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Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)

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Drieder said:
This seems like a trap that will lead to Councilors asking for some truly outrageous bullshit.
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If you oversell what you can do (like, specifically you, negotiating with them at WCs) then yes, absolutely they will. Doubly so if you pull it off.

This is basically like NASA's actual PR department advising on movies and handing out grants for/hiring/commissioning people who make good science fiction to do pieces for the agency.

Wouldn't call that a trap though. More 'well well well! if it isn't the consequences of my own actions -" :V
 
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Tentative:

[ ] Plan Rocketman

Operations (3 dice, +3 bonus)
-[ ] [1 launch] Launch an R-1 Beden (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
-[ ] Construct an R-2 Gale - 1 die, 20R (20R per dice, 13/45, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
-[ ] Construct an R-3 Snow - 2 dice, 50R (25R 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 (5 dice, +5 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
-[ ] Construct a Hangar Complex and Runway - 3 dice, 60R (20R per die, 29/250, +2 Operations dice, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes, launching and landing air and spacecraft)
-[ ] Build a Scientific Complex - 2 dice, 50R (25R per die, 363/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
--[ ] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]

Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[ ] Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS, FUEL] - 3 dice, 45R (15R per dice) (Phase II) (257/300)

Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] - 3 dice, 30R (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 14/240) (+5 PS on complete)

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[ ] There is Power in a Union - 3 dice, 15R (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
 
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I'm ambivalent on if we should build a R-1, R-2 or a R-3. On one hand, the R-3 will give us more practice for the orbital launches. On the other, every two small launches (on average) gives us +1 PS _every turn_. The R-2, meanwhile, is useful for weather studies (which may not actually be useful).

IMO, we should do 3 dice on hangar and 2 on science complex. Likewise, I'd put everything on EOR2.

Science is going to be an area where we can really branch out. We've got propellant research (good for improving our methalox a tad, and for when we need the inevitable hypergolics/monoprops for OMS and RCS). I think we should wait until we get the matsci complex up to do MR4, just to makle best use of our bonuses. Supersonic jet research, likewise, should wait for the wind tunnel. Weather Studies 4 is a reasonable option, but it'd require us building a R-2, and it doesn't give us much in short-term rewards; +5 PS is peanuts compared to what we'd get from rocket reel-maximizing, so the only benefit is for the eventual weather satellites. All Sky Survey and Big Ear are neat "we're advancing pure science" programs. The most contentious pick, I suspect, would be going for nuclear studies - it'll be quite useful long term to have a Kilopower equivalent, and it gives us a nice +4 to PHYS, but -15 PS is a bit of a hit and it's a costly program.

For politics, I think we should throw two at Power in a Union. It's the best option for improving our bonuses, and looking forwards, the more facilities dice we have, the easier it'll be to maintain a rapid launch tempo. I think Creative Sponsorships will be useful in getting interest once we get past the initial weather/communications satellite hump of "this is why we're useful to humankind", and Bothering Councillors should be done next turn in advance of the big meeting. Eng and Science dice are important, but I think they're less valuable than the facilities +5. Rocket Boxes can wait, especially if we hope to promise it as a 1954 goal.

Edit: A possible plan:
* 2 dice into a R-3 and 1 into a R-1, to try and maximize those +PS/t coinflips.
* 3 dice into hangar, 2 into matsci complex
* 3 dice into EOR
* 3 dice into nuclear power studies, as a treat
* 2 dice to try and finish power in a union one more time, 1 into engineering job fair.
 
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I really think we ought to do some exploration of fuel types. After all, while Kerelox is dense and Hydrolox is pure and ethanox is simple and easy to dilute with water to make it easy on rockets, there are other fuels. Some of them (hypergols) are even very useful things.
 
Vehrec said:
I really think we ought to do some exploration of fuel types. After all, while Kerelox is dense and Hydrolox is pure and ethanox is simple and easy to dilute with water to make it easy on rockets, there are other fuels. Some of them (hypergols) are even very useful things.
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I'll go break out of my copy of 'Ignition'. Who wants to try boron additives?
 
always_confused said:
I've been terrified of asking from ever since I started reading the quest, but I can't contain it any longer...what is a Rocket Box?
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Here's where they first showed up:
Shadows said:
[] Outreach Program (Rolled 98+10=108) 98/40

The Public Affairs Office hit the ground sprinting.

Before the paint was even finished in their new office space, the former PR guys had barnstormed your science and engineering crews, trying to find out 'Hey, what would have made you, as a kid, excited about space?' Then they went to the clerks, the librarians, the janitors, the technicians, asking them the same question, and others.

Then, they put together what they termed, "the Rocket Box".

Each of them was a repurposed wooden weapons crate from the demilitarization lockers, already heavy and stout for transit, in which could be found dozens of half-meter cardboard tubes, pre-cut cardboard fins, nosecones, pre-packed black powder rocket motors and twelve-gauge steel rods for guiding the rockets. Instructions, too, were printed and sent with the crates, along with illustrated prints of fantastic rocket ships out of science fiction, with blurbs describing facts that would amaze young minds - the furthest star known, what a galaxy was and how big it was, and so on. Once packed, the crates went to schools around the world, starting in Africa and working their way out from there.

Their focus wasn't just on the kids, however. The PAO designed leaflets for the adults, extolling the virtues of space, and was in early draft on a short television series that would lay out a vision of the future the IEC would like to usher in - once you had that mapped out, of course.

They also acquired the services of one Walter Cronkite, who agreed to be the IEC's first choice for any televised rocket launches. A respected journalist, Cronkite was currently anchoring news broadcasts in the New England area.

(+5 Political Support, gain Public Affairs Office (PAO), gain Outreach actions, Future ???)
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Shadows said:
If you oversell what you can do (like, specifically you, negotiating with them at WCs) then yes, absolutely they will. Doubly so if you pull it off.

This is basically like NASA's actual PR department advising on movies and handing out grants for/hiring/commissioning people who make good science fiction to do pieces for the agency.

Wouldn't call that a trap though. More 'well well well! if it isn't the consequences of my own actions -" :V
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I mean, are we going to be able to control what degree of overselling would be involved in that program? :p
 
Okay, crunched some numbers, did a bit of math, here's what I'm thinking of. Nuclear studies gives +4 to PHYS, and I'd point out that PHYS is showing up in a lot of key places. We probably won't finish it in time, but when we design our second-generation satellite, it'll be useful to have. I chose the R-1s because they're cheaper; 3 dice on a R-3 puts us over our budget cap by 10 R, while this is 20 R below, giving us room to play next month.

Total cost is 245.

[] Plan: A bit of nuclear power for dessert
-[] (3 dice) Construct an R-1 Snow (15R per dice, 3/35, 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) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
-[] (3 dice) Construct a Hangar Complex and Runway (20R per die, 29/250, +2 Operations dice, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes, launching and landing air and spacecraft)
-[] (1 die) Construct a Wind Tunnel (10R per die, 37/80, +3 to projects labeled AERO)
-[] (1 die) Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die, 363/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region
--[] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]
-[] (3 dice) Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS, FUEL] (15R per die, 257/300 (Phase II), 0/300 (Phase III))
-[] (3 dice) Nuclear Power Studies [PHYS] (15R per die, 0/400) (-15PS on completion, +4 to PHYS) (Opens further nuclear research)
-[] Engineering Job Fair - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
-[] (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)
 
Ah, I was over-budget.

[ ] Plan Rocketman v1.5

Operations (3 dice, +3 bonus)
-[ ] Construct an R-1 Beden - 2 dice, 30R (15R per dice, 3/35, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] [2 launches] 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 - 1 die, 25R (25R 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 (5 dice, +5 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
-[ ] Construct a Hangar Complex and Runway - 3 dice, 60R (20R per die, 29/250, +2 Operations dice, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes, launching and landing air and spacecraft)
-[ ] Build a Scientific Complex - 2 dice, 50R (25R per die, 363/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
--[ ] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]

Engineering (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[ ] Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS, FUEL] - 3 dice, 45R (15R per dice) (Phase II) (257/300)

Science (3 dice, +6 Bonus to All)
-[ ] Weather Studies (Phase 4) [PHYS] - 3 dice, 30R (10R per die, requires a 2-Stage Sounding Rocket, requires Mobile Launch Operations, 14/240) (+5 PS on complete)

Politics (3 dice, +10 bonus, reroll 1 failure per turn)
-[ ] There is Power in a Union - 3 dice, 15R (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn and -5 PS on completion. Gain +1 Facilities dice, +5 to Facilities rolls)
 
[ ] 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, ???)
i can't wait for all the funny ideas from this when it happens.
Also, I wonder if starting research into the satellite we're sending up now, as opposed to after we're done with rocket design; wouldn't help with the final result. At least narratively if not mechanically.
 
C_Z said:
Okay, crunched some numbers, did a bit of math, here's what I'm thinking of. Nuclear studies gives +4 to PHYS, and I'd point out that PHYS is showing up in a lot of key places. We probably won't finish it in time, but when we design our second-generation satellite, it'll be useful to have. I chose the R-1s because they're cheaper; 3 dice on a R-3 puts us over our budget cap by 10 R, while this is 20 R below, giving us room to play next month.

Total cost is 245.

[] Plan: A bit of nuclear power for dessert
-[] (3 dice) Construct an R-1 Snow (15R per dice, 3/35, 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) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
--[] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you) (Unlocks Weather Observation Campaigns)
-[] (3 dice) Construct a Hangar Complex and Runway (20R per die, 29/250, +2 Operations dice, allows constructing spaceplane prototypes, launching and landing air and spacecraft)
-[] (1 die) Construct a Wind Tunnel (10R per die, 37/80, +3 to projects labeled AERO)
-[] (1 die) Build a Scientific Complex (25R per die, 363/450, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region
--[] Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (MATSCI) [Korolev]
-[] (3 dice) Conduct Design Studies (R-4 Dawn) (Phase II) [AERO, PHYS, FUEL] (15R per die, 257/300 (Phase II), 0/300 (Phase III))
-[] (3 dice) Nuclear Power Studies [PHYS] (15R per die, 0/400) (-15PS on completion, +4 to PHYS) (Opens further nuclear research)
-[] Engineering Job Fair - (0/150, 5R per dice, -5R per turn on completion. Gain +1 Engineering dice)
-[] (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)
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I'm gonna remind you that people literally just survived nuclear war and were not super happy we got the nuclear material.

We have zero need for it right now when we have an orbital rocket promise to keep. More importantly, for at least a few more years (maybe a little less, maybe more), it's actively detrimental to our image.
 
C_Z said:
Okay, crunched some numbers, did a bit of math, here's what I'm thinking of. Nuclear studies gives +4 to PHYS, and I'd point out that PHYS is showing up in a lot of key places. We probably won't finish it in time, but when we design our second-generation satellite, it'll be useful to have. I chose the R-1s because they're cheaper; 3 dice on a R-3 puts us over our budget cap by 10 R, while this is 20 R below, giving us room to play next month.

Total cost is 245.
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Strunkriidiisk said:
-[ ] Construct an R-1 Beden - 2 dice, 30R (15R per dice, 3/35, costs 1 Build Capacity until complete)
--[] [2 launches] And launch it (free action for Sounding Rockets) (gains Scientific Data, launch experience, results to show the people funding you)
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We just produced 5 rockets and launched only 2, so actually we can do launches without immediatly building new ones.
 
pbluekan said:
I'm gonna remind you that people literally just survived nuclear war and were not super happy we got the nuclear material.

We have zero need for it right now when we have an orbital rocket promise to keep. More importantly, for at least a few more years (maybe a little less, maybe more), it's actively detrimental to our image.
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Yeah, that's the point. We know it's a -15 hit, we can easily eat that when we're about to get a big windfall from reaching orbit (presumably). However, the longer we go between the wartime nuclear programs and nuclear programs that are actually beneficial to society, the larger the loss of talent due to people switching careers. If we wait a few years until people stop thinking about it, there might not be be nearly as many nuclear physicists left.
10ebbor10 said:
We just produced 5 rockets and launched only 2, so actually we can do launches without immediatly building new ones.
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The choice of the smaller rockets is because putting those dice on a R-3 puts us over-budget, and there's not a lot of stuff we can do thta's cheap enough. We could do weather studies instead of another science task, which'd put us at 245 as well, but the reward for that is a measly +5 PS at once, and we'll get more from the rocket reel bonus of doing a lot of R-1 launches.
 
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