The only trick with starting both the piezoelectric and response bay research this turn is that we might finish the bay before the gravity plating. This could mean having to rebuild it later.
I think we envisaged Mt. Salcedo as more of s cache for supplies and vital technology that we could hide, less a second population center. While our people want to spread out a whole 2nd settlement is beyond our needs for the moment.
That and a military outpost/fortress for training and operations that are best done well away from civilian population centers, like live fire vehicular training exercises and simulated search-and-rescue events.
That would give Salcedo a standing population of like 40 people with at least half on rotation from the general population though. (A single Job is about two dozen people working a task for a year.)
The militia might also establish a hidden secondary starport as a secondary measure to counter raider invasions or something like that depending on how things evolve.
[X] Spreading out in many directions
-[X] Industry
--[X] 9 psi-drone pops will be reassigned from labs 1, 2, 3, and 4. These pops will be assigned to 3 Greenhouse, 5 Ionized Storm Peat Mines, and 1 Dredging Facility
--[X] 2 Autofactories will serve as 6 Autofabbers this turn (2/13)
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (2/9) will armor 24 facilities in Stone-shell skin: 6 surface labs (6/24), 8 Neuro-throne Rooms (14/24), 5 Warehouses (19/24), 1 Deep Vault Access (20/24), 1 Maglev system (21/24), 3 Basic Fusion Reactors (24/24).
--[X] 1 Autofabber (3/9) will Build 1 Subterranean Warehouse. Cost: -1 Energy
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (5/9) will Build 1 Subterranean Autofactory. Cost: -5 Minerals, -1 Energy
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (7/9) will Build 1 GEV maintenance bay, dedicated to Vigor tree harvesting. Cost: -2 Biomass, -3 Minerals.
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (9/9) will Build 1 GEV maintenance bay, dedicated to hauling heavy freight and equipment long distances. Cost: -2 Biomass, -3 Minerals.
--[X] 2 Autofactories (4/14) will Build 1 Storm hardened (the above ground bits at least) Deep Vault Access.Cost: -5 Biomass, -6 Minerals
--[X] 1 Psi-crystal machine will produce Psi-powered tools to make excavation a bit easier
--[X] 1 Autofactory (5/14) will build 1 Subterranean Lab. Cost -5 Minerals, -1 Energy
--[X] 1 Autofactory (6/14) will be assigned to support the diplomatic action. It will produce a test Neighorhood, of a scale that can be completed by a single Autofactory
--[X] 2 Autofactories (8/14) and 2 Psi-crystal Machines (3/6) will produce 2 Militarized Shuttles. Cost: -14 Minerals, -12 Biomass
--[X] 1 Autofactory (9/14) will Build 1 Partially buried and Storm hardened Maglev transport system.
--[X] 1 Autofactory (10/14 and 1 Psi Crystal Machine (4/6) will build 1 Subterranean Psi-Crystal Machine. Cost: -5 Minerals, -2 Biomass, -1 Energy
--[X] 1 Psi Crystal Machine (5/7) will assist lab 4 with experiments
--[X] 2 Autofactories (12/14), 1 Psi-crystal machine (6/7), and the heavy freight GEV hanger will be assigned to begin construction of the first stages of the road to Mt. Salcedo
--[X] 2 Autofactories and 1 Psi-Crystal Machine will be held in reserve
-[X] Orbital
--[X] 1 Supply Operation
--[X] 4 Asteroid Mining Operations
--[X] 7 Capture Asteroid Operations
--[X] 1 Harvest Biomass Operation
-[X] Military
--[X] The Militia will oversee work and contribute to work on the road to Mt. Salcedo. We will see how much progress can be made with the resources available.
-[X] Exploration
--[X] Map elements of the piezoelectric aquifers close to the settlement, and try to place sensors into these areas. The intent is to try to create a system where we can compare weather data from the sensor satellites and the aquifer sensors to build more reliable storm prediction
-[X] Research
--[X] Continue existing projects
--[X] Lab 3 will join Lab 5 on researching Gravity plating
--[X] Lab 6 will research Piezoelectric Aquifers II
-[X] Diplomatic
--[X] There have been a flurry of proposals for subscrapers, domed settlements, skyscrapers, and even an Arcology. The development of the settlement's core, how much should be above or below ground and the appropriate level of density, looks to be a daunting task. To get some actual progress on the issue a test "railroad suburb" has been built. A small ring settlement, built around a village center with areas for gardens and an access point for the new transportation system. A dome overtop and biomaterial construction should protect the community from storms, and on clear days there is access to the surrounding countryside for foot or personal vehicle access. Theoretically this model could be scaled up to allow for clan compounds, but with the demands on the colony's resources at the moment a smaller community will serve as a test case.
--[X] Questions of how to develop the "city" will have to be debated further. Debates as to the relative value of building up or digging down continue to rage, and the whole question of whether the Magma tube will ever see permanent habitation is a whole other issue.
-[X] Personal
--[X] With all the thoughts of Legacy James might want to make sure his 'memoirs' are up to date. Look through what thought and emotional impressions he has left in the archive, if there are gaps try to fill in what he can with later recollection but don't revise what is already there. When he is gone the next person with this job might want to know why decisions were made.
We are within a couple of turns of finishing our basic defenses with the 10 Militarized Shuttles, but I want to finish Gravity plating before we add more permanent space presence. Ideally we will finish it this turn and be able to assign multiple labs to getting the Rapid Response bay finished the next turn.
I built 1 test neighborhood just so our new transportation system wasn't literally a maglev to nowhere.
Sorry for the lack of comments recently I've been a bit out of it due to toothache issues.
But yeah this plan sounds fun. I like all the spots within it. Also the model habitat idea was cool.
--
I also like the industry actions. The division of securing and expansion is useful to me. Also the subterranean structures are a very nifty design element. As is the GEV facilities.
I like the orbital stuff, a nice mix of things.
The militia doing road work is nifty.
I do wonder if the underground volcanic tunnels could be used as a transport line.
Exploration of the piezoelectric aquifers seems very useful.
I'm happy with the research. Also yay on us continuing work on gravity plating. Cause seriously that will make us better compared to many of the races around us in the future. Grav tech is rare in B5.
The diplomatic one, as I said, sounds fun.
Future thoughts
Orbital - I could see us doing a bit more system exploration. Also I still think us looking into the rift could be useful.
Oh. Idea. I wonder if we can create a probe that can be Telekinetically pushed faster so that it can travel farther faster. That might be nifty.
[X] Spreading out in many directions
-[X] Industry
--[X] 9 psi-drone pops will be reassigned from labs 1, 2, 3, and 4. These pops will be assigned to 3 Greenhouse, 5 Ionized Storm Peat Mines, and 1 Dredging Facility
--[X] 2 Autofactories will serve as 6 Autofabbers this turn (2/13)
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (2/9) will armor 24 facilities in Stone-shell skin: 6 surface labs (6/24), 8 Neuro-throne Rooms (14/24), 5 Warehouses (19/24), 1 Deep Vault Access (20/24), 1 Maglev system (21/24), 3 Basic Fusion Reactors (24/24).
--[X] 1 Autofabber (3/9) will Build 1 Subterranean Warehouse. Cost: -1 Energy
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (5/9) will Build 1 Subterranean Autofactory. Cost: -5 Minerals, -1 Energy
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (7/9) will Build 1 GEV maintenance bay, dedicated to Vigor tree harvesting. Cost: -2 Biomass, -3 Minerals.
--[X] 2 Autofabbers (9/9) will Build 1 GEV maintenance bay, dedicated to hauling heavy freight and equipment long distances. Cost: -2 Biomass, -3 Minerals.
--[X] 2 Autofactories (4/14) will Build 1 Storm hardened (the above ground bits at least) Deep Vault Access.Cost: -5 Biomass, -6 Minerals
--[X] 1 Psi-crystal machine will produce Psi-powered tools to make excavation a bit easier
--[X] 1 Autofactory (5/14) will build 1 Subterranean Lab. Cost -5 Minerals, -1 Energy
--[X] 1 Autofactory (6/14) will be assigned to support the diplomatic action. It will produce a test Neighorhood, of a scale that can be completed by a single Autofactory
--[X] 2 Autofactories (8/14) and 2 Psi-crystal Machines (3/6) will produce 2 Militarized Shuttles. Cost: -14 Minerals, -12 Biomass
--[X] 1 Autofactory (9/14) will Build 1 Partially buried and Storm hardened Maglev transport system.
--[X] 1 Autofactory (10/14 and 1 Psi Crystal Machine (4/6) will build 1 Subterranean Psi-Crystal Machine. Cost: -5 Minerals, -2 Biomass, -1 Energy
--[X] 1 Psi Crystal Machine (5/7) will assist lab 4 with experiments
--[X] 2 Autofactories (12/14), 1 Psi-crystal machine (6/7), and the heavy freight GEV hanger will be assigned to begin construction of the first stages of the road to Mt. Salcedo
--[X] 2 Autofactories and 1 Psi-Crystal Machine will be held in reserve
-[X] Orbital
--[X] 1 Supply Operation
--[X] 4 Asteroid Mining Operations
--[X] 7 Capture Asteroid Operations
--[X] 1 Harvest Biomass Operation
-[X] Military
--[X] The Militia will oversee work and contribute to work on the road to Mt. Salcedo. We will see how much progress can be made with the resources available.
-[X] Exploration
--[X] Map elements of the piezoelectric aquifers close to the settlement, and try to place sensors into these areas. The intent is to try to create a system where we can compare weather data from the sensor satellites and the aquifer sensors to build more reliable storm prediction
-[X] Research
--[X] Continue existing projects
--[X] Lab 3 will join Lab 5 on researching Gravity plating
--[X] Lab 6 will research Piezoelectric Aquifers II
-[X] Diplomatic
--[X] There have been a flurry of proposals for subscrapers, domed settlements, skyscrapers, and even an Arcology. The development of the settlement's core, how much should be above or below ground and the appropriate level of density, looks to be a daunting task. To get some actual progress on the issue a test "railroad suburb" has been built. A small ring settlement, built around a village center with areas for gardens and an access point for the new transportation system. A dome overtop and biomaterial construction should protect the community from storms, and on clear days there is access to the surrounding countryside for foot or personal vehicle access. Theoretically this model could be scaled up to allow for clan compounds, but with the demands on the colony's resources at the moment a smaller community will serve as a test case.
--[X] Questions of how to develop the "city" will have to be debated further. Debates as to the relative value of building up or digging down continue to rage, and the whole question of whether the Magma tube will ever see permanent habitation is a whole other issue.
-[X] Personal
--[X] With all the thoughts of Legacy James might want to make sure his 'memoirs' are up to date. Look through what thought and emotional impressions he has left in the archive, if there are gaps try to fill in what he can with later recollection but don't revise what is already there. When he is gone the next person with this job might want to know why decisions were made.
Military Assets:
-- Telekinetic Militia. (+1 Effectiveness, +1 Psi-Amps, +1 Well-Equipped )
-- Clan Irregulars. 1 Squad. ( Can be applied in offworld operations and spec/recon activities, including spacewalk operations.)
-- Networked Watch Drones ( +1 Effectiveness )
-- 2 Squadrons of Telekinetic Militia Ground Effect Vehicles.
== Database Techs
- Colonization Basics.
Can build Tier 0 "Basic" basic facilities with autofabber action.
- Defense Basics.
Can build basic military gear, both personal and semi-autonomous drones.
- Energy Production Tier 1
Can design specialty Tier 1 facilities for power production. Most will require a Basic Autofactory.
- Ecological Architecture.
Can perform special actions to modify buildings to better perform or integrate better with local environment. (Example: "Storm Hardening").
- Space Operations.
Spaceports, Shuttles, Sensor Grids, and bears. Oh my!
- Ground Effect Vehicles.
Amphibious colonial survey design found in database. Increases efficacy of surveys, patrols, and hunts.
== Social Development
- Production/Energy Credit Economics
Basic and specialist pops have a minimum output that will always be met, and maintenance cost.
- Sporting Event Telepathic Training
Psi-amps have allowed teep training to be viewed as a form of athleticism rather than something to be endured. Long term impacts yet to be revealed.
- Clan Secrets
The Council of Matriarchs is planning to have each Clan develop their own unique spin on the skills one acquires as a teep and how to obtain them. While this can't affect Psi-ratings, the techniques one focuses on can have an impact on the jobs one is good at.
- Apprenticeships
The teens of the colony have persuaded the original generation to allow them to take on more responsibility and provide practical aid to the workers of the colony, easing the burden on the workforce.
- Telekinetic Dueling Culture.
The people of the colony are growing more invested in the personal prowess capabilities offered by the psi-amps.
- Civilian Economy Morale
The Civilian Economy has expanded to the state that it now provides a +1 Morale bonus to any facility with a malus that turn.
- Disaster Preparedness.
Militia Effectiveness now applies to disaster events.
- Storm Festivals.
Shocking culinary practices will now be a long-term part of the colony's social identity, representing endurance and togetherness. The Storm Month will be seen as a time when social status is secondary to reconciliation.
== Kithhame Techs
- Anti-Sandworm Thumpers
Sonic generators designed to mimic pestilent sandworms' predators.
- Vigor
Non-farmable trees quite similar to cinnamon trees on Old Earth, with some careful fermenting their bark can be made into a powder that when consumed with moderation significantly reduces the worst aspects of human senescence. This does not grant immunity to aging, but it does ensure that growing older does not mean loss of "youthful vigor" -- hence the material's name.
== Kobold Techs
- Kobold Veterancy Archives.
Eliminates potential unskilled labor penalties. Grants +1 bonus to tasks requiring extreme skill (combat rolls, medical performance, etc.,)
- Squadlink Technique.
Provides +1 effectiveness in small units from superior coordination.
- Stealth Technique.
Can allow militia members to remain undetected by sentient beings.
- Hive Repeaters.
Psi-crystal receiver/broadcasters that digitize Kobold hivemind mental broadcasts so they can be relayed via tightbeam tachyon broadcast. Allows Kobold Pets perk to apply in more situations, especially orbital operations.
== Psi-Crystal Techs
- Psi-Amps (Basic)
Through the use of electrically charged Psi-Crystals, and significantly more efficiently with a number of inscribed diagrams that allow specific energy conversions, telepaths can perform a broad number of "-kinetic" operations by reaching out telepathically to said crystals, or draw on the charge to enhance the brute strength of their telepathic presence. Psi-Amps can now also enhance telepathic operations and mind-machine interactions. +2 benefit (+20 to Research rolls).
- Telekinetic Weapons
Can use unengraved but larger psi-crystals to create heavy recoilless slug-thrower weapons, though they require hip or backpack power supplies.
- Telekinetic Thrusters
Use of psi-amp telekinesis to recoillessly compress springs in conjunction with "mental echo" training to provide impulse in a given direction. (Needs further research to advance above human-scale.)
- Psionic Interfaces
Telepathic interface technology can now work reliably with human-made computer components.
- Telekinetic Auras
By imbueing telekinetic energy into one's own bioelectric field, the field can draw on the person's metabolic energy and provide a basic 'reinforcement' of the bioelectric field into a sort of aura.
- Psi-Amp Multitasking.
Stronger telepaths can split their attention to perform telepathic and telekinetic actions simultaneously by 'shoring up' the strength of the 'psychic echo' in the psi-amps.
- Psi-Missiles.
Psi-drones equipped with telekinetic thrusters, sensor-dampening casings, and high explosive shaped charge munitions. Ideally effective at great ranges.
- Laser-kinetic Weapons
Vehicle-scale weapons based on mining lasers using telekinetic "bubbles" as supplemental focusing media, imparting kinetic energy by imbuing telekinetic "stickiness" to the photons, increasing beam coherence and magnifying momentum transfer capacity, creating lasers with kinetic impact. Improved psi-amps and biomechanoid casings for lasing chambers have increased effective range and potential charge to practical levels for point defense solutions at vehicular and spacecraft scales (ranges of single-digit kilometers rather than double-digit meters), with varying models of utility.
- Psi-Runes
Specialized psi-crystals, based on enscribed computer circuitry, are now predictable enough that they can be made for a wide variety of energy manipulation functions with new ones discoverable by predictive search.
== Clan Psi-techs
> Alexander
-- Telescopic Clairsentience: Alexanders learn to use psi-amp interactions with light and sound to amplify signals coming from a given direction. Improves Psi-Amp bonus to some military actions.
-- Hostility Awareness: Alexanders (and those trained by them) can detect "killing intent" directed towards them in advance of the action actually being carried out. This can allow pre-emptive dodging or deflecting in almost prescient senses
> Gray
-- Empathic Telemetry: Grays learn to use their telepathic senses to detect the emotional resonance a person experiences with objects, thus determining in a sense the nature and degree of any importance personal possession, greatly easing disputes over personal possessions and theft complaints.
> Runningdeer
-- Kobold Memory Art: Runningdeers learn to use the Kobold Veterancy Archive in an abstract way, allowing the 'encryption' of personal secrets within the group by pairing symbolic references within the Archive with imagery that's shared as 'decryption keys' with fellow teeps.
> Ironheart
-- Circle Amplification: Ironhearts learn to include psi-amps in their cooperative choirs. While traditionally choirs cannot actually increase their effective P-rating, including a trained Ironheart into a choir can make psi-amps more energy-efficient when multiple teeps are involved. Adds +1 to the effect of psi-amps on any telepathic action that requires a choir.
> Stoner
-- Psychic Contracts: Stoners learn to use their telepathic capabilities and the informed consent of those involved to create a 'resonance' with a certain list of terms between those individuals. This creates a sort of mutual awareness of compliance with the agreement and, with psi-amp assistance, an aversion to breaking the terms as understood by both parties. Improves Civilian Economy yields with +1.
> Namikawa
-- Psi-Hand Technique: Namikawas have learned methods to partner the telekinetic 'bubble' psi-amps can maintain with the tactile response of their hands, drastically improving the resolution of sensory feedback from psi-amps when analyzing or appreciating the shapes and flows within the field. Adds +10 to Psi-Amp bonus to Research Rolls.
== Military Techs
- Clan Irregulars. 1 Job per Squad. Specialist Operatives trained to perform hostile ship boarding, hostage rescue, and sabotage operations.
== Biomechanoid Techs
- Biomechanical Material Farms. Grows ancient alien's biomechanoid structural material from raw biomass.
-- High Tensile: Biomechanoid Materials usage reduces total Minerals/Biomass cost by 10%.
- Stone-shell Skin: Biomech Materials can be used for armoring purposes. Highly effective against kinetic, thermal, and electric impactors. The rock-looking "nacreous shell" the skin extrudes is not itself a living material, but is regenerative by triggering another growth/extrusion cycle by the "skin". Despite appearing to be igneous or metamorphic rock, the material is also highly lightweight.
== Structural Techs
- Deep Vaults.
Environmentally isolated and self-sustaining hardened bunkers and the emergency access routes to rapidly evacuate from less secure locations to them. Each Vault is an architectural design unto itself as they must also take into account their local considerations and the means to conceal their existence from the scans and investigation of foreign or hostile powers. Facilities built inside an established Deep Vault require 1 additional Energy to construct.
- Maglev Trains.
Maglev train systems. Mass transit and trains welded together with floaty hightech bits. Great civilization.
== Newtech
- Gravitic Plates
Artificial gravity technology. Requires Human Job along with Autofabber and variable minerals based on scale of deployment to construct. Only effective to 0.3g with the limited purity of "dwarfstar metal" the Kith are capable of synthesizing.
Tier 0:
- Basic Autofab: -1 Energy Prod. Allows 1 Autofab Action/turn. Cost: 1 Autofab Action. 2 Minerals.
- Basic Militia Gear. Allows 1 pop to perform military actions. Cost: 1 Autofab Action. 1 Minerals.
- Basic Hab Complexes. +1 Pop Cap. Cost: 1 Autofab Action.
- Basic Greenhouses. +1 Food Prod. Cost: 1 Autofab Action.
- Basic Mines: +1 Minerals Prod. Cost: 1 Autofab Action.
-- Ionized Peat Mine: +3 Energy, +3 Biomass Prod. Cost: 2 Autofab Action. (Can upgrade from Basic to Ionized for 1 Autofab.)
- Basic Lumber Camp: +1 Biomass. Cost: 1 Autofab Action.
---
- Wind/Solar Farm: +1 Energy Prod. Cost: 2 Minerals. Up to 1 Autofab Action (build up to 12 with 1 action.) (Cannot be Storm Hardened.)
- Syngas Reactor: +1-3 Energy/-1-3 Biomass. Cost: 2 Minerals. 1 Autofab Action.
- Hydroelectric Reservoir: Can store Energy for later use. 2 Energy to bank 1. No cap on storage. Can output up to 12E/t. Cost: 2 Minerals, 1 Autofab.
---
- Basic Autofactory: -2 Energy Prod. Allows 3 Autofab Actions OR 1 Autofactory Action. Cost: 2 Autofab Action. 5 Minerals.
- Gunshuttle. -1 Energy Prod. Allows 1 Orbital Operation /turn. Cost: 2 Autofab Actions. 5 Minerals, 4 Biomass (Biomechanoid). (High-Tensile: -1 Biomass)
- Basic Kelp Farm. +1 Food, +1 Biomass, -1 Energy Prod. Requires deposit. Cost: 1 Autofab Action, 1 Minerals.
- Cultural Center. 0/0/0. Negates all Cultural Crisis penalties when complete. 1 Autofab Action, 4 Food per stage. (Core / Ring / Wings )
- Basic Vehicular Maintenance Bay. Provides 'care and feeding' for 1 squadron of storm-hardened GEV's. -1 Energy. Cost: 2 Autofab Actions, 2 Biomass, 2 Minerals. Includes the squadron.
- Build Storm Peat Deposit. Adds a Storm Peat deposit to the planet. Cost: 1 Autofab Action, 10 Food.
- Build Ironwood Plantation. Takes 4 years. Requires at least one Dredging Station to be operational the entire term. Cost: 3 Biomass, 1 Minerals per turn. 1 Autofabricator action per turn.
- Seed Ironwoods Into Mine Tailings. Adds +1 Minerals and +1 Biomass to a Mine. Cost: 1 Autofab Action, 2 Biomass.
- Standard Shuttle: Allows 1 Orbital Operation /turn. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action. 12 Minerals.
- Militarized Shuttle: Allows 1 Orbital Operation /turn. Can perform Orbital Combats. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action, 1 Psi-Crystal Machine Action, 7 Minerals, 6 Biomass. (High-Tensile: -1 Biomass)
- Exowomb Nursery: -2 Energy Prod, -1 Food. Counts as extra pop for Pop Growth calculations. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action. 2 Minerals. 2 Food.
- Spaceport (3 stage facility.) -2 Energy per stage. Provides subfacility slots for orbital-related activities. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action, 5 Minerals per stage.
- Solar Rectenna Station: Provides ground link to Orbital Solar Satellites. Supports up to 5 Satellites. Cost: 5 Minerals, 1 Autofactory Action.
- Food Synthesizer: Converts Biomass into Food. Not very palatable, requires -1 Energy/t when in operation. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action, 5 Minerals, 3 Biomass.
- Biomechanical Material Farm: Permits production of Biomechanoid Materials to substitute Minerals with Biomass. -1 Energy/t when in operation. Cost: 2 Autofactory Actions, 5 Minerals, 5 Biomass.
- Training Facility: Provides ongoing Training experience to Colonial Military units. Requires: -2E/t, -2M/t, -2B/t. Cost: 1 Autofactory, 5 Minerals.
Psionic Tier 1:
- Psionic Drones: +1 "psi-drones" pop. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action, 1 Psi-Crystal Machine Action, 2 Minerals. Can support 3 Psi-Drones pops per Human Pop. Psi-Drones may work 1 Job per pop, producing +1 to that Job, and cost -1 E/t.
- Psi-Crystal Machines: +1 Psi-Crystal Build Operation, -1 Energy/t. Cost: 5 Minerals, 2 Biomass, 1 Psi-Crystal Build, 1 Autofactory Action
Orbital Infrastructure Tier 1:
- Storm Nullifier Satellites: +2 Energy Prod. Cost: 1 Autofactory Action. 5 Minerals. (Mitigates Storm Turn Penalty.)
- Sensor Grid Satellites: Requires ground control. Provides sensor coverage for star system. Less effective when used passively. -2 Energy. Cost: 1 Orbital Operation, 5 Minerals, 1 Autofactory Action.
- Solar Satellite: Provides control to up to 12 Solar Farms in Orbit. +2 Energy/t (base). Cost: 5 Minerals, 1 Autofactory Action, 1 Orbital Operation.
- Orbital Station Modules: Provides Job-related infrastructure or habitation. Costs: 10 Minerals, 4 Autofabber Actions, 2 Orbital Operations, 1 Basic Fusion Reactor.
-- Orbital Station Core: Allows other Modules, provides habitation for Jobs. Requires 1 Orbital Operation per Job sustained aboard station.
-- Astro-Mining Bay: Supports 1 Job, allowing up to 4 Asteroid Mining Operations per Job. Each Asteroid Mining Operation gets "best-of-2" on yield roll.
-- Neuro-Throne Module: Supports 1 Job, allowing 3 Psi-Drones Jobs to be assigned to Orbital Operations.
Tier 2:
- Shipscale Fusion Reactor. +18 Energy/t. Cost: 15 Minerals, 4 Autofactories. (Can also be a component for ships.)
- Transport Ship Hull. Component/base for transport ships. Cost: 80 Minerals. 4 Orbital Autofactories.
- Deep Vault Access. 10 Minerals, 2 Autofactories. Allows construction of Vault Facilities in that location.
Psionic Tier 2:
- Neuro-Throne Room: 2 Autofactory Actions, 1 Psi-Machine Action, 5 Minerals. Requires 1 Human Job, allows 3 Psi-Drone Jobs. -1 Energy/t. Limit 3 Throne-Rooms per Human Pop.
- Asteroid Mining. Harvest Asteroids that approach near Kithhame orbit. Provides 1d12 Minerals.
- Launch Assets. Allows deploying manufactured goods into orbit. (Max capacity, 12 Solar Farms / 1 Satellite.)
- Send Probe. Allows exploring anomalies or other planetary bodies.
- Capture Asteroid. Capture Organic asteroid and seed with biomech materials, that can then grow with solar energy and planetary dust emissions, allowing +2 Biomass/t from Harvest Orbital Biomass Operations.
- Harvest Orbital Biomass. Collect all Captured Asteroid Biomass that turn.
Trinary Star System.
Kith Prime A. Yellow Giant (50x larger than Sol). 2 hadean planets, 2 hot dead worlds, 1 possibly terrestrial, 2 gas giants. 2 dwarf planets. No asteroid belt.
Kith Prime B. Brown Dwarf. 2 frozen worlds. 1 gas giant. 2 asteroid belts. 1 dwarf planet.
Kith Prime C. Blue Dwarf. 2 Hadean Worlds. 1 Hot dead world. Kithhame. 1 frozen world. 1 asteroid belt. 2 gas giants. 3 dwarf planets.
2 Energetic Anomalies.
"Lighting Hole". Building "Rift Observation Station" will grant permanent +20 to Hyperspace Theory rolls.
"Radrock". Building "Radrock Observation Station" will grant permanent +10 to Nuclear Physics rolls.
Charted (+1 to asteroid mining operations).
Colonies:
Kithhame
[*]Population:
Humans: 6 Units ( ~13701320 people) ( -6 Food/t )
Kobolds: 10 Units (Self-sustaining)
[*]
[*]Planetary status:
Marginally habitable. Indigenous wildlife obviously alien but at times oddly familiar.
Planetary Storms hit every 5 years. (2072,2077,2082, etc.. Causes -1 to all facilities that turn. Chance of facility loss.)
Hostile Fauna: Sandworms. 25% 10% chance annually of attack on food reserves/production.
Notable Fauna: Stormrider Anemone. Catxlotls.
3 Basic Minerals deposit found (3 Medium Exploited).
5 "Storm Peat" Deposits Found (5 Lightly Exploited). ( Build mine to produce +1 Energy/turn, +1 Biomass.)
3 Kelp Forest Deposits Found ( 3 Lightly Exploited). (Build Kelp Farm to produce +1 Food, +1 Biomass, -1 Energy.)
3 Ironwood Deposits Found (3 Lightly Exploited). (Build Logging Camp to produce +1 Minerals, +1 Biomass.)
Ancient Blight: 20% chance of total crop failure in Farms annually.
18 Captured Biomass Asteroids.
[*]
[*]Colonization status:
One permanently landed converted Centauri cargo hauler. No jump-engine, but the previous owner never removed the on-board grav plating. Colony Ship Museum: The Old Ship can no longer function, but its systems are available for study and for 'edutainment' trips by colony children. (Storm Hardened, Stone-shelled.)
One ruined/derelict transport ship from 2260
Water Purification Plant ( Grants "Purified" Perk, Adding +1 to Hab Complexes and Farming Complexes, Storm Hardened)
4 Basic Hab Complex: 8 Pop Cap ( 4 Pop Limit, +4 Purification, Storm Hardened. Stone-shelled.)
1 Residential District: 4 Pop Cap ( 3 Pop Limit, +1 Purification, Storm Hardened, Stone-shelled.) -1 Energy/t, -1 Food/t.
1 Hydroelectric Reservoir. No Storage Cap. Costs 2 Power to store 1. Can output 12 E/t.
24 Syngas Tanks. (24 Syngas cap. Costs 1 Biomass to store 1. Stored Syngas can be burned at 12/t per Syngas Reactor.)
Cultural Center (Complete) ( Negates Cultural Crisis.) (All sub facilities automatically Storm Hardened. Stone-Shelled.)
Automated Field Hospital. -1 Energy, -1 medical emergency impact
Central Computer Core. -2 Energy. (Telepathic interfaces. Colony-wide network.)
Archives. -1 Energy. (Retains memories of history, culture, social theory, improves educational outcomes)
5 Vehicle Maintenance Bays. -5 Energy. (Provides 'care and feeding' for 2 squadrons of GEVs.) (Storm Hardened.)
Starport (Complete) -6 Energy. (Allows synthesis of fusion torch fuel. Protects Shuttles. Has subfacilities.) (Storm Hardened, Stone-shelled.) (Phase 2: Magnetic Launchers -- +1 to all Orbital Actions.) ( Phase 3: Tachyon Beacon )
Drydock. (Permits study, repair, and construction of larger ship classes.)
3 Standard Shuttle. ( +3 Orbital Operations. )
4 Gunshuttle ( +4 Orbital Operations. -4 Energy/t )
6 Militarized Shuttle ( +6 Orbital Operations. Can perform Orbital Military Ops.)
Clan Exowomb Nursery ( +10 Births/t, -3 Energy/t, -1 Food/t, Special: Does not count against cap, Storm Hardened, Blight-Hardened).
5 Exowomb Nursery ( +50 Births/t, -15 Energy/t, -5 Food/t. Max 1 Facility per Human Pop. Storm Hardened. Blight-Hardened.)
5 Research Facilities -7 Energy/t ( Grants "Labs" perk, granting +10 to research rolls. Can sustain 1 research project per turn each. Storm Hardened. 2 Facilities Blight-Hardened. Stone-Shelled.)
Private Research Facility -1 Energy/t ( Allows 1 research project per turn not under Questor control. Storm Hardened. Stone-Shelled.)
1 Subterranean Research Facility. -1 Energy/t
Biomechanical Material Farm, -1 Energy/t ( Can spend 1 Biomass for 1 Minerals, for up to 50% of Minerals costs. -1 Energy when in use. Blight-Hardened.) ( Storm Hardened, Stone-shelled.)
Orbital Station:
Core: Allows other Modules, provides habitation for Jobs. Requires 1 Orbital Operation per Human Job sustained aboard station.
Astro-Mining Bay: Supports 1 Job, allowing up to 4 Asteroid Mining Operations per Job. Each Asteroid Mining Operation gets "best-of-2" on yield roll.
Neuro-Throne Module: Supports 1 Human Job. Grants 3 Psi-Drone Jobs per module.
Honeypede Ranching. -1 Biomass/t, Improves Morale Bonus 1 step. (Bonus now applies to terrestrial random rolls.)
Food Synthesizer (Can convert Biomass into Food. Requires -1 Energy/t when active.).
Planetary Sensor Grid. (Provides early warning of spaceborn events, or planetary ecological disasters. Can improve survey and exploration actions.)
Training Facility. Provides Training Experience to Colonial military assets. -2 Energy/t, -2 Minerals/t, -2 Biomass/t.
8 Neuro-Throne Rooms. -4 Energy/t, 4 Human Jobs. Provides 12 Psi-Drone Jobs. ( 3 to Labs, 3 to Greenhouses, 3 to Kelp Farms, 3 to Basic Mines, 3 to Lumber Camps, 3 to Ironwood Camps, 5 to Peat Mines, 1 to Dredging Facility ) ( Storm-Hardened, Stone-shelled. )
Deep-Vault Access. -1 Energy/t. (Storm-Hardened, Stone-shelled. Allows regular access to Deep Vault and construction of Subterannean Facilities.)
Maglev Transit. -1 Energy/t. (Storm-Hardened, Stone-Shelled.) ( Rapid transit system, allows larger Facilities like residential districts without Job penalties.)
Tragedy. Disaster. There's no other way to put it. A school of Catwhales had a conflict with others right as some of the more vulnerable reinforcements of the magma chamber's microfractures was underway and the excavation crews were unable to make it out in time to avoid the shockwave of the largest animal known landing directly on the most fragile area above the magma vent, inducing a cascade flooding and collapse. Fifty of the colony's laborers -- mostly from the younger "apprentice" squads, as the work was seen as simple enough for them to develop autonomy on with only minor supervision, but requiring teep operators for the psionic tooling -- died in the resultant flooding and tunnel collapse. The first deaths in the colony's history. No family or Clan was untouched.
As a result, all of the materials and Facilities that should have been built in the Subterranean area were locked down until the Vault could be properly reinforced. And a decision now haunts you: do you continue to build in what is now effectively the colony's first grave, and spend the time and effort to recover the materials and work spent below, or do you seal off the tomb and rethink everything? This is a decision that will have long-lasting consequences for your leadership and your people both.
Military:
-- The Militia will oversee work and contribute to work on the road to Mt. Salcedo. We will see how much progress can be made with the resources available.
Despite, or perhaps because of the somber moments, the Militia and assigned crews make amazing progress with the available work. It seems that the more militaristic amongst your people saw conquering Kithhame's nature as a way of fighting back against their losses: this world, with all of its hazards, would not conquer them nor break their will. Each rock moved, each sintered seam, each hidden track -- all of it was a testament that Kithhame would be made to submit to human will.
-- Results:
- Road to Mt.Salcedo completed with available materials given to Military budget. Initial excavation for Mt.Salcedo completed -- Facilities can be built there to establish colony's first official fortress.
Exploration:
-- Map elements of the piezoelectric aquifers close to the settlement, and try to place sensors into these areas. The intent is to try to create a system where we can compare weather data from the sensor satellites and the aquifer sensors to build more reliable storm prediction
--
-- Results:
- Piezolectric aquifer mapping completed. Sensors will offset one disaster roll during storm years.
Research:
-- Lab I will study Blight Cure II
-- Lab II will study Blight Electrogenics I
-- Lab III will study Grav-Plating I
-- Lab IV will study Psi-Runes II
-- Lab V will study Grav-Plating I
-- Lab VI will study Piezolectric Aquifers II
The final data on the blight's electrogenic methods of propagation are now in. With that data, and the case studies made, the wide area blight cure can be implemented with a mere 5% death rate in wildlife. The electrogenic insertion mechanism used by the Blight is much better understood, now -- the possibility now exists that it might be used to propagate genetic changes, but as yet altering the actual payload delivered in this manner remains a challenge. Your people now have a gene-therapy method but lack a mechanism of scheduling payloads to upload into it. Initial estimates indicate that this could be done programmatically, however.
In unrelated news, the people studying the psi-crystals' "runes" have found that there are, indeed, some basic kind of relationships between the patterns that make it possible to discern effective ones. While the exact, precise, details are still unknown -- there will always be a certain amount of guesswork in discovering new "runes" it seems, but there's enough predictability that much like the periodic table of elements, the potential search space for new patterns is much more predictable. And this information came not a moment too soon.
The Centauri's gravitic plate technology, it would seem, has many more reasons beyond their devout secretiveness to keeping other races from finding the plates at all in order to keep their technology to themselves. The electrogravitic field emitters of the plates, it would seem, rely extensively on a metastable material that can only be formed in extremely intensely crushing gravitic fields -- so intense, in fact, that the Centauri can only be using brown dwarf stars as their source. While there is such a star in Kithhame, there does not currently exist a mechanism whereby any of the "dwarfstar metal" could be harvested. However -- while the psi-amps are still limited to fields of not more than ten centimeters' radius from the amps, the new runes do include gravitic field manipulations. The purity of the metal you can form in this matter however is woefully inadequate compared to what the Centauri were harvesting. As a result, the performance capabilities of Kithhame-made gravitic plates would cap out at 0.3g. That does, happily, have the ability to be both attractive and repulsive -- though only one type of artigrav field can be effective in a given area.
In another arena, the private economy has generalized PPG energy caps as a superior form of battery power, especially for psi-amps. A given user is still limited in how much energy they can use at a given time, but energy caps provide amps far more staying power than traditional batteries.
-- Results:
- (221 + 1d100->32 + 30 Psi-Amps + 10 Labs +10 Sampling + 10 Hardened )=313 out of 300 to study Blight Cure III. (Lab1) -2 Food, -2 Biomass.
- ( 145 + 1d100->63 + 30 Psi-Amps + 10 Labs + 10 Hardened )=258 out of 200 to study Blight Electrogenics I (Lab2)
- ( 107 + 1d100->31 + 30 Psi-Amps + 10 Labs )=178 << Added to Lab5. (Lab3)
- ( 162 + 1d100->39 +30 Psi-Amps +10 Labs )=241 out of 200 to study Psi-Runes II (Lab4) (Psi-Crystal Machine, Autofactory, -5 Minerals, -2 Biomass)
- ( 71 +178 + 1d100->15 +30 Psi-Amps +10 Labs, )=305 out of 200 to study Grav-Plating I (Lab5)
- (30 + 1d100->16 + 30 Psi-Amps + 10 Labs + 30 Psi-Drones )=116 out of 100 to unlock Energy Caps. (Private Lab)
(Costs: -2 F, -5M, -6 B )
- Energy Cap tech unlocked.
- Gravity Plating I unlocked.
- Psi-Runes II unlocked.
- Electrogenics I Unlocked.
- Blight Cure III -- Effective wide area death rate reduced to 5%
Diplomacy:
-- There have been a flurry of proposals for subscrapers, domed settlements, skyscrapers, and even an Arcology. The development of the settlement's core, how much should be above or below ground and the appropriate level of density, looks to be a daunting task. To get some actual progress on the issue a test "railroad suburb" has been built. A small ring settlement, built around a village center with areas for gardens and an access point for the new transportation system. A dome overtop and biomaterial construction should protect the community from storms, and on clear days there is access to the surrounding countryside for foot or personal vehicle access. Theoretically this model could be scaled up to allow for clan compounds, but with the demands on the colony's resources at the moment a smaller community will serve as a test case.
-- Questions of how to develop the "city" will have to be debated further. Debates as to the relative value of building up or digging down continue to rage, and the whole question of whether the Magma tube will ever see permanent habitation is a whole other issue.
The new residential district dome goes up smoothly. The maglev train systems make commuting back and forth quite convenient, and the actual residence blocks are hardened even further than the Basic Hab barracks. Families having their own dedicated space to let the kids play and wander in the fields, raise their own gardens, and work on their own hobbies without needing to worry about how it affects their neighbors -- all the privacy that comes with actually getting to own one's own places and know that if you planted a tree in your yard, your grandchildren would be able to read in its shade -- all of this and more has all the effects one might imagine on making the Kith finally feel truly "free" in a way that they hadn't before. A reaction that was utterly critical compared to other events this year.
-- Results:
- Build two more Residential Districts to increase Morale Bonuses and increase pop growth rate.
- Clans will build Clan Districts with different effects using Civilian Economy build queue (by purchasing build time).
Personal:
-- With all the thoughts of Legacy James might want to make sure his 'memoirs' are up to date. Look through what thought and emotional impressions he has left in the archive, if there are gaps try to fill in what he can with later recollection but don't revise what is already there. When he is gone the next person with this job might want to know why decisions were made.
The idea of what your girls would have to do if you had been in that cave lingers. You throw yourself into trying to find more and stronger ways to carve mental "echo" impressions into psi-crystals, leaving "ghosts" to put sentiment and intent behind raw facts and words. The end result is not anything like an artificial intelligence or emulation of your original self, but a replayable recording of sorts, that can be interacted with in limited ways by other telepaths. You quietly ensure that the Matriarchs spread this updated Archive so that there will never be a time when the Founders' guidance is lost to the Kith.
-- Results:
- Psionic Archive updated. Mental echo impression recording longer-term. Totally-not-Jedi-Holocrons now part of the Archive.
Votes by plan, please:
Each turn is 1 year.
1 Action in each category, only write-ins for now while the dust settles and interest is shown.
- [] Industry:
(Agricultural, economic, and residential leadership actions go here.)
-- []
- [] Military:
(Militia, naval, wartime, and such go here.)
-- []
- [] Exploration:
(Scouting, mapping, resource survey type actions go here.)
-- []
- [] Research:
(Pulling schematics for practical application out of the colony ship's AI, discovering new techniques, biotech, and so on.)
-- []
- [] Diplomacy:
(Internal or external diplomatic actions. Building community, negotiating trade deals, and so on.)
-- []
- [] Personal:
(Things you do yourself.)
-- []
Wow, so my subterranean shelter plan blew up in our faces.
Mea Culpa.
On the plus side, 30% of Earth gravity isn't bad to start with for the gravity plating. Not enough to completely remove rotating sections on space installations but enough to make travelling by ship more livable.
Safety regulations are written in blood, it seems, even in the future.
I still think the magma chamber project is a good idea, though it looks like we're going to to have to review and revise our equipment and procedures for working in hazardous environments. Even our planning process should get an expanded segment for evaluating potential failure modes and environmental hazards.
Even if we do give up on the magma chamber, I think we should try to recover the bodies. Maybe as a long-term project, even, to do it slow but safe.
Research proposal: investigate any hints of precognitive abilities; even a small warning might have saved lives. (And I hate to say it, but this tragedy forms an excellent natural experiment for disaster-prediction, and it might be (will hopefully be) the biggest such event we see in a while)
Research proposal: Psi-sustainer loops. Psi crystals are both triggered by, and can emit, various teep powers. If we can chain-trigger a series of psi crystals, we may be able to establish a self-sustaining loop of psychic energy, only requiring teep involvement to 'kick-start' the system. This would ideally allow hazardous work to be done remotely via telepresence, as output effects could be computer-controlled by variable electric current.
---
Grav-plates reverse-engineered: good. Only 0.3 gravities: still pretty good, actually! Even a weak gravity field enables things that are difficult or impossible in zero-G.
Things such as:
Walking
Setting something down and having it not float away
Going to the bathroom
Sweating
Pouring and drinking a glass of water
Not suffocating in a cloud of your own CO2
I'd still like to look into psi-based grav, especially if my sustainer-loop idea (above) works out. A broad-field kinetic push would feel just like gravity; acceleration is acceleration.
---
Still not loving the popular inclination towards suburbia, but people (colonists) seem to really want it. I guess privacy is really appealing, even more so for psychics. May not be worth the effort of fighting.
At least the thread seems pretty unanimous in commitment to good public transportation.
---
Seems like we've been doing fine without me doing my summary/analysis/breakdown posts. I think im going to keep not doing them, and instead focus that mental energy (theoretically) towards omakes.
Thank you for the update! Sucks about some of the rolls. But thats not really controllable. So had a thought. Instead of going up. Why not do some earthscrapers instead. Basically inverted skyscrapers. Goes down instead of up, with the core open. Then we could cover it with a hab dome on the top. Was reading some stuff about settlement possibilities on mars. With our focus so far as a kind of nature druid faction (how it seems anyway). Anyways would be unique enough if that was a core feature of our settlements going forward.
Wow, so my subterranean shelter plan blew up in our faces.
Mea Culpa.
On the plus side, 30% of Earth gravity isn't bad to start with for the gravity plating. Not enough to completely remove rotating sections on space installations but enough to make travelling by ship more livable.
Eh that was the result of a low event roll.
I personally are in favor of still going with the project and also now spending some time thinking on how we want to deal with our dead.
Research wise:
I am in favor of
- Runes III
- Blight Electrogenics II
- study Grav-Plating II
Maybe a focused research action for getting metamaterials out of the brown dwarf.
Potentially also a research action taking a look using metamaterials with our psy amps/runes.
There is also the research action to use the Grav platings we can make with runes in the industries we have to if we can enhance stuff on the "cheap" so to speak. Also some potential to use the grav platings to later on construct an orbital elevator for mass transit of material to orbit and to the ground.
On the plus side, 30% of Earth gravity isn't bad to start with for the gravity plating. Not enough to completely remove rotating sections on space installations but enough to make travelling by ship more livable
You can also significantly increase hab density at 1g with the plating, since it works for gravity and anti gravity. So where you previously could only have one deck of a spin section at 1g, you could now have multiple -- one spinning at 0.7g, a deck further out at 1, and a third further still at 1.3g with the decks negating via antigravity rather than increasing.
And of course there's the benefit of having 0.3g in non rotating areas as well for all the conveniences that this creates. Especially in engineering sections where people might spill things, sweat, or lose their grips on tools, bolts, or "<space_opera>-spanners".
You can't overlap antigravity and gravity fields unfortunately, so you can only use the grav plates on your shuttles to increase their utility to 0.3g, but even that's not shabby at all in terms of as otherwise noted how comfortable the things can be.
There's also some less obvious uses that they could be put to, like retrofitting the GEVs with antigrav plating so they can carry more mass. Or boosting your magnetic catapults with antigrav sections.
I didn't clarify this, so -- repairing the subterranean facilities that were built will require a Fabber action for each except the Research Lab -- that will require an autofactory to replace the ruined datacore.
And yeah, this was a result of the low event roll and my noticing none of the previous bad rolls resulted in any deaths. So you get a completely freak accident that resulted in the completely unanticipated at the worst possible moment.
In case it wasn't clear -- your current "synthetic dwarfstar material" comes from using psi amps to make small bubbles, ten centimeters wide, of 20+ gravities with actual gravitation.
(Think telekinetic thrusters there...)
You could also research teek PPGs further.
Precog /is/ possible in B5. The Soul Hunters didn't start out with their Death Perception IIRC, but the Centauri have actual precogs (Majel Roddenberry's role much?) on top of their own death visions.
None of this was ever shown in humans so it would be a long haul for you guys to pull off, but maybe there could be a rune for that.
Don't forget that there's also the telekinetic aura thing that you guys haven't done anything with yet either. Getting those to the level of personal shields could have made a difference in the disaster to say the least.
You can also significantly increase hab density at 1g with the plating, since it works for gravity and anti gravity. So where you previously could only have one deck of a spin section at 1g, you could now have multiple -- one spinning at 0.7g, a deck further out at 1, and a third further still at 1.3g with the decks negating via antigravity rather than increasing
They're not hardcoded, but they're also not very fine-tunable. You could do half-power versions too. Any further than that and the fields become erratic and do weirdness like spiking with unpredictable vectors.
You also can't overlap the fields lest they interfere and do the same. So you can't have the decks /too/ close together, though just having service sublevels (like for power and life support and so on) between habitation levels would be sufficient there.
Part of this is because you don't really understand the science behind them. Part of it is because your synthetic dwarfstar metal isn't as regular and fine-tuned as what the Centauri-made plates are like (they have nanostructures you just can't mimic, and your psi-amp gravity can have field fluctuations that can cause amorphous irregularities.)
Yeah totally not a fan of that event happening here. sigh
---
Anyway. Outside of that.
The grav tech stuff makes sense. Gravity tech in B5 is super advanced - also didn't the Centauri get it from an alien species long ago. So yeah it makes sense that there is steps and stuff.
I do think .3 is nifty for a first generation of this but that we should continue working on it.
Also us developing the dwarfstar material could come in handy too.
I also think the runes is a nifty tech, one we should follow up on. Lots of potential there.
Planning for it. I figure the Diplomatic Action for this turn will be retrieving the remains. It's probably best to build another Neuro-throne room and task those drones with doing the dangerous work of excavating and searching for remains this coming turn. After that they can help with Search and Rescue in the turn after during the Storms. After that we can assign those drones to something else.
I haven't given up on building something nicer than our current habitation, but not as spread out as the new domes. Something for the folks who would like nice apartments an elevator ride away from the amenities of the 'city'. But resources are still limited.
The issue with Earthscrapers/Subscrapes is the worms. You don't want those bursting into someone's living room or bedroom. We're kind of stuck between the storms and the worms right now.
The Aura fields hae been on the research list for a while, but gestures towards list of projects.
0.3 Gravities is almost as much as Mars, so there is a lot we can make easier on our stations with that. Just being able to go to the washroom without trecking back to the habitation module or wearing a diaper would be a huge plus.
@Logos01 When we build the Rapid Response bay will it need it's own Orbital Station Core? I'm just working out how much boost capacity it will take up and whether it is worth pre building some things.
@Logos01 When we build the Rapid Response bay will it need it's own separate core module? I'm just working out how much boost capacity it will take up and whether it is worth pre building some things.
No, you can use the same Core module. It would mostly consist of a high-spin launch-bay for militarized shuttles to remain docked in, such that they can be released and launched at speed via centripetal force much like we saw in the show, that connects to the main shuttle landing bay that's already part of the Core. It would require that you dedicate between 4 and 12 Militarized shuttles to it and they thus wouldn't be available for Orbital Operations, though, as the entire purpose of the bay is to have an immediately available response to emergency threats.
I haven't given up on building something nicer than our current habitation, but not as spread out as the new domes. Something for the folks who would like nice apartments an elevator ride away from the amenities of the 'city'. But resources are still limited.
A big part of the reason why the residential zones are appealing is not just the privacy, but the sense of ownership. You can't really feel free if you don't own or have rights over your own home -- or at least the possibility to do so.
It's also worth noting that between the Storm Nullifiers and the Stone-shell cladding a lot of people in the colony don't see the storms as a problem worth altering their livelihoods over. For all but one month every five years, the area is functionally "tropic paradise but with an arctic-forest theme". Even then -- like, people gather in the observation dome of the Community Center to watch the storms as a form of entertainment, and have little celebrations and consider it a time of togetherness much like Christmas time is for people today.
Treating Kithhame like it were Mars in comparative habitability is ... extreme.
Mind you -- that sentiment may not be taking the threat seriously enough, but y'all have been very diligent at making it a non-issue for over twenty years and that has cultural consequences.
