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December 5th 2025. Our ordinance production is nearly complete. One more missile contract needs to finish and we can mothball those factories until the new series of high-speed missiles which utilize the powerful new engines designed by Scientist Bo Mosberg has been designed and tested. That factory closure will reduce the deficit by some trifling fraction. Similarly, the last batch of Fighters will be completed in a month or two, and those factories as well can be mothballed until new designs are ready for production. Again, this will somewhat reduce the on-going remorseless erosion of our treasury. No real amelioration can be expected, though, without some sort of economic breakthrough. I must speak to my research advisors about organizing a team of scientists and economists to tackle this problem.
 
Well I got no clue how you actually earn money in this game, but I guess the economy will become a bit better when more minerals arrives from the Comet of the Platypus?
 
Well I got no clue how you actually earn money in this game, but I guess the economy will become a bit better when more minerals arrives from the Comet of the Platypus?

I don't think the two are related. I just started too many expensive projects... upgrading every one of our dockyards at once was probably not too clever. On the other hand, if we can survive the financial crisis, it will leave us pretty well placed for expansion.

We've spent the whole first year writing checks for one-and-a-half times as much money as we've actually got... this is almost like a real government, isn't it? :D
 
I don't think the two are related. I just started too many expensive projects... upgrading every one of our dockyards at once was probably not too clever. On the other hand, if we can survive the financial crisis, it will leave us pretty well placed for expansion.

We've spent the whole first year writing checks for one-and-a-half times as much money as we've actually got... this is almost like a real government, isn't it? :D

only 1.5 times? tsk amateur
 
I don't think the two are related. I just started too many expensive projects... upgrading every one of our dockyards at once was probably not too clever. On the other hand, if we can survive the financial crisis, it will leave us pretty well placed for expansion.

We've spent the whole first year writing checks for one-and-a-half times as much money as we've actually got... this is almost like a real government, isn't it? :D

Where are the tax cuts in order to restore our budget?
 
They have been formed into Cargo Task Force #2 and assigned to support the Mars colony while Stuckenschmidt and his Cargo Task Force #1 continue ferrying automated mines out to the comet.

I just want to point out, how darn difficult it is to land and unload on these effing rocks. My crew should be awarded a "Working Class Hero"-medal each.
 
January 1st 2026. As I begin my second year as Planetary Governor, I can look back on the past year with a certain sense of modest satisfaction.

The resource shortage has been beaten... so far as resources are concerned, we are in the black across the board, and our resource base is still expanding day by day as the comet mines come online. In particular, both Solium and Neutronium are now available in the required quantities, and there is little reason to fear a renewed shortage in the foreseeable future.

The new colony on Mars has made tremendous strides... expanding in only ten months from a tiny outpost to a thriving planet of nearly three million people. Using industrial plant lent from Earth, they have started producing their own Factories... the first one has already been completed, and the second is expected to finish early in February. In another year or two, we will be able to reclaim the loaned industrial plant, and the Martian industries will be able to continue expanding by their own efforts. As the population on Mars continues to expand, we can start replacing the automated mines with regular mines crewed by Martian colonists... and send the automated mines out to the Asteroids.

Less satisfactory is the financial situation. We started last year with 38 thousand megabucks in treasury. We spent it all. Every penny. Then we printed some more money... and spent it, too. Tax revenues over the course of last year amounted to an additional 25 thousand megabucks. That, plus our original system treasury, totaled 63 thousand megabucks, of which we spent 40 thousand in twelve months. That leaves us with 23 thousand in treasury at the start of this second year... a net loss of 15 thousand megabucks from the treasury. Two more years of this will bankrupt us.

Hopefully, that won't happen. We have completed our phase-1 armaments plan, and have shut down both the ordinance factories and the fighter plants. Two of our eight dockyards have completed their expansion programs, and four of the remaining six will complete their expansions this year. That will reduce our daily expenditures considerably.

I have given the council my word that we will end this year, 2026, with a balanced budget.
 
"..and so criticism on the administrations financial policies has reached a new high as the" - the host was promptly interrupted by a grey haired, red faced man, delivering the same speech with the same intensity as he had done dozens of times in the past two weeks.
"And why wouldn't it? They are burning the tax payers money all over the universe, just not at home! Take the armament program! It's not just those huge and inefficient battleships, it's shipyards, expensive R&R and training that just eats up our fuel at home! And that despite statistics tell us chances of meeting a sentient alien are miniscule! How could a sensib-", Lt.Cmdr. Silvestris turned off the vid-screen in disgust.
Those damn fools... He sighed and turned back to the duty roster set up by his second-in-command. Raczynski was right: It was time to train some for the day a miniscule chance decided to rain death from a GSO.
 
Julius Strange's Log. Dated 1/1/26
Back on Earth they discuss budgets. Pah.
Here on Procyron, we are investigating an ancient past to secure a future where budgets like todays will be laughable trifles. My companian scientists are working hard at deciphering the language of those who stood beofre us on this world.
Myself, I hold onto my sidearm. Are those who once lived here a dead civilisation, or are they merely resting?
Julius Strange, Military Attache to the Procyron Expedition.
 
Excellent, now to send even more mines to my comet... And a magnet catapult if there is none!
 
Personnal Log - 1st January 2026...*noises*
connection...
identifying pilot: SA_Avenger
Entry 23...
1st January. It's the first time I spend it without family.
I called them yesterday night but they were worried about budget cuts and political scandals. We hear nothing of all this here.
We didn't celebrate much either.
We did had cake in the mess though but also a surprise drill at 3am.
CO FelisSilvetris doesn't stop saying that there is no night or day in space, even less new year's eves but he looks as tired as we are, some of us are getting grumpy though.
I think this whole waiting for action is grinding on us. We are all dreaming of the great deeds of the early explorers like billy bob.
But we are training for fighting, we don't know who or when but I can't wait to protect our fleet and finally see some action.
Over and out. SA_Avenger
*noises*
 
"..and so criticism on the administrations financial policies has reached a new high as the" - the host was promptly interrupted by a grey haired, red faced man, delivering the same speech with the same intensity as he had done dozens of times in the past two weeks.
"And why wouldn't it? They are burning the tax payers money all over the universe, just not at home! Take the armament program! It's not just those huge and inefficient battleships, it's shipyards, expensive R&R and training that just eats up our fuel at home! And that despite statistics tell us chances of meeting a sentient alien are miniscule! How could a sensib-", Lt.Cmdr. Silvestris turned off the vid-screen in disgust.
Those damn fools... He sighed and turned back to the duty roster set up by his second-in-command. Raczynski was right: It was time to train some for the day a miniscule chance decided to rain death from a GSO.

Commander, wake up, you're having that recuring nightmare in which you command the second Sqaudron again ... and now let's hit the pub and find us some pretty wenches, I'll be your wingman, training you say? we're flying spitfire for lord's sake. Now, come on lad.
 
February 15th, 2026. The first mag catapult shipment from the comet is en-route to Earth, and will be arriving within a month; followed by an unbroken chain of packets spaced a week apart. Each one represents 139 tons of refined Trans-Neutonian ores... nine of the eleven known ores. We sent Governer Taklagarn both of our spare catapults, in order to help him clear out his backlog of stockpiled ore. Once the shipments have caught up with his daily production, we'll pull one of the catapults out again and a single catapult should suffice to keep the weekly shipments abreast of his ore production.

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After more than a year of field-work here on Earth, the five-man Geology team has finally reported their results. They were able to locate an additional 100,000 tons of Tritanium, virtually quadrupling our reserves of that important element. They feel that further field work here on Earth would be unproductive, so I've asked Fleet Ops to have them dropped off on Mars. Perhaps they can locate further minerals there, too.
 
The logistics department is proud to announce the umpteenth megaton of stuff being transported from A to B today by Lieutenant Jenkins aboard of the ESNA Leeroy. And we will improve this during the next year.
 
IF?? Shouldn't you as governor now this ;)
I should, but there has been some problems with the communication you know... The state had to cut down on the budget a bit, so my radio dissapeared... :D

And excellent about the two catapults! One question, do I live on the comet or do I operate from Earth?
 
One question, do I live on the comet or do I operate from Earth?

You live on the comet, in a one-room shack. No swank! Not while there's work to be done.