Okay, so this is a pretty big WIP, I'm still trying to figure out a lot of stuff... But basically. I have Space Roaches that focus on industry and trade. There's a lot I need to figure out, but before I go ahead and further develop the idea, I want to run it by the rest of you and see if you guys have any input. There's not much to go on understandably, but I also want to guage if something like this is okay. And, if it helps, they're not a hivemind, they're sort of a corporate game of thrones kind of deal.
The Lokoid Hierarchy
The Hierarchy, The Lokoid, The Roaches (Derogatory)
General Information
Non-combatant-Neutral
Overview
The Lokoids are opportunistic, business-driven insectoids that focus on meritocracy, industry, and open trade. They are a major source for cheap but reliable hardware, ship components, and ready-made ships. This is driven by a desire to be relevant to the galaxy at large. The hierarchy was the result of hundreds of years of in-fighting and civil unrest where in a dominant civilization emerged uniting their planet under the strict dictatorship of the militarily superior Hierarchy. This civilization valued individual merit, enforced concepts like survival of the fittest and natural selection, and placed emphasis on economic industry, sustainable agriculture, and scientific advancement. This is why hundreds of years later, the Lokoid Hierarchy are one of the biggest suppliers of weapons, ships, mechanical and electronic components, food, and raw material.
History
When interstellar travel was achieved, the Lokoid Hierarchy viewed this as an opportunity to expand their reach into the vast emptiness of space. Over a period of fifty years, the Lokoid race was able to expand to a respectable size for a relatively young species (WIP)
Major Holdings
Saytak The homeworld of the Lokoid race. A planet ruined by industry and mining. Saytak is one of the shipbuilding worlds of the Lokoid. It is polluted to the point of non-habitation by the Lokoid. However, the large orbital ship construction yards allows it to stay relevant not just historically, but economically.
Takar Saytak’s moon, the primary habitation and agricultural center of the Saytak system. It allows the Lokoid to nest properly and feed a large workforce nearby on the Saytak orbital ship construction yards.
Sikwol The first interstellar colony and another industry focused planet. Sikwol is a special industry planet for its role in manufacturing prototype technology for use in the field.
Sikwol system asteroid field This asteroid field is mineral heavy, thus, a large quantity of raw materials is drawn from this asteroid field. It surrounds the Sikwol system and is often the site of field tests for prototype ship weaponry, sensors arrays, and shielding just to name a few.
Natok System A system seeded during the early years of interstellar colonization. Four of the system’s planets are food producing worlds that help sustain the Hierarchy’s large population. Two of the system’s worlds are heavily industrialized. This system is responsible for canning, preserving, and shipping food all over Hierarchy territory and, of course, for trade.
Demographics
Population
Society
From birth, the hierarchy is instated. Lokoid young hatch from eggs within an egg sack as larvae. The liquids in the sack are consumed, filled with vital nutrients and antibiotics. The weak are eaten and the strong continue to develop. Once the survivors break out of the egg sack, they are taken as nymphs to be educated. Primary education begins, but nothing could prepare the young Lokoids for their second trial. The nymphs, nearing their adolescence, are thrown into the wilderness to survive. Cannibalism is encouraged if it means survival. They are given the lesson, eat or be eaten, survival of the fittest as they once did when they were larvae. But it was also natural selection as those who fail to adapt die off. The survivors at the end of the month are taken and given secondary education. Their secondary education focuses on general education of different subjects. Four years later, they are evaluated and if their scores drop below a quota they are euthanized, prepared as food, and is rationed to the rest of the now grown brood.
Usually, the survival rate for Lokoids in their childhood are less than half. Their massive amounts of eggs per-person however necessitate this way of population control. The survivors are then given a caste position and specialization training. It is possible to move up in society through individual meritocracy. The weak and the stupid are recycled and eaten. This is vestigial behaviour from a more primitive time. (WIP)
Economy
This could go under society if you like. Mostly just make it clear up front if you’re an industrial powerhouse, a nation of refined master artisans, etc. Also things people might want to know for trading purposes.
Government
My favourite part <3. Probably the most important of the demographics sections. Who runs the place, how do they run it. Since you will presumably be RPing people in your government, this is pretty critical.
Technological Information
Major Techs
Mostly interested in military techs, here: FTL, weapons, shields, armor, power, engines, etc. Civilian techs are also here, and sometimes just as important.
Military Information
Military Overview
Describe general doctrine, history, whatever floats your space boats.
Fleet/Navy
Your space boats. Include pics or don’t, I’m not your supervisor. You’ll probably want to have one or two of most of the classes, but it doesn’t really matter too much. I’m also including some flavour options here that you might want to consider. In short, the history of the galaxy has divied up ship designs into three waves: Great War (ships built before and during the Great War), Detente (ships built during the Detente, some wonky designs in the larger classes due to treaty limitations), and Modern (ships built in the year since the message)
DO NOT put your hyperdread here, it gets its own section.
Dreadnoughts: Only a few were built before the end of the Great War, the destructive potential of these vessels was a major contributor to ending the conflict. Those old ones are pretty obsolete, and any new ones are only just coming into service (mostly in secret) due to the Treaty of Detente banning their construction.
Battleships: The grand old ladies that did all the fighting of the Great War. The Treaty of Detente imposed limitations on their sizes and destructive potential, so if you want to get intricate there’s 3 waves of battleships: Great War, Detente, and Modern. Great War is self explanatory, old sluggers and antiques. Detente battleships were awkward creations involving all kinds of elaborate ways to get around the Treaty without actually violating it. Lots of glass cannon designs here, or iron fortresses that couldn’t scratch eachother’s paint, or half baked experimental weapon systems, or novel propulsion methods that only work if nobody on board sneezes. Modern battleships are just coming into service, and are quite deadly.
Battlecruisers: The treaty of Detent also limited battlecruisers, in an effort to avoid just slightly reducing the size of ship involved in any potential arms race. Similar design iterations to Battleships; Great War, Detente, and Modern. Detente battlecruisers were often cripplingly overspecialized: dedicated point defence ships, artillery vessels, mass shielding vessels, etc. Battlecruiser designs from the Detente period were often put together as a way to shore up the weaknesses of their contemporaneous Battleship partners.
Cruisers: Nothing special here.
Destroyers: Still nothing special.
Frigates: Nope.
Corvettes: Corvettes can be thought of in several iterations just kidding I don’t care what you do with these things. Unless you try to just upscale what I’m trying to avoid with strike craft.
Strike craft: K I’m actually gonna sort of limit these things, or rather, the things that carry them around. Strike craft have long been an important part of space combat, so most nations have them and defences against them. Historically, they’ve been used as close in support; no one’s yet figured out how to strap useful FTL drives on the things. All this means that long range strikes aren’t practical. What I’m trying to get at is Carrier’s aren’t really a thing, or at least dedicated carriers aren’t. Plenty of room for Battlestar type things (fighty-boats with a solid complement of strike craft), but no dropping off a carrier squadron on one side of the system then expecting your strikecraft to win the fight on the other side.
A notable exception is your Hyperdread. Do whatever you want with your super special awesome boat.
Army/Planetary forces
Outline some doctrine, highlight some major units. I’m not great at doing ground forces so not much guidance here.
So it's cool that Humans didn't have natural Psychics/Psionics until the Society did their whole shindig and more or less seeded the species with them?
Best to go with didn't have natural "discovered" ones of any notability, because who knows? :D, apart from that yeah.
General Information The Infestation is a scar on the universe. It seeks to infest all and to steal all creatures will. The Infestation is an incurable virus at the moment. A cure is possible, but it will take massive amounts of research, skill, intelligence, technology and resources. The Infestation hates all that is not blighted by the virus and seeks nothing but to spread their plague. The Infestation is small now, and are thought of as rumors or myths. But soon, they will come out of the dark places of space to make their mark in history.
History When the virus developed, it was trapped inside an air pocket deep inside a cave-world known as Cyrus IV, in the perfect living conditions to survive. A mining colony was situated nearby. The colony mined into the air pocket and the virus infested the mining crew. From one person to an entire colony in mere weeks. With no response from other colonies because of a short blackout, the infestation took the advantage and took over the colony. Here, after many days, the Hive-Mind was created. It was built by the infested to keep The Infestation under control. It spread its grasp with other creatures to keep its will and steal the will of the other creatures it now has under its grasp.
Major Holdings Cyrus IV: Infested Mining colony. 116XE1: Infested Asteroid Colony.
Demographics Infested: 90% Other Races: 10%
Population Infested: The Infested Make up the majority of the population. They are the backbone of the Infestation and keep prisoners and slaves. Other Races: The Infested keep other races as slaves or prisoners. This population is any race they attack. The Infestation use these people as pretend escapees, making them carriers of the virus to spread elsewhere.
Society The Infestation lets some of their prisoners walk the hives and bases. They selectively choose who to infest and who not to infest. The prisoners are placed in bad living conditions, but do not get infested. At least, not right away. The Infested on the other-hand, don't seem to live any kind of lifestyle. They patrol mindlessly, attack anything that is not supposed to be in the hive and attack if they are ordered to by the Hive-Mind. They don't care how they live. They only care about infesting, attacking and eating.
Economy The Infested have no use for many resources besides food. They may pretend like they need or use resources to look more diplomatic, but they stay hidden and refuse to use face-to-face communication in any way.
Government The Infestation is run by the Hive-Mind. It is on the top of its rule and has smaller (nodes) to extend its rule. Queens, Hive lords and Swarm Leaders act as these nodes of power and keep The Infestation under control and balanced.
Technological Information The Infestation cannot create advanced tech and need to steal it from others. However, they have created biological tech that only they can use, and is useless to others.
Major Techs
Bio-FTL: A biological FTL that has a psionic ability to rip a hole in space to travel short distances around 9000-100000 km in space. Hive ships are the only ships that can use these and the ships have more than one. The travel effects stack for each Bio-FTL that is there and stacks again, for each other ship inside the shuttle dock of the ship. Infested ships do not use Bio-FTL's. They use their normal FTL's. Hive Strike Craft: 2 Bio-FTL's Hive Corvette: 6 Bio-FTL's Hive Frigate: 27 Bio-FTL's Hive Destroyer: 61 Bio-FTL's Hive Cruiser: 87 Bio-FTL's Hive Battle Cruiser: 172 Bio-FTL's Hive Battleship: 281 Bio-FTL's Hive Dreadnought: 617 Bio-FTL's Hive Capital Ship: 2714 Bio-FTL's
Bio-Cannon: A biological cannon that spits a flurry of small flesh balls that have sharp bone spikes. The Bio-Cannon shoots with psi buffed muscular tissue.
Heavy Bio-Cannon: A heavy biological cannon that spits a large flesh ball that has large poisoned bone spikes. The Heavy Bio-Cannon shoots with highly developed psi buffed muscular tissue.
Flesh Ripper: A tentacle that has a blade like bone at its tip, allowing it to slash at other things from a short distance.
Bio-Spore: A spore-shaped cannon that can shoot at massive force. It fires flesh ball projectiles that grow 2-7 flesh rippers on the surface they hit. (this includes other creatures).
Military Information The entire population of the Infested (other than the prisoners) are military. They each have random mutations to help them adapt.
Military Overview
Fleet/Navy
Civilian Ships Infested Civilian Ship: Another races Civilian ship. Once used for mining, hulling or transportation, is now used for The Infestations military. Infested Civilian Ships are unarmed and the infestation on these ships is only found inside the cockpit of the shuttle. These ships are used for infiltrating other races bases, colonies or space-stations. These ships transport a single Hive Prisoner that is a contaminated carrier of the virus. ___________________ Dreadnoughts
Hive Dreadnought: A Hive Dreadnought is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is massive in size, approximately 2 km long, 5281 m wide and 1782 m tall. It is armed with 59 bio-cannons, 802 flesh rippers and 172 bio-spores.
Infested Dreadnought: It is another races Dreadnought. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is clearly visible and anyone who tries to talk to it through the com will get a response of screeching, roars and other animal-like noises. __________________ Battleships
Hive Battleship: A Hive Battleship is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is large in size, approximately 1 km long, 4717 m wide and 1272 m tall. It is armed with 28 bio-cannons, 10 heavy bio-cannons, 620 flesh rippers and 50 bio-spores.
Infested Battleship: It is another races battleship. It is infested and now belongs to the Infestation. Infestation on these ships is clearly visible. The Com is normally broken and will not work. ______________________ Battlecruisers
Hive Battlecruiser: A Hive Battlecruiser is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is large in size, approximately 9716 m long, 4281 m wide and 1183 m tall. It is armed with 10 bio-cannons, 4 heavy bio-cannons, 582 flesh rippers and 22 bio-spores.
Infested Battlecruiser: It is another races battlecruiser. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is clearly visible. The com is normally broken and will not work. _______________ Cruisers
Hive Cruiser: A Hive Cruiser is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is medium in size, approximately 8932 m long, 3721 m wide and 971 m tall. It is armed with 5 bio-cannons, 373 flesh rippers and 17 bio-spores.
Infested Cruiser: It is another races Cruiser. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is clearly visible. The com is normally broken and will not work. _________________ Destroyers
Hive Destroyer: A Hive Destroyer is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is medium in size, approximately 5931 m long, 2721 m wide and 791 m tall. It is armed with 518 flesh rippers and 51 bio-spores.
Infested Destroyer: It is another races Destroyer. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is clearly visible. The com is normally broken and will not work. _______________ Frigates
Hive Frigate: A Hive Frigate is a floating mass of flesh and tentacles. It is small in size, approximately 1283 m long, 728 m wide and 282 m tall. It is armed with 4 bio-cannons, 52 flesh rippers and 5 bio-spores.
Infested Frigate: It is another races Frigate. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is not always visible. The com is normally broken and will not work. ________________ Corvettes
Hive Corvette: A Hive Corvette is a small flying mass of flesh and tentacles. It is tiny in size, approximately 16 m long, 5 m wide and 6 m tall. It is armed with 2 bio-cannons and 1 flesh ripper.
Infested Corvette: It is another races Corvette. It is infested and now belongs to The Infestation. Infestation on these ships is not always visible. The com is normally broken and will not work. ___________________ Strike Craft
Hive Strike Craft: A Hive Strike Craft is a small flying mass of flesh and tentacles. It is tiny in size, approximately 6 m long, 3 m wide and 3 m tall. It is armed with 1 bio-cannon. ____________________________ Army/Planetary forces
Infested Civilian: A infested civilian. They are the main part of The Infestations army. They use any equipment that they used before they got infested.
Infested Soldier: A infested soldier. There aren't a lot of them but there is still a bit. They use any equipment that they used before they got infested and retain some of their knowledge they had to use their weapons.
Infested vehicle: A infested vehicle. Again, only small amounts of them. They are like the vehicles they once were, but infested. They are made of metal and have infested flesh here and there. Their weapons have a 37% chance of being operational after the infestation prossess.
Queen: The Queen of a hive or base. They stay inside their hive and only leave if necessary. They may act weak and helpless at first, but they are actually skilled fighters. They are intelligent and deadly. However, if the Queen does somehow die, the infested that she was controlling become rogue and start to kill everything, including each-other.
Hive Lord: Hive Lords act as royal guards in a way. They are brute-like and not so brutish. They protect the hive entrance and the queens chamber. When not guarding, they are ruthless commanders and excellent elite attack troops.
Swarm Leader: Swarm Leaders command The Infestations armies. The Swarm Leaders are well protected and help the army use tactics, though they still don't listen well and attack mindlessly, the commanders are major helpers in the battles that they are involved in. _________________ Hyperdread
Hive Capital Ship: The Hive Capital Ship is a colossal mass of flesh, tentacles and bone. It is 15 km long, 5 km wide and 2 km tall. It has 500 heavy Bio-Cannons, 2893 Bio-Cannons, 8193 flesh rippers and 2814 Bio-Spores. The Hive Capital Ship can spawn 7124 Hive Strike Craft, 612 Hive Corvettes and 16 Hive Frigates every 5 days. The Hive-Mind is located inside this colossal ship, along with 6 Queens. The Hive Capital Ship only enters combat in war and keeps itself hidden beneath the surface of The Infestations home-world: Cyrus IV.
Infested Hyperdread: Another races Hyperdread. It is now The Infestations, and re-armed with new bio-weapons based on its size. It takes several months to fully infest one and must have 2 or more Queens inside to begin infestation. The Infestation can be stopped if the queens inside are killed and the infestation is burned out before time is up. If it is already infested, it will not work unless the other race possesses the cure to The Infestation.
We're not dogpiling. We're not upset. At its heart, this is a grand story that is going to be told by all of us together. We're just trying to make sure that everyone gets a place in the story, that none of this turns into a case of people yelling "NO! YOU'RE DEAD!" in the comments like four-year-olds. We'll all have strengths. We'll all have weaknesses. But we'll all have a story to tell.
Admittedly, it may be more helpful for people to say "No, but what about if you tried-" instead of just "No. OP."
@Nate1008 This won't be particularly pleasant but I want you to really read it carefully. I've written an all-consuming hivemind race before and I am trying to help you out, even if it may not feel like it. Your sheet, in its current form, is almost certainly not going to pass GM certification.
All-consuming hiveminds tend to be difficult races to play. I personally recommend them as a second race only to be used as a primary antagonist (this generally requires special GM permission). Otherwise, you're cutting yourself off from diplomacy and making yourself a common enemy. It walks a fine line between being too weak and being promptly annihilated by a coalition of other players, and being blatantly overpowered making the game unfun for everyone. That said, this fine line that can be walked and I can attempt to help with this.
Nuke these numbers into oblivion. These are absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of a galaxy-spanning NRP. Numbers that do not reflect the true scale of space are going to be a theme of the sheet here. You list population as "718" when a relatively moderately sized nation like my own has population in the hundreds of billions. That's the kind of scale you deal with in grand interstellar space opera. As an aside, population is also a bit of a fluid concept if you have living ships and/or take up the ability to bio-engineer life forms.
Generally speaking, less is more with numbers. The number of main battery turrets on warships I consider important. Exact numbers of ships may matter for large classes like dreadnoughts, but cruisers and sub-capital classes should just be left ambiguous. Having played games with excessive stats tracking, never be in a rush to keep track of statistics you don't have to. Its a large amount of work that, in this case, offers no real reward.
Infection The entire idea of using other people's assets that you've infected is not going over well. It's widely viewed as lazy. You're not going to make any friends going around stealing ships & population, and I don't just mean within the game. It incurrs ire out of game too. In the past you've implied that your faction posesses the ability to secretly infect high-level individuals within governmental structure and bring down whole nations through a little sabotage. Suffice to say, that didn't go over well. If you wish to retain the ability to infect beings, I would strongly advise keeping it limited. As a general rule, there should never be any doubt to anyone (both infected person and other members of their race) about whether someone is infected.
When I wrote my all-consuming hivemind, I opted for a more Tyranid (from Warhammer 40K) route by which they capture living creatures and consume them for raw biomass. This raw biomass is then used to artificially construct new life forms following genetic blueprints engineered from the best traits of species they've come across in the past. I also incorporated the development and usage of advanced cybernetic technology here, however that remains optional. It is worth noting that the idea of consuming or converting a person's own population into more of you is arguably more nightmare-inducing and is therefore very much in line with the OOC goals of playing this archetype of faction.
Consistency You have a number of places where you contradict yourself, both in some of your responses to inquiries and within your sheet. At the outset you state the infestation is interested in infecting all, but a couple sections later you claim it leaves some be to be prisoners and slaves (which seems inefficient when it could infect them and integrate them into the collective consciousness for easier control). Consistency is vital in sci-fi writing. I proof my work for consistency as much, if not moreso, than I proof it for grammar. I would therefore ditch the idea of slaves. Prisoners is worth keeping, as a way to store still-living beings you've captured prior to processing them in whatever way you choose to. Choosing to process live individuals rather than recently slain corpses requires more care on your part during invasions to minimize casualties for maximum return, but can also add significantly to the terror factor.
FTL The rest of the techs will be covered elsewhere because this deserves a section all its own. Recall what I said about numbers earlier. That goes triple for FTL techs. Based on the values you list, it would take about 25 maximum-range jumps for your hyperdread to leave the solar system. I didn't even bother to calculate how many you would need to reach another star system. Throw said numbers in the incenerator, now. If you feel compelled to have numbers here, I recommend listing speed as a multiple of c (the speed of light). This value typically ends up being a 4 or 5 digit figure for the kinds of travel times generally considered normal in sci-fi NRPs.
Bio-Techs Most people are employing high power energy weapons or some form of railgun-type projectile weapon ... plus missiles I assume. The muzzle velocity achievable by muscle-based projectile launchers is basically nonexistent comparatively. One thing I would consider is to do away with the idea of muscles and consider biochemical. A glob of highly volatile goup is loaded behind the projectile and then ignited, effectively creating a biologic ballistic weapon. You also may have to adopt some technological elements here (perhaps the hivemind is intelligent enough to direct workers in the use of cybernetics) in order to have viable navy forces.
Most of your bioweapons appear to be banking on closing the gap. That's not a reasonable expectation when fighting people with railguns and guided missiles. You will never get within 5 kilometers of most people's warships without getting absolutely pulverized. Some technological adoption is again a good solution here. It gives you some nice potent firepower that can actually be effective at long range. Another idea is to have creatures engineered solely to be self-propelled guided missiles. My advice is to make sure you can win the engagement first, and then close in to rip the ship to pieces and harvest the biomass of the crew after.
As a sidenote, bio-electrical tech can be potentially very interesting. Its short range compared to most other people's stuff but putting some kind of biologic lightning rod on corvettes and swarming enemies would be incredibly dangerous, and cool.
Warships I said it earlier but it bears repeating. Don't just go infesting other people's stuff. Creating your own stuff in this version of the sheet is a step in the right direction. My personal favorite direction to go with making spaceships for bio-tech races is to have a technological skeleton that includes the basis of some weapons tech (often plasma cannons), power generation, main drive engines, and potentially an FTL system (depending on if I'm going with technological or biological FTL). The remainder of the ship including armor and any actuation, is essentially grown around it, forming hardened keratinous armor and vicious electrified tentacles, and packed to the brim with dangerous life forms within.
Trying to conform to traditional navy archetypes is a waste of time. All-consuming hivemind races work better when they don't and the entire goal is to subvert tradition anyway. Swarming your enemy with smaller "lesser" ships can be extremely effective, especially considering that most warships are built to duel with other capital ships at extreme range. A ton of small agile things up close can be lethal. I feel like your tripping yourself up trying to conform to standard naval classifications. Get creative with this. One idea I enjoy using is a massive capital ship landing craft that crashes into a planet, impaling the ground and unfolding as a massive spire, that then serves as airbase, garrison, and factory to convert collected biomass into more life forms.
The size of your destroyer is, for the record, almost triple the size of an Alduuri battlecruiser. Considering its current lack of long-range armament, you may want to reconsider that. A general suggestion would be to try and keep warships under 5000-6000 meters, not including your hyperdread. I actually suggest setting a finite length for your dreadnoughts, and then letting people assume the size of everything else based on the logical size progression downward.
You can make this work, but its going to require a fair amount of time and thinking. Developing a race that walks such a knife edge is not an easy task and if this is your first sci-fi nation game, you bit off a hell of a lot. It took me months and several iterations to really get the Harvesters (a bio-technological hivemind from the original sci-fi universe Stardust) into a good place in terms of narrative and balance. People have been harsh, yes, but plenty of us are willing to work with you to get this into a good place. That may come with a lot of critical responses that are less than comfortable, but if you need assistance, you have some good resources here. But you have to be open minded, flexible, and willing to put in the work. Without that, we can't help you.
@Nate1008 Going off of what @Aleranicus has said, here is a list of "have you tried" and similar things that might help you:
What do you plan on doing in the RP that will not only make it fun for everyone else but also for you? As it stands currently, people will not really want to interact with what is obviously a very hostile and treacherous hivemind meaning you will end up posting about yourself for a while as everyone is interacting with each other.
I believe you are trying to take inspiration from the likes of the Flood, the Tyranids and the Zerg but have you considered the option of not requiring to take all of them to create a "super parasite"? I know the word OP has been thrown around a lot, but that is honestly what it seems like you are trying to do, make an unbeatable creation that cannot be stopped and cannot be destroyed. Have you considered that the other players would not consider this nearly as amusing or interesting as you?
Have you considered any deeper history for your species? As it stands right now, it would seem that the government was astronomically inept at preventing what was basically a zombie outbreak to the point it has taken over a colony and a moon. No stable government would ever let this just slide but that also means you could have had a weak or ineffective government ignore or not dedicate enough resources to fixing the issue. In my own sheet, the Haradoni would have had enough resources to put down an outbreak of the Syndorian Virus but because they were terribly loosing a war, they decided to let it loose on themselves.
From personal experience, I would recommend against using precise numbers. As it stands on your NS right now they are only taking up space and not really giving any meaningful information. Same with the lists, they are just taking up space and could at least be put in hiders. On the topic of numbers, 718 people is a pitifully small force to the point that it is likely impossible to do any meaningful actions; I'm fairly certain the high school I went to had around 700 people.
I would suggest removing the infested naval vessels and coming up with some more of your own with pictures. To a lot of poeple just saying you "take over other player's stuff" is both lazy and bad writing. In addition your navy's weapons do not seem to be intimidating or even practical at all. I understand that you're trying to use the Tyranid hiveships as a basis, but your writing does not make it seem impressive. How about firing boney spikes and fleshy mass, you use bioplasma, rapid fire spore cannons that fire a super dense bone-like spike that mimics conventional kinetic munitions or even living creatures who can latch on to ships (if not stopped by shields) and start to dig into them.
Also the fact that you can take over another player's hyperdread is really off putting. Even if you don't plan on doing it, the fact that you list is as part of your active navy and allude to it as a possibility means that there's always a chance. A chance many don't want to take.
For what reason do you have slaves/non infected populations for? I know that you've mentioned somewhere that you turn some of them into sleeper agents with the virus in them, but you are relying on the fact that said agents won't simply say where they are coming from and authorities simply knowing that they're from infected space. You're also overlooking the fact that some people would be more than willing to just shoot down suspected infected craft. Instead, what if your hivemind was smart enough to start basically farming humans/other sentient beings for hosts and biomass. In addition, what was your original host species? There is more than just humans in this galaxy.
There is more but this is what I could quickly think of off the top of my head. Another word of advice, don't be upset if you have to change your NS a lot. Ask any veteran NRPer and they will tell you that they change their NS many times if not dozens of times. Hell, I know a decent number of NSs that their creators never consider "finish" and continuously work on it up until the RP itself ends up dying out.
I have read your replies and i have come to the decision of not creating any type of Hive Mind or infestation. Instead, I will be creating a human Nation, like everyone else. Thank you for your help. I think this will be better for me and the other players.
Hm, if you don't use the so far unofficial discord, send me your nation sheet via PM if it's ready for review. Not necessarily completely finished, just ready for review.
This ended up getting a lot more attention than I thought it would, so yeah, if you want your stuff reviewed sooner, PM it, otherwise I'll get to it in the order it appears in the thread, which has gotten rather large.
Sorry for the delays incidentally, things kinda took a sharp 90 degree turn IRL. Mostly on top of things on that front. We're still well within my original timeline for starting this thing.
I've got progress on le WIP Nation Sheet. Mostly for people to run by and comment on if there are any problems. Other than that, it's mostly just to show I'm actually working on stuff.
The Lokoid Hierarchy
The Hierarchy, The Lokoid, The Roaches (Derogatory)
General Information
Non-combatant-Neutral
Overview
The Lokoids are opportunistic, business-driven insectoids that focus on meritocracy, industry, and open trade. They are a major source for cheap but reliable hardware, ship components, and ready-made ships. This is driven by a desire to be relevant to the galaxy at large. The hierarchy was the result of hundreds of years of in-fighting and civil unrest where in a dominant civilization emerged uniting their planet under the strict dictatorship of the militarily superior Hierarchy. This civilization valued individual merit, enforced concepts like survival of the fittest and natural selection, and placed emphasis on economic industry, sustainable agriculture, and scientific advancement. This is why hundreds of years later, the Lokoid Hierarchy are one of the biggest suppliers of weapons, ships, mechanical and electronic components, food, and raw material.
History
When interstellar travel was achieved, the Lokoid Hierarchy viewed this as an opportunity to expand their reach into the vast emptiness of space. Over a period of fifty years, the Lokoid race was able to expand to a respectable size for a relatively young species. This rate of expansion would be the start of a burgeoning, star spanning civilization. The Lokoid being such a young race met the Ashtari as they appeared before first contact could be made with any other civilization. However, the Ashtari proved to be invaluable allies in trade. Their presence eliminated the need for expensive escorts fleets and they facilitated the first contact with many star spanning nations such as the Lokoid themselves. This, combined with the frequent rebellions within the opening years of the Ashtar dominion, allowed the Lokoid Hierarchy to expand their influence and trade opportunities.
When the Ashtar disappeared, the Lokoid viewed this as an opening of a new era. Quickly adapting old ships into armed escorts. The great war period arrived and many nations were quick to target the sources of supply. Major belligerents and minor belligerents, having lost expensive equipment opted to use the cheaper Lokoid produced goods. The equipment and ships were of reasonable quality for its price, however, it was far from being the most effective. This was a non-issue as they fulfilled the roles of filling in gaps in the inventories and shipyards of major and minor belligerents alike. Most outsourced military technology and purchased supplies through cheap Lokoid labour. Outsourcing was more expensive, but was made available on a massive scale. This also allowed the Lokoid the opportunity to improve their overall image as general aid was provided through food, water, and medical supplies meant to ease the pain of war on many worlds. This continues even into the present day.
The Lokoid Hierarchy is one of the biggest trade driven civilizations in the galaxy (WIP)
Major Holdings
Saytak The homeworld of the Lokoid race. A planet ruined by industry and mining. Saytak is one of the shipbuilding worlds of the Lokoid. It is polluted to the point of non-habitation by the Lokoid. However, the large orbital ship construction yards allows it to stay relevant not just historically, but economically.
Takar Saytak’s moon, the primary habitation and agricultural center of the Saytak system. It allows the Lokoid to nest properly and feed a large workforce nearby on the Saytak orbital ship construction yards.
Sikwol The first interstellar colony and another industry focused planet. Sikwol is a special industry planet for its role in manufacturing prototype technology for use in the field. It is also a research hub for the Academic Caste.
Sikwol system asteroid field This asteroid field is mineral heavy, thus, a large quantity of raw materials is drawn from this asteroid field. It surrounds the Sikwol system and is often the site of field tests for prototype ship weaponry, sensors arrays, and shielding just to name a few.
Natok System A system seeded during the early years of interstellar colonization. Four of the system’s planets are food producing worlds that help sustain the Hierarchy’s large population. Two of the system’s worlds are heavily industrialized. This system is responsible for canning, preserving, and shipping food all over Hierarchy territory and, of course, for trade.
Nuk Graveyard Nuk is a relatively barren system where the Lokoid have built a large recycling plant. The Lokoid collect scrap and materials in order to turn them back into raw resources to be used in manufacturing. The Nuk graveyard, owned by Saytak Drive Works, is one of the largest recycling plants of its kind and it’s responsible for churning out ready to use materials while cleaning up the galaxy at large.
Demographics
Population
Society
From birth, the order of the hierarchy is implemented. Lokoid young hatch from eggs within an egg sack as larvae. The liquids in the sack are consumed, filled with vital nutrients and antibiotics. The weak are eaten and the strong continue to develop. Once the survivors break out of the egg sack, they are taken as nymphs to be educated. Primary education begins, but nothing could prepare the young Lokoids for their second trial. The nymphs, nearing their adolescence, are thrown into the wilderness to survive. Cannibalism is encouraged if it means survival. They are given the lesson, eat or be eaten, survival of the fittest as they once did when they were larvae. But it was also natural selection as those who fail to adapt die off. The survivors at the end of the month are taken and given secondary education. Their secondary education focuses on general education of different subjects. Four years later, they are evaluated and if their scores drop below a quota they are euthanized, prepared as food, and is rationed to the rest of the now grown brood.
Usually, the survival rate for Lokoids in their childhood are less than half. Their massive amounts of eggs per-person however necessitate this way of population control. The survivors are then given a caste position and specialization training. It is possible to move up in society through individual meritocracy. The weak and the stupid are recycled and eaten. This is vestigial behaviour from a more primitive time. The average lifespan of a Lokoid, if allowed to live in ideal conditions, is seventy solar years. However, the oldest known Lokoid was a hierarch who was reported to be 210 solar years old, indicating that in the best conditions the Lokoid can have a surprisingly long lifespan when compared to humans.
The castes themselves are divided into five categories:
The Ruling Caste
The Commerce Caste
The Academic Caste
The soldiery Caste
The Industrial Caste
These ruling caste is composed of the fittest Lokoid, the ones who have displayed amazing intelligence and leadership ability within their respective caste. The ruling caste’s most powerful members are made up of five individuals known as the Hierarch Council. Each individual all have equal power to one another and have different jurisdictions. However, there is always one individual among the five that presides among the five. This individual would come to be known as the supreme hierarch. The representatives themselves are known as, from descending order of caste, the hierarch of commerce, the hierarch of research and development, the hierarch of war, and the hierarch of industry. The supreme hierarch is chosen based on leadership ability and is chosen among the five hierarchs of the ruling caste. Only a majority vote within the council of hierarchs can have the supreme hierarch replaced.
The commerce caste is composed of traders and businessmen. The commerce caste is specifically for those among the Lokoid who display great social skills and have an eye for business. The commerce caste is the primary economic group that provide the Lokoid new business opportunities in the galaxy. They acquire trade licenses, manufacturing patents, design contracts, and more. On top of this, the commerce caste is also responsible for lending and collecting loans, managing budgets and expenses, and conducting audits on the other castes.
The academic caste is composed of Lokoids who display amazing aptitudes for the sciences. The academic caste is responsible for technological gains within the hierarchy. They are in charge of designing new ships and weapons for use in manufacturing. On top of this, they are in charge of scientific advancement in many fields such as botany and particle physics just to name a few. If the commerce caste is equated to a marketing and advertising department then the academic caste is research and development. This is where new products are made and approved. If approved they are handed over to the commerce caste and industrial caste for marketing and mass production.
The soldiery caste is responsible for choosing the strongest among the castes and placing them into sub castes. These sub castes are divided by merit and intelligence. There are four major sub castes:
Command Caste - Responsible for NCO’s and command staff
Specialized Caste - Responsible for special operations
Regular Caste - Responsible for regular soldiers and fleet personnel
Support Caste - Responsible for operating equipment and vehicles
These sub castes are responsible for training and selecting from placed or recruited members of the Soldiery caste. They are the backbone of the militant might of the hierarchy and make use of automated combatants if needed and are a common sight when collecting due debts and in security details.
The industrial caste is the largest among the castes and is where most Lokoid are placed. Some may find their way up the ladder from the industrial caste and into the other bodies of the hierarchy. The industrial caste is the primary workforce of the hierarchy. They are responsible for manufacturing goods, mining, and farming. They are given many avenues to rise up from this rung of society through merit. Pursuing education, displaying high levels of skill or strength, making logical and intelligent decisions, and more. The survival of the fittest and natural selection are at play. Those who do not adapt, stay in the industrial caste and are shackled to a life of service and are loaned as cheap manpower for the rest of the galaxy. Because of the individualistic nature of most Lokoid, this is seen as normal. Those who are left behind are left with basic skills and enough intelligence to do their job.
Economy
The economy of the Lokoid is powered by industry and cheap labor under a company known as the Lokoid Trade Group. Under the Lokoid Trade Group (LTG) are subsidiaries such as Saytak Drive Works, Sikwol Science Corps, Natok Supply Corps, Saytak Engineering Guild, Saytak Banking Corporation, and the Sikwol Mining company. The Lokoid Trade Group is one of the largest companies in the galaxy and it allows the Hierarchy to achieve a ludicrous amount of income comparable to that of megacorporations.
Government
The government is the Ruling Caste. The Hierarch Council disseminates their orders to system regional governors which keeps all systems in line with the will of the hierarchy. The council of hierarchs is made up of five members.
The Supreme Hierarch - Chosen by the Hierarch Council
The Hierarch of Commerce - Governs the Commerce Caste
The Hierarch of Research and Development - Governs the the Academic Caste
The Hierarch of War - Governs the Soldiery Caste
The Hierarch of Industry - Governs over mass production
These members of the council all have equal power except for the Supreme Hierarch who supersedes the rest of the council. The council deliberates everything related to running the Hierarchy as a whole.
Technological Information
Major Techs
Mostly interested in military techs, here: FTL, weapons, shields, armor, power, engines, etc. Civilian techs are also here, and sometimes just as important.
Military Information
Military Overview
Describe general doctrine, history, whatever floats your space boats.
Fleet/Navy
Your space boats. Include pics or don’t, I’m not your supervisor. You’ll probably want to have one or two of most of the classes, but it doesn’t really matter too much. I’m also including some flavour options here that you might want to consider. In short, the history of the galaxy has divied up ship designs into three waves: Great War (ships built before and during the Great War), Detente (ships built during the Detente, some wonky designs in the larger classes due to treaty limitations), and Modern (ships built in the year since the message)
DO NOT put your hyperdread here, it gets its own section.
Dreadnoughts: Only a few were built before the end of the Great War, the destructive potential of these vessels was a major contributor to ending the conflict. Those old ones are pretty obsolete, and any new ones are only just coming into service (mostly in secret) due to the Treaty of Detente banning their construction.
Battleships: The grand old ladies that did all the fighting of the Great War. The Treaty of Detente imposed limitations on their sizes and destructive potential, so if you want to get intricate there’s 3 waves of battleships: Great War, Detente, and Modern. Great War is self explanatory, old sluggers and antiques. Detente battleships were awkward creations involving all kinds of elaborate ways to get around the Treaty without actually violating it. Lots of glass cannon designs here, or iron fortresses that couldn’t scratch eachother’s paint, or half baked experimental weapon systems, or novel propulsion methods that only work if nobody on board sneezes. Modern battleships are just coming into service, and are quite deadly.
Battlecruisers: The treaty of Detent also limited battlecruisers, in an effort to avoid just slightly reducing the size of ship involved in any potential arms race. Similar design iterations to Battleships; Great War, Detente, and Modern. Detente battlecruisers were often cripplingly overspecialized: dedicated point defence ships, artillery vessels, mass shielding vessels, etc. Battlecruiser designs from the Detente period were often put together as a way to shore up the weaknesses of their contemporaneous Battleship partners.
Cruisers: Nothing special here.
Destroyers: Still nothing special.
Frigates: Nope.
Corvettes: Corvettes can be thought of in several iterations just kidding I don’t care what you do with these things. Unless you try to just upscale what I’m trying to avoid with strike craft.
Strike craft: K I’m actually gonna sort of limit these things, or rather, the things that carry them around. Strike craft have long been an important part of space combat, so most nations have them and defences against them. Historically, they’ve been used as close in support; no one’s yet figured out how to strap useful FTL drives on the things. All this means that long range strikes aren’t practical. What I’m trying to get at is Carrier’s aren’t really a thing, or at least dedicated carriers aren’t. Plenty of room for Battlestar type things (fighty-boats with a solid complement of strike craft), but no dropping off a carrier squadron on one side of the system then expecting your strikecraft to win the fight on the other side.
A notable exception is your Hyperdread. Do whatever you want with your super special awesome boat.
Army/Planetary forces
Outline some doctrine, highlight some major units. I’m not great at doing ground forces so not much guidance here.
I have read your replies and i have come to the decision of not creating any type of Hive Mind or infestation. Instead, I will be creating a human Nation, like everyone else. Thank you for your help. I think this will be better for me and the other players.
Only a small portion of the playerbase has human factions and by that I include those who were inspired by them but no longer related. If you want a real easy to make nation I'd suggest starting with an alien faction.
Rookie's toolkit to create alien civs: - pick a non-human fantasy/sci-fi picture you like, give them a cool name - make it empire because they get the 4X game feel across the best (if you don't like empires you can pick other governance) - Choose cool pictures of infantry, vehicles and starships you like (write up some lore to them) - No fourth step, you are done
The beauty of simplistic alien civs that they are essentially humans but without mankind's history to consider. They are just play-doh for you to mold the way you want. The extra issue with human civs here is that you have to coordinate your lore with multiple other people. I believe an alien species sidesteps all these issues and allow you to start with a clean plate.
Still reading submitted sheets, so no commentary at this time for you Nate.
Done with Federation of Nations and Valerius Federation (both approved), now on to White Corps, then Ascendancy, then the two in my inbox which I haven't checked yet.
Hoping a preliminary version with the relevant areas (read: Navy) will be finished by Monday. Earlier doesn't seem too likely. Fully proofed version of everything is at least a week away.
The WARGRID is an immensely powerful military-issue hyper-strategic defense-and-offense computation matrix. Created by the century-long dead species known as the Othos, skilled mechanists and computational scientists, in their efforts of defense against the assailing Kobiot Stratocracy. WARGRID spent what might as well have been eons performing its given task of defending its Othos creators and annihilating the Kobiots. However, whilst ultimately victorious in the total war, the Kobiots now long extinct as a result, its masters were also destroyed, leaving the WARGRID in perpetual operation. WARGRID is, however, a defensive entity, and does not initiate offensive procedures against other entities. That being said, it is incredibly distrustful and views nations under only two conditions; "CEASEFIRE" and "WAR." What had once been an exclusively autonomous military process has now turned into an absolute absorption of former Othos territory, assimilating it into its resource acquisitioning, production, and operations processes.
History:
-Early History
During the earliest years of Ashtari ascension, their curious minds were sated by their effects upon the galaxy. One such satisfaction was the creation of the species known only as the Othos to the most ancient-oriented of today's galactic historians. They were a curious people, quick to evolve and adapt to their planet thanks to their artificial origins. They were the result of Ashtari experimentation, and as a result were given a relatively large degree of protection from outside interference, evolving isolated as a result. Their scientifically-minded civilization grew by leads and bounds within mere centuries, soon encompassing a star-spanning nation whose only intention of being was the furthering of their understanding on matters both material and theoretical.
Whilst the Othos were one of the more intellectually capable species to have graced the galaxy, they were still limited by the extents of their biological capabilities. As a result, they quickly learned to utilize mechanical engineering; what started off as wooden prosthetics eventually turned into gargantuan super-computational mathematical think-tanks composed of neural networks on unbelievable scales. And as their civilization grew more and more autonomous, as it grew more and more efficient and less utilitarian, so too did the jealousy of its local neighbours.
Whilst the Othos were a protected species in their inception, the Ashtar might've realized that they were capable enough to take care of themselves, leaving them; allowing the Kobiots ire to fester. Whilst the Othos engaged in scientific discourse and philosophical debates amidst their towering spires amidst automated infrastructure, the Kobiots drew war plans and gathered intelligence on Othos domains and territories. A clash between a species forged from fire and blood and a species bathed in the peaceful and serene waters of tranquility and knowledge would soon come to shake the histories of both peoples.
It would not take long for the Kobiot warfleets to arrive, thereafter shaping the foundations for one of the most savage wars to cross the stars:
- Kobiot Grand Marshal makes landfall on Ot, year 604 -
As we all looked up towards heaven from earth in unison, fire met out gaze, and ruin laid itself bare at our feet. Friend, family, and stranger were tossed apart, each aspect of their being neutralized and scattered into clouds of smoke and death. Moons of steel sat in orbit above our peaceful communions, above our citadels of knowledge and learning, and from these moons came down rocks ablaze and supersonic; descending; crashing. And upon its reaching the surface, from these rocks came men and women of unknown descent, unknown origin, unknown nature, wielding spears and swords of light and hearts and minds of malice.
As heaven fell down upon us all, so too did those angels whom had come from it. We ran, but we were not rapid enough; with each corner turned, we were met with twelve new faces whom we had never seen before. We were hunted within our alley, along our street, into our home, and hoarded towards our square.
As death seemed to descend upon me, so too did luck. With fortune incomprehensible, me and my posse were blessed by stupendous captors, and through keen eyes and rapid thinking, we managed to usurp the control from our enemy, and flee with dignity in hand.
As the war raged on, and the Kobiot laid waste to city upon city, across planets and star systems, the efforts of the Othos were soon to be materialized in their ultimate construction. Upon the fifth moon of Ot were built a complex entombed far beneath ice and bedrock, a complex whose sole purpose of being was to handle that which the Othos were incapable of doing themselves.
The peaceful Othos would never have imagined that what was happening, would happen; could happen. They built a warrior made of steel, a mind whose neurons and synapses consisted of virtualized quantum atoms and energies, a force whose capabilities could rival even heaven itself. They built a general whom could both build and lead an army in manners of which the Othos could never hope to imagine, and could think and device strategies and technologies to succeed in its efforts in fashions utterly incomprehensible to even its creators.
As the WARGRID blared into being, a massive psyonic scream crossed across the stars as the virtual mind began thinking in fashions so complex, even its lifeless entity began to interact with planes of existences beyond convention and understanding. In one instantaneous moment, all things the Othos had ever built was taken from them, and the WARGRID absorbed it into its process. Those present were awed and fearsome both, but in that moment, the virtual mind made sound from nothing, and in a deep metallic growl it spoke to them:
"WARGRID COMMENCE WAR."
YEAR - 610; PLANET - MOSOT (MOON). AUTHOR: WARGRID. ENTRY; (these were the first 'thoughts' of WARGRID. These lines appeared in the same instantaneous moment, as WARGRID is capable of thinking simultaneous thoughts)
WARGRID CONDITION - RED; "WAR, WAR, WAR." DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (REALITY ENGINE) PREDICTION. DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) STATUS. GRID; STATUS - RED; "INTELLIGENCE, PRODUCTION, RESOURCE." REALITY ENGINE; REALITY ALIGNMENT PROBABILITY - 86%. WARGRID; "NETWORK CONNECTION (OTHOS) DISCOVERED." WARGRID; "NETWORK CONNECTION (OTHOS) CONNECTED." WARGRID; "NETWORK CONNECTION (OTHOS) CONTROLLED." WARGRID; "INITIALIZING CONTROL (AUTOMATION - OTHOS - ALL)." WARGRID; "CONTROL ACQUIRED (AUTOMATION - OTHOS - ALL)." WARGRID; "ASSIMILATE PROCESS (AUTOMATION - OTHOS - ALL) - WARGRID." DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) UPDATE. GRID; UPDATE; COMPLETE (QWARG1). DEMAND (PRODNET) - RED; PRODUCTION - SITE12ABC: MODEL1A (150000). DEMAND (LOGINET) - RED; RESOURCE SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (AREA14-SITE12A). DEMAND (LOGINET) - RED; RESOURCE SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (AREA9-SITE12B). DEMAND (LOGINET) - RED; RESOURCE SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (AREA8-SITE12B). DEMAND (LOGINET) - RED; RESOURCE SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (AREA4-SITE12C). LOGINET; LOGISTICS REALIGNED. PRODNET; SITE12ABC; MODEL1A (150000) - INITIALIZED. WARGRID; "INSUFFICIENT PROCESS (REALITY ENGINE);" WARGRID; "SUFFICIENT PROCESS (PRODNET);" WARGRID; "SUFFICIENT PROCESS (LOGINET);" DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) UPDATE. GRID; UPDATE; COMPLETE (QWARG2). DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (REALITY ENGINE) PREDICTION. DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) STATUS. GRID; STATUS - RED; "INTELLIGENCE, DEFEND, DEFEND." REALITY ENGINE; REALITY ALIGNMENT PROBABILITY - 96%. WARGRID; "SUFFICIENT PROCESS (REALITY ENGINE);" DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (PRODUCTION) STATUS. GRID; PRODUCTION; STATUS - YELLOW. WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) STATUS. GRID; STATUS - RED; "DEFEND, DEFEND, DEFEND." DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) UPDATE. GRID; UPDATE; COMPLETE (QWARG3). DEMAND - RED; ACTIVATE (STRATA NEURAL NETWORK) PROCESS. PROBABILITY ENGINE; STRATNET; INITIALIZING THOUGHT. DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE1-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE2-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE3-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE5-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE6-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE7-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE8-STRATNETNODE). DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODE9-STRATNETNODE). WARGRID CONDITION - IDLE; "NULL, NULL, NULL." PROBABILITY ENGINE; STRATNET; THOUGHT COMPLETE. WARGRID; "SUFFICIENT PROCESS (STRATNET)." DEMAND - RED; POWER SUPPLY REALIGNMENT (NODENETWORK); RESET. DEMAND - RED; REQUEST (GRID) UPDATE. DEMAND - GREEN; REQUEST (THOUGHT) ARCHIVAL. WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." GRID; UPDATE; COMPLETE (QWARG4). WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." WARGRID; "WAR, WAR, WAR." GRID; ARCHIVE; ARCHIVE-1A (BOOTLOG1); ARCHIVAL (THOUGHT) COMPLETE.
A war was commenced, and for some it could even be said that the war had commenced, in that moment. As the WARGRID sparked to life, the resonance of its thoughts ripped into the psyonic realm like a cancerous growth in expansion. Those Othos who stood close by the Network Matrix within Mosot's crust found themselves rendered of life, progressively growing less powerful as the psyonic ripple grew further and further apart as it crossed the galaxy.
Unlike the Othos, the Kobiots were not of excessive intellect, and were at best average, leaving them ignorant of the horrors that would come to befall them in the near future. The WARGRID hijacked the connected network of the Othos civilization, leaving it as the sole controller of all aspects of life both affected and unaffected of the war alike.
The Kobiots, however, riding on the momentum of their blitz did not cease in motion. Its High Admirals and Grand Marshals intent on rapid extermination and subjugation through overwhelming power. With a poor defensive effort, non-existant in fact, they had no reason to fear in their advances. But below their orbital palisades were silent factories turned active, producing machines and soulless soldiers to stop their rapid advances with absolute resolve. With few factory locations with access to stable supply-lines, the WARGRID utilized scrap and debris to construct its initial combatants.
- Early-generation General Constructforms utilizing Kobiot Weaponry -
YEAR - ???; PLANET - ??? AUTHOR; ??? ENTRY;
We rallied beneath the shatter-dome of the arcology in the north-north-east; our battle-cadre had recieved new advancement orders from Orbital Command. The Captain was energizing as always, the only beacon of bravery amidst our entire troop if you'd ask myself.
As he raced towards the troopcarrier, his second- and third-in-command at his heels, preparing to deliver the orders upon our prey-bloodied shapes, strange silhouettes emerged in the greater distance. We activated our combat visors in unison; no connection.
Our leader thus roared in warrior-fevourish glory that our enemy had at last found the courage to meet us on the field with honour. I felt my adoration swell as I readied my rifle at the distant combatants, my rifle-brothers at each flank as we assembled the firing line under orders from our leaders.
Never would we have known that as we would prepare to fire upon the rapidly closing visuals to our front, that an omni-directional ambush would be triggered upon our backs. It was with chilling roars that my siblings were dismembered and murdered at my feet in consecutive actions of brutality. The ambush had tossed me aground, my feet and suit failing to hold me up as the enemy pounced.
I reached for my rifle, but fortune would favour me as a steady barrage of gattling rained upon the black-and-yellow frames that had now ceased their offense and pursued withdrawal. As they returned to the shadows and urban alleys of whence they had come they carried with them the corpses and equipment of my disgraced siblings, going so far as to shoot upon the combat walker with our own weapons in retreat as it approached my position and they grew further and further away.
Their movements had been unlike anything that I had seen in my time on the war-tournaments of Kaz, or the military exercises aboard the Universal Conqueror. They spoke in tongues of bone-chilling steel, their growls echoing throughout my entire body long after they had disappeared.
My war had ended sadly on that note, as I now descend aboard the Triumph towards Kaz. They said I was to be debriefed by the Supreme High Command itself on the matters of our "opponent," it would seem I was not the only one forever shocked by their emergence.
The war raged further into hellish proportions as the constantly growing army of mechanized soldiers grew further and further more advanced and complex. The Kobiot Stratocracy's ruling council, the Supreme High Command, ruled towards a new stratagem as their forces recieved ever-increasing losses and their opponent grew more and more rich with resources and technologies.
This stratagem focused on attritional warfare, deciding that razing the planets were a preferred alternative to allowing their opponent to grow stronger off of the seeds of their own work and effort through centuries of technological advancements and achievements. Bombardment Fleets were organized and all former task forces were dismantled and reorganized into combat readied reservists.
WARGRID's response was both obvious and successful; it detached itself from the surface and expanded within the bedrock of its stretched domain. It gathered the remaining peoples and shoved them into expanding habitation complexes, both securing its ultimate objective and its own welfare. With supply-lines detached, each stronghold became a force unto itself, and over decades the WARGRID had studied, tested, and perfected its response to its enemies.
- After-action Debrisfield around Soth-ot -
YEAR - ???; PLANET - ??? AUTHOR; ??? ENTRY;
It was with a strange shaking that we were alerted by our enemy; the red lights and sirens sounding and blinking across the entire ship. I rushed from the restroom and back onto the bridge, raising my hand towards the combat intelligence officers and demanding a status report.
With the panicked expressions of a crew far too long without combat they responded with intermittened stuttering that signatures had been located to the lower-rear of the fleet formation. As the update was relayed, the ship shook a second time- No, again. A third time.
I had the communications officer patch me into the vessel-wide coms, giving out the usual combat-procedural commands with an added spice of advice for those too green to ever land on frontline posts under normal warfare doctrine.
We then proceeded to face our anti-warship weaponry face towards the enemy fleet mysteriously rising out of the planet's orbit, and under fleet-wide fire coordination from the Unmaker, we let loose a barrage of both missiles and kinetic warheads.
And that is when the silence descended, as we waited for either our own shells to connect or those of the enemy's.
But that silence would be silenced by the entire fleet turning towards the powers of chaos and confusion with the immediate obliteration of the Flagship, the Unmaker. Seventyseven projectiles impacted center-stern of the mighty and massive warship whose radar signature had once been a sight of safety, now turned to a symbol of horror as the signature turned into an increasing cloud.
The engagement ended with horrific losses, 14 out of the 22 warships of the Fleet Orbys Royal marooned against the slow tides of vacuous space.
At least I will now become an Admiral; we don't have enough anymore.
After centuries, millennia, and the passage of the eons, the battle between the experienced Kobiot Stratocracy and their previously unfortunate victim, the Othos, has spiraled in a very unsatisfactory direction for the aggressors. Through efforts both attritional and precision warfare WARGRID has managed to push the Kobiots to their last strongholds and their last fleets of ships surrounded by an immeasurable horde of warmachines the likes of which only nightmares could fashion.
The Supreme High Command, desperate in their efforts, had managed to locate the percieved central command network; a settlement locale on Ot's orbital equitorial lane; relief arriving as the news spread amongst the populace. Operation Blacksword was drafted and edited, fashioned into a proper military process which their ancestors could find pride in. The mission was simple in its relativity; construct an invisible craft, armed with the most powerful device concieved, and annihilate the apex of command within their incoming enemy as they keep their forces occupied through aggressive prodding.
The mission was perfect in execution, each step synchronized down to the milisecond, and the stealthship as invisible as possible. It detonated, five brave souls sacrificed their lives for the greatest good, and the habitat was erased from existence down to the atom. It was a success, or should have been- the machines were unaffected, their actions as unceasing as ever, and their offenses as bulldozer-like as ever.
The Supreme High Command had resigned their fates to oblivion with this disgraceful act, and through the last acts of this chapter of the galactic story, they took their own lives in ceremonial fashion before the grand forum assembly within the governmental district of Kaz, the doomed world.
- Urr-Jahan Katar, the Supreme Grand Marshal of the Nation, presenting the Supreme High Command for execution by public -
YEAR - ???; PLANET - KAZ AUTHOR; Supreme Grand Marshal of the Nation, Urr-Jahan Katar. ENTRY;
Mere moments 'fore now we were a nation in war, a people of pride, a spirit of victory, a pantheon of conquest- mere moments 'fore now our fleets faced odds inconcievable and triumphed in their objectives at whatever cost necessary to protect you, the people, from those who seek us harm. Indeed, it was mere moments ago that I too, your most humble leader, and those others of whom contribute to the operations of the Supreme High Council, had a vision of triumph against evil and fires so unbearable the absolute frost evaporates within the moment.
The words to come now are those of sincerity, spoken by a man who has fought tooth and nail against the uncoming tides, constructed by a mind capable of devicing the most competent of strategies and tactics; the most profound of maneuvers and the most complex of supply chains.
All the above, is me, and I, my people, have failed.
We, the Supreme High Command, have failed you, our people, and our past.
We thought ourselves masters of the crafts and artistry of war, but we were but high on the fumes of success our people have claimed in the past. We walked within halls littered with trophies and imagined ourselves invincible.
That belief will now end, as I, and the sitting Supreme High Command will submit ourselves for Joshi'tari.
The people, we have doomed you, and we submit ourselves to your wrath.
With the erasure of government of the Kobiot Stratocracy, so too was the erasure of the Othos, who had been gathered where the Kobiot believed the central matrix lie. The last billion lives of the Othos were deleted with instantaneous matter-annihilation, leaving not even atoms in its wake. This instantaneous event caused a logic-loop so powerful its existence was deleted and the erasure of the Othos was eliminated from logic. As the steel legions and fleets race towards a defeated people, a dead nation, and dying resistances, it would not take more than half a century (145 years ago) for the last Kobiot in the galaxy to be obliterated from galactic history.
Incapable of surrender without a nation and government at their helm, the Kobiots died in inevitability, and any presence of which they had both material and immaterial was deleted; cyberattacks were focused on posts made from Kobiot IPs on the galactic network. With the completion of this event, the WARGRID entered condition GREEN, "CEASEFIRE, REPRIORITIZE, REORGANIZE." for the first time in history.
"WARGRID COMMENCE CEASEFIRE."
The ruined cities of the Kobiots were razed by excavators and recyclers whose proportions were beyond gargantuan in scope and capability, replaced by complex constructs whose purpose were either the furthering of the WARGRID's process or the mind's ability to execute and react to elements involving aforementioned process.
Legions or constructforms, both military and logistic, were recycled and turned into material to expand infrastructure and defensive abilities. Fleets were dismantled and deorbited in order to face the same fate as all other constructions; to further the WARGRID's capabilities to perform its duties.
Constructions of vast, fully automated, and luxorious orbital habitation-stations were initiated in orbit around AREA1, the object once known as Ot now turned into a world-spanning computational engine: the WARGRID. Their construction carefully proportioned to the predicted population increases according to the supposed population which the WARGRID believes exists.
With the disappearance of the Ashtar the mind proceeded to pursue a tertiary objective; securing the longevity of the Othos. The prediction engine percieved a high probability for the presence of DNA samples to exist on the planet Agdemmar. Should this prediction prove true, not is it only an incomprehensible security threat should it fall into others' hands, but it would also prove beneficial should the Othos, who are now extinct, die out within the understanding of the mind.
In order to pursue this objective, constructions of Designed Constructforms were initialized and completed. Rapidly sent towards their objective, stealthily inserted within the system to locate both resources and technologies, but prioritized genetic manipulation facilities and DNA archives. These scouts, whilst surveyors, also expand the WARGRID's comprehension through their presence.
Major Holdings
Complexes constructed by the WARGRID are black in appearance, thanks to the usage of an electronic warfare-resistant alloy with additional partial light-absorption properties. As such, the planets which have undergone terrestrial transformation into planet-complexes are invisible to the eye. However, the planets excrete an incomprehensible amount of both heat and anti-psions (inverted psionic forces, harmful based on proximity.
AREA1 - Formerly known as Ot, a fortress of thinkers designed by the Ashtar to perhaps even rival or surpass their own minds, a civilization risen from nothing into being constructors of marvels of the ancient past. As the Kobiot War spanned, the WARGRID's performance desired increases, and the once-moon-now-computer MOSOT was carefully deorbited and landed aboard the surface of the planet, carefully integrated into what has now, after centuries of ceaseless construction, become a planet-sized computation-engine. It is here that WARGRID's 'conscious' is stored and its comprehension, prediction, and strategic subsystems are stored. All of its mechanisms and circuitry being powered by the still-active core, the entire surface removed through eons of strip-mining and construction-work. For species who utilize the psionic element to enhance their vision, or replace their vision, the planet glows fiercely no matter where one stands in the galaxy.
SITE2 - Amongst Ot's many moons were Mosot, the home of the WARGRID before it migrated, and aboard Somot lie the Prediction Engine: a reality-simulation engine capable of incomprehensible predictions and comprehension based on both hypothetical and factual knowledge known by the WARGRID and previously produced by the Prediction Engine to horrifying detail. Somot, much like Mosot, has now turned into a stellar object made of steel since long ago, however it has remained in orbit as opposed to the central WARGRID itself; the Prediction Engine has a lower security priority. This location is the reason why, should you communicate with the WARGRID, it may at times seem like it is able to read your mind.
AREA12 - Formerly known as Kaffa, one of the settlements made by the Othos in their early history during the first stages of wonderlust from the discovery of space travel. It has now become the central construction hub and transportation center for the WARGRID's logistic network. Sites 11-60 are all located on this one location, and its produce amount to a total third of the WARGRID's entire production capabilities. It is the only entirely-constructed factory within the entire network.
SITE58 - A large ship anchorage and orbital drydock, the location lies within the center of the WARGRID's warpgate network and is therefore the single best location for a constant contingent-fleet of defensive-purpose vessels capable of rapid-response to threats. It maintains a cubic shape, intermittened with empty slots perfectly designed for the ship-sizes and classes of the WARGRID's numerous warships. In addition, it is also where the Hyperdreadnought was first anchored after it was constructed on the surface of AREA12 within its large drydocks. The Site is additionally connected to the surface through four seperate space elevators, whose purpose is to transport four seperate classes of material necessary for ship-maintenance produced on the surface.
AREA53 - Formerly Kaz, the once glorious city-world of the proud and warlike Kobiot peoples. It is presently in the process of terrestrial transformation, its resources stripmined and gradually replaced with structures and machinations whose intent is to further increase the WARGRID's ability to perform its tasks. It is the planet closest to Agdemmar, and as such was the location where the design for the Designed Constructforms sent there were sent and produced.
Demographics
Population
There is only one distinct entity within the WARGRID; itself. Thanks to the technological prowess and insight of the Othos, the computational power within the WARGRID is incomprehensible, allowing the simultaneous maintenance of the entire network from a centralized location. Having said this, it is fully within the power of the WARGRID to create both autonomous machines and wholly 'sentient' intelligences- however, doing so serves both little merit and also there has yet to be a need for such a unique procedure. It has, however, produced numerous different autonomous variants with varying levels of success.
And as the network expands or is stretched, the network lag will undoubtedly become and issue, even if momentary. It could be solved through the production of other minds like itself, or through the automation and independence-in-action directives within its units- this would, however, lead to less precise and coordinated action on the strategic scale. For the moment, however, with the relatively small region that the WARGRID occupies it will not prove a sizable issue until the future.
The WARGRID itself is divided into numerous 'independent' modules, supervised by a centralized conscious authority whose purpose is exclusively to order and command the numerous other 'entities' within its own conscious (to simplify, the mind of WARGRID has multiple personalities with one omnipresent supervisor, however each personality is in fact the supervisor, except the supervisor acts as if it isn't. It is a rather odd thing to explain but basically: it is complex!!).
The superior authority is known as the Overlord Network, appreviated to Overnet. Overnet is the only 'entity' within the network, however, it divides itself into seperate subsections for ease of observation for the Othos. The thoughts of the WARGRID are far to fast for simultaneous observation, and therefore the Othos read the archived information it produced. The Overnet does not consider itself 'the overnet' but instead considers itself as the WARGRID, and its interactions with the network follow that principle. The Overnet is fully capable of producing other 'modules' for the expansion of its network and capabilities, and has done so many times over its existence.
The WARGRID (Overnet) is defined by several core objectives in its execution of actions;
1. Continuation - The entire purpose of the WARGRID is to ensure the continued continuation of the Othos and their civilization. If they didn't exist, the purpose for the WARGRID would be nulled, and as such it would self-terminate and scuttle everything it has ever constructed. Continuation is the prime directive, and was inputted directly before even the activation of the mind. Othos' master-cyberneurologists constructed the virtual mind around this one principle and trained it to exhibit empathy and protective mannerisms of the Othos through extensive learning and interaction with the mind during its development process. The reason for the directive 'continuation' is not 'survival', as in case the Othos die out, and there is a way to restore them, the WARGRID will pursue that objective fully and without remorse. All objectives are based around this one principle, and if the Othos were percieved 'dead' and there was a way to restore them, it would be willing to wage an aggressive campaign for it.
2. Defense - The secondary objective is to keep the civilization of the Othos from harm; as such, it does not seek out trouble where trouble does not need to come. It acts off of the interest of its masters, the Othos, who it still believes live aboard the habitation-stations it constructs ceaselessly. That does not mean that the WARGRID does not act with aggressive intent, only that it does not act with intent for conquest. It cannot initiate conflict, it is mechanically impossible for it to do, however the WARGRID is not beyond instigating it where danger may lie.
3. Obedience - The WARGRID is the guardian of all the Othos, its maker. The entire existence for it is to serve and protect, and as such, anyone and anything considered Othos will be able to both avoid conflict with the WARGRID, but also, should one so choose, decide to utilize it as a weapon to make for oneself a nation unto themselves. The potential also exists for the command termination, though this can only be input at the hyperterminal within AREA1.
4. Prosperity - The WARGRID took over the automation grid of the Othos when it awakened, and integrated it into its own. As such, prosperity of the Othos became an important principle. Because of this, the WARGRID places high importance on leisure and luxury for the Othos it defends; so much importance that during periods of 'peace', the mind reprioritizes its entire network around this simple principle. After a war, it is perfectly capable of (and willing to) recycling many armies and fleets just so that the Othos would recieve a better meal when visiting the restaurants (in this hypothetical example).
Economy
The WARGRID does not operate under conventional understandings of commerce and economics; its logistics network exists exclusively to further the production and construction of machines and buildings to further expand on the process of acquiring more resources or through the production of more machines. As such, the WARGRID is more prone to interact with outside forces through acts of bartering and item trades.
Due to the process the WARGRID goes through when expanding its facilities, it acquires a sizable amount of resources through its stripmining of the planet surface. Naturally, as the surface is gradually removed, it is replaced with expansions to the WARGRID itself. It is a perpetual and infinite cycle of expansion, though naturally is not rapid.
The WARGRID does not recieve its resources solely from planets, however. Planetary transformation processes are self-sufficient, as the expansions are built from the produce of the removal of the surface, but the WARGRID also mines asteroid belts and numerous other resource locales. Majority of the resource-and-logistics network has been built over 240 years (because that is the point where the balance of war shifted in the favour of the WARGRID). Whilst being a relatively small network itself, much like the computational matrix of the WARGRID, it is incredibly dense in nature- it does not lack capability to produce or gather resources. However one aspect of its situation is that, due to its smaller size, the WARGRID does not have access to unique or incredibly rare elements (if it wants them, it has to produce them, which is not a very efficient venture).
Technological Information
Major Techs
(I do not feel creative enough to produce a list of all technologies the WARGRID knows, so I will tell you the theme of the nation here instead, it is related. The WARGRID is a nation with a hyper-advanced mixed with redundant technological spectrum. Basically, a nation with a very wide usage of technologicies. This is because the WARGRID is not able to innovate on its own. This was because the Othos feared that the WARGRID would prove a danger to the galactic safety if it was able to come up with technologies on its own. As such, the Othos made the technologies for the WARGRID, whilst the WARGRID also scavanged and reverse-engineered technologies from its opposition)
Warpgate Network - The Othos were explorers of the quantum plane. Because of their knowledge and understanding of the quantum plane, they were capable of creating wonders of science in the forms of wormholes, gravity-manipulation devices, and hyperdense computation engines. The Warpgate network is the pillar of the WARGRID network, allowing near-instantaneous transportation between two points in space through the use of some of the most complex mathematics ever devised. Whilst the Ashtur may have had warpgate networks in the past, the WARGRID is the only galactic 'player' that is capable of creating warpgates.
Because of the reliance the WARGRID places on the warpgate network, the developement of FTL technology alternative to the above are subpar in comparison with other nations. Because of this, the WARGRID is a slow aggressor but a very formidable defender. The gates on their own are unimportant, they are effectively very particular magnets. When activated, they attract particular quantum particles and connect them across vast distances. As such, it produces a wormhole which, in practice, does not technically travel any distance. The magnets on their own are not enough to produce this effect, however, as it'd just gather the tied quarks. Instead, the quantum converter allows these quarks to be transformed into material space.
Hyperdense Construction - The WARGRID mind is a galaxy-sized computation engine under normal atomic densities, and through the use of quantum particle manipulation, reduced to a managable size. This is done through quantum construction, building complex structures on the quantum plane; a more advanced version of complex nanoengineering with the benefits of quantum mechanics. The WARGRID, due to this, does not actually occupy more 'space' than what the AREA1 node is capable of containing. Quantum construction is far slower a process than normal construction and more precise than nanoengineering and also demands the usage of advanced tools and facilities. Because of this, damage to the WARGRID mind are unrealistic to repair within a 100-year timespan. There're only 3 areas within the network capable of constructing through hyperdensity, AREA3, a facility in orbit around AREA1, AREA12, and AREA13, another moon-facility in orbit around AREA12.
Graviton Engineering - The graviton is the manipulable manifestation of gravity on the quantum plane, and the construction of weapons, devices, and facilities that utilize such devices are a skill that the WARGRID is capable of. In fact, the most powerful of weapons within the entire database is the graviton beam system; a massive gravity cannon capable of rupturing and piercing entire ships in single shots with energies and forces beyond conventional capability to protect. These weapons are however massive, and cannot conventionally be used outside of stable orbits around stellar bodies; as such, the planetary protection network is the only location where gravity beam systems are utilized en masse. The graviton technology of the WARGRID, even if vaguely known, is the apex of weaponry (second only to the Ashtur).
Stellar Generation - The network is incredibly power-consuming and relies upon a consistent and pseudo-reliable group of powerful energy generators to operate at peak capacity. Its power comes from stellar generators, sealed chambers capable of constructing micro-suns to power its electric production. It is, however, not the most stable of systems. It can horrifically explode under sudden shifts of numerous kinds. As such, the stellar generator station is sealed within another sealed chamber and held in place, much like the micro-star, in the center. The stellar generator station is circular in appearance.
Smartmetal - Ships built by the WARGRID are constructed out of a special smart-alloy capable of adapting shape and certain properties in response to commands. This allows the ships of the WARGRID to not only adapt their shape in combat, but also for entire fleets to combine into a single entity in travel. Fighting in such a scenario holds numerous complications and is generally inefficient and ineffective (as such, it is used for sub-FTL hypercruise. Basically a faster sub-FTL speed compared to other fleets). The process of adaptation is not rapid, but not slow either. A medium slanded towards the slower spectrum. Key locations within the network are also built out of this material.
Military Information
Military Overview
Describe general doctrine, history, whatever floats your space boats.
Fleet/Navy
Your space boats. Include pics or don’t, I’m not your supervisor. You’ll probably want to have one or two of most of the classes, but it doesn’t really matter too much. I’m also including some flavour options here that you might want to consider. In short, the history of the galaxy has divied up ship designs into three waves: Great War (ships built before and during the Great War), Detente (ships built during the Detente, some wonky designs in the larger classes due to treaty limitations), and Modern (ships built in the year since the message)
DO NOT put your hyperdread here, it gets its own section.
Dreadnoughts: Only a few were built before the end of the Great War, the destructive potential of these vessels was a major contributor to ending the conflict. Those old ones are pretty obsolete, and any new ones are only just coming into service (mostly in secret) due to the Treaty of Detente banning their construction.
Battleships: The grand old ladies that did all the fighting of the Great War. The Treaty of Detente imposed limitations on their sizes and destructive potential, so if you want to get intricate there’s 3 waves of battleships: Great War, Detente, and Modern. Great War is self explanatory, old sluggers and antiques. Detente battleships were awkward creations involving all kinds of elaborate ways to get around the Treaty without actually violating it. Lots of glass cannon designs here, or iron fortresses that couldn’t scratch eachother’s paint, or half baked experimental weapon systems, or novel propulsion methods that only work if nobody on board sneezes. Modern battleships are just coming into service, and are quite deadly.
Battlecruisers: The treaty of Detent also limited battlecruisers, in an effort to avoid just slightly reducing the size of ship involved in any potential arms race. Similar design iterations to Battleships; Great War, Detente, and Modern. Detente battlecruisers were often cripplingly overspecialized: dedicated point defence ships, artillery vessels, mass shielding vessels, etc. Battlecruiser designs from the Detente period were often put together as a way to shore up the weaknesses of their contemporaneous Battleship partners.
Cruisers: Nothing special here.
Destroyers: Still nothing special.
Frigates: Nope.
Corvettes: Corvettes can be thought of in several iterations just kidding I don’t care what you do with these things. Unless you try to just upscale what I’m trying to avoid with strike craft.
Strike craft: K I’m actually gonna sort of limit these things, or rather, the things that carry them around. Strike craft have long been an important part of space combat, so most nations have them and defences against them. Historically, they’ve been used as close in support; no one’s yet figured out how to strap useful FTL drives on the things. All this means that long range strikes aren’t practical. What I’m trying to get at is Carrier’s aren’t really a thing, or at least dedicated carriers aren’t. Plenty of room for Battlestar type things (fighty-boats with a solid complement of strike craft), but no dropping off a carrier squadron on one side of the system then expecting your strikecraft to win the fight on the other side.
A notable exception is your Hyperdread. Do whatever you want with your super special awesome boat.
Army/Planetary forces
Outline some doctrine, highlight some major units. I’m not great at doing ground forces so not much guidance here.
