[Forum Game] Edge of Darkness: Ashes of the Phoenix

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Rovsea

Captain of Dragons
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Jan 5, 2014
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Edge of Darkness: Ashes of the Phoenix



How could something so beautiful, so brilliant, have gone so horribly wrong? When do the ideals of man turn into grudges? Even after we grasped further than the close-knit squabbles of Mother Terra, we still couldn't avoid our nature. I guess that it is Man's nature, after all, to make war. And when we reach higher, grow ever stronger, war's coming leaves even deeper scars.

It all started in the year 2139. It was a year of turmoil, and a year of hope. Poverty, overcrowding, and disease ran rampant across Earth, and misery dominated daily life. Signs of hope never faded, however, and mankind's brightest light had detached itself from its muddy home. And that light, in the form of the largest Space Station ever built up to that point, reached its destination, a planet named after, ironically enough, War.

10 billion pairs of eyes turned to our sister planet, Mars, as the great expedition ran its course. That expedition, mainly composing of the great station, Columbus, created something never before seen in human history: A home on another planet. The rest, as they say, is history, but Mars has always remained the favorite of all of the Earth-side governments, the jewel in the crown of the first solar empire. At least, it was until now.


Men and women on Mother Terra ruled the colonies strictly, but fairly, and they ran them for 100 years. Then, they asked too much. Who knows what the breaking point was? Corruption had grown quietly under a complacent system, dissent grew as cultural identity surfaced, and at the end of the day the Colonies saw themselves as little more than puppets of Earth-side puppeteers, forced to dance for their masters. Add to this a growing bureaucracy too inflexible to adapt to intra-solar travel, and all of the ingredients were ripe for conflict.

Even then, however, war came slowly. Nobody expects a war, and nobody wants it. Diplomacy was, of course, the first channel that the Colonies used to show their discontent. 250 men and women from all over the solar system, even 3 from Terra and one from Luna, formed a "diplomatic envoy" to the great meeting of the Rulers of Earth. At first, this measure seemed to be working, that is until a startling fact came to light: the Solar Fleet, the most powerful military force ever created, was planning on building a new, fortified military base on Deimos, one of the twin moons circling Mars.

Shortly thereafter, the Jewel fell off of the Crown, and the envoy returned home in bitter disappointment. Construction began on the military base, named Citadel M-7 Cerberus, and open revolt began in the colonies. It started, unsurprisingly, on the blood-red planet itself. The surface mines and great farming communities of Mars steadily produced less and less, and protests were constant news in the subterranean cities. Spes Magna, the great capital of Mars, broke the trail in this matter, and just a few short years later, in war.

The first step of the war crippled the Terran War effort: the utter destruction of Deimos as a military base, killing perhaps 1 million civilian workers and hundreds of thousands of marines and sailors. Deimos was mined, and the forces of the colonies settled in their fortress, their impregnable defenses on the planet of Hope and War, and waited for the enemy to come to them.

Simultaneous to the Martian declaration of independence, a great alliance of Planets, from Neptune to Mercury, declared their own acts of defiance (including Pluto, which is NOT a planet). Fighting broke out throughout the great mines of the asteroid belts, and on every single planet and dwarf planet in the system, aside from Terra and Luna.

In the next year, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Pluto would successfully overthrow their Terran foes, while Mercury, the two central-most Asteroid Cities (codenamed A-3 and A-4), and Jupiter all fell to superior might. But what of Mars? The red planet endured the greate4st military conflict in history, overshadowing every other War in both sheer destruction and loss of life. The very first measure taken was to bombard the surface of Mars, to crater it like Luna or Mercury, to drive the bloodthirsty Martians from their fields and into their caves, to teach them a lesson for killing hundreds of thousands of helpless soldiers and civilians.

As the long campaign reached its bitter end, more explosives had been used than in any hundred mining operations or wars combined. And the Martians waited. Then, the largest organized landing of forces ever coordinated or attempted, a grand total of nearly 100 million Terran conscripts and soldiers, with air-support, artillery,and the most advanced weapons of war, set foot on red dirt. The true battle of Mars had begun.


A great dust storm, produced by the billions of tons of dirt knocked loose by the extensive aerial assault, clouded the field as nearly 2,000 colonial Warships engaged a Terran force twice their size. Nearly 50 million sailors took to the upper atmosphere of Mars, and many of them would not live to see the next martian year. Meanwhile, on the land, the Earthling soldiers were ambushed by an army nearly rivaling their own in size, if not in equipment, while they were only halfway through landing. Fighting raged, millions died, and eventually the Martians and their allies were forced underground. By that point, nearly 40 million casualties of war were confirmed on the planet, and the surface owed its red hue more to blood than its famous soil. It would only grow worse. Details of that gruesome, bloody, stalemate in the bedrock of War and Hope (the moniker the planet has adopted) have scarcely survived, and even now the Republics of Earth are still compiling their full reports. All that is known for certain is that by the end of fighting on Mars, nearly 200 million individuals were confirmed dead, and the Martian cities were laid to waste. The jewel in the crown had come tumbling into dust.


You are at the edge of a dark path, if the colonies are to earn their freedom and finally end this brutal dispute. Along with your crew, all of whom have seen combat in the war, you have taken a ship from one of the more remote outposts the Colonial military set up. You have stolen a ship, the Sirius, and have loaded on-board as many weapons as could fit in the combat ship's admittedly limited cargo bay. Bidding farewell to your home planet, you take to the skies, but quickly determine that there is only one way off the planet, and that is by passing an inspection from the Solar Fleet. And so, you and your comrades decide to join the shipyard holding hundreds of other ships, each of them salvagers that the Admiral has commissioned to round up the armaments and contraband that the Colonials stocked their planet with. The next step is up to you, but the ship contains a cargo more valuable than perhaps any other: a detailed holograph that intricately describes the great weapons of fleet and army that the Terrans set loose upon Mars. Far-Reach, a great space-sysem established on the edge of the Solar System, houses the unified Rulers of the Colonies, and is the home of millions of refugees. It is the single strongest remaining base for colonial Fleets, and it is here that the data must be delivered.

((At this point I'd like to point out that you can sell your cargo, two tons of ammunition and weapons, for a considerable profit, or have the engineer make weapons modifications at the expense of his own skill points. However, selling the weapons requires the Captain to make a Negotiation roll of 15, and the Pilot to make an evasion roll of 15))
 
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IRC at #EdgeofDarkness


Ship Statistics:
Name: Sirius
Class: Falcon A-8; Chieftain Model
Hull Points: 15
Power: 120 PU
Guns: 5 - Frontal; 4 - Sides (x4; includes top and bottom); 0 - Rear (10 PU to fire)
Shields: 3 - Frontal; 2 - Sides (x4; includes top and bottom); 1 - Rear (5 PU to Charge; 5 PU to Overcharge)
Fuel: 48/100 Cells Functional (This particular scenario starts us out at a slight disadvantage)
Cargo: x2, 1-Ton Ammunition/Weapons Crates (Which can be sold locally for a profit, though this is risky)
Base Systems: Basic performance of the Sirius.
- Accuracy: Fairly Basic Weaponry; d5
- Interface: The weapons are relatively mediocre in how they handle, and can be difficult to control properly; d5
- Evade: This craft has fairly good scanners, and limited cloaking while in flight; d10
- Maneuver: The Chieftain Model was made for dog-fighting and combat maneuverability; d10 (50 PU to fully power for Maneuver, additional 10 PU per Maneuver bonus of +1)

((Note that Interface has replaced Timing.

Also, our ship isn't large enough to have escape pods.))

CLASSES:
Captain: The Commander both of the ship and his the loyalty of his men, he has the final say in nearly all decisions, including where the party will be going.
- Leadership: Arguably the most important skill the Captain has, for every two Rank Points invested in Leadership every other crew member gains a +1 to all of their rolls.
- Bargaining: In the vastness of space, resources are rare, and so the man who can get the most out of the least often wins, affects the buying and selling price of just about anything (Bargaining skill determines starting Credits)
- Negotiation: Persuading your enemies not to fight you is the same thing as winning the battle, right? The Negotiation skill allows the Captain to attempt to talk his way out of sticky situations (the option to negotiate before fighting an enemy will always be available, although it will often be quite difficult to achieve)
- Captain's Rank Points: Every time the Captain levels up, he gains a Rank point. For every Rank Point received, the Captain will also be able to invest a skill point into a skill. The Captain has the option to invest in every skill (although for the purposes of this test game, the first three skill points must be allotted to "Captain Skills" as described above), unlike any other crew member.
- Base Stats: Health: 8; Armor: 4; Starting Rank: 6 (3 of his skill points must be spent in his unique Skills); Hand Weapons: d6/30PU.
Engineer: The Engineer is arguably the second most important crew member, as he can improve and modify nearly every aspect of the Ship's performance, although this comes at a cost. He can also repair the ship, and acts as a doctor in this game as well.
- Engineer's Rank Points: The Engineer, like all other classes, gains rank points as he levels up. In addition to assigning the Skill Points he receives from ranking into his various Skills (detailed below), the Engineer can also invest a skill point into a permanent "Specialization" that improves the function of one other crew member. (Ex: Improves the turning speed and angle of the Guns, +1 to the Combatant's Accuracy rolls)
- Repair: One of the more vital aspects of the Engineer's jobs, he can, quite simply, repair the ship when it gets damaged.
- Healing: Another very important, though situational, skill that an Engineer can invest in is healing. Why is it situational? Because foot combat where you actually CAN get injured (as opposed to all dying as the ship violently decompresses) isn't a necessary aspect of the game to engage in.
- Modifying: Versatility is one of the key functions of the Engineer Class. Modifications can be made to the ship (with varying effect), though at a cost. Increasing the Modification skill reduces that cost and improves the effect of the modification.
- Base Stats: Health: 7; Armor: 3; Starting Rank: 5; Hand Weapons: d5/20 PU.
Pilot: He flies the Spacecraft and charts the course that leads to a new location, one of the two most important Combat crewmen.
- Evade: The ability to semi-cloak the ship and long-range scanners means that the Pilot should be able to avoid a run-in with most enemies.
- Maneuver: The ability to out position and out maneuver your opponent is just as important in space as in atmosphere, and it is the Pilot's job to put his crew in the most favorable position possible.
- Pilot's Rank Points: In addition to his base Rank increase and the Skill point he gains upon Ranking up, the Pilot also becomes slightly more efficient in plotting his course, using the gravity of planets to slingshot himself there, and in general using less power and less fuel, saving credits in the long run.
- Base Stats: Health: 7; Armor: 3; Starting Rank: 6 (He is a Veteran pilot from the war.); Hand Weapons: d5/20 PU.
Combatant: Providing most of the Firepower in the Crew, the Combatant is just as necessary for survival as any other crew member, and plays a vital role in combat.
- Accuracy: While how many guns are pointing at the enemy depends on the Pilot, how effective they are lies squarely at the Combatant's feet. Every point in accuracy makes the Gunner more likely to hit his target, therefore more likely to hit and break down shields, making it easier to damage the enemy. This has roughly the same effect in foot or ground combat.
- Interfacing: The ability to use ones weapons to the maximum of their ability, to be as effective and knowledgeable in handling them as possible, is vitally important for the Combatant. Interfacing gives the Combatant a better chance to exploit an enemy's weakness and critically injure them (2% increase to critical hit Chance per Skill Point invested).
- Melee: Fighting hand-to-hand is often the only way to safely fight on a ship (Most ships don't even carry hand weapons (firearms/laser rifles), because of the possibility in blowing a gaping big hole in the side of the ship and killing everybody), so to stave off boardings, the Combatant must be skilled in Melee combat. Melee skill A.) helps you dodge incoming fire so that you aren't shredded (should it be a ground battle), and B.) gets a bonus to their melee roll, determining if damage was dealt or if the attack was blocked.
- Combatant Rank Points: In addition to the standard increase in Skill Points and rank, after Rank 5 (which everybody at least starts out at), the Combatant can spend credits while in port to purchase new weaponry for use outside of the gunner positions (guns count as a ship system, and their improvement is purview to the Engineer).
- Base Stats: Health: 10; Armor: 5; Starting Rank: 5; Hand Weapons: d8/40 PU.
Fighter Pilot: Their fast reflexes and handling skills make them perfect for piloting the nimble fighters that must accompany a fleet of any real size. Fighter Pilots have a limited role, however, as they start to lose efficiency once being taken from their prime position: the cockpit of scout and light-assault craft.
- Maneuver: Much like a standard Pilot, in combat Maneuver is the key role of this class. Evading the fight is not the purpose of fighters, so fighter pilots lack the capabilities to pull off complex cloaking and rerouting maneuvers, besides, the fighter is too short range for such nonsense anyways.
- Interface: Fighters lack gun turrets, or weapons that can move/rotate on an axis. Because of this, interfacing, not accuracy, is a Fighter pilot's second prime skill. The ability to turn just a hair faster, get the weapons lined up a half-second quicker, and pull the trigger on the burst-fire gun before the enemy can react... these are the qualifications of an accomplished Fighter Pilot. (As before, an additional 2% critical hit chance per skill point in Interface.)
- Fighter Pilot Rank Points: For every third Rank Point that the Fighter Pilot collects, he can either improve one of his two main skills by an additional point, or make a minor improvement to his ship (to be determined by the GM), though at the cost of money. These additional bonuses cannot be saved. Fighter Pilots can also invest in both Pilot and Combatant skills, although the skills that they do not share (IE, not maneuver or Interface) will have the rank bonus halved on action. Ex: A Rank 6 Fighter Pilot with Accuracy 2 will have a 5 added to any accuracy rolls; 2 for the skill, and 3 for the halved rank bonus.
- Base Stats: Health: 8; Armor: 3; Starting Rank: 5 (none currently); Weapon: d6/30 PU.
Energy Management: (Efficiency) Is also very important to the everyday running of the ship, as well as to combat performance. In addition to their Class-specific Skills that they can invest in, every member of the crew can also improve their Efficiency Skill with their Skill Points. This skill is not buffed by Rank increase (Class-Specific Skills also receive the Rank bonus to their die Rolls. Ex: A Rank 5 Combatant with 3 in Accuracy might roll a d5 + 5 + 3, or 3 + 5 + 3 = 11 for whether or not his shot hit.The Rank levels add into the skills that the Player decides to Buff. This is never the case with Efficiency). However, Efficiency affects, fuel used in flight, how often guns can fire, the effectiveness of the ship's positioning, etc. It is a very important skill, although it must be balanced with the others. (Each level in Efficiency makes the Player 5% more efficient, capping at 50%)

((If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them. :) ))
 
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SOLAR MAP:
As we can see, control of Mars is still disputed. The Terrans undoubtedly have the Colonies outgunned. In fact, they have 13 Fleets tothe Colonial 8. However, when we look at significant bases, we can see that the number of occupied astronomical bodies favors the Colonies 13 to 8. The Colonies have more land to give, but a smaller force to defend it with.

CREW:
BaboushReturns (Captain):
Name: Andrew Ross
Position: Captain
Former Rank: Captain
Age: 45
Race: Human
Skills:
- Leadership: 3
- Bargaining: 1
- Negotiation: 2
Experience: 15/280

Dexander (Engineer):
Name: Marty Scriven
Position: Engineer
Former Rank: Lieutenant
Age: 43
Race: Human
Skills:
- Repair: 3
- Healing: 2
Experience: 1/210

Bialaska (Pilot):
Name: James T. Drake
Position: Pilot
Former Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Age: 35
Race: Human
Skills:
- Evade: 3
- Maneuver: 3
Experience: 22/280

GorganSlayer (Combatant):
Name: Richard Tamrath
Position: Combatant
Former Rank: Lieutenant
Age: 24
Race: Human
Skills:
- Accuracy: 2
- Interface: 2
- Melee: 1
Experience: 15/210

-- Credits: 2175

Reserves:

Dadarian

Brovahkiin
 
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SPACE.jpg


Char name: Marty Scriven
Former Rank: Lieutenant
Occupation: Engineer
Age: 43

I allocate points as followed:

Repair: 3
Healing: 2





Edit: Added more info and picture
 
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You guys will almost certainly want to discuss skills and the like before starting.
 
How many points we allocate? or is it that starting rank (equals points)?

Can we get more points through experience?
The number of distributable skill points is derived from rank, yes, and you do gain more points from experience.
 
vKjIO4C.png


Name: James Theodore Drake
Former Rank: Lietenant Commander
Occupation: Pilot
Age: 35


Stats:
Health: 7
Armor: 3
Rank: 6
Hand Weapons: d5/20 PU

Skills:
Evade: 3
Maneuver: 3
 
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Keyesss.png


Name: Andrew Ross
Former Rank: Captain
Occupation: Captain
Age: 45
 
Four_Marines-A2.jpg

Name: Richard Tamrath
Former Rank: lieutenant
Occupation: Combatant
Age: 24
 
You will cooperate with your crew, as this is a test game where the primary function is to test the current game mechanics that I have in place. If it goes really well, it might expand to become more.
 
I believe that our cargo may come in handy later. We should create more weapons with it instead of selling it.