Attempting to Fulfill the Plan MNKh Edition

[Kirai]

I'm honestly not sure on whether I want to throw money into the Vladivostok shipyards. It'd eat up a lot of steel, but given oil shock and how that's going to hit our HI sector hard afaik, it feels like throwing good money after bad. Not entirely sure on this though.

 

[MSH]

The shipyards may be a necessary evil due to our non-ferrous situation. We've got to import ore at a minimum to keep those prices under control, this is something we're majorly lacking for trying to build all these computers.

 

[Quickshot0]

If I recall correctly, the shipyards were being made to be able to build the next generation of larger ships. Which I guess will at least help them use less fuel I guess... Though I'm really not sure how the shipping market in general will shake out though. Don't know a thing about what they did during the oil crisis and Suez crisis eras, beyond having a tendency towards extreme Gingantism in Oil transporting ships so it would be economical to do extra long range routes. And then it all cleared up again and they became overly unwieldy and thus obsolete ships... At least I think it was something like that? At the least the most massive ship ever made was made back then I thought.

 

[Blackstar]

Turn 88 (January 1st, 1976 - January 1st, 1977): Stability, Prosperity, and Development

Resources per Turn(RpY): Base 11690 -125 Rocketry -4900 Plan Commitments -20 Commitments Cost Modifier = 6645 with 10 in storage


Internal Politics:

Due to a cutback in funding, the year started economically poorly as news of a poor Q2 1975 undermined confidence in the economy leading to poor general performance across Q3 even if there was a rapid general recovery. Cutbacks to enterprise funding resulted in a slowdown of new hiring and development that somewhat led to a general economic slowdown. Direct funding programs have somewhat compensated for the loss in funding, creating new jobs and working with enterprises that would be key for the future technological and economic state of the Union. Growth has resumed rapidly with little disruption mostly having a degrading effect on YoY growth still preserving mild gains. Continued economic investment is expected to produce rapid gains as long as energy and commodity prices remain stable with industrial production climbing rapidly even if employment growth has lagged behind expected indices.

With the stabilization of the political sector, movements have slowed down significantly as both Vorotnikov and Ryzhkov have advocated for stability and reasonable politics in concern. Many of the radical proposals made by both are still being discussed in closed rooms but for the majority of the representatives, the center has somewhat consolidated itself. Perceptions of betrayal by the center of the left and right-wing have led to some misguided opposition over the necessary extent of stability in the system. Several of Ryzhkov's supporters have become discontented with the political line taken, especially the conciliatory nature towards further regulation, in practice shifting to Gulyam if not formally. On the left, many of the more dogmatic of Semyanov's supporters have failed to be attracted by Vorotnikov and instead shifted towards Ashimov. In practice, little value was lost as the extreme wings have been bled off the center without much further political disruption to enable a deep consolidation.

New constitutional changes were opposed due to their newness strongly by the radicals, deciding that the formalization of power in state bodies was a step too far over a delusional desire to return to Stalin. The right-wing has, if anything, been more normal, arguing over the formal powers involved in ministries but fundamentally falling into line with the modern political line instead of taking several idiotic conceptual stands. Political agendas have shifted towards a new series of societal laws as work to start dealing with domestic social issues and the question of new media sources. Increasing confrontation has led to a somewhat increased degree of censorship but little practical impact outside of the minimization of loopholes.

More broadly for the Union, several instances of a new viral disease have been noted in hospitals with symptoms characteristic of hemorrhagic fever with a low rate of current spread. The state health service is monitoring the situation with an outbreak of the new disease believed to be spread by rodents but most of the factors relating to the disease are unknown. Treatment is currently focused on supportive measures with infectivity a concerning factor but not significant enough to mandate a harsher response. Quarantines have been required alongside improved containment equipment for the doctors treating the disease but the impact has been mostly confined to Rostov and Odessa. Lethality rates are estimated at approximately two percent with unpleasant symptomatology but no further immediately concerning indicators.

[]Downplay Effects: Any disruption is going to be major and people panicking are if anything going to do more damage than the actual virus. Maintaining quarantine efforts but discouraging the mention of any significant infections outside the symptoms would be obvious but a systematic campaign of refocusing coverage would not. Priority can go towards describing its effects in already vulnerable populations, leaving it a virus of concern only for the elderly instead of the general public. (-1 Bureaucracy Dice)

[]Continue Current Measures: Avoiding disrupting the economy is going to be key to taking advantage of current cheap energy prices. The measures in place have mostly confined the spread of the disease, symptoms are somewhat distinctive allowing for easy identification, and not enough is known to enact effective containment measures. The loss of the two ports can be worked around and little total impact would be felt on the economy. (-200R)

[]Expanded Quarantine Efforts: Moving to reduce trade in the region overland and enforcing some standards to limit travel will have a direct economic impact and possibly slow disease spread. Advocating for the most minimal of measures will likely see them pass without much criticism but it will fundamentally place the ministry in a position of weakness if the disease fails to spread and they only damage the economy further. Growth during the summer will be critical to make up for the recession and measures will have to somewhat be legislatively forced. (-2 Bureaucracy Dice) (-600R)


Military Equipment Part 1(Army):

Trials in competitive fire from stable and unstable positions in competition with derivative AKM platforms against new 5.45 platforms have confirmed previous assumptions even with some disappointment. The new AK-74 has in practice been a direct variation on the AKM platform with few modifications outside of a change in caliber and a slight reduction to system weight. Universal mounting of side rails has come as standard with the new rifle capable of being produced for the same price without major further issues. Moving the military to a new cartridge is expected to take time but the superior ballistics of the 5.45 rounds are expected to greatly increase precision for the average soldier. A longer barrel variant has been developed alongside as a mixture of Automatic Rifle and high precision weapon but the product has been deeply unexceptional if reliable enough for military use, unlike many promising but fundamentally experimental prototypes.

Improvements to the RPG-18 have mostly consisted of minor improvements to the warhead to eliminate new Western tanks in most profiles alongside a new lightened fiberglass tube. Reductions in system weight have been minor from the expanded warhead and accompanying enlarged motor stage but the total RPG-22 unit comes in at under 3 kilograms making it a viable replacement to the old generation of disposable systems. To expand dedicated anti-tank capabilities a new universal light warhead for the RPG-7 system has been designed and pushed into production. Penetration capabilities of 550mm RHA and a theoretical range of five hundred meters will provide standoff capabilities against the most modern Western armor even for common infantrymen.

To improve hit rates on helicopters and eliminate weaknesses in performance against countermeasures a new generation of solid-state man-portable anti-aircraft systems has been developed. Dual seekers with a comparator enable the system to have a strong contrast of different thermal frequencies all while the primary seeker enables engagements against closing targets. Practical limitations make the capability irrelevant against supersonic aircraft but slower ground attack planes can be engaged successfully on the front aspect if they linger and the shooter is prepared. The odds of a flare defeat of the system are massively reduced through a secondary verification seeker, if only partially especially on front-aspect engagement profiles. Kinematic improvements have been somewhat weight limited with the new Igla coming in as a 20kg system but one that can engage barely subsonic closing and receding targets.

Dedicated light anti-tank complexes have received some modernization but the 9K115 system has so far failed to justify itself compared to improved variations of the 9K111. Weight reductions have been useful but not significant when the range band is so narrow that it is brought almost into line with light anti-tank systems. Continued deployments of the modernized 9K111 are expected to be more than sufficient for dedicated anti-tank capabilities with an expanded platoon expected to be used for non mechanized formations. Limitations in guidance technologies and the inherent costs of creating a viable 9K115 system have rendered the concept itself deeply questionable with the focus falling onto the 9K111M as a new standard with a paired dual-purpose launcher. Miniaturization of night optics has also proven disappointing with few results produced by the program within a reasonable weight allocation.

Improved developments for both the 9K113 and 9K114 systems have both proven disappointing with improvements to either guidance or capability not expected. Warhead geometry improvements across both systems have achieved some increases in range but the overall capability of current-generation anti-tank systems is expected to be challenging to improve. Expanding the search for methodologies to defeat the first second-generation Western armor has produced some results but little that will be relevant in the current decade of armored threats. Reliance on the 9K111, 9K113, and 9K114 will be key for maintaining anti-armor strength forming a triplex of light, medium, and heavy ATGMs developed off similar technical families. The 9K114 has now reached operational status with a 40kg VHF-commanded containerized missile system capable of engaging armor at up to five kilometers.

Comprehensive modernization programs to make the T52 export competitive in the most direct sense and to improve the tank stock available have been underway. Most of the initiative has come from UVZs avoidance of producing the T64, considering the design unreliable and in parts tainted from not being designed internally. This is the most dramatic for older T52A hulls, which have received an entirely new wider BDD add-on kit covering the gun and mounting a laser rangefinder. T52B and U hulls have received a similar turret configuration, if with an electronic interlink to the optical system instead of an entirely new targeting block. Combined operation with a transistorized targeting system enables automatic ranging and elevation, improving engagement profiles. Night optics have been further improved with new phosphors and brighter active systems issued, but nothing like the generational leap on more modern armor. Optional further kits for active interceptions of enemy missiles or standardized cupolas have been demonstrated but are unlikely to be ordered in any notable quantity. A mixed tungsten-steel round with a lengthened internal core has been allowed for export, providing anti-tank firepower at least theoretically sufficient to destroy MBT-70s.

Successful production at scale has been achieved at Kharkov and Chelyabinsk for the T64B even if it is a practically new tank. The turret armor modifications have reduced the cost of production significantly while improving protection. An extended engine section fitting an automatic transmission and domestic 900hp V12 has been successful with massive gains of reliability at the cost of two tons additional weight. New ammunition in the form of extended-body monolithic Depleted Uranium penetrators is still being developed but is expected to solve both the cost and penetration issues of tungsten projectiles. Night optics on the new armor have received the largest improvements with sensitive phosphors able to identify targets in ambient lighting out to a kilometer. Commander station overhauls have somewhat been borrowed from the T76 program, reducing reaction times significantly. This has been only improved by a new solid state aiming complex with independent optics which can lase and automatically lay the gun without further intervention with automated lead calculation for tracker moving targets.

Mounting a 100mm gun lightened and borrowed from the T52 into a fifteen-ton chassis has produced the next generation of amphibian tanks. The PT-100 has brought firepower on a light platform up to the standard of mainline armor, incorporating the same sighting and tracking complex as the T64B. The vehicle in practice only has armor immune to heavy machine guns on the front and armor pricing small arms on the side. A mounted 450hp engine and semi-automatic transmission give it exceptional mobility but a lack of armor protection has been the cost of amphibious capabilities. To avoid gaps in capacity, a 100mm DU round has accompanied the program, aiming to entirely replace steel penetrators with a monolithic new round for both the PT-100 and eventually T52. Enhanced targeting and awareness systems are expected to somewhat compensate for the lack of protection, with the new tank coming in as a comprehensive improvement to the PT-76 to every conceivable extent.

Poor combat performance in Algeria and the short-lived Levantine conflict has to an extent redefined the role of the BMP. The older missile system has been at best obsolete, the commander has little visibility, protection is negligible, and the gunner has a near unmanageable degree of overwork. The first issue has been easy to solve, moving to the 9K113 as a new standard missile but the others have been more limited. Addon armor packages have been designed weighing a ton and a half, defending against frontal autocannon fire at a cost of amphibious capabilities. Options to upgrade the BMP-1M have been limited as an improved periscope and optics set cannot compensate for the commander's position. Domestic service examples are expected to eventually receive new night optics but the priority is far lower compared to other vehicles. Stabilization has been mounted as an add-on system for the autocannon and attached optic but a laser rangefinder has been judged impractical given the inaccuracy of the autocannon.

With the performance of the BMP in both Algeria and the short-running Levantine war, the radical redesign of the vehicle was approved over an iterative concept. The largest debates have in effect come down to the question of amphibious capabilities, protection, and sufficient armament to fight enemy armored infantry carriers. This separation in capabilities has led towards divergent development paths with a dedicated light airborne-amphibious vehicle proposed as a complement to a heavier conventional vehicle capable of fighting on a European battlefield. Taking some inspiration from the Marders in German service the BMP-2 is expected to weigh approximately thirty-five tons with steel armor capable of resisting modern 20 mm APDS munitions. To provide the capability to defeat most enemy armored vehicles and expand infantry support capabilities, a 30mm autocannon alongside the 9K113 system will be mounted. Prototypes have already been made with adoption expected by the end of the decade.

The design of a new generation of MBT capable of solving the reliability issues of the T64 while somewhat reducing production costs has been a partial success. Close work with German allies has somewhat redefined the tank in a combined program that while producing several exceptional prototypes failed to significantly lower costs. A simpler lower variability system of hydropneumatic suspension has been developed with increased reliability and has been paired with a unitary propulsion system. A 1200hp German V12 is mounted transversely to a hydrostatic transmission capable of producing five forward and two reverse gears automatically. The rotation of the tank is now controlled through an electronic signal, eliminating more complex driving systems in favor of a small solid-state controller that can ensure efficient operation. The electronic operating system further enables direct control from the gunner or commander optic, ensuring that the limited natural three degrees of depression can be supported through a six-degree suspension lift without driver coordination if in combat situations.

Optical integration alongside improved crew operability features has somewhat revolutionized the tank on German insistence. Parallel gun controls are available for the gunner and commander even if the gunner has a far more precise long-range optic. This is achieved by entirely separating the gun and slaving control signals to a solid state system alongside a laser rangefinder, capable of calculating lead and aim without the need for any manual targeting post-lasing. Both positions have received high throughput light amplification equipment enabling identification to a kilometer without the use of searchlights and engagements to 2km with IR searchlights. The weapon system itself is a radical departure due to the use of the 2A66M gun brought into service through the work of a combined technical team, losing ammunition compatibility with a special variant of the BM-22 designed for use while a new long-rod depleted uranium round is developed. The use of a muzzle brake lowers total recoil impulse enabling a significant increase in pressure while enabling the diversion of firing gasses to minimize re-engagement times.

Armor protection itself has received a significantly increased focus in the design with improved all-around protection and the reduction of critical areas from a frontal profile. Turret weak spots and engagements out to 30 degrees off centerline have been accounted for through the use of a welded narrowing turret with reflective plating on either side of the gun barrel. Machine gun repositioning above the gun has imposed some limitations, but it has eliminated approximately 6% of high-hit probability vulnerable areas. Consolidation of the hull and the move towards a large forward monolithic block has eliminated vulnerabilities in the lower hull with a heavily sloped fore section used to extend fuel reserves and to achieve the ammunition requirements. Composite screens for side-on protection have been implemented, but they are in practice a layered means of resisting mobility kills more than practical armoring against anything but shrapnel. Twenty-five charges and rounds are to be stored in the AZ while a further five are stored in each forward fuel tank and six round-charge combinations behind the AZ in a secondary fuel reserve.

The cost of all of this has been a new base weight of fifty-three tons alongside costs that are not significantly lower than the T64B. The reliability of the prototypes is comparable to new model 64B's and is only expected to improve over time but the tank itself is considered somewhat divisive for its radical departure from previous approaches. Two major German plants are expected to start production soon with LKZ immediately starting mass production with ChTZ and UVZ expected to convert by the end of the decade. Issuance of the new tank is expected to be entirely universal with planned peacetime production figures of two thousand per annum expected to be reached by 1982 alongside options to raise production to four thousand per annum in case of wartime. Replacement of the T52 in frontline roles is already underway and the program is expected to finally provide a retirement for the tank that will have formed the basis of the Red Army for three decades.

Technical work on the next generation of strategic missile systems has succeeded to a significant extent with major gains made in precision, throw weight, and multiple warhead capability. As missile maintenance has been judged far more expensive than the production of additional warheads an expanded high-capability variation on the R-36 has been developed to take advantage of new solid-state electronics. Current payloads have been built around a stacked array of fifteen 250 kt warheads alongside forty-five decoys in the base stages to improve penetration. Independent maneuverability in the upper stages alongside boosted decoys to maintain defensive saturation are expected to achieve near-optimal penetration rates and significantly reduce per-warhead costs through the consolidation of systems onto a unified missile bus. Precision improvements from solid-state electronics have also come into their own, with 250m operational precision being more than sufficient for the neutralization of unhardened infrastructure.

To maintain a high rate of technical readiness as the older generation of UR-100 systems reaches the end of storable life a new silo-compatible variation has been designed. It incorporates five 250kt warheads as a part of general modernization with some common elements for terminal guidance during independent re-entry. Decoy strength is limited on the platform with only five decoys carried in standard operations, but the sheer weight of fire from lighter systems is expected to be sufficient. Modernizations across the missile fleet will involve the replacement of systems with sealed container missiles capable of remaining in a near ready-to-fire state for up to twenty years using improvements in alloys and general technical capabilities. Precision is worse on the lighter system, approximately achieving a reliable hit rate only within a 400m radius due to lesser throw weight and more limited warhead guidance integration. Unification of next-generation warheads is in itself expected to provide significant savings as the nuclear arm is brought onto a unified standard.

Demands for a light tactical helicopter to augment the Mi-2 in reconnaissance roles, replacing the Mi-4 in tactical roles, and offer a light component to the Mi-8. The new Mi-3 is in effect a hybrid system, integrating two 800hp turbines onto a light chassis capable of carrying a ten-man squad or two tons of payload. This has been achieved on the prototype with new production models expected to function as heavy scouts, light attack aircraft, and general-purpose transports for a wide variety of tasks. Armament is going to be rail-mounted autocannons in combination with rocket pods providing some strike capability on the light helicopter. Expanded range capabilities and significant improvements over the Mi-4 have rendered the latter entirely obsolete with some even proposing replacing the Mi-2 with a more capable armed scout. Advancements in the Mi-24 program have been slower as the more advanced targeting system has presented several issues in miniaturization, leading to an intermediate variant being deployed.

The advantages of solid fuel systems alongside solid-state electronics have somewhat rendered all previous heavy and light systems obsolescent. S-25 batteries are immensely expensive and limited to the defense of the capital with limited multi-target capability on an obsolete basis. Both S-75 and S-125 batteries are limited to a single channel and have negligible resistance to SEAD efforts that are rapidly increasing in sophistication. Moving to a solid engine 1500kg universal system promises to radically reduce operational costs through the retirement of the S-25 and S-75 while greatly increasing capabilities. The new complex incorporates a modern phased array radar for general guidance, gaining the capability to track and engage five simultaneous targets. SEAD resistance is to be accomplished through the use of more variable guidance signals, the capability to engage HARMs, and a far more mobile general system.

New setups are mounted across a unified battery with rapid deployable truck-mounted guidance and missile carriers for a fully organized system. The largest capability gains if anything have come from the ability to engage low altitude targets, especially with elevated radar systems, providing the capability to detect terrain following fighter-bombers and cruise missiles to a limited range. Missile guidance systems have practically been entirely overhauled through the dual use of solid-state systems with general tracking localized onto the missile alongside a far more limited terminal active seeker. With the prevalence of American fighter bombers, high agility capability has been somewhat prioritized, giving the missile the ability to achieve up to 18 g's in most terminal profiles, if at a massive cost in kinetic energy. Demands for more solid-state electronics are only expected to grow especially as critical defensive systems are modernized and the army starts programs to develop a new generation of highly capable ABM.

On the lighter end the development of a system to replace the Kub as a general-purpose tactical system is underway. Generational improvements from the aircraft weapons program have proven somewhat applicable to lighter weapon systems, incorporating a semi-active seeker as a massive improvement over older command guidance. A new 600kg system is inherently more limited and lacks several of the supporting radars that would otherwise be present but can be targeted and operated from a unified tracked platform. Datalinks from front-line radars can be directly sent over via radio or cable, providing significantly improved tracking. The use of solid propellent has somewhat reduced the effective range compared to older Kub systems, but it has also greatly reduced costs and made the weapon a far improved front-line system.


Free dice to allocate 6 Dice.

Infrastructure: (14) 5 Dice

[]Expanded Metro Systems: Metro areas built out by Malenkov and Voznesensky have served hundreds of Millions of workers but further expansions are warranted in cities experiencing rapid growth. Additional routes need to be added in rapidly growing cities in Central Asia and Ukraine, expanding capacity and destinations significantly. More moderate work in several new cities that are expected to connect to the HSR system will be done to provide direct linkages, improving the transfer of passengers. Transportation efficiency improvements will be minor but notable as an increasing number of workers can avoid driving to work. (-1 Petroleum Fuels) (175 Resources per Dice 0/200)

[]Western Local Roads(Stage 1/2): Even the worst organized commission can determine that the roads in smaller towns and towards enterprises are inadequate for any form of large-scale industrial development. Personal assessments are not much better with the commissions' report if anything deeply optimistic. Mud has been a consistent issue when attempting to travel by car significant distances and the quality of roads away from anything of political importance rapidly degrades. Plans to fix the issue will start with the unification of the road system on a two-lane inter-town standard with primary routes built around factories to link local production resources into the general grid. Such a plan will delay primary population-focused roads, but it is expected to improve overall industrial conditions. (150 Resources per Dice 0/275)

[]Western Deepwater System Updates: Bringing large elements of the Western deepwater system to the standards of the River-Reversal program is a major comprehensive dredging effort. Increasing barge depths and sizes, especially around the coal industry have led to several delays and technical problems in transporting coal cheaply and efficiently. Expanding and upgrading the system can prevent loss of water and allow for even larger vessels to traverse the Union. Stable supplies of coal are unfortunately critical and little can be done outside of logistical simplification. (150 Resources per Dice 174/300)

[]Urban Sewage Systems: Sewage transportation by truck is the predominant form of sewage management for much of the Union's land mass. Urban systems exist but capacity limitations have posed significant development concerns outside of Moscow with severe limits placed on what can be done. Current programs focus on the urban issue as trucks, while inefficient, are not a direct health hazard that current management practices are. An expanded and modified program can be undertaken for large-scale urban renewal, integrating processing systems and greatly expanding capacities. This will take time and balloon the program above old standards but it will provide room for the economic centers of the Union to grow. (200 Resources per Dice 16/450) (-34 CI4 Electricity)

[]Water Processing Plants: Water quality in areas of industrial breakthrough has moderately degraded with standards for heavy metals only partially implemented on the industrial end. To ensure that drinking water remains potable an increased number of facilities can be established for the purification of drinking water and improvement of quality of life in industrial zones. This is most notable on the Volga, but secondary water purification facilities for home use water will be required in several key areas. Funding will keep levels to those compatible with long-term health, in effect offering some savings on net medical expenses. (200 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-26 CI3 Electricity)

[]Moscow Renovation Program: Compared to the original reconstruction of Moscow a far more focused program can be undertaken, taking advantage of areas of accelerated development. Both enterprise districts are in desperate need of expansion, a new stadium must be constructed for the Olympics and several novel elements of the skyline can be funded. A modern city requires a modern appearance and focused programs towards continuing modernization and facade programs can provide rapid improvements to local conditions. This will be paired with a significant increase in Metro throughput and non-express HSR stations, ensuring that Moscow is a modern integrated, and accessible city. (150 Resources per Dice 135/250)

[]Modernization of Heating Infrastructure: Working to improve the thermal efficiency of structures and re-coating heat pipes is a major infrastructural effort but one that needs to be undertaken to reduce waste. Current practices for grid heating are efficient but still lose a significant amount of heat in transportation and from the localization of thermal plants away from urban areas. Part of this will continue the localization of heating units to building natural gas systems in lower-density areas but most of the upgrades will be in the form of improved piping and insulation. (150 Resources per Dice 0/200) (-2 Petroleum Fuels, +1 Petroleum Gas)

[]HVDC Grid Islands: High-power thyristors have made direct current electrical transmission somewhat viable if limited in implementation. To improve the economic factors of large-scale hydroelectric facilities along with concentrated peat and lignite-burning thermal stations significant investments can be placed into the field. The long-distance transmission of power for between five hundred and a thousand kilometers can reduce losses and provide a significant improvement in area grids if not local ones. (175 Resources per Dice 0/200) (+45 Electricity)

[]Grid Stabilization and Expansion: The electrical grid has increased in scale rapidly and to an extent never predicted in the old expansion programs. Current efforts to move around the majority of the power have succeeded but insufficiently and capacity for long-range transmission is still inadequate to say less of local grids. Work to improve the electrical grid is going to be necessary from an efficiency perspective and consolidating the wiring to more efficient unified standards is required to move to a truly modern distribution system. This will encounter several cost increases as local grids are ancient, overlapping, and a consistent fire hazard but modernizations have to proceed. (175 Resources per Dice 121/350) (+30 Electricity)

Heavy Industry (10) 5 Dice

[]Krasnoyarsk-Irkutsk Metallurgical Complexes(Stage 1/3): Lower-grade local ores in combination with the exploitation of new deposits and improved railway access are expected to significantly improve domestic steel production. The area has practical free electricity from the massive available hydro potential making it uniquely suited to large-scale steel processing and recycling. The proximity of natural gas sources of reduction has favored the area as one of the largest test cases for the primary DRI-EAF method with expectations for significant gains to local work and productivity. Much of the steel produced would go West, lowering local prices and further improving domestic productivity. (220 Resources per Dice 0/225) (-10 Steel -1 Non-Ferrous +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Hydroelectric Powered)

[]Secondary Metallurgical Complexes: Secondary steel can be salvaged to a large extent from the current steel economy. Despite strong export pressures, the domestic sector for steel utilization is strong and produces an excess of scrap steel. To meet domestic steel demand and minimize the need for reducing agents in production an expanded program for recycling steel can be started. Effective waste filtering has already been established and combustion processing inherently involves the separation of metal products. This will also yield some limited aluminum and copper, but those are secondary and far harder to filter from garbage streams. (240 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-61 CI8 Electricity -6 Steel -1 Non-Ferrous +1 General Labor)

[]Amur Electrolysis Plants: Mass production of aluminum from imported Indonesian Bauxite can start in the Far East to form a key industry and a basis for further development. Plentiful coal and easy logistics on the Amur leave the site optimal for the construction of a major electrolytic complex and the environment is well suited to the import of materials. Intensive development can directly supply the local industry and form a viable component of a complete domestic aluminum-production system as funding and technological sophistication improve. (240 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-76 CI8 Electricity -8 Non-Ferrous +1 General Labor)

[]Coal Power Plants(CPSC): Coal is still a necessary part of the energy mix and one that cannot be ignored as it forms an essential basis for increasing energy production. Programs towards radically increasing the throughput of coal power are shortsighted before mining programs can achieve improved yields and an adequate barge route is developed. Still, coal is currently viable and prices of coal are expected to crash once heavier barges can be used, radically changing the entire economic principles of power in the Union. (300 Resources per Dice 0/100) (+150 Electricity +3 Coal) (Repeatable)

[]Kansk-Achinsk Basin Exploitation(Stage 5/5): The future of coal power in the Union rests squarely on the shoulders of brown surface-level coals. Current deposits in Kansk-Achinsk represent almost thirty years of extraction capacity to power the whole Union, much less the current rate of extraction. Surface mining of lower-grade coals is dirtier than other coal industries, but energy demands are unlikely to slow, and if the oil crisis is to be navigated then coal must be decisively increased. (180 Resources per Dice 1/175) (-46 CI4 Electricity -10 Coal +1 General Labor)

[]Virgin Coalfield Exploitation: Test digging at the massive Tunguska, Minusinsk, and Irkutsk deposits and some of the limited far eastern reserves can be started to access previously ignored coal-bearing areas. These programs will focus primarily on the location of hard coals in underground formats to provide high-quality metallurgical coals to specialty industries in the Far East. Avoidance of significant semi-coking processes will be key to reducing the energy demand of the coal industry and maintaining the viability of production until river reversal can be completed. (150 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-21 CI4 Electricity -5 Coal +1 General Labor)

[]Kansk-Achinsk Coal Liquefaction(Stage 1/2): Collaborating closely with German efforts and transferring the technology or domestic applications offers something of a solution to the oil crisis. A series of integrated plants capable of processing 50Mt of coal per annum can be established alongside the expansion of pit mining to increase transportability. This coal will be converted to fuel at a high rate, securing significant gains in energy security even if current petroleum prices would necessitate operating slightly at cost to maintain prospective capacity. Only so much liquefaction can be developed but it at least offers a way to use domestic resources to meet the needs of the energy crisis. Energy demands will be met with local coal resources while reduction supplies can be obtained through the use of natural gas without economic issues. (220 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-16 CI4 Electricity -3 Petroleum Fuels +2 Petroleum Gas -2 Petrochemicals +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Non-Profitable)

[]Atomash(Stage 4/4): Continued expansions of the Atmomash production complex have been deemed important to achieve energy independence. Additional metallurgical facilities alongside a second full oven capable of sintering wholesale cores will be essential alongside the infrastructure required for the turbines to be constructed. At the current rate of development, it is expected that a stable energy system can be achieved by 1990 with new reactor designs accompanied by a rapid increase in production throughput. Replacement of non-grid resources will take longer alongside general modernization but current prospects for atomic energy offer a way out of the current energy crisis. (300 Resources per Dice 125/250) (-80 CI8 Electricity +2 Steel +1 Non-Ferrous +1 Educated Labor)

[]CNC Machine Building Plants: Domestic direct microcomputer-controlled machinery has been somewhat in shortage due to the limitations on production but now that common lithographic machinery is available that trend can be reversed. Standard model NC machinery can be modified and modernized to bring it to true computational control to improve precision and production speed on common parts. Every industry is expected to be revolutionized but only so many chips can be made so quickly as the fabrication machinery is in high demand across every sector. (300 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-45 CI3 Electricity +1 Steel +2 Non-Ferrous +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Vladivostok Shipyards: The naval yards in the Far East have some of the cheapest labor and a significant market for merchant shipping between all CMEA members. Expanding the construction of large hulled container and tanker ships domestically will be essential to keep up with current American standards. If the Soviet merchant fleet is to be modernized it needs to be funded now and expanded now to compensate for deficiencies in block-wide production. An entirely new generation of ships will have to be built to break with old standards and the dogged obsolescence that has remained a major part of naval construction. (240 Resources per Dice 0/200) (-54 CI4 Electricity +5 Steel +2 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

Rocketry (4) 2 Dice (Cannot Use Free Dice)

[]Cancel Project (10<Projects<15, -2 Dice) (125/160 R/y Funding Cap)
-Communication Satellites (-10 RpY) Constant Program
-Atmospheric Data Satellite Program (-10 RpY) Constant Program
-Positioning System Programs (-10 RpY)
-Orbital Telescope Program (-10 RpY)
-FGB-VA Crewed Exploration (-10 RpY) Constant Program
-2nd Gen Luna Program (-20 RpY) Constant Program
-Mars Program (-10 RpY) Constant Program, Rover Focused
-Mercury Program (-5 RpY)
-Outer Planets Program (-15 RpY) Active Phase finished 1979
-Long Term Orbital Nuclear Power (-10 RpY)
-Nuclear Drive Program (-15 RpY)

[]Reusable Launchers: The initial MAKS program following the PKA was dismissed by Glushko as an impossible engineering nightmare but it can still be resumed for the sake of providing a lighter launch vehicle. Using long-burning hydrogen engines along with a reusable launcher attached to a drop tank will improve launch capacity and especially if paired with a carrier aircraft reduce costs. The technologies for the project itself are available today with the only issue being the degree of complicated engineering work. It is believed to be possible that some form of the MAKS concept could be launched in the decade allowing space to be opened to low-cost space launch. (-10 RpY Expected) (1 Dice)

[]Open a New Moon Program: A theoretical program to upstage American achievements in orbit of the moon can be undertaken for comparatively little cost. Launching an FGB-VA is a matter of attaching a stage to it and performing an orbit as the duration of travel is expected to be unexceptional the same as the mass involved. This would encourage expensive domestic spending programs on the American end, especially as a landing is still believed to be technically infeasible in any configuration of proposed launchers available. (-5 RpY Expected) (1 Dice)

[]Superheavy Launcher: With the limited capabilities of the RLA new systems have to be developed if a new moon program is even to be considered. A high-power hydrogen lift stage can still be paired with legacy RLA cores produced as cheaper boosters but new engines will have to be developed to enable a degree of reusability. Recovery of comparatively short-duration boosters will be key for lowering costs and on a heavy core hydrogen state the flight profile can be well suited for further launches. Mixed cryogenics will be a major issue but the limitations of hydrogen and transport diameters somewhat prevent any other approach. (-30 RpY Expected) (1 Dice) (Subvote)

[]New Heavy Launcher: An all-hydrogen lift vehicle promises to significantly reduce the requirements for a rocket and enable a lower general mass of dry components to be used. The design is planned around a six-hundred-ton liftoff vehicle built on a two-stage basis using a hydrogen lower and upper stage with the options for mounting the already developed high-energy third stage for geostationary launches. A six-meter core diameter would enable fairing diameters up to nine meters, enabling far larger payloads to be launched in a single flight and starting the way toward retiring the RLA-3. (-25 RpY Expected) (1 Dice) (Subvote)

[]Light Bulk Launcher: The RLA-1 is frankly excessive for most missions it has been considered for as a simple crew rotation does not require fifteen tons of lift mass. Improved electronics on most satellite buses have also eliminated the need for the heaviest launches due to the shrinking size of vehicles. Working off existing hardware by consolidating the lower stage to a half-power engine alongside a more efficient fuselage can provide approximately eight tons to orbit on a reliable platform. This would involve some configurational changes but could create a highly capable launch vehicle for lighter payloads to avoid the full cost of an RLA launch. (-15 RpY Expected) (1 Dice) (Subvote)

[]Expanded Station Programs: Continuing the disposable station program based on the previous program can push it towards the use of one-year duration stations with rotating crews alongside some developed infrastructure. Evaluations of inflatable habitats can start at scale with the first longitudinal testing of living in space performed for people alongside more advanced life support schemes. New hardware would be developed but most of the systems can be directly taken from the previous station program without the need for radical new developments. (-15 RpY Expected) (1 Dice)

[]Permanent Orbital Station: Constructing a larger permanent space station meant for use over a decade will require new modules to be developed and a constant pace of funding to keep it in use. Starting the construction of a combined station system can open it as a combined CMEA project and form a basis for further crewed missions as a central support base. The primary purpose of the program will be to assess the long-term prospects of space alongside experiments in novel manufacturing, plant growth, and international cooperation on new technologies. (-25 RpY Expected) (1 Dice)

[]Bulk Launch Methods: The rocket has historically been the only way that payloads and humans have gotten into space, but several other concepts deserve exploration. Everything from structural and design elevations on orbital cable elevators to rocket sleds must be considered. This program itself is only expected to be theoretical and focused on making designs for the possibility along with several small-scale models for scientific viability. Some plans have already been dismissed but investing in the future potential of orbit and easy delivery to space has always been a cornerstone of the program. (-5 RpY Expected) (1 Dice)

Light Industry (12) 12 Dice

[]Air Conditioner Plants(Stage 7/7): Continued developments in the air conditioning sector are required to maintain the development of comfortable domestic housing. Smaller homes and older apartments are being modernized but at an inadequate pace with the acceleration of conventional construction. Further programs to increase the throughput of cooling systems can ensure that the oldest housing stock is modernized and brought into a comfortable state of living over the next decade. Once sufficient production capacity is established efficiency improvements are expected to provide a sufficient demand impetus to maintain profitability, solving the standard of living crisis compared to the Americans. (140 Resources per Dice 133/250) (-74 CI6 Electricity +2 Steel +2 Non-Ferrous +1 General Labor)

[]Microcomputer Plants(Stage 2/4): Committing to an integration program for building versatile microcomputers capable of most office tasks at a low price will be key for the electronics transition. Current processors are significant improvements compared to old large mainframes and the technologies involved are only improving. Enterprises have expressed interest in control systems with many factories considering them a priority for technical development to improve control. Production of the first units is not expected to start for at least a year as solid-state production reaches sufficient numbers but the industry is rapidly growing outside of all previous expectations. (275 Resources per Dice 85/125) (-37 CI3 Electricity +2 Non-Ferrous +2 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Extremely High Profitability)

[]Consumer Electronics Plants(Stage 2/3): Television development can easily be followed by the production of new forms of home entertainment. Music systems have been radically improved over the last decade and new supportive systems for television can significantly improve viewer experiences. Expansions of the industry will consume a massive amount of labor but continue to generate high-paying work and provide for a significantly improved consumer standard. Most production will be built on the use of the current industry with some temporary minor shortfalls expected due to the strength of demand stimulation provided. (200 Resources per Dice 173/250) (-49 CI8 Electricity +2 Non-Ferrous +2 Petrochemicals +2 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Modernization of Home Electronics Gorky era industrial standardization programs have been key and heavily influential in nearly every element of the electronics industry but they need to be brought to modern standards. Power supply minimum efficiencies, indicators for efficiency, and several component standards need to be updated and improved. More advanced techniques have revolutionized the industry and it is time to move most consumer items to them. Changeovers are planned for the next five years with the majority of funding going to bureaucratic enforcement and incentive funds to ensure that enterprises can change over with few disruptions. (240 Resources per Dice 0/100) (+10 CI2 Electricity +1 Non-Ferrous +1 Petrochemicals) (High Profitability)

[]Housing Renovation Components: Production of new side paneling and several more modern interior products can continue to improve standards for most homes. After purchase modification is common and increasing the production of specialty goods for maintenance and modernization can somewhat divest the state of primary expenses for modernization. New furniture, flooring, and renovation products will be coupled with the development of light personal use tools that can be used by both private sector workers and individuals. (150 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-24 CI2 Electricity +1 Steel +2 Petrochemicals +1 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Third Generation Food Programs(Stage 1/3): The chemical industry has delivered the Union several major victories in the production of shelf-stable enhanced foods that have practically broken from old traditions. These are capable of long-term storage on shelves and can in effect reduce food wastage and contamination significantly through a mixture of new chemical compositions and plastic packaging. Production expectations will be major as several new types of drinks, meals, and even fast-consumption products will be brought to every soviet grocer. Current efforts are expected to modernize the soft drink industry along with sectors of the confectionary industry, contributing capital to bring manufacturing to new standards. (160 Resources per Dice 0/200) (-41 CI3 Electricity +4 Petrochemicals +3 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Durable Goods Program: Durable goods have traditionally been manufactured at low costs for as high of yields as possible but higher grade more durable products can also be made. Upper-end sectors have been comparatively under-invested in due to the requirements for increasing production being more essential than the sector-specific targeting. A comprehensive program to produce several specialty high-grade brands with capable engineers and a highly independently assessed technical standard can secure the segment and provide for domestic independence. Consumer utilization is expected to start slowly but higher standards are expected to slowly spread to other enterprises bringing up the general standards of production. (180 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-32 CI4 Electricity +2 Steel +2 Petrochemicals +2 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Secondary Plastics Industries: Plastics are objectively superior to any contemporary product produced in the Soviet Union and current shortages of non-ferrous metals can be somewhat compensated for through the rapid adoption of plastics. Increased production of containers and several other thermoplastic products for use in general use of durable goods will be key to lowering the demand for metals and conserving them for more important sectors. In practice, the reduction in metal use will be minimal if only due to the likely rapidly rising demand for new goods overtaking any savings. (180 Resources per Dice 0/200) (-36 CI3 Electricity -2 Non-Ferrous +6 Petrochemicals +2 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Textile Industry Overhauls: Current labor standards are reducing efficiency for the general textile industry as the massive profusion of labor is increasingly more scarce. Enterprises have asked for funding for further modernization as cheap labor is not available for use in the textile industry and machinery must be used to compensate for the deficiency. Limitations in immigration and a strong domestic growth pattern have consumed easy-to-mobilize labor leaving little that can be done. Increasing mechanization for common goods will compensate but the general sustainability of the industry must be considered. (200 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-48 CI9 Electricity -2 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Electronic Entertainment Programs: Developments in the West have been made on a series of arcade and home arcade machines creating something of a novel entertainment gap. Developing several program inventions that have so far existed as curiosities made in a university environment into viable entertainment systems can provide some demand and they have already proven capable of operating on existing hardware. Production of solid-state circuitry is limited but productive capability is practically growing exponentially when it comes to transistor numbers produced and their rapidly falling cost of production. (200 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-28 CI5 Electricity +1 Petrochemicals +1 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Mixed Textile Industries(Stage 3/3): Rapid chemicalization of the clothing sector promises to direct water towards more useful industries while improving general domestic growth. Synthetic fibers are superior to natural ones in most ways and adapting industrial methods to primarily produce them will practically eliminate any dependence on imports of materials. Programs to achieve increased industrialization have run into minor issues in sourcing labor but a few workers can still be offered sufficient wages to increase textile production and processing. (150 Resources per Dice 83/250) (-41 CI5 Electricity +4 Petrochemicals +2 General Labor) (High Profitability)

Chemical Industry (6) 4 Dice

[]Exploitation of the East Siberian Basin(Stage 1/2): Several previously untapped petroleum reserves exist in the Far East with exploratory drilling already started on several identified fields. Most reservoirs that have been found are a combination of small and remote reserves without massive capacity for new production, but they are existent and worth extraction in a primary and secondary recovery sense. Continued operations are unlikely to produce any radical increases in petroleum production but even mild gains can assist in stabilizing economic activity. (150 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-28 CI4 Electricity -4 Petroleum Fuels -1 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Development of the Southern Turgay Basin(Stage 1/2): Expansive extraction operations in the Kazakh SSR are expected to stimulate the local economy and provide a mixture of gas and petroleum resources for rapid development. Local reserves are comparatively small and somewhat challenging to access but intensive production can provide rapid and significant gains for the local economy. Construction of several new oil towns alongside the intensive expansion of local refining infrastructure is expected to produce thousands of new high-paying jobs and tens of thousands of jobs supporting them. Operations are going to be limited by the conditions of the reserves in place but some gains are still expected. (150 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-25 CI4 Electricity -4 Petroleum Fuels -3 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Intensive Development of the Caspian(Stage 1-6): The amount of oil located under the Caspian Sea represents a massive nearly untapped reserves with high estimates ranging up to ten billion tons. Using previous experiences in the development of rigs and the extraction of oils from underwater reserves, local production can be increased significantly while still maintaining low general prices. Work on these rigs would inherently be more expensive than other conventional oil reserves but if the Union is to maintain some energy independence their rapid expansion will be crucial. Local ecological conditions are also excellent, as the availability of water for refining can reduce costs and enable the barge transport of petroleum to larger refinery complexes on the Volga. (180 Resources per Dice 0/175) (-15 CI6 Electricity -5 Petroleum Fuels -3 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor +2 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Modernization of Oil Fields(Stage 1/4): Moving towards the newest techniques and implementing tertiary recovery measures at scale for the West Siberian deposits will generate rapid returns on investment. Bringing older depleted wellheads into functionality and expanding the utilization of active fracking techniques is expected to radically reshape the petroleum industry. Well, recovery rates can be nearly expected to double, especially for some heavier oils with techniques raising profits across the board for essential state enterprises. Current approaches will focus on increasing recovery from already tapped wells but continued programs can be expanded towards general improvements in petroleum recovery. (160 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-39 CI4 Electricity -5 Petroleum Fuels -4 Petroleum Gas) (High Profitability)

[]Continued Synthetic Rubber Programs: Continued deep modernizations and expansions of the domestic rubber industry offer a way to significantly improve domestic incomes while increasing independence. Direct expansions of the industry are technologically possible through improved techniques, providing flexible and higher-performance polymers to several other critical industrial areas. Work on the overall rubber industry is only expected to increase as the automotive and general industrial sectors reach maturity with the demand for improved sealants and synthetic products rapidly increasing. (240 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-41 CI6 Electricity +2 Petroleum Fuels +2 Petroleum Gas -5 Petrochemicals +1 Educated Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Next Generation Plastics Programs: Expanding the production of specialty and engineering plastics is somewhat of a distraction with the strong growth of the industry but one that still needs to be addressed. New and improved feedstocks and a rapidly developing chemical industry driven by cheap energy is a viable export industry and one that can significantly contribute towards domestic growth. Increasing funding for the more experimental applications of new plastics including the wholesale replacement of stainless steel in some applications will be key to improving domestic competitiveness and technological sophistication. (240 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-41 CI6 Electricity +4 Petroleum Gas -4 Petrochemicals +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Continued Exploitation of Volga-Ural: The tapping of massive reserves at an accelerated pace can provide for a cheap and fast increase in petroleum production to compensate for depletion in other areas. The massive formations are steadily decreasing in productivity as exploitation continues to deplete reserves despite improved recovery methods and the continuous development of new methodologies. These initiatives would in practice accelerate the depletion of deposits in the region, yielding plentiful cheap oil from the massive formations but causing a faster loss of total production as oil becomes uneconomical. (120 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-23 CI5 Electricity -8 Petroleum Fuels -2 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]West Siberian Gas Wells(Stage 1/10): Vast gas reserves exist in the West Siberian petroleum formations and outside of efforts for capture from primary wells the development of dedicated local gas infrastructure has not yet begun at scale. Technical programs to tap new gas wells and significantly increase production capacity represent the best means for reducing oil use across the Union. Initial programs will focus on tapping newly discovered reserves and proving the techniques involved more than direct extraction but far larger and more productive efforts are sure to follow. (180 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-32 CI8 Electricity -6 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor+1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Central Asian Gas Fields(Stage 1/3): Dedicated extraction programs to tap into local gas reserves can stabilize the local economy and provide a cheap energy source outside of the coal transportation system. Any gas that is utilized can be used to displace hard coals that are more valuable in other areas of the Union along with offering thousands of high-paying jobs to local workers. Reserves in the area are if anything more optimal for extraction than the West Siberian ones, ensuring a rapid increase in production. (160 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-27 CI8 Electricity -6 Petroleum Gas +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Heavy Oil Experiments: There are approximately six million tons of recoverable heavy oil and bitumen that are somewhat economically and technically recoverable. Current upgrading facilities have proven that it can be refined into usable oil products but not at significant rates and not without costs. Accepting that the technologies developed for refinement will not be mature for this plan, some funding can be transferred over to improve the production of new oil products and open the processing of energy reserves previously considered unusable. (200 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-43 CI5 Electricity -2 Petroleum Fuels -4 Petrochemicals +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Intensive Cracking Infrastructure(Stage 2/2): Direct upgrading infrastructure can be constructed to take advantage of the current surpluses of heavier oils. Instead of direct combustion or the production of more valuable synthetic lubricants, production can go somewhat to direct upgrading. New compounds will inherently be produced from cracking to maintain a high-value production chain but some of it can easily be allocated towards fuels instead of a true multi-stage processing approach. Improved refinery infrastructure past this point can provide some minor technical gains but that is miniscule compared to improved extraction. (240 Resources per Dice 3/175) (-56 CI3 Electricity -4 Petroleum Fuels -4 Petrochemicals +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

Agriculture (6) 4 Dice

[]Domestic Meat Programs(Stage 7/10): Meat independence outside of beef requires a concentrated effort to increase and optimize the production of pork. Pig stocks have rapidly increased for the production of specialty goods but general-purpose pork has only moderately expanded during the previous plan. A concentrated effort to radically increase the number of pigs raised and slaughtered in the Union will be essential to overcoming any shortcomings of the domestic meat industry. Initial concepts will continue the caloric optimization of the pig with breeding programs initiated to produce pigs that can more efficiently take on calories, grow faster, and efficiently use lower-grade feeds without excessive loss of productivity. (120 Resources per Dice 6/225) (-34 CI1 Electricity +1 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Development of the Middle Volga: Irrigation in the great bend of the Volga has historically been inconsistent and problematic but with the additional flow of water south significant improvements can be made. Direct control of water levels up north is expected to stabilize agricultural yields and eliminate any dry years in the basin, improving Soviet agriculture. Current efforts will focus on the increasing allocation of water and the use of more intensive irrigation allowing a final decisive separation from the climate issues that have historically plagued local agriculture. (120 Resources per Dice 94/200) (High Profitability)

[]Development of the Southern Volga: The parched steppe to the South of Stalingrad has historically been marginally developed despite the favorable climate leaving useless wetlands in the far south along with a narrow green band. Diverting local water resources to local terrain would open new prime agricultural land, taking advantage of more consistent river flows to improve the production of several specialty goods. Regional development of water resources is expected to start the transformation of the region, allowing a strong increase in local production along with a general increase in fruit production. (120 Resources per Dice 0/150) (High Profitability)

[]Development of the Dnieper: Every drop of fresh water that enters the Black Sea is a drop that is stolen from the Soviet worker. Seizing back the water and constructing a reservoir system with diversions off the river combined with the management of solar evaporation can preserve local water resources and significantly improve growth capacity. Solving any risk of drought through hydrological means has long been a goal and a target for development and with one series of cascades and expansions to the current water infrastructure a major river can be tamed and brought to useful production. (120 Resources per Dice 0/200) (High Profitability)

[]Development of the Upper Ob: The Altai needs more water resources to increase the area under cultivation and strengthen local agricultural developments. Regional outflow is going to be used somewhat inefficiently and containing the water promises to significantly improve resources available for agriculture. The area is expected to achieve significant increases in yields with the stabilization of water reserves. Most of the work will be done through the development of local reservoirs, using minor diversions to supply them and ensure that the river itself is not excessively disrupted. (120 Resources per Dice 0/125) (High Profitability)

Services (16) 11 Dice

[]Transportation Enterprises(Stage 5/5): Further increases to local truck stocks will increase the demand in the rapidly growing automotive industry but for once it can mostly need the demand. Production of cabover vehicles has increased nearly twenty-fold in the last decade with further gains expected as large and small transportation enterprises are expanded. Work towards improving throughput and efficiency can still be done in collaboration with further road construction to bring the Union into the modern era of internal transportation. (180 Resources per Dice 79/250) (+5 Petroleum Fuels +4 General Labor) (Locked Until Western Local Roads is Completed) (Very High Profitability)

[]Telephone Use Programs: The telephone and facsimile machines are key for larger enterprises to coordinate and send information to each other. Continued work towards improving networks and providing them for mid and small-sized enterprises will be essential for increasing economic activity. The provisions for good networking are comparatively minimal as the old networks are still adequate for current demand, leading to the need to produce and purchase hundreds of thousands of machines. Organizing something of a subsidy program can then improve the efficiency and integration of the economy through the adoption of new technologies. (160 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-16 CI2 Electricity +1 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Expansion of Domestic Media Production(Stage 1/2): Current film and animation enterprises have significantly expanded into the vast demand for cultural production but more funding can be transferred over to further increase them. A series of films from the state sector can be commissioned on several important topics alongside the adaptation of several literary works into the film format. This will be accompanied by improving the facilities for art schools and providing a series of scholarships for young authors willing to study the craft further and continue developing high throughput cultural production. (150 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-18 CI2 Electricity +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) ( High Profitability)

[]CNG Distribution Programs: Shortages of petroleum fuel are nearly expected given the current limitations in production and the physical reality of requiring a six times price increase to make the arctic fields viable. Efforts to start tentative conversions of transport in cities to natural gas focusing on dual fuel systems for cabovers and buses. Easy conversion targets are expected as local transit can be converted using current infrastructure with a relatively minimal commitment of funds and technical efforts. None of the systems are in themselves novel and a pilot program now can demonstrate the concept for future use. (150 Resources per Dice 0/100) (-1 Petroleum Fuels, +1 Petroleum Gas)

[]Expansion of Assistive Services: Some mild deficits exist in the care for pensioners that is available as the health system has so far almost entirely prioritized work for working populations. Shifting some resources away from sectoral growth towards skilled nursing and assisted retirement services is a waste but one that can be justified with shifting population demographics. Longer general lifespans are expected to stress current pension schemes much less future healthcare resources and heading off the upcoming political firestorm with a token effort can sidestep much of the criticism. (150 Resources per Dice 0/175) (-16 CI2 Electricity +2 Educated Labor)

[]Restaurant Assistive Funding: Expansions of public eateries can significantly improve profitability and support a key high-return sector. The public demand for pre-cooked food has strongly increased with accompanying increases in incomes and it is essential to meet that demand. Funding programs for the largest organized enterprises and supportive partial funding for several key expanding private chains can be coordinated to increase sectoral throughput. Massive and radical expansions of these enterprises can consume labor at a prodigious rate, mobilizing the population to sell minor conveniences to more relevant workers. (140 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-21 CI2 Electricity +3 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Enterprise Support Services(Stage 3/3): Demand for skilled services focused on cleaning and general maintenance tasks is still not entirely met. Most enterprises prefer to maintain highly skilled labor with other workers in practice hired across as temporary contractors. Establishing several enterprises entirely specialized in general services for both businesses and enterprises can further enable economic specialization and expand competition in the economy. Low costs of employing immigrants will allow for rapid integration into the economy for many, bringing productive work without significantly impacting jobs Soviet Workers are willing to do. (120 Resources per Dice 127/200) (-18 CI2 Electricity +3 General Labor) (Very High Profitability)

[]Second Wave Hotel Programs(Stage 1/3): Current business supporting infrastructure is deeply lacking compared to the West as there are in practice two centralized hotel-focused enterprises of mediocre quality. Developing a further three hotel enterprises with one targeting the high-end sector and two aiming to be as inexpensive as possible will improve support for travelers and significantly aid local incomes. Business infrastructure will readily apply to general tourism such that improving both will provide local areas with more access alongside gains in general economic efficiency. (150 Resources per Dice 0/125) (-16 CI2 Electricity +1 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Expanding Roadside Logistics(Stage 2/2): Fuel provisions for the most common vehicles are still lacking in effect limiting the mobility of passenger vehicles. Extended-range operations and staying in the inhabited belt have somewhat ameliorated current problems but further expansions are still needed to fully support the rapid increase in consumer car ownership. Reinforcement of urban gas stations alongside those in smaller cities will be essential for the program to ensure that queues are minimized and transportation access is improved. (120 Resources per Dice 85/150) (-15 CI2 Electricity +3 Petroleum Fuels +2 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Expansion of the Postage System: Higher speed postage has imposed several requirements on the postage system and ones that can only be partially met. Increased commercial activity has accompanied a significantly increased demand for the postage system, especially for accelerated delivery. Working to address the matter requires a multi-faceted approach with some conversions of HSR trains to mail transporters during the low utilization periods proposed. This will accompany a major expansion of postal services, increasing population access to the service and ensuring that high-speed mail can be sent both faster and cheaper. (140 Resources per Dice 0/225) (-26 CI2 Electricity +1 Petroleum Fuels +2 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Storage-Distribution Networks(Stage 1/2): Initial catalog programs have proven popular, especially for more remote areas but they can be further expanded to provide standardized goods of moderate quality as a delivery system. Initial developments will see the rapid expansion of the storage and inventory infrastructure of four participating enterprises with programs put into place to enable a mail-in and phone-in catalog service. Gains in distribution are mostly expected to occur around apartment buildings with the expanded retail opportunities likely to generate some additional demand. (100 Resources per Dice 0/175) (-18 CI2 Electricity +2 General Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Distribution of Professional Services: Expansions of the professional service sector need to be conducted to the point that standardized legal and general consultations are available to the average worker. The development of the program will be key in stabilizing the environment for smaller enterprises to be competitive and receive adequate guidance on the navigation of the system. Comprehensive developments would in effect prioritize providing more junior graduates as something of a training program, ensuring that professions outside of direct state control are adequately trained. (120 Resources per Dice 0/150) (-16 CI2 Electricity +2 Educated Labor) (High Profitability)

[]Population Distribution Programs(Stage 2/5): Strong expansions to the development of distribution programs are necessary to widen the breadth of state services. Several specialty stores can be developed and constructed to provide the average worker with a vast variety of specialized goods from several brands. Not only do common grocers need more variety but specialized subtypes of stores are necessary for expanding general goods availability and incentivizing an increase in production. The establishment of a fundamental demand base will strengthen the overall economy and ensure that the industry continues to expand at a high rate. (120 Resources per Dice 116/225) (-16 CI2 Electricity +3 General Labor) (High Profitability)

Bureaucracy 8 Dice

[]Dedicate Focus Towards a Project(): (1 Bureau Dice for +5 per dice on a project, +15 in Chemical Industry) (Unrolled)

[]Contine Labor Reforms: Current labor standards have only somewhat been reduced with non-reforming prisoners receiving five times the sentencing due to the compromises involved with Vorotnikov. Continuing the reform further and optimizing for labor offers a unique opportunity to secure long-term capabilities, especially through offering child and young adult offenders the ability to continue their education as a part of labor for more minor crimes. There is no reason to avoid educating criminal youths even if optimistically only a third can be salvaged. Grade requirements will keep the conservative wing content, ensuring that if they are not top students their inability can be made up for through labor. (1 Dice)

[]External Outreach Enterprises: New types of enterprises will be needed to ensure an adequate influence over oil production in foreign nations. In-practice control by Soviet officials is one line, but steps must be taken to increase power and influence through the limited provision of more advanced drilling equipment. Closing the supply chain in foreign nations can produce additional petroleum and provide a high-capability diplomatic arm that will guarantee a steady supply of oil. The MFA disagrees somewhat on the policy, but their remit is not the economy and nothing they can do will solve the energy crisis short of bumbling into a nuclear war. (1 Dice)

[]Talks with Vorotnikov: Vorotnikov is at least publicly an ardent fighter against enterprise overreach even if his actual policies are decidedly more mixed. Entering talks with the man in advance of any ill-advised economic regulation can play well for Ryzhkov and provide a basis for further close collaboration. Even if he does not exactly like the current state of the economy he is still willing to tolerate it, especially if a few of the worst examples can be offered up. Practical consolidation of the ministry and the elimination of internal power centers will be key to resuming normal functionality and finishing the recovery from Klimenko and Voznesensky's mistakes. (1 Dice)

[]Expand the Energy Security Commission: The struggle to secure enough energy and petroleum for the Soviet workers must go international if communism is to be constructed. Increasing the production of foreign oil and securing further purchases is essential especially in high oil reserve areas as energy is fundamentally critical to economic growth like nothing else is. Using that argument to expand power on essential advising bodies can still be done under the new constitution as there is a somewhat accepted crisis in the field. Talks with the MFA and MoD can underpin a new generation of security and energy commitments, stabilizing the economy for another decade and providing the time for a more permanent solution. (1 Dice)

[]Restart a Labor Commission: Verifying the developments of Voznesensky and expanding the assessments of labor can help to continue to provide a scientific basis for improved productivity. Current work hours are optimized for a mixed productive-demand state but can likely be shifted to optimize other aspects essential to economic activity especially now that labor demand has rapidly increased. Maintaining a balanced demand state will be key for stable economic growth especially now that the baby boom is slackening and newly graduating students are available in lesser quantities. (1 Dice)

[]Finalize and Implement the Euro: Accelerating past the opinions of several politicians, the implementation of the Euro can be started now while everything is stable. Current proposals are mostly ready with the unification of international currency already done for the most part. Shifting the external currency and forcing the weak Ministry of Finance to act may ruffle some feathers but completing the whole project will provide far more political support than a measured implementation. Control of the implementation can also ensure that domestic politics have a greater degree of influence, stabilizing matters and expanding ministry control. (1 Dice)

[]Economic Academnet: Continuing the Vorotnikov line of improving economic planning through expanded data access, the start of an economic network can be authorized and funded. The comparative complexity of the system is expected to be significant as even current implementations are only solving technical challenges as quickly as discovering new ones. Current goals will consist of networked communications between regions of intensive economic activity, providing basic price and commodity indicators across several major cities with the ability to cross-reference information. (1 Dice)

[]Housing Sector Reform: Current housing programs are working to maintain housing stocks but the massive risk of the Mikoyan era housing decaying has remained a national concern. The homes themselves have held up better than expected but they need to be replaced at an accelerated time frame. Improved apartment models have already been sufficiently developed to reduce costs per unit with current plans simply needing modification. This will commit the Union to the largest housing program in history but in a decade the communal housing form and wartime emergency housing can be left in the past. (1 Dice)

[]Microcomputer Adoption: New generations of microcomputers are more capable than the old mainframes and can easily work on any number of small computing tasks. Moving the ministries' coordinating bodies towards the use of microcomputers will encourage enterprises to accelerate adoption and increase the general throughput of information processing. Current systems are little more than advanced calculators with some memory and repository but even that is enough to perform rudimentary calculations and replace several areas of skilled secretary work. (1 Dice)

[]Ministerial Structural Reforms: With the shift of politics away from looking at the ministry in favor of the Middle East now is the perfect time for re-organizations. The departments of the ministry are typically underneath the minister and replacing some of the old rot now can significantly expand the capabilities available to the ministry. Work will concentrate on replacing the heads of the Department of Infrastructure first with consolidation to follow in the chemical industry and services sectors. (1-3 Dice) (Subvote)

[]Expand Ministry Personnel: Expanding the extent of the ministry further and increasing the extent of the office alongside outreach state capacity can be expanded. The economy has only steadily grown more complex and the ministry needs an expanded investment arm to ensure that the Soviet economy stays modern. Delegation to the enterprises has minimized bureaucratic overheads but the complexity of the economy is still a major burden on the ministry that more personnel can solve, at least for a time. (1 Dice) (Subvote) (Options to Gain more Dice)

[]Brief Lyudmila: Current politics is a pit of vipers that is not well suited to someone prone to emotional outbursts. Working with her to ensure that she knows what reliable figures there are in politics will ensure that the ministry is well run and having a deputy with a softer touch can be a key asset. If nothing else, she is capable of managing significant areas of infrastructure development and can be confined to the area until a more competent deputy can be found. (1 Dice)

[]Cancel Green Energy Programs: The green energy program has done its job of discrediting the concept for any reasonable planners with it mostly having served its purpose. The funding initially allocated can be augmented and directly transferred to effective gas power programs increasing yields and stabilizing the electrical grid if electronics programs continue to be accelerated. Cutting funding away from a few windows in the desert alongside steel fans will cause some of the ecologists to criticize the move but it's more important to stabilize the economy than discredit the concepts involved to subvert the "ecology" movement. (1 Dice) (+80 Electricity +3 Petroleum Gas -140 RpY)

[]Discredit Ecological Programs: Those who talk of greening and slowing the engineering of nature until it bends to the workers' whim only want to go backward towards primitive capitalist accumulation. Current green energy efforts are being continuously propagandized as an utter failure in the development of a technique utterly incompatible with maintaining industrial efforts but the program can be taken a step further. Ecological programs can be directly undermined at every step with studies pushed to counter any narrative of devastation and undermine the delusional approach towards nature honoring the untouched wild for no other reason than boredom with urban life. (1 Dice)


Current Economic Prices(Domestic/CMEA/International): (How this will work is that every action above except for electricity modifies the internal price of the commodities below. They also vary on their own and are sorted into abstracted 1-100 ranges. Modifiers from the rest of your economy are displayed below with each category of goods. When you shift between 20-sized ranges, there can be significant modifiers to the general economy that come from changing prices of core commodities. CMEA prices determine the price in CMEA, though transportation of goods will be a problem with international prices representative of the West.)

Coal Price (49/36/60) Massive Import (41-60 No Effect)
+4 CPSC Power Plants
+2 Fuel Oil Conversions (Finished 1979)
+3 Western Deposit Depletion
-2 Nuclear Power (1975-1979)
-0 Net Civilian Spending

Steel Price: (28/38/62) Moderate Export (21-40 -20 RpD Infrastructure, Increased HI Growth)
+1 Construction Industry Expansions
+2 Net Civilian Spending
-8 Decoupling of American Trade(Decreases by two a turn)

Non-Ferrous Price: (56/56/44) (41-60 No Effect)
-3 Hydroelectric Cascades(Until 1979)
+2 Net Civilian Spending

Petroleum Fuels Price: (37/37/36) (Middle Eastern Imports(Net 1)) (21-40 Strong Increase in Economic Growth, Fuel Use, and Chemical Development)
+11 Net Civilian Spending
+4 Fields Depletion
-5 Field Modernization

Petroleum Gas Price: (37/NaN/NaN) (Significant Movement Impossible) (21-40 Prefered Domestic Heating Fuel, Expansion of Use)
+5 Net Civilian Spending
+5 CCGT Power Plants
-6 Field Modernization

Petrochemicals Price: (36/36/39) Massive Export (21-40 Massive Demand Increase, LI Growth Increase, Mild CI Growth Increase, and Strong Plastic Use Increase)
-4 Net Civilian Spending

General Labor Price: (43/30/75) (41-50 Slight Increase to Domestic Demand +10 RpD Universal)
+3 Net Civilian Spending
-15 New Graduates
-2 Immigration

Educated Labor: (65/42/85) Moderate Imports (61-70 Moderate Increase to Domestic Demand, Moderate Reduction to Domestic Competitiveness, Project Cost Increases)
+0 Net Civilian Spending
-9 New Graduates
-1 Immigration

Electricity: 36 CI 18
+634 Plan Programs
-254 CI16 Net Civilian Spending

Spoiler: Plan Effects:

Housing Construction Efforts: Admitting that the housing issue is developing into a problem would involve several degrees of political discomfort. Instead, work can be done to augment the housing stock with new buildings constructed to the latest styles along with renovations and lifespan extensions for any viable older structure. The share of the population living in cooperative housing can be reduced in half by the end of the plan as the construction program increases in scale along with mechanization. Lacking prison labor will suit more advanced designs better, with the latest in composite housing focused in areas of increased density and high economic activity. (-5 Infrastructure Dice) (-850 RpY Modified by Steel Prices) (Reduction in Communal and Barracks Housing Forms to 5% of the adult non-student population by 1980)

Passenger Rail Network(Ural Region): To move the network further East developing a Northern and Southern high-speed corridor with interlinks down into the Caucuses and a unified line for further development into the Far East. This would link Siberia tightly to the Western economic regions and provide a wealth of movement in the region. Long transitory routes are never expected to be popular but an increase in local commuting will provide something of an economically stimulating effect. Reductions in prices for transport will also reduce aviation demand, saving some funding through fewer terminal expansions. (-2 Infrastructure Dice) (-350 RpY Modified by Steel Prices) (Slightly Slows Petroleum Fuels Demand Increases 1980-1990)

Rail Electrification: Continuing low-scale electrification with a direct focus on the most profitable lines for conversion will limit implementation but continue the effort at the previous pace. New equipment will not be needed and the accelerated retirement of older traction will not be necessary. Current plans for modernization will focus on primary freight corridors, enabling the majority of travel to be conducted on electric traction before final processing by switcher engines. (-1 Infra Dice) (-140 RpY Modified by Steel Prices) (Estimated 50 RpY Return)

Krasnoyarsk-Irkutsk Hydroelectric Zone: With lagging iron mining and the lack of development across the Union, building a new high-potential electrical and industrial zone to augment the general plan can be a major asset. The Bakchar deposit represents some of the largest reserves of iron ore available to the Union and its development will enable a further increase in conventional industry and steel production. The zone itself is mostly swampy and poorly inhabited, limiting the costs of relocating people and ensuring that development can proceed without issue. Some local aluminum plants in both Omsk and Irkutsk are expected to be founded, ensuring that power supplies are available and ensuring that the Union can keep up with the West in the production of Aluminum. (+60 Electricity -3 Non-Ferrous per Year 1974-1979) (Three -10 Steel Steel mills available)

Modified River Reversal: The expanded program faces several risks in the form of environmental pollutants from the majority of the Ural industrial belt, funding the program in its entirety is less of an issue than the useability of the water. Implementing stricter standards across the Ob can be done in the first two years through the allocation of funding to clean up the water as it is washed out to the ocean. These measures would be treated as starting preparatory ones and come at a significant cost but one that can be met by current industries. As the plan is being implemented the infrastructure can be built up to adequate amounts with the damming of the Ob used to stabilize local access to freshwater sources. The redirection of pollutants to the downstream Ob will involve some additional funding but it would offer an effective compromise between the ecologically misguided and the radical expansion of the project. (-3 Infrastructure dice across the 10th and 11th Plan) (-500 RpY Modified by Steel Prices) (+240 Electricity -6 Non-Ferrous in 1980) (+2 Petroleum fuels per Year 1979-1983)

Power Plant Construction(Nuclear Systems): Expanding the throughput of conventional cores to a massive point with supporting infrastructure prepared in advance for next-generation reactors will take a massive amount of funding. The primary program will focus on the development of twenty VVER-500 crores to replace old-style combined cycle heating and generate further power in remote areas to minimize coal haulage. Two new liquid metal-cooled fast reactors will be constructed along with a set of four experimental VVER-1000 cores. Further centralized facilities for processing nuclear fuel and storing waste will be developed to minimize the burden on current temporary storage systems. (64 Electricity -2 Coal per Year 1975-1979)

Power Plant Construction(Nuclear VVER-1000): A maximum technical pace of reactor construction can be undertaken to entirely use the constructed capacity. Some delays and overruns are expected as the plant continues full-scale construction with the planned criticality of sixty nuclear cores in the 11th five-year plan. Unconventional designs will inherently be deprioritized due to the acute energy demands as current LEU prices do not necessitate any efforts for conservation outside efficient core design. (-3 Heavy Industry Dice) (-920 RpY) (270 Electricity -1 Coal per Year) (Completion across 1980-1984) (Estimated 90 Rpy Return)

Power Plant Construction(CPSC): Maintaining the development of coal energy at a slightly reduced pace will avoid significant industrial shocks, take away demand from more technologically intensive gas deposits, and synergize well with improvements in logistics. The avoidance of significant disruption in reducing the extent will still reduce the demand for new coal fields and provide a model for a stable transition into the next decade. (-2 Heavy Industry Dice) (-620 RpY) (240 Electricity +4 Coal per Year)

Power Plant Construction(CCGT): A committed program to use all the turbine building capacity available for industrial production is prudent and sensible. Current efforts have matured the industry and some surge capacity has been built up that can be taken advantage of. The plan would be to continue the development of new facilities at a moderate pace, ensuring that demand stays stable and providing the cause for a moderate expansion of domestic gas extraction. (-2 Chemical Industry Dice) (-660 RpY) (240 Electricity +5 Petroleum Gas per Year)

Power Plant Construction(GEP): A few experimental programs for the construction of wind and solar condenser power can be undertaken to take advantage of the uneconomic resources available in remote locations. This is likely to produce nothing of value but the technology to viably produce large quantities of energy from the environment without significant further costs is too attractive of a proposition to ignore in case it works. A poor result will at least develop the technology and provide an excuse for the ecologists on why the entire effort can be disposed of. (-1 Heavy Industry Dice) (-200 RpY) (30 Electricity per Year)

Healthcare Expansion: Imported testing and diagnostic techniques are likely to form the basis of improving the treatment and detection of chronic diseases. Moving funding away from the creation of small clinics and towards the development of expanded biochemical laboratories will be essential to improve care. It is currently theorized that an increase in diagnostic capabilities will save overall money across the entire health system. Clinic capacity is unlikely to be expanded but at the current state, the health system has some spare capacity relative to population demand. (-2 Services Dice) (-360 RpY) (Completes Expanded Diagnostic Services, Rural Testing Systems, Rural Primary Care Expansion, and National Screening Programs)

Education Expansion: Instead of radical programs to strengthen the education system the easiest unrealized gains are likely to be achieved through the salvaging of underachieving students. Almost a tenth of students are unable to make it in standardized educational tracks, even the simplest ones. By moving them towards intensive programs more focused on mastery of basic materials sufficient to complete a secondary education something economically useful can be salvaged. Some mild expansions of the mainline education system will be conducted but only as a secondary initiative to maintain throughput capacity. (-3 Services Dice) (-300 RpY) (Completes Stage 10 Polytechnic, Stage 1-5 Remedial Education, Equalization of Tier 3 Schooling, and Universal Secondary Schooling) (Cuts Workforce Expansion by ~1/6)

12 Hour Moratorium(AN: Am taking an infectious disease class and going HIV seems boring for an alt hist, so I picked another WHO virus~, this was an event roll from a bit ago, your just now noticing it for several reasons, and technically the second country to notice)

 

[HanEmpire]

[]Cancel Green Energy Programs:

Click to shrink...

This one is a must. The field will be discredited no matter what, so might as well have Bala take some of the blame for it failing now.

Plus we're entering rolling blackout territory right now and need more power than this can give.

 

[Kirai]

Using the program made by @notgreat I've made the spreadsheet. I really appreciate their work in making the program now that I've been making a variant for another planquest!

Edit: Fixed small issue, there was a missing colon for modernization of home electronics so it got missed.

T88 Spreadsheet

docs.google.com

 

[fasquardon]

This one is a must. The field will be discredited no matter what, so might as well have Bala take some of the blame for it failing now.

Plus we're entering rolling blackout territory right now and need more power than this can give.

Click to shrink...

What ARE you talking about?

You know Balakirev has environmental brainworms right?

The green energy program hasn't been going for long enough for him to be able to say that it has failed. We've built a couple bespoke pilot plants and now Balakirev wants to compare them to mass-deployed gas combusting power to discredit the field. Of course the mass deployed technology is better right now!

We need to give the industry a few decades to be comparable (remember, it is best used for providing power in poorly connected rural areas, and is competing with nuclear pilot plants for any larger projects so we'll be learning slowly).

But it is a small investment with large returns, so we should stick with it.

And even before it can be deployed as baseload power, it will be very useful as regular supplementary power sources. Also, the biggest thing that we need to develop to have renewables acting as baseload power is power storage, which also vastly improves the usefulness of our nuclear power. It's really worth keeping a steady level of investment going into the field.

12 Hour Moratorium(AN: Am taking an infectious disease class and going HIV seems boring for an alt hist, so I picked another WHO virus~, this was an event roll from a bit ago, your just now noticing it for several reasons, and technically the second country to notice)

Click to shrink...

I really appreciate an alternate history that recognizes that the emergence of new diseases is a super contingent thing. ^_^

As far as the best response, I am leaning towards a middle-of-the-road effort of supporting the current measures.

There's maybe some utility in excessive measures if we think it would help us with the oil crisis, but probably that would be a very bad idea. Achieving economic aims by misusing public health institutions is pretty scummy.

Regards,

fasquardon

 

[HeWhoAdds]

[]Brief Lyudmila: Current politics is a pit of vipers that is not well suited to someone prone to emotional outbursts. Working with her to ensure that she knows what reliable figures there are in politics will ensure that the ministry is well run and having a deputy with a softer touch can be a key asset. If nothing else, she is capable of managing significant areas of infrastructure development and can be confined to the area until a more competent deputy can be found. (1 Dice)

Click to shrink...

Have we needed to brief deputies in the past, or is this just a "spend a die to have Balakirev commit a bunch of gendered microaggressions" option?

 

[Bruh moment]

Raw economic data updated for recent turn:

 

[agumentic]

The green energy program hasn't been going for long enough for him to be able to say that it has failed. We've built a couple bespoke pilot plants and now Balakirev wants to compare them to mass-deployed gas combusting power to discredit the field. Of course the mass deployed technology is better right now!

Click to shrink...

The entire purpose of the Green Energy Programs is to discredit the field. If we let it run to the end, it would be discredited that much more, because people will forever point at a 1000 resources spent for only 150 Electricity generated. Instead, if we drop it now, people in the future will be able to say "oh, the program was just cut early, we should try it again", which is exactly what we want them to say.

 

[fasquardon]

The entire purpose of the Green Energy Programs is to discredit the field. If we let it run to the end, it would be discredited that much more, because people will forever point at a 1000 resources spent for only 150 Electricity generated. Instead, if we drop it now, people in the future will be able to say "oh, the program was just cut early, we should try it again", which is exactly what we want them to say.

Click to shrink...

Eh, OK, I see what you are saying. I think that is being too clever by half tho.

My gut says that they'll be able to prove their worth enough if we continue the effort. But since we're seeing this through the eyes of a wind turbine hater, it's not like I can point to any solid evidence for why we should go on.

Like, the cold hard economics entirely argues for continuing development. Reagan did huge damage to the US economy by cancelling the Carter era programs and I could cite all sorts of numbers to back me up there and show how the USSR is in a similar situation currently. But answering the question of "can the cold hard economics prove good enough to disarm Bala's biases" is entirely is a gut call.

Regards,

fasquardon

 

[SuperHeavy]

So it looks like our new MBT is getting through the teething phase while we rollout the new hardware. Now we just have to prevent the energy sector from imploding again and keep from coating half the nation in coal ash in the process.

 

[Rukia]

The amount of "having good electronics has allowed us to do this new amazing thing with the army" warmed the part of my heart that likes things that explode. Also having the rocket forces saving a ton of cash on standardisation is always a good thing.

 

[agumentic]

Eh, OK, I see what you are saying. I think that is being too clever by half tho.

My gut says that they'll be able to prove their worth enough if we continue the effort. But since we're seeing this through the eyes of a wind turbine hater, it's not like I can point to any solid evidence for why we should go on.

Like, the cold hard economics entirely argues for continuing development. Reagan did huge damage to the US economy by cancelling the Carter era programs and I could cite all sorts of numbers to back me up there and show how the USSR is in a similar situation currently. But answering the question of "can the cold hard economics prove good enough to disarm Bala's biases" is entirely is a gut call.

Regards,

fasquardon

Click to shrink...

For what it's worth, we had a lot of Discord chatter from Blackstar on how the current Green Energy Programs will discredit the field and stop any continued investment into it for the rest of the century.

 

[Blackstar]

For what it's worth, we had a lot of Discord chatter from Blackstar on how the current Green Energy Programs will discredit the field and stop any continued investment into it for the rest of the century.

Click to shrink...

Not inherently, but by Balakirev or anyone similar it's a bit: we really tried this then and look what it did. Go build more reliable and cheap gas/coal/nuclear.

 

[Kirai]

So draft plan I've been cooking.
Infra - 2 dice on Moscow to make sure it gets completed, 3 dice on grid stabilization to get that sweet sweet electricity, we can 1 dice deepwater updates since it'll still take time to get dug out, and 3 dice on roads as a beautiful populist measure and also because we're behind on roads.
HI - Controversial but I'm throwing jackshit in HI. We'll work on getting some coal out and that's it. With oilshock hitting soon I don't want to throw good money after bad. Also coal liquefaction doesn't seem useful rn when we still have deposits to tap.
Rocketry - Leaving that for the experts o7
LI - Slowing our pace on computers. Consumer electronics is profitable but energy hungry so no to that for a turn. I know our computing industry is having some issues due to too much demand at once, but integration should be fine. Housing renovation and durable goods to eat up some steel, modernization of home electronics for a little bit of electricity and profit, and 3rd gen food because it's not too petrochemical intensive.
CI - Developing out oil and gas fields. Can't really afford to develop out plastics rn, especially when we need to get gas cheap for when we open the taps to Eastern Europe. Not dead-set on this, might throw a free die from infra to CI for more gas field development.
Ag - Mathematically optimal water development. Enough said
Services - I don't entirely have great reasoning for what I chose, but I'll stump against roadside logistics. It says high profitability, I don't believe it, the cost of drilling that oil feels like it outweighs what it gives us. The logistics benefits are nice but not worthwhile rn tbh.
Bureau - The main thrust of this is a pivot to Vorotnikov. We get into talks with him while also being decently decisive in clearing house, aka structural reforms. I'll post below what Bala seems to be aiming for with reforms. Expanding the energy security commission is mostly just a bureaucratic power grab, but one that'll be needed for oil shock. Economic Academnet is a pivot to Voro as well, but also something that seems useful as well. I did labor reforms as it seems like a decently good thing to do for the prisoners, even if most won't be able to use it. Canceled green energy programs so the ecologists can say it was never fully tried, also we need more electricity. Briefing Lyudmila is controversial, because it's Bala being somewhat sexist, but I figure developing some kind of working relationship with our deputy is useful.

Of note, I'm not proposing microcomputer adoption. We'll want to do it later, but I don't want to jump to new hardware every time it drops. Give it a year or two and then do so, especially given our current rate of development. I could see an argument for waiting on Economic Academnet with logic as well, doing them both at the same time.

(Gerasimov seems like he's being replaced due to being politically weak and overly focused on roads as a means of growth, which Bala probably sees as not helpful if oil shock hits. Biryukov overly focuses on development of petrochemicals over fuel and so needs to be siloed, Bala might just plan on moving the deputy up? Sokhan is presumably looking to be sacked as she doesn't want the service ministry focused on profits primarily and is overly specialized in education. She's also politically unconnected so it'd be easier theoretically to replace her.)

[] Plan Clear House and Conserve Electricity
-[]6290/6455 Resources (165 Reserve), 48 Dice Rolled
-[]Continue Current Measures (200 R)
-[]Infrastructure (9/5 Dice, 1335 R)
--[]Western Local Roads(Stage 1/2), 3 Dice (420 R), 48%/59%
--[]Western Deepwater System Updates, 1 Dice (140 R), 15%/30%
--[]Moscow Renovation Program, 2 Dice (280 R), 94%/98%
--[]Grid Stabilization and Expansion, 3 Dice (495 R), 80%/87%
-[]Heavy Industry (1/5 Dice, 160 R)
--[]Virgin Coalfield Exploitation, 1 Dice (160 R), 41%/56%
-[]Rocketry (0/2 Dice, 0 R)
-[]Light Industry (9/12 Dice, 1745 R)
--[]Microcomputer Plants(Stage 2/4), 1 Dice (285 R), 100%/100%
--[]Modernization of Home Electronics, 1 Dice (250 R), 41%/56%
--[]Housing Renovation Components, 2 Dice (320 R), 91%/96%
--[]Third Generation Food Programs(Stage 1/3), 3 Dice (510 R), 92%/96%
--[]Durable Goods Program, 2 Dice (380 R), 77%/86%
-[]Chemical Industry (4/4 Dice, 660 R)
--[]Development of the Southern Turgay Basin(Stage 1/2), 2 Dice (320 R), 97%/100%
--[]Central Asian Gas Fields(Stage 1/3), 2 Dice (340 R), 97%/100%
-[]Agriculture (6/4 Dice, 780 R)
--[]Development of the Middle Volga, 1 Dice (130 R), 35%/50%
--[]Development of the Southern Volga, 2 Dice (260 R), 77%/86%
--[]Development of the Dnieper, 2 Dice (260 R), 33%/47%
--[]Development of the Upper Ob, 1 Dice (130 R), 16%/31%
-[]Services (11/11 Dice, 1610 R)
--[]Telephone Use Programs, 2 Dice (340 R), 77%/86%
--[]Expansion of Domestic Media Production(Stage 1/2), 1 Dice (160 R), 41%/56%
--[]CNG Distribution Programs, 1 Dice (160 R), 41%/56%
--[]Enterprise Support Services(Stage 3/3), 1 Dice (130 R), 68%/83%
--[]Expansion of the Postage System, 2 Dice (300 R), 16%/26%
--[]Distribution of Professional Services, 2 Dice (260 R), 77%/86%
--[]Population Distribution Programs(Stage 2/5), 2 Dice (260 R), 96%/99%
-[]Bureaucracy (8/8 Dice, 0 R)
--[]Contine Labor Reforms, 1 Dice
--[]Talks with Vorotnikov, 1 Dice
--[]Expand the Energy Security Commission, 1 Dice
--[]Economic Academnet, 1 Dice
--[]Ministerial Structural Reforms, 2 Dice
--[]Brief Lyudmila, 1 Dice
--[]Cancel Green Energy Programs, 1 Dice

 

[MSH]

Because we've never made a catastrophic blunder based off "Discord secrets say so". The green energy field requires testing to advance, and that remains true regardless of any SupSov brainworms.

I'm not certain what disease we're facing. The best fit I found is Lassa fever, except that it doesn't have human-to-human transmission and the rodents that carry it are West African. Nipah virus is too deadly to be it. Brucellosis is bacterial.

Literally just alt-Covid, but for rats? Worst case scenario, Bala is an idiot and this is Marburgvirus.

 

[plotvitalnpc]

The other thing is that we calculated the energy consumption of our great success last turn and we've got basically absolutely no buffer of energy left over to prevent brownouts if we succeed more than expected - with the resulting conclusion being that our initial premise of 'GEP fills the remaining energy we'll need more cheaply than anything else' was wrong because we actually need more energy than that.

We came within about one project success of experiencing brownouts that would have immediately killed the green energy programs this turn.

We're dealing with steel wind turbines (not economical, this only improves when polymer blades become a thing way later on) and concentrating solar thermal (never exceeds the utility of our existing nuclear power program) in green energy programs.

As an aside, briefing Lyudmila this turn is almost certainly a bad idea - she's a more skilled politician than Balakirev by a wide margin, so taken this turn it'll probably just be the mansplain option. Next turn or thereabouts, it would probably work better.

 

[PeaterDuck12]

wonder what the virus TTL is if its not HIV/AIDS (those will still be around right?)

 

[Bruh moment]

No matter how many resource points we sink into it, Solar power without photovoltaics and wind power without advanced composite materials will never be remotely competitive, wait a the very minimum 1 decade before that starts to change, and even longer before they are able to compete with Gas/Coal, then we can start thinking about investing in it because right now we really cant afford extra expenses

If we really wanna burn resources on green energy then we do 4 dice on Nuclear reactors next turn + max out our Hydroelectric potential.

 

[agumentic]

Alright, so here's my plan. If we want to stop being limited by the electricity so much - and we are quite limited - we need to decisively address the problem starting now, so we build some manual coal. In case it doesn't complete and everything else does, the plan should still be positive on electricity, if only slightly. Next big problem is the labor - we've got a lot of signals on how we need places for our less-educated workers to earn a living wage, so this plan aims to do a heavy Services push that, if successful, will put at 50 General Labor discounting other possibilities. The educated labor is also kept at 61. The resource indicators are kept within brackets, with steel only slightly dropping and oil and petrochems only slightly growing.

I am open to suggestions on rocketry, where I currently just get two new rockets up after dropping the slightly useless thanks to a bad roll orbital telescope, and in politics, we do a lot of bureaucratic movements while entering talks with Vorotnikov, though I am also open to suggestion on whether this is wise.


[] Plan Decisive Energetic Breakthrough
-[]6610/6655 Resources (45 Reserve), 49 Dice Rolled
-[]Continue Current Measures (200 R)
-[]Infrastructure (5/5 Dice, 775 R)
--[]Western Deepwater System Updates, 1 Dice (140 R), 15%/30%
--[]Moscow Renovation Program, 1 Dice (140 R), 26%/41%
--[]Grid Stabilization and Expansion, 3 Dice (495 R), 80%/87%
-[]Heavy Industry (3/5 Dice, 690 R)
--[]Coal Power Plants(CPSC), 1 Dice (310 R), 41%/56%
--[]Kansk-Achinsk Basin Exploitation(Stage 5/5), 2 Dice (380 R), 57%/70%
-[]Rocketry (2/2 Dice, 0 R)
--[]Cancel Project (Orbital Telescope Program)
--[]New Heavy Launcher, 1 Dice
--[]Light Bulk Launcher, 1 Dice
-[]Light Industry (8/12 Dice, 1655 R)
--[]Microcomputer Plants(Stage 2/4), 1 Dice (285 R), 100%/100%
--[]Consumer Electronics Plants(Stage 2/3), 1 Dice (210 R), 64%/79%
--[]Modernization of Home Electronics, 1 Dice (250 R), 41%/56%
--[]Housing Renovation Components, 2 Dice (320 R), 91%/96%
--[]Durable Goods Program, 2 Dice (380 R), 77%/86%
--[]Electronic Entertainment Programs, 1 Dice (210 R), 41%/56%
-[]Chemical Industry (4/4 Dice, 660 R)
--[]Development of the Southern Turgay Basin(Stage 1/2), 2 Dice (320 R), 97%/100%
--[]Modernization of Oil Fields(Stage 1/4), 2 Dice (340 R), 88%/94%
-[]Agriculture (6/4 Dice, 780 R)
--[]Development of the Middle Volga, 1 Dice (130 R), 35%/50%
--[]Development of the Southern Volga, 2 Dice (260 R), 77%/86%
--[]Development of the Dnieper, 2 Dice (260 R), 33%/47%
--[]Development of the Upper Ob, 1 Dice (130 R), 16%/31%
-[]Services (13/11 Dice, 1850 R)
--[]Telephone Use Programs, 2 Dice (340 R), 77%/86%
--[]Expansion of Domestic Media Production(Stage 1/2), 2 Dice (320 R), 98%/100%
--[]Enterprise Support Services(Stage 3/3), 1 Dice (130 R), 68%/83%
--[]Expansion of the Postage System, 3 Dice (450 R), 82%/89%
--[]Storage-Distribution Networks(Stage 1/2), 2 Dice (220 R), 56%/69%
--[]Distribution of Professional Services, 2 Dice (260 R), 77%/86%
--[]Population Distribution Programs(Stage 2/5), 1 Dice (130 R), 32%/47%
-[]Bureaucracy (8/8 Dice, 0 R)
--[]Contine Labor Reforms, 1 Dice
--[]External Outreach Enterprises, 1 Dice
--[]Talks with Vorotnikov, 1 Dice
--[]Expand the Energy Security Commission, 1 Dice
--[]Microcomputer Adoption, 1 Dice
--[]Ministerial Structural Reforms, 2 Dice
--[]Cancel Green Energy Programs, 1 Dice

 

[Stormingart]

We need to discredit ecological programs. The people on this quest are trying to solve problems which are currently unsolvable. It is actively hurting our electricity production. China and India did not become major economies by limiting the amount of coal power plants they build. Pollution can be solved in the future when solar power and other green energy sources become more affordable. We are doing to ourselves what western countries do to third world countries. That is actively preventing these countries from developing by whining and complaining about pollution when these countries need coal power plants and cheap sources of electricity to develop. If Moscow is not a smog filled city by the end of this century, that is not an accomplishment but a disaster of great proportions. It means we failed to develop our country and being an underdeveloped country means we will have a harder time adopting green technologies because we will be too poor to do so.

 

[plotvitalnpc]

The maturation of wind power, which is the source of green energy that will actually prove viable for us given our far northern position, won't actually be rooted in investment in wind power for a bit. The hurdles to clear to mature wind power are mostly rooted in materials science rather than mechanical engineering. Like, in 1978 students in Denmark built what we might call 'anatomically modern wind turbine' - a 2mw wind turbine designed according to pretty much all the principles used to design and build modern wind turbines.

The reason it wasn't economical wasn't that they needed to build more of them to figure the design out - it was that the tower wasn't tall enough to catch fast winds and the blades weren't long enough to efficiently capture the wind, the latter of those because pretty much the only fiber reinforced plastic composite available at the time was like...automotive grade fiberglass.

 

[Stormingart]

The hurdles to clear to mature wind power are mostly rooted in materials science rather than mechanical engineering.

Click to shrink...

And we can't make modern materials without electricity. Like you cant use wind turbines to produce the first wind turbine.

 

[KingCrimson1081]

[]Discredit Ecological Programs:

I am in favor of this option so we can convert the USSR into a Hive City even faster.