Ad Astra! ... an Aurora Forum Game, run by blue emu

  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Our second and third Battle class Heavy Cruisers have been launched.

Captain Avernite is assigned to command the Battle class Heavy Cruiser ESN Medway. Captain Henkalv is assigned to command the Attitude-II class Light Cruiser ESN Totally Pissed Off. Commodore Hellvink is assigned to command the Star-II class Destroyer ESN Cor Coroli. Commander Velko is promoted to Captain and assigned to command the Reptile class Mine-Layer ESN Iguana.

Captain Coinneach is assigned to command the Battle class Heavy Cruiser ESN Wolf 294. Captain GaiusC is assigned to command the Attitude-II class Light Cruiser ESN Belligerent. Captain theExecuter is assigned to command the Star-II class Destroyer ESN Sirius. Commander Seli is promoted to Captain and assigned to command the Reptile class Mine-Layer ESN Komodo.

The fourth Battle class will be launched in two or three months.

We now have commands available for two more scout pilots, because of the above promotions.
 
Last edited:
When I said that I would like to focus "mostly" on improving our resource base for the next five to ten years, I meant exactly that: "mostly". Not exclusively. We will still be building warships, and still fighting occasional battles... but no major campaign will be started after the Wolf 294 campaign is successfully concluded, until our resource situation improves.

It's a sound policy, in my book. Despite the first fleet action in Wolf 294 being something of a lucky escape it did prove that existing forces are adequate to cope with known threats. Since science keeps marching on, it makes sense not engage in a major shipbuilding programme if the newer models will just sit around getting obsolete with nothing to do.

We now have commands available for two more scout pilots, because of the above promotions.

I'll take one if that's OK.
 
Commander Velko is promoted to Captain and assigned to command the Reptile class Mine-Layer ESN Iguana.

I thank the Avian Autocrat for the promotion and the crew of ESN Hutton for their fine service. It's been an exciting journey, to always be the second craft to enter a system, and I hope the next commander of the vessel will carry on the motto of ESN Hutton: "To boldly go where relatively few have gone before"!
 
I'll take one if that's OK.

Do you already have a character in the game, or should I add one?... with well over 100 players, it's not easy to keep track of who's in and who's not.
 
What sort of resources does a campaign like Wolf 294 take? Because I would be all for a repeat in another wreck system, if it's not going to consume too much fuel/missiles. We got a lot out of Wolf 294, and while there are benefits to not using resources on a new campaign it comes at the opportunity cost of lost salvage. If we simply don't have the fuel and munitions there's no real question, though.
 
What sort of resources does a campaign like Wolf 294 take? Because I would be all for a repeat in another wreck system, if it's not going to consume too much fuel/missiles. We got a lot out of Wolf 294, and while there are benefits to not using resources on a new campaign it comes at the opportunity cost of lost salvage. If we simply don't have the fuel and munitions there's no real question, though.

I'm not particularly concerned about expending fuel and munitions. I'm concerned about replacing lost ships... although, since I do intend to start building non-jump ships to tag along with our jump-capable squadron, it probably isn't that big a deal. Once we capture and consolidate the Prix world in the Wolf 294 system, I'm certainly open to discussion on attacking another Prix-held system, rather than letting our fleet grow obsolete while doing nothing but training exercises.
 
Do you already have a character in the game, or should I add one?... with well over 100 players, it's not easy to keep track of who's in and who's not.

I don't have a character, so you'd have to add it.

I can see keeping track of things could be a bit difficult: on my tentative explorations of the game I'm considering having a separate Excel sheet open just to track what I should be doing next. Running this game must be quite an administrative effort.
 
I'm not particularly concerned about expending fuel and munitions. I'm concerned about replacing lost ships... although, since I do intend to start building non-jump ships to tag along with our jump-capable squadron, it probably isn't that big a deal. Once we capture and consolidate the Prix world in the Wolf 294 system, I'm certainly open to discussion on attacking another Prix-held system, rather than letting our fleet grow obsolete while doing nothing but training exercises.

Our fleet is already stronger than the first expedition to Wolf 294, and our intel is far better. Our tactics should also be superior. I personally think we should be backing ourselves to take on a system similar to Wolf 294 - such a battle would be isolated to that system, have no wider political ramifications, and the rewards are of more use to us now than they would be to us later on.

If we were at a different stage in the game with multiple fleets, I'd even stake my career on it and offer to command. As it is with one fleet, the decision needs to be agreed upon by the higher ups, but it's something I think they should consider.
 
Prix ships closing in on Grav-scout ESM Maxwell in the P Eridani system.
 
Commander Dewirix has been assigned to the Astronomer class Grav-scout ESN Chandrasekhar. Fleet Init 186, Survey bonus +30%, Cautious, conservative, many social interests.
 
Is that a newly discovered system? We've not had a grav scout chased before, they're not usually near the jump points.

It is a system that we discovered a while ago, no sign of trouble, no suspicious wrecks, and we were searching it for jump points when the Prix showed up.

It's four jumps Spinward of Earth... Ross 248, TZ Arietis, Tau Ceti, P Eridani. Two Mars-like worlds. Looks like our scout is dead meat... the two Prix warships (both are new types, not encountered before) are between him and the jump point out, at close range, closing at 9416 kps. Active sensors from both, so both are warships.

TheFreakie is going to need a new character...
 
Last edited:
Jeeze... he more-or-less survived their first salvo. Two engines destroyed and his jump drive crippled. Looks bad.
 
Commander Dewirix has been assigned to the Astronomer class Grav-scout ESN Chandrasekhar. Fleet Init 186, Survey bonus +30%, Cautious, conservative, many social interests.

Excellent! Bonus as it's the ship name I would have picked myself.

On the downside, looks like I'm going to have to take out some fairly comprehensive fire, flood and enemy action insurance.
 
It is a system that we discovered a while ago, no sign of trouble, no suspicious wrecks, and we were searching it for jump points when the Prix showed up.

It's four jumps Spinward of Earth... Ross 248, TZ Arietis, Tau Ceti, P Eridani. Two Mars-like worlds. Looks like our scout is dead meat... the two Prix warships (both are new types, not encountered before) are between him and the jump point out, at close range, closing at 9416 kps. Active sensors from both, so both are warships.

TheExecutor is going to need a new character...

Strange... Have any jump gates been built nearby by one of the NPRs? And I thought TheExecutor was on my old ship the Sirius, at least that's what it says at the top of this page. He's got wonderful luck to be caught in a "safe" system while on the wrong ship :D
 
A direct hit on the Bridge kills Commander theFreakie at his post, and the rest of the salvo tears the scout ship apart.

Well... that's three systems with KNOWN Prix (as in: they killed our scouts in three systems) including Wolf 294; and two more systems which are strongly suspected of harboring Prix because of the suspicious 7150-ton wrecks spotted by our original jump into the systems.

And I thought TheExecutor was on my old ship the Sirius

Correct, my bad... it was theFreakie who was commanding that unfortunate scout.

Have any jump gates been built nearby by one of the NPRs?

Didn't live long enough to find any jump points, so I don't know. I'm going to assume that the Prix started in that system. Wrecks are optional.
 
A direct hit on the Bridge kills Commander theFreakie at his post, and the rest of the salvo tears the scout ship apart.

Well... that's three systems with KNOWN Prix (as in: they killed our scouts in three systems) including Wolf 294; and two more systems which are strongly suspected of harboring Prix because of the suspicious 7150-ton wrecks spotted by our original jump into the systems.



Correct, my bad... it was theFreakie who was commanding that unfortunate scout.



Didn't live long enough to find any jump points, so I don't know. I'm going to assume that the Prix started in that system. Wrecks are optional.

I can only imagine how hard it is to keep all the characters straight. So was theFr3kie exploring this system for new jump points, only to stumble on a Prix squadron we had no previous indications of? I had assumed he was transiting, but a Prix fleet with no wrecks to spot would make more sense.
 
I would like to be a diplomat, you can place me where i'm needed.

EmperorGrimm has taken command of the Diplomatic team that is negotiating with the Chix. Diplo bonus +25%, Cautious, Conservative.
 
Captain GaiusC is assigned to command the Attitude-II class Light Cruiser ESN Belligerent.
Works for me :cool:


It is a system that we discovered a while ago, no sign of trouble, no suspicious wrecks, and we were searching it for jump points when the Prix showed up.
It's four jumps Spinward of Earth... Ross 248, TZ Arietis, Tau Ceti, P Eridani. Two Mars-like worlds.
I think that as long as we have a 2.00 (or less) cost planet, there's a risk we might find Prix in it...

I'm just surprised that a grav-scout was there before a geo-scout. Is it how you do exploration usually - I was under the impression geological surveys came first?