Promises Made (Expires Q1 1953):
Complete Weather Studies (Phase 3) (+5 PS)
We completed this last turn.
[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket - The IEC's engineers and scientists have come up with a moderately reliable stage separation system for multi-stage rockets. Moderately as in "It worked the first time", anyway. It could use more development. (15R per dice, 2/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
-[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
I think it would be useful to have some indicator that we have a finished sounding rocket in storage.
[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) - With the weather observation program started, keeping it going is now almost a given. The returns have been very valuable for the meteorological community at large, and the PAO has received numerous calls from various localities across the globe asking for the IEC to put up instruments where they are, each hoping to reap the rewards of more accurate weather prediction. (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 14/240) (+5 PS on complete)
[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) - The first phase of Rocket Box deployment has been a rousing success, and your Public Affairs Office wants to keep up the momentum by shifting their focus to Asia and Oceania. The rocket motors will likely still be made near Mogadishu, but they plan to contact workshops across those two regions to supply everything else. (5R per die, 3/350. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Australia and New Zealand. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
The descripton for these two projects hasn't changed. In particular, I doubt we can supply Australia and New Zeland with rocket boxes twice.
 
Looking at the update - the mobile launch trucks will definitely be good. That Rocket Boxes goal will be tough, but it looks like we have about a 60% chance to hit it, which isn't too bad - we'll definitely want to avoid committments in Facilities and Politics as much as possible next turn though to catch up on other things though.

As awkward as it is to keep pushing back the heavy sounding rocket, I think we should put two dice on the Computer Facility this turn - while there's a chance of completion on one die, the raised chance of completing it in one turn (and getting a turn of bonuses) actually gives us a better average return than trying to save the die - plus, if we didn't complete it in one die this turn, we'd probably be forced to spend two on it next turn to be confident in fulfilling the promise.

I was making a plan but I'm not really sure what to do on Science. Since we have so much to do under Facilities the tracking network survey doesn't seem urgent enough for multiple dice, so we could knock out a propellant or materials research item this year - materials in particular is vital. But getting too far on Materials Science might make future a committment to it next year require another phase and be too much for us to lock in.

It would be a good time to fit in a level of propellant research - except that the argument that we should prioritize it because it's lower priority doesn't sound convincing. Alternately we could also start the Big Ear or further Weather Studies - which of those do we want to pursue first?
 
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I think we should start doing space for all soon-ish since state of the world said the Council want to redirect budet toward industrialization. Telling people how space operation could have help they lofe sound like something that help preventing our budget getting cut.
 
Okay, so the rough outline of thoughts on a plan:

[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
-[] And launch it
-[] And launch it

Not much of an option here, and no reason not to launch two rockets in one turn. We're headed into a tough council session, so showing off is probably good. The only reason to wait I can think of is if we do Rocket Reels.

[ ] Construct a Computational Research Facility

The obvious competitor for this would be the HSR launch site, but that gets us no advantages yet whereas the CRF gets us +3 to everything. We also want to make sure we deliver on at least most of our promises, so I think putting both dice into this - just in case of a bad roll - is a good idea.

As an aside, a wind tunnel will probably be a smart investment soon. Almost all Engineering projects are tagged AERO, and for 80 points we get +3 to them. We won't break even on dice by the time we finish the orbital rocket, but we will break even on resources (assuming perfectly average rolls), and we'll still have the wind tunnel afterwards.

[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I)
[ ] Mobile Launch Operations

I think we should put off the HSR because we can try and grab the aluminum tanks this turn, thus giving us experience with them on the HSR. We also aren't doing the launch pad so it doesn't even help us to

I'm iffy on MLO; on one hand, it unlocks WS4, which is an easy promise for next year; on the other hand, we might be able to promise MLO...

[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1)

If we throw everything at this, we would likely get this done this turn. I think having this unlocked before we progress too far on our next rockets will be good. We can't promise it at the next council session, but we could promise MR2, and the more capable our 30 ton orbital rocket, the better (putting up shiny basketballs that go beep is all well and good, but imagine if we put up a weather satellite in ~1955 that spotted a cyclone as it was still forming...)

Now, Politics is the big question. IMO, we have two choices here.

On one hand, we could throw everything at Rocket Boxes 3. If we commit all 6 dice to it, we have an 86% chance of success. This is probably smart, but it also locks us out of doing anything else political for the rest of the year.

On the other, we could give up on RB3 completing by 1953, and instead start doing other rolls. There's a 76% chance we'd be able to complete both Space for All (for the +10 PS and ???) and Bothering Councillors (-10 PS and hopefully enough influence to offset the hit from not completing our promises) within one turn, and should likely complete Rocket Reels the turn after to get a constant source of PS.

A possible compromise could be going all in on RB3 this turn, then making a call next turn on if we're better off finishing it or switching to bothering councillors and space for all for our last 3 dice?
 
Okay, so the rough outline of thoughts on a plan:

[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
-[] And launch it
-[] And launch it

Not much of an option here, and no reason not to launch two rockets in one turn. We're headed into a tough council session, so showing off is probably good. The only reason to wait I can think of is if we do Rocket Reels.

[ ] Construct a Computational Research Facility

The obvious competitor for this would be the HSR launch site, but that gets us no advantages yet whereas the CRF gets us +3 to everything. We also want to make sure we deliver on at least most of our promises, so I think putting both dice into this - just in case of a bad roll - is a good idea.

As an aside, a wind tunnel will probably be a smart investment soon. Almost all Engineering projects are tagged AERO, and for 80 points we get +3 to them. We won't break even on dice by the time we finish the orbital rocket, but we will break even on resources (assuming perfectly average rolls), and we'll still have the wind tunnel afterwards.

[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I)
[ ] Mobile Launch Operations

I think we should put off the HSR because we can try and grab the aluminum tanks this turn, thus giving us experience with them on the HSR. We also aren't doing the launch pad so it doesn't even help us to

I'm iffy on MLO; on one hand, it unlocks WS4, which is an easy promise for next year; on the other hand, we might be able to promise MLO...

[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1)

If we throw everything at this, we would likely get this done this turn. I think having this unlocked before we progress too far on our next rockets will be good. We can't promise it at the next council session, but we could promise MR2, and the more capable our 30 ton orbital rocket, the better (putting up shiny basketballs that go beep is all well and good, but imagine if we put up a weather satellite in ~1955 that spotted a cyclone as it was still forming...)

Now, Politics is the big question. IMO, we have two choices here.

On one hand, we could throw everything at Rocket Boxes 3. If we commit all 6 dice to it, we have an 86% chance of success. This is probably smart, but it also locks us out of doing anything else political for the rest of the year.

On the other, we could give up on RB3 completing by 1953, and instead start doing other rolls. There's a 76% chance we'd be able to complete both Space for All (for the +10 PS and ???) and Bothering Councillors (-10 PS and hopefully enough influence to offset the hit from not completing our promises) within one turn, and should likely complete Rocket Reels the turn after to get a constant source of PS.

A possible compromise could be going all in on RB3 this turn, then making a call next turn on if we're better off finishing it or switching to bothering councillors and space for all for our last 3 dice?
I'm wary of the non-mechanical effects of dramatically swinging dice allocations around - abandoning rocket boxes sounds a lot worse for our trust than keeping a few dice on it and maybe starting something else, and while it'd not be a massive problem to stop the tracking station surveys we do need to get them done in the next few turns and it seems like dropping them to throw all 3 dice at a materials science project wouldn't be good organizationally.

Also, with the sounding rocket design over halfway done, I don't know if we can hope to get in aluminum construction for it - my main hope with it is to have it completed for any future revision and during the first stage of orbital rocket development.
 
The wind tunnel may or may not count as spaceplane research, depending on how unkind the WCC feels like being. Which is something to be wary of since we promised not to pursue spaceplane research.
 
[] Plan: The Promises of Space (and Weathermen)

Prioritizes finishing the things we promised, and to a lesser extent things we've already started, tries to make a little early progress on Weather Studies ahead of presumably promising more about it to the Council.

Resource Cost: 125

Operations (1 dice)
-[] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
--[] 1 dice. (-10R)
--[] And launch it.
--[] And launch the other one.
Facilities (2 dice)
-[] Construct a Computational Research Facility
--[] 2 Dice (-40R)
Engineering (3 dice)
-[] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO] -
--[] 1 Dice (-5R)
-[] Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I) [AERO, PHYS]
--[] 1 Dice (-15R)
-[] Mobile Launch Operations
--[] 1 Dice (-20R)
Science (3 dice)
-[] Tracking Station Surveys
--[] 2 Dice (-10R)
-[] Weather Studies (Phase 4)
--[] 1 Dice (-10R)
Politics (3 dice)
-[] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3)
--[] 3 Dice (-15R)
 
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I'm wary of the non-mechanical effects of dramatically swinging dice allocations around - abandoning rocket boxes sounds a lot worse for our trust than keeping a few dice on it and maybe starting something else, and while it'd not be a massive problem to stop the tracking station surveys we do need to get them done in the next few turns and it seems like dropping them to throw all 3 dice at a materials science project wouldn't be good organizationally.

Also, with the sounding rocket design over halfway done, I don't know if we can hope to get in aluminum construction for it - my main hope with it is to have it completed for any future revision and during the first stage of orbital rocket development.
Yeah, that's a valid concern.

I do think we should start getting moving on aluminum tanks, but I can see the argument for a split. I don't think tracking stations are a huge priority until we are close to orbit, however. I worry that the "leverage" will include promises of building tracking stations, and I'd rather we make use of our facilities dice for getting some bonuses next year instead of having them tied up. What do you think of one on TSS and two on MS1?

I am also leaning towards rocket boxes, but I wanted to explore the options.
 
[X] Plan: Science SCUD

Operations (1 dice, +3 bonus)
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket - (15R per dice, 2/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
--[X] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)


Facilities (2 dice, +0 bonus)
-[X] Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 103/180, +3 to all projects) (High Priority)

You all know the drill. Oaths we have sworn, now we fulfill them all.

Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[X] (2 Dice) Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I) [AERO, PHYS] - (15R per dice, 59/300)

-[X] Mobile Launch Operations (20R, 0/50, gain Launch Trucks for Sounding Rockets. Unlocks a Name vote for the system, as well as the sounding rockets.)

One dice on the mobile launchers so we can do more weather research later.

Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)

-[X] (3 Dice) Tracking Station Surveys (5R per dice, 27/150, unlocks Tracking Station Construction project for Facilities)

The extra leverage this gives us will be very handy given that the GM has hinted that it will be harder to maintain our current funding level next council session.

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)

Outreach

-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) - (5R per die, 3/350. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Australia and New Zealand. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)

Pray for good rolls so that we fulfill our promise.
 
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The wind tunnel may or may not count as spaceplane research, depending on how unkind the WCC feels like being. Which is something to be wary of since we promised not to pursue spaceplane research.
There's no research being done at all, it's just a wind tunnel. It helps with rockets too.
A Hanger might be a bit dicey since it's purpose is the construction of spaceplanes. But it's just a building. It doesn't provide any data.

Besides it was only the Social Democrats we made that deal with. And they proposed it in the first place because they didn't want the new government to look too good.
 
I do think we should start getting moving on aluminum tanks, but I can see the argument for a split. I don't think tracking stations are a huge priority until we are close to orbit, however. I worry that the "leverage" will include promises of building tracking stations, and I'd rather we make use of our facilities dice for getting some bonuses next year instead of having them tied up. What do you think of one on TSS and two on MS1?
That sounds good to me.

Here's a plan that differs from the above one only in the science category: rather than trying to get the tracking stations completed ASAP, it starts on Materials Research 1 which is our highest research priority, so that we can incorporate it into our designs. We have urgent projects in Facilities and Science and while I do think we should start on the tracking network sooner rather than later, rushing to complete it would mean significant sacrifices.

[X] Computers and Aluminum (155R)
Operations (1/1 Dice, 15R)

-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket (15R per dice, 2/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] Launch one 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
Facilities (2/2 dice, 40R)
-[X] (2 Dice) Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 103/180, +3 to all projects) (High Priority)
Engineering (3/3 dice, 50R)
-[X] (2 Dice) Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I) [AERO, PHYS](15R per dice, 59/300)
-[X] Mobile Launch Operations (20R, 0/50, gain Launch Trucks for Sounding Rockets. Unlocks a Name vote for the system, as well as the sounding rockets.)
Science (3/3 dice, 35R)
-[X] Tracking Station Surveys (5R per dice, 27/150, unlocks Tracking Station Construction project for Facilities)
-[X] (2 Dice)Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1) (15R per die, 0/150, provides access to aluminum structures)
Politics (3/3 dice, 15R)
-[X] (3 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) (5R per die, 3/350. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Australia and New Zealand. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
 
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To be clear, I don't think we should build the wind tunnel now, just that we should probably start looking at it for next year since we might hit a resources bottleneck. We should have enough to occupy us until the end of the year unless we get exceptionally good facilities rolls.

Dessard, that plan seems good to me.
 
Quick question, anybody know how the politics reroll works? I'm trying to figure out our chances of completing Rocket Boxes, and precisely how the reroll works has a huge impact.
 
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Quick question, anybody know how the politics reroll works? I'm trying to figure out our chances of completing Rocket Boxes, and how the reroll works has a huge impact.

"I pick your lowest roll and reroll it if necessary. Both of your Political projects completed this turn, though, so it didn't happen."

Presumably, if we put all our dice into rocket boxes, it'll inevitably fail (or we succeed and don't have to worry about it), and Shadows will reroll the lowest of the 3 dice and use the new roll. I've been approximating that with 4d100kh3, although in practice it's going to be slightly lower since the fourth roll isn't guaranteed to be higher than the lowest of the initial three.
 
Presumably, if we put all our dice into rocket boxes, it'll inevitably fail (or we succeed and don't have to worry about it), and Shadows will reroll the lowest of the 3 dice. I've been approximating that with 4d100kh3, although in practice it's going to be slightly lower since the fourth dice isn't guaranteed to be higher than the third.
Thanks, I thought it was just 4d100kh3. Not throwing out the reroll if it's lower than the original roll makes calculations quite a bit trickier.
 
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And if two projects fail, I kick up a vote for you to pick which one gets the reroll.
 
ROBERT E LEE HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE AND ONCE AGAIN MARCHES TO ENSLAVE THE FREE PEOPLES OF THE NORTH

Anyways, we've done enough weather studies for now. Let's work on aluminum and starting a tracking system.
[X] Computers and Aluminum (155R)

I think we should start doing space for all soon-ish since state of the world said the Council want to redirect budet toward industrialization. Telling people how space operation could have help they lofe sound like something that help preventing our budget getting cut.
You make a good point. But rocket boxes are chancy so they take priority. I do agree that should be our next priority once stage 3 is done though.
 
[X] Plan Computers and Aluminum (155R)
-[X] Construct a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket - (15R per dice, 2/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] Launch one 2-Stage Sounding Rocket
-[X] (2 Dice) Construct a Computational Research Facility (20R per die, 103/180, +3 to all projects) (High Priority)
-[X] (2 Dice) Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I) [AERO, PHYS] - (15R per dice, 59/300)
-[X] Mobile Launch Operations (20R, 0/50, gain Launch Trucks for Sounding Rockets. Unlocks a Name vote for the system, as well as the sounding rockets.)
-[X] Tracking Station Surveys (5R per dice, 27/150, unlocks Tracking Station Construction project for Facilities)
-[X] (2 Dice)Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1) (15R per die, 0/150, provides access to aluminum structures)
-[X] (3 Dice) Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) (5R per die, 3/350. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Australia and New Zealand. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
 
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