"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
Buzz Aldrin has a thing for space. Hell, that's no surprise, the man walked on the moon. But it also means he has a thing, apparently, for giving his name to complicated space program management games. And I love both of them so far (more are, apparently, planned!).
Anyway, here's the idea. Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager is a modern update of Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space. It's very pretty and, I think, slightly easier. What I have planned is this. We choose a side, and we play the middle difficulty of BASPM. Then, once done and we see if we can make it to the moon by the end of the 60's, we play out the other side, but in BARIS instead.
So how does BASPM work? It places you in the hot-seat in 1955, controlling NASA or the Soviet Space Program. Each year is broken up into 4 seasons (spring, summer, autumn (fall for the yanks) and winter, of course) and you have various options. You can start rocket or payload programs. Assign researchers to equipment, in order to ensure it is safe to fly. And, of course, you can plan missions and launch them, choosing the mission control staff and any crew there might be.
The goal is, of course, to walk on the moon by the end of 1969. But there is plenty to do one the way there. Historical missions, such as lunar impactors, rocket planes, and even Mars landers are options to the players. Ahistorical missions, mainly in the lunar options, are also available, with things such as Gemini EOR lander, or the enormous Soviet LK-700 direct ascent vehicle. How you get to the moon is up to you. The only thing is, you have to get there (oh, and beat the other side too it).
What's the plan then? Open voting options and, while I'll avoid terrible terrible mistakes (or guide you away from them) I'll be giving minimal input. So here's the first question:
Do we control NASA, for the USA? Or do we fly rockets for the Soviets?
USSR wins! As mentioned, I have selected hard mode for this run. to get that truly BARIS feel. I have not selected Buzz-hard, because I'd still like to finish the game.
"Greetings, Comrades! Welcome to Baikonur. I hope you find everything to your liking. We have been working tirelessly to prepare things for your arrival. I will be your aide during your work here. Come with me, I will show you around."
"There, you can see the whole base from here. There, on the far side, you can see the Headquarters, where you will manage the program and any missions to be launched. Next to it is the Museum, where we will record our contributions to the party. In front of them is the Public Affairs office. I don't know why we have it, comrade, for we are still a state secret down here. However, they do manage our finances as well, so I suppose they have some use. Closest too us, with the model Rakketoplan in front? That is the S.E.T centre. We already have a group of scientists here, preparing for whatever research program you assign them too. Finally, and here I must apologise comrade, there are three buildings as of yet incomplete. The Vehicle Assembly Building, for the research and preparation of rockets. The Mission control centre, where flight controllers will train and operate. And the Cosmonauts centre, where our crews will ready themselves for spaceflight. Now, on to the unhappy part of my tour. If you'll take one of these informational packs..."
"Our quarterly budget is but $2,750. However, that is already feeling the bite of costs, and our income will be closer to $2,144. We have funds of $18,500 for the time being, though I am sure that you will find proper ways to dispose of that. Now, these are your offices. I will leave you to look over those."
Facilities:
Headquarters - Level 1 (allows three programs) - Maintenance $150 - Upgrade $500, 6 months, new maintenance $400
SET Centre - Level 1 (5 of 7 researchers employed) - Maintenance $200 - Upgrade $1000, 6 months, new maintenance $600
VAB - Level 0 - Maintenance $0 - Upgrade $800, 6 months, new maintenance $250
Mission Control - Level 0 - Maintenance $0 - Upgrade $300, 3 months, new maintenance $150
Cosmonaut Centre - Level 0 - Maintenance $0 - Upgrade $500, 6 months, new maintenance $175
Once a program is opened, researchers can be assigned too it. Each piece of equipment in a program (some have one, others have many more) can have up to 4 researchers working on it at once.
Personnel - SET:
R = Rockets, S = Space Probes, HR = Human-rated rockets, CS = Crewed Spacecraft, EVA = EVA suits.
Fedor - R 30.7, S 35.2, HR 31.9, CS 38.7, EVA 33.1, Salary 55, Morale 83, Learn cap 73
Ian - R 56, S 29, HR 42.9, CS 52, EVA 40.6, Salary 51, Morale 82, Learn cap 92
Ilya - R 34.9, S 37.6, HR 23.1, CS 28.8, EVA 39.6, Salary 56, Morale 76, Learn cap 73
Mark - R 23.8, S 33.9, HR 37.6, CS 32.8, EVA 38.8, Salary 39, Morale 82, Learn cap 65
Yegor - R 29.2, S 35.4, HR 40.1, CS 32, EVA 32.1, Salary 55, Morale 84, Learn cap 66
Personnel can be sent to 'Advanced Training' to upgrade their skills. This can be either a nine month (3 turn) block, or a continuous regime. It has costs associated, but can significantly upgrade skills based on a persons learning capacity.
Personnel can be hired once a year up to the maximum capacity of the centre they are assigned too (SET, MC, Cosmo). These personnel then enter basic training which lasts 6-9 months. After that, they can be assigned at will.
And that's the information. If there's anything I've missed, please say and I'll add more. So lets get on with some tips:
- You have to build the VAB to research rockets. It's vital to have it up and running ASAP.
- Without a mission control centre, you can't schedule flights.
- You don't need a cosmonaut centre until you plan to fly manned flights.
And finally, some other stuff. If you'd like to add RP to this, feel free to grab one of the named characters (I can't rename then in game, but will always refer to them however you wish) or to pick a non-game position, such as various departmental heads (Finances, Sciences, Research, Flight, etc), military liaisons, or anything else you wish. If not, just voting is fine
Which brings me to the vote questions: What construction, if any, should be undertaken?
Would you like to hire additional SET researchers?
What program or programs would you like to begin researching?
Ergh, $ are not a thing in the case. Connections, people on key positions and controlled resources (ranging from elite hotels to supporting farms for personnel) are. If you are really playing for RL-style USSR =)
consequently, a proper plan should be:
0.1) acquire an elite hotel on Black Sea to bribe personnel
0.2) acquire an advanced farm to provide elite rations for personnel and their families.
0.3) build residental area for personnel.
1.0) acquire control on advanced metal metallugic facility (you can't buy in USSR, only plan... or take facilities that produce what you need. Preferably from scratch)
2.0) acquire semi-advanced experimental chemical plant to produce fuel (hydrazine+nitrogen tetraxide)
3.0) build a rocket.
Research is not of much issue here, acquring people and facilities is.
Sorry if it is against your plan, just ignore if you want a random CK2-style.
Ergh, $ are not a thing in the case. Connections, people on key positions and controlled resources (ranging from elite hotels to supporting farms for personnel) are. If you are really playing for RL-style USSR =)
It is a mockery of the Amercian capitalist, comrade, we use the the dollar symbol as a shorthand cost-analysis metric of the value to the program of all the resources available to us!
Or, it's a game mechanic
consequently, a proper plan should be:
0.1) acquire an elite hotel on Black Sea to bribe personnel
0.2) acquire an advanced farm to provide elite rations for personnel and their families.
0.3) build residental area for personnel.
1.0) acquire control on advanced metal metallugic facility (you can't by in USSR, only plan... or take facilities that produce what you need. Preferably from scratch)
2.0) acquire semi-advanced experimental chemical plant to produce fuel (hydrazine+nitrogen tetraxide)
3.0) build a rocket.
Research is not of much issue here, acquring people and facilities is.
I'll do that plus use actual pictures from the space race.
Okay, if people can start thinking about the sort of characters they'd like to be, that would be dandy.
This is going to be hilarious. I'm currently writing a... well, a book. It charts an alternate reality history of the space race from the point of view of characters, including German and Russian ones. It's... it's in depth, to say the least.
Anyway, if you see a reference to SREP anywhere, ignore it. I've gotten confused.
If were going to quest, then I'll use the game as the basis and build off it. If so, the three questions above need answers.
If RP, there would be some sort of GM guided questions, but most of it would be driven by you, the players. And I'll need character concepts.
If were going to quest, then I'll use the game as the basis and build off it. If so, the three questions above need answers.
If RP, there would be some sort of GM guided questions, but most of it would be driven by you, the players. And I'll need character concepts.
What construction, if any, should be undertaken?
Would you like to hire additional SET researchers?
What program or programs would you like to begin researching?
[X] Headquarters Upgrade, VAB Upgrade
[X] No
[X] Spaceplane
I know very little about the space race, and I have never played the game, so I am sure someone else can come up with a better plan. I joined this because it seems interesting and I want to see where it goes.
