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Just continue subverting them and hold assasins bot and hacking ready so we can lock the leaders out and assasinate them at that time. Once the mechanicus is our we can build a ring of iron around the planet so we get more buck for our bang amd then ee build a juggernaut im talking about a world ship size.Use the Explorator persona as Front and adventure amd bring tech back to them so they can build up.
 
I'd encourage the recruitment of another team member — the first two have been wildly successful, and many hands make light work. In addition, they may be critical members of our eventual crew.
 
So this turn we could do:
1) Database action on House Klyssar
2) Diplo action on Thayla and more subversion with Victan assisting (with a +25)
3) Research action to unlock Stealth Missiles, Jammers, Stealth Assault Shuttles and Bot Humanisation Redux?
4) 2 Construction actions, to build an underground Medium Void Shield, 12 more Stealth Fighters and 100 Stealth Missiles with 1500 BP left to spend

100 Stealth Missiles would be the minimum to hope that if things go loud ahead of schedule we stand a decent chance of taking out their satellites, and we can put the other 50 we need to assure it on the turn we plan to start it to minimise the chance of them being seen. Remaining BP could be stuff like another underground spaceport split between 5 assault shuttles and 5 fighters, some anti-orbital defences, maybe a couple of jammers, then some trade goods for the Aevon land deal?

Anexa can stay on studying.
Getting some 100-150 missiles in orbit as well as some fighters to pick up the slack seems like a pretty good one to me, ye.
Just continue subverting them and hold assasins bot and hacking ready so we can lock the leaders out and assasinate them at that time. Once the mechanicus is our we can build a ring of iron around the planet so we get more buck for our bang amd then ee build a juggernaut im talking about a world ship size.Use the Explorator persona as Front and adventure amd bring tech back to them so they can build up.
That's the kind of shit we'd do if we were a "build up the locals" kind of AI. We're an explorer AI though, and won't be doing that.
We can lay the foundations and play irresponsible mom by leaving an AI baby tho.
 
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Well, we would also have to research AI first. I do not think that would be a short research chain.
True, but also. We probably won't have to do more than leave a copy with a mom-attitude instead of explorer-attitude. Doesn't really need to be that different overall.
Unless something forbids copying. But nothing we know of does. Except suitable mainframes.
 
Now that we are getting somewhat close to getting into space I want to get some discussion on what sort of ship we should build first and what the first few expeditions should be.

Personally, I think our best bet is making the largest light cruiser we can with as much as we can shove into it without it getting penalties. The reason for this is because it is probably the largest thing we can use that can be considered somewhat inconspicuous. The Sector that we are in is notably busy with multiple competing factions. A single unidentified light cruiser is something to take note of but mostly ignore if it isn't doing anything hostile simply due to there being more important things to worry about. Anything heavier is just asking to be taken seriously by any of the major players and dogpiled without an escort fleet - something that would either require a investment into the AI chain or getting the locals trained up, both of which will take good while.

As for the first few expeditions, we should probably focus on things that benefit both us and Denva so that we can get experience with the new galaxy Vita is in (and get loot to research!). Since we are an explorer and surveyer, I think that our first expedition should be to investigate the stations that the mechanicus are messing with, they seem to be large and mostly unused. There will likely be a lot off loot there - no way the evacuation fleets managed to strip everything from the stations. We could also prepare for the next expedition by sending some stealth satellites to take a look at the aliens (the Vellkar) on Denva Prime, that could be a chance to do some diplomacy between our current locals and them.

Those two things are the only currently known interest points in this system. By the time we finish working through those 'tutorial expeditions' we should have managed to get Denva into a good enough position to continue to expand (probably by leaving them with a bunch of tech and the psy shielding) using our ground and space infrastructure (hopefully we can get the rights to free docking and usage for when we come back) and construct a really good ship.

After leaving the system, I think that we should focus on mapping and exploring the local Sub-Sector first, perhaps buying maps from the locals. Speaking of which - disguises. How are we going to disguise our ship from Imperials? I am leaning towards searching the mechanicus database for what their ship designs look like and just using one of their light cruiser designs to make a fake hull silhouette. Play our presence off (when we can't get away with stealth) as a continuation of the Explorator story that we made up here and say that we are from a really far away Forge world. To really sell the act we could just use androids to fake having a full mechanicus complement.
 
Now that we are getting somewhat close to getting into space I want to get some discussion on what sort of ship we should build first and what the first few expeditions should be.

Personally, I think our best bet is making the largest light cruiser we can with as much as we can shove into it without it getting penalties. The reason for this is because it is probably the largest thing we can use that can be considered somewhat inconspicuous. The Sector that we are in is notably busy with multiple competing factions. A single unidentified light cruiser is something to take note of but mostly ignore if it isn't doing anything hostile simply due to there being more important things to worry about. Anything heavier is just asking to be taken seriously by any of the major players and dogpiled without an escort fleet - something that would either require a investment into the AI chain or getting the locals trained up, both of which will take good while.

As for the first few expeditions, we should probably focus on things that benefit both us and Denva so that we can get experience with the new galaxy Vita is in (and get loot to research!). Since we are an explorer and surveyer, I think that our first expedition should be to investigate the stations that the mechanicus are messing with, they seem to be large and mostly unused. There will likely be a lot off loot there - no way the evacuation fleets managed to strip everything from the stations. We could also prepare for the next expedition by sending some stealth satellites to take a look at the aliens (the Vellkar) on Denva Prime, that could be a chance to do some diplomacy between our current locals and them.

Those two things are the only currently known interest points in this system. By the time we finish working through those 'tutorial expeditions' we should have managed to get Denva into a good enough position to continue to expand (probably by leaving them with a bunch of tech and the psy shielding) using our ground and space infrastructure (hopefully we can get the rights to free docking and usage for when we come back) and construct a really good ship.

After leaving the system, I think that we should focus on mapping and exploring the local Sub-Sector first, perhaps buying maps from the locals. Speaking of which - disguises. How are we going to disguise our ship from Imperials? I am leaning towards searching the mechanicus database for what their ship designs look like and just using one of their light cruiser designs to make a fake hull silhouette. Play our presence off (when we can't get away with stealth) as a continuation of the Explorator story that we made up here and say that we are from a really far away Forge world. To really sell the act we could just use androids to fake having a full mechanicus complement.
Pre leaving planet:
Explore the psyker monasteries.
Post:
The Station and Primus, agreed.
 
If we have spare BP left over after missiles and fighters and void shields, maybe we buy some more lab space? Increasing RP would be useful. I think another spaceport so we can hold a full 30 fighters plus our shuttle would be good too.

I'd encourage the recruitment of another team member — the first two have been wildly successful, and many hands make light work. In addition, they may be critical members of our eventual crew.

I think we need a psyker, a pilot, and a commander to get our bases covered. Pity we can't recruit a space marine.
 
Very sensible. But frankly, kinda boring.

Can I propose an opposite, bolder shock & awe approach? Proudly wear our origins on our sleeve, frame ourselves as the New Stellar Federation and become a beacon of hope in the Imperium Nihilus. Force our way through the door with sheer fucking wealth and gall. Here in Nihilus they can hardly afford to refuse what we can offer.
Let's face it, if we weren't on the bad side of the Cicatrix this quest would be unlikely to go anywhere ever and we would not have had a iconoclast planet this old.

Playing pretend-imperial has already gotten old to me and frankly, I want to embrace our new icon.

But yes, exploring the system will deff be our first prerogative.
 
If we have spare BP left over after missiles and fighters and void shields, maybe we buy some more lab space? Increasing RP would be useful. I think another spaceport so we can hold a full 30 fighters plus our shuttle would be good too.



I think we need a psyker, a pilot, and a commander to get our bases covered. Pity we can't recruit a space marine.

Space Marines would... well honestly speaking I do not think they would be as hard as some other imperials. Sure they are all indoctrinated into service to the Imperium, but many of them do not keep to the Imperial Faith (because they remember the true history of the Heresy and that the Emperor did not wish to be worshiped and who's going to argue with one of the Emperor's Angels?) and they are already very independent of other imperial institutions, even before the rift broke the galaxy in two and left them on the shitty side. If we say jump in and murder some tyrannids for them I think the local tech marines are independent enough of the Ad Mech to at least listen to what we have to say. Sure there are exceptions to every rule, chapters that are fanatics of the Faith, ones obsessed with purity, ones that are just plain brutes looking for an excuse to be the boot that stomps on the face of imperial citizenry, but as a broad class space marines are among the least indoctrinated imperials when it comes to AI at least
 
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I figure the military types would be the ones to really see the full potential of a chaos-resistant AI for waging war on orcs, Tyranids, and chaos.

I don't think we need to fight the necrons, really, but that's a wildcard. Same with the rest of the empire, really. Eldar are hopeful allies, as are Tau...
 
The point is, is that we plain out don't know what else is out their except which factions are active in force around the sector. I also want to drop the facade, but that will likely need to wait until we have a decent sized fleet with multiple grand cruisers and serious support base. We simply don't have the ability to stop any of the Imperial factions from dropping a hammer on us if they see us as a threat - which an AI openly calling for rebellion against the Imperium certainly is or a Chaos empire wanting a pet AI run Hell Forge if they notice us as anything other than a regular Explorator.
 
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The point is, is that we plain out don't know what else is out their except which factions are active in force around the sector. I also want to drop the facade, but that will likely need to wait until we have a decent sized fleet with multiple grand cruisers and serious support base. We simply don't have the ability to stop any of the Imperial factions from dropping a hammer on us if they see us as a threat - which an AI openly calling for rebellion against the Imperium certainly is or a Chaos empire wanting a pet AI run Hell Forge if they notice us as anything other than a regular Explorator.

Hell forge nothing, if Vita got corrupted she would be a threat on the scale of of a Splinter Fleet, machines that build machines, that design more machines, all perfect daemon hosts. She could drown sectors in Warp tainted technology.
 
Now this was a very fruitful turn indeed. Liked especially the bit where Vita was running test on jamming, while at the same time absent-mindedly feeding Victan basically all information he requested, which was then revealed to have resulted in the whole Cogitare Exploraratum.

Also, lol. The "not Heretek" -discussion thread. Vita checks in, yep, its 100% (non-Chaos) Heretekal discussion.
If we have spare BP left over after missiles and fighters and void shields, maybe we buy some more lab space? Increasing RP would be useful.
The problem with this is that while we can increase our BP by just building up, we cannot do the same with RP. Labs only help in unlocking researching stuff, not adding RP as far as I know. If we want more RP, we either have to get more crew like Anexa, collaborate with people like Anexa, or make more AIs like Vita who we then have to get to work for us. Because free will is a thing and all that, and I don't think Vita would like to shackle the new hypothetical AI.
 
Hell forge nothing, if Vita got corrupted she would be a threat on the scale of of a Splinter Fleet, machines that build machines, that design more machines, all perfect daemon hosts. She could drown sectors in Warp tainted technology.
And with a research path to making new ai.
So they could have every Hell Forge run by a corrupted ai, pumping out more and more for the corrupted fleet.
 
Unlocked new special research - Machine Spirit Emotional Hacking (100 RP)
-[] Machine Spirit Emotional Hacking (150 RP) If you can toy with a machine spirits' emotions, then you'll probably be better at hacking them. (Improves success rate of hacking of Imperial tech, decrease failure penalties. Will synergize with other hacking technology. May unlock better jamming and hacking technology.)
@Neablis This is listed as 100 RP in the results, but 150RP in the research listing.
Tanks show up pretty well on scanners, and it would be nice to change that. You might also be able to make your bots hide better. (Unlocks new design options for tanks and ground forces that are less obvious. Unlocks further research towards better ground force stealth. Will by synergistic with other stealth research.)


How do I keep these ships better hidden? Hmm - radar absorption, better chassis design to deflect signals? Hiding or dispersing the drive plume? All good ideas. (Unlocks the ability to design versions of fighters, bombers, boarding craft and shuttles with basic passive stealth. Unlocks advanced passive stealth, basic active stealth and research to apply stealth to both smaller combat bots and larger ships)
It looks like this is missing the name and RP costs of these two research projects.
 
And with a research path to making new ai.
So they could have every Hell Forge run by a corrupted ai, pumping out more and more for the corrupted fleet.
Chaos does not have that level of long-term vision or co-operation. Hell forge is wholly viable, Darkmech Splinter fleet kinda thing is possible, too. But unlikely. It's not Chaos' style.
"I'll be sure to let him know," you reply. Have fun now, and let me know if you have any questions."
Forgot a quote mark.
 
Hmm. Things are going well enough... I'm not satisfied with basic stealth though, I want to go for improved stealth and get improved stealth missiles, fighters, and assault shuttles. If we go for the jammers too, I think we can get all that in two research actions?

Improved Passive Stealth: 100 RP
Improved Stealth Fighters: 75 RP
Machine-spirit Jammer: 25 RP
Improved Stealth Missiles: 100 RP
Improved Stealth Assault Shuttles: 100 RP

We're already at the limit for surface installations, so we probably need to make anything else we build underground, not concealed? Which means we can't afford an underground void shield with one construction action... And I really want one of those before things go hot... So, we might want to spend all our BP building underground manufactories, honestly. We can pay them off in two six build actions, which we can probably take next turn. So... Nope!

Diplomacy/subversion: 1 action
-Mechanicus shooshing and continued subversion and hacking.
Research: 2 actions
Construction: 1 Action

Alternatively, could ditch the assault shuttles and missiles and get a second construction action? Still be a struggle to fit everything we'd want to build in it, but it's at least theoretically doable...

Edit: Whoops, no, underground manufactories pay for themselves in six build actions. Riiiight.
 
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For plans this turn, I have three goals:
  1. Finish the "hard measures" defensive umbrella against the killsats. Perfect is the enemy of the good here, this is firmly in "Plan B" territory now.
  2. Press the advantage on our subversion success and expand the size and influence of the splinter faction.
    1. Can we just outright take over the Nyvaros enclave since we've ensnared their leader?
  3. Do research and make materiel to prepare ourselves and the splinter faction for the coup, such as robot infantry.
Honorary mention:
Unlocked new special research - Machine Spirit Emotional Hacking (100 RP)
This research is a gimme that helps all three goals. Be there or be square. :V

Figuring out the details of how I'd like to pursue those goals can wait for the evening - for now, I'd just like to ask @Neablis about what Vita now knows about Aevon's plans now that Victan is helping coordinate - their hoped for diplomatic fait accompli, and if/how they intend to contribute to ballistic missile defense in particular. If we can lean on them at all for ground launched missiles, that could free up BP for coup materiel.

That's it for my planning for now - so here's reactions!

You know you're less focused on him than you should be, but it's fine. You're busy, and he's doing what you wanted him to do.
Lots of little narrative bits fitting the mold of this quote - and after last night, I can just feel the uncertainty about what to do with that nat 100 wafting off of them. I'm actually a little impressed by how you simultaneously managed to put off having to write exactly what it did without slowing down writing everything else, AND did so in a way that glowed up the nat 100 results themselves.

They amped up the suspense! Suspense that was already quite high because of the discussions post-roll, lol. Good shit.

Also, did we get the results of that free action about the Mechanicus sects?
Yeah, Vita knows it in-character now. The big effect was that we passed it on to Victan and he rode that into the sunset with the nat 100 on Education.

The problem with this is that while we can increase our BP by just building up, we cannot do the same with RP. Labs only help in unlocking researching stuff, not adding RP as far as I know. If we want more RP, we either have to get more crew like Anexa, collaborate with people like Anexa, or make more AIs like Vita who we then have to get to work for us. Because free will is a thing and all that, and I don't think Vita would like to shackle the new hypothetical AI.
Allied polities also count for this, if I'm remembering previous QM statements right.

Also, have a correction:
Well, there's certainly math involved

You're brought up short
Missing period.
 
I'm still curious about the local Xenos species, though learning more about them will have to necessitate dealing with the Mechanicus and getting out into space. But maybe we could serve to broker some sort of uneasy truce... if that's not already basically brokered by the fact that the other species clearly hasn't started building ships to counter-invade.
 
Hmm. Things are going well enough... I'm not satisfied with basic stealth though, I want to go for improved stealth and get improved stealth missiles, fighters, and assault shuttles. If we go for the jammers too, I think we can get all that in two research actions?

Improved Passive Stealth: 100 RP
Improved Stealth Fighters: 75 RP
Machine-spirit Jammer: 25 RP
Improved Stealth Missiles: 100 RP
Improved Stealth Assault Shuttles: 100 RP

We're already at the limit for surface installations, so we probably need to make anything else we build underground, not concealed? Which means we can't afford an underground void shield with one construction action... And I really want one of those before things go hot... So, we might want to spend all our BP building underground manufactories, honestly. We can pay them off in two build actions, which we can probably take next turn. So...

Diplomacy/subversion: 1 action
-Mechanicus shooshing and continued subversion and hacking.
Research: 2 actions
Construction: 1 Action

Alternatively, could ditch the assault shuttles and missiles and get a second construction action? Still be a struggle to fit everything we'd want to build in it, but it's at least theoretically doable...
I'd argue we can get away without Improved Stealth, which would free up one of the Research actions.
I'd missed what Emotional Hacking would do for us, so we could do that and Stealth Missiles (and Bot Humanisation Redux depending on if Emotional Hacking is 100 or 150 RP). That would allow for two Construction actions, which would be plenty for pretty much everything we'd want.
 
Now that we are getting somewhat close to getting into space I want to get some discussion on what sort of ship we should build first and what the first few expeditions should be.

Personally, I think our best bet is making the largest light cruiser we can with as much as we can shove into it without it getting penalties. The reason for this is because it is probably the largest thing we can use that can be considered somewhat inconspicuous. The Sector that we are in is notably busy with multiple competing factions. A single unidentified light cruiser is something to take note of but mostly ignore if it isn't doing anything hostile simply due to there being more important things to worry about. Anything heavier is just asking to be taken seriously by any of the major players and dogpiled without an escort fleet - something that would either require a investment into the AI chain or getting the locals trained up, both of which will take good while.

As for the first few expeditions, we should probably focus on things that benefit both us and Denva so that we can get experience with the new galaxy Vita is in (and get loot to research!). Since we are an explorer and surveyer, I think that our first expedition should be to investigate the stations that the mechanicus are messing with, they seem to be large and mostly unused. There will likely be a lot off loot there - no way the evacuation fleets managed to strip everything from the stations. We could also prepare for the next expedition by sending some stealth satellites to take a look at the aliens (the Vellkar) on Denva Prime, that could be a chance to do some diplomacy between our current locals and them.

Those two things are the only currently known interest points in this system. By the time we finish working through those 'tutorial expeditions' we should have managed to get Denva into a good enough position to continue to expand (probably by leaving them with a bunch of tech and the psy shielding) using our ground and space infrastructure (hopefully we can get the rights to free docking and usage for when we come back) and construct a really good ship.

After leaving the system, I think that we should focus on mapping and exploring the local Sub-Sector first, perhaps buying maps from the locals. Speaking of which - disguises. How are we going to disguise our ship from Imperials? I am leaning towards searching the mechanicus database for what their ship designs look like and just using one of their light cruiser designs to make a fake hull silhouette. Play our presence off (when we can't get away with stealth) as a continuation of the Explorator story that we made up here and say that we are from a really far away Forge world. To really sell the act we could just use androids to fake having a full mechanicus complement.
I would suggest pretending to be a Rogue Trader. Oddities in our ship could easily be explained by random trades and upgrades.
A Explorator ship could be given orders, particularly a Light Cruiser.

A Grand Cruiser is often owned by important Rogue Traders.
Vita's first ship can be a size larger, so if we research Heavy Cruisers we can build a Grand.
 
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