Agenda for the Third Senate Legislative Session (To Be Hosted Cycle 40)
TOPIC: Torch War Assessment. As it is a joint endeavor undertaken by multiple members, the Senate must conduct a regular audit to determine whether or not it will continue supporting this conflict. Depending on the progress of the conflict and War Exhaustion, these votes may change.
IF PASSED: Continue the Torch War. All Houses must make a Military check. Depending on the level of failure, War Exhaustion may increase and Military Seizure obstruction may appear.
IF FAILED: The Torch War ends. House Sol loses ten (10) Military and Influence from failure to persecute the war.
YES
Great House Ababil (2 votes)
NO
Great House Orochi (8 votes)
Great House York (2 votes)
ABSTAIN
Great House Tyto
House Archon
TOPIC: Orochi Emergency Deployment. To counter the ongoing militia threat growing within their borders, House Orochi has formally requested the deployment of the Stellar Guard to help quail these dissidents. It is a begrudging sacrifice on their part that might sting their pride temporarily, but could help provide critical stabilization of their situation. Let it not be said though that they don't pay for the help.
IF PASSED: House Sol gains ten (10) Wealth and then makes a Military check. House Orochi then makes a Military check with a modifier depending on the result of the House Sol roll.
IF FAILED: House Sol gains five (5) Influence. House Orochi makes a Military check.
YES
Great House Orochi (12 votes)
Great Houes Ababil (14 votes)
NO
Great House Tyto (4 votes)
House Archon (10 votes)
ABSTAIN
Great House York
TOPIC: Quantum Study Funding. Recent rumors from the Free States indicate a sudden uptick in interest associated with the mysterious phenomenon known as the Quantum Realm. Even more concerning is the whisper that it could even be possibly something that could affect power dynamic in the galaxy. So it is only natural that apt consideration be given into reopening the research branch dedicated to investigating the topic on Venus.
IF PASSED: House Sol loses five (5) Resources and Wealth. Then it gains ten (10) Industry.
IF FAILED: House Sol gains five (5) Industry.
YES
Great House Tyto (16 votes)
NO
Great House York (18 votes)
Great House Ababil (4 votes)
ABSTAIN
Great House Orochi
House Archon
THE SENATE WILL CONVENE FOR FINAL DELIBERATIONS AND VOTING ON CYCLE 40.
This one will depend a lot upon how the war actually goes. In fact there's even a warning that those predicted votes might change. I will say that as much as I don't want House Sol to lose Military or Influence, it might be in everyone's best interest to end the war once House Kelon's territory is reclaimed. Plus then the main goal of the war will have been completed.
This seems like more of a good thing for us than not. House Sol gets Wealth (our mandate), and Great House Orochi becomes more stable - which reduces the chance that the other Great Houses will pounce on them in a great war. The only downside is that we will lose some Goodwill with House Archon and Great House Tyto.
It sucks massively that this will cost House Sol, but we know that the Quantum Realm is very important. Even if it is very dangerous. We also know, even if Violet might not, that those whispers in the Free State are related to ruins that are very similar to us. Our people are involved. Hell, the Quantum Realm is probably to do with how we ended up in this alternative universe to begin with.
One additional upside is that this will give us some Goodwill with Great House Tyto if we vote for it.
EDIT: Oh also the Diplomatic listing for House Tyto doesn't include our trade post with them. I didn't even know diplomatic listings included our agreements with people until I looked just then.
...that second topic... Hm, theoretically, mind you this is just theoretically, but if that indeed passes and the Stellar Guard are busy quelling the ongoing militia threat:
Would that mean the blame, if anything, will fall to the Stellar Guard thus House Sol?
And why is Ababil joining hands with Orochi...? How... Curious.
The third topic feels like a plot hook. I know we're looking at it mechanically, but it's also a study that concerns us greatly especially if for some reason the Free States have dabbled in it.
The first topic goes without saying that we will vote dependent if the Torch War succeeds or not, with the aim of House Kelon's territories being reclaimed.
...you know, with the many responses from the Free State concerning that particular area: what are the odds that their research originated from there? Hmmm...
[X] Plan Working On Water
-[X] [Character] Kat, Hyacinth Prism
--[X] [Stewardship] Construct Post. Utilize some empty space in a city to build an independent facility. Cost varies. Each building post may only be built once per city. ---[X] Prydwen Serol ----[X] Sunrise Bank. Accounts now guaranteed under government-subsidized insurance! Open an account today, withdraw your money a galaxy away! Increases Wealth by three (3). Decreases Resources by one (1). Requires four (4) progress. -[X] [Character] Violet d'Iris, Solar Queen --[X] [Martial] Commission Ship.Reach out to the dockyards and purchase or order a new ship to join your fleets. Cost varies. ---[X] Berth: Prydwen Serol Fleet Port
----[X] "Luminary" / Corona-class Cruiser. A heavy cruiser equipped with robust defenses for any situation and can hold its own battle line. Requires Drydock (Corona-class). Requires six (6) progress.
[X] Plan Working On Water
-[X] [Character] Kat, Hyacinth Prism
--[X] [Stewardship] Construct Post. Utilize some empty space in a city to build an independent facility. Cost varies. Each building post may only be built once per city. ---[X] Prydwen Serol ----[X] Sunrise Bank. Accounts now guaranteed under government-subsidized insurance! Open an account today, withdraw your money a galaxy away! Increases Wealth by three (3). Decreases Resources by one (1). Requires four (4) progress. -[X] [Character] Violet d'Iris, Solar Queen --[X] [Martial] Commission Ship.Reach out to the dockyards and purchase or order a new ship to join your fleets. Cost varies. ---[X] Berth: Prydwen Serol Fleet Port
----[X] "Luminary" / Corona-class Cruiser. A heavy cruiser equipped with robust defenses for any situation and can hold its own battle line. Requires Drydock (Corona-class). Requires six (6) progress.
Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Jan 5, 2025 at 12:30 AM, finished with 6 posts and 2 votes.
[X] Plan Working On Water -[X] [Character] Kat, Hyacinth Prism --[X] [Stewardship] Construct Post. Utilize some empty space in a city to build an independent facility. Cost varies. Each building post may only be built once per city. ---[X] Prydwen Serol ----[X] Sunrise Bank. Accounts now guaranteed under government-subsidized insurance! Open an account today, withdraw your money a galaxy away! Increases Wealth by three (3). Decreases Resources by one (1). Requires four (4) progress. -[X] [Character] Violet d'Iris, Solar Queen --[X] [Martial] Commission Ship.Reach out to the dockyards and purchase or order a new ship to join your fleets. Cost varies. ---[X] Berth: Prydwen Serol Fleet Port ----[X] "Luminary" / Corona-class Cruiser. A heavy cruiser equipped with robust defenses for any situation and can hold its own battle line. Requires Drydock (Corona-class). Requires six (6) progress.
Wolf Escort is now available as a Destroyer hull option.
The guide Prism let out an exhausted sigh. The Holly Knight, as it turned out, had not just been satisfied with a simple ride onboard the prototype destroyer. They insisted on multiple trips back and forth to really push the experimental ship to its limits, loudly observing and noting several details throughout. Then came an intense questioning session, delivered with such earnestness and curiosity that it almost felt offensive to refuse. It was quite thorough and by the end of it, all the Prisms involved in the project had tiredly requested time off from their duties to recuperate.
Surprisingly it was granted by the Solarium Forge's overseers and production slowed down by just a bit. What little loss was more than made up by the near-instant approval of the Wolf Escort project, greatly cheering up and encouraging the designers. All that effort had really paid off and many looked at Hifumi in a new light, recognizing they really did keep their word.
All of them, for better or worst the guide reflected with a shake of the head. Maybe they could buy something for a sore throat.
Even when both sides were interested in making money together, there was bound to be some trouble sooner or later.
The manner of this conflict emerged in the form of a land dispute over the latest system caught up in the exchange between House Iris and House Archon. Asenmach was the perfect middle ground between the two, an ideal trade point between the two peoples. With such possible profits perhaps clouding their minds, there was a race between businesses to get setup there first to strike riches first. Then, with the fear of the war affecting merchants, the competition grew fierce and started to escalate. Settlers working for these businesses were soon drawn in and it wasn't long before a mess was beginning to emerge.
Radana casually sipped at a cup of tea while considering all this, maintaining the mask of collected calmness. Being the one assigned in charge of developing this fledgling colony, she quickly realized the growing tensions and aimed to quickly deal with it, preferably in a civilized manner. So to cultivate such a solution, she would need to talk to somebody on the opposite side to come to a neat and tidy arrangement. Some minor tax cuts or grants, small concessions to smooth over the troubles.
But this time, it seemed that House Archon wasn't going to just back down. Stressing this was the fact they had sent their own representative for these negotiations with Radana, one that she suspected would be pushing for much greater benefits than what she normally could afford. This was a most unexpected development, but one that the Camellia Knight was determined to keep properly refined. At least it seemed like her opposite in this situation agreed on that.
The motions they went through were exact and precise, in a manner that spoke less of practiced manners and more on mathematical calculation. A slight stiffness that indicated that the action of adding sugar to the tea wasn't done often, but with enough smoothness that it was almost natural. Once properly stirred in, the cup lifted and gently pressed against the doll's mouth, the robotic construct mimicking the action of drinking the beverage.
Given that they actually did consume it through a port for their food in their heard, it maybe was real enough. The notion was only reinforced when they smacked their lips, processing the flavor through data collection through poison detectors. Servant doll bodies were most often equipped with such functionality. "I see it is...sweet. Deliciously so." They placed the ceramic against the plate and hummed. "It registers as being quite pleasurable, so I must offer my thanks for the drink."
"I'm glad to hear it. It is quite gladdening to hear that fine indulgences transcend organic boundaries," Radana settled on saying, taking her own sip meanwhile. "I do hope you don't take offense to the lack of more suitable sustenance to your palette, if you have one. I hadn't expected somebody of your station to come meet with me over this trivial issue."
"Mmh, and I do not fault you for it. This normally would be a role left to our aides and assistants, but I'm afraid that a direct interest has been expressed in the matter at hand." The drinks were set aside and the doll laced their fingers, gazing at the human through electric eyes. "Our people are interested in colonizing Asenmach."
"What a coincidence," Radana lightly told with narrowed eyes. "So are ours."
"Yet neither of us possess that strong a claim to make with it so," noted the representative from House Archon. The diplomat of House Iris hid a wince, knowing it meant that the system was technically up for grabs for anybody in the heat of the moment. "So it will come down to a contest of business that could turn rather...disagreeable. Especially were it to come to us calling upon our respective forces to engage in a border skirmish. I daresay neither of us wish to let it escalate to that point."
"We would rather prefer not, but neither will we so easily concede the point." Radana blinked, triggering a flash of accelerated calculation before giving a small smile. "And to that end, we do seem to be winning control already. We have settlements on two of the three planets that align strongly to the Solar Queen over the Gale. The third planet, I concede is tentatively in your control, but you would be risking it so if you decided to engage in a skirmish."
"If you have no interest in the skirmish, neither will we." The doll swiftly told, holding out a defusing hand. "We will act only in self-defense for what we have already claimed. I merely am here to offer another alternative that I have been authorized by the Gale themselves to make."
Now that did pique her interest, and hopefully that of her eavesdropping friend. She casually made sure her gauntlet's microphone was unobstructed before titling her head. "A price for your concession in this matter? Let it not be said we won't at least hear you out."
"Very well, then allow me to directly convey the words of the Gale's will to you." They closed their eyes and exhaled, a motion that was wholly unnecessary due to the lack of lungs. But it was a little tic that helped them feel just a bit more alive, more organic, more human. "The considerable influence wielded by House Iris has not gone unnoticed, and House Archon wishes to tap into it just a bit to gain further leverage. Through your aid could we improve our own political intrigue in the United Empire, something we are keen to hone. In exchange, we would inform our settlers that House Iris had laid fair claim and thus, we would be unable to involve ourselves further."
Radana considered the offer, putting a finger to her chin in thought. It was true that the voting power amassed by House Iris during the Second Senate was quite impressive so, enough to have some make subtle inquiries. It seemed for their part, House Archon wanted a chance to engage with some of these voters and better improve their grasp of Senate politics through prolonged interaction. Such a choice would likely involve sacrificing some of that vast voting power for that purpose, likely carrying through the Third Senate but no longer than that.
In exchange, House Iris would gain undisputed ownership over all of Asenmach.
It was quite an offer to consider, especially if accepting it could also improve relations with House Archon. On the other hand, refusing it and resorting to a border clash would undoubtedly do the opposite, potentially winning that missing planet in exchange for upsetting the opposition. It wouldn't necessarily require the involvement of any House Iris unit, only border patrol security, but it could very well escalate further if pushed. There was also the option of just politely declining and leaving it be, at which point the onus was then on House Archon to spark the situation. Yet if they were true to remaining passive except in self-defense, then Asenmach would still fall majorly under Iris control with two of three planets to them.
"Do you need time to consider an answer?" The possessed doll spoke before blinking. "Ah, right, you would likely need consult with a higher up first and you do not possess instant communication. Forgive me."
"Oh, that's unnecessary." Slyly, her arm moved in a stretching motion that so happened to let her eyes gaze on the suddenly illuminated screen with a message from her best friend. "I believe I can speak for House Iris now on this matter."
[ ] Accept the offer. Gain Goodwill with House Archon. House Archon's Influence increases. House Iris can only vote with half their total votes in the Third Senate.
[ ] Engage in a border conflict. Lose Goodwill with House Archon. Both sides will make a Military to determine the results.
[ ] Let them keep the planet. Asenmach will be split between House Iris and House Archon.
- A little bump in the road here as what you're doing happened to coincide with what Archon was planning on doing. How interesting, but it does make for a colorful twist that could help lend background for Asenmach. A claim could have maybe helped in giving you an edge to press hard against this, but it also could have been time spent by Archon in establishing their own possession first. Nothing to do but deal with this now though.
-EDIT: Upon reviewing resource consumption, I'll be changing mercenary resource consumption to 1.5x instead of 2x to match the new resource income calculation.
In regards to the senate topics: Topic 2 is already going to get passed. Topic 1 doesn't currently look like it will get passed, and would require 9 votes to get it passed. Topic 3 would require 7 votes to do the same. We currently have 33 Influence, and so 16 votes. If we accept, we would have 8 votes for this Senate.
It's worth noting that building a new city in Calenwyrm and then building a Solarium Forge in that city would give us 3 extra votes normally, and 1 extra vote if we accept this deal.
I feel like we've asked this already but it doesn't appear to be in any informationals: what happens with a tied vote? Do you need more "aye" votes than "nay" in order to pass, or do they just need to tie?
I feel like we've asked this already but it doesn't appear to be in any informationals: what happens with a tied vote? Do you need more "aye" votes than "nay" in order to pass, or do they just need to tie?
A tied vote in the Senate would end up before the Stellarch to be the tie-breaker. So in a way, it's entrusting the choice to House Sol to make the final decision.
In addition to earlier info:
Calenwyrm pre-settlement had 34 Resources and 2 inhabitable planets (i.e. 6 city spots).
Asenmach has 38 Resources and 3 inhabitable planets (9 city spots).
I'm inclined towards taking the deal. Then we hope that our success in the war is enough to turn opinion to our side. Also we maybe build a new city + Solarium Forge in Calenwyrm to get that extra vote out. If the war goes well, and we can at least get it to a tie with our votes + changing opinion, then I'm happy to leave the decision up to the Stellarch.
Building the Forge would give us 2 votes to spare on topic 1. That would leave the votes at 4 votes "aye" and 10 votes "nay". So we'd only need to sway 3 votes to "aye" in order to make it a draw. Or hope that Houses who are abstaining or only putting forward token support will commit to the "aye".
EDIT: We also have a good chance of being able to sabotage Great House York's diplomatic Influence. This would make topics 1 and 3 both easier to pass, albeit primarily topic 3. Assuming Violet rolls as low as possible (i.e. only gets 2 progress) she would be able to finish it on her own by the beginning of cycle 41. As long as she can "cut" one cycle, which she probably will -particularly if she gets some help- then it can be done by the start of cycle 40. In fact we could almost guarantee it finishes in time by briefly assigning Hifumi to help her with H.M.S. Luminary.
EDIT 2: For those interested, I think the probability of Violet finishing before the Senate is about 64.5%. That's before anybody else helps her.
[X] Accept the offer. Gain Goodwill with House Archon. House Archon's Influence increases. House Iris can only vote with half their total votes in the Third Senate.
Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Jan 9, 2025 at 11:57 PM, finished with 1 posts and 1 votes.
[X] Accept the offer. Gain Goodwill with House Archon. House Archon's Influence increases. House Iris can only vote with half their total votes in the Third Senate.
Couldn't resist when ya'll decided to seemingly bring in a new cruiser to replace the one at war.
'ONE CRUISER, ONE PLANET'
'KEEP THE DREAM IN KINGSDREAM'
'DON'T BULLY KORAL THE CORAL!'
You know they absolutely drew some sort of art for that. Not helping is Prydwen Serol's reputation for the more mature sort of tourism. Does this mean that Luminary will be a more adult sort of mascot?
[X] Accept the offer. Gain Goodwill with House Archon. House Archon's Influence increases. House Iris can only vote with half their total votes in the Third Senate.
House Iris has gained +10 Goodwill with House Archon (0 +10 = 10).
Radana eyed the representative sitting across her before speaking House Iris' decision. "It's a fair bargain that we would be interested in," she declared with a tap of the finger against the chin. "I doubt that we could put any part of this agreement in paper though, especially for you."
"A digital recording will be saved, but its permissions are strictly monitored. It would be quite troublesome if the settlers in Asenmach learned of this, lest they take justified offense at our reasoning." The doll nodded and their fingers lightly danced across the table's surface. "According to what my installed libraries, it is strongly suggested that we find acceptable workarounds in lieu of distinct signatures."
The diplomat presented that workaround. "We'll both just work to uphold our side of the agreement gradually as proof of sincerity." She rose up and offered a hand. "I'll start by introducing you to some of our Senate supporters so you can already get to know them."
Their head tilted, eyes dimming for a moment before relighting. "Then I've sent my colleagues word that we should deescalate. It would seem all is satisfactory then!" Their arm hesitated, then moved to take Radana's, machine meeting flesh gingerly. "...though I would greatly appreciate it if you were to handle the initial encounter too. That one is a...hm. Personal request? Would that be the right terminology?"
"Of course." Her voice dropped to a mumble. "Can't be much worst than coaxing a certain somebody into social situations."
The doll detected that was supposed to go unheard, according to their courtesy protocol, and made a note to definitely edit out that part of the recording in their memory bank later.
A Sunrise Bank has been built in Prydwen Serol, increasing Wealth by three (3) and decreasing Resources by one (1).
The client blinked and stared at the nonplussed bank teller. "Really?" They repeated with a nervous cough. "You're going to accept that as a valid job occupation?"
The service worker's eyebrow raised up. "If that accurately describes your profession, then yes. If it does not, please let me know so we can fix that to avoid legal troubles down the road."
"Ah, no, it's fine. Really." There was a bit more confidence in their voice at the indifferent acceptance. "That does accurately describe my work. Thank you."
"Good. Now then, let's continue with working through setting up your account with us."
"So as you were talking about in the studio, there is a protest ongoing in the streets of Kingsdream right now about their sister city getting their own cruiser. But it's not exactly from your typical sources!"
The camera pans over to the protest signs, which mostly had a unified message that seemed to protest the coming ship. At first glance, one would understandably assume immediately it as just another anti-militarism movement so commonly found anyplace humanity resided. Then one would look again and realize nothing could be further from the truth.
'ONE CRUISER, ONE PLANET'
'KEEP THE DREAM IN KINGSDREAM'
'DON'T BULLY KORAL THE CORAL!'
"Yes, it seems that the fans of our resident mascot are the most passionate about the new inclusion. Somehow." The reporter laughs and shakes their head. "Honestly, I almost want to agree with them. Koral's merchandise especially is just too adorable, and I hope it doesn't get overshadowed. Let's just hope their namesake gets back from war in one piece I suppose. Back to you in the studio now."
The door slid open and Dorothea entered with her retinue of senior officers. There was a determined gaze and gait about her that drew eyes onto the Lycoris Knight, whatever previous discussion falling silent when she made her way to the heart of the assembly's command center. With a pneumatic hiss, her helmet was pulled off and set it down on the holographic table, the star map of the House Kelon worlds flickering slightly from the brief interface.
She raised her unobstructed face and turned now to the unspoken war leader of this campaign. "Head Keeper Layla, correct? I come from House Iris." Dorothea swiftly introduced herself and tapped at her wrist gauntlet to project the volunteer forces from the Helmsmen. "We of Battlegroup Rampart-One are ready to help you defeat the Free States and reclaim your lost worlds."
The woman closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath. "House Iris...again, and again, we find ourselves in your debt. We won't forget any of your generosity, not until the last of us have fallen," she vowed before looking at each participant at the command center. "And neither will we forget the aid given from elsewhere too. All of you here, thank you so much. I wished that I was a better speaker to properly convey my gratitude for your decision to support our campaign."
"Would that include your former supporters too?" drawled an officer in a flight suit indulging in a smokey concoction. "You know, the ones who decided to kick you off their couch because they started having a domestic affair?"
That earned a wince from the leader-in-exile, an expression torn between old thankfulness and recent troubles. It was true that they had been chased out of Orochi's lands once their time was up, but one didn't just forget the many years of support and aid provided before then. "It's...complicated."
"Ah, so just like the relation to the ones who abandoned you?" This was directed at a stern looking naval officer who glared at the barb hurled their way. There was a long moment of silence before a cough broke the air, only realizing now that they had to actually vocalize their thoughts.
"Old." They paused, searching for the way to pronounce the next word. "...atonement."
"Enough of this bickering," an individual barked and slapped their hand against the table to draw attention. The badge on their uniform identified them as a member of the much vaunted Stellar Guard, who probably quite disliked the lack of professionalism on display. "We're not here to pick at each other. We're here to fight. So save your blathering with one another and focus on the campaign. The sooner we accomplish our objectives, the sooner we can return to much more important duties."
Dorothea's eyes flickered and watched Layla's face darken at the unintended insult buried within. "Guarding the Stellarch is that much more important than reclaiming our homes?" She muttered under her breath before squeezing her eyes shut to take in a deep breath. It seemed like she was actively attempting to restrain her temper now, determined not to repeat the embarrassment she had made at the Senate. "...you have a point though. We can't afford to waste time at all, not when we don't know when support for the offensive could dry up."
"Indeed, and so to maximize our efficiency, I have already begun calculating and computing the work before us," spoke the lone doll at the command center, glowing eyes darting about. He must be the Bolt, from what the Lycoris Knight knew. He fiddled with the holographic interface and the glowing star map zoomed in to highlight several points of interest. "I apologize if this perhaps oversteps your prerogative as leader of the campaign, but I simply could not wait. I have been most eager to start putting theory into practice with live data. It is wholly unlike the simulations."
Layla ran a hand over her face before shaking her head. "I don't mind, but a head's up would be nice," she settled on. Then her eyes focused. "No point in wasting your efforts then, what would you suggest?" She asked, willing to hear out ideas now.
The one from House Archon inclined his head, then gestured. "From preliminary analysis and intelligence, I have been able to determine three definitive theaters that we should focus our efforts on. These are defined as systems with critical value to the conflict, which could very well determine the ultimate outcome of the war. Please allow me to elaborate.
"First we have the Thera system, containing two planets. It is the primary military-industrial complex within this sector of space and projected to supply a considerable amount of material to the surrounding area. Taking it would not only hinder the Free State's ability to sustain a fight in the region, but also provide a satisfactory staging point for a second wave offensive should the first fail. Caution is advised though, as it would appear that Hayha's forces are garrisoning the area.
"Next would be Telhague, an entirely barren three planet system. While this might initially appear useless, studying transit paths have revealed it to be a critical junction for FTL travel in the area. I would speculate that being why so many battles are reportedly fought here, and the local space appears to be a veritable graveyard of voidships. Expect that the Council State of Takigawa would defense such a location with their fleet forces.
"Finally is our very purpose for assembling so: the liberation of Utredt, capital system of the Kelon worlds. It would be undeniable proof of our victory if we were able to not only take but also hold the large four planet system. I wholly expect war support for this endeavor on the Free States end to dry up once we have repelled a sufficient number of counteroffensives were we to conquer it so. But be warned, they must have realized this too and have stationed the primary bulk of their forces here. We would need to take and hold one of the other locations to begin thinning out this sturdy defense.
"To that end, I have already created and designated the most optimal taskings for each of you-"
"No," Lalya interrupted firmly, holding up a hand. "Your strategic analysis is most illuminating and helpful, but I will have final say over where everybody is deployed. We'll consider your suggestions as they are, but I also wish to hear everybody's respective thoughts on where they would contribute best."
The doll's face seemed to pucker up and he crossed his arms. "Very well. You...are the commander, I suppose."
Dorothea gave the tiniest of nods to the Head Keeper, pleased that she wasn't going to just let another take control of the war effort. This was not a House Archon operation, it was a House Kelon one. Just the thought of a House Iris campaign being compromised in a similar way made her blood boil and she had to call upon her circuits to burn off some of that energy through some idle reinforcement. Once that was done, she looked about and saw others considering the three theaters. None seemed to have committed yet, which was good.
Perhaps she could convince some to temporarily put themselves under her command then. The perks of bringing an entire battlegroup meant that House Iris would have considerable sway over where their own would focus on. The other fronts would then be taken by the other groups. So Dorothea studied the options and made her thoughts known.
Choose a theater of war to focus on.
-[ ] [Theater] Thera System. Two (2) planets, local military-industrial complex.
- Finally we get to use mercenaries!!! I'd like to say I'm really happy and grateful for those who submitted and contributed to building out the setting. Here's now the chance for them to perhaps appear if the stars align.
- I did consider doing all the stat listings, then I realized it would just be a massive slog that'll delay this. So I'll just do the ones you choose to pick up.
Hmmm... Gotta check, but I'm sure we had two Infantry(?) Regiments, two Destroyers and a (Defensive) Heavy Cruiser.
Curiously, we can spend up to six Auxiliary Points, not all six, so I guess there's consideration of the rest going to remain with our allies to help.
I at least want us to get 16th Ababil Wing due to Fighter + Bomber Squadrons (EDIT: Actually 2 Points). Not sure after that aka which theater.
It's... Interesting to see Stealth Ships though but I guess we'll be focusing on ground combat due to being Knights and all, yeah?
I think you've mis interpreted something here. We can spend up to six auxiliary points acquiring temporary units. That means we can spend all six, or fewer, on different units.
Given that we have a mix of units rather than a very strong navy, I would tend towards Thera or Utredt. Given again that we don't have a whole lot of forces, I would tend towards Thera. I trust "Bolt"s analysis. Going to Thera and then onto Utredt will make for a slower war, but it seems like one that is more likely to succeed.
In regards to our composition, we definitely need to pick up some kind of air wing to fill our hangar. It's a shame there are no merc wings. In principle I would prefer that we pick up mercenary units as allied units will still be on campaign, but mercs will not, even though mercs will consume twice the Resources. I feel like mercs we don't hire might show up fighting for the Free States but we'd have to ask Celeshiro.
Current Resource Income: 22 per cycle.
Current Resource cost: 16 per cycle.
Resource Stockpile: 60/60.
Rampart One Command Power: 16/22
The following is my understanding of how much cap and consumption these things should be. I don't know for sure.
Two quick questions Celeshiro: Does the Arkship count as a warship for Command Power and Resource Consumption? Similarly, is the Stealth Destroyer "just" a destroyer - albeit a mercenary one?
EDIT: Sorry a third question. How big are the hangars on the OSS Glorious Bust and the TAA Muted Silence ?
[ ] Plan Lipgloss and Lasers
-[ ] [Theater] Thera System. Two (2) planets, local military-industrial complex. -[ ] [Auxiliary] Nakatomi Mecha-Idols
-[ ] [Auxiliary] 16th Ababil Airwing.
Take an airwing to fill our hangar. We have the spare auxiliary points so we may as well take the more expensive one. Plus having dedicated fighters might help ensure air superiority. Then use the rest of our Command Power for some Elite Infantry. We saw last war how useful elites were. You could pick the Archmages here. I'm just biased. I wrote them originally, plus having Dorothea interact with bloodthirsty mecha-Idols sounds funny.
I also figure they might have higher durability and speed but less damage than the Archmages, but I sincerely do not know.
Hmmm... Inclined with the Archmages since Knights and Magic. Also because celestial theme. Do we have a description on the stuff the various allies though as noted with the Idols? I might have to find it later... So might disregard this but inclined to copy the same Plan above but with the Archmages instead.
EDIT: ...huh, now that I think about it: QM, the other Houses will also choose which theater they will take part in, right? Because I will assume House Kelon will be gunning for the Utredt Theater without a doubt... that makes me have second thoughts on going for Thera since we're primarily doing this campaign to help House Kelon take back their planets, and taking back their Capital will be big for the next Senate voting especially now that we only have half votes available... That, and having both our forces work together might be good too? Hmmm...
You don't have to worry about going over your Command Power limit, but the Resource consumption is...hm.
Special regiments would normally consume 6, but special mercenaries according to what I've said before would be 12. That's way too much, especially with the reduced Resource income. Right. Let's change that.
Mercenaries will now be 1.5x resource consumption. Only fair so that you can actually get to use your special units way more. So here, the special elite mercenary regiments would take up 9 resources. I'll make a note in the post then.
Two quick questions Celeshiro: Does the Arkship count as a warship for Command Power and Resource Consumption? Similarly, is the Stealth Destroyer "just" a destroyer - albeit a mercenary one?
The Arkship is a special class above warship that is much more bulkier, it'd be actually 8 CP/resource consumption. The stealth destroyer is indeed a destroyer, just with special outfitting/abilities.
They would, and don't worry about what units they'll be bringing. There's other forces not listed here that they'll pick up themselves to bring to these fronts.
I'm afraid there seems to be a inconsistency here. That or "special" regiments are something beyond Elites. Can you please clarify?
EDIT: Also in the original threadmark it seemed like Dorothea was using her Influence over the campaign to push for one theater or another. That's not the case then? Each "group" in the campaign is choosing their own commitment? And choosing auxiliaries from allied troops has no effect on the troops available to our allies?
Ack, informational of the past come back to haunt me! That's back when we didn't need to worry about Resource upkeep. The updated costs were from Cycle 31.2. I'll need to update that old post, thank you for showing it so.
EDIT: Also in the original threadmark it seemed like Dorothea was using her Influence over the campaign to push for one theater or another. That's not the case then? Each "group" in the campaign is choosing their own commitment? And choosing auxiliaries from allied troops has no effect on the troops available to our allies?
That informational did include Resource upkeep. Regardless, six per unit seems like a lot. We'll see if it's worth it but I am afraid I doubt it. 4 per unit was already four (4) times the cost per Battalion in a regular regiment. This is now six (6) times the cost per battalion.
Nevermind. I see that the cost of all units was increased in Cycle 31.2. And our Resource Income has been slashed. Oh bother.
The Airwing goes to the Hangar in our Heavy Cruiser. Then our Infantry Regiment will each be deployed with one of the Elite Mercs as appropriate since I can't decide between Lukepop's Plan (which will likely have the Glorious Bust and the other Bomber Airwing) with the Idols or Archmages then I thought maybe our allies will bring in air/space superiority forces but that's a big if. Still, I'd rather that two of our Infantry Regiments have an Elite Regiment with them to support so yeah...
Opting for the Meat Grinder in Utredt since want to see if we can cut the head of the snake kind of scenario rather than prolong the worse of it...
Not sure on the whole Resource schtick, will check later but yeah.
Current Resource Income: 22 per cycle.
Current Resource cost: 16 per cycle.
Resource Stockpile: 60/60.
The following is my understanding of how much cap and consumption these things should be. It's been updated based on most recent QM info so should be correct.
Net R.C. after including Wartime Resource production: 18/cycle (18)
Maximum campaign length:
60/18 = 3.3 (repeating)
Round down as costs are paid in full at the start of a cycle.
Therefore, the maximum length this plan allows us to campaign is 3 (three) cycles.
Note 1: This isn't accounting for additional Resource costs like the "Underway Repairs" Stratagem or for reduced Resource production due to the buildup of further infrastructure at home.
Note 2: This is assuming that, once auxiliaries are dismissed, core troops will be able to fly home with full provisions as their R.C. is less than Wartime Resource Production.
Note 3: Refilling the Resource Stockpile during peacetime is extremely quick. Less than two cycles currently. This will also be slower if Resource production is lowered but not by all that much.
My objectives with the plans I made leading up to this campaign were somewhat selfish for us. Get some experience for our troops. Get some kind of reward once the campaign ends. Ideally a follower. Helping House Kelon/The Empire is a benefit, but not the reason I wanted to send our men to die.
There is no point getting experience for our troops if those troops are dead. Celeshiro would have to clarify but if a unit (e.g. a battalion) is wiped out, I'm pretty sure they lose the effects from their current medals.
Additionally, there is an in-universe analyst advising against going straight for Utredt. A House Archon AI in fact. I'm inclined to agree with their assessment. I also don't believe that this will be "cutting the head off of the snake" per se, as we will have to withstand Enemy counterattack. I don't believe your proposed force will have the Resources necessary to conduct the full campaign - particularly in such a large system as Utredt.
It's a valid plan, and I'm always happy to see other people make plans for the quest! Gets a bit lonely lol. I just think it is somewhat flawed. Mind you, none of the plans we could make seem perfect.
I find thats how making plans for this quest goes; you're always going to feel at least a little off-balance, a little out of control. Sometimes you're going to feel really off balance! Kind of like real life.
Quick question if I may: will we be charged for our auxiliaries for this cycle - i.e. Whilst traveling to our chosen theater- or only once we arrive. I ask mainly because we've already paid the upkeep for our base units.
