Soelien-Twa
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Mobilization – Build Code 264 – Does this have to be done on a terraformed world or can it be done on a colony?
HMUs – Have some HMUs on a colony but don’t want them. How do I get rid of them or am I stuck missile striking my own troops?
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Nationalization. I read the rulebook and shows nationalization of MCs, TCs, and ACs go to planetary owner. I thought back in the day nationalization of these centers meant unless you were the same type you lost everything that was not corporation specific. ie. If an ICB nationalized he would lose the AC and TC and the extra MCs provided by the Mining Corp (as well as the corresponding PCs). If a Mining Corp nationalized he would only lose the TC and AC. So I went back to the old Baxel Rulebook and the wording was the same. Am I imagining that? If I am could we look at it for Universe? Rationalization was that no-one would want to be a TC or AC if every player just nationalized their industries. They would have next to no non-action income.
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Just sent my Tramp Mining Fleet to two new asteroid belts (MP=4 each). Shows 40 Ore units available on each but only loads 4 on each (space for hundreds of Ore Units available on the fleet). I did not specify to load 40 but as per previous discussions this should have autoloaded all available if number was not specified. This made a difference of just over 4300 RUs lost on the turn. As this is the second time tramp mining issues have cropped up for me on initial runs must be a bug rather than a one off. So far it has only occurred on Turn 2 and Turn 14. Other turns with the same tramp mining fleet mining new worlds with no units specified has turned out as expected(no problems).
I’m at james_mackinlay@hotmail.com if there are questions.Thanks
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I guess I should have said these are slightly different issues. Turn 2 was no Ore available, Turn 14 showed ore available but only 10% collected. As an easy “fix” for the 2nd problem maybe make the Spc# mandatory on action code 15
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Starting with a number of defended colonies is fine for most players but as a Miner I doubt I will ever trade with them. It’s just not worth the actions. They are a more valuable resource as a terraformed world with MCs, PCs, TCs etc. So to get them terraformed I need to change ownership of them which usually involves an allied ICB or Nomad invading with MUs. Having HMUs on the planet makes that cost prohibitive in actions/resources. Which brings us back to either a “gift world” type action or ICBs/Nomads having the ability to terraform without transferring ownership. Maybe something to factor in come Takamo Universe.
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Action Code 37 Location#1 XYZ12311 aka Search and Destroy
By James MacKinlay and David Williams (editor)Hsik had already been on duty for 9 hours and it had been a long shift watching the tunnel entrance. His limbs aching, Hsik moved his laser rifle from one clawed limb to another. Hsik had been with the Soelien-Twa Marines, or “Runts” as they were known by the humans for a little over four years and made it up the ranks to be Squad Leader of Iron Squad. In all that time he had never been sent on a Search and Destroy mission. He had invaded alien colonies, terraformed worlds suitable to the Soelein-Twa habitat, and even once been dropped in behind enemy lines as a Guerilla Unit. But this was his first Search and Destroy mission.
In the morning brief, the Commander had communicated there was a good chance nothing would be found today but the marine garrison Hsik was stationed with had been given orders. A Royal Egg had gone missing and they were tasked with finding and destroying it.
Royal Eggs were a kind of insurance policy for the Twa. As long as the Queen remained healthy and popular there was no real need for the eggs and she would consume them before they hatched. However, if the Queen was dying a Royal Egg would be allowed to hatch spawning a new queen. The new queen would take her name and her throne upon the old queen’s death. On rare occasions a queen might be so unpopular that one or more of the Nursery Caste spirited away a Royal Egg to hatch a new queen. That is what had happened this time. If that egg hatched with a healthy queen still in power it would split the Twa race and plunge them into civil war.
It was a little ironic Hsik thought that the reason Queen Soel had been losing popularity was due to her alliances with the humans and other space faring races friendly to the TWA. But, it would be a human Smuggling Center used to get the Royal Egg off world. Although the exact location of the Smuggling Center was unknown, Hsik’s squad had been placed in positions to observe the tunnels most likely to lead to the smuggler’s location.
“Hsik… Gather… Others… Come… Sector… Seven…” The Commander’s telepathic message imprinted on Hsik’s consciousness. Twa telepathy, at least among drones, was quite rudimentary. The majority of their communication was done with limb and antennae gestures. But not having to use radio waves like some of the other races the TWA have encountered meant their communications could not be intercepted. Hsik gathered the rest of his squad and they moved off towards the location the Commander had directed them to.
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When Hsik’s squad arrived at the Commander’s location the other two squads had already arrived. The Squad Leaders from Gold and Bauxite Squads were already getting their orders. Hsik could read the Commander’s gestures as he approached. “Iron and Gold – Frontal Assault. Bauxite Sweep Rear.” Hsik wondered if the Commander knew any other orders. His squad always seemed to be doing Frontal Assaults. At least the other Runts in his squad would know what they were doing. There were a lot of new drones in the Marines these days. The Empire of the Soelien-Twa had been going through a bit of a rapid expansion through the Galaxy recently and was almost as large as it had been before the Naplians invaded, and then the subsequent Cybernetic Decimation. Hsik had let his mind wander and only picked up the last of the Commander’s gestures “…the Egg has hatched.”
This was going to make things a lot more difficult Hsik thought to himself. Whereas most newborns or hatchlings of other races were fairly defenceless a new Twa Queen was born with the genetic memory imprinted from all the Queens that had come before her. Also, although physically she might not be as large as an adult queen, a royal hatchling’s telepathy was fully developed in just a few hours.
This was a time where the Commander’s tendency towards Frontal Assaults might come in useful. The longer the new Queen remained alive the more drones she would bring over to her cause. Hsik had enjoyed being a Guerilla Unit on an alien planet but he did not relish fighting Runts from his own world.
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It did not take long to zero in on the Smuggling Center and the new Queen. Her thoughts were going out to all Twa commanding them to join her. She identified herself as Queen Mael and her followers the Maelien-Twa. Hsik could see the conflict going on in the minds of the other members of Iron Squad as they fought against their instincts. He wondered if any of them would go over to the new Queen. Most at risk were the new drones, the ones that had not had Queen Soel’s consciousness imprinted on them before. Hsik decided they should lead the charge. It would be harder for them to change loyalties if the new Queen’s guerillas were firing at them.
Hsik looked at the abandoned warehouse the smugglers had been using. Earthwork barricades had been erected in front of the doors and armed Twa could be seen in firing positions at the windows. Hsik looked at his Runts and found their entire attention was on him. He briefly went over the plan and then gave the gesture they had been waiting for… “Attack.”
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Soelien-Twa marines were soon rushing down a small embankment, straight into the enemy lines, the firefight was soon a melee, and did not last long. The Maelien-Twa Guerillas were determined but they didn’t have the experience, the weapons, or the bioengineered armour that the Runts had. It had been a wise move Hsik thought, putting the new drones in the first wave. Not a single Runt from Iron Squad had switched sides. In fact there was not a single casualty in Iron Squad. The other two squads did not fare so well. Both had taken heavy casualties when some of their newest drones turned on them. Their squad leaders did not have the same foresight Hsik had and had not led their attacks with the new Runts.
Hsik stood surveying the ruins of the human Smuggling Center ship and the bodies surrounding it. The human smugglers had stood and died with the Maelien-Twa Guerillas at the end. The smugglers knew if they were caught that there was only one penalty for smuggling on Twa worlds… death… and every one of them had found it. The largest concentration of bodies was around one small form, barely bigger that Hsik’s torso. The Maelien-Twa Guerillas may not have been Runts but they died protecting their Queen.
“Hsik… Report” the Commander’s consciousness cut through Hsik’s thoughts.
Hsik composed himself and thought about what he was going to communicate. Any Guerillas that got away would rejoin the Soelien-Twa. Their rebellion would not be held against them. It was in their DNA to join a new Queen. It was the way of the Twa. He reached out with his mind, identifying and passing over other Twa in the area. It did not take long to find the Commander’s consciousness, “Queen… Mael… Dead… Smuggling… Center… Destroyed… Mission… Accomplished.”
-The End-
- This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by .
- This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by .
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The Captain did not know if he was more surprised by Charlie’s words or the squads of “runts” appearing from the darkness with the laser rifles at the ready. Looking over at Mendez he could see her analyzing her datapad, its active sensors on full.
“Active camouflage Captain. I’m only showing sensor shadows where they are. Lots of sensor shadows… and more behind us… I’m pretty sure they knew we were coming.”
“Please drop your weapons,” Charlie said in a monotone voice. “We mean you no harm.”
Mendez looked up from her datapad and met the Captain’s gaze. Slowly shaking her head she said, “There’s just too many.”
Again Charlie’s monotone voice said, “Please lower your weapons. We mean you no harm.”
The two Usul crew members lowered their weapons to the ground. “What now?” the Captain asked.
“You will be allowed to go of course. But I have a message for your leaders…”
“How could you be a spy Charlie?” Mendez interrupted.
“A spy?” Charlie questioned. “No… Charlie was not a spy but we do need to keep him.” Charlie said.
“I don’t understand” Mendez said.
“We need Charlie,” Charlie said. “He will be well looked after as First Speaker of Soel. I need a voice and Charlie will be that voice.”
“Wait a second…” the Captain blurted out. “If you are not Charlie, who are you?”
The previously unseen lights in the room came on and the far wall started sliding up to the roof. Behind the wall a gargantuan sized bug, slightly different from the rest was staring down at the humans.
“We are the Twa,” Charlie’s monotone voice said “And I am their Queen.”
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FLEET HEADQUARTERS
HAIKEN MARU HOMEWORLD
STARDATE 3188.1“So let me get this straight” Commander Wilcox said yelling at the two Usul officers standing at attention in front of him. “You encountered an alien race of giant telepathic bugs, found out they are the best miners in the galaxy, and have untold riches in ore deposits. You then left one of your crew members behind to be a mind controlled slave to their queen just so you could return with offers of diplomatic relations with said race?”
“Yes sir” Captain Monkman said looking sheepishly. “But, the Twa don’t consider it slavery. Each drone exists to obey the will of the Queen. Queen Soel considers Charlie to be another drone, existing to service her will.”
The return of the Usul to Haiken Maru space had created quite a buzz of excitement through the empire. Unfortunately the “loss” of Charlie was not going well and he and Mendez were now facing a naval military courts martial on the charges of dereliction of duty and culpable negligence. Charges they suspected were to protect the image of the Haiken Maru Navy.
Three officers sat in judgment of their not guilty plea, Rear Admiral Osbourne and Fleet Admiral Anderson were well respected officers that had risen through the ranks with valor. Captain Monkman knew and liked both men. Commander Wilcox, on the other hand, was an example that money could still buy position over competence. Wilcox had taken it upon himself to act like a tight arsed, pencil pushing prick (a position he took naturally to) criticizing every decision the Captain had made.
“How do you justify your actions Captain” Wilcox asked.
“If I thought we could have rescued him we were prepared to do so and would have done it. I stand by my actions at the time. I am responsible for all the members of my crew and take responsibility for leaving Ensign Stephenson behind. However, if the fleet is going to abandon contact with the Twa, risk interstellar war, and mount a rescue mission I would like to volunteer to get him back.”
With those words the Admirals briefly looked at each other. Captain Monkman could swear they shared a thought that they would not vocalize before they quickly dismissed he and Mendez to await the verdict.
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“We have a decision” Admiral Anderson stated peering down at the two remaining Usul crew members. “This Court Martial was convened to gather the facts concerning the crew of the Explorer class ship Usul and the events on planet B157. The circumstances have been made part of the official record and the Fleet would like to make this statement.” The Admiral paused before continuing, “So often a society in which governments have been replaced by greedy mega-corporations or one in which each individual is required to be incorporated at birth, the individual gets left behind with little to no concern for human life or decency. Unfortunately sometimes the good of the many outweigh the good of the few. Ensign Charlie Stephenson’s sacrifice will benefit the empire a thousandfold. The Ruling Council has decided the Soelien-Twa will take over and expand our Mining Centers, increasing their productivity. This will in turn allow us to increase our Production Centers to build more and bigger ships, increase our tax base, and give us access to intelligence for star systems we have not even seen yet.” Again the Admiral paused, “As for your outcome Captain, the court martial finds that you performed adequately given the circumstances and no punishment will be awarded. You both will retain your ranks and continue to serve the Fleet.”
“However…” Commander Wilcox added. “Due to your abandonment of a crew member…” The Commander paused ignoring the glares from the two Admirals. “…The Fleet has decided that you will forfeit any and all bonuses from the discovery of the Soelien-Twa. You are reassigned to the Usul with a new pilot and ship out for your next tour tomorrow at 0800. You are dismissed.”
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Sitting in the Captains Quarters aboard the Usul, Captain Monkman pulled a note out of his chest pocket passed to him by Admiral Anderson at the conclusion of the official proceedings. As he began to read it again, Mendez announced over the intercom that the ship was ready for departure. Captain Monkman folded the simple piece of paper, and placed it back into his pocket.
The note flatly stated: “We are sorry”
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HAIKEN MARU MAPPING EXPEDITION
UNCHARTED ASTEROID BELT DESIGNATED B342
STARDATE 3188.5Captain Monkman looked over at the new pilot, Charlie’s replacement. It wasn’t that he was a bad pilot, he was even quite likable. But even after exploring planets, asteroids, and other stellar phenomenon for the last few weeks, the Captain thought to himself that the pilot would always be known as Charlie’s replacement. “Sir, I think I have something on the Electromagnagraph” Mendez said. “Faint electronics… looks like a repeating pattern. Not naturally occurring.”
The new pilot asked, “Should I give us a closer look Captain?”
The Captain and Mendez shared a look before the Captain spoke. “No just make a note of it and I’ll include it in the next report.”
The Pilot looked at Captain Monkman with a quizzical look, an unspoken question on his face.
The Captain’s hand slowly came up and gingerly patted his chest pocket. The pocket that showed the small outline of a folded note within. The Captain wanted to say something. The emotional conflict he was going through showed on his face. He wanted to say he didn’t want to lose another crew member. He wanted to scream he couldn’t lose another crew member. But all that came out of his mouth was a whisper, “Take us to the next rock.”
End of Story
- This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by .
- This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by .
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This game is essentially about income per action. The best way to earn income is non action income. Build a huge empire and for corporations have installations on foreign worlds. I’m not that worried about miners as the extra PCs, the larger ships, and the cheaper MCs guarantee there will always be a demand for Mining Corps. Ag Corps and Trade Corps not as much, and they don’t make as much from foreign installations. I’m just saying in order to restore balance it would be good to have those centers destroyed on nationalization unless the nationalizer was an Ag or Trade Corp.
As for the missile strike scenario. I try to compensate people doing something for me at 1000RUs per action. Because on actionable income that is the average I make (sorta). So, to build missile ships, load them, jump to the planet, perform the missile strike (past any defenses), and jump back to safe space you are probably looking at 6 or so actions minimum. So between lost income for those actions (6000RUs) plus the cost of the ships and missiles (enough to counter defenses) say 2000RUs means it will essentially cost you 8000RUs to take out an installation (we will say trade) that generates 4RUs per PC per turn (say a decent world so 400RUs/turn). So it will take the nationalizer 20 turns to feel the same “hit” that you are going to feel doing the strikes. It’s actually a worse hit for you because you don’t have that 8000 to invest in your economy for those 20 turns whereas the nationalizer doesn’t take the full hit right away so does have the RUs to re-invest.
I’m not saying don’t missile strike him, I’m saying strike him where it hurts. Hit his MCs so he has to replace the MCs and the PCs and the Trade Center makes less money because there are not as many PCs. Also if the world is a crappy world to begin with, hit one of his money making worlds that he didn’t nationalize your centers on.
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This is a problem with some of the Forum threads where the most recent posts are not appearing at the bottom. Check the date stamp on the top left corner of each post to find the most recent (usually the fourth from the bottom). There is no next page, they are all on the same page.
- This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by .
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Replies to previous entries should go below the entry they are replying to. I have not noticed any problems with this. Some new entrys are not being posted chronologically. Not all, just some. Thus the troubleshooting needed.
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