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

[unmerged(21821)]

What do you suggest, Admiral? Should we fire on unarmed, peaceful ships? Start the first interstellar war on sheer suspicion? We cannot prevent him from building the Gate without destroying that ship... and then we are at war.

You have a point sir. However, you should notice that the Charlies are not hesitating to violate our territorial integrity when they see it fit to themselves, despite all of the diplomatic baloney, sir. Whatever comes through that gate should be scanned, regardless whether we hurt the feelings of those alien bastards or not. Security first, diplomacy when whe have time and resources for such nonsense, sir - or at least have a bloody clue what those pea-brained xenoforms think they want with the jump gate.

Also, we should try to colonize into the other direction as well, sir. Procyon is safe from Charlie colonizing, but Ross world are not. There are no prizes for the runner up in that race, Sir.

 

[stamasd]

I think the fact they're building gates _on_our_side_ of the jump points is encouraging. An invader wouldn't bother.

Or so they want us to believe...

(I'm sure the SPACE CATS are behind all this)

 

[blue emu]

MSG Battle Fleet @ Sol to Fleet Ops Operations
No change in situation
Charlie still stationary on Sol => Ross 248 jump point
Apparently building a Gate
Tactical display attached
Will approach to half sensor range and take station
- Rear Admiral Arjyla out
MSG ends XXXXX

 

[unmerged(5228)]

I realize that the Charlie side of the map seems to be a cornucopia of worlds and resources but I am not so sure if we should press forward there with new colonies at the moment.

Charlie has been acting very aggressive. They're scouting our home system! If it turns into a shooting war our colonies closest to enemy space could be lost or heavily damage. Our budget is stretched thin as it is, how difficult would it be to adequately defend Earth and any Charlie-side colonies?

Instead I favor turning Earth and our system into a fortress chokepoint while continuing to explore the other side of the galaxy and researching/protecting the Precursor digs.

I'm assuming carriers are expensive. Would it be more economical to set up cavernous hanger/refueling starbases close to the jump point the Charlies are using to get into Earth? Then we can use our Carriers to ferry starfighter to the "wasp hives" around the jump gate.

 

[blue emu]

... at the very least I would send a ship to survey V547 Cass., to see if there's life on this world.

Already en-route for a week now.

Besides, this would imply that they were probably building jumpgates and scouting Groombridge when we met them. It's just that we hadn't time to survey this system and didn't find their entry jumpgate - which might lead to their actual homeworld. If we can send some small ships to survey worlds beyond Ross48 and they don't look pissed off, we definitely should send a ship to scout Groombridge and go beyond the other probable jumpgate, as soon as we have 200+ relations with Charlies.

Any thoughts on this?

Agreed. I expect that a full Grav-Survey of Groombridge 34 will reveal the gate which Charlie used to enter that system.

I'm assuming carriers are expensive. Would it be more economical to set up cavernous hanger/refueling starbases close to the jump point the Charlies are using to get into Earth? Then we can use our Carriers to ferry starfighter to the "wasp hives" around the jump gate.

Not sure if you can set up a PDC in empty space. Can't test it until we have Tugs.

 

[unmerged(21821)]

I realize that the Charlie side of the map seems to be a cornucopia of worlds and resources but I am not so sure if we should press forward there with new colonies at the moment.

Charlie has been acting very aggressive. They're scouting our home system! If it turns into a shooting war our colonies closest to enemy space could be lost or heavily damage. Our budget is stretched thin as it is, how difficult would it be to adequately defend Earth and any Charlie-side colonies?

Instead I favor turning Earth and our system into a fortress chokepoint while continuing to explore the other side of the galaxy and researching/protecting the Precursor digs.

I'm assuming carriers are expensive. Would it be more economical to set up cavernous hanger/refueling starbases close to the jump point the Charlies are using to get into Earth? Then we can use our Carriers to ferry starfighter to the "wasp hives" around the jump gate.

We can't win any conflict by sitting on our asses in Sol system. The best we can hope for with that strategy is not to lose one, but the initiative and our fates are not in our hands with this sort of strategy. I believe we will need forward bases for logistical and resupply needs alone, besides of the advancement of our empire, military and the glory of emu!

If the charlie brings forces to shoot at our colonies outside, it means that 1.) part of their forces are not going to threaten earth 2.) we get intel on their fleet, movements and capabilities 3.) even in the worst case scenario, assuming that we give our colonies static defense, we are going to cause the charlie forces attrition before they bring their fleet against earth. Not having outer colonies means that the charlie is guaranteed to come after earth from day 1, putting us to a massively disadvantaged position. This even without counting the potential military contribution of colonies in the case of a conflict.

Besides, any planet that is ours isn't theirs.

 

[hyme]

Wait a minute... There's a habitable world in V547 Cassiopeia, neighbouring Glies 48, and a jumpgate leading from Glies 48 to Mu Cassiopeia.
Wouldn't there be logical to find a jumpgate from V547 to Glies 48, implying either that this habitable world has advanced aliens on it, or had Precursors eons ago?

Whatever, I wouldn't go with blind colonization of all the world around the Charlies, but at the very least I would send a ship to survey V547 Cass., to see if there's life on this world. And if it's not sentient, then to send some basic colonizing fleet.


Which can mean only one of two things:
- they're sneaky and plan in invasion
- they intend to be friendly and are building a major trading route between our homeworlds

The apparent lack of any Charlie ship around their other jumpgates would be weird if they're hostile. Undefended gates can be ambushed by our fleet, wouldn't that be a bit risky if they have hostile intentions? Because apparently they're not acting as if the farther systems are militarily occupied.

Besides, this would imply that they were probably building jumpgates and scouting Groombridge when we met them. It's just that we hadn't time to survey this system and didn't find their entry jumpgate - which might lead to their actual homeworld. If we can send some small ships to survey worlds beyond Ross48 and they don't look pissed off, we definitely should send a ship to scout Groombridge and go beyond the other probable jumpgate, as soon as we have 200+ relations with Charlies.

Any thoughts on this?

they intend to be friendly and are building a major trading route between our homeworlds

I am going with this one. If there were to attack us they would have done it by now. Start in the scouts and Colony ships. If they do attack us, we will know that they have no plans to be friendly with us.

 

[GaiusC]

Well... what if the Charlies also were particularly cautious and fearful of any alien species they could encounter, just like we were, and when seeing we weren't coming to blast them off, had the same reaction we had: Cool, aliens we can speak to and that we could befriend, with time? What if they just have gone a bit farther that path than we have so far and are already considering themselves quite in friendly relations, and therefore, fearing nothing from us, have no problem giving us a wide access to their worlds - as well as not even thinking sending ships and building stuff on our side of the galaxy would alarm us?

Did they know which jumpgate we used in Groombridge? Because their ships that freaked out our scouts might just have been there as protection for their jumpgate-building behemoth, they not being sure we would be the only (friendly) alien species they would find beyond. On the other hand, knowing we live here in Sol system, they know they don't risk anything and can send their building ship without any military one.

 

[blue emu]

MSG Battle Fleet @ Sol to Fleet Ops Operations
Have closed within half Thermal sensor range 18.7 m-km
All vessels now within extreme missile range of Charlie
Taking station
Crews on full alert
- Rear Admiral Arjyla out
MSG ends XXXXX

 

[hyme]

You know all they did before was scan us, would we not do the same thing. They may have been seeing if that ship was there to harm them or not. They may have been trying to learn more about us.
I agree Ärjylä a colony closer to them is one more planet that would have to fight to get to us. At this point i believe they maybe just trying to start up a trade route. If not why don't they just attack us.

 

[Verenti]

<ENCODED MESSAGE>
From: Director Verenti, ENI
To: High Command

May I advise High Command that firing on Charlie's gate ship is entirely unadvisable. Instead of wasting ordinence on taking out a vessel of that size we could rush out a prototype tug and use that to capture the vessel, thus gaining a first hand knowledge of what Charlie's technology and pysiology, as well as gaining control of a functioning Jump Gate construction vessel. May I remind your excellencies that despite the length of contact with Charlie, we know next to nothing about their people. We cannot allow good intelligence to be destroy haphazardly if we expect to push Charlie all the way back to his homeworld.

<MESSAGE ENDS>

 

[Verenti]

You know all they did before was scan us, would we not do the same thing. They may have been seeing if that ship was there to harm them or not. They may have been trying to learn more about us.
I agree Ärjylä a colony closer to them is one more planet that would have to fight to get to us. At this point i believe they maybe just trying to start up a trade route. If not why don't they just attack us.

Nothing is stopping a fleet from jumping straight to Earth, even with a forward colony.

 

[unmerged(21821)]

Nothing is stopping a fleet from jumping straight to Earth, even with a forward colony.

That's true. However, without a forward colony, a fleet is guaranteed to jump to earth; simply because there is no other alternative.

 

[hyme]

Nothing is stopping a fleet from jumping straight to Earth, even with a forward colony.

It only hurts not have a forward colony. If they are peacefully we are only hurting own self from not getting those planets, if not then we know.

 

[Lord Martin]

Nothing is stopping a fleet from jumping straight to Earth, even with a forward colony.

That may be so. But every ship suffers sensor and fire-control blindness after a jump (according to the Aurora tutorial). If Charlie turns hostile a well placed ambush at a Jump gate could do much harm to them.

 

[blue emu]

<ENCODED MESSAGE>
From: Autocrat Emu, High Command
To: Director Verenti, ENI

Our Tactical Planning staff advises me that ships cannot be captured by Tractor Beams, since they can always break the lock by starting their engines. The only known way to capture a ship is by boarding, which requires development of Boarding Pods, design of a suitable ship, retooling of a dockyard and construction of said ship. A project for the future. We expect to begin research on Boarding Pods in June of next year.

I agree that we should not initiate hostilities, and Rear Admiral Arjyla has already received orders to that effect. The council will decide in the near future whether to launch an operation to colonize the class-0 world discovered in the V547 Cassiopiae system beyond Ross 248. That decision is currently on hold pending a report from the Geo-Survey scouting vessel to be dispatched to that system as soon as it finishes overhaul.

- Autocrat Emu, High Command

<MESSAGE ENDS>

 

[blue emu]

Relations with Charlie are still going up... now nearly +130. So the presence of the Gate Construction ship in our system is not affecting them too much.

EDIT:

Geo Survey vessel ESN Schoch is en-route to V547 Cassiopiae to scan the class-0 world known to exist in that system.

Geo Survey vessel ESN Agassiz has completed her overhaul and will be dispatched to the adjacent system, Gliese 48, which also contains a habitable planet.

EDIT:

Commander von Saschen has located a new jump point in the Lutyen's Star system, to Widdershins of Earth.

 

[GaiusC]

That's true. However, without a forward colony, a fleet is guaranteed to jump to earth; simply because there is no other alternative.

Well, an undefended colony isn't of much defensive use. They'll take it with their weakest military ship.

By the way, I just realised that once relations hit 200, trade deals become available. Apparently, Charlies have been busy building gates and there will be a fully operational tradeway available shortly before our relations allow trade. I'm not sure it's a mere coincidence. Time will tell.
(on the other hand, would it be harmful if we put a ship with passive sensor on the Ross side of this jumpgate. Or even on Ross system, but on the other jumpgate going towards Charlie's space? Could be a useful warning system)

 

[blue emu]

... (on the other hand, would it be harmful if we put a ship with passive sensor on the Ross side of this jumpgate. Or even on Ross system, but on the other jumpgate going towards Charlie's space? Could be a useful warning system)

Unfortunately, we are not exactly flush with ships. The only ones that carry sensors are our warships... and I would really prefer not to split up the fleet and offer a weak, isolated detachment to whoever wishes to destroy it... or one of our scout-ships, which might be more usefully employed scouting.

EDIT: exploration of the new Lutyen's Star jump point has led to the Sirius system. One rock-ball, one super-Jovian, six moons, no asteroids. None habitable.

EDIT: ESN Copernicus has finished her overhaul and has been dispatched to Gliese 205 (to Widdershins of Earth) to search for jump points.

EDIT: ESN Thor has completed her overhaul and has been dispatched to Mu Cassiopiae (to Spinward, near Groombridge 34) to search for jump points.

EDIT: ESN Chandrasekhar has located a new jump point in the Lutyen's Star system.

EDIT: ESN Lyell has completed her overhaul and has been dispatched to the Sigma Draconis system (to Spinward, near Groombridge 34) to hunt for minerals in a system containing a habitable planet.

EDIT: exploration of the new Lutyen's Star jump point has led to Ross 47. One rocky planet, two gas giants, seven moons, 147 asteroids. No habitable planets or moons.

EDIT: new jump point found in Wolf 358, our furthest penetration to Widdershins.

EDIT: new Wolf 358 jump point leads to GJ1156. One little rock-ball, no other planets, moons or asteroids.

 

[TheLoneGunman]

<ENCODED MESSAGE>

To: Commodore Arjyla, High Command
From: Commodore Gunman, Nellis AFB

Sir, after learning of the Charlie incursion into the Sol System, I have placed Nellis Air Force Base on high alert. While we all hope for a peaceful outcome to the latest situation, we are prepared to defend Mother Earth to the death. Both the "Wildcats" and "The Cossacks" have been prepped for intercept of any Charlie ship that is determined to have a course set for Earth. Will await further orders.

-Commodore Gunman, Nellis AFB

<MESSAGE ENDS>