Traveller, The Rise of Empire: A Naval Design, Procurement and Command Quest

How should the Interstellar Cruiser be refit? Replace all major armament with an improved PD/triple turret suite and install a large torpedo bay (and magazines). Improve engines and power plant, if possible. General modernization. Include additional SAR, crew, and medical space if tonnage/modernization allows.
What ships should be sent to reserve in order to free up pilots? Place 2 Interstellar Cruisers and both SDDs in reserve to allow for refit and to free up pilot staff. Cycle IC's through reserve as new D-model refits come online.
What should the HSWS do? Scramble the Expeditionary Force (and portions of the Reserve, if deemed necessary) to Heimdall and coordinate with Cassalon space forces to set up a tripwire force in their volume. All available SIGINT sensor assets are to be split evenly between the two forces to allow total ISR coverage as the situation develops. Approach Cassalon about greater integration of our space-forces and space-force construction capacity (including personnel integration, etc). Scramble remaining Reserve Force/ships to Cassalon. Place Home Force on alert in case Cassalon is bypassed. Utilize couriers to ensure (relatively) fast flow of information throughout.

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The Articles of War
Many weeks passed in great roaring argument, the clash of many a mighty mind struggling to see the purpose of allowing a few proles the chance at a more survivable battlefield. They are undercut, however, when the democratic government of Cassalon ratifies the Articles with barely a murmur of dissent. After all, their response reads, their local ships already rely primarily on missile launchers for space combat and they would much prefer Cassalon herself never see another nuclear or particle weapon ever. Guarantees of protection for civilians from orbital bombardment, an experience the people of Cassalon have had twice, is certainly nothing to turn their noses up at, simply because it does away with Particle Beams.

Xyri follows after in short order, aware that they escaped a similar fate by chance and the intervention of the Home Space Warfare Service. Had it not been for the warnings and management of Colonel (now Flight Commodore) Chey, they would likely have suffered a similar nuclear bombardment to that which almost ruined Cassalon. With two governmental bodies ratifying the Articles and the HSWS already planning to convert vessels to reduce the use of particle weapons, the government of Home only requires one final push before ratifying. It comes in the form of a small appended note from a legal scholar that informs the Citizen's Council that while the Militia and the Space Forces will be bound by these during war time, the various corporations and industrial firms that make up the Council will not. After all, a factory cannot declare war or have war declared upon it. The representative from Steenbeck has been seen smiling hungrily in the wake of this.

The Aslan prove slightly more of a problem, but eventually an accommodation is made. If and when hired by a ratifying body or operating in an area controlled by a ratifying body, they will be bound by the Articles and expected to follow the rules laid out. Outside of that, they cannot be held accountable to the Articles and thus are freed from them. Technically this does mean that an Aslan ship belonging to one of the two mercenary companies could engage an HSWS ship with particle beams and the HSWS ship could not respond, but equally each company also maintains only a single small ship. It is not of great concern.

These Articles are the first great symbol of diplomatic power we have to our name. We could consider attempting to spread these values beyond our own local stars:
[ ] We should approach the Aslan proper with the Articles.
[ ] The Friendly Northern Neighbours with whom we have only had brief contact.
[ ] Garda-Villis, with their massive ships
[ ] Maybe we shouldn't go looking for trouble.

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Refitting the Interstellar Cruisers
The ICbIIa and ICbII will soon, through another round of major refits, become the ICbIII. This new version of our steadfast warship will be completely stripped of her particle beams, replacing them with six torpedo tubes and an array of defensive turrets of a density heretofore unforeseen. The goes alongside a near complete modernisation internally including:
- An enhanced fusion reactor providing 15% more power than previously available.
- Large drives pushing the ship to greater speeds.
- 50% more crew capacity to accommodate both an increase in crew and the ability to manage additional load during emergencies.
- A medical bay with six beds and the medics needed to run it.
- A smaller shuttle bay with a more capable shuttle aboard.
- Cargo and common areas.
Each refit will cost on the order of three-hundred-million credits and take the better part of a year, but they will lead to a far more comfortable, more capable ship to support our new Cruiser, Fast Attacks. The HSWS Apedemak will be the first ship to enter the yards and begin her long rebuild.

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Lights in the Dark
The expeditionary force (Three combat ships and an FSS) depart for Heimdall without delay, transiting out of Home almost as soon as the orders are received. It will take them a month to reach that system, of course, but that's the price of modern technology. Meanwhile, additional forces head to Cassalon to reinforce the station there and provide additional platforms to operate alongside the Cassalon fleet. The HSLS Bá Kim also attends, with a view to improving connections between the two forces and perhaps coming out of this potential crisis with some new integrations and changes.

A line of couriers strings out from Heimdall to Home, a relay network that sits outside the 100d limit and stands ready to jump as soon as news requiring them is received. And then, with everything in place, the HSWS and her allies holds their breath and... waits.

A flash of light. Scrambled fighters and Frigates race to the location, trying to scrape as much sensor information as possible. Warnings and invitations to communicate are broadcast openly. No messages are returned, and the best sensor data indicates a 2,000dton wedge running as hot as a warship, its sensors running entirely passively, before it once again jumps away.

Someone is scouting out this system, and possibly other nearby systems, but there is no indication of deeper penetration. With the limited forces available, what should the HSWS do?
[ ] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall.
[ ] Extend the net to Sinone and '-02,03' to check for incoming ships from Hermosa.
[ ] Extend the net to Shambala and Nova Refugio, to check for incoming ships from Garda-Villis
[ ] Other, write in

There is no requirement to create a plan, but plans are still welcome. Voting opens at Sep 13, 2024 at 1:00 PM