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Mars Bleeds Red - A Red Planet Rising Quest

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It has been a hundred and one years since Mars burnt in the fires of the nuclear exchange that ended the world, and Mars forever shifted.

The Unification War has ended, and Mars has forever shifted once again. Station has succeeded in destroying the old order, but at what cost?

Prepare to rebuild Mars, manage untrustworthy allies, and deal with environmental devastation and deadly enemies alike as the leaders of the Martian Popular Authority, Station, a nation of train-obsessed socialists.
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A New Mars is Born
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    • TheMaskedReader

    TheMaskedReader

    Location
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Pronouns
    She/Her
    Mars - Mariner City - Curiosity Plaza

    The Unification War has ended with the United Nations victorious, and thus, the installation of the Martian Popular Authority and their allies as the new federal government of Mars. The Battle for Central saw the standing armies of the Martian Unity Coalition put to rout by the combined armies of the MPA and UN, but at a heavy cost. Even now, the Martian General Infirmary can barely hold all the wounded, and trains full of the dead, injured, and POWs still run from Mariner City to Melas Chasma, as cleanup operations continue in the face of heavy guerilla opposition and civilian resistance.

    The surviving powers of Mars have gathered in what was once the home of the Martian League to discuss the reorganization of their wartime coalition into a functioning federal government, an endeavor that all of them approach with apprehension. Stationmaster Eliza Rutherford glances around the table she sits at the head of, seeing far more empty chairs from what she recalled from the last time she was in this room.

    Old allies have vanished, perhaps never to return. Hephaestus's seats sits empty, the anarcho-communists having chosen to betray the revolution and their people in favor of an unattainable dream of Martian independence. The seats of the Nomads are empty as well, their people having either fled the Valley or pledged their loyalty to the raiders of Phoenix Company in the aftermath of the Night of Dust.

    Old enemies are gone, as well. Central, Enterprise, and the MCPD have failed to attend, for the obvious reasons of being on the losing side of this war. If she ever had to be in the same room as any of their representatives again, she could only hope it'd be to watch them be sentenced to life imprisonment for their crimes against Mars, or to negotiate their final surrender.

    Still, there are plenty of familiar faces, if not necessarily friendly ones. The United Nations bloc sits to her right, with Captain Zhang Tian of the Shanxi sitting stern-faced next to the actual representative of the United Nations, Ambassador Jeffery Durant, who is in a rumpled suit, smoking a cigarette. The ostensible neutral party of Dean Elias Kaufmann of University grimaces at the smoke and tries to wave it away from his face down the table from them. Meanwhile, the Corporate bloc to her left, consisting of Sabina Holzer, the primary anchor of the Mars Broadcasting Corporation and ODIN's CEO, Noa Milligan, make small talk with each other, their smiling faces betraying nothing. At the end of the table, alone, representing the last truly Green group in the Valley, sits Biodyne's CEO and Head Priest, Eve Maria, bowing her head silently in prayer.

    Still, Station has a few allies at the table. Manager Nick Masters of the Stadium Blues glares across the table at Manager Ricky Fan of the Stadium Reds, but Rutherford's sure both can be counted on to back Station up here. The government of Enterprise in exile, socialist revolutionaries who Station has sheltered, have replaced the old neo-feudalists who used to sit at this table, and they'll follow your lead as well. Regardless, concessions will have to be made, and bargains will have to be struck, else the peace you've fought so hard for will be for naught.

    For every low action you choose, you will make 0 concessions.
    For every medium action you choose, you will make 1 concession.
    For every high action you choose, you will make 2 concessions.
    Please vote in plan format, including all necessary options.

    Government Power
    [] Union of Independent States- A necessary compromise to ensure peace, the MPA has highly limited governmental power. You'll be on your own, for the most part, in handling the affairs of governance. You have one Governmental action per turn.
    [] Internal Divisions - A reasonable compromise, the MPA governmental apparatus has a decent level of power, and can perform most tasks that are required of it. Nobody's pleased, but everybody's satisfied. You have two Governmental actions per turn.
    [] A True Government - You've managed to pull off a miracle and convince the disjointed states of the Mariner Valley to hand you significant executive power in the MPA. Whether or not you have the jurisdiction to enforce that power, on the other hand, is another question. You have three Governmental actions per turn.

    Economic Jurisdiction
    [] Station and Stadium Only - You only have the influence to see your regulations implemented if a party agrees to it, which only Stadium did, and they already followed them. You have one Economic action per turn.
    [] Recognized, But Skirted - Everyone, begrudgingly, accepted your proposed economic regulations. You're fairly sure that half of them don't follow them at all, though. Still, at least you have a theoretical mandate to conduct regulation. You have two Economic actions per turn.
    [] Authoritative - You've, by hook and by crook, managed to install a powerful labor oversight apparatus into the MPA, to ensure that everyone follows the labor regulations you've imposed. It's not Mars-wide socialism, but it'll do for now. You have three Economic actions per turn.

    Peacekeeping Coordination
    [] Separate Militaries - Fearing assimilation by a socialist federal government, the corporate bloc managed to pull together enough support to ensure military autonomy. Every state is allowed to maintain their own standing army, rather than any kind of federally military. You start off with one Peacekeeping action.
    [] Joint Command - You've hammered out a loose structure for cooperation between the various constituent armed forces of the MPA. Not a bad start, even if the corporate bloc is grumbling! You have two Peacekeeping actions per turn.
    [] The Beginnings Of A Federal Army - You've managed to unite the commands of all armies and centralize them under the MPA. This came at quite the cost, though, with many commanders resigning in disgust or out of a desire to serve in their home and not afar. You have three Peacekeeping actions per turn.

    Science Funding
    [] Forgotten Entirely - Who has time to think about scientific funding when one is putting together a government? University is pleased by the fact that basically all scientific development has been left independent…and thus, mostly in their hands. You have one Research action per turn.
    [] University Graduates - We managed to come to a reasonable amount of scientific funding, with the aid of some ex-University socialists who agreed to settle in Station. You have two Research actions per turn.
    [] Grants Aplenty - With persuasive arguments about avoiding University dominance in the scientific field, you've managed to convince the array of governments present to fully fund scientific programs, as well as arrange for the hiring of many University alumni. You have three Research actions per turn.

    Concessions
    [] Political Autonomy - You had to grant some governments political autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own laws and maintain a degree of political separation from the federal government, possibly enough to let them claim full nation status if they get too powerful. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    • [] UN Bloc Autonomy - Grant the stratocracy of Shanxi political autonomy.
    • [] Corporate Bloc Autonomy - Grant the corporate oligarchies of MBC and ODIN political autonomy.
    • [] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne political autonomy.
    • [] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University political autonomy.

    [] Economic Autonomy - You had to grant some governments economic autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own economic regulations and avoid any restrictions on their trade or economic system you attempt to place, possibly enough to let them have influence over the MPA's economy once the transition back to a more functioning state is complete. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    • [] UN Bloc Autonomy - Grant the stratocracy of Shanxi economic autonomy.
    • [] Corporate Bloc Autonomy - Grant the corporate oligarchies of MBC and ODIN economic autonomy.
    • [] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne economic autonomy.
    • [] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University economic autonomy.

    [] Military Autonomy - You had to grant some governments military autonomy, which allows them to maintain their own standing military forces and high command, as well as avoid contributing to any MPA federal forces. The risks in this are self-evident. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    • [] UN Bloc Autonomy - Grant the stratocracy of Shanxi military autonomy.
    • [] Corporate Bloc Autonomy - Grant the corporate oligarchies of MBC and ODIN military autonomy.
    • [] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne military autonomy.
    • [] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University military autonomy.

    [] Giving Up Control - In order for this compromise to work, you had to give up control of some institutions to other governments. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has both mechanical and narrative consequences.
    • [] United Nations Bloc Military Advisors - You've had to accept some Shanxi and UN military advisors into your military as strategists. The United Nations bloc now determines the choice of one of your Peacekeeping Actions per turn and has access to what your military does.
    • [] Corporate Bloc Economic Oversight - You had to grant ODIN and MBC oversight on your economic programs, as well as a vote in their implementation. The Corporate bloc now determines the choice of one of your Economics Actions per turn and has access to your economic programs.
    • [] "Neutral" Research Committee - University was willing to let themselves be convinced in exchange for a permanent seat on the MPA Research Committee, granting themselves large amounts of power over it. University now determines the choice of one of your Research Actions per turn and has access to what you've researched.
    • [] Green Administrators - Biodyne has maintained one of the most successful decentralized administrations in Mars to date. Even if they are now pursuing political centralization, they've got a roster of highly qualified administrators, who you've had to allow into the MPA government to get support for your own ambitions. Biodyne now determines the choice of one of your Governmental actions per turn, and has access to your administrative efforts.
     
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    Setting Information
  • Informational

    • Melas Chasma

    The home of Station and the MPA, Melas Chasma is the most stable of all three regions within the Valley. The MPA is strongest here.

    Station was borne of those who were in the once-expansive Martian train system upon the collapse, as the trains were all recalled to the shelter of the Depot due to the heroism of the shift on duty at the time. Turning to socialism out of necessity, due to a high population and low resources, they took pride in their equality, fairness, and democracy in comparison to the rest of Mars. Now, they are also a people who have succeeded in bringing about a new world order under the Martian Popular Authority. They are, however, war-weary, with the Inspector Corps demobilizing in their entirety post-war, and Station's standing army shifting towards peacekeeping in occupied territory. Politically, the currently elected Stationmaster, Eliza Rutherford, is hailed as the woman who will bring about Mars-wide Socialism and who won them the war when all seemed lost. Even her one-time opponents are praising her, and it seems guaranteed that she will be unbeatable in elections for the foreseeable future, and she has indicated no sign of intent to retire any time soon.

    Hephaestus, once steadfast anarcho-communist allies of the Martian Popular Authority, now engage in guerilla warfare against the victorious Station-led forces, calling them betrayers of Martian Independence. They say, quite correctly, that compromises were made, with the corporations, with the green fanatics, with off-world authoritarians. A price was paid for victory, and they have judged it to be too much. Their self-destruction of their home, the Caverns, to avoid seeing it captured by advancing MPA forces, has seen a refugee crisis begin to sweep over the entirety of Melas Chasma, as those significantly less devoted to the cause try to seek basic necessities elsewhere.

    Shanxi is a strangely democratic stratocracy. Soldiers are, or, you suppose, were, the only ones allowed to vote in Shanxi, with all 'civilians' being designated as essentially 'temporary residents'. However, if you were a soldier, you were organized into soldier's councils and elected your own officers, who in turn elected officers further up the chain, and so on, so forth, with recall elections being available at any time deemed necessary. Captain Tian, the current highest elected officer in Shanxi, rose to power on promises to restore the Shanxi to working order, as well as reunification with the United Nations. Having fulfilled her promises thus, she has attempted to begin work on pacifying Mars…which, of course, has met with far less success.

    While Shanxi was lacking in legal protections for civilians, their territory gained a reputation as being one of the safest places on Mars, mostly due to their overwhelming military response to any raiders or bandits that dared set up shop in their territory. It seems that time has made them complacent, however, as shown by the recent raid on a Shanxi mining outpost by Phoenix Company. Still, Shanxi is a military force to be reckoned with…within their own territory. Their logistical lines are tragically short, and during the Unification War, they had to be supplied by Station forces. Perhaps with the flight of the Shanxi itself, that will change.

    Their goals seem to be the following:
    1. Ensure that Mars is loyal to the United Nations, and is as united in that as possible.
    2. Make sure that the Shanxi remains fully functional.
    3. Keep Shanxi territory as safe as possible.

    ODIN Inc is a more traditional oligarchy. A small group of the powerful hold sway, a collection of military and industrial interests, represented on the world stage by CEO Noa Milligan, as elected by the so-called 'Board of Directors'. ODIN is maintained by a balance of two factions, namely, the interests of the mercenary bands it creates and those of the managers who maintain and run the factories. Without the military support of the mercenaries, it would be easy for ODIN to fall into internal revolt or be subsumed by an outside power. Without the industrial power of the managers, the mercenaries would be easy prey for larger powers seeking to eradicate their threat. Therefore, they tolerate each other, though not without a bit of mutual disgust.

    ODIN has long made its trade for resources and necessary resources by selling weapons, armor, vehicles, and trained mercenaries to various factions in various wars. However, that trade seems to be drying up lately, what with the MPA taking over, and many have hatred for them after seeing so many die to ODIN weapons during the Unification War and in the ongoing insurgency. They have maintained their population thus far via strict border control, claiming that any attempt to steal 'proprietary information', such as the knowledge one gains from working in an ODIN factory, will be met with lethal force. Therefore, very little is known about conditions within ODIN itself, beyond what they themselves show off to visitors seeking to trade. When they knew their system was going to be integrated fully into the MPA and thus, broken down almost in its entirety, they frantically sought an exit to prevent themselves from being stripped of their power, leading to the formation of the MEF.

    Their goals seem to be the following:
    1. Ensure the MEF succeeds, or at least, that they survive as an independent autonomous polity.
    2. Maintain their proprietary information.
    3. Try to restart the flow of trade and contracts again.

    Mariner City

    A major urban area, Mariner City is host to large concentrations of the remaining population. However, due to the urban environment, as well as how it was the primary battleground between the MUC and MPA, it has become a favorite of resistance and guerilla groups. The MPA is moderately powerful here.

    Stadium is your closest ally, a socialist democracy. Their manner of democracy is…strange, of course, but you've certainly seen…worse ways of running a government than football games. The democracy comes in with regards to electing managers, electing team members, and electing referees. However, factionalism is a very real issue, with the sports rivalry between the Reds and the Blues extending into political rivalries as well, as is a very natural issue to have when you govern via football. Additionally, the hyper-competitive atmosphere their…unique manner of society tends to breed seems to have seeped into nearly every aspect of their life, with every manner of disagreement tending to lead to aggressive side-taking and escalating, often to either a game of football or a brawl. This has most recently exploded into the Great Game of Mariner City.

    Stadium culture is often exuberant, reckless, and comparatively hedonistic, due to their abundance of food and water due to their control of key areas of Mariner City such as the Botanic Gardens, as well as access to much of the city's water recycling facilities, due to how they were utilized to maintain the green of the Stadium itself pre-Collapse. While this has led to some truly wild parties following particularly successful games, it has also led to some truly 'wild' riots following contentious games. Stadium is heavily communal within their factions, though, with team bonds being incredibly strong and a heavy emphasis internally on team unity and solidarity. Therefore, the Unification War took a heavy toll on them, with many prized players and beloved teammates meeting their end in battles all across the frontlines, which Stadium saw the brunt of. Still, Stadium has kept their spirit alive and continued rushing forward, towards a future that is free, equal, and as contentious as ever.

    Their goals seem to be the following:
    1. Finish the Great Game of Mariner City!
    2. Beat the Reds!/Beat the Blues!
    3. Help our friends in Station loosen up a bit!

    MCPD was the primary source of manpower for the MUC in Mariner City. An order of warlords who had emerged from the hierarchy of the old Mariner City Police Department, they'd enforced 'order' in their territory, and held a special hatred for the football hooliganism of Stadium. MCPD is ruled by a strict hierarchy of force, with the Commander taking the loyalty of all lower forces, but granting them significant autonomy in their day to day operations. The hierarchy goes as follows: Commander > Commissioner > Captain > Sergeant > Officer > Civilian.

    Prior to the MUC forming, there was a mild civilian-military divide, with the Commissioner, typically the second in command to the Commander, taking charge of civilian operations and internal affairs matters. However, with war on the horizon, and the Commander noticeably more loyal to Central than the Commissioner, the MUC backed a full military takeover, abolishing the position of Commissioner and sending the current one and her Internal Affairs Division fleeing into exile. Like the rest of the MUC, MCPD was put to rout in the Battle for Central. Now, their old territory is slowly being occupied and integrated by the MPA, which leaves many in the lurch or as refugees.

    Central was the old government of Mars, pre-Collapse, who hid themselves away in cryo-sleep when the Collapse occurred. When they re-emerged, they attempted to unify Mars, first through diplomacy at the New Gorbals Summit. When that turned into the New Gorbals Massacre, things got significantly more tense, and they formed an alliance between the authoritarian warlords and environmentalist factions of Mars instead, aiming to pressure the remaining factions into joining them. When the United Nations arrived, they rejected their offer to join as member nations as imperialism, seeking to reshackle Mars, in part out of genuine desire to be independent, and in part because if they had asked their allies to restrict their behavior to a level considered acceptable, it is likely their alliance would have fallen apart. With the Battle for Central, their leaders are presumed to have fled or perished, but conspiracy theories have already begun circling surrounding where they have gone, ranging from the plausible to the absurd.

    University claims to be a technocracy, governance by those most intelligence and learned in their fields. What this means in practice, really, is a 'government' based around seniority and academic politicking, with various departments ruled by aging professors, doctors, and deans who have been around for long enough to accumulate the necessary 'experience' to ascend by mutual agreement with their peers. This means University leadership has cultivated something of a reputation for 'eccentricity', or less politely, 'callousness', due to the high power departmental heads have over their departments, the lack of desire to reign them in on the part of 'University Administration', and a general disdain for the opinion of anyone who is not within their tight academic circles. University maintains a small permanent population of Faculty, Post-Graduates, and various staff, but a relatively high temporary one, accepting waves of students every few months. Many will make the journey to University, but after undergoing University's tests and trials, only a few will secure entrance. While in theory, this is meritocratic, it is also based on University's sensibilities and values. For example, Stadium attendees are few and far between, while MBC attendees account for a significant percentage of the current student body. It is possible to retake the tests, however, and so semi-permanent towns have sprung up around University itself, with many services offering 'test preparation' and tutoring, as well as serving as a source of cheap labor for University itself.

    University likes to claim to be apolitical, but in reality, their faculty tends to lean rather anti-democracy and pro-status quo, for obvious reasons. In comparison, the student body is a swirling sea of all manner of politics, ranging from the most ardent of neo-feudalists to radical socialists, all engaging in bitter rivalries, forming student societies, and participating in biting critique as they seek to attain knowledge faster and quicker than their peers. Speaking of which, for all that University claims to be a manner in which pre-Collapse knowledge flows back out into Mars, the true secrets they hold never leave their deepest labs, into which students who are not studying to gain permanent admission into University's ranks are never allowed. Nobody quite knows what University hides down there, but it has allowed them to maintain themselves excellently…for now. Their less than wise foreign policy choices during the Unification War has lost them many allies, and gained them many enemies.

    Their goals seem to be the following:
    1. Maintain their independence and autonomy.
    2. Keep their guarded knowledge safe from outsiders.
    3. Ensure that they remain the finest and foremost higher educational institution on Mars.

    Candor Chasma

    The northernmost part of the Valley, it is the part where the MPA has the least control, due to uncooperative locals, ongoing unrest, and simple logistical failures. The MPA has no power here.

    Biodyne, as we know, is a theocracy, based around worship of the Mother, Mars, with a focus around honoring the Mother through the revitalization of Mars through terraforming, often shortened to 'bringing about a Green Mars'. Their settlements often are simply communes, unaccountable to any central leadership, but utilizing their local priest as a mediator and community leader. While they maintain many symbolic holdovers from their corporate origins, unlike MBC and ODIN, they have shed their capitalist roots entirely, transitioning into a fully moneyless society. Worshippers of the Mother, Mars, can be found all over the planet, but Biodyne is doubtlessly the highest concentration of them, and generally sets 'doctrine' for orthodox believers.

    Their leader is a head priest, elected by a conclave of all Biodyne priests who can make the pilgrimage to Biodyne Headquarters. The head priest has little direct power, but is generally considered to set doctrine for Biodyne, which in turn, sets policy for all who follow Biodyne's beliefs. They consider all terraformers to be holy, and it has been a source of great frustration to the priesthood that they have been unable to secure one due to their borders with MBC and Enterprise, though with the Enterprise Civil War and the departure of the Nomads, they have hope that they may be able to secure a corridor of access to one of the destroyed ones in Candor Chasma. This is a lesser concern, now, though, for the construction of the Biodyne Terraformer has seen their capital city transformed into a holy site in of itself. However, due to the events of the Night of Dust, non-believers have been entirely prohibited from entry into the city, much less the terraformer itself. The fact that they seem willing to let Station examine it at all, even with the conditions they laid out, speaks to either a deeper plan for the MPA, or an honest desire to work with you more deeply.

    Their goals seem to include the following:
    1. Ensure that Green Mars comes about as quickly as possible.
    2. Secure other terraformers or access to other terraformers.
    3. Create a secure logistical connection to the rest of the MPA.

    The Nomads are the remnants of the United Nations Martian Ecological Reclamation Authority, a group of engineers responsible for maintaining the terraformers of Mars Pre-Collapse. They had wandered all over Mars, doing what they saw as their duty to keep Martian terraforming alive, even in this post-Collapse world. Thus, in comparison to the horror felt by Biodyne, the Nomads felt only blinding rage and utter despair at the Church of Red Mars's betrayal, which they had so foolishly supported. Those overwhelmed by their rage joined Phoenix Company, while those in despair remained with the newly dubbed UN-MERA. This change has seen their remaining civilian population leave the Valley in a convoy of penance, to try and maintain Mars's fragile ecology from the devastation wreaked upon it, leaving their territory held by anti-Enterprise revolutionaries calling themselves the Ophirian Liberation Army.

    A neo-feudal society founded from a crashed spaceship, Enterprise has had a really rough year. After the initial collapse into civil war following the coup of the Admiral-King Casimir Armstrong against his political rivals, it seemed like Enterprise was on track to recover under a slightly more benevolent, but still dictatorial ruler, as the socialist revolts, both anarchic and statist, fled to greener pastures rather than face down Armstrong's power-armored knights. As the remaining Admiral-Kings surrendered or hid away in their estates, Admiral-King Armstrong declared victory. However, when negotiations between the United Nations and the Martian Unity Coalition broke down, the United Nations opened hostility by immediately conducting a bombardment campaign of the shell of the Enterprise, to deny the Martian Unity Coalition the chance to repair it. The civilian presence around and within the ship was of no concern to them. The Admiral-King emerged from the bombardment campaign alive, declaring himself and his nation 'Dead', and calling a Crusade of the Dead against the MPA and the UN, leading his surviving knights towards the front lines in Mariner City, abandoning his old home. Ever since, Enterprise has been in chaos, with resurgent autocrats, warlords, and socialists battling it out for control of the remaining settlements.

    The Martian Broadcasting Corporation is, as we are well aware, an oligarchy. However, the nature of that oligarchy is very different from the polity of ODIN. MBC is run by a collaboration of guilds, which work together to maintain a strict hierarchy of job worth, educational control, and social status, all of which benefit a small council of guild leaders at the top. While these guilds have shifted and changed over the years, their elitism, fierce power struggles, and suppression of any attempts at actual unionization is well-known to us. They have maintained this power through strict apprenticeship laws, ostracization and heavy punishment of any who violate the rules of their guild, and a steady stream of immigrants from neighboring Enterprise and alumni from University.

    In theory, all of the guilds within MBC are equal, but in practice, the complex games of social status and political backstabbing they play, while opaque to us, seem to favor those in face-presenting roles, such as the Actor's Guild, led by Anchor Sabina Holzer, who is widely considered to be the de-facto head of state of MBC. However, MBC has always cultivated an image of themselves among the public of Mars, utilizing their status as the Mars-wide communication masters heavily to their advantage. They paint themselves as a shining beacon of meritocracy in the wastes, a place where anyone can make it big. This is, as is all too often discovered, a false dream. Alas, they only publicize the success stories of rags to riches, and so more will flock to them, dreaming of a life free from want, only to find themselves serving those who were born into that life from the start.

    Their goals seem to include the following.
    1. Maintain media dominance on Mars.
    2. Intervene in the Enterprise Civil War to an unknown end.
    3. Ensure the MEF succeeds…or, at least, that MBC succeeds outside of the MPA.

    Hostile Factions
    These are currently existing factions which are hostile to you.

    An unholy alliance of radical environmentalists, authoritarian warlords, and the government of Pre-Collapse Mars, the Martian Unity Coalition was the dominant power in Mars right up until the end of the Unification War, which saw them defeated in battle, and many of their so-called allies defecting due to their funding of radical terrorists to try and fight the MPA. Now, they exist as a loose coalition of resistance movements against the new government of Mars, often working with the same terrorist groups they once funded.

    Much like us, the Old Guard are not particularly liked by anyone else in their coalition after being 'in charge' for the Unification War and then losing, but they are the glue that binds the MUC together. Made up of pre-Collapse politicians, bureaucrats, and some high-ranking military personnel, they handle much of the civilian organizing that the MUC attempts to do. It is theorized they have set up some kind of centralized 'government in exile' somewhere in uncontrolled territory following the fall of City Hall, seeing as how multiple defectors have reported receiving orders from some kind of command center they were not informed of the location of.

    This faction of Central is made up of pre-Collapse corporate personnel, engineers, and researchers. They lack much military power, and are secreted away from behind the frontlines, but maintain significant political power within the MUC, by virtue of being the ones who maintain most MUC equipment, handle supply shipments, and develop new methods of fighting back against MPA domination. Normally, this would not be a faction on its own, being lumped into Central itself, but it seems this has been turned into a power bloc all its own by actions of University defectors, who have successfully managed to seize power over this section of the MUC forces and instilled technocratic ambitions amongst them. While not the most pressing threat, defectors have informed you that these are the minds who oversaw the destruction of League One, causing the current Kessler Syndrome, and it is likely that they are the most willing of any MUC faction to resort to actions which may cause mass casualties.

    The MCPD has, functionally, collapsed as an organized entity. Commander Espinar has joined The Old Guard in their flight. Commissioner Tassis, theoretically a counter-balance to the Commander's power, and a backup in the event of her sudden death, had a seemingly very messy falling out with the Commander pre-war. We were unaware of this, due to the deeply closed community that the MCPD cultivated, as well as the chaos of the war. Post-war, individual Captains, Sergeants, and officers have seized control of their local forces or established small cells of MUC loyalists, becoming the 'professional' backbone of most MUC resistance.

    Unfortunately, it seems a lot of the civilian support and less professional resistance to the MPA does not come from any kind of organized group, but rather from a general fear of Stadium causing chaos. This can be attributed to a mix of MUC propaganda, MCPD fearmongering, and…well, Stadium's actual actions. It's not great to admit such of your closest allies, but Stadium has never been incredibly careful about public relations or collateral damage, and is often prone to having bouts of rioting that roll through Mariner City following particularly contentious games. Very few people even wind up seriously injured, and it has been years since anyone died, but…well, it's been enough that a Stadium takeover of Mariner City is viewed with a mixture of fear and anger by many citizens, who have organized themselves into community watches, self-defense committees, and other such organizations to resist it.

    A radical anti-terraforming terrorist group, which is rooted in an astroturfed religious movement from Pre-Collapse, the Church of Red Mars is the only undisputed winner of the Unification War, having managed to shatter terraforming efforts entirely due to an increasingly desperate MUC agreeing to fund them. They promised to lead guerilla efforts against the MPA with MUC resources, but instead, utilized their newfound trust and resources to launch an unprecedented assault against all terraforming platforms within the Mariner Valley, destroying three and permanently damaging a fourth in what is now known as the Night of Dust. Terraforming on Mars has been set back for generations because of their work. They couldn't be happier about it, though, even as they are targeted for purges in nearly every polity left on Mars.

    Phoenix Company is a group of ex-Nomads, who have sworn eternal vengeance upon the Church of Red Mars, and is willing to slaughter any who get in the way of their justice, even more radical than prior purges of suspected Red Mars sympathizers by the Nomads, who were among the most devoted in hunting the Church down. Their attempt to massacre the civilian population of the Stadium was stopped by Station forces rushing to the rescue of the besieged settlement, but they managed to retreat in good order, and the sound of their helicopters flying through the sky now haunts all of Mariner Valley.

    The Dead Crusaders are a small but incredibly dangerous group, consisting of the remnants of the Enterprise power armored knights who participated in the Battle for Central. Lead personally by Admiral-King Armstrong, these crusaders are fanatical in their hatred of the United Nations, the MPA, Station, and Stationmaster Rutherford personally for the parts they played in the bombardment of Enterprise. Uncaring of collateral damage and nigh-immune to small arms fire, these Crusaders cultivate a reputation as being ghosts, often calling themselves 'the Vengeful Dead'. They rampage through settlements, chanting and singing the praises of the Admiral-King as they spill blood in their eternal quest for vengeance.

    In the western parts of Melas Chasma, guerilla cells lurk, still fighting the Unification War. Communities by the railroad lie abandoned, their residents either having fled into Station territory or taken up arms against their once-allies. In the work camps of Shanxi, the remnants of the unions reorganize themselves, as resentment grows quickly against the harsh economic system imposed by their UN overlords. Within Station itself, resentment is low, and mostly focused against the UN, rather than the people of Station. However, a rallying cry is beginning to grow in all of these places - Hephaestus Lives!

    Other

    These are factions, concepts, and events which don't fit into other categories.

    Don't let the name fool you: This social democrat successor state is no peaceful forum for nations to discuss. Formed post-war, it aims to bring all of humanity under its dominion to avoid a repeat of the Collapse, considering all who refuse to submit to be criminals against humanity. While their nominal allies in the MPA are headed by Station, Shanxi is widely considered to be the polity most loyal to the United Nations, and thus has had their territory become the new base for on-planet United Nations troops, diplomats, and technicians. The significant privileges received by said personnel has only exacerbated Shanxi's class tensions, however. Still, with the Shanxi fully repaired by United Nations technicians, as well as the military force the UN brings to the table, the United Nations seems here to stay. The only snag in their presence is that as part of the MUC's final acts of desperate strikes against the victorious MPA, they triggered explosives onboard satellites in orbit that had been launched pre-war, inducing large amounts of Kessler Syndrome. Full cleanup is estimated to take five decades, leaving their ability to project force onto Mars being crippled for now.

    A socialist democracy formed out of the once existing triumvirate of Station, Hephaestus, and Stadium, this alliance has had to make hard choices to survive the Unification War. From the alliance with the United Nations, to the Hephaestus Rebellion, to the acceptance of so many unsavory allies, the future of the dream of the MPA is uncertain, even as they attempt to boldly forge forwards in this post-war Mars.

    The Unification War is the term for the conflict between the Martian Popular Authority and the Martian Unity Coalition, which eventually broke out into full-scale warfare upon the arrival of the United Nations. Notable events include the following, listed in chronological order:
    • The Bombardment of Enterprise, where hundreds were killed in a prolonged bombardment of the capital of that once-proud nation. This is widely considered to be the opening shot of the Unification War by most. It has rendered the Enterprise itself unsalvageable, now only inhabited by those too desperate to flee as refugees, and the last few remnants of the old government who did not join the Admiral-King on his Crusade.
    • The First Battle of the Spaceport, where MPA and UN forces engaged the MUC in the first large-scale battle of the war at the Mariner City Spaceport. While the MPA-UN forces had an initial advantage, due to UN orbital insertion of heavy combat assets behind enemy lines, the intervention of University in the battle saw the MPA-UN forced to fall back.
    • The Long Retreat, where Station's forces were met on the rail line leading into Mariner City by MUC forces, who had moved to block their path. Station fought a prolonged fighting retreat, which many credit with giving the MPA-UN forces the chance to win the Second Battle of the Spaceport and the Battle for Central.
    • The Night of Dust, where the Church of Red Mars betrayed the MUC and launched a surprise assault on terraformers all over the Valley, destroying three of them and damaging another. This broke the MUC coalition, seeing Biodyne, the Nomads, and MBC defect almost immediately, and laid the groundwork for University's ceasefire.
    • The Filling of the Caverns, where Hephaestus's leadership, faced with overwhelming force by Shanxi armored forces, chose to instead evacuate their home, destroy as much of it as they could with explosives, and filling the rest with concrete, destroying the mines that had once been the pride of Melas Chasma.
    • The Second Battle of the Spaceport, where MPA-UN forces were able to take advantage of MUC forces engaging Station further down the frontlines, managing to seize the Mariner City Spaceport in a pitched surprise attack. However, MUC forces had rigged the Spaceport with explosives in the event of such an attack, and key areas of it were thus rendered beyond repair for the duration of the war.
    • The Siege of Stadium - Even as the battle raged on the frontlines, Phoenix Company had taken to the skies to launch an assault on Stadium's capitol, The Stadium itself. However, at this point in the Long Retreat, Station, Shanxi, and ODIN forces were in position to aid Stadium's defenders and drive off the besiegers before they could penetrate into the settlement itself.
    • The Battle for Central - The final battle of the Unification War is undoubtedly the largest-scale battle on Mars since the Collapse itself. Realizing they had been overextended, MUC forces rushed back only to find Central itself under siege by MPA-UN forces. With the hasty agreement between the University and the MPA, when the MUC tried to lift the siege, they found no allies coming to their aid, and suffered a nigh-total rout.

    The New Gorbals Massacre is what is widely considered to have been one of the primary factors leading to the Unification War. A summit called by Central to try and form a Mars-wide government at New Gorbals, it was attacked viciously by unknown parties. As the dust cleared and the few survivors fled, fingers were immediately pointed, with conflicting accounts given by the few surviving dignitaries and security forces who were present. With the formal arrival of the United Nations, the MUC thought they had found their culprit, with UN infiltrators identified as being embedded in the command chain of various factions, and UN special forces operating on Martian soil. To this day, both the MPA and UN deny UN involvement in the New Gorbals Massacre, and it remains a point of contention for many.

    An attempt to lower tensions following a particularly severe border conflict that almost escalated into all-out war between the MUC and MPA, the Martian League served as a forum for various nations to try and work out their grievances diplomatically. Predictably, with the formal arrival of the United Nations and their ultimatum, it fell apart as the Unification War began. The last meeting of the Martian League was during a temporary ceasefire, in which the United Nations agreed to avoid bombardment of population centers, as a pacifying measure to their local allies, and a conciliatory measure to their enemies.

    While some would characterize the secession of Hephaestus from the MPA to be short-sighted, many of the remaining guerillas and miners would argue it was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of their beliefs, which could neither countenance the MUC's beliefs nor the compromise the MPA had made with off-world imperialists. To begin with, there was a deep-held animosity between the Green polities of Mars and Hephaestus, with Biodyne and the Nomads viewing them as prioritizing resource extraction over terraforming, and Hephaestus viewing them as prioritizing a green Mars over the lives of the people who have to live on it. This made it fertile recruiting grounds for the Church of Red Mars, especially since Hephaestus's decentralized nature made them far more adaptable to the less terraformed parts of Mars, their facilities able to weather dust storms with ease. When the United Nations came to Mars with their demands, Hephaestus argued for a third way, a refusal to choose what they saw as off-world domination or submission to the MUC, calling for the MPA to refuse to participate either in a war of imperialist aggression or on a war supported by reactionary oppression, and to instead wage war against both parties. Station and Stadium refused and Hephaestus chose to withdraw from the MPA, declaring war on their new allies in the UN in conjunction with the Church of Red Mars.


    Credits
    Red Planet Rising is a MegaGame that was designed and created by Andrew Shiel Dods with support from True North MegaGames. All credit for the setting goes to him!
     
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  • Informational
    • [X] A foundation for something greater
    -[X] A True Government - You've managed to pull off a miracle and convince the disjointed states of the Mariner Valley to hand you significant executive power in the MPA. Whether or not you have the jurisdiction to enforce that power, on the other hand, is another question. You have three Governmental actions per turn.
    -[X] Recognized, But Skirted - Everyone, begrudgingly, accepted your proposed economic regulations. You're fairly sure that half of them don't follow them at all, though. Still, at least you have a theoretical mandate to conduct regulation. You have two Economic actions per turn.
    -[X] Joint Command - You've hammered out a loose structure for cooperation between the various constituent armed forces of the MPA. Not a bad start, even if the corporate bloc is grumbling! You have two Peacekeeping actions per turn.
    -[X] Forgotten Entirely - Who has time to think about scientific funding when one is putting together a government? University is pleased by the fact that basically all scientific development has been left independent…and thus, mostly in their hands. You have one Research action per turn.
    -[X] Giving Up Control - In order for this compromise to work, you had to give up control of some institutions to other governments. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has both mechanical and narrative consequences.
    --[X] United Nations Bloc Military Advisors - You've had to accept some Shanxi and UN military advisors into your military as strategists. The United Nations bloc now determines the choice of one of your Peacekeeping Actions per turn and has access to what your military does.
    -[X] Military Autonomy - You had to grant some governments military autonomy, which allows them to maintain their own standing military forces and high command, as well as avoid contributing to any MPA federal forces. The risks in this are self-evident. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University military autonomy.
    -[X] Economic Autonomy - You had to grant some governments economic autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own economic regulations and avoid any restrictions on their trade or economic system you attempt to place, possibly enough to let them have influence over the MPA's economy once the transition back to a more functioning state is complete. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne economic autonomy.
    -[X] Political Autonomy - You had to grant some governments political autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own laws and maintain a degree of political separation from the federal government, possibly enough to let them claim full nation status if they get too powerful. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] Corporate Bloc Autonomy - Grant the corporate oligarchies of MBC and ODIN political autonomy.
     
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    [X] Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits
    -[X] A True Government - You've managed to pull off a miracle and convince the disjointed states of the Mariner Valley to hand you significant executive power in the MPA. Whether or not you have the jurisdiction to enforce that power, on the other hand, is another question. You have three Governmental actions per turn.
    -[X] The Beginnings Of A Federal Army - You've managed to unite the commands of all armies and centralize them under the MPA. This came at quite the cost, though, with many commanders resigning in disgust or out of a desire to serve in their home and not afar. You have three Peacekeeping actions per turn.
    -[X] Authoritative - You've, by hook and by crook, managed to install a powerful labor oversight apparatus into the MPA, to ensure that everyone follows the labor regulations you've imposed. It's not Mars-wide socialism, but it'll do for now. You have three Economic actions per turn.
    -[X] Grants Aplenty - With persuasive arguments about avoiding University dominance in the scientific field, you've managed to convince the array of governments present to fully fund scientific programs, as well as arrange for the hiring of many University alumni. You have three Research actions per turn.
    -[X] Political Autonomy - You had to grant some governments political autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own laws and maintain a degree of political separation from the federal government, possibly enough to let them claim full nation status if they get too powerful. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --    [X] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne political autonomy.
    --[X] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University political autonomy.
    -[X] Economic Autonomy - You had to grant some governments economic autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own economic regulations and avoid any restrictions on their trade or economic system you attempt to place, possibly enough to let them have influence over the MPA's economy once the transition back to a more functioning state is complete. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] UN Bloc Autonomy - Grant the stratocracy of Shanxi economic autonomy.
    --[X] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University economic autonomy.
    -[X] Military Autonomy - You had to grant some governments military autonomy, which allows them to maintain their own standing military forces and high command, as well as avoid contributing to any MPA federal forces. The risks in this are self-evident. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can only be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy - Grant the technocracy of University military autonomy.
    --[X] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne military autonomy.
    [X] Giving Up Control - In order for this compromise to work, you had to give up control of some institutions to other governments. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has both mechanical and narrative consequences.
    -[X] United Nations Bloc Military Advisors - You've had to accept some Shanxi and UN military advisors into your military as strategists. The United Nations bloc now determines the choice of one of your Peacekeeping Actions per turn and has access to what your military does.
    -[X] Green Administrators - Biodyne has maintained one of the most successful decentralized administrations in Mars to date. Even if they are now pursuing political centralization, they've got a roster of highly qualified administrators, who you've had to allow into the MPA government to get support for your own ambitions. Biodyne now determines the choice of one of your Governmental actions per turn, and has access to your administrative efforts.
     
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    [X] Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits

    This seems like a very interesting premise for a quest. We can't give the corporates any leeway.
     
    [X] Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits

    Lmao, completely shafting the corpos. They're gonna rebel.

    Astra Myst said:
    [X] Economic Autonomy - You had to grant some governments economic autonomy, which allows them to operate under their own economic regulations and avoid any restrictions on their trade or economic system you attempt to place, possibly enough to let them have influence over the MPA's economy once the transition back to a more functioning state is complete. If this option is picked, select one sub-option. This can be taken up to two times. This has no mechanical consequences yet, but will have serious narrative ones.
    --[X] UN Bloc Autonomy - Grant the stratocracy of Shanxi military autonomy.
    --[X] Green Bloc Autonomy - Grant the theocracy of Biodyne military autonomy.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    You accidentally wrote military under the economic I think.
     
    Just to let folks know: I'll be closing the vote in 5 or so hours, and we are currently tied 6-6, between A Foundation for Something Great and Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits! Let's hope that tie breaks before then, because otherwise I'm going to have to throw a dice for it!
     
    [X] Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits

    I love the name and giving no ground to corpos. Unfortunate we need to compromise with technocrats but they can be brought to heel in time.
     
    Well, it has been time, and thus, the vote is closing! Congratulations to Plan Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits for winning with 8 votes!

    Turn One will be up shortly...
    Scheduled vote count started by TheMaskedReader on Feb 20, 2022 at 12:55 AM, finished with 15 posts and 12 votes.
    Click to expand...
     
    Reconstruction Has To Start Somewhere
  • Threadmarks
    • [] Ay Yo Fuck Them Suits
    -[] A True Government
    -[] The Beginnings Of A Federal Army
    -[] Authoritative
    -[] Grants Aplenty
    -[] Political Autonomy
    --    [] Green Bloc Autonomy
    --[] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy
    -[] Economic Autonomy
    --[] UN Bloc Autonomy
    --[] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy
    -[] Military Autonomy
    --[] "Neutral" Bloc Autonomy
    --    [] Green Bloc Autonomy
    -[] Giving Up Control
    --[] United Nations Bloc Military Advisors
    --[] Green Administrators

    Turn One - Reconstruction Has To Start Somewhere


    Following the Curiosity Plaza Conference, Stationmaster Eliza Rutherford is taking a train back home to the Depot, capital of Station. All around her, various Conductors, aides, and other governmental personnel strategize and discuss the results of the conference.

    The Corporate Bloc was furious with the snubs and dismissal they received, and it was only the threat of the resumption of war, one which they would most assuredly lose, that saw them return to the negotiating table at all. When the conference ended, MBC and ODIN stormed out, returning to their respective headquarters, presumably plotting to be as much of an obstruction as possible, if not outright planning to overthrow her or support rebels. Still, she had to stick by her anti-corporate principles, now she'll have to live with the consequences of it.

    The UN Bloc was looking to attain full autonomy, but the economic freedom they were granted has allowed them to maintain their current programs and society, and the place of power they received in the new MPA federal army has softened the blow of not gaining military or political autonomy. Their stratocracy has reorganized itself to fit these new circumstances, with theoretically all refugees and all Shanxi personnel becoming 'equal MPA citizens'. In truth, however, they have already enacted internal economic rules and regulations that will prevent any refugee from becoming anywhere near as successful in their territory as a Shanxi-born citizen, keeping them in functionally the same place as before.

    The Green Bloc is more than pleased with the results. They've achieved a significant level of autonomy within the MPA and have been given a place of power in the new administration. Eve Maria met with you afterwards, and extended her best wishes to the MPA's future governance, even as Biodyne begins to focus inwards, their theocratic nature being maintained. While in theory their economy is bound to the MPA, in practice, you simply don't have the logistical lines to Candor Chasma to enable significant economic control over them…yet.

    The Neutral Bloc is surprised you decided to grant them full autonomy within the MPA. However, Dean Elias Kaufmann is not without gratitude. He promises to keep an eye on any overtly pro-MUC student societies, and to not crack down on any socialist ones. Whether or not he will keep his promises, only time will tell. Regardless, University's warming relations with you has led to a decent flow of alumni moving away from war-torn Mariner City into Station territory.

    She knows she can't trust any of the blocs besides her own, not in truth. The Green Bloc would prefer to see her replaced with one of their preachers. The Corporate Bloc wants her overthrown for her snubs to them and her socialist views. The UN Bloc wants her to burn out Station's resources rebuilding Mars, then take control of the government, marginalize her, and call it a success of their ideology. Finally, the so-called Neutral Bloc wants her dead, she's sure that they're funding and sheltering MUC rebels in Mariner City, no matter what promises they make. And even Station's allies are starting to look like they might buckle under the strain, these days, what with Stadium's over-extension.

    However, her musing is interrupted by a tap on the shoulder from a Conductor. "Stationmaster, I've got the report you requested on the status of our forces and the situation in the Valley at large." Rutherford nods at them. "Excellent. Thank you, put it on my desk, I'll start to go through it." They set it down, and gracefully move to rejoin the main discussion with a nod. Sighing, she picks them up and begins to do the work that she must. It's a long train ride back, after all.

    Governance - As the leader of the Martian Popular Authority, you are obligated to handle the bureaucratic dealings of this newly formed federal government with all of its constituent entities, from the corporate vultures of ODIN, to the autonomous academics of the University, to the decentralized theocrats of Biodyne. You currently have 3 actions in this category…but one of them has been decided for you.

    The Green Bloc's Choice    :
    [] Eyes From The Skies - While the United Nations helped us win the war, we cannot ignore that their intentions have not been pure or righteous. The ground to orbital attacks on their fleet by the MUC have seen much of Martian orbit become marred by Kessler Syndrome, preventing the UN from putting a significant amount of boots on the ground. However, the forces, diplomats, and technicians they already had in place have remained, and the more supervision they're under, the better. This will lead to a subvote on how to best deal with UN forces on-planet.

    Your Remaining Options Are:

    [] Integrate Loyal Communities - Not every polity in Mariner Valley participated in the war, and not all of them wish to retain autonomy. There are a number of small townships which pre-war, had already been in the process of integrating into Station. It should only be a small matter to finalize the last few agreements to get them fully onboard. This will lead to a subvote on how to handle integration.

    [] The Defectors and the Captured - While much of the MUC has decided to continue fighting, you have a considerable population of prisoners of war to handle, many of whom no longer have a place to return home to, with the devastation of the war. In addition, various moderate factions have secretly approached your forces, and are willing to offer formal surrenders in exchange for a variety of concessions. This will lead to a subvote on what concessions to offer to defectors, as well as how to handle your prisoners of war.

    [] Allies of Convenience - Much of your so-called alliance is…charitably, ideologically incompatible with much of your principles. While it is unlikely that war will break out again right now, understanding what your tenuous alliance partners intend is going to be key to ensuring that war does not resume in a few years, once everyone has rebuilt. This will lead to you gaining more specific information on what constituent blocs of the MPA intend to do in this post-war atmosphere, as well as unlocking options to more specifically dealing with them.

    [] Aid to Stadium - Stadium has long been on the frontlines between the MUC and MPA, before any of those organizations existed. Their clashes with the MCPD have been nigh-constant since the two first met in the streets of Mariner. However, they now hold dominion over all of Mariner City, bar University's quarter to the North, and are your primary allies in the region. They are facing heavy resistance, attrition, and are struggling under the burden of managing all this new territory. Thus, they are requesting Station aid…or at least, the Blues are. This will lead to a subvote about how to render aid to Stadium, as well as gathering information about the political situation there.

    [] Survey the Population - The people of Mars cry out for aid, and it is now the MPA's duty to answer. Find out what the most pressing matters of Mars are, and add them to your eternally growing to-do list. This will lead to you gaining more options based on what the people want, as well as indicating which issues and actions are viewed as being important by the population.

    [] Manage the Refugee Crisis Directly - With the end of the war, several polities with significant populations have been destroyed or become battlefields. As such, refugees have begun streaming from these areas to places of relative safety and stability, which, of course, includes you. While establishing institutions more capable of handling them would fall under other departments, you can ensure that your existing governmental institutions for handling them are functioning as they should. This action will mitigate the refugee crisis and lead to a subvote on how to do so.

    [] Playing Politics - This will be a difficult process, but a necessary one. Bureaucrats will have to be trained. New offices will have to be established, often in areas deeply hostile to your government. However, we must persevere. The backbone of a good society is a well-functioning bureaucracy, after all. 0/4 Actions. This will marginalize Biodyne's influence on your new administration, allowing you to determine what your own actions will be and avoiding leaks. They will not be pleased about this course of action.

    Economics - Martian industry was once said to never sleep, producing immense amounts of resources for export back to Earth. That has long since ceased being true, but Station in particular is attempting to claim the title of both the breadbasket of Mars and its new industrial center, following the destruction of the Caverns. Keeping up the pace of vital resource extraction and the continuation of the repairs to the once-great Martian train network is vital for Station to maintain its current rate of expansion. You currently have 3 actions in this category.

    [] Planning the Economy - Your economy is coming off of wartime measures that saw you take unprecedented control of every aspect of its functioning. You've long functioned off of a centrally planned resource distribution system, with allowances for local autonomy and production, but the necessities of wartime saw the full war machine operating under the direction of a unified central bureaucracy. Therefore, there has never been a better time to either restructure your system or your priorities within it. This will lead to a subvote on how to structure the MPA's new economy, as well as bring it off of wartime measures.

    [] Melas Chasma Rail Repair - The Melas Chasma rail line was semi-functional pre-war, with lines set up between Station, Hephaestus, and running into Mariner City towards your allies there, with a planned connection to extend into Shanxi. However, Hephaestus's secession from the MPA led to the rails that once led to the Caverns being destroyed as part of their attempts to halt advances by our forces. With these lines repaired, we will be able to begin construction on new lines in Melas Chasma, as well as begin operations in ex-Hephaestus territory. 0/2 Actions. This action risks disruption from Hephaestus guerillas and the Church of Red Mars. This will unlock more actions when complete. This action will allow more refugees to flow towards Station.

    [] Mariner City Rail Repair - The rail line leading into Mariner City was damaged heavily by Phoenix Company's attempted massacre at the Stadium, as well as various attacks by MUC forces during the initial days of the war. It is functional, but damaged. Repairing it fully will allow us to begin construction on new lines running through Mariner City and into Candor Chasma, as well as extending our ability to operate in Mariner City. 0/1 Actions. This action risks disruption from the Dead Crusaders, the MUC, the Church of Red Mars, and ???. This will unlock more actions when complete. This action will allow more refugees to flow towards Station.

    [] Exert Economic Influence - There are plenty of things you can't source for yourself, and plenty of things you know your neighbors have. Therefore, beginning to institute your economic regulations by opening up mutual trade routes doesn't seem like a terrible idea? Here's hoping you haven't pissed them off too badly. This will see you attempt to begin trading with your neighbors: ODIN, Shanxi, and Stadium.

    [] Conductor Expansion, Phase One - Conductors is a general title for mid-ranking elected officials within Station, ranging from leaders of settlements, to military commanders, to bureaucrats. With the war over and so much administration needing to be done, a formally planned expansion to their ranks to fill out various options is necessary. The only question is, what types of positions require immediate attention, and do you want to endorse any particular candidates? This will lead to a subvote on what positions will be immediately established, as well as if you wish to endorse any candidates.

    [] Standardization Initiatives - You are well aware of the necessity of standardization in rail lines, to ensure that the tracks fit together. However, you have been significantly more lax with regards to weapons standardization and various other differing standards. No longer. A bureau of Standards Coordination will be established and all manner of production both military and civilian will undergo inspections to ensure they match up to the level of quality expected of Station goods. This will centralize your economy more, for both good and ill. However, it will also see a universally high standard adopted for both consumer and military goods, as well as the beginning of a standardized refit for your armed forces.

    [] Establish Trade Schools - With the war over, there is an intense demand for skilled workers, and refugees and immigrants have already begun to trickle into what seems to be the new hub for Martian government, seeking work. The current educational infrastructure is insufficient, and must be expanded if we wish to keep ourselves on top of demand. 0/4 Actions. On completion, this will grant you one additional Economics action. Completing this action will also help to permanently mitigate the refugee crisis.

    Peacekeeping - Warfare on Mars has, in large part, concluded. Nobody within the Mariner Valley can pose a significant threat to the combined forces of the MPA. However, those forces are disjointed, unwieldy, logistically disconnected, and are often at risk of infighting. This has only been made worse by the fact that the MUC and various other forces have refused to surrender at all, instead choosing to attempt protracted resistance. You currently have 3 actions in this category...but one of them has been chosen for you.

    The United Nations Bloc's Choice:
    [] Pacify Hephaestus Remnants - While this particular group is fairly weak in your territory thus far, they have a strong presence in the refugees fleeing ex-Hephaestus territory, and are targeting any attempt to restore rail service to the western half of Melas Chasma. However, much of your population is sympathetic to them, and neutral to the United Nations. If they are allowed to begin settling in without a response, then it will be very difficult to uproot them. This will lead to a vote on how best to handle Hephaestus refugees and guerillas.


    Your Remaining Options Are:

    [] Purge The Church of Red Mars - These anti-terraforming radicals have committed the greatest atrocity against humanity on Mars since the Collapse itself, with their destruction of 3 out of 5 terraformers, and the permanent damaging of one more. Emboldened by this, their preachers and speakers now speak openly of destroying the governments of Mars and living nomadically. The people of Station are openly baying for their blood, given how many believe that Hephaestus was turned to secession by CRM infiltrators. They must be purged in their entirety, through imprisonment or exile. This will reduce the power of the Church of Red Mars. If this action is not taken, action may be taken regardless…

    [] Intelligence on MUC Remnants in Mariner City - The Martian Unity Coalition was always a disparate group of loosely aligned warlords, governments, and other such entities. They have remained similarly disparate now that they've been reduced to resistance groups and guerilla warfare. Identifying key surviving groups and leaders will help make targeting them and dealing with them much easier. This will identify key groups within the Martian Unity Coalition remnants in Mariner City.

    [] The Dead Crusaders March - The self-declared Dead Crusade of Enterprise, the ragged survivors of a power armor brigade, head for the Depot atop their vehicular 'steeds', led by the Last Admiral-King himself. They loot every settlement they pass, destroying infrastructure as they go. They have no chance of actually besieging the Depot, we believe, and any sufficient concentrated force would be sufficient to repel them, but if they are allowed to roam unchecked, they may actually stumble on something capable of doing damage. Unfortunately, the quality of their power armor and relative mobility means that any action taken against them will likely not see them dead, just driven away. This will disperse the Dead Crusaders…for now. If not dispersed, they will arrive in 3 turns.

    [] The Hunt For Phoenix Company - In the last months of the war, Phoenix Company, a rogue group of Nomad security forces, attempted to perpetrate a massacre of the largest settlement left in Mariner City at the Stadium, in an act of bloody revenge against those they viewed as sympathizers to the Church of Red Mars. They were repelled with minimal casualties due to swift aid from the Shanxi and Station forces, but Phoenix Company managed to escape mostly intact, utilizing their air capabilities to escape. As a threat, their mobility is unmatched, and their desperate quest for revenge sees them become a wildcard in who they'll attack next. Dedicate efforts to finding Phoenix Company's next target before they strike.

    [] The Inspector Corps - The Inspector Corps have traditionally acted as reserves for Station's standing army, being raised only in times of crisis. They are currently demobilizing, having been raised during the war and serving as valuable fighters in the Long Retreat. However, as Station evolves, perhaps it is time to consider if the Inspector Corps should evolve with them. This will lead to a subvote on what should be done with the Inspector Corps in the future. This will possibly mitigate the refugee crisis.

    [] Internal Promotions and Restructuring - While the Inspector Corps are demobilizing, much of your standing army remains active and deployed to various spots all over the Valley. Many of them served valiantly, and can be promoted upwards to fill new holes in the command structure of the MPA. Meanwhile, the internal structure of Station's military can be altered to restructure it into a defensive force, while shifting much personnel towards the armed forces. Of course, this will necessitate recruitment drives…it'll be a lot, but in the end, the MPA's armed forces will belong to you and your allies again. 0/4 Actions. This will remove UN Bloc influence within your armed forces, allowing you to determine your own actions and minimizing internal leaks. They will not be pleased about this course of action.

    Research - The secrets of pre-Collapse technology remain inaccessible at best, and nigh-impossible to replicate at worst. The desperate repair of the Shanxi's flight systems was the work of months, and still took large amounts of aid from United Nation technicians and material stealthily flown down to the surface. If Station wishes to maintain an equal relation with their allies in orbit and our governmental partners on the ground, research on restoring what is currently repairable on Mars must be our top priority. You currently have 3 actions in this category.

    [] Terraforming Research, Phase One - With the destruction of the majority of the terraformers within Mariner Valley, terraforming is currently balanced on a knife's edge. Biodyne has successfully managed to build an entirely new one, though, and while they are famously insular with their 'religious secrets', perhaps you can replicate their process or reverse engineer it. Discover how viable building your own terraformer would be, or, failing that, what it would take to try and repair damaged or destroyed ones.

    [] Communications Infrastructure - Right now, Mars functions based on in-person meetings, radio broadcasts, and courier services. The Mars Broadcasting Corporation has managed to rig up the most advanced telecommunications infrastructure of anyone at the moment, capable of broadcasting out to almost the entire Valley, but they jealously guard it to prevent any news alternatives from popping up. Still, perhaps you can try something? Discover how viable building your own communications infrastructure would be, as well as if the MBC is willing to trade any advances they've made to you.

    [] Learning From The War - Station can afford to field a lot of soldiers, but our equipment is standard at best, as we learned during the Long Retreat. A lot of the Inspector Corps is outfitted utilizing outdated weaponry, some of which predates the Collapse, to say nothing of the local forces we often rely upon. We can't reasonably expect to make major advancements in weapons tech, but we can start to make progress on adapting our tactics to modern Martian warfare, especially against the sort of weapons and tactics we saw in the war, both on our side, and on the enemies. Begin updating tactics, removing outdated doctrine, and looking into theoretically engaging in military exchanges with other MPA nations.

    [] Dreaming of Flight - While Kessler Syndrome has put an end to any ambitions of reaching the stars, it is still possible to attempt sub-orbital and aerial operations, as the recently repaired Shanxi and the raiders of Phoenix Company have proven. Coming up with both an answer to enemy air power, as well as the improvements such would bring, will be key. Look into how we can develop air power of our own, to answer the Shanxi's sub-orbit capabilities and Phoenix Company's air power, as well as any other issues that may come up.

    [] An Apple A Day - One area you do have firm control over is the Martian General Infirmary, which you've managed to restore to…a decent level of service. Still, allowing your researchers to look at the technology in there could be a valuable experience, both to improve the running of the infirmary, and in seeing if any of its technological advancements can be spread! Look into how much you can improve the Martian General Infirmary, as well as if you can spread its technology to other areas.

    [] Everyday Luxuries - Station has done an excellent job at maintaining a high quality of life for its people, even during harsh times. However, it has often come at the cost of the luxuries other states provide, ranging from ODIN's executive suites, to Stadium's parties, to University's frequent recreational drug use. Perhaps, with our ascension, it's time to start looking into how we can replicate some of these luxuries in a more...palatable way to our population. Look into how Station can produce more luxury and consumer goods for their citizens.

    [] The University of Station - Your current research support within the MPA simply isn't large enough, and is far too reliant on the autonomous University cooperating with you. You're going to have to start attempting to develop a local alternative to the University, rather than relying on the fickle whims of those academics. 0/4 Actions. Will grant a new Research action when complete.

    Personal - Even the leader of a nation needs some time off, even if you have…no idea on what to spend it on, besides working. You've been so busy ever since the New Gorbals Massacre, which saw your husband killed and the entire nation catapulted into a war footing, that you haven't taken the time to do…well, anything that wasn't work. You currently have one action in this category.

    [] Work - No, seriously, Station just got out of a war. People are dying every day in your own territory and in occupied areas. You're not taking time off during a crisis when there's barely even a functional government set up. You get one additional Governmental action, which should be included as a subvote to this one. There are no hidden downsides to this.

    [] The People's Choice - You are not unaware of your good reputation in the people of Station at the moment, but you've started to raise your eyebrow about how intense some people are about it. Perhaps you ought to look into that, before it gets…concerning. Gain information about what exactly your personal reputation is.

    [] Establish a Bodyguard Unit - You're not blind to the hatred you receive, from refugees whose governments you've destroyed, to fanatics who think you are killing the soul of Mars, to enemy soldiers for whom the war will never be over. While you do have guards, they have never quite had to deal with this level of…acrimony towards you. This will be a good way to ensure that you and other Station leaders have decent levels of protection. New Gorbals will never happen again. This will lead to a subvote on how best to establish a specialized bodyguard unit for yourself and other Station leaders.

    [] A Murder Most Foul - You've buried your husband, and you've mourned him, after the massacre at New Gorbals. Nobody knows what happened, exactly, with the MUC blaming UN infiltrators and the official MPA line being that the UN had nothing to do with it. In more private talks with UN diplomats, they've admitted to you that there have been autonomous special forces cells operating on Martian soil for a year or so, doing what they can in favor of United Nations interests, which has been left mostly up to their discretion. They claim that it probably wasn't one of their cells…but they say they can't be sure, either. Begin looking into the death of your husband and try to find out who was responsible for the New Gorbals Massacre. 0/? Actions.

    Author's Note: Please vote in a plan format. In addition, for actions that are listed as requiring multiple actions, you can only devote one action to them per turn. All actions without such counters can be assumed to take only one action. However, feel free to vote immediately. The vote will be open for 48 hours!
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Station's Status
  • Informational
    • Station is currently experiencing the following situations in Melas Chasma:
    • The Refugee Crisis is the term for the current flood of refugees, ex-MUC refugees fleeing destruction in the north, and Hephaestus refugees escaping poverty in Shanxi's work camps to the southwest. It is currently worsening.
    • War Weary Populace - It is unlikely they will accept any war beyond any purely defensive affair for several years, at best. This is currently improving.
    • Weak Hephaestus Guerillas - Hephaestus guerillas are currently conducting attacks on repair crews attempting to maintain lines in Melas Chasma under the cover of sandstorms, and refugees are conducting anti-UN demonstrations within Station settlements. Something must be done before they establish themselves. It is currently worsening.
    • Moderate MUC Resistance - While mostly based in Mariner City, the MUC has not made themselves absent from Melas Chasma. MUC terror attacks are common enough to be concerning. It is currently stagnant.
    • The Dead Crusade - Admiral-King Armstrong is currently leading a ragged force of power-armored knights, pillaging isolated settlements across Melas Chasma, reportedly heading for the Depot. It is currently worsening. They will arrive in 3 turns unless dispersed.

    Details on what's happening in Mariner City itself are hard to parse due to the nature of the conflict and disrupted logistical lines, but it is safe to say things are in general, worsening.

    Details on Candor Chasma are sparse, due to Biodyne's distance, MBC's current hatred of you, and the lack of logistical lines out there. However, we can make a guess that things are stagnant, with no promises on accuracy.

    Station's economy is currently centrally planned and is under wartime measures.
    Trade is currently Station-only.
    Station and the Socialist Bloc are currently the leaders of the Martian Popular Authority.
    • The Green Bloc favors you.
    • The UN Bloc favors you.
    • The Neutral Bloc is ambivalent to you.
    • The Corporate Bloc is hostile to you.

    The Martian Popular Authority currently is recognized as the legitimate government of Mars by all non-resistance factions.

    Personal Information
    You are Eliza Rutherford, Stationmaster. You were elected diplomatically, and have one year (twelve turns) left on your term before you plan to run for re-election. You believe you are respected by Station's people. You know that you are viewed as the sole figure responsible for Station's success on the world stage, as well as its defeat of the MUC, inaccurate as this view is…it means you are hated by all anti-MPA factions.
     
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