Metagame: On the Imperial Economy and War.

So, again it appears I have a couple of new followers. Greetings to you. And of course my old hands.

I have been thinking about a few things regarding the Permatic Imperium.

First off, I think I mistakenly had said something about an Old Empires Depot at Permatic [FS 1725], yeah, well, disregard that. There is not a Depot there. There is a Way Station, Research Station Alpha, and a Naval Base, but no Depot. My bad, I was tired.

Second, off to the Markets. The Fuel markets to be exact. I was thinking about the antimatter creator that HI&RM Vlad II has at the NB at Permatic. Now an AMC does not just magic up a/m, it is created using starship fuel. That led me to thinking about why most planets with water or gas giants probably have laws against "free skimming" the local raw fuel supply. Sure you have to purify it and screen it for the stray solids or semi-solids, but it saves on the credits. Problem being it takes the natural resources of the system. Which by Imperial Charters, Treaties and Laws is very strictly regulated by several different agencies. (This is where an Imperial Noble or Functionary does a lot of their real work, keeping the flow of resources going and according to the agreements with the locals.) If Travellers can just refuel for free, then the local and thus the Imperial economy suffers. Many TL-9+ systems make a good chunk of their revenue from selling fuel not just to the occasional passing Travellers, but mostly to the megacorps, Imperial starship fleets, and desert systems with no gas giants.

Recently the Imperial Starforces have begun increasing their purchases of available fuel. They have also been grabbing up a stockpile of other supplies. This was noted in game when Baron von Ryer of Bohen complained to Count Interhaus that an Imperial Navy Task Force had recently swept through his system and requisitioned all the recent harvest of this agricultural world putting him in danger of not being able to fulfill his previous contracts. What he also didn't mention was that if Captain Hawk was not Baron himself, but also the Count Interhaus not aboard the ISS Sexy, he might have charged them an additional "resource use fee" to cover his losses. He also didn't mention (and I as Referee didn't, but will) to either Baron Hawk or Count Interhaus is the recent Request for the current service rolls of the Household and Guard Units of the Nobility and Peerage of the Worlds (both Members and Clients) of the Permatic Imperium (date and origin: 001-0200, Melnauka, Permatic.) that is being carried across the Imperium via the various information networks.

Basically, there are groups in the Imperium who are going to want and need a steady supply of purified fuel ready, waiting or even in transit most, if not all the time. Right now the demand is up because the IAF are scooping it up for what most people think is an upcoming war with the Parthian Remnants to the coreward of the empire. Is this true? Perhaps, or maybe the Imperium is going to war with some of the spinward states. Another is that HI&RM maybe raising forces to enforce his disputed claim on the worlds claimed by the Thersis Confederation. Some speculate that the increase is actually going to support the movement of Imperial control to the trailing subsector and off back into the wilds of the unknown stars. This would mean fuel for the Scouts, the Imperial Armed Forces, Imperial Chartered Company (ICC) Forces and Mercenary Units, and of course Colonists. Which could use up fuel pretty quick. Also the AMC is going to eat a lot too. But that is a different story for a later time.

So, now I am wondering what do the rights to skim or otherwise collect raw, refined or purified fuel of a system translate to in Resource Units (RU)?

The empire is either gong to war with one or more of its neighbors or it is about to put physical claim on the systems in the Kylin Subsector, possibly both. It is doubtful that it is both going to war and expanding into Kylin as well. Another thing to take into account is the public boast of the Admiralty's Naval Architecture and Armaments Board PROJECT: 200X Committee which claims that all new production Armed Forces starships at the Imperial and Royal Navy Yards will be fitted with new antimatter power plants and upgraded 10 parsec interstellar drives. Plus there is the refitting the current fleet to the new navspec.

In general the technological base of the Permatic Imperium's warfighting complex is about to increase. There has been an increase in the sales of plasma weapons to non-Imperial or Royal forces. Mercenary Units and ICC Forces are suddenly getting access to something better than the standard laser of the last two centuries. So, where are all those now surplus laser weapons going?

Also, there are rumors of true ten thousand ton battle class starships being tested in the deep between stars, but the Admiralty's Lord Appleton denied these rumors pointing out that "...the last battle class ships built are the so called 'worldships' of the Lords of Parthia and since those so called interstellar vessels have not moved from their home since the last centuries of the Sixth Imperium one can put that down to wild speculation..."

So, is the market for purified starship fuel going to collapse? Probably not for some time. It may take a dip once the navies get all their starships running on antimatter, but on the whole they will still need it make more a/m and it may take some time, perhaps half a century or more for the whole empire to be running on antimatter. Another offset is being able to move older fusion powered vessels and infrastructure to the frontiers of the Imperium helping to raise the TL of the empire as a whole. TL-9 systems that used to be stops for passing starships becomes the home system of those old ships as they are phased out. Often they will be seen in the hands of Travellers who have mustered out of some service such as a Navy, the Scouts or perhaps a Merchant Line or by elevation to nobility.

Now, I really should get back to cranking out the rest of the system of Colony A and checking some of the stuff already done.

Laterness,
Craig.

Warning, Waring, Update Incoming.

*insert much swearing & cussing here as I realized I some how killed an entire post*

So basically, I did some stuff, I need to do more stuff, things like re-organizing this blog, detailing some worlds, doing some background about what has been going on in the Imperium's neck of the woods for the last 300 or so years (including the "end of the Interregnum") in a bit more detail. Like how did they survive, how are they growing, the various wars, and of course how Vladimir became Emperor (and thus a bit about that infamous Winter Ball attack that Commander Rudolf Interhaus, IN came out of as Count Interhaus and much closer to the Throne). Need to write up, seriously write up Adventure A: The Abonai Venture like I told my players I would.

Banner of 9th Royal Marines, His Majesty's Own Permatic Rifles (84th Assault Squadron)

Plus, I figured out some stuff about the Imperial and Royal Armed Forces.  Imperial Forces in addition to belonging to the Imperium are tasked with border patrols, anti-priracy strike missions, and the defense of the realm. Also they are the cadre of Colonial Armed Forces (such as the 7th Microgravity Rifles, "Rockin' Riflers" [Olam FS 2022]), in addition they supply and transport CAF units during national emergencies. The Royal Armed Forces on the other hand are the personal armed forces of HI/RM Vladimir II and are employed for showing the flag, anti-priracy patrols, and internal security. The Royal Armed Forces are supported by individual noble household units (for example the Baron Bohen's 2d Lift Legion, "von Ryer's Reducers"). Both Imperial and Royal Armed Forces can be supplemented by mercenary units, corporate detachments or institute forces, as well as members of the Praesidium. One last thing I am considering is that colonial forces are probably pretty loyal once they are are off world and supported by the IAF, but that a noble or two's forces might not be so loyal and have a case of what we used to call in Kingmaker, a "Vaseline Noble", because you just got fucked by some vacillating noble deciding to take his Burgundian Crossbowmen and boogie the hell out of Dodgeville. Ooooo, I hated that card. But hey, it did happen, so what is to keep it from happening again? The Emperor's 3d Mental Forces mind controlling the troops to keep them loyal?

Anyway, that about sums up the old post. Expect some new stuff, and some stuff being shuffled around. Basically, I lied, the renovations have just begun. Eventually, I will be getting a real site hosted somewhere trusted and where I can begin setting up a real DB (with none of that public editable Wiki nonsense) and more a of custom look.

Well, long past my bedtime, and I might try and sleep again, but damned are planets hot and then cold and generally all changing in conditions. Now it is hot, later it will be cold. Man,spaceships are cool, it must be nice be able to have the same boring "weather" every day. Then again, if your ship is big enough and/or high enough tech, you probably could do semi-authentic weather in your ship. Dangit. Another theory shot down. Off to sleep...I hope.

Laterness,
Craig.

CHARACTERS: Magnus von Thornwood | rough cut.

NAME MAGNUS VON THORNWOOD

BUPP 8866BB.

HOMEWORLD SKILLS.

AUTHOR-1

BUREAUCRAT-1

TRADER-1.

EDUCATION TERM (1).

UNIVERSITY - PERMATIC ACADEMY (IJFA-BLACKWALL) 

PROGRAM - 4 YEAR DOCTORATE w /DOUBLE MAJOR/MINOR. (WAIVER).

NOTC - IN SCC MIDSHIPMAN NO0.

DEGREE - PHD w/ HONORS.

PSYCHOHISTORY-5

SOPHONTOLOGY-1

NAVAL ARCHITECTURE-5

DESIGN-1
LEADER-1

TACTICS-1

COMMI - ENSIGN NO1

UPP 8866CB.

SPACER TERMS (2).

BRANCH - TECHNICAL.

OPS - SHORE, ANM, MISSION, SIEGE.

DECOR - CAMP, WOUND,

PRO - SUB LIEUTENANT  NO2.

ASTROGATION-1

SENSORS-1

TURRETS-2

SOPHONT +1

COMMS-1.

, 

UPP 8866DB.

BRANCH - ENGINEERING

OPS - SHORE, PATROL, PATROL, ANM.

DECOR - N/A.

PRO - LIEUTENANT NO3.

ENGR-1

TRADE PROG-1

BATTLEDRESS-2

MUSTER - STARPASS, LIFE.INS., BD-E.

UPP 8877DB.

NOBLE TERMS (3).

INTRIGUE - SUCESS.

ELEVATION -BARONET.

POLI SCI-2

ANIMALS-1

HIGHG-1, 

STRATEGY-1

MEDIC-1

UPP 8967Dc.

INTRIGUE - SUCESS.

ELEVATION - NONE.

ADVOCATE-1,

LEADER +1

SCREENS-1

MEDIC +1

UPP 8967Dc.

INTRIGUE - FAILED.

ELEVATION - EXILE.

C6 +1 (BARON)

STRATEGY +1

SENSORS +1

JOT-1

MUSTER - DIRECTOR, PROXY (8), LAND GRANTS -MCc 0.3 PER YEAR (MIN).

UPP 8967DC..

FINAL UPP: 8967DC. 

Skills and Knowledges: ADVOCATE-1, ANIMALS-1, ASTROGATOR-1, AUTHOR-1, BATTLE DRESS-2, BUREAUCRAT-1, COMMS-1, DESIGN-1, ENGINEER-1, HighG-1, HISTORY-1, JACK OF ALL TRADES-1, LEADER-2, MEDIC-2, NAVAL ARCHITECT-5, POLITICAL SCIECE-2, PROGRAMMER-1, PSYCHOHISTORY-5, SCREENS-1, SENSORS-2, STRATEGY-2, SOPHONTOLOGY-2, TACTICS-1, TRADER-1, TURRETS-2.

GEAR: STARPASS, LIFE INSURANCE, DIRECTORSHIP, PROXIES-8, LAND GRANTS (MCr 0.3/yr MINIMUN, BATTLEDRESS-14, WAFER JACK.

/ADDITIONS/

ELEVATED: MARQUIS. 

SENIOR MEMBER: ADMIRALTY BOARD.

NOTED: IMPERIAL SHIPWRIGHT AND AUTHOR.

PERSONAL FORCES:

THORNWOOD'S OWN 1ST SPACE FLEET.

BLUE SMOKE (400 TYPE-YQ), DOKTOR CODEX (400 TYPE-L), ATOM RIDER (400 TYPE-R), LAWRENCE (100 TYPE-S), SKATER (200 TYPE-A2), EAGLEMOUNT (200 TYPE Y).

THORNWOOD SECURITY, LIC.

TL-E ORGANIC LIFT INFANTRY COMPANY 

150 TROOPS / 10 GCARRIERS (APPROx. COMBAT READY).

RUMOR NX: MAGNUS IS AN AGENT OF THE CROWN AND MEMBER OF THE STAR CHAMBER. A PRIVY COUNSELOR WITH HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S EAR.

RUMOR MX: RESISTS BEING TAGGED WITH GLEEFUL ABANDON.

Metagame Update: Favicons. For the TL;DR crowd. Condensed infonuggets.

So, I decided to change the Favicon for the Node.

First the image was not square.

Second, I crop the cool image. It is something I am thinking of using pro-styles like anyway. Now it is bloody square, hand cropped after various attempts to get it precisely square for use just like the red letters tell me to in order to use it as a Favicon.

Next, I upload the new copy of a square seal/logo I made back in the day.

All seems to be going smoothly. No red letters yelling dire warnings at me. It saves the new file as the new Favicon. I check the blog in multiple reloads and it does not appeared to have changed to my machine.

NiN is cool, Closer (Deviation and Internal) remixes especially so.

So, just in case I never get the Node's Favicon changed, here is the image at something that is comparatively OMG resolution when compared with a Favicon's resolution. Here is an Official [T5 SATU] Fifth Imperium Emblem of some sort. It implies Imperial backing though.

This is fanarking as square as I humanly possible you picky program!

Laterness,
Craig,
one of the tired yet productive Elder ones.

Also, the new blog Header image.

Fun Time!

Go through all the Posts currently on the Institute Node and write down only the words in italics as they actually, naturally occur. What do you get? Return your results at the end of the Term or before.

Professor M. Thornwood. 

Metagame: The Divers' Disadvantage.

So this Post is turning out to be a much longer and involved Universe Creation than expected. TL;DR crowd be warned, this is a very long and detailed (for all its apparent scatter, ramble, and circles) finely hand crafted Long Post. Oh, let's not mention the how many times I had to read the damned thing. Clear out you punks. This here is a Library. Here, we bloody well read! Reading is about true power kids. That's why we hide it behind boring stuff like reading. Now, if you want some Traveller or just my little Permatic Imperium. I give the almost experience of what my meatspace friends put up with. Sadly for them I am the Eldest, the one who spent the most time eating knowledge of the universe as much has humanly possible. I remember dreaming of the future and damned if it didn't come true. Good and Bad, it has been a productive year. Okay, did they go away all bored with "all that reading and stuff"? So...

More thrilling news. The Library is organized!

Yep!

You read it right, I have finally got the first of what I am sure will be many more nit-picky fine combing and tagging and sorting and further organizing of the library's digital resources (hard copy still needs a good inventory and conversion, but alas, I have not even an Intern to assist me. Merely, me and the Ship's Cat, whose job apparently consists of much napping in close proximity. He's very good at that.

But round one of the great [T5 ATU] ADSGD Library Stacks and Archive (AAB) have had their official Centennial cleaning and shelving.

News Flash! TNS Rumor Control has been updated. Please consult local interface for directions to the correct Node Thank you. You may now resume your previous selection...More Thrilling News @ TDI Public Node...

1. Library DataBase completely gone through and cataloged by subject. (I will slowly get the new ADSGD Library online, though it may wait till I have a real site of my own.)
2. Permatic Imperium Setting Book outline draft 01 written.
3. Expanded and revised the old Library structure. (really, this does count as a separate task)
4. Reviewed some important setting docs to remind me where things are for players.
5. Roughed out County Interhaus and ran the RU numbers for the Permatic Imperium. (KRU 41, not bad for a fledging empire..)
6. Backed up old structure, brought some old volumes up from Storage back into the Stacks, and backed up the new Library.
7. Oh and as you can see, had the facade (and soon some interior remodeling) done.
8. Thanks to our dear Patrons, His Imperial Majesty, Privy Advisors and others who have helped in some way to our reaching this stage of development. 

Okay, it doesn't look like much, but things were sort of cluttered and messy. Another thing I did was realize I need to do a lot more basic outlines. I need to lay down the basics for what a Referee and a Player new to the world and game would need to play the Adventure. Good thing this is an ATU and my crew a pretty new to both Traveller and Traveller 5.

Yet more I have to do is finish generating the Worlds, Extensions and other Data for the Parthian Remnants, the Thersis Confederation, and more of the Free Spinward States and other kay worlds.

Plus all the off camera stuff, like who's lurking just behind that huge flash of light of yonder rimward, where are the other polities of the Old Empires harvesting the lost technologies and relics of the past imperial golden ages.

Yeah, shit just got real, as they say.

Well, it is a beautiful morning, and while not 0500 Manhattan, 14th floor balcony with coffee or celery soda watching the sun rise over the projects, it is pretty nice out. If I were younger and not as busy, I might break and check out the lake. But Hermits don't roll like that. :D

Also, for those that did not know, there is a Kickstarter Project for Traveller 5 with some very groovy SWAG. Like, remember those beautiful Imperial Starburst D6s? Yeah, did you do wish you had a set. Well, I got very lucky and finally scored some. Very lucky indeed. Worry no more! Marc is making a brand new set. Even cooler, it has a white and a red Imperial Starburst D6. So, if you dig this Traveller and want to see me do this shit for real, maybe even with books you could write notes in the nargins explaining why "that would never work, banned.", or those quick tables made on the fly. Stuff like that, you know the stuff that made us stride the Multiverse.

Here goes Man of Earth. Once he was mighty.

Back to work.

Laterness,

Craig.

A Rare Gods-View, Metagame Update!

Greetings Gentlebeings,

Well, things are moving forward in positive ways in meatspace real life starting sometime two weeks ago. Also kinda scary. In the end things are looking really good. Had a player, [VR]-N. look this blog up and express interest and a liking.

I got tired of not having stuff ready for them, so I am taking a month off of running with the self-imposed, month to work up a genuine Adventure. I foolishly announced this at game, so I am committed. That also might mean some dead air here, however I will try and get some thing up at the end of the week to log progress.

Working Title - Adventure A: The Abonai Venture.

So, after a very long, yet productive two weeks (especially the last two days) I am going to go and rest.

Laterness,
Craig.

Permatic Imperium; Quick Update: Career Divers!

Greeting Gentlesophonts:

For the interested, I am doing more updating to the Permatic Imperium Career: Divers. I am not sure if I will post the update here or wait until when I get up from sleeping. Was kind of worrying night, but it ended all good.

Hope to see you there, faithful followers. Also, welcome to the two new followers.

Laterness,
Craig.