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

[Ärjylä]

Reminds me of an old joke:

A: Do you suffer from megalomania?
B: No. I enjoy it.

Thus spoke the Charlie's gimp! Now crawl back into yer box! ()

[FelisSilvestris]

Thus spoke the Charlie's gimp! Now crawl back into yer box! ()

I know, Lt... I heard the rumors too. Yet have faith in the Emu. If he was indeed suffering from mental illness, or as you call it 'barking mad', things would be taken care of.

As occured between an undisclosed squad leader and pilot of the earth forces.

[Lord Martin]

The blue spot indeed signals a planet easy to colonise. But the dark blue ring around the system? Is it there just to confirm the blue dot, or does it have another meaning? Like, habitable planet being colonised (in which case, it's settled by someone else).

Afaik the blue spot indicates a planet with a colony cost of 2 or less regardless if it´s already colonized or not, while the blue ring only indicates uncolonized planets with a colony cost of 2 or less.

Edit: That means that if Blue Emu runs into a blue spot without a blue ring (lots of blue here) it could be a Charlie world.

[GaiusC]

Afaik the blue spot indicates a planet with a colony cost of 2 or less regardless if it´s already colonized or not, while the blue ring only indicates uncolonized planets with a colony cost of 2 or less.

I assumed it was the reverse - since we have several pale blue dots and one pale blue ring for our one colony.
Still, it basically means that someone has a colony with a cost less than 2 in this system.
And it's not us...

It's obviously important to map further on the Procyon's side of the galaxy, but I think it would be interesting to have a ship with thermal sensors in Gliese 687. There might be aliens who have a quite different metabolism and are more adapted to the local conditions.
(of course, we might prefer not to risk encountering a new species, which might be hostile, and opt to remain undiscovered; on the other hand, it could be the Charlie's homeworld?)

[SA_Avenger]

*Noise*
*pilot log 423: SA_Avenger*
*All Hail our commander*
...not sure that new log system is much better. Hum.
Well still training around earth, lots of people are getting crazy about the "Charlies".
And we colonized a new planet...I can't believe we weren't even taken to the party. Lots of disapointment among the pilots.
Also we heard our commander might have to step down? That came as quite a shock, hopefully we won't end up with some pacifist as replacement, maybe he can keep on commanding from behind a desk but I'm sure he'll blast our ears everyday with a speech on how evil charlie lover liberals are.
If they let us rot in our fighters for too long I fear we might get fat, some are letting themselves go, and half the fighters are run by people we don't even know the name. I think the Fighter Fleet operation would need someone serious in charge.
Oh well otherwhise same s**t different day. Over and out*
*noises*
*you have used 3 foul word and been charged 30 credits/ducats*
....

edit ooc: finally caught up, nice work overall
as for the whole promotion thing a separated thread sure might be easier for you guys to track things up

I see in Arjyla list that: Fighter Ops (Vacant)
if he is moving behind a desk why not this one (so we can get a bonus?) or maybe raise thelongunman (who then would gives his spot to Felix Sylvestris who would give his spot to teusje)

[TheLoneGunman]

I see in Arjyla list that: Fighter Ops (Vacant)
if he is moving behind a desk why not this one (so we can get a bonus?) or maybe raise thelongunman (who then would gives his spot to Felix Sylvestris who would give his spot to teusje)

I wouldn't mind heading up fighter ops, but I also wouldn't mind taking command of either an entire carrier when they roll off the shipyards or at least command of her fighter wing.

[Lord Martin]

I assumed it was the reverse - since we have several pale blue dots and one pale blue ring for our one colony.
Still, it basically means that someone has a colony with a cost less than 2 in this system.
And it's not us...

Hmm, yes it looks disturbing. But it could be because Emu don´t have the options for uncolonized planets on that colony cost turned on, and that what looks like cyan is instead the ring for populated system (very similar to cyan, just a little more green).

[GrimPagan]

Given the fact that we know nothing of Charlie except they have military ships bigger then our commercial ones, we should keep a friendly relationship for the time being. As Ross is crucial crossroad to several habital planets, it's in our interest to keep control over it, so we should make sure to keep the jump point heavily defended with mines and bases, in case of hostilities.

To make it even more defendable we could consider making a permanent jump gate from Sol to make it easier for supplies and reinforcements to arrive, but no gate back to delay any attacks toward Earth.

[Verenti]

Let's be honest:

we have no clue AT ALL what these aliens are capable off. Well, militarily at least. We only know they can build massive ships. Planning a war on such flimsy information seems a horrible idea. We should keep up our diplomatic efforts so we can safely send scouts deep into their space, while simply assuming they pose no threat as they have not struck so far. If they strike us, then we respond. Until then, we try to avoid hostilities.

For all we know one ship of theirs can blast our entire to-be-completed fleet out of the sky.

This is why we have Naval Intelligence. Get our teams in there and discover what these monsters are capable of. If we can get trade relations with Charlie, then we don't even need a covert insertion craft; we can send then with a shipment of grain, or whatever Charlie eats.

I would like to suggest another design for R&D to work on though.

A ship, laden with armour and shields, and a tractor beam, designed to tow enemy vessels back to our space and held there to be boarded and dissected, for the fullest technolgy benefit. All this with minimal damage to the ship. The shields and armour would allow the "Intelligence Tug" to allow more fire to be sunken into the ship without it going belly up. Better would ECM to scramble the targetting computer of the towed vessel, to prevent the FCS from working against us.

Best way to understand their military capabilities is to get one of their ships intact.

[Ärjylä]

I am not completely adverse to the idea of suckering them into a trade agreement in order to scan the **** out of their systems, ships and everything else we just can.

And then draw up our defensive attack plans based on this intel.

[Verenti]

I think Edzako is next in line... or prehaps Autonomous. Of course, this could be a "Black Op" by our Naval Intelligence chief, instead. Or perhaps the Charlies are up to some tricks...

If it was a black op, it was a ROGUE black op. I had no personal knowledge of any such black op and thus can't be held responsible for it if it is indeed traced back to ENI.

Then again... Show me the proof that he was poisoned! Maybe Lt. Stonewall, ambitious to rise up to a loftier place from his comission is just stirring the pot to take advantage of the dear Captain/Commodore's health issues! ENI should do a background check... IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY.

edit:

I am not completely adverse to the idea of suckering them into a trade agreement in order to scan the **** out of their systems, ships and everything else we just can.

And then draw up our defensive attack plans based on this intel.

Scanners are military components, and thus can't be placed on Commercial ships without turning them military.

[GaiusC]

I am not completely adverse to the idea of suckering them into a trade agreement in order to scan the **** out of their systems, ships and everything else we just can.
And then draw up our defensive attack plans based on this intel.

If they turn out not being a threat and quite harmless to us, then it might be interesting to see if there's any hostile and truly powerful and advanced aliens beyond. Just in case Charlies might act as a buffer worthy of being kept in place. This is a dangerous universe and we have to be careful and plan long-term

[Ärjylä]

Scanners are military components, and thus can't be placed on Commercial ships without turning them military.

Damn. Well, one useful thing nonetheless would be surveying their system for jump points and mapping them - this way we can discover where and how they can move. However, I don't think this is important enough to postpone any conq.. defensive plans! Just that those goddamn treacherous liberal pacts might not be a 100% miss, just like 98,8% so! However, since all our survey crafts are military..

If they turn out not being a threat and quite harmless to us, then it might be interesting to see if there's any hostile and truly powerful and advanced aliens beyond. Just in case Charlies might act as a buffer worthy of being kept in place. This is a dangerous universe and we have to be careful and plan long-term

This kind of rampant defeatism makes my blood boil! We'll take on any and every alien species and kick their slimy, acid oozing asses to a different Galaxy if that's necessary! Install some goddamn buffer zone and we have to listen to that goddamn liberal wailing about how we should defend those damn charlies and whatnot.

[GrimPagan]

Do we need to actually survey the planets before making landfall to establish a colony?

[GrapeApe]

If they turn out not being a threat and quite harmless to us, then it might be interesting to see if there's any hostile and truly powerful and advanced aliens beyond. Just in case Charlies might act as a buffer worthy of being kept in place. This is a dangerous universe and we have to be careful and plan long-term

Our military needs training. Shooting at VR images and robots is not sufficent, we need live targets! Seems like Charlie would serve as an excellent training partner.

[TheLoneGunman]

Do we need to actually survey the planets before making landfall to establish a colony?

It's highly recommended, or you end up putting colonists on a planet that could end up killing half of them.

[blue emu]

September 24 2027. Our first Hurricane Fighter has rolled off the assembly lines, with several more to follow. This new model of Fighter is a bit heavier and slower than the original Spitfires, but carries extra fuel and an Active Sensor, so it can guide the rest of the Squadron onto the target and illuminate it for the whole Fighter group to attack. We plan to equip the Carriers with a 40/60 mix of Hurricanes and Spitfires, so that a Carrier Air Group can be composed of two five-Fighter sections, each with two Hurricanes and three Spitfires.

When Commodore Arjyla returned from his latest trip to Dravar XV, I insisted that he submit to a full medical examination. The results were not as bad as I had feared... his health is somewhat impaired by high blood pressure, but the Doctor has classified it as "Good" in his official report. The Commodore will retain his field command until we have accumulated enough warships to form multiple Battle-Fleets, and will transfer to the Earth-side C-in-C position once we have more than one Commodore out in the field.

[blue emu]

I will be opening the sign-up thread now.

Colonel Lurkenius has replaced Hyme on the Diplo team negotiating with the Charlies. Ex-Marine, Ground Forces Training 50, Ground Combat Bonus +5%, Diplo +15%, authoritarian, unappreciative, wealthy.

Brigadier Hyme will be have his Ground Forces commission re-activated in order to prepare a Marine force for dispatch to Dravar XV, to guard both the colony and the Archeological site... our first Troop Transport ships will be ready in less than a year. More redeployments to follow.

Lt-Commander Arnold Kiwi Rimmer has been assigned to command the Mule class Freighter ESNA Red Dwarf. Fleet Init 153, Logistics +15%, lacks communication skills, listless, many social interests

[SA_Avenger]

good, as a fighter pilot I also request that the oldest pilot get the new fighters first when they arrive ofc

[Nabobalis]

I am not completely adverse to the idea of suckering them into a trade agreement in order to scan the **** out of their systems, ships and everything else we just can.

And then draw up our defensive attack plans based on this intel.

Intel via a covert ship would be nice, I remember reading in one of Steve's AAR that he was able to put one of his ships in orbit around an uncolonised planet that happened to orbit rather close to one of his enemies planets and with the engines off and no active sensors it was unspotted. He used passive sensors to get a good scan of the planet and ships around it.


One question: How are you organising your fleets? Can I find it earlier in the thread? (I am slowly getting through it but 70 pages are a lot to get through)