Welcome to The Straite
Background:
This is an Advanced nation RP set in a fictional galaxy, the Straite.
While obviously not set in the same galaxy, it is set in the same universe as the Mass Effect series. The only point that will be borrowed from the actual ME plot is, you guessed it, the Reapers. A race of ship-sized sentient machines, who consume organic life in the galaxy every 50,000 years. Of course at the start of this RP your people won't know this.
The RP will have two halves, if all goes to plan. Look at the picture above, it will serve as our map. Look closer and you'll see the plot point around which the first half will pivot. The Straite is a two-armed, barred spiral galaxy. That is, two elongated and spread out lengths of star systems called arms, connected by a densely packed and seemingly impassable 'bulge' of stars.
Until now, the two arms remained unconnected, due to the intraversable bulge and dark space between them. Now however, the first and indeed only pair of 'Mass Relays' have been discovered in the Straite. They link the two arms directly across the core. The reason they are the only pair is that 'Eezo' isn't a fundamental material of the universe and only appears in certain galactic clusters. As such the Reapers constructed the Alpha and Prime relays, and transported them to the Straite millennia ago to allow easier navigation in future and to stimulate the growth of advanced races for harvesting.
Before the discovering of the Alpha and Prime relays, however, several civilisations in both arms had developed FTL. While somewhat different in function, all performed the same basic function, the production of gravitons, the high-concept, fifth bosons. By safely producing a gravity well around their ships, time and space were bent allowing instaneous travel. Albeit, this was only in a straight direction and thus much calibration is necessary before initializing a 'Space Shot'.
Now it is up to you as the player to assume the mantle of one these civilations on either the Alpha or Prime arms of The Straite as you intrepidely explore forth to the the other arm. Explore, wage war, sell your produce, build alliances and discover the fatal truth about your Galaxy's true purpose.
Basic Concepts:
•A trait system will be utilised.
•A by post production cycle will also be used.
•Production will be able to be spent in 3 Areas: Military, Economy and Science&Culture
•Traits may increase production in specific areas or all three; these will of course be relative and
dictated by me.
•All civilisations will have 3 Resources; Fleet, Money and Status.
•Each Resource corresponds to a Production option.
•As well as this all 3 Resources can be used/depleted and gained through IC actions.
•Alliances can increase or decrease Status, as can breaking them.
•The Fleet(s) are used for warfare and exploration and both of this actions will expend your fleets.*
•Money is used for the other productions. Every civilization will be given a starting cache and it is up to them to either trade to get, sell their produce or invest in exploration and/or conquering.
•The higher your status, the more your trade routes get you, the more likely others are to ally with you, and the quicker you will discover scientific advances.*
Military&Fleets:
Fleets
Dreadnought
Description: The largest vessels in any fleet, these behemoths are capable of unparralled volumes of destruction and serve as the capitol ships for any force. When a dreadnought is called into action, it is indicative of the magnitude if the conflict.
Size: Variable; 5000m-8000m
Operational Range:10Km-1000Km
Crew: 2000-10,000
Production Cost: 20 PPoints and 2400Cs
Deployment Time: 1 turn for Departure, 1 turn for 1 turn for Arrival. Action begins on 3rd turn
Battleship
Description: With firepower only dwarfed by the Dreadnought, deployment of Battleships is a serious move in combat. Battleships cannot deliver quite the punch of a Dreadnoughts but can deliver it faster.*
Size: 2000m-4000m
Operational Range: 10Km-400Km
Crew: 800-2000
Production Cost: 7Ppoints and 1150Cs
Deployment Time: Same as Dreadnought.
Crusier
Description: Crusiers are the proverbial 'knights' of space combat; powerful and heavily armoured, sacrificing maneuverablity for sheer firepower. They make up the bulk of heavy military operations and are only marginally being a Battleship.
Size: 800m-1500m
Operational Range: 3Km-600Km
Crew: 500-1200
Production Cost: 4Ppoints and 700 Cs
Deployment Time: 1 for Departure and 1 for Arrival, action begins on 3rd turn
Destroyer
Description: The largest of the small, the Destroyer is a craft usually with a specific purpose i.e. coordinating a group of frigates and corvettes or providing cover for Carrier-Class Dreadnougts.*
Size: 450m-700m
Crew: 200-500
Operational Range: 2Km-500km
Production Cost: 4 Ppoints and 450Cs
Deployment Time: If only smaller ships are present it has their deployment time, if any larger ships are present it has theirs i.e. adopts longest time.
Frigate
Description: Much quicker than a cruiser, and far mor agile, Frigates offer the intermediate stage between long and close range combat. Designed for quick skirmishes, frigates usually operate in 'packs' or as heavy support to larger vessels
Size:100m-300m
OperationalRange: 1Km-100Km
Crew: 100-300
Production Cost: 2Ppoints 280 Cs
Deployment Time: 1 for Departure and Arrival, action begins on 2nd turn
Corvette Unit
Description: Mostly used as reconnaissance and survey, corvettes are the 'scouts' of the modern naval force. Despite this primary role, corvettes are also outfitted for light combat scenarios.
Size: 20m-100m
Operational Range: 1Km-40Km
Crew: 30-80
Production Cost: 1Ppoints 175Cs
Deployment Time: For Military Action; Same as Frigate. For reconnaisannce or exploratory i.e. Science&Culture Action, 1 turn with action on 1st turn.
Fighters And Fast-Attack Craft Units
Description: The infantry of space combat, these small agile craft make up for what they lack in firepower with versatility and attritional tactics.
Size: 4m-20m
Operational Range: 100m-20Km
Crew: 1-10
Production Cost: 1 Ppoint and 100Cs
Deployment Time: Instant but require a Carrier-class Dreadnought to be in play.
Military And Fleet Actions:
Produce Fleet: See above for info
Deploy Fleet: See above
Send Expeditionary Force: Corvette Deployment Time along with 100 Cs cost. Sending a force has a 33% chance of finding rare mineral resources resulting in a random Cs reward. A 33% percent chance of finding a new world to colonize which awards 10C a turn and adds to influence and a 33% chance of encountering a hostile force e.g. pirates. Uses 5 Corvettes. Lose one to extract minerals. Lose two to found new colony and lose all five to combat.
Send Diplomatic Misson: Required by both sides to negotiate any form of allegiance of alliance. Costs 150 Cs each and only lasts for 2 posts for each side. If no agreement is reached after 2 posts from each the talks either break down or a further 100Cs must be invested each time talks are renewed. For the sake of realism try not to decide these negotiations in private of beforehand. Removes a Frigate from the Fleet and deems it an Emissary craft. Will not return to war service after.
Declare War: Necessary by one side if combat between players is desired. Costs 1 Ppoint at the beginning and 100 Cs for every page of posts that the war goes on for. Reduces Status by 50. Can cause loss of any number of ships
Truce: Acts as the Diplomatic mission action for one side while engaged in war. Can only be declared by aggressor unless war is mutual.
Forge War Agreement: Both sides must aide the other during wartime at their own expense. Costs 1Ppoint and 150Cs from both sides to form.
Wealth and Economy
Wealth
The currecny of the Straite, both Alpha and Prime arms, has been standardized as 'C'. This may stand for a number of things; cash, credits, coins, currency. Whatever the case, all agree it is highly desirable. Without Cs even the mightest civilization will collapse. Cs are used to purchase everything in the Straite and a solvent flow is required to keep your civilization alive.
All civilizations will start with 1000Cs
Economy Actions:
Open Trade Route: This declares you wish to open a trade route of mutual benefit. If only one other player chooses this on a given turn, unless at war with each other or if the either player has negative status, then a route will automatically be opened between these two. If multiple instances occure players may choose who to open a route with. If nobody else chooses this option on a turn, then you will be 'pending' and the route will be pushed to the 2nd subsequent turn. Costs 1Ppoint and either 1 Frigate or 10 Corvettes and rewards a base of 40Cs every turn to both players. Limited to 1 per pair. I.e. you can only have one route open with each other civ. If there are 6 other players you can have a max of 6 open routes.
Private Trade Route: Can only be opened by players in 'economic pacts' or full alliances. Offers 80Cs every turn but with an intial cost of 1Ppoint, 2 Frigates and 600Cs. Limited to four per player regardless of number of players in the Economic Pact.
Capitilist Venture: Costs 1Ppoint and any sum the player wishes. 50% chance of earning a multiple between 1-3 times the amount invested and 50% chance of loosing half the investment.
Centralisation: Costs 1Ppoint and reduces Status by 10 but rewards 120 Cs.
Form 'Economic Pact': Initialized by 2 players but more may request to join. Allows private trade routes but requires all members to assist any other member who goes bankrupt. Costs 1Ppoint each and 250 Cs to be divided however participants see fit.
Science&Culture And Status
Status
So several times you've heard of this thing called 'Status'. What is it i hear you ask? Well it's what it says on the tin; what other civilizations think of yours. Now, oh great and wise Darkmatter, why should I care? Well, as well as representing other peoples' sentiment towards you, it also has a very valuable game usage. At 100 Status your civilization will get an extra Trait!*
So how do you accrue this status? Through investing in Science&Culture of course. Be warned, you can lose Status too. Some of the ways you can have been listed above but there are other ways too, but more on that later.
Science&Culture Actions:
Scientific Advancement: Discovering a new wonder is a great way to raise status, but is costly; 1 Ppoint and 200 Cs rewards +10 Status.
Recyling: Waste not want not. Especially when you're wasting a million ton starship. Destroy any ship in your fleet and receive 70% of its production cost in Cs
Cultural Idol: The Hollywood factor. Having a galaxy-wide name in your civilization boosts your status but these people are high maintenance; 1 Ppoint initial cost and 250 cs every turn per Idol. Each Idol rewards 1 Status per turn. Limited to 4.
Mass Media Hype: Careful use and deployment of advertising and marketing can dramatically increase awareness of a product, and its seller. Increases status by 2 at a cost of 100 Cs or 1Ppoint
Alliance: Can only be formed by players with Status +/- 25 of each other. Costs both 1Ppoint and 200 Cs. Only forged during a Diplomatic mission. Both playes Status are added together, halved and then a one tenth of that result is added to each players Status. Automatically activates, Economic Pact and War Agreement as outlined above.
Investing in science will often have unforeseen benefits, again more on that later.
Production Points
Called Ppoints . They should be pretty self-explanatory at this stage. Each player is awarded 3 at the start of every turn. Ppoints are not cumalative, meaning you can only ever have a max of three thus, large-scale development will be multi-turn ventures. You've already seen this in fleet construction but there are others, more on this later.
Traits:
These are the defining characteristics of your nation. Each player may choose 3 and they fall under, you guessed it, 3 categories.
Military And Fleet Traits
Brutality: When the means justify the end, the means are often, unpleasant. The player starts with a -10 Status but gains an extra 5 Status after every succesfull conflict by instilling fear into the enemy
Pacifism: "There are many causes worth dying for. There is not a single cause worth killing for."
Start the game with 10 Status but you cannot declare war.
Industrious: Once every 5 turns a Destroyer may be built with no Ppoint cost.
Attritional Warfare Speialists:
"The bigger they are, the more men we're going to need." Start the game with an additional 2000 Fast Attack Craft.
Tactful Diplomats: "He who has learned to disagree without being disagreeable has learned the most valuable secret of a diplomat." You do not need to construct Diplomatic Ships, they are provided for free.
Colonial: Colonized planets, both from war and exploration provide and extra 10 Cs per turn.
Disciplined: Your forces will never retreat and inflict extra damage during the ending phases of combat. (This is accounted for in combat calculations.)
Guerillas:
"Guerillas never win wars, but their adversaries often lose them." Lose 5 Status if you ever declare war, but always receive a 'Sabotage' combat bonus.
Economy and Wealth Traits
Fat Man: When using open trade routes you receive extra Cs at the expense of your trade partner.
Expert Sales Tactics: Once every 5 turns you can force a private trade route on any other player regardless of their position to you, at a 1Ppoint cost.
Information Trader: Have a chance to gather intel on another player when trading with them. This will provide valuable to sell for profit or use in an ensuing war.
Deal Broker: Everytime a trade route is opened and you're not involved you have 20% of making an instant 50 Cs profit
Laissez Faire: Sometimes, the best thing to do is nothing at all. Cannot use 'Centralisation' but 'Capitalist Venture' profit margin increases from 1-3 to 2-3.5
Socialist State Equality for all; in theory. Cannot use 'Capitalist Venture' but 'Centralisation' awards 150 Cs instead of 120Cs
Protectionism Cannot partake in Open Trade Routes but is allowed an extra Private Trade Route.
Distributism: "As many of the people as possible to become owners." Cannot partake in Private Trade Routes but Open trade routes give you a Status increase between 1 and 3 when they are established.
Science&Culture Traits
Advanced Research: The harder you look for something, the more likely you are to find it. A 5% increased chance of discovering 'A Great Advancement' when investing in scientific advancement.
Eureka!: Discovery is often a profitable venture. Any Great Advancement can be exchanged for 500Cs or -an extra 15 Status instead of the asscociated bonus.
Geneticists: Perfection is simply a matter of mathematics. You're people are among the happiest in the Straite. Any action that would reduce status now reduces 40% less.
Trans-Organics: Having escaped or some-what escaped their biological shackles, your people are now resilient against threats which would prove fatalistic to Organics. (I shouldn't say this because it's a giveaway but it precludes you from certain damages if a random even were to inflict them)
Entertainment Capital: Any other player can send you 100Cs to increase their own Status by 2
Self-Promotion: Every turn carries a 10% chance of giving you an extra 2 Status
Pinnacle: Reaching your apex is a monumental achievement, just don't let it lead to stagnation. Start the game with 40 Status but every gain in Status gas a 40% chance of not occurring.
Commercialism: Profit is to be made everywhere; even in people. Idols cost 500 Cs but provide 2 Status instead of 1.
Game Rules, Hidden Variables and Algorithms:
'Hey Darkmatter? Why did you keep saying you'll talk about things later? And I've noticed some elements missing?'
Easy up friend all is about to be revealed; sort of. You see, one of the things I don't like about many nation RPs is the sheer amount of stats. This one has its fair share but they all revolve around the 3 resources; Fleet, Wealth and Status.
I've taken the liberty of disguising some of the harder and denser maths involved. Numerous algorithms, calculations and stats, while known to me, are hidden from the players. I did this to make the game feel organic, and less like you're reading numbers and more like you're imagining the roleplay.
You mentioned other ways to gain Status?
As well as the methods mentioned above there are 3 additonal ways to gain Status and 3 additional ways to lose it. I'm not telling you what these are but the discerning player will figure them out soon enough? Don't like this hidden factors? That's life; take a risk and forge your civilation's path to glory.
What are these 'Great Advancements'?
Everytime a player invests in the Science&Culture Action, Scientific Advancement, there is a 10% chance they will unearth a 'Great Advancement'. These vary from improvements to ships, thus increasing their combat value to a new medical treatment sellabe to every other civilization. These can be game-changing.
Anything Else?
Yes, actually. Multiple choice random events and scripted story events will happen from time to time. How players react to these will have a massive impact on their success.
How Does Combat Work?
Good question. It can be a little complex. You as a player will never have to work anything out. Each ship you start with and each ship you subsequently commision will have a value. Obviously the larger the ship the higher its value. The values are the same for all ships of a given class. When a battle breaks out each ships number will be accounted for. However, where, when and how you strike or defend in the opening post of the combat will also factor into the ratio calculation to decide who wins; these are called Tactical Bonuses After each player has posted their opening movements and/strategy or as soon as somebody engages I will calculate the winner. Then both or more players will post their side of the outcome. If you lose, you lose. Don't bitch or moan just accept it. You lost because you were outgunned, out strategized, out maneuvoured, or any combination. Take it like a man. I'm not deciding; maths is.
There are seven levels of victory; Draw, Marginal, Narrow, Decent, Good, Clear and Dominating.
When war is declared, three Key Strategic Locations will appear on the map around a nation's sphere of influence. The aggressor may only attack the home system, and thus destroy, another civilization if all three are captured. The defender must only defend these three until a) the aggressor falls backs/surrenders or b) 12 turns have passed since the declaration of war, resulting in an automatic retreat by the aggressor. If unsucceful, the aggressor must declare war again, and three more Key Strategic Locations will need to be captured. The defender, may also declare war on their aggressor. In this case both(or more) nations will recieve KSL's. The turn limit is also removed in this case of all out war.
In the event of wiping out another nation, a player will recive 33% of their status and 50% of their Zone of Influence.
NOTE: A new combat system was in the works and here it is.
Combat System
Keep in mind it's still a WIP like this whole thing.
It must be file hosted because of the inclusion of tables.
You mentioned other ways to gain Status?
As well as the methods mentioned above there are 3 additonal ways to gain Status and 3 additional ways to lose it. I'm not telling you what these are but the discerning player will figure them out soon enough? Don't like this hidden factors? That's life; take a risk and forge your civilation's path to glory.
What are these 'Great Advancements'?
Everytime a player invests in the Science&Culture Action, Scientific Advancement, there is a 10% chance they will unearth a 'Great Advancement'. These vary from improvements to ships, thus increasing their combat value to a new medical treatment sellabe to every other civilization. These can be game-changing.
Anything Else?
Yes, actually. Multiple choice random events and scripted story events will happen from time to time. How players react to these will have a massive impact on their success.
Staring Resources For All:
Cs : 1000
Ppoints: 3
Dreadnoughts: 1
Battleships: 6
Crusiers: 12
Destroyers: 25
Frigates: 45
Corvettes Units: 50
Fighters/Fast Attack Craft Units: 200
War Agreements: NONE
Economic Pacts: NONE
Alliances: NONE
Great Advancements: NONE
Cultural Idols: NONE
War Heroes: NONE
Status: 0
Colonies:0
Information: NONE
This Looks Awesome. I Think I Want To Join.
It's easy just fill out this Nation CS. Feel free to add more fields. The more info the better.
Specie's Name:
Specie's Description:
Specie's History:
Specie's: Mentality
Civilization's History:*
Civilization's Description:
Military Information:
Economic Information:
Science&Culture Information:
Traits:
This is just a guide. Do it however you like
Much more info may come at anytime.
Originally Posted by Arxia
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