Headlines From Around The World
MOGADISHU, EAST AFRICAN AUTONOMOUS REGION - The East African Autonomous Region has seen additional industrial and infrastructure investment directed by the Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative, and the regional economy becomes increasingly focused on servicing the IEC's plans and desires…
PERTH, AUSTRALIAN CONFEDERATED COMMUNITIES - IEC EXPANDS FOOTPRINT TO AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT - In a move aimed at increasing the throughput of their popular 'Rocket Box' program, the IEC signed multiple agreements to fund workshops in the Perth and Melbourne regions…
LOS ANGELES, CASCADIA - The galaxy can be seen at night from downtown LA once more for the first time in over a century, as programs aimed at preserving the natural beauty of the night sky go into effect…
MOMBASA, HEARTLAND COMMUNE - Nature preserves are to undergo expansion to protect the many species of Kenya from human predation. This is in response to research showing a drastic decline in elephant populations…
You put down your paper. This time, there was no news from Chicago, no word of how the conflict there was going. From all you could gather, it was beyond chaotic. You hoped for a good ending to it…
But you had things that were more pressing to you currently - the World Council would be meeting next quarter, and you had preparations to make to defend your case…
Resources:
205 (+160R/turn)
40 Political Support
Council Liaison Reports:
Objectives of the World Communal Council
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (10000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
State of the World
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 5
Electrification: 3
Industry: 3 (+)
Infrastructure: 3 (+)
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 4
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 4
Electrification: 3
Industry: 3
Infrastructure: 3
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 8 (-)
Eastern Asia
Education: 8 (+)
Electrification: 5
Industry: 9
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 10
Western Asia
Education: 8
Electrification: 10
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 9
Security: 5
Partisan Activity: 11
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 5 (+)
Infrastructure: 4
Security: 3 (+)
Partisan Activity: 5 (-)
Europe
Education: 8
Electrification: 10
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 7
North America
Education: 7
Electrification: 9
Industry: 9
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 11
Partisan Activity: 17
South America
Education: 5
Electrification: 5
Industry: 3
Infrastructure: 3
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 3
Electrification: 2
Industry: 2
Infrastructure: 3
Security: 1
Partisan Activity: 4
Facilities:
1 Launch Stand (0-5 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Assembly Complex (+1 Build Capacity)
1 Engineer's Hall (+2 Engineering Dice)
1 University Affiliate (+2 Science Dice)
1 Materials Lab (+5 bonus to projects tagged [MATSCI])
1 Chemical Plant (+5 bonus to projects tagged [CHEM])
1 Electronics Cooperative (+5 bonus to projects tagged [AVIONICS])
2 Construction Union Halls (+2 Facilities die)
1 Publications Office (+1 to all science and engineering fields; coinflip each year to get an additional +1)
1 Hardened Tracking and Observation (T&O) Complex (+3 to Operations)
1 Engine Test Stand (+2 to PROP projects)
1 Isotope Separation and Nuclear Science Facility (Enables Nuclear Technology tree) (fully unlocks 1954Q1)
1 Computational Research Facility (+3 to all rolls)
1 Model 1952 'Stormchaser' Mobile Rocket Launch System (+1 Operations dice)
Scientific Advances (name TBD)
Improved Instrumentation (Gain +1d2 bonus to a random field every 2 launches. Gain +1 to AVIONICS immediately.)
Regenerative Cooling (Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines)
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage Sounding Rockets
Combustion Instability Research - Turns the initial success roll for a rocket from a >60 to >50.
Engine Cycles - Enables Early Orbital engines.
Mobile Launch Operations - Can launch Sounding Rockets without the need for a launch pad.
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +6
AVIONICS - +9
CHEM - +10
CREW - +3
COMP - +3
MATSCI - +8
PHYS - +3
PROP - +7
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Sergei Korolev - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request: Build an Orbital Rocket within 5 years; build a Scientific Complex in former Ukraine within 10 years.]
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1953):
Complete Weather Studies (Phase 3) (+5 PS)
Build Computational Research Facility (+5 PS)
Complete Rocket Boxes (Phase 3)
Do not expand to more than 2 Facilities Dice
Do not pursue Spaceplane research
Operations (2 dice, +3 bonus)
[] Construct an R-1 Beden - Standard Sounding rocket launches are now something of an old hat. Still perfectly useful, of course, and they're not actually that old, but the two stage rockets have stolen some of their thunder. (10R per dice, 0/35, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
-[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
[] Construct an R-2 Gale - The IEC's engineers and scientists have come up with a moderately reliable stage separation system for multi-stage rockets. The Gale has seen active use for a year, now, and is turning into quite the reliable workhorse. (15R per dice, 13/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
-[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
Facilities (2 dice, +0 bonus)
[ ] Construct a Hangar Complex - A group of pilots and engineers approached you with the idea of constructing a spaceplane. Such an endeavour would surely benefit the construction of normal aircraft as well, making it a potentially easy sell to the People's Forum. First, though, the IEC would need a place to actually, well, build them. (10R per die, 0/100, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes)
[ ] Construct a Runway - A 6 kilometer long strip of concrete and tarmac to launch and land air-and-spacecraft from, and the control towers and radars to supplement it. (10R per die, 0/150, allows for launching and landing air and spacecraft)
[ ] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site - Your current launch stand isn't up to the task of launching a much bigger rocket than it currently does, being little more than a repurposed parking lot. The launch area could use reinforcement, thicker concrete and rebar and the like, maybe a flame trench to divert the rocket's exhaust away from it. Your engineers have enough guesstimates from the ones who want to make the Heavy Sounding Rocket that they feel confident enough to tell you they can make a pad that can handle it. (15R per die, 8/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons)
[ ] Construct a Wind Tunnel - In order to do advanced studies on the shape of air and spacecraft at various speeds, you'll need a safe space that you can push a lot of air into, quickly. You've been assured by literally everyone involved that this will be useful. Personally, you're half-convinced it's just the air/spaceplane research crowd looking for every possible excuse to acquire jet engines and jet engine parts. But… (10R per die, 0/80, +3 to projects labeled AERO)
[ ] Expand the Assembly Complex - A proposal to expand the Assembly Complex to allow for more rockets to be constructed simultaneously has hit your desk. This will significantly up your launch cadence, you are told, and allow for multiple rocket programs to be run in parallel, as well as future proofing you somewhat against the upcoming orbital rockets. (20R per die, 0/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Operations dice, +4 to Operations)
Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Heavy Sounding Rocket) [AERO] - Your small sounding rockets are, well, they work, but they're not as high-performing as you'd like. During the Third Great War, the Empire used a thirteen-tonne rocket as a terror weapon against civilians; that rocket is, approximately, thirteen times as large as the ones you are using, and able to fly at least three times as high, based on your people's calculations. They think they can recreate the design using notes seized from the ruins of the Empire's rocket complex. (5R per die, 49/80, unlocks Heavy Sounding Rocket (and a naming vote because that's unwieldy))
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Platform) (Spaceplane Development) [AERO] - If you're going to be building spaceplanes, it would be a good idea to develop a working design to build in that hangar the spaceplane gang had wanted. Your engineers were talking about things like payload fraction and use cases and aerodynamic loading - all of which went more or less over your head but it certainly seemed they knew what they were about. (5R per die, 0/100, unlocks Prototype Spaceplane)
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Alternative Launch Systems) [AERO, PHYS] - Still more of your engineers were talking about investigating different ways of potentially getting to space. Jules Verne stuff. Big guns and space towers and the like. You didn't think them likely to work, but having the knowledge wouldn't hurt. (5R per die, 0/300, ???)
[ ] Conduct Design Studies (Early Orbital Rocket) (Phase I) [AERO, PHYS] - The design and engineering teams in Mogadishu think that they can complete the design of an Orbital Rocket. This will be a relatively more involved process than the heavy sounding rocket design, including constructing demonstrators and test articles for the tankage, the engines and the avionics, as very little is shared in common with pre-existing designs. (15R per dice, 233/300)
(Phase II) (0/300)
(Phase III) (0/300) (Unlocks Early Orbital Rocket) (2.4m diameter, 2 Payload, 35 RpD)
[ ] Advanced Concepts Office - A group of scientists and engineers have come to you asking to staff an Advanced Concepts Office, whose entire function seems to be dreaming up things you could do in space. Space stations, giant spacecraft, the works. (5R and -5 PS per die, 51/150, will occasionally provide a new Program to pursue based on brainstorming and priorities)
Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 1) [CHEM] - A group of chemists attached to the IEC came to you with a proposal to conduct an exhaustive campaign characterizing just about as many propellants as they could come up with. While expensive, and dangerous, and potentially deadly, the knowledge gained could also be invaluable for nailing down mixtures and ratios of fuels that could help the IEC achieve its objectives. (15R per dice, 0/150, unlocks fuel mixtures and further fuel development)
[ ] Tracking Station Surveys - In order to support tracking and communication with long-range and orbital rocketry and experiments, you would need a network of tracking stations placed basically across the world. A survey would be conducted to find the most opportune locations for tracking station placement, prior to construction. This could give you some leverage in the People's Forum, too. (5R per dice, 66/150, unlocks Tracking Station Construction project for Facilities)
[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 1) - Better alloys would lead to higher-performing engines and lighter rockets, you were told. All you had to do was authorize the resource expenditure to start testing materials. (15R per die, 74/150, provides access to aluminum structures)
[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) - With the weather observation program started, keeping it going is now almost a given. The returns have been very valuable for the meteorological community at large, and the PAO has received numerous calls from various localities across the globe asking for the IEC to put up instruments where they are, each hoping to reap the rewards of more accurate weather prediction. (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 14/240) (+5 PS on complete)
[ ] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) - The Science Committee at the WCC put forward the proposal to perform an All-Sky Survey, mapping the entire night sky with telescopes across the world. The first such survey, the Carte du Ciel, had never actually finished, despite starting nearly three quarters of a century ago. With advancements in photography and optics, the science teams predict that they will be able to perform the task… in roughly a decade. First, though, you needed to wrangle observatories… (10R per die, 0/300) (+5 PS, ???)
[ ] Big Ear - The scientists working for the IEC have latched on to the opening the new broadcast regulations have given them, and are clamoring for funding to construct a radio telescope in a remote part of Africa. It might need a bit of infrastructure run out to it, and probably a security force of some sort to dissuade partisans, but it looked doable. Personally, you thought it was also a good excuse to help electrify somewhere that needed it. (20R per die; At least 1 dice must be Facilities, 0/300) (+1 Electrification and Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, +2 to PHYS)
[ ] Nuclear Power Studies - You now had a rather absurd amount of nuclear infrastructure making its way to Mogadishu. This included a number of nuclear physicists, some of whom had very big names, coming to join the IEC. While the world was still scarred by the horror of the atom's splitting, it was possible to use the technology for peaceful purposes - the IEC just had to show them. (15R per die, 0/400) (-15PS on completion) (Opens further nuclear research)
Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
Political
[ ] Branching Out - Now that you've got a much bigger Facilities department, you can afford to branch out into other locations. The only catch is, you have to get buyoff from the local communities around wherever you want to put a new facility. You'll need to devote personal time and Cooperative resources to getting this done. (10R per dice, 0/150)
[] Write-in location
[ ] Bothering Councilors - The year's budget is set, but next year's is very much not. You can influence investment priorities if you want to apply enough political pressure to the right people to convince them to fund, say, better roads out of Mogadishu… elementary and secondary schools in Africa… that kind of thing. (-10 PS, roll a quality dice to give options for influencing infrastructure funding, triggers subvote)
[ ] There is Power in a Union - The PAO says you should expand your physical footprint so more people can interact with the IEC. It sounds like a great idea, but to do that you'll need to contract another construction worker's union. (0/100, 5R per dice, -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls) (UNAVAILABLE UNTIL Q1 1953)
Outreach
[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) - The first phase of Rocket Box deployment has been a rousing success, and your Public Affairs Office wants to keep up the momentum by shifting their focus to Asia and Oceania. The rocket motors will likely still be made near Mogadishu, but they plan to contact workshops across those two regions to supply everything else. (5R per die, 140/350. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Australia and New Zealand. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
[ ] Rocket Reels - The test footage the IEC produces for scientific value can be easily copied and turned into high-octane spectacle for the purposes of swaying the public's opinion and imagination. The best part is, the more rocket launches you do, the better your reels get. (5R per die, 0/120, gain a coinflip for 1 additional Political Support per quarter; successful rocket launches give you an additional coin flip for each launch.)
Sorry for the long delay and the small amount of personal content in this one. Not having a great time.
