Remove ads

Terminus Quest: A CKII Mass Effect Quest

Voting is open
Reader mode
[X] Plan: Dealing with the Dumpster Fire
-[X] Martial 1: Integrating Reforms: Time: 3 years. Cost: -50,000 yearly income Chance of Success: 60%
-[X] Martial 2: Take Over the Explorer Corps: Time: 1 year. Cost: 20,000. Chance of Success: 85%.
-[X] Diplomacy 1: Investigate the Secessionists: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 72%. Cost: 15,000 credits.
-[X] Diplomacy 2: Start My Own: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: Variable depending on sub-options chosen. Cost: 23,000 credits.
-[X] Stewardship 1: Rebalance Food Production: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 30,000 credits.
-[X] Stewardship 2: Build More Docks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 50,000 credits.
-[X] Intrigue 1: Digging For Receipts: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 45%. Cost: 32,000 credits.
-[X] Intrigue 2: Databanks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 70%. Cost: 25,000 credits.
-[X] Learning 1: Dispense the Fun Coupons: Time: 5 3 years locked, 10 8 years to effect. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: -50,000 yearly income until effect.
-[X] Learning 2: Emergency Response: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 50%. Cost: 50,000 credits.
-[X] Personal 1: Personal Attention: Integrating Reforms
-[X] Personal 2: Personal Attention: Start My Own
-[X] Personal 3: Personal Attention: Emergency Response

Credit Reserves: 357,000 credits.
Yearly Income: 318,000 credits.
Budget: 357,000 + 318,000 = 675,000 credits
Expenditures: 50,000 + 20,000 + 15,000 + 23,000 + 30,000 + 50,000 + 32,000 + 25,000 + 50,000 + 50,000 + = 345,000 credits
Remaining Reserves: 675,000 - 345,000 = 330,000 credits
 
After some thinking, I choose
[X] Plan: Dealing with the Dumpster Fire

There is nothing to prevent us from investigating the Secessionists and drafting the Declaration of Independence in the same turn.
 
[x] Plan Recover and Expand
- [x] Military Outposts Time: 1 year. Cost: 40,000 credits. DC = 25 - 11 = 14
- [x] Take Over the Explorer Corps: Time: 1 year. Cost: 20,000. DC = 15 - 11 = 4
- [x] Investigate the Secessionists: Time: 1 year. Cost: 15,000 credits. DC = 27 - 10 = 17 - 16 = 1
- [x] Knowledge Exchange: Time: 1 year. Cost: 35,000 credits. DC = 65 - 10 = 55 - 16 = 39
- [x] Build More Docks: Time: 1 year. Cost: 50,000 credits. DC = 20 - 10 = 10
- [x] Rebalance Food Production: Time: 1 year. Cost: 30,000 credits. DC = 20 -10
- [x] Databanks: Time: 1 year. Cost: 25,000 credits. DC = 30 - 11 = 19 - 15 = 4
- [x] Digging For Receipts: Time: 1 year. Cost: 32,000 credits. DC = 55 - 11 = 44
- [x] Dispense the Fun Coupons
- [x] Dietary Supplements: Time: 1 year. Cost: 40,000 credits. DC = 30 - 11 = 29
- [x] Personal Attention: Investigate the Secessionists
- [x] Personal Attention: Knowledge Exchange
- [x] Commit Hero Unit: Captain Jamar Kurik - Databanks

Total cost: 287,000 Credits
Income: 318,000 Credits
Next turn budget: 388,000 Credits
 
Last edited:
Regarding Mass Relay orbital distances: the only real, concrete data we have on mass relays is the Charon relay, which orbits at a Pluto-sized distance. I am generally reluctant to contradict canon sources with no points against them save in the case of extremely problematic cases, and this case is not problematic. Furthermore, while solar systems can be defined as many light-years in diameter (the most generous estimates for the extent of the Oort cloud put Sol at a spectacular 6.4 light years in diameter), that is a very academic distinction. As uju points out, to travel such distances would require a hilariously long haul by FTL drives, comparable to inter-system travel. Considering that all that's out there, one out of every several billion times, is barren chucks of rock and ice, nobody wants to make that haul. If mass relays were placed that far out, even finding them would be a significant challenge, let alone spending the time to get there. Furthermore, placing a mass relay out there would be begging for it to get disturbed from its orbit by another, passing system, and either dive-bomb its local sun or get lost into interstellar space. Both of these outcomes being considered undesirable, we can infer that the Reapers would not provoke them. In addition, mass relay travel to cross the galaxy is explicitly noted as being swifter than travelling to the star system next door, something that would be grossly untrue if the relays were that far out; the transition time between relays would be murder.

All of this taken into consideration, my conclusion (and ruling) is that mass relays are more typical of Charon than some theoretical Oort relay; a mere and easy matter of light hours as opposed to years.
uju32 said:
2)Do Military Outposts include ship production facilities, or just maintenance facilities?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Just maintenance. Some day you'll diversify your production centers. Some day.
Chronic said:
I hate the military outposts option, it is actively sabotaging our war effort. Positioning fleets anywhere they need to manually FTL back to a relay system means we are effectively throwing them away for the purpose of pdefense. If the Rachni attack any fleet in a military outpost away from the network will only be able to come to help once Virmire is already being bombarded from orbit. I'd rather take the hit to trade from requisitioning civilian dockspace.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Aha, no you don't. You really, really don't.

The, "military outposts," option establishes a ship base out of which a fleet operates. That means that when it needs to conduct repairs, it goes there, and the Admiral and other fleet officers maintain their offices there. The rest of the time, it has units out on various duties. Now, the outposts option is meant to provide anchors to a force dedicated to patrolling Sentry Omega, because it is, as you observe, away from the relay. In fact, given the relative balance of significance to various places in the cluster, the majority of the fleet, likely including both dreadnoughts, is going to be in Hoc at almost all times.

The 3rd is so heavily mauled that patrolling SO is basically all it will be good for doing, even ignoring how hilariously fragile their logistics situation is going to be. But if you don't ignore it -- as Mira won't -- that's another reason to want them at the end of a short supply chain. You may start producing ships to fill in the 3rd's gaps some day, but your fleets come first, and until then the 3rd is going to be relegated to back-line duties outside of critical emergencies.
Versharl said:
@PoptartProdigy, how long would the response time of the 3rd Quarian Fleet be to a Rachni attack on Attican Beta be if they were stationed at a military outpost in Sentry Omega in the Assilia system or similar?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not a simple question to answer, honestly. As mentioned above, any sane patrol pattern will have a majority of ships in Hoc at all times, but the rest of the fleet will be scattered throughout the cluster. So, while the main body of the fleet would be available momentarily, scattered elements would still be trickling in hours or days after the fighting started. Which, ironically, makes it far more available than the 1st Raiding typically is for defense operations, most years. It's worth noting that a truly contested fight can take hours or days, with the advent of kinetic barriers.
Dwergar said:
[ ] Looking for Sponsors: It's impossible to build a state without like-minded individuals, and Virmirean politicians have been producing a lot of noise in debates within the Assembly of late. Odds are that the proposals going onto your desk came out of corporate mouths. Use your spy network and your MoF records to figure out a lead, and try to see if you can find somebody who will talk. Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: ?%. Cost: ? credits. Effect: Trace the connections, find a rat, and make them squeal. Trace the evidence trail until you find out what the suits have planned for your state.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'll add it to the post when I have a moment.
 
PoptartProdigy said:
The 3rd is so heavily mauled that patrolling SO is basically all it will be good for doing, even ignoring how hilariously fragile their logistics situation is going to be. But if you don't ignore it -- as Mira won't -- that's another reason to want them at the end of a short supply chain. You may start producing ships to fill in the 3rd's gaps some day, but your fleets come first, and until then the 3rd is going to be relegated to back-line duties outside of critical emergencies.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Can't say i am happy about having the 3rd do useless busywork (patrolling SO) instead of just holing up near Virmire just in case of an attack, but okay. Knowing that they will have the majority of their forces in Hoc at all times is a relief. I thought we needed to have at least the Dreadnoughts and Heavy Cruisers permanently stationed near their docks because of their operations costs, so that is enough to put most of my objections to rest.

[X]Plan Bodyshop
 
[X]Plan Bodyshop
Adhoc vote count started by sunrise on Feb 6, 2018 at 9:42 AM, finished with 106 posts and 19 votes.
  • [X]Plan Bodyshop
    -[X]Martial 1: Military Outposts: 40,000: DC 26 - Minister 11 = DC15
    -[X]Martial 2: Take Over The Explorer Corps: 20,000: DC16 - Minister 11 = DC5
    -[X]Diplomacy 1: PR, Always PR: 15,000: DC33 - Minister 11 = DC22
    -[X]Diplomacy 2: Approach The Secessionists: 15,000: DC29 - Minister 11 = DC18
    -[X]Stewardship 1: Expand The FDO: -35,000 Income: DC11 - Minister 10 = DC1
    -[X]Stewardship 2: Rebalance Food Production: 30,000: DC21 - Minister 10 = DC11
    -[X]Intrigue 1: Databanks: 25,000: DC31 - Minister 12= DC19
    -[X]Intrigue 2: Digging For Receipts: 32,000: DC56 - Minister 12= DC44
    -[X]Learning 1: Emergency Response: 50,000: DC51 - Minister 11= DC40
    -[X]Learning 2: Dispense The Fun Coupons [Already costed into income]
    -[X]Personal 1: Personal Attention Military Outposts [Martial 24]
    -[X]Personal 2: Personal Attention Emergency Response [Learning 17]
    -[X]Personal 3: Commit Hero: Kurik, Intrigue, Databanks [Kurik: Intrigue 15]
    [X] Plan: Dealing with the Dumpster Fire
    -[X] Martial 1: Integrating Reforms: Time: 3 years. Cost: -50,000 yearly income Chance of Success: 60%
    -[X] Martial 2: Take Over the Explorer Corps: Time: 1 year. Cost: 20,000. Chance of Success: 85%.
    -[X] Diplomacy 1: Investigate the Secessionists: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 72%. Cost: 15,000 credits.
    -[X] Diplomacy 2: Start My Own: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: Variable depending on sub-options chosen. Cost: 23,000 credits.
    -[X] Stewardship 1: Rebalance Food Production: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 30,000 credits.
    -[X] Stewardship 2: Build More Docks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 50,000 credits.
    -[X] Intrigue 1: Digging For Receipts: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 45%. Cost: 32,000 credits.
    -[X] Intrigue 2: Databanks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 70%. Cost: 25,000 credits.
    -[X] Learning 1: Dispense the Fun Coupons: Time: 5 3 years locked, 10 8 years to effect. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: -50,000 yearly income until effect.
    -[X] Learning 2: Emergency Response: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 50%. Cost: 50,000 credits.
    -[X] Personal 1: Personal Attention: Integrating Reforms
    -[X] Personal 2: Personal Attention: Start My Own
    -[X] Personal 3: Personal Attention: Emergency Response
    [X] Plan Explorer Alternative
    - [X] Military Outposts: Time: 1 year. Cost: 40,000 credits. Chance of Success: 75%.
    - [X] Take Over the Explorer Corps: Time: 1 year. Cost: 20,000. Chance of Success: 85%.
    - [X] Knowledge Exchange: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 35%. Cost: 35,000 credits.
    - [X] Investigate the Secessionists: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 72%. Cost: 15,000 credits.
    - [X] Rebalance Food Production: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 30,000 credits.
    - [X] Build More Docks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 80%. Cost: 50,000 credits.
    - [X] Digging For Receipts: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 45%. Cost: 32,000 credits.
    - [X] Databanks: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 70%. Cost: 25,000 credits.
    - [X] Personal Attention: Knowledge Exchange.
    - [X] Take a Break: Time: 1 year. Chance of Success: 50%. Cost: Free.
    - [X] Commit Hero Unit: Captain Jamar Kurik - Databanks.
    [X][RWF] The 3rd is, realistically, at your mercy, but that is no way to treat allies. It would be grossly inappropriate to hold this leverage over them. You will recognize Admiral Malan as the local, ranking representative of the Republic of Rannoch, with absolute power over his domain and empowered to purchase yard space and other goods and services from your government in the Republic's name, credited to their government. This polite fiction, of course, binds the Republic itself not a whit, but the sheer generosity of this deal will represent a major concession on your part when you establish contact with the Republic proper and commence negotiations. Realistically, Malan will do what you ask of him regardless of the formality of your relationship -- but in this case, it would be asking, and to preserve the pretense would require that it ever remain just asking.
    [X][RUNNER] You denied his request. You're not in the habit of arguing suicide missions of this nature. You withdraw without sending any corvettes.
Click to expand...
 
PoptartProdigy said:
The, "military outposts," option establishes a ship base out of which a fleet operates. That means that when it needs to conduct repairs, it goes there, and the Admiral and other fleet officers maintain their offices there. The rest of the time, it has units out on various duties. Now, the outposts option is meant to provide anchors to a force dedicated to patrolling Sentry Omega, because it is, as you observe, away from the relay. In fact, given the relative balance of significance to various places in the cluster, the majority of the fleet, likely including both dreadnoughts, is going to be in Hoc at almost all times.

The 3rd is so heavily mauled that patrolling SO is basically all it will be good for doing, even ignoring how hilariously fragile their logistics situation is going to be. But if you don't ignore it -- as Mira won't -- that's another reason to want them at the end of a short supply chain. You may start producing ships to fill in the 3rd's gaps some day, but your fleets come first, and until then the 3rd is going to be relegated to back-line duties outside of critical emergencies.

Not a simple question to answer, honestly. As mentioned above, any sane patrol pattern will have a majority of ships in Hoc at all times, but the rest of the fleet will be scattered throughout the cluster. So, while the main body of the fleet would be available momentarily, scattered elements would still be trickling in hours or days after the fighting started. Which, ironically, makes it far more available than the 1st Raiding typically is for defense operations, most years. It's worth noting that a truly contested fight can take hours or days, with the advent of kinetic barriers.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'm not sure I really understand this. We're going to base 2 dreadnoughts, several cruisers and dozens of screening vessels in a backwater system in Sentry Omega and have the majority of the vessels stationed in Hoc but we're not going to use them for anything except patrol duty of a system that doesn't really need it? Is that really what Mira think is the best use of our very limited resources? Why are we even patrolling Sentry Omega with any substantial military force? Wouldn't it be enough to simply place some sentry satellites at strategic locations in order to monitor traffic and leave the rest of the fleet in dock? What dangers are they patrolling to prevent?
Also, why is the 1st Raiding not available for defense operations?
 
[X]Plan Bodyshop
-[X]Martial 1: Military Outposts: 40,000: DC 26 - Minister 11 = DC15
-[X]Martial 2: Take Over The Explorer Corps: 20,000: DC16 - Minister 11 = DC5
-[X]Diplomacy 1: PR, Always PR: 15,000: DC33 - Minister 11 = DC22
-[X]Diplomacy 2: Approach The Secessionists: 15,000: DC29 - Minister 11 = DC18
-[X]Stewardship 1: Expand The FDO: -35,000 Income: DC11 - Minister 10 = DC1
-[X]Stewardship 2: Rebalance Food Production: 30,000: DC21 - Minister 10 = DC11
-[X]Intrigue 1: Databanks: 25,000: DC31 - Minister 12= DC19
-[X]Intrigue 2: Digging For Receipts: 32,000: DC56 - Minister 12= DC44
-[X]Learning 1: Emergency Response: 50,000: DC51 - Minister 11= DC40
-[X]Learning 2: Dispense The Fun Coupons [Already costed into income]
-[X]Personal 1: Personal Attention Military Outposts [Martial 24]
-[X]Personal 2: Personal Attention Emergency Response [Learning 17]
-[X]Personal 3: Commit Hero: Kurik, Intrigue, Databanks [Kurik: Intrigue 15]
 
Chronic said:
Can't say i am happy about having the 3rd do useless busywork (patrolling SO) instead of just holing up near Virmire just in case of an attack, but okay. Knowing that they will have the majority of their forces in Hoc at all times is a relief. I thought we needed to have at least the Dreadnoughts and Heavy Cruisers permanently stationed near their docks because of their operations costs, so that is enough to put most of my objections to rest.

[X]Plan Bodyshop
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not a lot of operation costs incurred just floating in space.
Versharl said:
I'm not sure I really understand this. We're going to base 2 dreadnoughts, several cruisers and dozens of screening vessels in a backwater system in Sentry Omega and have the majority of the vessels stationed in Hoc but we're not going to use them for anything except patrol duty of a system that doesn't really need it? Is that really what Mira think is the best use of our very limited resources? Why are we even patrolling Sentry Omega with any substantial military force? Wouldn't it be enough to simply place some sentry satellites at strategic locations in order to monitor traffic and leave the rest of the fleet in dock? What dangers are they patrolling to prevent?
Also, why is the 1st Raiding not available for defense operations?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
She does. The 3rd is torn to shit. It's roughly the size of one of your old defense fleets at this point. Its dreadnoughts will be handy in an all-hands-on-deck scenario, but other than that, it's best used for the purpose to which defense fleets are best suited: filling patrol obligations so that other, better fleets can take more comprehensive duties.

And Mira has not been pleased about Sentry Omega going completely without a military presence these past few years.

The 1st Raiding is spread out to the farthest exploited points of not one, but two clusters at all times, with the vast majority of vessels days of travel away from the nearest relay at all times, stretched to the absolute limit of its ability to practically maintain a patrol pattern. You occasionally have some few vessels in a position to assist with raids in Hercules; this is because they happen to be cycling into or out of dock before heading back out to suppress Rachni holdings, not because they spend a significant amount of time in-system.
 
Last edited:
PoptartProdigy said:
She does. The 3rd is torn to shit. It's roughly the size of one of your old defense fleets at this point. Its dreadnoughts will be handy in an all-hands-on-deck scenario, but other than that, it's best used for the purpose to which defense fleets are best suited: filling patrol obligations so that other, better fleets can take more comprehensive duties.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I understand that it's damaged and will need to be repaired but after the repairs, what's stopping it from being used to garrison the Attican Beta relays to defend against a possible Rachni attack. Sure, they're only 35% the size of the original fleet but does that make the individual vessels any less effective? We're not exactly in a situation where leaving dreadnoughts out of the fight until it gets desperate is a good idea considering we need to minimize casualties and the best way to do so is with overwhelming firepower against your opponent.
PoptartProdigy said:
And Mira has not been pleased about Sentry Omega going completely without a military presence these past few years.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Why though? Just plop down some sentries at strategic locations, have a taskforce centrally stationed in Hoc to deal with situations and leave it at that. What possible threats could warrant intensive patrols of the cluster? The Lystheni? Those fuckers aren't going to attack us openly.
 
Versharl said:
I understand that it's damaged and will need to be repaired but after the repairs, what's stopping it from being used to garrison the Attican Beta relays to defend against a possible Rachni attack. Sure, they're only 35% the size of the original fleet but does that make the individual vessels any less effective? We're not exactly in a situation where leaving dreadnoughts out of the fight until it gets desperate is a good idea considering we need to minimize casualties and the best way to do so is with overwhelming firepower against your opponent.

Why though? Just plop down some sentries at strategic locations, have a taskforce centrally stationed in Hoc to deal with situations and leave it at that. What possible threats could warrant intensive patrols of the cluster? The Lystheni? Those fuckers aren't going to attack us openly.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The Majority is in Hoc inclusivve 2 dreads once repaired.
The Basis is a supply deppot, maintenance Yard and Fleet Admiral staff Office
 
Versharl said:
I understand that it's damaged and will need to be repaired but after the repairs, what's stopping it from being used to garrison the Attican Beta relays to defend against a possible Rachni attack. Sure, they're only 35% the size of the original fleet but does that make the individual vessels any less effective? We're not exactly in a situation where leaving dreadnoughts out of the fight until it gets desperate is a good idea considering we need to minimize casualties and the best way to do so is with overwhelming firepower against your opponent.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Because you have the larger, stronger, better 1st Battle fleet stationed there instead. Also, the first Virmirean dreadnought clears the slips this year. The 3rd RWF's dreadnoughts, meanwhile, will, absent something going wrong in Sentry Omega, be able to jump through and reinforce Hercules on a moment's notice. This aside from shortening supply lines, important given the fleet's supply status. This aside from lowering the risk of casualties, critical given that you can't exactly replace the 3rd's casualties with their own ship designs and you like having modern capital ships available.
Versharl said:
Why though? Just plop down some sentries at strategic locations, have a taskforce centrally stationed in Hoc to deal with situations and leave it at that. What possible threats could warrant intensive patrols of the cluster? The Lystheni? Those fuckers aren't going to attack us openly.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Mira: And how do you know that, hm?

The Lystheni are building a navy for some reason. Mira doesn't know what that reason might be. More to the point, having actual garrisons in Sentry Omega means that if something happens -- if the Rachni get desperate enough to open a back relay, if the Rachni attack from one relay and force the 1st Battle Fleet to commit before attacking from another and jumping straight through to Sentry Omega, if there's some other questionably-hostile polity sharing your cluster that you haven't yet found, if the Lystheni decide that yes they would prefer to be in charge here, if pirates start preying on the newly-unrestricted civilian travel, if something happens -- Virmire will not be defenseless.
 
Don't forget that Dreadnaughts aren't like our Battlecruisers.

They really aren't for slugging it out with multiple cruisers, as their mass means a lower acceleration profile.

Not to mention pricey (for us, anyway).

A Dreadnaught really is only for slugging it out with other Dreadnaughts.

Even then, we would pretty much need number parity.
 
uju32 said:
1)Have you heard of the term "throwing good money after bad?"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Not particularly relevant here. I mean, if the fleet was actually destroyed, that might apply. The fleet - or at least it's people - are largely intact, thanks to us.

Morale will not improve if you risk people and lose them too.
The British did not transfer the rest of their airforce to France after losing much of the air component of the BEF; they kept them at home.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

By your standards, the British should have abandoned their men at Dunkirk, after having "lost" such a large portion of their forces.

2)A polity with the technological base to relieve them from a multi-dreadnought Rachni fleet has the technology to feed them.
As evidenced by the fact that it's a less than one year project, cooking up enough food for a couple hundred thousand people is only resource-intensive, not tecnnologically complicated. Genengineered yeasts and algae, vat-grown and processed.....it won't be cordon bleu, but they'll not die of starvation.

Medicines are likely to be rougher, especially if they lack the medical records for quarians, but that's a function of expertise. Virmire does not exactly have the best or the most doctors/pharmacists/biomedical specialists per capita.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

An interesting assumption. We have a decent chance of succeeding, it's true, at least with food production, but would the quarians at home know that, or consider it politically expedient to rely on that?

As you say, it is resource intensive. They cannot necessarily trust that we have the resources to devote to it, or the expertise to do it, especially given our military focus. We have made miracles happen. It would be foolish of them to continue to expect miracle after miracle without them making some contribution, or some attempt to relieve their people.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Voting is open
Remove ads
Back
Top