Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
And has now been said thrice, any stat increases are getting applied on the new strategic turn, not during a social encounter.
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You Are: A sector admiral of a strained imperium.
- Thread starter Packrat
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
And has now been said thrice, any stat increases are getting applied on the new strategic turn, not during a social encounter.
@san it is as @Generallymyself quoted, stat ups come at the end of the current 'scene' so to speak, this is still ongoing, just like I do not check for Prowess skill ups mid boarding action if it gets broken up.
How is what I said wrong? Packrat isn't giving us an automatic stat increase for a fight. The fight had the potential to upgrade our Prowess like boarding actions.
- Location
- canada
thank you and sorry I missed that!
it is kinda wrong though because I was commenting on a lack of a roll not on the lack of the stats period.
it is kinda wrong though because I was commenting on a lack of a roll not on the lack of the stats period.
He doesn't make the rolls for a possible stat increase visible. In every scene we used diplomacy, strategy, tactics or prowess we had the possibility of increasing our stats.
- Location
- canada
yeah, but he didn't even mention the failure or anything and I one of the laziest QM's I know of tries to do so.
either way it don't matter now I know what I missed and am patient enough to wait so long as we gets a chance at the stat increase.
[] The Mercenary. Get a favourable introduction to an impressed mercenary commander, an ex New Rodinia special forces colonel now operating a large, ruthless private military corporation.
[X] The Pirate. Get a favourable introduction to a terrified of you mover and shaker behind sector wide piracy.
[] The Broker. Get a favourable introduction to a not quite noble, but noble descended, mover and shaker of the underworld on Illam, somebody who knows things and trades secrets.
Arg! This is hard!
I'd really be interested to see what options the pirate gave us. I think people are too quick to dismiss it as a "no useful information or options can come from this". For example, having "reformed" pirates join Reinhard as auxiliaries for raiding the NASP would give us a deniable means of undermining the NASP while also weakening piracy in the sector as we crush every pirate captain who won't accept Reinhard as boss in the sector.
The broker sounds like a valuable source of information closer to the foundation of imperial society. People who want to overthrow the empire? You're gonna need a good picture of what's going on with ordinary people in the empire. This could be the first step towards that.
The mercenary sounds really dull to me. I guess he could give us deniable ships and troops to do things. And it sounds like his company have fairly good veterancy levels. But... He just seems vanilla and boring. But on the other hand, talking to him is probably less damaging to Reinhard's reputation.
I think I will vote for the pirate at this point, but I could be persuaded to change my vote.
[X] Delay. Ranca is currently your subordinate, but if that can be fixed? You can absolutely hit it off again.
As far as holding out for a better political marriage... I'm not sure Reinhard WANTS to marry a noble further up the totem pole. Marrying into a ducal house that is stronger, for example, would mean he'd owe more favours to his new family. Marrying a Jamoor or an Arril, by contrast, would probably result in being drawn into their efforts to rebuild, and could result in them owing Reinhard heavily.
Similarly, marrying into minor nobility could be good, since again, they'd likely end up owing Reinhard more favours than he owes them and probably he'd be drawn into less in the way of treasonous plots than if he went with one of the two weaker ducal houses.
Also, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. We can dream of better marriages than Ranca, politically, but none are currently on the horizon. So while a better marriage down the road could help the late game, well, a good marriage now could accelerate Reinhard up the totem pole early. So both options may be as strong.
And as people have pointed out, Ranca is capable and loyal. Big positives in this empire.
On the flip side, would Ranca want to marry Reinhard? We don't know yet. She may prefer to be his senior mistress and pet murderer.
Also, if she does want to marry him, do we really want to marry the murder addict? You guys all noticed how she reacted to Reinhard almost losing an arm right? Her ideas of fun can be valuable to us, but I'm not sure they're valuable in a wife.
Still, on balance I am inclined to go for "delay" rather than "impossible".
fasquardon
[X] The Pirate. Get a favourable introduction to a terrified of you mover and shaker behind sector wide piracy.
[] The Broker. Get a favourable introduction to a not quite noble, but noble descended, mover and shaker of the underworld on Illam, somebody who knows things and trades secrets.
Arg! This is hard!
I'd really be interested to see what options the pirate gave us. I think people are too quick to dismiss it as a "no useful information or options can come from this". For example, having "reformed" pirates join Reinhard as auxiliaries for raiding the NASP would give us a deniable means of undermining the NASP while also weakening piracy in the sector as we crush every pirate captain who won't accept Reinhard as boss in the sector.
The broker sounds like a valuable source of information closer to the foundation of imperial society. People who want to overthrow the empire? You're gonna need a good picture of what's going on with ordinary people in the empire. This could be the first step towards that.
The mercenary sounds really dull to me. I guess he could give us deniable ships and troops to do things. And it sounds like his company have fairly good veterancy levels. But... He just seems vanilla and boring. But on the other hand, talking to him is probably less damaging to Reinhard's reputation.
I think I will vote for the pirate at this point, but I could be persuaded to change my vote.
[X] Delay. Ranca is currently your subordinate, but if that can be fixed? You can absolutely hit it off again.
As far as holding out for a better political marriage... I'm not sure Reinhard WANTS to marry a noble further up the totem pole. Marrying into a ducal house that is stronger, for example, would mean he'd owe more favours to his new family. Marrying a Jamoor or an Arril, by contrast, would probably result in being drawn into their efforts to rebuild, and could result in them owing Reinhard heavily.
Similarly, marrying into minor nobility could be good, since again, they'd likely end up owing Reinhard more favours than he owes them and probably he'd be drawn into less in the way of treasonous plots than if he went with one of the two weaker ducal houses.
Also, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. We can dream of better marriages than Ranca, politically, but none are currently on the horizon. So while a better marriage down the road could help the late game, well, a good marriage now could accelerate Reinhard up the totem pole early. So both options may be as strong.
And as people have pointed out, Ranca is capable and loyal. Big positives in this empire.
On the flip side, would Ranca want to marry Reinhard? We don't know yet. She may prefer to be his senior mistress and pet murderer.
Also, if she does want to marry him, do we really want to marry the murder addict? You guys all noticed how she reacted to Reinhard almost losing an arm right? Her ideas of fun can be valuable to us, but I'm not sure they're valuable in a wife.
Still, on balance I am inclined to go for "delay" rather than "impossible".
fasquardon
Update 22 - So Many Choices <Start of Strategic Turn 4>
[X] Delay. Ranca is currently your subordinate, but if that can be fixed? You can absolutely hit it off again
[X] The Mercenary. Get a favourable introduction to an impressed mercenary commander, an ex New Rodinia special forces colonel now operating a large, ruthless private military corporation.
You wince as Ranca drags you over by your not so good arm, not that it really hurts thanks to your augmentations, though you do manage to retrieve your brandy and bring it along with you. The individual you are lead over to looks... Completely normal, an average height man in perhaps his mid forties, brown skinned, cropped black hair, wearing expensive clothing in colour shifting fabric. He is flanked by a pair of much more obvious mercenary toughs, a man and a woman with artificial, armoured skin, over large eyes obviously housing sensors and massively bulky frames. They are also armed though apparently quite relaxed, a grin flashed to you by one of them as you close.
Then the man they are flanking motions curtly to the opposite side of his booth and you slide in alongside Ranca. You have your own implants cross reference his face, then break the ice. "So, Damien Chalet, former colonel, now still a colonel but working for the highest bidder?"
"Commodore. Your own fame precedes you even without that little show you just put on. But why are you talking to me? You have a couple of brigades of vaunted Imp marines, starships. Of course you also took that battlecruiser so you also have money." He leans in a little, a tight smile.
You watch him carefully as you mentally review his file in your heads up display. New Rodinia was one of the worlds in this sector conquered during the war but the ground fighting was particularly bitter and the eventual terms of surrender lead to the exile of the planet's remnant military rather than them going into custody. Colonel Chalet was one of the most senior officers still fighting at that point and still leads the core of the army. Your shrug is rather careful.
"Those Imperial Marines have been through a lot colonel and as you know there is always more fighting to do. Obviously you are up to date with the situation on Imhotep?"
He nods, you continue. "Do you have ships?" He scowls. "I can only wish. We charter commercial vessels for transport. Expensive even without the taxes on moving military forces. We do have combat shuttles but nothing interstellar."
You weigh your options.
[] Mercenaries: Act As Cutout. The Governor General wants the situation on Imhotep dealt with, he also cannot be seen to be hiring mercenaries directly as a civilian official and member of the Imperial House. You however are a ranking military officer and could hire the colonel's mercenary regiments using his money to solve his problems. (Diplomacy check, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly and thus earn some favour with the Governor General, may annoy him on a failure).
[] Mercenaries: Hire Them. The colonel has five battalions of veteran troops, mostly not on par with Imperial marines but certainly a cut above the regular army. Transport them to Imhotep and let them set about their bloody work. (Spend 15 Wealth, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly, Governor General will be grateful).
[] Mercenaries: Keep In Touch. You do not need mercenaries right now but this is a force roughly equivalent in fighting power to the marines on two heavy cruisers or five corvettes and you may well have use for them in future.
Business aside you still have the rest of the evening with Ranca, later on with a few of your more junior officers who manage to navigate their way down and join you in 'The Pit'. The discomfort and stiffness from your injured shoulder becomes easier to ignore as you drink, partake in the more legal sort of mild intoxicating smoke bowl, dance.
When it ends though and you emerge back into the early morning air, you find yourself regretfully shaking your head as Ranca suggests renting a spire penthouse. "Sorry Ranca but you know how many people are watching. You know how close I am to getting a Share. Right now though? They would bury me and us."
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It puts a sour end to things even as, after you return to orbit, you find yourself in receipt of an official congratulations from Rimward Fleet Command, no real mention made of the collapse of the government on Imhotep, a focus on your annihilation of the core of the NASP sector fleet and capture of most of it. Your decision to raid New Theia is praised and you are instructed to continue to pressure NASP signatory worlds across the border in the hope of showing them the worthlessness of their anarchist alliance.
You are however also informed that you are being sent reinforcements. Fleet Captain Viscountess Athryn Mithy Arslan is being despatched with a squadron of brand new Dragon Class Heavy Cruisers, under the orders of Fleet Command but instructed to aid you in your task.
The Viscountess is known to you, the heiress to the Ducal House Arslan. It is quite likely that she effectively wrote her orders herself and has been drawn like a moth to the flame at the acclaim your recent victories have been winning. She is reportedly quite capable but the sources are all very biased and she is only about twenty five, having been promoted at the regular and rapid intervals one might expect for somebody of her rank. She is definitely angling for an excuse to be promoted to Commodore.
The Fafnir, Smaug and Falkor will be arriving in a few months and whilst they have apparently been requested to aid you, they will not be under your command and you will not be entitled to the admiral's share of any prize money they win.
Right now though you are in a position of having no Light Cruisers really fit for action, the Endeavour is ready to go and your corvettes all fit for service however while your patrol cutters are in greater strength than ever with the Governor General's loan and the repair of the vessel that warned you of the attack upon Imhotep. The Hawk and the Harpy are both going to need to be in refit for a while, their crews wrecked, but what about the Peregrine?
[] Peregrine: Continued Overhaul. The Peregrine was badly hit in action over Imhotep, keep her in overhaul. (Leave the Peregrine in overhaul, next strategic turn she will be at 85% Readiness).
[] Peregrine: Field Her. Whilst the Peregrin is only at 60% readiness she can still take to the star lanes and she is now your LC with the most experienced crew. (Field the Peregrine at 60% Readiness).
[] Peregrine: Expedite Officially. Spend some of your sector budget on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Sector Budget to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
[] Peregrine: Expedite Personally. Spend some of your own money on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Personal Wealth to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
The Cirrus is somewhat battered and lacking marines, though they should be reinforced in a few months.
You also need to choose just how to deploy your patrol cutters. Right now you have twelve available and would need thirty to fully cover their patrol and interdiction duties across the sector. You can however assign them to scouting and courier duties in support of offensive action as well, each patrol cutter assigned here will open more options and information if you choose to raid or pirate hunt. Three of the cutters are on loan from the Governor General and 'locked' to anti smuggling and patrol duties.
[] Cutters: Full Patrol. Task every patrol cutter with policing trade, patrolling and interdicting smugglers across the sector.
[] Cutters: Fleet Escort. Task six of your cutters with scouting, screening and communicating for your heavier vessels.
[] Cutters: Fleet Support. Task three of your cutters to scouting, screening and communicating between your heavier vessels.
Also who do you task with maintaining suppression of the smouldering rebellion on Imhotep? Whatever the choice it will not be the Cirrus again, her marine complement is too depleted.
[] Imhotep: Nothing. Leave the task to the Imperial Army
[] Imhotep: A Single Corvette. Task one corvette with interdicting the planet and lending support with her marines.
[] Imhotep: Two Corvettes. Task two corvettes with interdicting the planet and providing support.
[] Imhotep: A Cruiser. Dedicate a cruiser to protecting Imhotep and suppressing the rebels.
Then there is the question of what you do with your heavier ships that are not tied down around Imhotep.
[] Fleet: Escort, Guard, Patrol. You have breathing space, use it to keep order across the sector and try to establish some measure of peace.
[] Fleet: Raid NASP Border Worlds. You have broken the core of the NASP sector fleet, independent worlds now know that no battlecruiser and strike cruisers can sally forth from New Theia to their aid. Now is the time to show them how worthless the 'Security Protocol' is, all invited by it's leaders lack of adherence to their own treaty.
[] Fleet: Hunt Down The Pirates. You have made huge strides here but piracy is still obviously an issue, even if a reduced one. Hunt down and finish the last pirate strongholds.
[] Fleet: Fleet Exercises. Put your officers and crews through rigorous exercises, both real and virtual, forge them into a force worthy of the Imperial Navy. (Pay full active service maintenance for all ships, even those in refit. Excellent chances for Strategy, Tactics and crew level gains for everyone and every ship, rolled mostly off your Strategy ability).
To add yet more choices you do need to decide what you want now Captain Sones to do, first how to fund him and then his focus. Right now he has a small staff of intelligence officers and access to reports from Imperial Intelligence, but you suspect most of what they say is filtered through New Atlanta, over a month's travel by fast courier, each way.
[] Intel Funding: No Additional Funding. Captain Sones will have to make do with his existing infrastructure.
[] Intel Funding: Lavish Funding. Provide Captain Sones with massive funding, allowing him to start constructing an intelligence network with its own (non military) starships, agents, infiltration of ducal houses and across the border into NASP space. (spend 40 Wealth, 4 Wealth a turn upkeep).
[] Intel Funding: Extensive Funding. Ensure Captain Sones has the money and resources to suborn commercial and independent freighter captains, establish agents and observe major noble houses whilst establishing networks on border NASP worlds. (Spend 20 Wealth, 2 Wealth a turn upkeep).
[] Intel Funding: Some Funding. Provide Captain Sones with the money to begin establishing a private network of informants, adding to his existing conventional avenues of intelligence. (Spend 10 Wealth).
Also where do you want Captain Sones to focus his activities?
[] Intel Focus: Noble Houses. Have him watch the major noble houses for activity, hopefully alerting you to their plans, opinions and actions.
[] Intel Focus: Pirates. Hunting down the last remnants of organised piracy is going to be difficult, track movements of stolen goods and military grade components, reports of damaged ships and rumours.
[] Intel Focus: NASP. You need to know more about the fleet strengths of the various signatory worlds across the border, their response to your successful raid on their fleet base, any planned response from the core worlds of the alliance.
[] Intel Focus: Fleet Command. Just what does Fleet Command have planned for you? You know several admirals want to cause you trouble but that might be difficult for them now, try to ensure you have advanced warning of what they are doing and developments in neighbouring sectors.
This is also the time to propose any movement of senior officers or spending of Political Capital to gain new ships or additional sector budget. You are not currently in a position to buy a Share with Wealth, though you can 'buy' one for 120 Political Capital.
Right now you are are comfortable but you could afford to change that:
[] Lifestyle: Comfortably. Continue to live 'Comfortably'. (No modifiers, -1 Wealth a quarter after pay.)
[] Lifestyle: Lavishly. Expand your spending, employ a few more, highly skilled and exotic, servants, bring in luxuries that will outright impress the lesser nobility of your officers and be considered familiar by your new XO. (+1 Diplomacy, -2 Wealth a quarter after pay).
[] Lifestyle: Extravagantly. Maintain a mansion near the palace of the sector capital, entertain generously, add new luxuries and allow your officers or guests to enjoy moderate vices as part of your hosting them. (+2 Diplomacy, +20% all Political Capital gain, -4 Wealth a quarter after pay).
Okay, so that is a hideously huge number of choices, I am going to ask for block votes to allow for coherent strategies.
[X] The Mercenary. Get a favourable introduction to an impressed mercenary commander, an ex New Rodinia special forces colonel now operating a large, ruthless private military corporation.
You wince as Ranca drags you over by your not so good arm, not that it really hurts thanks to your augmentations, though you do manage to retrieve your brandy and bring it along with you. The individual you are lead over to looks... Completely normal, an average height man in perhaps his mid forties, brown skinned, cropped black hair, wearing expensive clothing in colour shifting fabric. He is flanked by a pair of much more obvious mercenary toughs, a man and a woman with artificial, armoured skin, over large eyes obviously housing sensors and massively bulky frames. They are also armed though apparently quite relaxed, a grin flashed to you by one of them as you close.
Then the man they are flanking motions curtly to the opposite side of his booth and you slide in alongside Ranca. You have your own implants cross reference his face, then break the ice. "So, Damien Chalet, former colonel, now still a colonel but working for the highest bidder?"
"Commodore. Your own fame precedes you even without that little show you just put on. But why are you talking to me? You have a couple of brigades of vaunted Imp marines, starships. Of course you also took that battlecruiser so you also have money." He leans in a little, a tight smile.
You watch him carefully as you mentally review his file in your heads up display. New Rodinia was one of the worlds in this sector conquered during the war but the ground fighting was particularly bitter and the eventual terms of surrender lead to the exile of the planet's remnant military rather than them going into custody. Colonel Chalet was one of the most senior officers still fighting at that point and still leads the core of the army. Your shrug is rather careful.
"Those Imperial Marines have been through a lot colonel and as you know there is always more fighting to do. Obviously you are up to date with the situation on Imhotep?"
He nods, you continue. "Do you have ships?" He scowls. "I can only wish. We charter commercial vessels for transport. Expensive even without the taxes on moving military forces. We do have combat shuttles but nothing interstellar."
You weigh your options.
[] Mercenaries: Act As Cutout. The Governor General wants the situation on Imhotep dealt with, he also cannot be seen to be hiring mercenaries directly as a civilian official and member of the Imperial House. You however are a ranking military officer and could hire the colonel's mercenary regiments using his money to solve his problems. (Diplomacy check, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly and thus earn some favour with the Governor General, may annoy him on a failure).
[] Mercenaries: Hire Them. The colonel has five battalions of veteran troops, mostly not on par with Imperial marines but certainly a cut above the regular army. Transport them to Imhotep and let them set about their bloody work. (Spend 15 Wealth, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly, Governor General will be grateful).
[] Mercenaries: Keep In Touch. You do not need mercenaries right now but this is a force roughly equivalent in fighting power to the marines on two heavy cruisers or five corvettes and you may well have use for them in future.
Business aside you still have the rest of the evening with Ranca, later on with a few of your more junior officers who manage to navigate their way down and join you in 'The Pit'. The discomfort and stiffness from your injured shoulder becomes easier to ignore as you drink, partake in the more legal sort of mild intoxicating smoke bowl, dance.
When it ends though and you emerge back into the early morning air, you find yourself regretfully shaking your head as Ranca suggests renting a spire penthouse. "Sorry Ranca but you know how many people are watching. You know how close I am to getting a Share. Right now though? They would bury me and us."
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It puts a sour end to things even as, after you return to orbit, you find yourself in receipt of an official congratulations from Rimward Fleet Command, no real mention made of the collapse of the government on Imhotep, a focus on your annihilation of the core of the NASP sector fleet and capture of most of it. Your decision to raid New Theia is praised and you are instructed to continue to pressure NASP signatory worlds across the border in the hope of showing them the worthlessness of their anarchist alliance.
You are however also informed that you are being sent reinforcements. Fleet Captain Viscountess Athryn Mithy Arslan is being despatched with a squadron of brand new Dragon Class Heavy Cruisers, under the orders of Fleet Command but instructed to aid you in your task.
The Viscountess is known to you, the heiress to the Ducal House Arslan. It is quite likely that she effectively wrote her orders herself and has been drawn like a moth to the flame at the acclaim your recent victories have been winning. She is reportedly quite capable but the sources are all very biased and she is only about twenty five, having been promoted at the regular and rapid intervals one might expect for somebody of her rank. She is definitely angling for an excuse to be promoted to Commodore.
Speed: 6 Firepower: 6 Durability: 5 Marines: 5 Cost: 65
The latest model of Imperial heavy cruiser, they have only started to be fully commissioned in the last two years and compared to the older Virtue class have significantly upgraded drive systems along with improved weaponry. Like the older cruisers they seek to replace they are not very cost effective compared to capital ships and have only been built in very limited quantities.
The latest model of Imperial heavy cruiser, they have only started to be fully commissioned in the last two years and compared to the older Virtue class have significantly upgraded drive systems along with improved weaponry. Like the older cruisers they seek to replace they are not very cost effective compared to capital ships and have only been built in very limited quantities.
The Fafnir, Smaug and Falkor will be arriving in a few months and whilst they have apparently been requested to aid you, they will not be under your command and you will not be entitled to the admiral's share of any prize money they win.
Right now though you are in a position of having no Light Cruisers really fit for action, the Endeavour is ready to go and your corvettes all fit for service however while your patrol cutters are in greater strength than ever with the Governor General's loan and the repair of the vessel that warned you of the attack upon Imhotep. The Hawk and the Harpy are both going to need to be in refit for a while, their crews wrecked, but what about the Peregrine?
[] Peregrine: Continued Overhaul. The Peregrine was badly hit in action over Imhotep, keep her in overhaul. (Leave the Peregrine in overhaul, next strategic turn she will be at 85% Readiness).
[] Peregrine: Field Her. Whilst the Peregrin is only at 60% readiness she can still take to the star lanes and she is now your LC with the most experienced crew. (Field the Peregrine at 60% Readiness).
[] Peregrine: Expedite Officially. Spend some of your sector budget on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Sector Budget to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
[] Peregrine: Expedite Personally. Spend some of your own money on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Personal Wealth to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
The Cirrus is somewhat battered and lacking marines, though they should be reinforced in a few months.
You also need to choose just how to deploy your patrol cutters. Right now you have twelve available and would need thirty to fully cover their patrol and interdiction duties across the sector. You can however assign them to scouting and courier duties in support of offensive action as well, each patrol cutter assigned here will open more options and information if you choose to raid or pirate hunt. Three of the cutters are on loan from the Governor General and 'locked' to anti smuggling and patrol duties.
[] Cutters: Full Patrol. Task every patrol cutter with policing trade, patrolling and interdicting smugglers across the sector.
[] Cutters: Fleet Escort. Task six of your cutters with scouting, screening and communicating for your heavier vessels.
[] Cutters: Fleet Support. Task three of your cutters to scouting, screening and communicating between your heavier vessels.
Also who do you task with maintaining suppression of the smouldering rebellion on Imhotep? Whatever the choice it will not be the Cirrus again, her marine complement is too depleted.
[] Imhotep: Nothing. Leave the task to the Imperial Army
[] Imhotep: A Single Corvette. Task one corvette with interdicting the planet and lending support with her marines.
[] Imhotep: Two Corvettes. Task two corvettes with interdicting the planet and providing support.
[] Imhotep: A Cruiser. Dedicate a cruiser to protecting Imhotep and suppressing the rebels.
Then there is the question of what you do with your heavier ships that are not tied down around Imhotep.
[] Fleet: Escort, Guard, Patrol. You have breathing space, use it to keep order across the sector and try to establish some measure of peace.
[] Fleet: Raid NASP Border Worlds. You have broken the core of the NASP sector fleet, independent worlds now know that no battlecruiser and strike cruisers can sally forth from New Theia to their aid. Now is the time to show them how worthless the 'Security Protocol' is, all invited by it's leaders lack of adherence to their own treaty.
[] Fleet: Hunt Down The Pirates. You have made huge strides here but piracy is still obviously an issue, even if a reduced one. Hunt down and finish the last pirate strongholds.
[] Fleet: Fleet Exercises. Put your officers and crews through rigorous exercises, both real and virtual, forge them into a force worthy of the Imperial Navy. (Pay full active service maintenance for all ships, even those in refit. Excellent chances for Strategy, Tactics and crew level gains for everyone and every ship, rolled mostly off your Strategy ability).
To add yet more choices you do need to decide what you want now Captain Sones to do, first how to fund him and then his focus. Right now he has a small staff of intelligence officers and access to reports from Imperial Intelligence, but you suspect most of what they say is filtered through New Atlanta, over a month's travel by fast courier, each way.
[] Intel Funding: No Additional Funding. Captain Sones will have to make do with his existing infrastructure.
[] Intel Funding: Lavish Funding. Provide Captain Sones with massive funding, allowing him to start constructing an intelligence network with its own (non military) starships, agents, infiltration of ducal houses and across the border into NASP space. (spend 40 Wealth, 4 Wealth a turn upkeep).
[] Intel Funding: Extensive Funding. Ensure Captain Sones has the money and resources to suborn commercial and independent freighter captains, establish agents and observe major noble houses whilst establishing networks on border NASP worlds. (Spend 20 Wealth, 2 Wealth a turn upkeep).
[] Intel Funding: Some Funding. Provide Captain Sones with the money to begin establishing a private network of informants, adding to his existing conventional avenues of intelligence. (Spend 10 Wealth).
Also where do you want Captain Sones to focus his activities?
[] Intel Focus: Noble Houses. Have him watch the major noble houses for activity, hopefully alerting you to their plans, opinions and actions.
[] Intel Focus: Pirates. Hunting down the last remnants of organised piracy is going to be difficult, track movements of stolen goods and military grade components, reports of damaged ships and rumours.
[] Intel Focus: NASP. You need to know more about the fleet strengths of the various signatory worlds across the border, their response to your successful raid on their fleet base, any planned response from the core worlds of the alliance.
[] Intel Focus: Fleet Command. Just what does Fleet Command have planned for you? You know several admirals want to cause you trouble but that might be difficult for them now, try to ensure you have advanced warning of what they are doing and developments in neighbouring sectors.
This is also the time to propose any movement of senior officers or spending of Political Capital to gain new ships or additional sector budget. You are not currently in a position to buy a Share with Wealth, though you can 'buy' one for 120 Political Capital.
Right now you are are comfortable but you could afford to change that:
[] Lifestyle: Comfortably. Continue to live 'Comfortably'. (No modifiers, -1 Wealth a quarter after pay.)
[] Lifestyle: Lavishly. Expand your spending, employ a few more, highly skilled and exotic, servants, bring in luxuries that will outright impress the lesser nobility of your officers and be considered familiar by your new XO. (+1 Diplomacy, -2 Wealth a quarter after pay).
[] Lifestyle: Extravagantly. Maintain a mansion near the palace of the sector capital, entertain generously, add new luxuries and allow your officers or guests to enjoy moderate vices as part of your hosting them. (+2 Diplomacy, +20% all Political Capital gain, -4 Wealth a quarter after pay).
Okay, so that is a hideously huge number of choices, I am going to ask for block votes to allow for coherent strategies.
- Location
- Pilipinas
Can we still meet the information broker and pirate captain someday?
[X] Fix Imhotep
[X] Mercenaries: Act As Cutout. The Governor General wants the situation on Imhotep dealt with, he also cannot be seen to be hiring mercenaries directly as a civilian official and member of the Imperial House. You however are a ranking military officer and could hire the colonel's mercenary regiments using his money to solve his problems. (Diplomacy check, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly and thus earn some favour with the Governor General, may annoy him on a failure).
[X] Peregrine: Expedite Officially. Spend some of your sector budget on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Sector Budget to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
[X] Cutters: Full Patrol. Task every patrol cutter with policing trade, patrolling and interdicting smugglers across the sector.
[X] Imhotep: A Single Corvette. Task one corvette with interdicting the planet and lending support with her marines.
[X] Fleet: Hunt Down The Pirates. You have made huge strides here but piracy is still obviously an issue, even if a reduced one. Hunt down and finish the last pirate strongholds.
[X] Intel Funding: No Additional Funding. Captain Sones will have to make do with his existing infrastructure.
[X] Intel Focus: Pirates. Hunting down the last remnants of organised piracy is going to be difficult, track movements of stolen goods and military grade components, reports of damaged ships and rumours.
[X] Lifestyle: Extravagantly. Maintain a mansion near the palace of the sector capital, entertain generously, add new luxuries and allow your officers or guests to enjoy moderate vices as part of your hosting them. (+2 Diplomacy, +20% all Political Capital gain, -4 Wealth a quarter after pay).
We now have the Diplomacy to reliably pass diplomacy rolls. Time to put it to good use while we keep our PC above 100. We can't afford to spend Wealth yet. Sones will get his staff when we get our Share. The Lifestyle is needed because we have to grind our PC until we fix our budget. The +2 Diplomacy from it will also help with acting as Cutout to the Governor General. Fighting Pirates means prize money, increased revenue to the Governor General and greater trade with merchants not having to worry about losing their cargo.
[X] Mercenaries: Act As Cutout. The Governor General wants the situation on Imhotep dealt with, he also cannot be seen to be hiring mercenaries directly as a civilian official and member of the Imperial House. You however are a ranking military officer and could hire the colonel's mercenary regiments using his money to solve his problems. (Diplomacy check, may help resolve the Imhotep rebellion more quickly and thus earn some favour with the Governor General, may annoy him on a failure).
[X] Peregrine: Expedite Officially. Spend some of your sector budget on getting the Peregrine back into action faster, purchasing priority materials and running repair crews on triple shifts. (Spend 3 Sector Budget to restore 15% additional readiness, bringing the Peregrine to 75% as she returns to duty).
[X] Cutters: Full Patrol. Task every patrol cutter with policing trade, patrolling and interdicting smugglers across the sector.
[X] Imhotep: A Single Corvette. Task one corvette with interdicting the planet and lending support with her marines.
[X] Fleet: Hunt Down The Pirates. You have made huge strides here but piracy is still obviously an issue, even if a reduced one. Hunt down and finish the last pirate strongholds.
[X] Intel Funding: No Additional Funding. Captain Sones will have to make do with his existing infrastructure.
[X] Intel Focus: Pirates. Hunting down the last remnants of organised piracy is going to be difficult, track movements of stolen goods and military grade components, reports of damaged ships and rumours.
[X] Lifestyle: Extravagantly. Maintain a mansion near the palace of the sector capital, entertain generously, add new luxuries and allow your officers or guests to enjoy moderate vices as part of your hosting them. (+2 Diplomacy, +20% all Political Capital gain, -4 Wealth a quarter after pay).
We now have the Diplomacy to reliably pass diplomacy rolls. Time to put it to good use while we keep our PC above 100. We can't afford to spend Wealth yet. Sones will get his staff when we get our Share. The Lifestyle is needed because we have to grind our PC until we fix our budget. The +2 Diplomacy from it will also help with acting as Cutout to the Governor General. Fighting Pirates means prize money, increased revenue to the Governor General and greater trade with merchants not having to worry about losing their cargo.
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- Location
- Somewhere in the stacks
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'm on board with that plan, and makes sense given our priorities at the moment. Personally, I'd add that Sones should focus on the Ducal houses. Those are who we want to be aware of politically--our crushing victory over the NASP means we can afford some breathing space there, I think.
@Gunman are you okay with adding:
[] Intel Focus: Noble Houses. Have him watch the major noble houses for activity, hopefully alerting you to their plans, opinions and actions.
to the plan?
Also I think if we're going to focus on the pirates, we want all of our cutters on patrol, our heavier ships will do fine without the fleet escort.
@Gunman are you okay with adding:
[] Intel Focus: Noble Houses. Have him watch the major noble houses for activity, hopefully alerting you to their plans, opinions and actions.
to the plan?
Also I think if we're going to focus on the pirates, we want all of our cutters on patrol, our heavier ships will do fine without the fleet escort.
It'd probably be a lot easier for you if you started doing tasked votes, as that way what options wins will be a lot clear to both yourself and the participants.
As an aside though given there was no mention of it, what did Imperial Intelligence think of the information gathered from the Flag Ship and the people captured there? Did we gain any useful information for their overall plans, internal situation, arrival of ships to the border?
- Location
- canada
[X] Fix Imhotep
I am a bit against the extravagant lifestyle, but I can understand the choice, also can you please add investing all our wealth as well? that way we can make some money on it and fund the lifestyle choice. besides its not like we can't get the money back.
I am a bit against the extravagant lifestyle, but I can understand the choice, also can you please add investing all our wealth as well? that way we can make some money on it and fund the lifestyle choice. besides its not like we can't get the money back.
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
are we are are we not go for share
because i think i would like to buy one
because i think i would like to buy one
ThatGuyWithIdeas
Treize died for our sins
- Location
- Romania
[X] Fix Imhotep
Yes. We're very close to it. It is hard to say whether we should raid NASP or attack the pirates first because both will net us prize money and it is hard to say what combination will net us the most unless @Packrat is willing to comment. Pirates nets us additional favor from the Governor General, faster recovery for Imhotep from a better sector economy and a possible increase to our Sector Budget.
@Gunman I figure that liquidating invested money will take time and get a somewhat randomised return, trending to get you less than you put in if you want to try to get it back in less than say, six months (two strategic turns).
On the other hand Wealth placed in investments averages about 3x the return of the guaranteed dividend from a Share.
Also NASP is more likely to generate serious prize money than pirates if only because they have bigger ships, on the other hand the pirates will continue to need you to assign ships to escort against them and slowly sap Political Capital unless wiped out or contained.
You also did not get any real intelligence from the capture of the Sword of Demoracy. They purged all of their databanks and the prisoners were not interrogated. Actually some of the officers were at the party you just attended on parole.
On the other hand Wealth placed in investments averages about 3x the return of the guaranteed dividend from a Share.
Also NASP is more likely to generate serious prize money than pirates if only because they have bigger ships, on the other hand the pirates will continue to need you to assign ships to escort against them and slowly sap Political Capital unless wiped out or contained.
You also did not get any real intelligence from the capture of the Sword of Demoracy. They purged all of their databanks and the prisoners were not interrogated. Actually some of the officers were at the party you just attended on parole.
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We should save the Wealth instead of investing if we're at most two strategic turns away from another Share. Pirates will be taken care of this turn, and then we can focus on NASP. With the recent developments it is best Reinhard gets his Share as soon as possible. Normally I would be in favor of saving and investing. With a viscountess fleet captain not under our command with unknown motives and after committing a crime, it is best we get the Share now to protect Reinhard. There is a good chance this fleet captain is out to become Commodore through disgracing us and with the legal protection of nobility we won't be so vulnerable.
@ThatGuyWithIdeas @Artificial Girl @san should we focus our intel on the ducal houses or switch to NASP?
@ThatGuyWithIdeas @Artificial Girl @san should we focus our intel on the ducal houses or switch to NASP?
- Location
- United States
I really want to go for lavish lifestyle thisbturn, it gives us just what we need and is no longer crippling.
No longer crippling how? +2 additional Wealth lost isn't going to make a big difference. The +1 diplomacy itself isn't worth it. +2 Diplomacy with +20% Political Capital is worth it with how so many of us are eager to spend it. Either we save it to make it easier to buy a Share now in case we don't get a windfall of prize money by staying at Comfortably, or we go all the way.
overlord62
American Monarchist
- Location
- florida
[X] Fix Imhotep