To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)

nocarename · Aug 7, 2017

Leila Hann said:
Hmmm.

What's the name of that blue-skinned Imperial admiral from Star Wars that the EU fans all jizz themselves over? The one who managed to achieve high station despite not being human?

I'm getting those vibes from the unnamed Konen commander.

You're thinking of Thrawn. We will know him by his art collection.EDIT: Ninja

Simon_Jester said:
Yeah, but racial supremacy is pretty high up on the list of Cardassian priorities. I can see the Cardassians ceding control of Konen ships to a Konen commander, but I can't see them letting an alien lord it over a bunch of other Cardassians.

I expect that there's an Obsidian Order agent on the flagship (one of, well, probably more than one, but this one is public) acting as liaison and safety cutout between the Konen Commander and the Cardassian Task Force(s).
A very unhappy agent.

Briefvoice · Aug 7, 2017

SynchronizedWritersBlock said:
It does mean that the upcoming 2318 Snakepit is the opportune time for the full reorganization

Speaking of Snakepit Plans, we still have these two opens from last year's vote:

Reorganise Starfleet Engineering Command to be a separate reporting Command that reports directly to Commander, Starfleet, 60pp
Reorganise a Starfleet Command from a Rear Admiral position to a Vice Admiral position. (25pp for Explorer Corps.)

@OneirosTheWriter are we going to vote on filling those positions sometime soon?

SynchronizedWritersBlock · Aug 7, 2017

Does anyone object to promoting Ainsworth in place? I think that's most sensible.

Simon_Jester · Aug 7, 2017

Leila Hann said:
Hmmm.

What's the name of that blue-skinned Imperial admiral from Star Wars that the EU fans all jizz themselves over? The one who managed to achieve high station despite not being human?

I'm getting those vibes from the unnamed Konen commander.

Thrawn?

He's popular in the Star Wars EU because he's intelligently menacing. He's creative, he's resourceful, he's pretty good at managing his subordinates (at least most of the time). And he doesn't actually need overwhelming numbers and firepower to hit you hard enough to hurt. Zahn did a good job of setting him up as a threat in the trilogy he first appeared in.

So in a franchise where most villains are scenery-chewing, lightning-crapping loonies, Thrawn can be a... refreshing change of pace.

nocarename said:
You're thinking of Thrawn. We will know him by his art collection.EDIT: Ninja

I expect that there's an Obsidian Order agent on the flagship (one of, well, probably more than one, but this one is public) acting as liaison and safety cutout between the Konen Commander and the Cardassian Task Force(s).
A very unhappy agent.

I guess what I'm trying to figure out is whether Oneiros's update means that the Cardassians are letting the Konen squadron operate independent of Cardassian control, or whether it means they're subordinating Cardassian forces to a Konen commander, or whether it means they've appointed a Konen as their overall "Commander, Gabriel Expanse."

The second and third 'bother' me, because they're pretty strongly at odds with what I understand of Cardassian racial mentality.

SynchronizedWritersBlock said:
Does anyone object to promoting Ainsworth in place? I think that's most sensible.

She's done a good job, she's got a good bonus, and I have no problem with promoting her in place. There are no obvious candidates with seniority in grade over her who would be more deserving of the position.

Night · Aug 7, 2017

Simon_Jester said:
Yeah, but racial supremacy is pretty high up on the list of Cardassian priorities. I can see the Cardassians ceding control of Konen ships to a Konen commander, but I can't see them letting an alien lord it over a bunch of other Cardassians.

We don't really know that's happened, the wording is ambiguous and it seems the Konen are mostly alone in raiding.

Forgothrax · Aug 7, 2017

Briefvoice said:
Speaking of Snakepit Plans, we still have these two opens from last year's vote:

Reorganise Starfleet Engineering Command to be a separate reporting Command that reports directly to Commander, Starfleet, 60pp

Reorganise a Starfleet Command from a Rear Admiral position to a Vice Admiral position. (25pp for Explorer Corps.)

@OneirosTheWriter are we going to vote on filling those positions sometime soon?

Only Explorer Corps.

OneirosTheWriter said:
Starfleet Reorganisation
Starfleet Engineering Command to be designated an independent Command, reporting to Comamander, Starfleet, under a Rear Admiral - will occur by end of next year.
Starfleet Explorer Corps to be reorganised to a Vice Admiral billet - will occur by the end of the year.

OneirosTheWriter · Aug 7, 2017

Briefvoice said:
Speaking of Snakepit Plans, we still have these two opens from last year's vote:

Reorganise Starfleet Engineering Command to be a separate reporting Command that reports directly to Commander, Starfleet, 60pp

Reorganise a Starfleet Command from a Rear Admiral position to a Vice Admiral position. (25pp for Explorer Corps.)

@OneirosTheWriter are we going to vote on filling those positions sometime soon?

Yeah, that (GBZ+EC) comes up, then Rat Race. Will most likely have that up tomorrow.

Nix · Aug 7, 2017

SynchronizedWritersBlock said:
Does anyone object to promoting Ainsworth in place? I think that's most sensible.

I'm not opposed as such, but T'Lorel could also be an option.

Briefvoice · Aug 7, 2017

Nix said:
I'm not opposed as such, but T'Lorel could also be an option.

True. Ainsworth has been in the position for over two years (same time T'Lorel has been in the GBZ) so it wouldn't be rushing Ainsworth out the door to put her elsewhere. And I'd rather have T'Lorel as a Vice Admrial and in line as an eventual candidate for Commander of Starfleet.

TyrialFrost · Aug 7, 2017

a major Horizon fleet unit visiting Honiani space

This shit getting beyond a joke. I think Diplomancing Honiani should be a priority next snakepit. The Horizon are throwing too much effort at them to not think they have a chance at turning from us. And afterwards a border-zone will help us tell their ships to fuck right off.

Nix · Aug 7, 2017

TyrialFrost said:
This shit getting beyond a joke. I think Diplomancing Honiani should be a priority next snakepit. The Horizon are throwing too much effort at them to not think they have a chance at turning from us. And afterwards a border-zone will help us tell their ships to fuck right off.

A push would do very little, the Honiani are already close to 500 anyway and should get there before we get through our current accession waiting list (I'd be very surprised if they are still below 500 at the 2319 snakepit). The most likely thing that would change with a push is that we'd get a bunch of wasted relationship event rewards with them like we did for the Caldonians and Seyek (because relations were already at 500), or at least more of those than we'll get anyway.

Briefvoice · Aug 7, 2017

So let's talk about ideas for the 2318 Snakepit.

EOY 2317 – 458 pp. Assume ~30 more, for ~488

[ ][COUNCIL] 2318 Snakepit – ?????

NEW Request a Sweeping Tactical Review, which will clear all roles and allow them to be redefined en mass, 50pp
Request Mining Colony at An Arai V, 8pp, 10 (15) sr/yr, 4 turns
Request Research Colony at Tolinar VII, 7pp, 5 srp/yr, 4 turns
Request new Shipyard at Ferasa, 22pp, (12 turns, 1 3mt Berth)
Request Academy Development, 50pp* (Gain +.5 Officers/Enlisted/Techs throughput)
Request new Tech Team to be added to your Ship Design Bureau, 30pp [Propulsion and Warp Technology]
Request focused Diplomacy on a potential member species, 20pp (Sydraxians)
Reorganise a Starfleet Command from a Rear Admiral position to a Vice Admiral position. Pick one: 30pp for Personnel
Sponsor efforts to create additional Critical Ship Infrastructure on another world, 50pp (Ferasa)
Acquire additional resources to establish a Horizon Desk for Starfleet Intel, 30pp (Gain +1 Dedicated Horizon intel report)
Acquire additional resources to establish an ISC Desk for Starfleet Intel, 30pp (Gain +1 Dedicated ISC intel report)
???? 150 more pp worth of items?

*Assuming Academy Development goes up in cost again.

Should we consider putting in a border zone? These are the three on the table:

Declare a Horizon Border Zone, 20pp
Declare a Seyek Border Zone (Seyek-Cardassian Border), 20pp
Declare a Rimward Border Zone (Dawiar border, some Caitian colonies, some Themis), 20pp

TyrialFrost said:
This shit getting beyond a joke. I think Diplomancing Honiani should be a priority next snakepit. The Horizon are throwing too much effort at them to not think they have a chance at turning from us. And afterwards a border-zone will help us tell their ships to fuck right off.

So you want to rush the Honiani to Federation membership without having first dealt with their species issues, despite the fact that we've seen how problematic that can be?

I sympathize with your worries about the Horizon, but I don't want fear of them to push us into doing something we wouldn't otherwise think was a good idea. I'd really like the Honiani to advance to Federation membership at their own pace.

Thors_Alumni · Aug 7, 2017

AKuz said:
East Rimward Trading Company.

Where do I remember that from? Is it MechWarrior?

SynchronizedWritersBlock · Aug 7, 2017

Briefvoice said:
???? 150 more pp worth of items?

I'd like a Yrillian push and I diametrically oppose a Sydraxian push. We've seen that we can leave the situation to our people on the ground and they'll tick the Sydraxians up to friendly relations. On the other hand, our new diplomatic reports would be invaluable in figuring out how the Yrillians stand, and it's not like Yrillian interests won't affect the Sydraxian situation anyway.

Joshrand1982 said:
Where do I remember that from? Is it MechWarrior?

History.

TyrialFrost · Aug 7, 2017

Nix said:
A push would do very little, the Honiani are already close to 500 anyway and should get there before we get through our current accession waiting list (I'd be very surprised if they are still below 500 at the 2319 snakepit). The mostly likely thing that would change with a push is that we'd get a bunch of wasted relationship event rewards with them like we did for the Caldonians and Seyek (because relations were already at 500), or at least more of those than we'll get anyway.

Game mechanics-wise would a diplopush on someone waiting to join have a negative effect on an opponents diplomacy attempts?

SynchronizedWritersBlock · Aug 7, 2017

TyrialFrost said:
Game mechanics-wise would a diplopush on someone waiting to join have a negative effect on an opponents diplomacy attempts?

No, game mechanics-wise it does nothing.

ThoughtMaster · Aug 7, 2017

AKuz said:
Instead of dealing with the Ferengi government, Or "Yankee Traders", we get to deal with the East Rimward Trading Company. Brrrr

You know, I honestly would consider that to be preferable to dealing with Ferengi freebooters or pirates. They would be much more likely to make sure that any threats to trade are removed, and keeping the less upstanding member of their society suppressed.

Joshrand1982 said:
Where do I remember that from? Is it MechWarrior?

It's a reference to the East India Trading Company. To be more specific, the British East India Trading Company, you know, the one that when nationalized, Britain acquired India in the bargain.

nocarename · Aug 7, 2017

ThoughtMaster said:
You know, I honestly would consider that to be preferable to dealing with Ferengi freebooters or pirates. They would be much more likely to make sure that any threats to trade are removed, and keeping the less upstanding member of their society suppressed.

It's a reference to the East India Trading Company. To be more specific, the British East India Trading Company, you know, the one that when nationalized, Britain acquired India in the bargain.

We've even floated that name before.

The Sandman said:
Eh, I'd be comfortable with just retconning away the early TNG portrayals of the Ferengi for the purposes of TBG. They aren't going to happen in this timeline, after all.

I like the idea of the Ferengi East Rimward Company, though.

Forgothrax · Aug 7, 2017

Briefvoice said:
???? 150 more pp worth of items?

I believe we had a call for as many as two tech teams from the Snakepit depending on what's needed. Another 2mt berth at UFP, another one at the aux yards if they're still cheap too. Pushing the Sydraxians is debatable (if they affiliate from this election that we have coming up I would say we absolutely must push them to secure the situation), but I'd like to see a push on the Yrillians like SWB said. Pushing the Licori as well to maintain traction against the Romulans and to determine what the diplomatic situation on the ground there is would be nice as well. And I would like to see what the Ittick-ka are up to after the random roll landed on them, but I know that's a minority opinion.

NHO · Aug 7, 2017

nocarename said:
I expect that there's an Obsidian Order agent on the flagship (one of, well, probably more than one, but this one is public) acting as liaison and safety cutout between the Konen Commander and the Cardassian Task Force(s).
A very unhappy agent.

Well, correct way to increase his happiness is to accident out every hidden and sleeper agent in the ship. Then you got Obsidian Order agent that's public and that does one of more official jobs of OOrder, and does it well for satisfaction of everyone except this agent.

SynchronizedWritersBlock · Aug 7, 2017

I would agree with a Licori push and IF the Sydraxians did affiliate I would like a push on them as the diplomatic situation with Cardassia can't get worse from that.

Broccoliccoli · Aug 7, 2017

Briefvoice said:
Sponsor efforts to create additional Critical Ship Infrastructure on another world, 50pp (Ferasa)

How about putting it in Apinae instead? That placement was mentioned in the tactics report and it would be a cute idea to keep our threathened shipping smaller.

Briefvoice said:
Should we consider putting in a border zone? These are the three on the table:

Declare a Horizon Border Zone, 20pp

Declare a Seyek Border Zone (Seyek-Cardassian Border), 20pp

Declare a Rimward Border Zone (Dawiar border, some Caitian colonies, some Themis), 20pp

How many can we actually properly garrison? I imagine adding four (3+new member zone) new buckets to put ships in in a single year could make things awkward.

SynchronizedWritersBlock · Aug 7, 2017

Seems the Horizon Border Zone is most relevant, as they're moving on our border.

The Sandman · Aug 7, 2017

Really do think we should make a concerted effort to chart the Adrazzi Gulf. Given that it's the most direct route between our space and the heart of Cardassian space, we need to be sure that any surprises there are in our favor and not theirs.

Thors_Alumni · Aug 7, 2017

The Sandman said:
Really do think we should make a concerted effort to chart the Adrazzi Gulf. Given that it's the most direct route between our space and the heart of Cardassian space, we need to be sure that any surprises there are in our favor and not theirs.

That's a good idea and I agree. The only problem is that the Cardassians would probably take that as a prelude for an attack.

To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)

Widow Null

Not Going Gently

Cabal Core Commander

Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl

Not Going Gently

Dumb is a state of existence

So Zetta Slowpoke

Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl