I don't think we're ever going to build up the military enough to stop Nod from being able to blow up a specific high value target or two if they really want to. Stopping their masterstroke never works, you just gotta have more redundant high value targets and structural flexibility than they can blow up. I'm pretty sure Boston's not our only chip foundry on the planet, there's probably multiple others of similar size or larger that already existed at the start of the game, but yet another center for even more redundancy never hurts.
Given the whole "we were a year or two from total industrial collapse" thing, I honestly suspect that no, we didn't have any fully viable operational chip foundries on the planet, at least none that could operate on the same scale. And that if the North Boston plant were destroyed, we'd be forced to recreate it within at most 3-5 years or so, or be back in more or less the same position we were in before we built the place.
But your other point, that stopping Nod's masterstrokes doesn't work well and that the best counter is to just have more redundancy than they can blow up, is appealing... Though then again, maybe being forced to stick to that strategy is why we're still fighting giant wars with Nod after fifty or sixty years.
Reaching parity on capital goods seems a pretty important goal this turn. That let's us sink our mil dice into the factory modernization next turn without issue. 1D on Saarland only gives a 26% chance of completion if I'm reading Derpmind's array correctly. That means most likely, next turn we'll sink another die in, along with other similar projects that give cap goods and be forced into doing more mil development rather than build factories.
This is bad, because it delays improvements to the military another quarter, which is risky considering we expect intensification of NOD efforts.
Also we really need to clear those refuge camps man!
IIRC if Saarland doesn't complete this turn, completing it next turn allows us to build more factories without penalty on the same turn. So it shouldn't result in delays barring two turns of bad rolls.
Given the whole "we were a year or two from total industrial collapse" thing, I honestly suspect that no, we didn't have any fully viable operational chip foundries on the planet, at least none that could operate on the same scale. And that if the North Boston plant were destroyed, we'd be forced to recreate it within at most 3-5 years or so, or be back in more or less the same position we were in before we built the place.
But your other point, that stopping Nod's masterstrokes doesn't work well and that the best counter is to just have more redundancy than they can blow up, is appealing... Though then again, maybe being forced to stick to that strategy is why we're still fighting giant wars with Nod after fifty or sixty years.
I believe part of either the Manchester or North Boston Phase 1 projects' descriptions basically said that though there were a bunch of chip fabricators before TW3... They were also one of Nod's major secondary targets durign that war. Which meant they were all either destroyed or irreparably damaged.
[] Plan Double Glacier (All The Way)
-[] Infrastructure 2/5 30R
--[] Urban Metros (Phase 3) 39/150 2 dice 30R 75%
-[] Heavy Industry 1/3 20R
--[] Saarland Heavy Industrial Plant 154/350 1 HI + 1 Tib 20R 21%
-[] Tiberium 4/4 + 3 Free 170R
--[] Red Zone Tiberium Harvesting (Phase 5) 22/130 2 dice 50R 96%
--[] Tiberium Glacier Mining (Phase 5) 68/360 4 dice 120R 100%, Phase 6 82%
--[] Saarland Heavy Industrial Plant 1 dice
-[] Military 2/3 20R
--[] Shell Plants (Phase 1) 123/150 1 die 10R 96%
--[] Point Defense Refits 0/250 1 die 10R 0%
-[] Bureaucracy 3/3 + 2 Free
--[] Recruitment Drives DC 200 5 dice 98%
See this plan? This is NUMBERS GO UP plan. Two phases of Glacier Mining! An income gain of 90-140R per turn! Never mind the riskytiny chance of running out of Logistics, or tiberium processing capacity. Or how this does basically nothing outside Tiberium mining and our Military requirement. This is a flawless plan where nothing can possibly go wrong.
Infrastructure (+12 per die) Yellow Zone Pipelines 70/120 +57 +12 = 139/120
Urban Metros (Phase 3) 39/150 +124 +24 = 187/150
Heavy Industry (+12 per die) Blue Zone Microgeneration Program (Phase 1) 0/60 +26 +12 = 38/60
Yellow Zone Power Grid Extension (Phase 2) 74/275 +15 +12 = 101/275
Heavy Industry + Tiberium (+12 and +32 per 2 dice) Saarland Heavy Industrial Plant 154/350 +101 +44 = 299/350
Tiberium (+32 per die) Intensification of Yellow Zone Harvesting (Phase 3) 54/100 +81 +32 = 167/100
Red Zone Tiberium Harvesting (Phase 5) 22/130 +177 +96 = 295/130 (165/130 Phase 6)
Tiberium Glacier Mining (Phase 5) 68/180 +53 +64 = 185/180
Services (+27 per die) Technical School Program 211/300 +91 +29 = 329/300
Military (+7 per die) Shell Plants (Phase 1) 123/150 +51 +7 = 181/150 Point Defense Refits 0/250 +8 +7 = 15/250
So we get from this turn:
+4 Water for the Yellow Zones
-2 Labor from Technical Schools
-3 Energy
+80R/turn, +1 YZ mitigation, +2 RZ mitigation, and 2 phases of Glacier Mining available
And maximum recruitment. Time to see who's looking for 📈
Yeah... It does seem like if we roll low, it's a project, but if we roll high it's likely the quarterly Tiberium spread. At least it's doing a good job selling how dangerous that stuff is?
So our Resources per turn have increased by a third and we've done enough Red Zone Harvesting to conduct another level of Tiberium Glacier Mining to increase our Resources even further next quarter.
We've completed the Technical School Program and have hit maximum DC on our recruiting rolls, so that is looking pretty good.
We barely managed to complete Phase 1 of Shell Plants so that should be enough to keep our existing Fortress Towns in the Yellow Zones, but the start of the Point Defence rollout was pretty anemic.
We didn't complete Saarland but we've put it close enough to completion that the +44 bonus from a single pair of HI and Tiberium dice will be almost enough to complete it on its own. The +2 Capital Goods from Saarland will be enough for us to break even on Capital Goods, setting us up for Wartime Factory Refits to give us some extra Military dice.
@Ithillid The description for Wartime Factory Refits states that further construction of military factories before reaching = Capital Goods will increase the cost for Refits, so now that we have offset the Capital Goods refit can we build new military factories without increasing the cost for Refits?
@Ithillid The description for Wartime Factory Refits states that further construction of military factories before reaching = Capital Goods will increase the cost for Refits, so now that we have offset the Capital Goods refit can we build new military factories without increasing the cost for Refits?
@Ithillid
A question you might have missed before. Shouldn't the Political Support for Q1 2054 be 60 PS and not 70 PS because we spend 10 PS to get a 30 percent budget and did not take any PS boosting options in Plan Supermajority during budget reallocation? We might be spending PS on politically unpopular recruits again and we need the PS number to be accurate.
@Ithillid the capital goods reduction for the factory refits, will that go up again after the refit? It would make some sense for it to do so as from the wording it's like refitting from a line making cars by hand to having robots do it instead which is much faster. Or is it a case that all future capital goods plants will produce more?
Carters Management Adventure
Results Q4 2053
Chemical Plant Outer Shell 226/100
By now the fourth Prefab of this model the work crews have no problem erecting it. The shell for the chemical plant only differs slightly from the other three, namely on the inside, containing a lot more security and fire fighting measures for every kind of emergency. All that is needed now is filling it with the actual chemical machinery to begin production of plastics, polymers and other materials.
Decontamination Hub 85/100
As another quarter goes by, the hub is still not finished. A bug in the containment software meant the entire air purification system needed to be replaced, which has halted construction, as you either do Tiberium right, or not at all.
Part Fabrication Plant Upgrade Stage 3 246/75 Stage 4: 171/100 Stage 5: 71/125
This quarter saw a massive expansion of SCED's industrial capabilities, with truckloads of mills, presses, 3-d printers and more being delivered to Harper Spaceport, immediately installed and put to work, doubling the production capability of SCED.
Construction Robots 185/300 3/3 AP
Assembly of the construction robots remains troubled, with many of the staff starting to complain about the sheer amount of handiwork needed, when the shell for a more automated assembly facility has been standing next door for months.
Aroma Armory Coffee Makers 51/50
The Coffee makers are finally finished, making the glory of freshly ground coffee available all over the Harper Spaceport. Space Command personnel have already seen a small mood upswing improving operations over the port.
Hire Bureaucratic Staff 5/5C Auto Success
Quickly the remaining candidates are called up, contracts written and people put to work. The new staff are able to get themselves up to speed on their own quickly and efficiently, ready to support SCEDs bureaucratic efforts by the end of the three months period.
Prepare for the next Budget Plan 201/75, Nat 1
It is a normal November day at the Harper Spaceport. Located near the equator, the sun knows no seasons and even with Christmas rapidly approaching the air is dry and hot, the sun relentlessly heating the asphalt enough to cook steaks on it, if meat of any kind was easily available.
In the offices of the ports administration Vice Admiral Harrison Carter opens up his tie a little more and leans into the cool air stream of the air conditioner in the ceiling. Leaning back and closing his eyes he takes a moment of respite as the time of reckoning comes closer.
Carter never liked politics, but it is a game he has to play. The trick is getting the right politicians on your side, making friends with the right people and maintaining these relationships.
He maybe would have had more success had he started earlier. As things were, Carter and his Staff had to rush making plans, writing up projects and lobbying for SCED, an activity that stressed the Admiral more than he liked to admit. Interest in space beyond Earth's orbit was as low as ever. Safe for a few independents, Carter failed to excite many of the officials for his plans.
Now all that was left was waiting. He could not even be there in Washington, the last of the ASAT II shipments requiring his presence, with only Cim Turry remaining in the Capital to keep him updated.
As if guided by fate, his phone rang. Not the one for work on his desk, but his bulky and battered personal one. With "Curry" as contact info displayed on the screen, Carter pressed a few buttons and waited for the confirmation that the line was encrypted and secure before accepting the call.
"Boss, you did it. We are official and have funding."
Carter wanted to jump up and celebrate, but something in Turry's voice stopped him. There was something else, he could feel it.
Half an hour later everyone important in either SCED or Space Command was gathered in meeting room #5, their chattering interrupted by Carter joining them a little late. The room grew silent as Carter moved to the projector in the back of the room and inserted a data-stick.
"Funding for SCED was passed by Parliament."
These words alone were enough to lighten up the mood. Some jumped up and hugged each other, others were stunned in silence, most clapped, but the mood soured fast with Carter not joining into their celebration.
Waiting for the room to calm down, he continued. "The Hawks with a few others pushed us through." Pressing a few buttons on the projector, he threw a familiar white ball at the opposite wall, showing the full moon. "After 80 years, we are going back to the moon and that before the next election."
All present remained silent. 2 years was barely enough to prepare a manned landing on the moon.
"Anyway, we will do the best of the situation." Carter continued as he switched to the next picture, projecting reports of the Apollo program at the screen. "There is a lot of work before us."
Mission: Unmanned Orbiter (Venus) 124/50
Aphrodite-Venus-A
Transfer Possible: Launch Window
Launch Windows: next Q2 2055, Q4 2056
Time for Transfer: 4 months (1 turn)
Mission Duration: 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Titan Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
Aphrodite-Venus-B
Transfer Possible: Always
Launch Windows: next Q2 2055, Q4 2056
Time for Transfer: 2 turns
Time for Transfer during Launch Window: same turn
Mission Duration: 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-Atlas Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
-min. 1 Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
Venus, the second planet from the sun, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is often described as Earth's twisted sister. With size and gravity very similar to Earth her surface is even more hostile to life than Earth's Red Zones. Temperatures of 464°C (867°K) and an acidic atmosphere with 92 times Earth's atmospheric pressure have made exploring her difficult in the past. The first step is updating the outdated maps NASA made and getting more information about the activities in the atmosphere to prepare for whatever is needed to explore the surface.
[Carter]Mission: Unmanned Lander (Mars) 239/150
Gleiser-Mars
Transfer Possible: Launch Window
Launch Windows: 26 months (7.5 turns), next one: Q2.5 2055
Time for Transfer: 12 months (4 turns)
Mission Duration: 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Rover Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-[ ]Unmanned Orbiter (Mars) Mission Finished
-Atlas Rocket System
-(?) Rover (1AP Launch)
-(?) Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
Gleiser won't be the first time Mars has been explored by machines, but it is the first time in 60 years. A lot of technology has changed since then and there are already a few locations known to be of interest, namely the two poles which likely contain frozen water, but an accurate picture will reveal further locations of interest needed to get a good overview of the surface. The mission will focus on researching the surfaces chemical makeup
Take a look at the mission tracker, I changed some things. Also building your SCED base after [ ]Organize dedicated SCED Base will be expensive, so don't blow it all in this turn.
Plan Goals:
Finish [ ]Manned Landing (Luna) Before Q1 2057
Auxiliary Dice (AD): Auxiliary Dice cost Capital, the C cost for each category is specified in the header. The cost is added to all other costs.
Infrastructure (3 Dice): +31 (AD cost: 2C)
[ ][Carter]Prefabricated Office Complex 0/100 0/5C (1C/Die)
A place designed to be quickly erected and provide the bare minimum of facilities for office work. (Office Space +4)
[ ][Carter]Expanded Power Production 0/150 0/5C (1C/Die)
As usual for GDI bases, Space Force bases produce their own power. Given the various expansions to the bases the grid will need to be expanded with the GDI prefab power plans. (Power+)
[ ][Carter]Train Construction Robot Use (Requires one Die. Can only be taken after [ ]Construction Robots is completed or the same turn as [ ][Carter]Requisition Construction Robots. Gives a +5 Bonus)
Tiberium (3 Dice): +6 (AD cost: 5C)
[ ][Carter]Tiberium Spikes 0/400 (1 AP or 4C/Die + 2C/Die)
Now that we have free access to all kinds of parts previously unobtainable due to the state of emergency a variety of new construction options opens up. One of them being a number of Tiberium spikes to get access to the various dormant subterranean Tiberium Deposits around the Space Force Bases. (Raw Resources +++, Personnel -, Power --)
[ ][Carter]Tiberium Waste Recycling Plant 104/200 (1 AP/Die or 5C/Die + 2C/Die)
While the Möbius process is efficient, a small amount of unrefined slurry remains, more with the prefabricated refineries than the high tech industrial ones. By reprocessing it with a specialised second refinery we can achieve the maximum yield of resources. (Resources + per Stage of Tiberium Harvesting, Power -, Personnel -)
[ ][Carter]Decontamination Hub 85/100 3C/Die
Article 7 of GDIs convention for space exploration declares that equipment meant to land on or come close to other planets is to be cleaned according to standard C#43 to avoid spreading the infection beyond earth. Such a Hub is required for missions beyond High Earth Orbit. (Personnel -, Power -)
[ ][Carter]Train Construction Robot Use (Requires one Die. Can only be taken after [ ][Construction Robots] is completed or the same turn as [ ]Requisition Construction Robots. Gives a + 5 Bonus)
Industry (3 Dice): +6 (AD cost: 4C)
[ ]Chemical Plant Stage 1/2 0/200 (1AP or 3C/Die + 2C/Die)
You can only go so far with metals alone. Plastics and various organic materials cannot be produced from Tiberium directly and need to be manufactured in expensive and power intensive processes.
(AP+, Personnel -, Power --)
[ ][Carter]Thorium Nuclear Plant 0/500 (1 AP or 5C/Die + 2C/Die)
Normally used to produce energy for industrial sites and GDI's largest bases, the Thorium plant is not available as a prefab and as such will need to be built completely on site. (Power +20, Personnel-)
[ ][Carter]Part Fabrication Plant Upgrade Stage 5 71/125 (3C/Die)
The part Fabrication Plant can still be filled with more machinery, from industrial presses to highly advanced 3-D printers. (Power -, Personnel --, Raw Resources-, Advanced Parts+)
[ ][Carter]Automated Assembly Line Phase 2 40/200 (1 AP or 7C/Die)
As the third in the row of the "Industry-M"-line of prefab buildings, the one meant for the automated assembly line stands tall and identical to the other ones. Erecting it proved no issue after the experience gained with the two other ones. All that is left is installing the industrial robots.
(Power-, Personnel -)
[ ][Carter]Upgrade Assembly Plant Stage 1 0/400 (1 AP or 7C/Die)
It is possible now to upgrade the plant to the highest standards using nothing but the parts it produces itself in an escalating cycle of improvement. (Power -, Personnel -, additional Assembly Die)
[ ][Carter]Train Construction Robot Use (Requires one Die. Can only be taken after [ ][Construction Robots] is completed or the same turn as [ ][Carter]Requisition Construction Robots. Gives a + 5 Bonus)
Assembly (3 Dice): +6 (AD cost: 7C) (Progress limited by assigned Parts)
[ ][Carter] Titan Rocket System 0/100 0/1 AP
The Titan is the lightest of the launch vehicles in GDI's arsenal. It is reliable, robust and reusable, but can only carry a small payload compared to its powerful siblings. (Enables orbital launches of up to 1 APs worth, 6C launch cost, max 8 launches per quarter/turn)
[ ][Carter] Atlas Rocket System 0/300 0/5 AP
The Atlas was the workhorse with which the Philadelphia was built. A far more powerful rocket than the Titan System it is also known to be maintenance heavy and expensive to fuel. (Enables launches up to 8 APs worth, 20C launch cost, max 6 launches per quarter/turn)
[ ][Carter]Leopard Class Transport 0/500 0/20 AP (AP can be requisitioned for 2 AP ~ 2C)
The Leopard is the crowning achievement in ground-orbital transportation. Its powerful fusion drive gives it a truly ridiculous amount of lifting power and cargo space. (Enables Launches up to 40 APs worth, 5C+(1 AP or 2C) launch cost, max 2 launches per quarter/turn)
[ ][Carter]Union Class Transport 0/500 0/20 AP
The Union is the overlooked part of what came of the fusion lift experiments. Having much more in common with a rocket instead of a plane its lifting capability is less than the Leopard, but it can lift off vertically as a trade-off. (Enables Launches up to 36 APs worth, 5C+1 AP launch cost, max 2 launches per quarter/turn)
[ ][Carter]V-35 Ox Squadron 0/400 0/8 (AP can be requisitioned for 1 AP ~ 1C)
With the Airfields being under construction, SCED can start construction of a squadron of transport VTOLs to actually use them, helping the Division's growing logistical loads for both material and personnel.
[ ][Carter]Construction Robots 185/300 3/3 AP (AP can be requisitioned for 1 AP ~ 3C)
With the Blueprints for the new construction robots available to nearly all of GDI, SCED can build their own ones, either from their own parts or ordered replacement parts.
[ ][Carter]Mission: Research Base (Write-in) 0/1000
-Luna 0/800
-Mars 0/800
[-]Launch Herschel-Luna
Transfer Possible: Always
Time for Transfer: 1-3 days (instant, same turn)
Mission Duration: min. 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Atlas Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
[-][Carter]Lauch Ahnert-Luna
Transfer Possible: Always
Time for Transfer: 1-3 days (instant, same turn)
Mission Duration: ?
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Rover Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-[ ]Unmanned Orbiter (Luna) Mission Finished
-Atlas Rocket System
-(?) Rover (1AP Launch)
-(?) Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
[-]Launch Olberth-Mars-A
Transfer Possible: Launch Window
Launch Windows: 26 months (7.5 turns), next one: Q2.5 2055
Time for Transfer: 12 months (4 turns)
Mission Duration: min. 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Titan Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
[-]Launch Olberth-Mars-B
Transfer Possible: Always
Launch Windows: 26 months (7.5 turns), next one: Q2.5 2055
Time for Transfer: 12 months (4 turns)
Time for Transfer during Launch Window: 9 months (3 turns)
Mission Duration: min. 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-Atlas Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
-min. 1 Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
[-][Carter]Gleiser-Mars
Transfer Possible: Launch Window
Launch Windows: 26 months (7.5 turns), next one: Q2.5 2055
Time for Transfer: 12 months (4 turns)
Mission Duration: ?
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Rover Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-[ ]Unmanned Orbiter (Mars) Mission Finished
-Atlas Rocket System
-(?) Rover (1AP Launch)
-(?) Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
[-][Carter]Aphrodite-Venus-A
Transfer Possible: Launch Window
Launch Windows: next Q2 2055, Q4 2056
Time for Transfer: 4 months (1 turn)
Mission Duration: min. 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Titan Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
[-][Carter]Aphrodite-Venus-B
Transfer Possible: Always
Launch Windows: next Q2 2055, Q4 2056
Time for Transfer: 2 turns
Time for Transfer during Launch Window: same turn
Mission Duration: min. 18 months (6 turns)
Requirements:
-Decontamination Hub
-Probe Development
-Basic Drive Module Development
-Atlas Rocket System
-min. 1 Orbiter probe (1AP Launch)
-min. 1 Basic Drive Module (1AP Launch)
Bureaucracy (4 Dice): +6
[ ][Carter]Organize Public Presence 0/2 (Requires one Die)
With SCED now official, it is time to increase its public presence, starting with a website, a place in the official forums and dedicated PR staff. This does not only help with future recruitment efforts but also increases the perception of SCEDs mission in the public's consciousness. (Office Space-)
[ ]Organize dedicated SCED Base 0/100
With the sub organisation now official, it is time for SCEDs own site within the confines of the port, but first a lot of paperwork will need to be filed and handled. Ranging from building permissions to reports to Logistics and the local power and water services.
[ ][Carter]Reach out to the Universities 0/150
With tertiary schooling options on the way to completion, it is time to make contacts with the administrations and professors before the other GDI development branches can snack up all the good ones.
[ ][Carter]Reserve Enterprise Working Hours (Requires one Die)
The Enterprise nearing the first real stage of operation has opened up an interesting option. The delivery of missions in small parts with assembly relegated to the personnel in orbit. It should take a little paperwork to set it up, but Carter being the Commanding Officer of Space Command helps.
[ ][Carter]Expand Bureaucratic Staff 0/5C 0/50
Before SCED can start to work independent from Space Command they need their own administrative staff to manage the bureaucratic work, as well as office space, equipment and security clearances. (+1 Bureaucracy Die, Office Space -)
[ ][Carter]Expand Infrastructure Work Crews 0/5C 0/50
(Personnel --, +1 Infrastructure Die upon completion, requires an additional Infrastructure Die)
[ ][Carter]Expand Industrial Work Crews 0/5C 0/50
(Personnel --, +1 Industry Die upon completion, requires an additional Industry Die)
[ ][Carter]Expand Tiberium Work Crews 0/5C 0/50
(Personnel --, +1 Tiberium Die upon completion, requires an additional Tiberium Die)
[ ][Carter]Set up Development Division 0/2C 0/75
The Anchorage Test site is a good basis for a future SCED Development division, but there is planning- and procurement work to be done before Anchorage can be properly equipped and specialised personnel hired. (Office Space -)
[ ][Carter]Staff Hire (1 - 10)C (Requires one Die)
(Personnel +(1 - 10))
[ ][Carter]Requisition(Requires one Die)
-[ ][Carter]Construction robots 10C
With the New Moscow Robotics Works having spun up production, a new line of construction drones is available to the Initiative. SCED can requisition some too, for a price of course.
-[ ][Carter]Requisition V-35 Ox squadron 0/10C (Requires one Die)
With the Airfields being under construction, SCED can requisition a squadron of transport VTOLs to actually use them, helping the Division's growing logistical loads for both material and personnel.
"Happy New Year and welcome back to the year's last Culture Watch with the Archives and History Department. Or, as I like to call it no matter how many times my boring coworkers tell me to stop: CWAHD. We watch what you watch! (And you're sure we okayed that tagline with InOps? I don't want to step on any toes, especially InOps. We clear? Good)."
"Starting with season's greetings, the Most Popular Christmas Movie has proven to be a truly eternal classic: It's a Wonderful Life dating all the way back to 1946. We're supposed to be unbiased in this agency, merely recording and preserving data, but I personally find it incredibly reassuring that the message of the inherent sanctity and value of human life has proven to be timeless. Indeed, perhaps it is even more relevant than ever before."
"In other recent news, while the category of Most Popular Educational Video has as usual remained the perpetually popular Tiberium and You: How to stay safe, we do have an honourable mention with the special category Most Exponentially Popular Educational Video and the Fastest Growing Search Term, drumroll please...: How Do I Become an Astronaut?, the first episode of the space-themed educational show Head's Up!, whose sudden popularity has lead to calls for Space Force to create an updated version to reflect the changes in how the GDI space program works. Expect more news on that in the future (unless Vice Admiral Carter somehow fails to nurture the hopes and dreams of a generation, that is. No, I will not be silent on this! You know I'm right.). Anyway, moving on to Literature (before someone cuts my microphone. Again.)."
"Our categories here have once predictable winner and one unexpected one, so for the sake of suspense we'll obviously discuss the former first. In our Most Popular Non-Fiction Literature we have a trusted boon companion of humanity in these troubled days, a dearly beloved tome of wisdom which every household is familiar with, translated into dozens of languages as a public service, drumroll please...The Layman's Illustrated Guide to Clothing Repair and Maintenance: Making the Most with the Least. The guide we all love to have yet wish we didn't need."
"The Most Popular Fiction Book was hotly contested, but in the end (drumroll please), The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe managed to pull ahead of the rest thanks to a large popularity in the Yellow Zones. Perhaps surprising to those who wouldn't expect a story set on a tropical island to be a hit in areas so hard hit by Tiberium, but that's only a surface reading. Besides having been translated into numerous languages for centuries, that a story of man's perseverance despite isolation, grief, and hardship would still be able to touch the hearts of people in a world beset by Tiberium makes perfect sense."
"Those are the highlights, if you wish to know more, including such topics as Most Popular Music Genre in the Red Zone and Most Popular Original Fiction, please watch the full program or access the written report on user statistics directly from the Archives and History Department. Happy New Year, stay safe, and never stop learning."
An omake from one of the less well-known departments whom we don't hear about because they don't cause problems and just stay busy with the work of keeping mankind's cultural heritage accessible to this generation and alive for future generations.
I have some other ideas for these guys, like a look at the most popular media in various GDI Departments and a look at new stuff being made once we get more Services up and running or when CarterQuest starts making documentaries about itself. I meant to finish this before @BOTcommander updated, but distractions and procrastination got in the way.
Trivia: I have the Most Popular Music Genre from the Red Zone pegged as throatsinging and the running gag of asking for a drumroll and receiving a different instrument is a reference to Beakman's World.
flawless 
