The audience gets ... cranky when they're not fed updates
Suffice to say that I'm sympathetic but I'm wondering what purpose this argument serves now that the vote has been over for a while. History has shown that the best time to bring this up is during a vote where this matters.
OOC, I suspect that Oneiros is intentionally withholding the option of conclusively dealing with Vulcan obstinacy because of the very interesting dilemma it's introduced in gameplay in the form of war support and political bickering. And a hint of what's to come in future crises.
QM/N: I was going to string a few of these reveals out more, but I've pushed it up since the thread discussion ended up cottoning on.
[X][FLEET] Cooperate - Relegate the Vulcan High Command to patrol and call up Tellarite forces (+5 support on Vulcan, -10 on Tellar)
[X][FEC] Focus on increasing mobilisation (+10pt/mnth mobilisation rate)
[X][CON] Focus on increasing mobilisation (+10pt/mnth mobilisation rate)
[X][AMB] Lobby to integrate <IT of Gaen> who is already at war into your forces (Will begin to build support in that world)
2314.Q4.M2.F1
Antechambers, Federation Council, Paris
"Do you think there's a chance that they'll come to the table?" you ask as you walk alongside the the head of the Diplomatic Service down the corridors of power.
"I certainly hope not," the Andorian man replies. Surprise makes you stumble, though you keep your feet. When you recover you, straighten up and give the man an uncomprehending look. The typically cloud of aides you both travel with hang back as you stop. "You have to understand, it's pointless. It's worse than dealing with the Yrillians - the necessary centralisation simply isn't there."
"They have an autocratic Emperor, how can there not be enough centralisation?" you ask as you begin to walk again.
"That's what we thought at first," says the Andorian with a nod. "But eventually we realised why the Ked Paddah really went to war."
"Not the core-collapse experiments, then?"
"That was the trigger for the crisis, but the reason it went to war was simply because the Arcadians are institutionally incapable of reigning it in," he explains. "The Emperor is merely the single strongest House leader among many Houses. Mentats themselves aren't even a government program - it's too widespread, any noble can patronise one. Merely the act of accepting responsibility for the actions of another House's mentat puts them on a treacherous footing regarding internecine conflict."
"That's horrifying," you blurt.
"We'd have to effectively conduct diplomacy with not just the Emperor, but with the Houses Major simultaneously."
-
Starfleet Headquarters, Sol III
You have Councillors Stesk, Langford, and a quartet of other Councillors in your office. If you have to be honest, it is more than a little alarming for you. You're comfortable around politics and politicians, but you usually prefer to be stepping into their domain, rather than having it all land at your doorstep. But here you are, and here they are, making a case.
"Yes, I'm worried, of course I'm worried," says the esteemed Councillor for Earth. "Madame President was picked to appeal to the new wave members, not because she was the best candidate for President."
"I'm versed in Council politics, sir, I'm aware of that much. I knew the hot tip had been for the Councillor for Andor." You shift uncomfortably in your seat at that. "Are you suggesting there is a bit more to it than that?"
"Phyria ch'Gallenth was the most qualified, and most rounded candidate," replies Rob Langford as he puts down his coffee cup on your desk. "But he was Andorian, same as the last President, and both Jorth and Sadek wanted to shake things up."
"The President's background is purely industrialist," explains Councillor Stesk, sitting next to Councillor Langford. "Even during the Caitian-Dawiar War, President N'Gir had little direct involvement with the Grand Fleet. Instead she was responsible for the duplication of key production."
"Councillor sh'Arrath didn't have any experience in Starfleet or the Andorian Guard either," you point out.
"While that is the case, the former President had considerable experience serving on the Exploratory Forces Committee and on the Emergency Committees," replies Stesk. "We hold grave concerns that the new President is approaching this war in a less than logical, well-informed process."
"The Caitians political class have never had real experience with this sort of government. And their approach is more aggressive." Langford lets out a heavy sigh. "Most of us viewed going to war with the Dawiar as a mistake, and I feel that subsequent events bore out that view. But the Caitians jumped into it with both feet."
"So what do you want from me?" you ask, folding your arms over your chest, just under the dazzling Admiral's rank badge.
"You need to help the President find and keep to a proper strategic framework here," urges Langford, leaning forward in his seat.
"Director th'Chanik of the Diplomatic Service has been lobbying us lately that the Arcadian Empire in its current form is all but intractable," adds Councillor Stesk. "I admit, while such a concept runs afoul of our belief in IDIC, we are willing to accept that the immediacy of unchecked mentat activity limits the feasibility of a diplomatic solution. Nonetheless. It is better to continue in our present course, than to enter into a war for which the President is not up to the task."
"I may have elevated powers during a State of Emergency, but I kindly remind you, I can't dictate to the President of the Federation," you tersely reply.
"The President knows she is short on experience here, she'll probably listen," says Langford. "But if she doesn't, if you threaten to resign, well, she's a savvy enough politician to know it will collapse her Presidency if you resign."
"Leaving the Federation in a perilous situation at a perilous time," you point out.
Stesk shakes his head. "Better for the Federation to be embarrassed than to come to material harm."
-
Federation Broadcast Service, Breaking News
It has been announced that with a mere hour remaining for the ultimatum's deadline, a delegation has been dispatched from the Arcadian Emperor on Morshadd to travel to Sol to meet with the Federation Council. Anonymous officials in the Diplomatic Service have suggested to the FBS that this is most likely a delaying tactic, as the matter of rogue mentats was too deeply entwined in their society.
Early reports indicate that the Arcadian Delegation which to make reparations for the damage to the USS Courageous and the USS Sappho, two ships that have been damaged after encounters with mentats conducting unsafe experiments, including the Agamedes artificial limited core-collapse scenario that touched off this revolt.
-
The President reaches out to you before her meeting with the Arcadians to discuss the state of preparations, presenting you with the opportunity to convey the Council's concerns as your own.
[ ][PRESIDENT] (Pick three things to focus on for addressing the President)
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Shoring up support in Vulcan and Betazed
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Addressing Council Division
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Insufficient Exit Strategy
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Need to hold off and investigate further
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Chance for further diplomacy
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Need to focus on the Ked Paddah
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Other write-in (EIGHT WORD MAXIMUM TO BE VALID)
=====================================
State of Emergency, 2314.Q4.M2.F1 (Turn 3 of State of Emergency)
You are currently operating in a State of Emergency.
This entails an increased operational tempo and an increase to available assets.
These assets usually will require no additional resources from Starfleet, as you are directing the resources of a Federation that does not embrace money. Any additional requirements will be noted on the actions themselves. The most notable brake on your mobilisation of assets comes from their effect on the war support of the various member groups. You have already been provided control over a large fraction of fleet assets from the member worlds nearest the LBZ, but more can be requisitioned.
This State of Emergency will endure until such time as the cause of the crisis is resolved. In this case, until the Mentats of the Arcadian Empire no longer poses a threat to the Federation.
=====================================
Assets
Current Assets:
Fleet Units
Starfleet Line Starships
Starfleet Auxiliary Ships
Internal Diplomacy Teams
Federation Emergency Committee - Focus on increasing mobilisation (+10pt/mnth mobilisation rate)
Federation Diplomatic Service Consular Team 3 - Focus on increasing mobilisation (+10pt/mnth mobilisation rate)
External Diplomacy Teams
Federation Diplomatic Service Ambassadorial Team 4 - Lobby to integrate into forces if war commences - Estimated completion 2315.Q1.M1.F1
The following units are available to be mobilised at relatively short notice. More options from each world will become available:
[ ] Please select up to a maximum of 30 war support of assets to mobilise from the start
(Please be aware of costs associated with assets)
Starfleet Reserve Personnel (20pt from Starfleet, +20 O/E/T for duration of SoE only, one-time)
Starfleet Engineering Command (5pt from Starfleet, to deploy will require 2 cargo ships and 2 freighters to be sourced from member worlds)
Federalise Fleet Units from <Member World> (5 cost for explorer, 2 cost for cruiser, 1 cost for frigate, paid against member world you are calling up fleet units from)
Federalise Auxiliary Units from <Member World> (3 cost for freighter, 2 cost for cargo ship, 3 cost for other auxiliary units)
Andorian Civil Service - Internal Diplomacy Team (20pt cost for Andor, gain Internal Diplomacy Team)
Retired Admiral Vitalia Yukiko Kahurangi - Personal Diplomatic Consultant (5pt cost for Starfleet, gain Special Asset)
Andorian Orbital Guard Runabouts (3 cost for Andorian Guard, gain +1 to outpost and starbase atttempts to detect incoming ships)
Starfleet Academy Red Squad Runabouts - Recon team (4 cost for Starfleet, gain +1 to outpost and starbase atttempts to detect incoming ships)
Vulcan Survey Corps - Recon team (3 cost for Vulcan, gain +1 to outpost and starbase atttempts to detect incoming ships, gain 1 Civilian Research Cruiser)
North America Productivity Commission - Heavy Industry (5 Cost to Earth, gain Heavy Industry asset)
Shorc Xurth Resource Combine - Heavy Industry (5 Cost to Tellar, gain Heavy Industry asset)
East Asian Productivity Commission - Heavy Industry (5 Cost to Earth, gain Heavy Industry asset)
Cheleb-Kor Industrial Centre - Heavy Industry Team (8 Cost to Vulcan, gain Heavy Industry asset)
Dhara Heavy Industry Park - Heavy Industry (5 Cost to Andoria, gain Heavy Industry asset)
Gorc Belth Colonial Engineers - Engineering Team (10 Cost from Tellar, gain Engineering Team with 2 Engineering Ships, 3 Cargo Ships, 1 Freighter)
UESPA Deep Space Engineering - Engineering Team (10 Cost from United Earth, gain Engineering Team with 2 Engineering Ships, 3 Cargo Ships, 1 Freighter)
Andorian Imperial Star Engineers - Engineering Team (10 Cost from Andor, gain Engineering Team with 2 Engineering Ships, 2 Cargo Ships, 1 Freighter)
Generate Generic Heavy Industry from <Member World> (10 Cost to Member World, gain Heavy Industry asset)
Generate Generic Engineering Team from <Member World> (15 Cost to Member World, gain Engineering team)
Generate Generic Internal Diplomacy Team from <Member World> (10 Cost to Starfleet, 5 Cost to Member World, gain Internal Diplomacy Team)
Generate Generic External Diplomacy Team from <Member World> (10 Cost to Starfleet, 5 Cost to Member World, gain External Diplomacy Team)
Retired Vice Admiral Heidi Eriksson - Doctrine Specialist (5pt Cost to Starfleet, gain Doctrine Specialist)
=====================================
Fleet Units
Fleet Units
Starships and other assets that you can use to supplement your forces, create new task forces, replace losses, or reinforce attacks.
Recon Units
Recon Units
Supplementary patrol units that you can attach to your starbases, outposts, and fleet units.
Internal Diplomacy
Internal Diplomacy
Assets that you can employ to help bolster links between member worlds, or shore up flagging support. They can also be used to increase the rate with which you are able to mobilise assets, though that may become a double-edged sword.
External Diplomacy
External Diplomacy
Assets that you can employ to conduct relations with other nearby powers, such as the Ked Paddah, the Honiani, the Laio, the Gaeni, and others.
Engineering Teams
Engineering Teams
Field deployable units consisting of Engineering Ships, construction crews, and the like. They are capable of conducting operations abroad in unsettled systems.
Heavy Industry
Heavy Industry
You need heavy industry to provide extra boosts to ship production, repair, to produce the components necessary for constructing stations, outposts, and starbases.
Doctrine Specialists
Doctrine Specialists
All doctrines are plans, and no plan survives first contact with the enemy. War is the most unforgiving task master, so you best learn what works and doesn't work quickly.
=====================================
The Home Front
Current War Support:
Starfleet - 180pt
United Earth SPA - 140pt
Vulcan High Command - 50pt (+5 from Choices)
Tellarite State Forces - 130pt (-10 from Choices)
Betazed Defence Forces - 50pt
Rigel Defence Force - 100pt
Andorian Guard - 100pt
IT of Gaen - 150pt
NB: Starfleet's entry here is more to do with organisation-wide morale and depth.
War Weariness increases with:
Battles
Casualties
Time
Resource Requests
Economic Policy changes
Failing set objectives
War Support increases with:
Some victories
Achieving set objectives
Releasing resources
Current Economic Settings:
Starfleet - N/A
United Earth SPA - Early Mobilisation
Vulcan High Command - Peacetime
Tellarite State Force - Early Mobilisation
Betazed Defence Forces - Pacifist
Andorian Guard - Peacetime
Rigel Defence Force - Peacetime
IT of Gaen - Wartime Economy
Honiani - Peacetime
Laio - Peacetime
Levels of Mobilisation
Pacifist - 75% of normal income, 100% of normal build
Peacetime - 100% of normal income, 100% of normal build time, no stockpile opening
Early - 125% of normal income, -1Qtr build time, open 25% of stockpile
Limited - 150% of normal income, -2Qtr build time, open full stockpile
Wartime - 200% of normal income, -25% build time, post-war economic slump,
Total - 250% of normal income, -50% build time, post-war economic crash,
There are maximum time-frames that a wartime economy can be maintained without income dropping again.
2314.Q4.M1.F2:
UESPA has moved from 110/60/2/2.2/2.2 to 140/75/2.5/2.75/2.75 - gained 50/40 from stockpile
VHC has moved from 40/35/1/1.75/1.5 to 55/45/1.35/2.35/2
TSF has moved from 95/50/1.45/1.95/1.95 to 120/65/1.8/2.4/2.4 - gained 50/40 from stockpile
That looks bad all around, we propably should have known about these things before threatening war.
I mean, some parts were correctly guessed, like the relative helplessness of the Emperor concerning Mentats, but the confirmation does make it worse.
Well, I don't see how this can be resolved adequately without having a delegation of ALL the Houses travel to Sol for a meeting. A delegation from the Arcadian Emperor, only one the main actors, along with promises of ship repair concessions is far from sufficient. We don't give damn about the Courageous and Sappho repair costs - it's obvious that we're not going to war because of that.
Whatever plan we choose, I want those to be in it. Kahurangi at the very least. I won't have time to lobby for them, so not coming up with a full plan.
You'll be able to call up an additional 10pt per month for the first few months. Internal Diplomacy Teams can be set to increase that monthly throughput value, or be attached to shoring up support, including more member worlds (like the Caitians) into the response.
The "additional" there was ambiguous on whether the income rate was increasing by 10pt or that the income rate is 10pt, but from this update, with the +20 mobilization options we choose last time, it's clearly the latter.
The fact "Insufficient Exit Strategy" is an option here is far more terrifying than any other option on the list for talking with the President. Space Iraq. Again.
Red Squad consists of highly promising Academy cadets and if they get shot up it could hurt us down the road.
Aside from that... not much that I can think of? Though I still think we should be focusing on long-lead items like sensor outposts and finishing the starbase at Betazed, especially since it sounds like the Licori are trying to delay war with a round of negotiations. Their delegation will take- I don't know, certainly quite a bit more than a week, maybe closer to a month- to arrive at Sol and for negotiations to proceed at any reasonable length.
The fact "Insufficient Exit Strategy" is an option here is far more terrifying than any other option on the list for talking with the President. Space Iraq. Again.
Personally I think that shouldn't be on the list, it's on the list in large part because a bunch of us are visibly sweating bullets over it. We know what we want. There are several possible ways for us to get it. An exit strategy that asserts we will achieve our goal through one of those methods may be actively counterproductive insofar as it closes off our other options.
The trickiest part is that with the war ultimatum declaration public, we're now gambling with time. Can we risk waiting for another round of diplomacy, while the Licori supposedly prepare for us and urge on their mentats? The situation is like North Korea or Iran - the longer we delay, the more time they'll have to achieve that MAD solution they may be aiming for. I mean, this was always a risk with their war with the Ked Paddah, but hot damn did the situation escalate to existential threat levels for the Licori this year.
edit: This is a bit more alarmist than I intended, but I do want to emphasize the risk part.
The fact "Insufficient Exit Strategy" is an option here is far more terrifying than any other option on the list for talking with the President. Space Iraq. Again.
i actually think this one is kinda irrelevant. we cannot afford to exit this event. even if our fleet gets blown up, then we just strip everywhere else that we can to continue the war. because the Arcadian Empire has to stop their mentats and if this diplomatic delegation is insufficient to do that peacefully, then unfortunately the stick is gonna have to wack them in the face until they submit.
[X] Plan "Smart, Not Hard"
[X][PRESIDENT] Addressing Council Division
[X][PRESIDENT] Insufficient Exit Strategy
[X][PRESIDENT] Chance for further diplomacy with all Licori Houses
[X] Retired Admiral Vitalia Yukiko Kahurangi - Personal Diplomatic Consultant (5pt cost for Starfleet, gain Special Asset)
[X] Retired Vice Admiral Heidi Eriksson - Doctrine Specialist (5pt Cost to Starfleet, gain Doctrine Specialist)
[X] Generate Generic Internal Diplomacy Team from Earth (10 Cost to Starfleet, 5 Cost to Member World, gain Internal Diplomacy Team)
[X] Generate Generic External Diplomacy Team from Earth (10 Cost to Starfleet, 5 Cost to Member World, gain External Diplomacy Team)
Divide and Conquer. Give each house a seperate deal, they will want to take it. If they don't and their enemies do, they'll be crushed because they're now alone against the everyone else.
Personally I think that shouldn't be on the list, it's on the list in large part because a bunch of us are visibly sweating bullets over it. We know what we want. There are several possible ways for us to get it. An exit strategy that asserts we will achieve our goal through one of those methods may be actively counterproductive insofar as it closes off our other options.
Possibly. The other alternative is that we get an unworkable exit strategy dictated to us by a well-meaning but inexperienced cat-person. There's a pretty strong risk either way.
Still, I'll construct two options.
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Insufficient Exit Strategy
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Addressing Council Division
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Chance for further diplomacy
This one is a bit of a bludgeon. It chooses the first two options to emphasize the possibility of the third. Further diplomacy is a bit vague, though, which makes me leery.
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Addressing Council Division
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Shoring up support in Vulcan and Betazed
-[ ][PRESIDENT] Need to focus on the Ked Paddah
This is purely focused on buttoning up the war effort, though it should be noted that the first two options may end up sounding like "Slow your roll and talk to Stesk about what it'll take to get him on-side."
I'm kind of feeling a lack of an option to communicate directly with the Licori houses and ask if they're willing to work with us before we pull the trigger. That could make our lives much easier if one agrees. Anybody feel like working a write-in?
To clarify my thoughts some more, I strongly doubt diplomacy will work, even if we invite all the Arcadian Houses + Gaeni + Ked Paddah to a summit. These are structural social problems that are highly unlikely to be adequately addressed, particularly because we need to secure a binding and enforceable agreement with 8+ parties on an issue that is so core to them.
A round of diplomacy sounds like it would take a quarter as well, given travel times between Sol and Morshadd, even accounting for the possibility of the summit taking place on Gaen.
That said, further diplomacy does allow us to shore up war support, particularly among the pacifists if the diplomacy continues to fail. And on the slim chance that it does succeed, well then, crisis over.
Which brings me back to my original point: can we risk gambling on time for diplomacy?
@OneirosTheWriter
As we've had two turns posted, now, I can't help but notice the lack of research teams in this particular SoE-mode. I do note that Heidi is up as a 'Doctrine Specialist', which sounds similar, but which is not quite the same thing. Is it your intention to only provide access to crash research projects through named specialists, or can we gain access to research teams (generic or otherwise) to focus on specific areas of scientific and technical concern over the course of this emergency?
I ask because quite a lot of people, myself included, want us to have astrophysicists working on the core collapse problem from a detection and countermeasures standpoint, but you aren't currently giving us any way to get the tools to actually do that.
[X][PRESIDENT] Request Diplomatic Summit with all Major Licori Houses
[X][PRESIDENT] Need to focus on the Ked Paddah
[X][PRESIDENT] Addressing Council Division
This addresses our big problems:
1) We REALLY would like to figure out which, if any, of the houses are willing and able to agree to restrain mentats in exchange for getting to remain in charge of anything more important than a lemonade stand. A diplomatic summit may fail, and war may be inevitable, but it at least lets us figure out which of the houses are... flexible on this issue.
2) The Ked Paddah should not be locked out. They have literally the same concern we do, and unlike us they have no hope of using their raw military might to just terrify the entire Licori species into compliance. This offers the Ked Paddah a chance to get what they want without having to fight a war that so far they are not winning, though not losing either. Furthermore, if the Ked Paddah are not satisfied with whatever offers the Licori come up with, it suggests that we shouldn't be, either- the Ked Paddah can serve as our canary in the coal mine.
3) The profound lack of respect for N'Gir on the part of Langford and Stesk suggests a serious political problem that could cripple N'Gir's attempts to run a wartime presidency. Addressing the divisions within the council is therefore very much a priority in my opinion. Between that and the diplomatic summit, we will hopefully have a chance to shore up war support on Vulcan and Betazed, and buy some more time to build up defenses in the vicinity of our border with the Licori.
