- Pronouns
- She/Her
The Orbital Ring is the way to go there, because you can do intercontinental trains in space and solar power collectors to offset costs.
Per Aspera (Space Agency Plan Quest)
- Thread starter Shadows
- Start date
- Original
The Orbital Ring is the way to go there, because you can do intercontinental trains in space and solar power collectors to offset costs.
- Location
- USA
No, you do Tethered rings FIRST, they're smaller and easier to make and almost as good, and you can just build one all over the pacific ocean all at once and lift it from the water; Orbital Rings come after. Walk before you run, yea? Also a Tethered ring can also do all that other stuff as well, too.
Last edited:
October 1st, 1955//Q4 1955
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Your first cosmonaut class arrived at the space center on the first of October.
Your directive to the selection committee had told them to emphasize picking smaller, lighter candidates, the better to make the engineer's jobs easier for the first set of crewed launches. They, of course, had enough applications to-hand to make it happen.
First amongst them was a young woman from Japan - Reiko Riko. She had a bachelor's degree in engineering, a modicum of flight experience in light aircraft, and had tested very well in the g-force simulator. She also stood only a hundred and fifty five centimeters tall, and would have earned the addition of 'slight' to the description of her stature if she'd been any skinnier.
Second was a man from Botswana named Oluwaseyi Botha, with a runner's lithe build and the distinction of being the first man from his village to have been sent to college, where he'd charged his way through a medical doctorate and returned home to practice medicine. He was a hundred and sixty centimeters in height, had a very respectable g-tolerance, and he was, without any doubt on your part, one of the smartest people you'd ever met.
Third was a tiny Ukrainian woman - Natasya Sokolova. She was the only one of your candidates without some form of degree, though she did have a technical certification listing her as a master electrician and aircraft technician. She was also the only fighter pilot of the female candidates, and had fought for the Soviet Union in the Third Great War, achieving the status of ace of aces - and returned home to Ukraine just in time for the Revolution to break out. She was also, notably, one hundred and forty-five centimeters tall, and had the highest g-tolerance of any of the candidates.
Fourth was a man from what had been Colombia - Vicente Cordoba. He had the distinction of being the only multiple degree holder in your initial group, holding a master's in geology and another in physics. He was a hundred and sixty-four centimeters tall, the tallest of the bunch, and had an acceptable g-tolerance. It was probable that his greatest contribution to the IEC would be joining your scientific teams when he wasn't training for a space mission, but that was fine.
Fifth was an Irish woman, Deirdre Mackenzie. She held two world records for speed and distance flown in the custom two-seater aircraft she'd built for the purpose. She held a master's degree in mechanical engineering from University College Dublin, which certainly explained the aircraft. A hundred and fifty-one centimeters tall in shoes, she was also only beaten in g-tolerance by Natasya, to no one's surprise.
Sixth was a Malay woman named Anisa Wibowo. She had been one of the first crop of students to make their way through the post-Revolution college programs in that region and was also one of the first to receive their degree from the new-built university there as well, with her bachelor's degree being in biology. She had probably the lowest g-tolerance of the group, but she tested well in every other category set out for the cosmonaut candidates. She stood at one hundred and fifty-eight centimeters, making her the tallest of the women candidates.
Seventh and last, but not least, was Aretas Abdul of Egypt. He needed very, very little introduction - he was, after all, the man who'd killed the Empress of the HRE by shooting down her plane. In addition to his flight experience, he brought with him a bachelor's degree in physics, an incredible g-tolerance, and a standing height of a hundred and sixty-two centimeters. He had, at one point, also been considered for your job, and had the intervening time being one of your biggest supporters in the Council.
You weren't entirely sure about his selection, thanks to that, but he was qualified by the requirements set out, and there was nothing to be done about it now. With that out of the way, you now had nothing else to distract you from authorizing the next quarter's projects - well, nothing at the moment. You could have sworn you just heard something break…
Oh no, I hear little whispers.
Well, you had one thing distracting you, then. Time to go find out what it was.
Resources:
460R (+475R/turn + 5R/turn from Connections - 35R/turn from payroll/dice purchases = +445/turn net)
100 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
2 Curiosity-class Satellite
Scientific Advances
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +19
AVIONICS - +10
CHEM - +18
CREW - +3
COMP - +13
MATSCI - +17
PHYS - +18
PROP - +14
IEC Leadership:
Director of the IEC:
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Assistant Director of the IEC:
Sergei Korolev [The Engineer] - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request: Build and launch a 2nd Generation Orbital Rocket within 5 years. Demonstrate crewed orbital spaceflight within 5 years.]
Chief Scientist of the IEC:
Assistant Director of the Cosmonaut Assembly:
Passive Effects
Rocket Reels - Adds a coinflip for 2 gained political support per quarter; gain an additional flip for every successful orbital rocket launch. [UPGRADED]
Nuclear Power Authorization - The World Council has been successfully convinced to support the IEC conducting peaceful, power-generating nuclear experiments. (Current WC approval status: Given, Apprehensive; Current public approval status: Apprehensive)
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1956 unless otherwise stated):
Launch a Venus probe before 1960Q1. (+2 to Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre's bonus on completion) (Int(M-L)
Launch a probe to Mars by 1960Q1 (+2 to Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex's bonus on completion) (Int(D)))
Conduct Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (FWW) (Does not expire as long as the dice is locked)
Build 2 points of Industry or Electrification in the Pacific or Africa (FWW)
Operations (5 dice, +3 bonus) (1 type of Rocket may be built at a time)
Rockets
[ ] 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. (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)
[ ] 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 two years, now, and is turning into quite the reliable workhorse. (20R per dice, 19/45, 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. It's a sizeable rocket, but thankfully you have a sizeable pad to launch it from. Unfortunately, it won't ever fit on a Stormchaser. (25R per dice, 7/80, 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)
[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - The first Orbital-class rocket, the Dawn is capable of lifting 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. It may be able to do more, in time, but for now that would suffice. It can only launch on the Heavy Sounding Pad or heavier, as yet unbuilt ones. (35R per dice, 97/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete) (2 Payload Mass capacity)
-[ ] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
–[ ] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
[ ] Construct a Prototype Spaceplane -
Payloads
[ ] Construct a Payload
–[ ] Curiosity-class Satellite (20R) (1.5 Payload Mass) (lasts one quarter)
--[ ] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R) (2 Payload Mass) (2 quarter lifetime depending on mission)
Programs (0 slots available)
[ ] Activate Weather Observation Satellites (1 slot required)
[ ] Activate Sounding Rocket Programs (1 slot required) (removes Sounding Rockets from build queue)
Facilities (8 dice, +10 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
[ ] 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, 243/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Expand the Launch Complex - You have two launch pads (one of which has gone entirely unused, so far) but, soon enough, you expect to need additional pads to account for the maintenance and upgrades the existing ones will certainly need. Getting a head start on that need may be a good idea. (20R per die, 0/350, gain two 500t launch pads)
[ ] 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, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
-[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (0/450)
[ ] Build a Mission Control Center - As the IEC's operations continue to expands, it finds itself in need of additional control space dedicated to both new and ongoing missions. That control space will need significant computing capability, as well as dedicated communications links - both of which are power-hungry. The benefits, however, could be worth it. (25R per die, 0/250) (+3 to Operations) (+1 Program slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - The second stage of Tracking Stations rolls out tracking stations across the northern latitudes to better serve potential polar-orbiting satellite as best as possible where land exists. (30R per die, 94/250, adds equatorial tracking for rocket launches)
[ ] Construction and Reconstruction Support - The IEC has a fairly sizeable and very skilled Facilities department that, if desired, could be of help in rebuilding the world's ruins and advancing the state of humankind besides. This can be done with or without a promise owed to someone, and will always be a good way of improving your relationships with the people you serve. (0/250) (can be done multiple times in parallel)
-[ ] Specify Region
--[ ] Electrification (25R per dice)
--[ ] Industry (30R per dice)
--[ ] Infrastructure (20R per dice)
Engineering (6 dice, +6 Bonus to All, +3 from Research Support (1956Q1)) (2/6 Locked)
[1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - Satellites would certainly be useful for many things that you didn't want to spend precious human time on, nor deal with the constraints involved in getting them back. But, should the need arise, it would be a good idea to develop a way to get a human into space, then orbit, and back, alive. (4/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
[ ] Prototype Spaceplane - Your spaceplane enthusiasts returned to your office with another proposal, building off the back of the design studies they had undertaken through the winter of 1954. Their desire was to create a crewed 'space' plane that would be towed behind or carried underneath a carrier aircraft, be released, and activate a rocket engine that would take it up over the Karman line. It would have a multitude of sensors, of course, and would also need air supplies and likely a heated flight suit to keep the pilot alive and able to work. (0/300, 15R per dice)
[ ] Design/Redesign an Orbital Rocket - Now that our first orbital rocket has flown to space and delivered payloads, we can begin to look at what may be improved about it. We can also, if we wish, begin thinking about other, new designs. (15R) (4 turns to Design) (2 turns to Redesign) (Triggers subvote)
-[ ] Design
-[ ] Redesign (Rocket name here)
[ ] Lifting Body - Work with the Wind Tunnel and on the Spaceplane studies had revealed a new configuration for air- and spacecraft fuselage design - the concept of the lifting body, where the wing area was minimized to reduce drag at high speeds, with the body itself providing the lifting force used. While not terribly useful for aircraft, it was potentially very useful for spacecraft design. (10R per die, 30/150)
[ ] Strap-on Boosters - By utilizing additional, solid-or-liquid-fueled boosters attached to the side of a given rocket, we may be able to significantly increase its payload without needing an entirely-new rocket. (10R per dice, 0/250) (Enables the use of boosters to increase payload capacity at the cost of Progress and Resources (flat))
[ ] Multi-Stage Designs - Through the use of additional stages, we can give rockets the capability to throw payloads further out into space - potentially even interplanetary distances. (15R per turn) (2 turns) (Enables the use of third stages and up for sending payloads to geostationary orbit and beyond at the cost of Payload Mass)
[ ] Vacuum Nozzles - After having conducted several orbital flights, the engineering teams have come up with an optimization for the IEC's upper-stage engines - make them longer. Given the mechanics on which a rocket engine worked, having a longer, larger bell on the upper stage allowed for a more efficient use of the force of the rocket's exhaust, giving gains in performance for a slight gain in weight. (5R per dice, 94/200)
[ ] Impactor Designs - One of the proposed methods of probing our neighboring planets and Moon is by, quite literally, hitting them with a sizeable weight going at incredible speed and seeing what we can learn from the resulting dust plume (in the case of the Moon) or following the instrumentation's readings as they transmit on their way to impact. Or both. (10R per turn, 1 engineering dice locked, 3 turns)
[1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - Now that initial work had been completed verifying that, at the lab scale, nuclear energy could be used to generate power, now it was time to actually forward that knowledge into a practical, useful form. It would not be cheap, but, hopefully, it would be worth it. (3/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn) (Unlocks 1st Generation Terrestrial Fission Power Plants for the world, leads to Radioisotope Thermal Generators, 2nd Generation Terrestrial Fission Plants, 1st Generation Space-rated Fission Plants)
[ ] Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications Studies - A side-effect of the nuclear power studies led to several of your researchers realizing that the heat a reactor produced could be harnessed for things other than turning a turbine. By passing propellant over a reactor's core housing you would cool the core and heat the propellant alike - and the propellant would be very hot indeed, making it an attractive candidate for being flung out the back of the spacecraft at extremely high speeds. (20R per die, 0/500, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Nuclear Thermal Propulsion for spacecraft)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Science (5 dice, +6 Bonus to All, +3 from Research Support (1956Q1)) (1/5 Locked)
[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [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, 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, 3/200, unlocks fuel mixtures and further fuel development)
[ ] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 3) [AERO] - Basic testing has been completed, and interesting phenomena observed when experimenting with the engines that have been built. More can be done, of course. (15R per die, requires a completed Hangar Complex and Runway to finish, can be started without, 147/640)
[ ] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] - 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, ???)
[ ] Atomic-powered Ground Launch Concept Studies - The idea of in-space nuclear propulsion, brought down to Earth. This program would study the possibilities for using nuclear power to get from the surface to space, both directly and indirectly. (10R per die, 0/300, -5PS on start, and an additional -10 on completion)
[ ] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (2/4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
[ ] Very Long Range Communications - In order to properly communicate with probes we send out into the solar system to explore our neighboring worlds, we will need to begin studying ways to communicate more efficiently at these incredible distances. (5R per turn, 1 Science dice locked, 3 turns)
[ ] Weather Observation Satellites [PROGRAM] - By using specially-built observation satellites, the IEC can provide real- or near-real-time observation of weather phenomena across the globe. This has obvious benefits for forecasting and emergency alerting, and would be a valuable way of cementing the IEC as a permanent fixture of the Council. (25R/turn to activate, takes up a Program slot)
[ ] Closed-Input Life Support Systems - We know from high-altitude flights during the Third Great War that systems can be designed to provide breathable air and a temperature-controlled environment for high-flying pilots. By taking that knowledge and acknowledging the lack of oxygen in space from which to replenish breathable air supplies, we can design a system capable of keeping a human alive for at least a short time (days) in space with no external inputs. (10R per dice, 0/200)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Politics & Management (4 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)
[ ] Propagandize for Nuclear Power - As the IEC has gained more and more knowledge on the subject of nuclear power, it's become apparent that if you want to put this knowledge to good use for humanity, you'll need to start working against the (justified) stigma nuclear as a whole has in order to realize its full potential. (-2PS per die) (155/???)
[ ] Propagandize for Space - Now that you've gotten your first orbital class rocket (and soon your first satellite), now is the best time to start touting the benefits of space exploration and access to space to the public. You'll need to find ways of engaging everyone in the idea, and there was no better time to start than now. (5R per die) (138/???)
Outreach
[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - The fourth phase of Rocket Box deployment has completed across South America and the Pacific Islands. Next up is Europe; it needs the program probably the least of all the regions under the World Council, but it would be unadvised to not extend it anyway. New factories will be built for the motors and parts in Europe, which should ease logistics in the area. (5R per die, 0/250. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Europe. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
Personnel
[ ] Engineering Job Fair - (33/150, 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.)
[ ] The Right Stuff - With work underway on several programs that would require the services of skilled and courageous pilots, you would soon need to begin finding them so they could be integrated into the IEC - and someday, they would become your first astronauts. (75/300, 5R per dice, gain astronaut candidates)
Your directive to the selection committee had told them to emphasize picking smaller, lighter candidates, the better to make the engineer's jobs easier for the first set of crewed launches. They, of course, had enough applications to-hand to make it happen.
First amongst them was a young woman from Japan - Reiko Riko. She had a bachelor's degree in engineering, a modicum of flight experience in light aircraft, and had tested very well in the g-force simulator. She also stood only a hundred and fifty five centimeters tall, and would have earned the addition of 'slight' to the description of her stature if she'd been any skinnier.
Second was a man from Botswana named Oluwaseyi Botha, with a runner's lithe build and the distinction of being the first man from his village to have been sent to college, where he'd charged his way through a medical doctorate and returned home to practice medicine. He was a hundred and sixty centimeters in height, had a very respectable g-tolerance, and he was, without any doubt on your part, one of the smartest people you'd ever met.
Third was a tiny Ukrainian woman - Natasya Sokolova. She was the only one of your candidates without some form of degree, though she did have a technical certification listing her as a master electrician and aircraft technician. She was also the only fighter pilot of the female candidates, and had fought for the Soviet Union in the Third Great War, achieving the status of ace of aces - and returned home to Ukraine just in time for the Revolution to break out. She was also, notably, one hundred and forty-five centimeters tall, and had the highest g-tolerance of any of the candidates.
Fourth was a man from what had been Colombia - Vicente Cordoba. He had the distinction of being the only multiple degree holder in your initial group, holding a master's in geology and another in physics. He was a hundred and sixty-four centimeters tall, the tallest of the bunch, and had an acceptable g-tolerance. It was probable that his greatest contribution to the IEC would be joining your scientific teams when he wasn't training for a space mission, but that was fine.
Fifth was an Irish woman, Deirdre Mackenzie. She held two world records for speed and distance flown in the custom two-seater aircraft she'd built for the purpose. She held a master's degree in mechanical engineering from University College Dublin, which certainly explained the aircraft. A hundred and fifty-one centimeters tall in shoes, she was also only beaten in g-tolerance by Natasya, to no one's surprise.
Sixth was a Malay woman named Anisa Wibowo. She had been one of the first crop of students to make their way through the post-Revolution college programs in that region and was also one of the first to receive their degree from the new-built university there as well, with her bachelor's degree being in biology. She had probably the lowest g-tolerance of the group, but she tested well in every other category set out for the cosmonaut candidates. She stood at one hundred and fifty-eight centimeters, making her the tallest of the women candidates.
Seventh and last, but not least, was Aretas Abdul of Egypt. He needed very, very little introduction - he was, after all, the man who'd killed the Empress of the HRE by shooting down her plane. In addition to his flight experience, he brought with him a bachelor's degree in physics, an incredible g-tolerance, and a standing height of a hundred and sixty-two centimeters. He had, at one point, also been considered for your job, and had the intervening time being one of your biggest supporters in the Council.
You weren't entirely sure about his selection, thanks to that, but he was qualified by the requirements set out, and there was nothing to be done about it now. With that out of the way, you now had nothing else to distract you from authorizing the next quarter's projects - well, nothing at the moment. You could have sworn you just heard something break…
Oh no, I hear little whispers.
Well, you had one thing distracting you, then. Time to go find out what it was.
Resources:
460R (+475R/turn + 5R/turn from Connections - 35R/turn from payroll/dice purchases = +445/turn net)
100 Political Support
1 R-2 Gale
2 Curiosity-class Satellite
Objectives of the World Communal Council
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (45000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 7 (+1 in 1955Q4 from Bothering Councilors)
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 4
Eastern Asia
Education: 11
Electrification: 10
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
Western Asia
Education: 11
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 4
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 7
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 5
Partisan Activity: 3
North America
Education: 8
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 9
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 3
South America
Education: 8
Electrification: 8
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 6
Electrification: 6
Industry: 5 (LIMIT REACHED)
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Social Unrest: 1
Complete Post-War Reconstruction (45000/200000)
Defeat Partisan Forces
Department of Agriculture (5%)
-Forestry Commission
-Aquaculture and Fishing Commission
Department of Transportation (9%)
-Sea Travel Commission
-Road and Rail Commission
-Air Travel Commission
Department of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Occupational Health and Safety Administration
Department of Energy (8.2%)
Department of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (28.0%)
Department of Health and Welfare (24.5%)
Department of Education (17.2%)
Discretionary Funding (2.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.0%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
-Forestry Commission
-Aquaculture and Fishing Commission
Department of Transportation (9%)
-Sea Travel Commission
-Road and Rail Commission
-Air Travel Commission
Department of Industrial Coordination (5%)
-Occupational Health and Safety Administration
Department of Energy (8.2%)
Department of Reconstruction and Disaster Relief (28.0%)
Department of Health and Welfare (24.5%)
Department of Education (17.2%)
Discretionary Funding (2.6%)
Council Standards Commission (Negligible)
Interplanetary Exploration Cooperative (1.0%)
Antarctic Exploration Cooperative (0.1%)
(Others)
State of the World
(Updated at the end of every Quarter)
Mediterranean/Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 7
Security: 2
Partisan Activity: 3
Sub-Saharan Africa
Education: 7
Electrification: 7 (+1 in 1955Q4 from Bothering Councilors)
Industry: 6
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 4
Eastern Asia
Education: 11
Electrification: 10
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 10
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 5
Western Asia
Education: 11
Electrification: 11
Industry: 11
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 4
Australia and New Zealand
Education: 7
Electrification: 7
Industry: 7
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Europe
Education: 10
Electrification: 10
Industry: 10
Infrastructure: 11
Security: 5
Partisan Activity: 3
North America
Education: 8
Electrification: 9
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 9
Security: 6
Partisan Activity: 3
South America
Education: 8
Electrification: 8
Industry: 8
Infrastructure: 8
Security: 4
Partisan Activity: 3
Pacific Islands
Education: 6
Electrification: 6
Industry: 5 (LIMIT REACHED)
Infrastructure: 6
Security: 1
Social Unrest: 1
1 Launch Stand (0-5 tonne) (+1 Operations dice)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 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)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
Beijing Institute for Chemical Research (+7 CHEM, +1 Education in Eastern Asia)
New Delhi Institute for Physics (+9 PHYS, +1 Education in Western Asia)
Equatorial Tracking System (Provides communications and guidance across the equator)
Big Ear Radiotelescope (+2 PHYS)
Cosmonaut Training Facilities (Allows for crew and crew training)
1 Heavy Sounding Rocket Launch Pad (5-30 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)
Advanced Concepts Office (unlocks experimental new programs from time to time)
1 Wind Tunnel (+3 to AERO)
1 Flight Complex (+2 Operations dice, enables the construction and launch of air- and spaceplanes.)
Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre (+9 MATSCI, +1 Education in Europe)
Sao Paolo Aerodynamics Centre (+10 AERO, +1 Education in South America)
Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex (+7 PROP, +1 Education in North America)
Mombasa Computer Science Institute (+10 COMP, +1 Education in Sub-Saharan Africa)
Beijing Institute for Chemical Research (+7 CHEM, +1 Education in Eastern Asia)
New Delhi Institute for Physics (+9 PHYS, +1 Education in Western Asia)
Equatorial Tracking System (Provides communications and guidance across the equator)
Big Ear Radiotelescope (+2 PHYS)
Cosmonaut Training Facilities (Allows for crew and crew training)
Scientific Advances
Improved Instrumentation - Gain +1d2 bonus to a random field every 2 launches. Gain +1 to AVIONICS immediately.) (Made obsolete by First Satellite)
Regenerative Cooling - Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines.
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage 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.
Improved Stringer Alloys - New (expensive) alloys improve the performance of structural tanks. (+5 to R cost of Heavy Sounding Rockets and above)
Copper-Chrome combustion chamber alloys - New combustion chamber alloys with higher heat transfer efficiency allow for hotter (and thus more efficient) chamber temperatures, leading to the ability to produce more powerful engines. (Future rocket designs will be higher performing.)
Aluminum-Lithium monolithic tanks - New tank alloys enable lighter, higher performing tankage to be produced for new rocket designs. (Future designs that use Al-Li tankage will be more performant, but more expensive in R terms.)
First Satellite - With the launch of the Curiosity I, the IEC and the world have entered a new era of spaceflight, and the horizons of science and engineering broaden ever further. (+10PS, Improved Instrumentation bonus deactivated. Gain +1d2 bonus to a random non-CREW field per two satellite launches.)
Van Allen Belts - An area of charged particles from the Sun, trapped by Earth's magnetic field. These belts have caused several minor hiccups with the Curiosity I satellite, and given the transmitted radiation readings, care must be taken if the IEC intends to launch humans through them. Staying for any significant length of time would be... ill advised.
Inconel turbine parts - Enables higher-performance rocket engines to be constructed.
Hastelloy-N reactor parts - Enables higher-performance nuclear reactors and nuclear engines to be constructed.
Rudimentary Heat Shielding - An ablative heat shield made of a pourable elastomer laid over a resin-impregnated hemp honeycomb, rimmed with a carbon cloth that together made an effective protection against the heat of Low Earth Orbit re-entries. (Enables return of film, sample, and crewed capsules/craft)
High-Carbon Carbon Fiber Composites - Useful both for you and for general civilian industry in applications where high strength and/or high-temperature conditions are found, produced from an initial rayon feedstock. Examples: Rocket fuel tanks, airplane wings, bicycles, light boats, etc.
Turbine enamel formula - A ceramic enamel formula ideal for protecting rocket engine turbines from being attacked by their oxidizers. Enables high-performance Staged Combustion engines. (IRL: This is how the Soviets worked their space magic. It's probably also how Raptor is made.)
Isogrid/Orthogrid manufacturing - A different way of forming tankage, pressing or milling out a grid of equilateral triangles in the tank material chosen, in order to reduce its weight while maintaining compressive and lateral strength. Orthogrid is very similar, except it uses a grid of squares or rectangles. Enables higher-performing tankage, improving rocket payload performance.
Stainless Steel Mass Manufacturing - A collection of techniques and technologies centered around improving the production of stainless steel, including argon-oxygen decarburization processes (to remove sulfur and carbon), hot rolling, continuous casting, and more. Primarily good for civilian applications. Enables stainless steel tankage, stainless steel parts for use in applicable applications such as probes.
Alternative Launch Systems - A series of high-technology or infrastructure-intensive launch systems projects that may or may not come about in the future.
Lightweight Foamed Alloys - offers an expensive but potentially worthwhile method for lightening spacecraft or providing shock absorption for landings.
Aramid - an aromatic polyamide fiber that shows great promise for any application where a tear-resistant, fire-resistant, strong and elastic material would be of use. Such as spacesuits, parachutes…
Kapton - a tape-like film with excellent insulation properties for various space and ground-side applications, largely under your level of abstraction but providing a small buff to reliability for spacecraft built after 1955Q3.
Regenerative Cooling - Starts down the path to more powerful and advanced rocket engines.
Second Stages - Can now build 2-Stage 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.
Improved Stringer Alloys - New (expensive) alloys improve the performance of structural tanks. (+5 to R cost of Heavy Sounding Rockets and above)
Copper-Chrome combustion chamber alloys - New combustion chamber alloys with higher heat transfer efficiency allow for hotter (and thus more efficient) chamber temperatures, leading to the ability to produce more powerful engines. (Future rocket designs will be higher performing.)
Aluminum-Lithium monolithic tanks - New tank alloys enable lighter, higher performing tankage to be produced for new rocket designs. (Future designs that use Al-Li tankage will be more performant, but more expensive in R terms.)
First Satellite - With the launch of the Curiosity I, the IEC and the world have entered a new era of spaceflight, and the horizons of science and engineering broaden ever further. (+10PS, Improved Instrumentation bonus deactivated. Gain +1d2 bonus to a random non-CREW field per two satellite launches.)
Van Allen Belts - An area of charged particles from the Sun, trapped by Earth's magnetic field. These belts have caused several minor hiccups with the Curiosity I satellite, and given the transmitted radiation readings, care must be taken if the IEC intends to launch humans through them. Staying for any significant length of time would be... ill advised.
Inconel turbine parts - Enables higher-performance rocket engines to be constructed.
Hastelloy-N reactor parts - Enables higher-performance nuclear reactors and nuclear engines to be constructed.
Rudimentary Heat Shielding - An ablative heat shield made of a pourable elastomer laid over a resin-impregnated hemp honeycomb, rimmed with a carbon cloth that together made an effective protection against the heat of Low Earth Orbit re-entries. (Enables return of film, sample, and crewed capsules/craft)
High-Carbon Carbon Fiber Composites - Useful both for you and for general civilian industry in applications where high strength and/or high-temperature conditions are found, produced from an initial rayon feedstock. Examples: Rocket fuel tanks, airplane wings, bicycles, light boats, etc.
Turbine enamel formula - A ceramic enamel formula ideal for protecting rocket engine turbines from being attacked by their oxidizers. Enables high-performance Staged Combustion engines. (IRL: This is how the Soviets worked their space magic. It's probably also how Raptor is made.)
Isogrid/Orthogrid manufacturing - A different way of forming tankage, pressing or milling out a grid of equilateral triangles in the tank material chosen, in order to reduce its weight while maintaining compressive and lateral strength. Orthogrid is very similar, except it uses a grid of squares or rectangles. Enables higher-performing tankage, improving rocket payload performance.
Stainless Steel Mass Manufacturing - A collection of techniques and technologies centered around improving the production of stainless steel, including argon-oxygen decarburization processes (to remove sulfur and carbon), hot rolling, continuous casting, and more. Primarily good for civilian applications. Enables stainless steel tankage, stainless steel parts for use in applicable applications such as probes.
Alternative Launch Systems - A series of high-technology or infrastructure-intensive launch systems projects that may or may not come about in the future.
Lightweight Foamed Alloys - offers an expensive but potentially worthwhile method for lightening spacecraft or providing shock absorption for landings.
Aramid - an aromatic polyamide fiber that shows great promise for any application where a tear-resistant, fire-resistant, strong and elastic material would be of use. Such as spacesuits, parachutes…
Kapton - a tape-like film with excellent insulation properties for various space and ground-side applications, largely under your level of abstraction but providing a small buff to reliability for spacecraft built after 1955Q3.
Scientific/Engineering Specific Field Bonuses
AERO - +19
AVIONICS - +10
CHEM - +18
CREW - +3
COMP - +13
MATSCI - +17
PHYS - +18
PROP - +14
IEC Leadership:
Director of the IEC:
Penelope Carter [The Director] - [+10 to Politics rolls, +2 Politics die, +5R/turn in funding from Connections, reroll 1 failed politics roll per turn]
Assistant Director of the IEC:
Sergei Korolev [The Engineer] - [+5 to Science and Engineering rolls (unless researching [HGOL][FUEL] projects, then it becomes a -15), +1 Science dice, +1 Engineering Dice. Request: Build and launch a 2nd Generation Orbital Rocket within 5 years. Demonstrate crewed orbital spaceflight within 5 years.]
Chief Scientist of the IEC:
Assistant Director of the Cosmonaut Assembly:
Passive Effects
Rocket Reels - Adds a coinflip for 2 gained political support per quarter; gain an additional flip for every successful orbital rocket launch. [UPGRADED]
Nuclear Power Authorization - The World Council has been successfully convinced to support the IEC conducting peaceful, power-generating nuclear experiments. (Current WC approval status: Given, Apprehensive; Current public approval status: Apprehensive)
Promises Made (Expires Q1 1956 unless otherwise stated):
Launch a Venus probe before 1960Q1. (+2 to Dnipro Aerospace Metallurgy Centre's bonus on completion) (Int(M-L)
Launch a probe to Mars by 1960Q1 (+2 to Long Beach Propulsion Research Complex's bonus on completion) (Int(D)))
Conduct Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (FWW) (Does not expire as long as the dice is locked)
Build 2 points of Industry or Electrification in the Pacific or Africa (FWW)
Operations (5 dice, +3 bonus) (1 type of Rocket may be built at a time)
Rockets
[ ] 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. (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)
[ ] 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 two years, now, and is turning into quite the reliable workhorse. (20R per dice, 19/45, 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. It's a sizeable rocket, but thankfully you have a sizeable pad to launch it from. Unfortunately, it won't ever fit on a Stormchaser. (25R per dice, 7/80, 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)
[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - The first Orbital-class rocket, the Dawn is capable of lifting 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. It may be able to do more, in time, but for now that would suffice. It can only launch on the Heavy Sounding Pad or heavier, as yet unbuilt ones. (35R per dice, 97/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete) (2 Payload Mass capacity)
-[ ] And launch it (1 Operations dice; specify payload)
–[ ] Sounding payload (inert payload for testing)
Payloads
[ ] Construct a Payload
–[ ] Curiosity-class Satellite (20R) (1.5 Payload Mass) (lasts one quarter)
--[ ] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R) (2 Payload Mass) (2 quarter lifetime depending on mission)
Programs (0 slots available)
[ ] Activate Sounding Rocket Programs (1 slot required) (removes Sounding Rockets from build queue)
Facilities (8 dice, +10 bonus)
(A maximum of 3 dice may be used on any project - representing 3 shifts of work.)
[ ] 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, 243/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Expand the Launch Complex - You have two launch pads (one of which has gone entirely unused, so far) but, soon enough, you expect to need additional pads to account for the maintenance and upgrades the existing ones will certainly need. Getting a head start on that need may be a good idea. (20R per die, 0/350, gain two 500t launch pads)
[ ] 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, opens up new research possibilities, +1d5+5 bonus in the associated field, +1 Education for the region)
-[] Sydney Microelectronics Research Centre (AVIONICS) (0/450)
[ ] Build a Mission Control Center - As the IEC's operations continue to expands, it finds itself in need of additional control space dedicated to both new and ongoing missions. That control space will need significant computing capability, as well as dedicated communications links - both of which are power-hungry. The benefits, however, could be worth it. (25R per die, 0/250) (+3 to Operations) (+1 Program slot (runs repeatables in the background))
[ ] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - The second stage of Tracking Stations rolls out tracking stations across the northern latitudes to better serve potential polar-orbiting satellite as best as possible where land exists. (30R per die, 94/250, adds equatorial tracking for rocket launches)
[ ] Construction and Reconstruction Support - The IEC has a fairly sizeable and very skilled Facilities department that, if desired, could be of help in rebuilding the world's ruins and advancing the state of humankind besides. This can be done with or without a promise owed to someone, and will always be a good way of improving your relationships with the people you serve. (0/250) (can be done multiple times in parallel)
-[ ] Specify Region
--[ ] Electrification (25R per dice)
--[ ] Industry (30R per dice)
--[ ] Infrastructure (20R per dice)
Engineering (6 dice, +6 Bonus to All, +3 from Research Support (1956Q1)) (2/6 Locked)
[1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - Satellites would certainly be useful for many things that you didn't want to spend precious human time on, nor deal with the constraints involved in getting them back. But, should the need arise, it would be a good idea to develop a way to get a human into space, then orbit, and back, alive. (4/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
[ ] Prototype Spaceplane - Your spaceplane enthusiasts returned to your office with another proposal, building off the back of the design studies they had undertaken through the winter of 1954. Their desire was to create a crewed 'space' plane that would be towed behind or carried underneath a carrier aircraft, be released, and activate a rocket engine that would take it up over the Karman line. It would have a multitude of sensors, of course, and would also need air supplies and likely a heated flight suit to keep the pilot alive and able to work. (0/300, 15R per dice)
[ ] Design/Redesign an Orbital Rocket - Now that our first orbital rocket has flown to space and delivered payloads, we can begin to look at what may be improved about it. We can also, if we wish, begin thinking about other, new designs. (15R) (4 turns to Design) (2 turns to Redesign) (Triggers subvote)
-[ ] Design
-[ ] Redesign (Rocket name here)
[ ] Lifting Body - Work with the Wind Tunnel and on the Spaceplane studies had revealed a new configuration for air- and spacecraft fuselage design - the concept of the lifting body, where the wing area was minimized to reduce drag at high speeds, with the body itself providing the lifting force used. While not terribly useful for aircraft, it was potentially very useful for spacecraft design. (10R per die, 30/150)
[ ] Strap-on Boosters - By utilizing additional, solid-or-liquid-fueled boosters attached to the side of a given rocket, we may be able to significantly increase its payload without needing an entirely-new rocket. (10R per dice, 0/250) (Enables the use of boosters to increase payload capacity at the cost of Progress and Resources (flat))
[ ] Multi-Stage Designs - Through the use of additional stages, we can give rockets the capability to throw payloads further out into space - potentially even interplanetary distances. (15R per turn) (2 turns) (Enables the use of third stages and up for sending payloads to geostationary orbit and beyond at the cost of Payload Mass)
[ ] Vacuum Nozzles - After having conducted several orbital flights, the engineering teams have come up with an optimization for the IEC's upper-stage engines - make them longer. Given the mechanics on which a rocket engine worked, having a longer, larger bell on the upper stage allowed for a more efficient use of the force of the rocket's exhaust, giving gains in performance for a slight gain in weight. (5R per dice, 94/200)
[ ] Impactor Designs - One of the proposed methods of probing our neighboring planets and Moon is by, quite literally, hitting them with a sizeable weight going at incredible speed and seeing what we can learn from the resulting dust plume (in the case of the Moon) or following the instrumentation's readings as they transmit on their way to impact. Or both. (10R per turn, 1 engineering dice locked, 3 turns)
[1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - Now that initial work had been completed verifying that, at the lab scale, nuclear energy could be used to generate power, now it was time to actually forward that knowledge into a practical, useful form. It would not be cheap, but, hopefully, it would be worth it. (3/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn) (Unlocks 1st Generation Terrestrial Fission Power Plants for the world, leads to Radioisotope Thermal Generators, 2nd Generation Terrestrial Fission Plants, 1st Generation Space-rated Fission Plants)
[ ] Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications Studies - A side-effect of the nuclear power studies led to several of your researchers realizing that the heat a reactor produced could be harnessed for things other than turning a turbine. By passing propellant over a reactor's core housing you would cool the core and heat the propellant alike - and the propellant would be very hot indeed, making it an attractive candidate for being flung out the back of the spacecraft at extremely high speeds. (20R per die, 0/500, -30PS on completion UNLESS given WC authorization) (Unlocks 1st Generation Nuclear Thermal Propulsion for spacecraft)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Science (5 dice, +6 Bonus to All, +3 from Research Support (1956Q1)) (1/5 Locked)
[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [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, 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, 3/200, unlocks fuel mixtures and further fuel development)
[ ] Conduct Supersonic Jet Research (Phase 3) [AERO] - Basic testing has been completed, and interesting phenomena observed when experimenting with the engines that have been built. More can be done, of course. (15R per die, requires a completed Hangar Complex and Runway to finish, can be started without, 147/640)
[ ] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] - 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, ???)
[ ] Atomic-powered Ground Launch Concept Studies - The idea of in-space nuclear propulsion, brought down to Earth. This program would study the possibilities for using nuclear power to get from the surface to space, both directly and indirectly. (10R per die, 0/300, -5PS on start, and an additional -10 on completion)
[ ] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - Batteries are all well and good for powering spacecraft, but are also heavy and do not generate power on their own - once they're discharged, they're done. Your scientists suggest that by utilizing the photovoltaic effect, it might be possible to power spacecraft with it. (2/4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
[ ] Very Long Range Communications - In order to properly communicate with probes we send out into the solar system to explore our neighboring worlds, we will need to begin studying ways to communicate more efficiently at these incredible distances. (5R per turn, 1 Science dice locked, 3 turns)
[ ] Weather Observation Satellites [PROGRAM] - By using specially-built observation satellites, the IEC can provide real- or near-real-time observation of weather phenomena across the globe. This has obvious benefits for forecasting and emergency alerting, and would be a valuable way of cementing the IEC as a permanent fixture of the Council. (25R/turn to activate, takes up a Program slot)
[ ] Closed-Input Life Support Systems - We know from high-altitude flights during the Third Great War that systems can be designed to provide breathable air and a temperature-controlled environment for high-flying pilots. By taking that knowledge and acknowledging the lack of oxygen in space from which to replenish breathable air supplies, we can design a system capable of keeping a human alive for at least a short time (days) in space with no external inputs. (10R per dice, 0/200)
(Projects that require locked dice can be unlocked at any time, but progress will not be made without a dice locked in.)
Politics & Management (4 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)
[ ] Propagandize for Nuclear Power - As the IEC has gained more and more knowledge on the subject of nuclear power, it's become apparent that if you want to put this knowledge to good use for humanity, you'll need to start working against the (justified) stigma nuclear as a whole has in order to realize its full potential. (-2PS per die) (155/???)
[ ] Propagandize for Space - Now that you've gotten your first orbital class rocket (and soon your first satellite), now is the best time to start touting the benefits of space exploration and access to space to the public. You'll need to find ways of engaging everyone in the idea, and there was no better time to start than now. (5R per die) (138/???)
Outreach
[ ] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - The fourth phase of Rocket Box deployment has completed across South America and the Pacific Islands. Next up is Europe; it needs the program probably the least of all the regions under the World Council, but it would be unadvised to not extend it anyway. New factories will be built for the motors and parts in Europe, which should ease logistics in the area. (5R per die, 0/250. Gives Rocket Boxes to every middle-school, high-school and university or equivalent in Europe. Encourages future scientists and engineers - some of whom will even come work with the IEC.)
Personnel
[ ] 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.)
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Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
To answer your question: you have to get about a decade further down the line before I even think about tossing some of that in. Zero opposition, mind! But right now it's 1955 and the Advanced Concepts Office actually does have a lot more going on than the funny blurbs I put out for it, it's just that none of it's actionable at the moment.
So IIRC we've completed all of our promises for the upcoming council session, yeah?
IMO, we should try and do as much as we can to save in advance of next year, when we spike the budget and launch all the rockets. I'd suggest building R-4s but not launching them (saving them for prototype weather satellites), probably the assembly complex and two other facilities projects, an engineering split between strap-on boosters multi-stage designs and vac nozzles, long-range comms and all-sky survey for science (since it's so cheap, and we can make a tradition of an annual winter vacation to go stargazing), and more propagandizing. I'd be fine with idling some dice now so that we can run Ops at full tilt next year.
IMO, we should try and do as much as we can to save in advance of next year, when we spike the budget and launch all the rockets. I'd suggest building R-4s but not launching them (saving them for prototype weather satellites), probably the assembly complex and two other facilities projects, an engineering split between strap-on boosters multi-stage designs and vac nozzles, long-range comms and all-sky survey for science (since it's so cheap, and we can make a tradition of an annual winter vacation to go stargazing), and more propagandizing. I'd be fine with idling some dice now so that we can run Ops at full tilt next year.
- Location
- Mobile, Alabama
I thought it was 1 point after last update?
- Location
- the Republic
- Pronouns
- He/They
The promise isn't removed until it's completed in full (which it will be when Bothering Councilors automatically concludes at the end of the quarter).
- Location
- USA
I just want options to 'expand the advanced concepts office and provide them with some drugs to enhance creativity and fancy computers to crunch numbers for viability' or something I dunno, I just wanna push that as fast as possible, LOL!
- Location
- the Republic
- Pronouns
- He/They
[] Plan: Prior Naming Scheme Got Old; New One Pending
Resources: 450/460
Political Support 100/100
Operations (4/5 dice, +3 bonus, -95R)
-[] Construct an R-4 Dawn (97/120) (2 dice, -70R)
--[] And launch it (1 die)
---[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (1 die, -25R)
Facilities (8/8 dice, +10 bonus, -190R)
-[] Expand the Assembly Complex (243/350) (2 dice, -40R)
-[] Build a Mission Control Center (0/250) (3 dice, -75R)
-[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (94/250) (3 dice, -75R)
Engineering (6/6 dice, +9 bonus, -85R)
-[] Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns) (1 die, -25R)
-[] Strap-on Boosters (0/250) (2 dice, -20R)
-[] Vacuum Nozzles (94/200) (2 dice, -20R)
Science (5/5 dice, +9 bonus, -60R)
-[] Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Closed-Input Life Support Systems (0/200) (2 dice, -20R)
-[] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (0/300) (2 dice, -20R)
Politics (4/4 dice, +10 bonus, -20R)
-[] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) (0/250) (4 dice, -20R)
Worked up a plan proposal. A B-class test launch to get real-world experience, as well as full deployment of (almost) all resources and dice. It makes me very happy.
Resources: 450/460
Political Support 100/100
Operations (4/5 dice, +3 bonus, -95R)
-[] Construct an R-4 Dawn (97/120) (2 dice, -70R)
--[] And launch it (1 die)
---[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (1 die, -25R)
Facilities (8/8 dice, +10 bonus, -190R)
-[] Expand the Assembly Complex (243/350) (2 dice, -40R)
-[] Build a Mission Control Center (0/250) (3 dice, -75R)
-[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (94/250) (3 dice, -75R)
Engineering (6/6 dice, +9 bonus, -85R)
-[] Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns) (1 die, -25R)
-[] Strap-on Boosters (0/250) (2 dice, -20R)
-[] Vacuum Nozzles (94/200) (2 dice, -20R)
Science (5/5 dice, +9 bonus, -60R)
-[] Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Closed-Input Life Support Systems (0/200) (2 dice, -20R)
-[] All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (0/300) (2 dice, -20R)
Politics (4/4 dice, +10 bonus, -20R)
-[] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) (0/250) (4 dice, -20R)
Worked up a plan proposal. A B-class test launch to get real-world experience, as well as full deployment of (almost) all resources and dice. It makes me very happy.
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DracoDracul
Transbian Communist
- Location
- Austin
- Pronouns
- She/They
I think Miguel Reynaldo de Alegria is the only potential director to not appear in quest yet.
Weren't we supposed to launch that R-2 last turn?
StarSingerBlue
Zenryoku Zenkai !
- Location
- The City of Lights
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I'm really glad we didn't pick those at the start because the setting would have been bleak.
- Location
- The great frozen north
That's a VERY nice selection of space people for our first batch. I have high hopes for Reiko and Natasya.
Aryan Teutonic.
LSD and weed are totally serious inputs for our cutting-edge research!
Yeah. It already sounded bloody from the description, but though this setting explicitly doesn't have nazis the Empire seems to gain more of WW2 Germany's awfulness with every canonized omake. As players we'd have to choose between being hobbled by using only a fraction of the world's technical expertise, or burning all our political support every time we wanted to hire high-level personnel that weren't sufficiently
Hmmm, I think I'd rather see our engineering teams work on strap-on boosters rather than impactors and multi-stage designs. Those two projects are both ones that are slowly ticking, but don't get any benefit from our bonus to progress on engineering projects from the council. I'd rather put the dice on something that does get that benefit-and boosters would fit the bill. And Closed-Input Life Support Systems are more urgent than fluffing around with hydrogen peroxide, nitrogen tetroxide and fancy kerosene.
I think your facilities priorities are a little twisted as well-more dice on tracking and communications stations, less on mission control please!
always_confused
Perpetually unwanted
- Location
- SEA
Based Aretas 'the Guillotine' Abdul.
- Location
- the Republic
- Pronouns
- He/They
Edited Plan PNSO;NOP based on feedback. It's a little cheaper now and maximizes use of the due-to-expire +3 to Engineering.
Shadows
Sacred Priestess of the Benevolent Dice Gods
- Location
- USS Civilian, DDG-214
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yeah, I'm going to be putting any omake that makes the HRE out to be more like the Nazis in the non canon bin. They're not. They're awful in their own ways, and surprisingly decent in some others.
This world is, after all, supposed to be the broadly better and more hopeful one, nuclear holocaust excepted.
Here's my plan for it:
[] Plan: Annual Star-Gazing Expedition Slash Winter Vacation
-[] (3 dice) Construct an R-4 Dawn (35R per dice, 97/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete)
--[] (1 die) And launch it
---[] (1 die) Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R)
-[] (2 dice) Expand the Assembly Complex (20R per die, 243/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
-[] (3 dice) Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (30R per die, 94/250)
-[] (1 die) Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
-[] (2 dice) Strap-on Boosters (10R per dice, 0/250)
-[] (1 die) Multi-Stage Designs (0/2 turns) (0/2 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
-[] (1 die) Vacuum Nozzles (5R per dice, 94/200)
-[] (1 die) Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn)
-[] (3 dice) All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (10R per die, 0/300) (+5 PS, ???)
-[] (1 die) Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
-[] (1 die) Very Long Range Communications (0/3 turns, 1 Science dice locked, 5R per turn)
-[] (2 dice) Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-2PS per die) (155/???)
-[] (2 dice) Propagandize for Space (5R per die) (138/???)
410 R, -4 PS. I'm idling a lot of our facilities dice to save money and let us build more rockets, since I think next year we'll want to promise the AVIONICS centre and having larger pads or mission control isn't time-critical; otherwise I'm using all our dice. I put off life support in favour of developing the rocket first.
[] Plan: Annual Star-Gazing Expedition Slash Winter Vacation
-[] (3 dice) Construct an R-4 Dawn (35R per dice, 97/120, costs 1 build capacity til complete)
--[] (1 die) And launch it
---[] (1 die) Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R)
-[] (2 dice) Expand the Assembly Complex (20R per die, 243/350, +1 Build Capacity, +1 Program Slot (runs repeatables in the background))
-[] (3 dice) Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (30R per die, 94/250)
-[] (1 die) Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 20R per turn)
-[] (2 dice) Strap-on Boosters (10R per dice, 0/250)
-[] (1 die) Multi-Stage Designs (0/2 turns) (0/2 turns, 1 locked dice, 15R per turn)
-[] (1 die) Vacuum Nozzles (5R per dice, 94/200)
-[] (1 die) Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns, 1 locked dice, 25R per turn)
-[] (3 dice) All-Sky Survey (Phase 1) [PHYS] (10R per die, 0/300) (+5 PS, ???)
-[] (1 die) Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns, 1 Science dice locked; 20R per turn)
-[] (1 die) Very Long Range Communications (0/3 turns, 1 Science dice locked, 5R per turn)
-[] (2 dice) Propagandize for Nuclear Power (-2PS per die) (155/???)
-[] (2 dice) Propagandize for Space (5R per die) (138/???)
410 R, -4 PS. I'm idling a lot of our facilities dice to save money and let us build more rockets, since I think next year we'll want to promise the AVIONICS centre and having larger pads or mission control isn't time-critical; otherwise I'm using all our dice. I put off life support in favour of developing the rocket first.
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So are we capped at the moment for material science research?
[] Plan: Groundwork, Skywork
-[]Operations (5 dice, 130R)
--[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - (97/120) 1x 35R
---[] And launch it (Curiosity B-Class Satellite) x1
--[] Construct a Payload x1
---[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite 25R
-[]Facilities (8 dice, 205R)
--[] Expand the Assembly Complex - (243/350) x2 40R
--[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - (94/250) x3 90R
--[] Construction and Reconstruction Support
---[] Africa
----[] Electrification (0/250) x3 75R
-[]Engineering (6 dice, 75R)
--[] [1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - (4/8) x1 20R
--[] Lifting Body - (10R per die, 30/150) x2 20R
--[] Vacuum Nozzles -(5R per dice, 94/200) x2 10R
--[] [1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - (3/8) 1x 25R
-[]Science (5 dice, 70R)
--[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [CHEM] - (3/200) x3 45R
--[ ] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - (2/4) 1x 20R
--[ ] [1 LOCKED] Very Long Range Communications - (0/3 turns) 1x 5R
-[]Politics & Management (4 dice, 20R)
--[] Propagandize for Space - (138/???) x1 5R
--[] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - (0/250) 1x 5R
--[] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150) x2 10R
5R remaining.
-[]Operations (5 dice, 130R)
--[] Construct an R-4 Dawn - (97/120) 1x 35R
---[] And launch it (Curiosity B-Class Satellite) x1
--[] Construct a Payload x1
---[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite 25R
-[]Facilities (8 dice, 205R)
--[] Expand the Assembly Complex - (243/350) x2 40R
--[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - (94/250) x3 90R
--[] Construction and Reconstruction Support
---[] Africa
----[] Electrification (0/250) x3 75R
-[]Engineering (6 dice, 75R)
--[] [1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - (4/8) x1 20R
--[] Lifting Body - (10R per die, 30/150) x2 20R
--[] Vacuum Nozzles -(5R per dice, 94/200) x2 10R
--[] [1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - (3/8) 1x 25R
-[]Science (5 dice, 70R)
--[ ] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [CHEM] - (3/200) x3 45R
--[ ] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - (2/4) 1x 20R
--[ ] [1 LOCKED] Very Long Range Communications - (0/3 turns) 1x 5R
-[]Politics & Management (4 dice, 20R)
--[] Propagandize for Space - (138/???) x1 5R
--[] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - (0/250) 1x 5R
--[] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150) x2 10R
5R remaining.
[] Plan Your Friend, The Atom (and lots of rockets)
Total resources: 430/460
Operations: 5/5 dice, 165R
-[] Construct an R-4 Dawn (97/120) (4 dice 140R)
-[] Construct a Payload 1 die
--[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R)
Facilities: 6/8 dice, 135R
-[] Expand the Assembly Complex (243/350) (3 dice 60R)
-[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (94/250) (3 dice 75R)
Enginering: 6/6 dice, 75R
-[] Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns) (1 die, -25R)
-[] Strap-on Boosters (0/250) (2 dice, 20R)
-[] Vacuum Nozzles (94/200) (2 dice, 10R)
Science: 5/5 dice, 55R
-[] Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Very Long Range Communications (0/3 turns) (1 die, -5R)
-[] Closed-Input Life Support Systems (0/200) (3 dice, -30R)
Politics and Management: 4/4 dice, -8 PS
-[] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (155/???) (4 dice, -8PS)
Somewhat of a middle-position plan between Etranger and Charlie Zulu-I go heavy on Life Support because that's for the capsule and they probably want that data for the design. But long ranged communications are important for our space probes. And I save cash for next year, so we have a little walking around money.
Total resources: 430/460
Operations: 5/5 dice, 165R
-[] Construct an R-4 Dawn (97/120) (4 dice 140R)
-[] Construct a Payload 1 die
--[] Curiosity-B-class Satellite (25R)
Facilities: 6/8 dice, 135R
-[] Expand the Assembly Complex (243/350) (3 dice 60R)
-[] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) (94/250) (3 dice 75R)
Enginering: 6/6 dice, 75R
-[] Human-rated Rocketry (4/8 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies (3/8 turns) (1 die, -25R)
-[] Strap-on Boosters (0/250) (2 dice, 20R)
-[] Vacuum Nozzles (94/200) (2 dice, 10R)
Science: 5/5 dice, 55R
-[] Photovoltaic Investigations (2/4 turns) (1 die, -20R)
-[] Very Long Range Communications (0/3 turns) (1 die, -5R)
-[] Closed-Input Life Support Systems (0/200) (3 dice, -30R)
Politics and Management: 4/4 dice, -8 PS
-[] Propagandize for Nuclear Power (155/???) (4 dice, -8PS)
Somewhat of a middle-position plan between Etranger and Charlie Zulu-I go heavy on Life Support because that's for the capsule and they probably want that data for the design. But long ranged communications are important for our space probes. And I save cash for next year, so we have a little walking around money.
- Location
- California
Ah yes, the Gene Roddenberry classic.
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
I think there was something discussed about how it was useless to since we get no benefit from it anymore and that it's going to end up shipped to a museum or something.
[X] Plan: Groundwork, Skywork
-[X]Operations (5 dice, 130R)
--[X] Construct an R-4 Dawn - (97/120) 1x 35R
---[X] And launch it (Curiosity B-Class Satellite) x1
--[X] Construct a Payload x1
---[X] Curiosity-B-class Satellite 25R
-[X]Facilities (8 dice, 205R)
--[X] Expand the Assembly Complex - (243/350) x2 40R
--[X] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - (94/250) x3 90R
--[X] Build a Mission Control Center - (0/250) x3 75R
-[X]Engineering (6 dice, 75R)
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - (4/8) x1 20R
--[X] Lifting Body - (10R per die, 30/150) x2 20R
--[X] Vacuum Nozzles -(5R per dice, 94/200) x2 10R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - (3/8) 1x 25R
-[X]Science (5 dice, 70R)
--[X] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [CHEM] - (3/200) x3 45R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - (2/4) 1x 20R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Very Long Range Communications - (0/3 turns) 1x 5R
-[X]Politics & Management (4 dice, 20R)
--[X] Propagandize for Space - (138/???) x1 5R
--[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - (0/250) 1x 5R
--[X] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150) x2 10R
-[X]Operations (5 dice, 130R)
--[X] Construct an R-4 Dawn - (97/120) 1x 35R
---[X] And launch it (Curiosity B-Class Satellite) x1
--[X] Construct a Payload x1
---[X] Curiosity-B-class Satellite 25R
-[X]Facilities (8 dice, 205R)
--[X] Expand the Assembly Complex - (243/350) x2 40R
--[X] Tracking and Communication Station Construction (Phase 2) - (94/250) x3 90R
--[X] Build a Mission Control Center - (0/250) x3 75R
-[X]Engineering (6 dice, 75R)
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Human-rated Rocketry - (4/8) x1 20R
--[X] Lifting Body - (10R per die, 30/150) x2 20R
--[X] Vacuum Nozzles -(5R per dice, 94/200) x2 10R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Nuclear Power Plant Design Studies - (3/8) 1x 25R
-[X]Science (5 dice, 70R)
--[X] Exploratory Propellant Research (Phase 2) [CHEM] - (3/200) x3 45R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Photovoltaic Investigations - (2/4) 1x 20R
--[X] [1 LOCKED] Very Long Range Communications - (0/3 turns) 1x 5R
-[X]Politics & Management (4 dice, 20R)
--[X] Propagandize for Space - (138/???) x1 5R
--[X] Rocket Boxes (Phase 5) - (0/250) 1x 5R
--[X] Laboratory Talent Scouting - (0/150) x2 10R