One thing to consider is that we presumably have a decent amount of weapons-grade U235 kicking around and can make MOX fuel with the Pu from warheads, so the proliferation concerns from IRL are less significant for us in the short term.
Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)
- Thread starter Shadows
- Start date
- Original
One thing to consider is that we presumably have a decent amount of weapons-grade U235 kicking around and can make MOX fuel with the Pu from warheads, so the proliferation concerns from IRL are less significant for us in the short term.
Vote closed
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
Time to make the Social Democrats hate us. The only bone we threw them is once again not pursuing space plane research.
Maybe we can go for space planes next year if we get time to build all the infrastructure required for them.
Maybe we can go for space planes next year if we get time to build all the infrastructure required for them.
- Location
- The great frozen north
Hmm speaking of nuclear ideas, our isotope facility fully unlocks in Q1 1954. So we probably should at least start Nuclear Power studies throughout 1953 so that we don't enter the new year with absolutely zero idea what to do with it.
Side note: Don't isotope separation facilities require truly massive amounts of power to run with period tech? That's gonna be a bit tricky for the Horn's power grid.
Side note: Don't isotope separation facilities require truly massive amounts of power to run with period tech? That's gonna be a bit tricky for the Horn's power grid.
10ebbor10
DON'T PANIC
- Location
- Present
Yeah, gasseous diffusion is a very power hungry technology.
You need thousands of cascades of semi-permeable membrames, each filtering the uranium a tiny, tiny bit. Between each stage, the gas needs to be recompressed, which causes heating, which needs cooling, which further drives up the energy cost.
That said, we're going to be running a research reactor at best. No power. reactors and no mass production of nuclear warheads. So, the energy useage should not be that excessive.
That said, we don't even know if we are using gaseous diffusion in this universe. The US was working on centrifuges in the Manhattan project, they just cancelled development because they felt other methods would get a result faster. This got them stuck on the diffusion train, while the Soviet Union did centrifuges. Heck, that decision still dominates the uranium markets, with Russia having major power because of it's soviet experience.
We know that nuclear technology was more advanced in this era, as evidenced by the greater number of nuclear warheads deployed by both sides. So it's possible that both sides developped managed to hit on centrifuges.
(My omake depicts a terrible terrible breeder reactor instead, which needs no enrichement because it runs on raw uranium and human blood).
We don't need enriched uranium for our our reactors if we aren't planning on large-scale deployment of our reactors (which, again, aside from memes isn't something I'm particularly for). Pu-239, which we have an abundance of in the form of all those bombs in demil lockers (if we aren't too late), can be burnt as fuel in a nuclear reactor. For running small research reactors and powering spacecraft, that should hopefully be enough.
This makes me very happy for very silly reasons. Thanks everyone.- Location
- USA
They kinda already didn't like us. Not having their support won't change our position in congress much.
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
Last congress we actually made gains with them. But really them being our enemies was inevitable given that they're the remnants of the former governments. And they continuously want promises to not pursue rocketry and space planes.
- Location
- The great frozen north
...and said requests are mainly brought on by butthurt since they don't want to see the reds doing better at rockets than the pre-war order.
Thanks for the run-down on historical Uranium enrichment develolpment. Your knowledge on nuclear stuff is a great boon to fleshing out this quest. Just how much less power-hungry is a 1945 centrifuge system than a gas diffusion system?
Aside from the USA and the Holy Roman Empire, it is unclear if any other power got nukes. And Germany is confirmed to use your unenriched continuous flow breeder abomination. So the USA or someone else (Tube Alloys?) could have stumbled on centrifuges. Or we could really be stuck on gas diffusion.
Production was definitely high though. We know that "over twenty cities" got nuked, and aside from the one we briefly had there were still "a lot more bombs" available if we were stupid enough to ask for them. I'm guessing low-mid double digits. I infer, partly based on the omake, that both powers were stockpiling for a second exchange before the HRE collapsed and ended the 3rd Great War.
War, war, bombs, war, this is a grim thing to talk about. This quest often got hyped as the one other planquest where we're not at war, surviving a war, preparing for war, or working as a subordinate to some Caligula. Now we find ourselves having to support a way against insane reactionary FAScists. I'm really hoping this subsides relatively quick, and we can preserve our pacifist nature by going no further than spying launches.
- Location
- an unseen void
- Pronouns
- Any
I got the impression it was more "they don't want to see the reds to re militarize."
10ebbor10
DON'T PANIC
- Location
- Present
I don't have stats for 1945 style systems.
I do know that the difference between a modern gasseous diffusion system and a modern centrifuge system is about 40 fold. But that's the Zippe type centrifuge, developed in the Soviet Union and then introduced in the west via returning captured german scientists. The US's version during the Manhattan project was more primitive.
The George Besse Facility (now closed and replaced with centrifuges) in France, which enriches their uranium, basically had it's own dedicated nuclear power plant.
There's always room for 2 terrible ideas in one nuclear program. The US maintained gasseous diffusion and (sane-ish) breeders at the same time.
- Location
- Lake Wobegon
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Whereas I get the impression that they'd quite like the Reds to keep losing to partisans like the Free Staters.
- Location
- an unseen void
- Pronouns
- Any
lol that's not not what I said but...yes, absolutely
neutronium95
Mad Rocketeer
- Location
- The test site
- Pronouns
- She/Her
How safe could a nuclear power plant be made with 1950's era technology? I know that many early plants were intended to produce material for nuclear weapons, in addition to electricity, but I don't know to what extent that informed the design of the reactor, and what effects those changes had on the safety of those reactors.
10ebbor10
DON'T PANIC
- Location
- Present
You are asking the wrong question. The right question is, how unsafe can we make it.
Consider the Magnox reactor. Pride of the British Nuclear Industry. First commercial nuclear power plant. Capable of running on unenriched uranium, while also producing weaponizable plutonium.
So safe, that we don't even have to build a secondary containment structure. This does of course mean that various components such as boilers and gas ducting are directly exposed to the outside, but the public can handle a little bit of direct gamma ray and neutron shine.
Capable of online refuelling so that power production need not be interrupted and weapon material production is easy, were it not for the fact that the refuelling machine easily breaks down in a high temperature, high radiation environment.
Safe Magnox cladding to contain the radioactive material, with the unfortunate side effect that magnox becomes increasingly reactive the higher the temperature is, and also corrodes easily in the presence of water.
These days, there's only 1 operational Magnox reactor left, because someone decided it was a good idea to give one to North Korea.
And really, the Magnox reactors weren't even the worst of the lot.
January 12th, 1953//Q1 1953
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[ ] Plan: A Rapid Launch Tempo
-[ ] [FUND] 1%
Ops:
-[ ] Conduct 4 Spy Rocket Launches in North America (+5 PS, Int(D) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor, SDL moves 2d5 steps towards Oppose) (Military)
-[ ] Conduct 4 Spy Rocket Launches (+5 PS, UWF moves 2d5 steps towards Favor, SDL moves 2d5 steps towards Oppose)
Facilities:
-[ ] Build a scientific facility in Eastern Europe by Q4 1954 (+5PS) (Int(M-L) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] Only produce military items in colonized nations (+5 PS, CPAL moves 2d5 steps towards Favor) (overrides Steps if otherwise indicated by other options) (Military)
-[ ] Employ 10 dice worth of Facilities and Operations personnel by 1954Q1 (+5 PS, FWW moves 2d5 steps towards Favor per project completion)
Engineering:
-[ ] Establish the Advanced Concepts Office (+5 PS, Int(C) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor)
Science:
-[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 3) (+5 PS, FWW moves 2d10 steps towards Favor)
Political:
-[ ] Complete Rocket Reels (+5 PS) (Int(M-L) moves 1d5 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] Share the schematics for the Stormchaser with the UWF (+5PS, Int(D) and UWF move 3d10 towards Favor, CPAL moves 2d10 Oppose and SDL moves 4d10 towards Oppose)
-[ ] Share the schematics for the R-1 Beden with the UWF (+5 PS, Int(D) and UWF move 3d10 towards Favor, CPAL moves 2d10 Oppose and SDL moves 4d10 towards Oppose)
-[ ] Do not pursue Spaceplane research (+5 PS, SDL moves 2d10 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] [GRAD] Facilities
-[ ] [FUND] 1%
Ops:
-[ ] Conduct 4 Spy Rocket Launches in North America (+5 PS, Int(D) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor, SDL moves 2d5 steps towards Oppose) (Military)
-[ ] Conduct 4 Spy Rocket Launches (+5 PS, UWF moves 2d5 steps towards Favor, SDL moves 2d5 steps towards Oppose)
Facilities:
-[ ] Build a scientific facility in Eastern Europe by Q4 1954 (+5PS) (Int(M-L) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] Only produce military items in colonized nations (+5 PS, CPAL moves 2d5 steps towards Favor) (overrides Steps if otherwise indicated by other options) (Military)
-[ ] Employ 10 dice worth of Facilities and Operations personnel by 1954Q1 (+5 PS, FWW moves 2d5 steps towards Favor per project completion)
Engineering:
-[ ] Establish the Advanced Concepts Office (+5 PS, Int(C) moves 2d5 steps towards Favor)
Science:
-[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 3) (+5 PS, FWW moves 2d10 steps towards Favor)
Political:
-[ ] Complete Rocket Reels (+5 PS) (Int(M-L) moves 1d5 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] Share the schematics for the Stormchaser with the UWF (+5PS, Int(D) and UWF move 3d10 towards Favor, CPAL moves 2d10 Oppose and SDL moves 4d10 towards Oppose)
-[ ] Share the schematics for the R-1 Beden with the UWF (+5 PS, Int(D) and UWF move 3d10 towards Favor, CPAL moves 2d10 Oppose and SDL moves 4d10 towards Oppose)
-[ ] Do not pursue Spaceplane research (+5 PS, SDL moves 2d10 steps towards Favor)
-[ ] [GRAD] Facilities
You hadn't quite been able to bring yourself to read the paper much these last few days, simply because the news in them was depressing. Being up to date on current events was something you prided yourself on, but there had just come a time when it was too much. The IEC was never going to be able to be much help on the scale the UWF and the North Americans needed, and you hadn't been willing to stain the Cooperative with the act of trying beyond the very, very minimum. The defense forces had gotten themselves the design for the Stormchaser and a solid-fueled Beden that they could use for anything needing a payload of less than fifteen kilograms, and you just hoped that everything else they needed they could do themselves.
Wrangling the rest of the Council after that had been… an adventure, especially with the funding increase you'd asked for. It wasn't much in the grand scheme of things, but it was still more resources than the IEC had ever had before - by a lot. But, you'd said the right things to the right people, made a few promises you had full intentions of delivering on (some of which you'd planned on directing the IEC to pursue anyway), and come out with far more support than you'd walked in with. You still had some new-organization grace left to you, apparently. People were willing to overlook a failure to deliver, for now…
In other news, you'd returned to Mogadishu to find a letter on your desk from the unions, informing you of their decision to implement a provision against shock labor into their contracts, effective immediately. They weren't asking for more pay or anything - they simply didn't want to be used as Stakhanovites. Apparently some of their more recent additions had come from Russia, and had been a part of Soviet labor brigades. You'd shrugged and acquiesced - after all, it wasn't as if the IEC had used them as such yet. Better to have such a clause in the contract early.
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
FRANKFURT - Ground has been broken on the rebuilding of the Gender Studies Institute, where prior to the Third Great War much research had been done into the phenomena of sexuality and gender dysphoria. The reconstruction of the facility comes after reconstruction crews discovered the records of the old building mostly intact inside sealed cabinets in the basement…
MEDITERRANEAN SEA - The Empress of the Holy Roman Empire's plane, lost in the sea after being shot down by Aretas Abdul during the revolution, has been brought up from the depths after fishermen discovered it by catching one of the wings with a net…
SEATTLE - A freak snowstorm has devastated the Pacific Northwest, bringing uncommon cold and snowfall to the seaward side…
MOGADISHU - The IEC has been rumored to be working on its first orbital rocket, capable of flying into space, at its Mogadishu facility, inside sources say. The current operating name appears to be 'Dawn', in reference to the rocket representing the dawn of Earth's spaceflight capability...
Resources:
300 (+225R/turn)
75 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
Objectives of the World Communal Council
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (12000/200000)
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
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (12000/200000)
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
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)
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 1954):
Conduct 4 Recon Rocket launches in North America
Conduct 4 Recon Rocket launches (anywhere)
Build a scientific facility in Eastern Europe by Q4 1954
Employ 10 dice worth of Facilities and Operations personnel by 1954Q1
Establish the Advanced Concepts Office
Conduct Materials Research (Phase 3)
Complete Rocket Reels
Only produce military items in colonized nations
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)
-[] And do a recon launch in the North American conflict (gains launch experience)
[] 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)
[] Construct an R-3 Snow - The Heavy Sounding Rocket, now known as the Snow, is ready for construction. You don't have anywhere to launch it from yet, but hopefully by the time the rocket is finished you will… (20R per dice, 0/80, 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) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
Facilities (4 dice, +0 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
[ ] 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, +1 Operations Dice)
[ ] 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, 24/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons, +1 Operations Dice)
[ ] 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, 37/80, +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, changes 2 Operations dice to 1 Program Slot, +4 to Operations and Programs, +1 Build Capacity)
[ ] Build a Scientific Complex - While there are a significant number of people within the IEC who want to keep the Cooperative's footprint confined to Mogadishu - at least for now - there is definitely an argument to be made for building dedicated facilities in other locations to build up buy-in from the rest of the world by providing them something tangible in return. One of those ideas is for a dedicated Scientific Complex, dedicated to a particular discipline, much like the Soviet closed cities - just not closed. This has the potential to greatly increase your scientific output and your political sway at the same time. (25R per die, 0/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
-[] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]
-[] Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (AERO)
-[] Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (PROP)
-[] Beijing Institute for Chemical Research (CHEM)
-[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS)
-[] Mombasa Computer Science Institute (COMP)
-[] New Delhi Institute for Physics (PHYS)
[ ] Tracking Station Construction (Phase I) - The first stage of Tracking Stations rolls out the facilities along the equator as best as possible where land exists, and deals with constructing the first of the fleet of tracking vessels the IEC will need to cover all those thousands of square kilometers where there is no land to be had. Thanks to the decision to use converted warships for the base of the tracking vessels, the process will be somewhat quicker, though also more expensive. (30R per die, 0/400, adds equatorial tracking for rocket launches)
Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
[ ] 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 (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS] - The initial design and engineering challenges have been tackled, an engine has been made that meets requirements, and now it's time to begin testing the tankage that will serve as the main structure and fuel supply for the IEC's orbital rocket pathfinder. (15R per dice, 18/300)
(Phase III) (0/300) (Unlocks Early Orbital Rocket) (2.4m diameter, 2 Payload, 35 RpD)
[ ] Balloon Tanks - A curious phenomenon has been observed with the use of stainless steel for tankage. If made very thin, it is flimsy - but if the material is then appropriately pressurized, it regains significant structural strength, saving greatly on weight at the cost of being much more expensive to manufacture. This could be ideal for some applications that the IEC has in mind where cost is not an issue while performance is, but needs further testing beforehand. (15R per dice, 0/200, unlocks balloon tankage for use in later rockets)
[ ] 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)
[ ] Conduct Materials Research (Phase 2) - Better alloys would lead to higher-performing engines and lighter rockets, you were told. Some preliminary research had already been done into the subject, giving you a much-improved set of materials with which to build your rockets and engines out of, but there was much more that could be done. (20R per die, 2/200, provides access to improved 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
[ ] 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)
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, 280/350. 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.)
Personnel
[ ] Engineering Job Fair - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
[ ] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Science dice)
[ ] There is Power in a Union - The PAO says you should expand your physical footprint so more people can interact with the IEC. Preparations and initial expansions have already been made, but your facilities unions need more able bodies to do more with. (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
As always, a 6 hour moratorium on votes.
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- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: High Energy Sausage Making
Operations (2 dice, +3 bonus)
-[X] (2 Dice) Construct an R-1 Beden (10R per dice, 0/35, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] (2 Launches) And do a recon launch in the North American conflict (gains launch experience)
I want to get ahead of the recon launch promise by doing two in the first turn so that we have a buffer for the future.
Facilities (4 dice, +0 bonus)
-[X] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site (15R per die, 24/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons, +1 Operations Dice)
-[X] (3 Dice) Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die, 0/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
--[X] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]
The HSR pad is likely to complete with one dice, leaving three to fulfill our promise to both Korolev and the Council. It's a fairly sizable project, so best get started right away.
Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS] (15R per dice, 18/300)
-[X] (2 Dice) Advanced Concepts Office (5R and -5 PS per die, 51/150, will occasionally provide a new Program to pursue based on brainstorming and priorities)
Two dice on ACO to hopefull complete it, fulfilling our promise and unlocking goodies (reusable rockets, gimmegimmegimeee).
One dice on continuing Dawn development. Might close out phase 1 on a good roll.
One dice to continue Dawn development.
Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[X] (3 Dice) Conduct Materials Research (Phase 2) (20R per die, 2/200, provides access to aluminum structures)
We promised to do this, so let's get cracking.
Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) (5R per die, 280/350. 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.)
-[X] (2 Dice) There is Power in a Union (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
We may have failed to complete rocket boxes on time, but we should still close it out as a gesture of good faith to the councillors we promised it to last year.
Rocket Reels because we promised to, and because our launch tempo is set to only increase!
Power in a Union to increase our facilities dice first, so that we can build a runway while working on Dneipro next turn.
HSR Pad + Runway would gtive us 2 Ops dice, power in a Union 1 Facilitiews Dice. We just need to repeat Power in a Union once after this to fulfill our promise.
Total R spent: 210
Operations (2 dice, +3 bonus)
-[X] (2 Dice) Construct an R-1 Beden (10R per dice, 0/35, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[X] (2 Launches) And do a recon launch in the North American conflict (gains launch experience)
I want to get ahead of the recon launch promise by doing two in the first turn so that we have a buffer for the future.
Facilities (4 dice, +0 bonus)
-[X] Construct a Heavy Sounding Rocket launch site (15R per die, 24/60, allows launch of the Heavy Sounding Rocket and theoretical derivatives up to 30 tons, +1 Operations Dice)
-[X] (3 Dice) Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die, 0/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
--[X] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]
The HSR pad is likely to complete with one dice, leaving three to fulfill our promise to both Korolev and the Council. It's a fairly sizable project, so best get started right away.
Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[X] Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS] (15R per dice, 18/300)
-[X] (2 Dice) Advanced Concepts Office (5R and -5 PS per die, 51/150, will occasionally provide a new Program to pursue based on brainstorming and priorities)
Two dice on ACO to hopefull complete it, fulfilling our promise and unlocking goodies (reusable rockets, gimmegimmegimeee).
One dice to continue Dawn development.
Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[X] (3 Dice) Conduct Materials Research (Phase 2) (20R per die, 2/200, provides access to aluminum structures)
We promised to do this, so let's get cracking.
Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase 3) (5R per die, 280/350. 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.)
-[X] (2 Dice) There is Power in a Union (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
We may have failed to complete rocket boxes on time, but we should still close it out as a gesture of good faith to the councillors we promised it to last year.
Power in a Union to increase our facilities dice first, so that we can build a runway while working on Dneipro next turn.
HSR Pad + Runway would gtive us 2 Ops dice, power in a Union 1 Facilitiews Dice. We just need to repeat Power in a Union once after this to fulfill our promise.
Total R spent: 210
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- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
[ ] Engineering Job Fair - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
[ ] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Science dice)
these do not sound like bad idea`s. maybe not right now but still.
[ ] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Science dice)
these do not sound like bad idea`s. maybe not right now but still.
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Phase 1 is done, I just derped when updating everything and missed that. You have 18/300 on Phase 2.
- Location
- The great frozen north
Thank fuck, one regard in which this world is not a more cursed timeline than OTL. And at least the Holy Roman Empire was not quite as reactionary as OTL's Nazi Germany, though that is an extremely low bar to clear.
Being North America is suffering.
Anyways, put a dice on Rocket Boxes. Let's at least finish it late.
Can we launch a Heavy Sounding Rocket this turn if we also finish the launch site?
[ ] Build a Scientific Complex is interesting. Dnipro is obviously useful, but we have 8 years to fulfil Korolev's deadline so we could easily build another complex first if we feel we need something other than MATSCI urgently.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
We also promised to build Dnipro this year to the Council.
Next year, actually, but why wait?
- Location
- the Republic
- Pronouns
- He/They
Note that we need to acquire a total of 5 Operations and/or Facilities dice before the end of the year, and while I like most of CyberEnby's plan, it doesn't start the fairly lengthy process we'll need to begin racking them up in either category. Completing the dice-adders early will also assist us in completing our other promises down the line, whereas projects like Rocket Reels don't add to our output (despite being very good and useful and a promise we made).
- Location
- The great frozen north
My bad! Sorry.