uranus, Neptune take 10, 20 and 30 days respectively.

At full 3g, Mars is 1.2 days, then J/S/U/N are 3.3/5/7.2 and 8.9 days.

Since we've mentioned the Kuiper Belt: it's outer radius is around 50 AU, which is 28 days at 0.5g, or 12 days at 3g. So we could cross from one side of the occupied Solar System to the other in no more than 2 months. (I guess, that's based on 2 brachistochrone transfers via Earth, which may not actually be the fastest transfer path.) This is on a similar scale to modern Earth ship transport, where it might take 2 months to get from London to Sydney.
The drive generates a lot of heat at high acceleration, so it really is only useful for combat maneuvers at 3g.
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Old 08-06-2017, 12:34 AM   #45
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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The drive generates a lot of heat at high acceleration, so it really is only useful for combat maneuvers at 3g.
That leaves the way open for high-speed cruisers with multiple drives and banks of advanced cooling systems.
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Old 08-06-2017, 12:42 AM   #46
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That leaves the way open for high-speed cruisers with multiple drives and banks of advanced cooling systems.
There are practical limits to the size of effective radiators, and of course they are easy to hit fragile components.

Also that means the efficiency curve is such that a ship of any given size's reactor output is able to generate the power for thrust around half a g, and the curve climbs steeply after that as more power gets wasted as heat. High acceleration probably requires temporary power boosts from capacitors.

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Old 08-06-2017, 04:02 AM   #47
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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Q33: Tell us about a mercenary company that would be a suitable employer for the PCs.

The Bad Pennies

This is a mercenary group for those with nothing left to lose, poorly equipped and armed with the cheapest weapons, they are expected to fight and die for pocket change. Specializing in assault work the only reason this unit has any personnel at all is because they recruit from death row. To keep the members of this unit in line a combination of High tech and primitive brutality is used, members have cortex bombs implanted as well as being branded with the units emblem. The NCOs of the bad pennies have a reputation as the toughest around. A year of service in the bad pennies will get a death with no upload commuted to just a death sentence or a death sentence commuted to a double century of cold sleep. Primarily an infantry unit.

The Rusty Ravens
While not a front line unit the Ravens have a reputation for success in a variety of situations, especially when dealing with criminal organizations. The unit recruits people who would not otherwise pass the entry requirements for a military organization. Soldiers who have been forced into retirement work shoulder to shoulder with ex-criminals, ex-cops and all manner of society's rejects. Working around the edges of warzones and battles the Ravens are famed for their unconventional approach to solving problems. If push comes to shove the Ravens are quite capable of using their recoil-less rifles to shoot an opponent in the back.

Rawling's Rough Riders
A more affluent unit that utilizes high quality battle-suits and light vehicles, they class themselves as a cavalry unit and prefer swift action in more open environments. The rough riders operate out of a converted cruise liner and have a half dozen Cormorant fighter bombers in support roles.


Red Planet Privateer co-operative

One of the older mercenary groups operating in the system, the RPPC have a larger naval presence than most other mercenary groups. They have a complicated buy in system and require that all members are shareholders. Their contracts also specify that they get more salvage and loot than most other companies. While loosely organized the privateers can mount a force that includes two modern carriers, numerous landing craft and two more older carriers. They are frequently called upon by other organizations to provide transport and fire support. While no two of their fighter craft are exactly the same they are maintained and crewed to a high standard. Members of the RPPC are all issued with a early plasma pistol that currently is only good for two shots before needing a reload.

Ares network
A huge and corporately organized group, also one that is on the watch list of several of the larger factions as it comes close to becoming big enough to be a threat to established governments. Uniforms, standardized equipment, R&D this is the corporate military.

Saracen Whiskey Golf
Saracen W-G is the designation of a rather battered Mech, nicknamed Frankenstein or Frank by the support crew. The Saracen crew operate out of the well maintained military transport "Diana" and also have an inter-atmospheric fighter and an APC on board. They also run eight fire teams to support and guard "Frank"

Q34 and 35
What types of weapons are being introduced to replace the aging slug throwers?

What weapons are used on space craft and Mechs?
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Old 08-07-2017, 11:54 AM   #48
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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Question 31- Expanding on Cicads
What redeeming qualities might the Cicads have, so that they're not just an evil, conquering alien bug species?
Does their occupation of Jupiter and Saturn's moons continue, or has that territory been ceded?
Cicadian's still hold political control of moons, but cultural control of them is light: Cicadian owners make a killing off of exporting volitiles extracted mostly be other species. The gas giants themselves are full of the bugs though, with only occasional interlopers.

Cicadians culture has mellowed after establishing dominance around Jupiter, and the "hawk" faction being superseded by a "builder" faction focused on engineering and economic dominance rather than military.

And artistic dominance. Cicadians are fascinated with sensory input, from classic paintings to wiring themselves up to replicate electrical field senses. And they're pretty good at it: the tech lets them not only see in RBG, but have a natural sense of taste while doing so. Cicadians produce graphics, cinema, and all sorts of entertainment. Of course, handling extra senses with grace is not without military value.

Question 36: What is the biggest sentient alien species?
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Old 08-07-2017, 03:30 PM   #49
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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Question 36: What is the biggest sentient alien species?
The biggest sentient alien species is the Klaflhan, with most adults around twice the size of a African Bush Elephant. The Klaflhan is composed of dozens of tentacles, some for feeling, some for manipulation, some are stingers, etc. As the Klaflhan ages, the Klaflhan continues to grow, adding more tentacles as it grows. The largest is almost 20 tons, 40 meters long and and has fifteen hundren tentacles. ESP and Telepathy make up for their otherwise weak senses.

The Klaflhan metabolism is Nitrogen based, oxidizing Methane with Nitrates to produce Cyanides and Water. Their plant life fixes Nitrogen into Nitrates with Water, while symbiotic bacteria produces Methane. Their reliance on Methane and Nitrogen is the chief reason why so much of the focus is why their species is focused on Titan, moon of Saturn. Solar mirrors have constructed to increase heating of the planet, and ice from the rings of Saturn is dropped in to hydrate the moon. The Human colonists have been bought off with cheap fertilizer.

Klaflhan society is based being the closest to the center of a social web. That is to say, Klaflhan society is dominated by those who are the fewest number of relationships away from other Klaflhan. Through their telepathy, Klaflhan understand this intuitively. This leads to ambitious Klaflhan to move quickly in geographic and occupational positions, in order to establish as many well spread relationships as possible.

Current Species List
1) Bahz (Gamblers)
2) Khorchon (Complicated Dominance System)
3) Chekta (Uplifted Rabbit-Like)
4) Cicads (Insectoid Gas Giant Dwellers)
5) Klaflhan
Seven More.

Question 25, open
Several factions and groups have been around since the twentieth century, how have they adapted to the current environment? Tell us about one.

Question 27
I've used a naive average growth rate of 1% for the human population to reach 1 trillion by 2500 AD. This also assumes that the alien population isn't a significantly large proportion of the population. Should we take these numbers as is, or go with a more conservative growth rate- due to the many challenges of building a deep-space civilisation- and thus set the current year at a later point?
And incidentally, what is the alien population?

Question 32
There are multiple factions on Mars. Are they in conflict with each other? Alliance? Coopetition?

Question 34
What types of weapons are being introduced to replace the aging slug throwers?

Question 35
What weapons are used on space craft and Mechs?

Question 37 (NEW)
Mars has been "mostly" terraformed. How terraformed is this exactly? Oceans and much greenery? A wetter planet with thin strips of green and a breathable atmosphere? A planet where you can breath, but little else?
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Old 08-07-2017, 04:42 PM   #50
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Default Re: [Game] Generate a military sci-fi setting

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Current Species List
1) Bahz (Gamblers)
2) Khorchon (Complicated Dominance System)
3) Chekta (Uplifted Rabbit-Like)
4) Cicads (Insectoid Gas Giant Dwellers)
5) Klaflhan
Seven More.
That's a good list to have. Thanks. I went back and looked at at them a bit more to understand what we have.

The number of species is unspecified, though the number of "Civilizations" is: 8 of them are certainly in, and there are 4 more you can debate about whether or not they are civilized.

The remnants of the ark's automation probably count as one of the four debate civilizations.

Chekta are not uplifted for sure, only possibly, and they wouldn't count as a civilization by themselves. So that drops our civilization count down.

We have two alternative biochemistries so far! Cicads live in gas giants with all the strangeness that implies, and Klafhans breathe out Cyanides. I'm not sure if they are aquatic or not. I like that so far though!
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