I know they don't get the direct tech benefits that we do (namely the +15 SR/yr per SR-producing colony), but I hope that Starfleet/Federation tech does improve their income in at least some way.
The vote for GBZ commander was kind of a mess. I think it was a mistake not to give us a list of options. People ended up voting for Crogan because, "Sure, why not, I've heard of him," without any debate on his merits. I don't even know what his stats actually are, and I don't think they were ever posted during the vote.
The vote for GBZ commander was kind of a mess. I think it was a mistake not to give us a list of options. People ended up voting for Crogan because, "Sure, why not, I've heard of him," without any debate on his merits. I don't even know what his stats actually are, and I don't think they were ever posted during the vote.
Nash spends as much time as possible in space, so she thinks of the starbase mostly as a bunch of guns and shields and wants to build it at a point where the stationary firepower is useful. Gorac seems to be be valuing it more as seat of command and hub of logistics and administration and thus builds it at a central location, even if the guns matter less there.
Nash spends as much time as possible in space, so she thinks of the starbase mostly as a bunch of guns and shields and wants to build it at a point where the stationary firepower is useful. Gorac seems to be be valuing it more as seat of command and hub of logistics and administration and thus builds it at a central location, even if the guns matter less there.
Noteworthy that the Collie starbase is also in a place where stationary firepower is useful, that being our central GBZ hub which we're vulnerable to having raided. 'Course, we could just make the decision redundant by sending components for a second starbase over when next we can too.
Diplomacy revamp
We've decided on a revamp to diplomacy. To start, some basics:
Relations are tied to thresholds.
At 100, a minor power becomes an Affiliate, providing us some recruits, giving us knowledge of fleet stats, and inclining them to support us during times of conflict.
At 300, a minor power becomes an Ally, providing more resources, giving us knowledge of ship designs and deployment, providing tighter cooperation, and agreeing to a formal mutual defense pact.
At 500, a minor power becomes a Member Candidate, and is thus ready to join the Federation when the Council approves their application.
Now for the major addition: Tags.
Tags represent issues that need to be resolved before a minor power becomes an affiliate, an ally, or a member candidate. Tags have a level - 100, 300, or 500 points. A 100-point tag is a short-term, minor issue; a 300-point tag is a long-term, major issue; a 500-point tag is an integral, systemic issue. Unresolved tags prevent moving to the next level of diplomatic closeness.
How do you resolve a tag?
Through diplomacy. Once relations reach the level of the lowest unresolved tag, any further gains in relations go towards resolving the tag. You could just use ordinary diplomatic pushes to clear a tag ... or you could assign a Task Force to a mission of resolving tags blocking affiliation, alliances, or membership.
Can all tags be resolved?
Not necessarily. Some tags are N/A, meaning that the FDS cannot at this point do anything to affect them. For instance, we are forbidden by treaty from engaging in diplomacy with the Ashalla Pact, so all members have [Ashalla Pact: N/A] tags.
What are the current tags?
That's a good question.
MEMBER CANDIDATES:
Risa 500/500
ALLIES:
Honiani: 468/500 -[Multispecies Polity: 300/300]
-[Too Faithful for your Federation: 300/300]
League of Independent Felis Colonies 15/500
-[Horizon Influence 0/100]
-[Inclined towards Independence 0/300]
-[Weak Central Government 0/300]
-[Systematic Wealth Inequality 0/500]
ASHALLA PACT:
Dawiar: 100/100
-[Ashalla Pact: N/A]
-[Sour about Caitian Conflict: 1/100]
-[End of Ambition: 0/300]
-[Feudal Monarchy 0/500]
What happens when a new tag is added?
If relations are at or below the level of the new tag, nothing - it's just another tag that you will have to clear to get past that level. If relations are above the level of the new tag, then relations freeze at the current level until that tag is resolved.
Speaking of tags being added ...
In the wake of the Oka Disaster, many Tauni are blaming Starfleet. All the relief aid in the quadrant can't change the fact that Starfleet failed to prevent the catastrophe in the first place. Right now, there's a strong perception among the Tauni public that the Federation is an unreliable ally. An increased commitment to supporting the Tauni might work to mollify their concerns.
Tauni gains tag [Unreliable Ally: 0/100]. This replaces the 100-point drop in relations in Q1.
[ ][TAUNI] In Q2, Change Horizon Border Zone D requirement to 17, transfer USS Lightning from Sol Sector. Get one extra diplomatic roll on Tauni.
[ ][TAUNI] Leave the Defense Requirement as is.
So to be clear, unresolved issues start at [0/X], and are then filled in until they're struck out at [X/X]? What's up then with, for example, the Laio's [Obsolete Technology: 100/100]?
Oh, and can we get numerical insights into other powers' diplomacy and diplomatic issues? Maybe with a diplomatic report?
Yeah, that definitely helps get an idea of what the actual impediments are to consuming all polities before us like an unstoppable blue blob.
EDIT:
[X][TAUNI] In Q2, Change Horizon Border Zone D requirement to 17, transfer USS Lightning from Sol Sector. Get one extra diplomatic roll on Tauni.
From a realpolitik perspective, we really want access to the Iconian gate network. From a Federation ideals perspective, several hundred thousand people on an ally's homeworld died because we couldn't garrison the sector appropriately. Both these things lead to us wanting to resolve this issue with the Tauni.
So to be clear, unresolved issues start at [0/X], and are then filled in until they're struck out at [X/X]? What's up then with, for example, the Laio's [Obsolete Technology: 100/100]?
So to be clear, unresolved issues start at [0/X], and are then filled in until they're struck out at [X/X]? What's up then with, for example, the Laio's [Obsolete Technology: 100/100]?
Oh, and can we get numerical insights into other powers' diplomacy and diplomatic issues? Maybe with a diplomatic report?
That means that the Laio Tag has been cleared. It's still on the sheet once it's been met for record keeping. But a full tag is a tag that's not sucking up your relationship points anymore.
On the one hand, where are we going to find the ships? On the other hand, I certainly don't want to leave these people to juggle antimatter on their own. Decisions, decisions...
Also: thanks to the FDS we get an annual free Diplo roll with every single contact we are able to conduct diplomacy with.
Snakepit pushes are us guiding a focused FDS effort towards a strategic goal. And TFs assigned to Mission Tags are us just taking the lead with our own resources.
I really like this new system, it makes a lot of sense and lengthens the time needed to bring people in which has been a bit pf a problem. but i am concerned that this goes a little too far and that getting new members will now take way too long.
You guys might want to consider 100, 200, and 300 point levels instrad of 1, 3, and 5 hundred.
Also: thanks to the FDS we get an annual free Diplo roll with every single contact we are able to conduct diplomacy with.
Snakepit pushes are us guiding a focused FDS effort towards a strategic goal. And TFs assigned to Mission Tags are us just taking the lead with our own resources.
... OK, so if I get this right, everybody that we can get into contact with (so, say, the Muuyozi count, but the Breen and Ittick-ka do not) gets a roll like affiliates used to. Do affiliates get an additional roll? What about the techs that give (gave?) free rolls?
I really like this new system, it makes a lot of sense and lengthens the time needed to bring people in which has been a bit pf a problem. but i am concerned that this goes a little too far and that getting new members will now take way too long.
You guys might want to consider 100, 200, and 300 point levels instrad of 1, 3, and 5 hundred.
It's actually possible to focus a lot of effort on a single people. Between the annual roll, a snakepit diplopush and a TF for each Tag you can put a lot of effort onto a single race.
Also: thanks to the FDS we get an annual free Diplo roll with every single contact we are able to conduct diplomacy with.
Snakepit pushes are us guiding a focused FDS effort towards a strategic goal. And TFs assigned to Mission Tags are us just taking the lead with our own resources.
... OK, so if I get this right, everybody that we can get into contact with (so, say, the Muuyozi count, but the Breen and Ittick-ka do not) gets a roll like affiliates used to. Do affiliates get an additional roll? What about the techs that give (gave?) free rolls?
Sorry, AKuz spoke too soon.
Diplomatic rolls remain the same as before; until further technological developments, you aren't getting a free roll with every contact you can conduct diplomacy with.
The first tag makes sense. But for the second tag, is that saying the Lecarre don't trust anyone, or that from their perspective we don't trust anyone? Other tags appear to be looking from the other nation's point of view - might I suggest picking whose viewpoint all the tags should be and sticking to it, or explicitly saying who's "speaking" (e.g. "Lecarre don't trust anyone)?
It's a pretty minor quibble overall, though - I think this is a really well thought-out system that very effectively simulates the differing levels of difficulty/compatibility with the Federation, and I really like how it lets you reach a certain level of friendliness before an issue has to be resolved. 10/10, would buy your splatbook/expansion.
The Tauni are by far the least likely to defect to the Horizon so we can easily afford to take things slow with them, and too much involvement could cause backlash anyway.
