Alright, how much RP do we use each year on our research? We currently have 48 research teams, costing 7.5rp to activate each. That's 360rp. Additionally, we have five Boosts, each costing 10rp each. The total is 410rp. Less than that, and we'll have to cut something, which is, uh, not an activity we want to do. Especially since the research tree might be changed again next time it comes up, so there's no predicting which research teams it might be ok-ish to deactivate. Every single boost is often the difference between a tech slide completing a year earlier, and while two of our Generic Teams are only making some slow progress on large and unimportant Explorer Design research, if there are new changes we might have some very useful positions for them too. So, we could
maybe come up 15rp short and not be much hurt by it in the short-ish term. (Long term, our generic teams should be leveling up to skill 2 teams in 2328 and then skill 3 in 2332, and we obviously can't predict that far ahead.)
I won't lie and say that if we have to deactivate a few teams it'll be really bad, but the problem comes if we start being short of rp for multiple years. If we deactivate, as an easy-to-calculate example, Tellar Prime Academy of Mineral Science and the 2330s Special Refining that's supposed to finish this year, it's not the end of the world. That should give +5sr from our sr mining colonies, and since we have, uh, 17 of those, we'd lose out on 85sr. But if we delay that for 5 years, then it becomes 425sr. (On second thought, this might be too high impact that it wouldn't even be considered. Gah!)
And that's just an easily-demonstratable example. How do you calculate the impact of five years of not completing 2320s Special Surveying this year and missing the bonus of (Non-Explorers Gain +1 to Mapping Missions)? Delay it for five years and that's a few mapping missions we'll have failed. Or what about putting something more long-term on the backburner, like Basic Modern Tricorder? It won't be finished till 2328 or 2329, but the (+1 S on Missions requiring away teams) could be the difference in some critical away-missions six years from now. My point is, it's hard enough figuring out some what to choose to go for, but choosing what tech teams we'll need to deactivate or what tech slides to delay if we end up 30rp or more short is even harder.
Alright, that's enough filler words, time to vote.
[X][TOL] Train with Special Projects (Caldonian spec ops teams will have C6 S5 H4 P2 N8)
A bigger C score will help reduce fatalities.
[X][CONNIE] Transfer one to the Orion Union Navy. Will require temporary transfer of 3.5 points of Technician crew, to come from federalized member fleets. (-2 pp to set up the transfer program)
[X][CONNIE] Transfer two to the Confederacy of Amarkia Navy
[X][CONNIE] Transfer two to the Magen Chalal of the Ked Paddah
[X][CONNIE] Transfer one to the Tauni Space Gate Command (-3 pp, +5 relations with Tauni)
[X][CONNIE] Transfer one to the Yrillian navy (-5 pp, +8 relations with Yrillia)
[X][CONNIE] Transfer one to the Preservation Coalition Space Bureau of the OSA (-10 pp, +16 relations with Outer Space Alliance)
All the options that don't cost rp, except one.
And no, if you look at the numbers you're wrong. A push averages in the high 20s, a continuing push + yearly roll 140-150. The Licori option is 50 relationship points, or slightly under 2 pushes for a non-affiliate. The OSA would stand to lose 60 points if the popular vote goes through, or less than half a push. So I'm trading 2 pushes for half of one, and a chance to affiliate someone this year. Relax.
I don't care how the numbers work out, loosing 75 relations with someone is really not ok. Even if we can regain the numbers back easily, that represents some really bad ill-will.
[X][BEE] Do not support the conversion program
Little Queenships are better statwise. The real deal here is the costs saved be making a refit instead of building a new ship. Unfortunately, we can't afford the rp for the program. Sorry!
[X][RELIEF] Approve the program (-200 rp, +40 pp)
We have,
(AS USUAL,) an unconfirmed discord info from only one of our QMs that this may be avaliable next year. Even if so, that's just kicking the 200rp cost till next year, and I very much doubt our chances that next year the options will be more merciful to our rp budget. Fluff-wise, even if this gave us 0pp, we're very much obligated to do this. So there.
[X][MAIDEN] Build a new cruiser around
Maiden of Dawn's computer for the Orion Union Navy. (-100 rp, -35 br, -25 sr, Orion Union Navy gains a new custom cruiser (statline C3 S5 H2 L3 P3 D4, crew cost 2/3/3) in 2327.Q1),
Maiden of Dawn acts as new research colony while operational (base of 5 rp/year)
Even if this didn't count as a research colony, fluff-wise we're very much obligated to do this.
Maiden of Dawn has been exploring for longer than the Federation was even a thing. So there.
[X][LAIO] Provide technical support in adapting the OSA's
Ray-class design to Laian needs and capabilities. (-50 rp each year for two years; -20 pp to reserve Honiani 4mt berth in 2326.Q1 for construction of the new
Odanner; gain intelligence report on the
Ray; Laio will build a 2mt berth at Laian starting in 2326.Q1)
The option that costs less rp even if it maybe means the Laian's new explorer might not be as impressive stat-wise as it could be.
[X][OCTO] Do not arrange the transfer. (Gaen scraps the two Tech-Frigates)
Again, the one that costs less rp. The 35rp of these last two choices, and the additional 55rp we could spend in the Connie-B 1 section, are all put together an additional 90rp worth of items that really are skippable.
That's... 84.5 rp short of what we need? So I think from what Briefvoice daid it's within the range of expected rp income from events. Hopefully. I don't want to bet an inch further than what we need to.
Edit: I forgot to mention this, but we never want to end up so short of rp that we might be considering deactivating one of our shipbuilding-related research teams. In that case, the SDB might destroy us all. So, please don't spend too much rp, especially since any rp debt we end up with will carry over to next year.
