I don't really see having a gazillion Mirandas to be blown to pieces like in the Dominion war as essential to Starfleet. I want about 40% of our home fleets (by ship count) to be Explorers/Heavy Cruisers and run as many 5 years at a time as we can manage. Just from the sound of the name I like "Combined Arms" better than "Lone Wolf", but I pick things based on what they do and not the name. Lone Wolf is simply by far the best doctrine for us to have in peace time, and competitive in war time also.
I pretty much agree with this. It's obvious that Explorers are the type of ship we want to build when given any choice, and Lone Ranger is the doctrine that best supports that.
Of course, it's so incredibly expensive to research Doctrine that it's not a very high priority. I mean, it is 0/50 for the Fleet Designs or Fleet tactics. Though.... hmmm..... I guess I haven't been properly counting in my mind that with only one "technology" in the area, the extra bonus for every roll could go only to that. So if we had a Level 2 Doctrine team on it, they would be dropping 9 every time we researched. (2 + 2 specialty + 2 "random" bonus + 3 Admiral bonus). That means we would be guaranteed to finish in six years.
Not so bad. Maybe we should do that. Spend the political will to get a Doctrine team and grind our teeth and spend the research budget to get it going. Finish in six years.
Not so bad. Maybe we should do that. Spend the political will to get a Doctrine team and grind our teeth and spend the research budget to get it going. Finish in six years.
Perhaps next year or the year after, this year we will probably neither have the pp (only 43 available after the Andor shipyard if we are still going with that so that would mean pretty much nothing else) nor so many rp that expanding active research categories makes sense.
Perhaps next year or the year after, this year we will probably neither have the pp (only 43 available after the Andor shipyard if we are still going with that so that would mean pretty much nothing else) nor so many rp that expanding active research categories makes sense.
If we can get the 5YM going again, that will really help with both research and political will. Those things, as have become obvious, are gold mines. I agree not this year, but let's definitely bring it up for consideration in 2305.
Is having a doctrine that important? Having focused diplomacy/fast tracking one of the affiliate races, such as the Caldonians, would provide additional resources, research, and political will.
Is having a doctrine that important? Having focused diplomacy/fast tracking one of the affiliate races, such as the Caldonians, would provide additional resources, research, and political will.
Lone Ranger Doctrine
Large Solitary Explorers should form the backbone of the fleet, equipped and empowered to operate as lone wolves.
Pursuing this doctrine will lead to things like: Combat Bonuses while outnumbered/alone; Council count your Explorers for less combat value; research bonuses to Ship Design - Explorer.
0 / 50 Lone Ranger Doctrine
Basically this means our explorers would have an easier time surviving hostile encounters due to the doctrinal bonus AND we could make some what more powerful explorer style vessels in terms of weaponry and so forth for the same combat cap effect. It's important because it allows us to maintain a more powerful fleet with less political cost. Also it means our explorers are likely to survive more and thus bring back more goodies.
Is having a doctrine that important? Having focused diplomacy/fast tracking one of the affiliate races, such as the Caldonians, would provide additional resources, research, and political will.
1. It lets us have more ships, because the Federation Council will discount some some for militarization purposes. I know that we haven't had a problem yet, but after the Biophage is dealt with I expect the Threat Level to be reduced and that is going to become a serious issue.
2. It also makes our ships tougher and more able to survive fights as long as they're fighting in the right circumstances. And frankly, being jumped while they're alone is the time when our ships are most vulnerable, so the Lone Ranger doctrine really helps there.
Also, you shouldn't think of it as competing with focused diplomacy. It's competing mostly with Technology research.
Is having a doctrine that important? Having focused diplomacy/fast tracking one of the affiliate races, such as the Caldonians, would provide additional resources, research, and political will.
We don't really know because we have no numbers for how big the combat score discount actually is. It could be nearly irrelevant or pretty important, my guess is moderately important; nice to have but not a huge priority.
It might be worth remembering here that 3 out of 5 series and every movie is about the Starship Enterprise saving the day with minimal assistance. The idea that doing this here is somehow unthematic seems absurd.
Base Strike over Wolfpack or Decisive Battle is again for this sort of reason. Starfleet isn't interested in 'Conquering' or 'Destroying' the enemy, all we care about is protecting the Federation while we SCIENCE the Galaxy. Base Strike is the only Offensive Doctrine that gives a Defensive Bonus, and that in and of itself is what makes it the 'Should Pick' option for me.
12, actually - it's a +5 "insight" bonus, not +2. We could open up a doctrine in just five years (and use any team the last year, if we want to give another team the extra experience).
[X] Plan Steady Progess
-[X] [Starfleet Command] Mobilise an Asset (1 turn)
-[X] [Federation Emergency Council] Commandeer Federation Colony Command Colony Ships for Evacuation Efforts (1 turn)
-[X] [Andorian Civil Service] Mobilise an Asset (1 turn)
-[X] [Federation Diplomatic Service] Request Asset from Affiliate - Caldonians, inform them and ask if there is anything they can contribute
-[X] [Starfleet Medical Command] Evacuate Cygnus Sigma I (30k) to Andor Sector (1 turn)
-[X] [Tellarite Mining Expedition] Scuttle Liath V shipyards (1 turn)
-[X] [Starfleet Infectious Disease Institute] Biophage Vaccine Research Rush - (1 turn)
-[X] [Vulcan Science Academy Detachment] Ship Modifications (1 turn)
-[X] [Starfleet Tactical Command - Tiger Team] Biophage Combat Research Rush (1 turn)
-[X] [Commodore T'Faer] Suicide Shuttle Countermeasures (1 turn)
-[X] [RBZ Fleet - Commodore T'Faer] Own Initiative
Report of Captain Michel Thuir, USS Challorn, Stardate 21436.2
Okay, first thing: the Miracht looks horrific now, and she is much stronger than when she was a Starfleet vessel. New components, pieces, even an entire small ship, have been grafted to her hull, with ropey strands of bio-circuitry exposed. It was grisly to see on the viewscreen.
We received a hail from a listening post of Starfleet Intelligence in orbit around the Huckleberry VIII gas giant that the Miracht had been spotted in system, so executed a maximum warp course to intercept. Once there, the Biophage ship turned and attempted to evade towards the rings of the gas giant at subluminal, and our Task Force pursued. As we approached, however, one of the Betazoids who was on the bridge was nearly violently ill, and alerted us to something large, hungry, and exceedingly malevolent in the asteroid rings. Because the rings interfere with the sensor readings, we were unable to detect anything. However, with the Captain of the new Oberth-class USS T'Mir, we devised a plan to pulse of ionising radiation into a section of the ring, activating exotic gases and disrupting any cloaking devices hiding there. It worked, and revealed the T'Seren waiting in ambush. The T'Seren ... has grown. It had a lot of shuttles attached, and two large additions in the hollows of the wings that the T'Mir indicated were shuttle factories. We advised the listening post to drop shields and prepare to be beamed up after setting self-destruct.
Miracht began to overtake us, however using our navigational deflector, we bombarded the ionised rings with tetryon radiation, which triggered an energetic explosion that force the Miracht to break off pursuit.
Starfleet Tactical Command, Battle Analysis Division Addendum: "For 'energetic explosion' read 'equivalent to a dozen photon torpedoes'."
This month has seen a satisfactory performance by those under my command. After Task Force Challorn was able to detect and evade the trap set for it by the Biophage vessel T'Seren, there was a week of no contacts, during which the evacuation of Cygnus Sigma was able to be conducted without enemy intervention. However, after that the Vulcan colony at Solitude fell under concerted assault by the T'Seren. This has been noted in our logs as the Battle of Solitude.
In summary, the assigned defenders of the Solitude colony and outpost, USS Sarek and USS Courageous, Captains T'Lorel and Eaton commanding, were able to successfully detect the entry of the T'Seren into the system, identifying it after comparing the fain sensor signature to the considerable sensor data gathered by the T'Mir. Shortly thereafter, the T'Seren decloaked and disgorged three waves of twelve shuttles. A total of 36 attack craft, split evenly between the three explorers. Two hits were inflicted on the station, collapsing shields, one hit against the Sarek, and one against the Courageous. The Biophage mothership followed closely behind the third wave of shutle attacks, and used its infection beam on the shieldless outpost before turning to attempt escape. Both Starfleet explorers engaged the T'Seren, and in the resulting engagement, the Sarek and the T'Seren both lost shields. After being struck by the infection beam, Captain T'Lorel showed appropriate decisiveness in using the EPS venting protocols to prevent the loss of the ship. This is a welcome change from the illogical behaviour encountered over Arcori III.
While the damage to the Sarek was regrettable, the two ships were able to cause significant damage to one of the shuttle factories on the T'Seren, as well as other structual damage, before the ship managed to escape to warp.
===
USS Sarek has sustained battle damage.
Repairs will require 6 months.
Damage has been incurred to: three saucer section deflector emitters burned out; hull breach caused by disruptors, Deck 3, Deck 5-6, Deck 9-10; significant Electro-Plasma damage due to intentional venting on Decks 7 through 10, Saucer Section Frames 17 through 20; burn out of two primary structural integrity field emitters; blow-out of Port Plasma Pre-Cooler Assembly, Destruction of Phaser Bank 4
[Cost - 20 br 15 sr, Crew 2 Enlisted 1 Tech]
[ ][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[ ][SAREK] Attempt to gain access to the large shipyard berth at Amarkia to repair [requires External Diplomacy action next turn].
===
End Report
Federation Diplomatic Service Report
While efforts to coordinate with the Klingon Empire on sensor networks is continuing, the Federation has made other diplomatic moves over the last month. The most interesting of which was the outreach to the Caldonian people, to both warn them of the nearby threat of the Biophage, and also to enlist their aid. One of their most gifted virologists has made the journey to the Starfleet Medical Infectious Diseases Institute to aid their team.
[Gained very talented scientist from Caldonia, +1 Skill to Infectious Diseases research team for duration of emergency]
Colony Command was none to pleased to have to donate their ships to this effort. On the other hand, the very public images of colonists dying in rickety cargo ships was also causing them serious issues, so they girded themselves to battle and dispatched a force of ten ships, each of whom are capable of carting ten thousand colonists in a trip, making an evacuation of Solitude possible in a two month time span, welcome news for T'Faer as she juggles her forces between Indi Beta and Solitude.
More parts of the Federation are rolling up their sleeves and doing their best for the common cause. Please find attached the list of assets you can activate.
Please Select two new Teams (Line voting, top two vote getters win)
[ ][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
[ ][NEW] Starfleet Academy Red Squad Runabouts - Combat (Recon) team
[ ][NEW] Shorc Xurth Resource Combine (Tellar Prime) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] Cheleb-Kor Industrial Centre (Vulcan) - Industry Team
[ ][NEW] Dhara Heavy Industry Park (Andoria) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] 40 Eridani A Ship Design Detachment - Research (Ships) Team
[ ][NEW] Councillor Stesk - External Diplomacy
[ ][NEW] Tellarite Work Crew - Civil Engineering Team
[ ][NEW] United Earth Station Service - Civil Engineering Team
[ ][NEW] Andorian Blue Hand - Civil Engineering (Medical) Team
End Report
Starfleet Engineering Command Report
The new outpost orbiting above Machado IV will serve as a reliable security backstop to the Romulan Neutral Zone for decades to come, scanning and protecting the approach from there to Andoria. It has been built with all haste, but no lack of care, a testament to the talents of Starfleet Engineers. Its sensor arrays are capable of picking up subspace activity for a wide radius, reducing the chances of not just the Biophage infiltrating, but other powers too. When this crisis is over, she will be crewed by a set of Starfleet personnel as a permanent installation.
In the RBZ itself, Starfleet oversaw the completion of two missions. An Andorian mission to fortify the outpost at Solitude to a similar level to that of Machado IV and Indi Beta, and a Tellarite mission to scuttle the shipyard at the now evacuated Liath V colony world. The Tellarites were reprimanded for using far, far, far more explosive than was required in the situation, even if the colony world was abandoned. They are, however, unrepentant. Meanwhile, the upgrades to Solitude have been completed, with only a few lingering controversies between the Andorians and resident Vulcans.
Unfortunately, the use of an Infection Beam on Solitude station caused many casualties among the Andorian engineers. They are taking the next month to regroup from these and recruit more engineers.
-
Andorian Civil Engineersare out of action for 1 month due to casualties.
Upgraded outpost
C8 S5 H12 L12 P4 D4, Crew [O-2 E-4 T-1]
-
Starfleet Medical Command Report
With an escort of two Constellations from Andor Sector, the northern patrol of two Mirandas, and our own Hospital Ships, Starfleet Medical was able to successfully carry out the evacutation of Cygnus Sigma without interruption or complication. All evacuees are now safely placed on Machado IV, under the protection of the new Outpost there. After that, Starfleet Medical has overseen continued research into a vaccine for this terrible Biophage. This month Infectious Diseases Institute made crucial progress on procedures to safely contain the Biophage in a laboratory environment, progress which had immediate impact on ships in the field. A new set of field harmonics have been disseminated among ships in the RBZ to update their structural integrity fields with. This will slow down progress of the Biophage when attacking hulls.
Biophage Vaccine Research Rush
10 / 10 Perform full analysis of the properties of the Biophage.
20 / 20 Sample Bio-laboratory Containment Procedures
20 / 20 Sterilisation Procedures
30 / 30 Vaccine Development I [+5 from Completion of Sterilisation Procedures] [+10 from Completion of Biophage General Research]
11 / ?? Vaccine Development II 20 / 20 Structural Integrity Field Modifications I
0 / 30 Structural Integrity Field Modifications II
Starfleet Tactical Command Report
Starfleet Tactical has seen the completion of a series of research projects, and have a much clearer idea now of the best ways to combat the Biophage in space and on the planet.
We won't make bones about it: this has been a very rough time on our tactics teams. We are encountering serious burnouts and mental disruption. However, we are determined to make a difference here.
Biophage Combat Research Rush
20 / 20 Develop EPS Venting Protocols [+5 for Actions at Birkeed III]
20 / 20 Romulan Combat Footage Analysis
20 / 20 Phaser Firebreaks (to slow spread of biophage on a planet)
20 / 20 Rapid Beam-out (Save crews while minimising the risk of conveying the infection)
0 / 30 Specific Phaser Remodulation [+10% to Combat Pool in fleet battles vs Biophage]
0 / 20 Anti-Biophage Torpedo Payload Jacketing [Escorts gain +1 Combat vs Biophage large ships]
0 / 20 Navigation Deflector Disruption Pulse [-1 to Biophage Combat stat, to a minimum of 2]
Suicide Shuttle Countermeasures
12 / 15 Shuttle Cloak Sensor Pattern Analysis (+1 to Science when attempting to spot inbound shuttles) 15 / 15 Mutual Support Formation (+1 to Combat when attempting to intercept inbound shuttles)
12 / 30 Tachyon Burst Sweep (+1 to Science when attempting to spot inbound cloaked vessels)
13 / 20 Shield Harmonics Modifications (+1 to Shield when attempting to withstand a hit)
Ship Modifications
20 / 20 Structural Integrity Field Modifications [+1 to Hull vs Biophage, Slow down infection rates]
6 / 20 Freon-Trilithium Plasma Coolant Hull Adhesive (Slow down infection rates from Infection Beams if hull undamaged) 10 / 10 "The Big Red Button" Accelerated Warp Core Breach Process (+1 to attempts to self-destruct after infection)
USS Enterprise Report
Things got frisky over here as we started out reconnaissance-in-force into Area 2 of the Neutral Zone. My gut tells me that the Biophage has holed up in this area and are trying to hold onto it. There must be a base of some kind. One of the Birds of Prey was heavily damaged and had to be destroyed when we were attacked by a storm of Biophage "missiles", which appear to be some new, somewhat crude, form of shuttlecraft, non-cloaked. They attacked out of the upper atmosphere of a gas giant, which I have to be honest: I didn't think they could do. In any event, the Enterprise swatted anything that came remotely near in a shooting display that raised eyebrows across the Romulan fleet. Commander Velin and the Devoras battled in vain to keep up but, well, there's only one Enterprise.
The damaged Bird of Prey was hit by an infection beam from the captured D7, the Terrh. The fact it is capable of generating such a beam is extremely unpleasant news. We were able to help them cauterise the infection, along with the Romulan variant on EPS venting. I have to say, for a passionate people, they can have ice for blood sometimes. Our ability to spot the ambushes and lead the shooting is holding us in good stead. The presence of the Romulan Admiral is not as big an imposition as I expected. Happily, this one didn't off themselves for a typo in a memo subject field or whatever it is that prompts Romulan Admirals to jump out airlocks. To keep the good folks from the Diplomatic Service happy, I hosted the Admiral and Commanders to dinner with my senior officers before the expedition. Commander Velin of the Devoras then one-upped us after the expedition fell back to regroup.
Romulan Ale. Not even once. [Admiral's Note: More like not even twenty-seven times.]
We expect to be through scouting this system by the end of next month, and are calling up reinforcements to push on.
[X][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[X][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[X][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
We need the Sarek back in action ASAP, use the heavy industry team each turn to cut time down to 3 months.
I'm assuming we can't do that if we are repairing her at a shipyard we don't control, is that accurate @OneirosTheWriter?
Ugh, finishing this thing off is going to be a major pain. It can hide in gas giants, burrow into planets...we could keep seeing resurgences decades after we've dealt with all the major instances. The Neutral Zone will likely need to be quarantined indefinitely. On the bright side, the necessity of maintaining quarantine will probably mean maintaining strong, regular communications with the Romulans. Who will cooperate because They Know They Fucked Up.
[X][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[X][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[X][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
Meanwhile, I think we should consider requesting the Amarki flagship with our external diplomacy team next turn, as a temporary partial replacement for the Sarek.
[X][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[X][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[X][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
I would rather use Red Squad. They are more versed in Starfleet procedures and might cooperate better with the rest of the fleet. Does anyone really disagree, or were the Andorians picked at random?
[X][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[X][NEW] Starfleet Academy Red Squad Runabouts - Combat (Recon) team
[X][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
I would rather use Red Squad. They are more versed in Starfleet procedures and might cooperate better with the rest of the fleet. Does anyone really disagree, or were the Andorians picked at random?
I'd rather not lose the best and brightest before their career even properly starts and don' t think there will be much difference in performance. The recon teams mostly operate on their own anyway and what the Andorians lack in talent they should be making up in experience.
[X][SAREK] Bump 40 Eridani A's Excelsior build to repair Sarek.
[X][NEW] North America Productivity Commission (Earth) - Industry (Heavy) Team
[X][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
OK I'm caught up and great quest @OneirosTheWriter I love how your combining Homeworld and Star Trek so well.
Okay, first thing: the Miracht looks horrific now, and she is much stronger than when she was a Starfleet vessel. New components, pieces, even an entire small ship, have been grafted to her hull, with ropey strands of bio-circuitry exposed. It was grisly to see on the viewscreen.
As we approached, however, one of the Betazoids who was on the bridge was nearly violently ill, and alerted us to something large, hungry, and exceedingly malevolent in the asteroid rings. Because the rings interfere with the sensor readings, we were unable to detect anything. However, with the Captain of the new Oberth-class USS T'Mir,
Great to see both the empaths and the Oberth proving their worth. I'm pretty sure this saved the Challorn.
In summary, the assigned defenders of the Solitude colony and outpost, USS Sarek and USS Courageous, Captains T'Lorel and Eaton commanding, were able to successfully detect the entry of the T'Seren into the system, identifying it after comparing the fain sensor signature to the considerable sensor data gathered by the T'Mir. Shortly thereafter, the T'Seren decloaked and disgorged three waves of twelve shuttles. A total of 36 attack craft, split evenly between the three explorers. Two hits were inflicted on the station, collapsing shields, one hit against the Sarek, and one against the Courageous. The Biophage mothership followed closely behind the third wave of shutle attacks, and used its infection beam on the shieldless outpost before turning to attempt escape. Both Starfleet explorers engaged the T'Seren, and in the resulting engagement, the Sarek and the T'Seren both lost shields. After being struck by the infection beam, Captain T'Lorel showed appropriate decisiveness in using the EPS venting protocols to prevent the loss of the ship. This is a welcome change from the illogical behaviour encountered over Arcori III.
The very soul of patience and insight. (Heh.) But wow, not sure whether the damage to the Sarek is bad luck or the fact that we didn't lose it completely is good luck. Agree on calling on the Amarki flagship next turn... we need all the help we can get.
USS Sarek has sustained battle damage.
Repairs will require 6 months.
Damage has been incurred to: three saucer section deflector emitters burned out; hull breach caused by disruptors, Deck 3, Deck 5-6, Deck 9-10; significant Electro-Plasma damage due to intentional venting on Decks 7 through 10, Saucer Section Frames 17 through 20; burn out of two primary structural integrity field emitters; blow-out of Port Plasma Pre-Cooler Assembly, Destruction of Phaser Bank 4
[Cost - 20 br 15 sr, Crew 2 Enlisted 1 Tech]
Colony Command was none to pleased to have to donate their ships to this effort. On the other hand, the very public images of colonists dying in rickety cargo ships was also causing them serious issues, so they girded themselves to battle and dispatched a force of ten ships, each of whom are capable of carting ten thousand colonists in a trip, making an evacuation of Solitude possible in a two month time span, welcome news for T'Faer as she juggles her forces between Indi Beta and Solitude.
Huh. Do we plan to evacuate Solitude rather than fortify it for the duration of the crisis? This seems to assume that we will.
The new outpost orbiting above Machado IV will serve as a reliable security backstop to the Romulan Neutral Zone for decades to come, scanning and protecting the approach from there to Andoria. It has been built with all haste, but no lack of care, a testament to the talents of Starfleet Engineers. Its sensor arrays are capable of picking up subspace activity for a wide radius, reducing the chances of not just the Biophage infiltrating, but other powers too. When this crisis is over, she will be crewed by a set of Starfleet personnel as a permanent installation.
"Other powers too". Very diplomatic. At least we'll have one thing coming out of this crisis.
Biophage Vaccine Research Rush
10 / 10 Perform full analysis of the properties of the Biophage.
20 / 20 Sample Bio-laboratory Containment Procedures
20 / 20 Sterilisation Procedures
30 / 30 Vaccine Development I [+5 from Completion of Sterilisation Procedures] [+10 from Completion of Biophage General Research]
11 / ?? Vaccine Development II 20 / 20 Structural Integrity Field Modifications I
0 / 30 Structural Integrity Field Modifications II
This research rush related to detecting cloaking.... will its effects linger after the crisis? We may be pushing the Romulan cloaking advantage back by a decade if it does.
In any event, the Enterprise swatted anything that came remotely near in a shooting display that raised eyebrows across the Romulan fleet. Commander Velin and the Devoras battled in vain to keep up but, well, there's only one Enterprise.
The inspiration bonus is applied after the regular advancement (and I believe also after event and completion boni) so it never goes to a tech that would have been finished anyway and there was no other tech it could have went to. A bit regrettable that this changed now with Structural Integrity Field Modifications II unlocked.
