Colonizing Ships and Colonies There Of

[rancke]

Colony types

I've been working on an article that deals with, among other things, various forms of colonies. Here's what I have so far:

Castaway colony: Colony established by a group of people accidentally cut off from civilization. The classic example is the passengers and crew of a misjumped starship, but abandoned outposts and people marooned by pirates or mutineers are also possibilities. Such colonies are usually composed of highly disparate individuals with few of the skills needed for survival and little useful equipment; they often fail in a few years. Those that don't fail completely usually suffer a severe loss of knowledge and technological capability in less than a generation.

Exile colony: Colony established by a government in order to get rid of disturbing elements of their society. Some are established close to the homeworld in order to reduce transportation costs and/or keep an eye on the exiles. Others are established far from the homeworld despite the high transportation costs in order to reduce the exiles' opportunities to return. In rare cases the exiles are given a ship and told to go far, far away, but such colonies have more in common with castaway colonies.

Utopian colony: Colony established by a group of like-minded people banding together to create their particular version of a more perfect society. Usually either established in an unclaimed region of a nearby world or on an empty world far, far away. The level of organization and support for the venture can vary tremendously with the wealth and political influence of the group. Utopian colonies with a strong organization behind them are more like sponsored colonies.

Outpost colony: Colony that is growing up around an outpost established for reasons not connected with colonization: Mining outpost, trade enclave, Scout or Naval base, scientific research station, etc. Always established within reach of the parent society, but to large, powerful interstellar realms 'within reach' can be several sectors away. Such colonies usually grow in an unplanned, haphazard way, becoming more and more independent of the outposts that spawned them until one day their economies no longer depend completely on the outposts. Should the outpost be shut down before that happens, most such colonies lose a sizable part of their population, turn into castaway colonies, and either fail or suffer a drastic loss of technological capability.

Sponsored colony: Colony established by a government, company, or other large, wealthy institution for the purpose of furthering some goal. Such colonies are usually well equipped and often supported long enough to ensure success.

Comments?



Hans

 

[flykiller]

Pioneer Colony: unorganized farmers, prospectors, and individualist types simply spreading into unclaimed or under-utilized territories. organization develops over time and with an increase in population, centered around resource concentrations and transportation confluences. examples: the american west, the 49'ers in the former northern mexican territories, the boers in south africa, the russians along the trans-siberian railroad.

Colonial Colony: a colony imposed upon an existing inhabited area. often (but not always) military and driven by economics, technology, or religion. examples: norman conquest, hong kong, andalusia, crusader jerusalem, british india.

Mission Colony: a colony devoted to conversion of existing population rather than an influx of newcomers. examples: california missions, african missionaries ("the flag frequently followed the cross").

 

[Anthelios]

Thanks for bumping this thread, even though the topic may be old to people that are old to Traveller, it's really an interesting read (except for the arguing parts).

I thought it was odd no one mentioned a drop-off ship, like that old TV show Earth 2. In the show things didn't go as planned, but they had the following setup for long distance colonization:

All ships were sleeper ships. Suspended animation + law of perpetual motion to get them to the system.

Ship One: Was the lead ship, carrying just enough of a workforce to set up the initial colony, however the ship was massive. The ship would drop the colonist off along with massive boxes of their cargo from orbit, then turn around to return home.

The initial colonists would have all they needed to begin the colony, and be ready for the arrival of the main colonist sleeper ship that would be arriving a few years after them.

Though on the show things went bad and that initial ship crashed, supplies were scattered and they were far from the tropical target zone they were planning on colonizing.

In the TU I've read about colonization corporations that survey worlds for ideal locations before selling off the parcels to colonists. I'm sure in the OTU they have such drop ships to deliver whats needed, and then support ships could drop off what's needed later.

If colonists want cheap, then being dropped from orbit in big metal containers is probably pretty cheap, and those bays could be used for habitation. Robotic labor could be used initially to build up the colony in time for the bulk colonists to arrive. Massive temp fuel tanks could be used to pay for the bulkier jump cost, and then the ship can return with much less fuel, dropping the tonnage of those spare fuel tanks for the colonists to use as metal.

This saves the colonists a lot of money. One, they aren't buying a ship just the transport. Two, they can pay freight to drop off the supplies they need each year until they are self sufficient, such freight lines could also drop off new colonists who are wanting to head to the frontier for a better life.

 

[saundby]

IMTU crooked real estate dealers run a minor and light-footed industry in selling groups of people on the idea of starting their own colonies. The more honorable of them do it to create captive markets for their goods. The less honorable are selling off junk and sending people off to die en masse.

Then, there is also a sort of jet-set that live in travelling arcologies. They live a sort of Romance period lifestyle, looking for places where "nature is in conflict." They like to go to marginal locations for the sake of experiencing life in those places to one degree or another. Sometimes they just stay inside the arcologies, other times they live outside the arcologies and keep the ship as a place of retreat if things get tough enough or they get bored and decide to move on. In some cases, permanent colonies are formed from these groups.

I also have a few instances of "Cities in Flight" ala Blish that are essentially travelling industrial centers. Different "mayors" have different approaches to running the city as a business.

These are in addition to the sorts of colonies mentioned earlier in this thread.

And as to what's intelligent and what's stupid in how one would wish to establish a colony under ideal circumstances, IMTU there's been no dimunition in human muleheadedness, shortsightedness, and just plain stupidity relative to anything we've seen so far in history. Even those colonization efforts planned as ideal ventures get undercut by corruption, laziness, and so on. IMTU Egypt/Glisten is pretty thoroughly rotten, with the good folks among the lot stuck pretty well knowing they're sending nearly all the colonists off to an early death but helpless to do anything about it.

The average Imperial Citizen IMTU sees the officially supported colonists as having had everything provided to them to get a new start at high expense, who then arrive at their new home and are so lazy that they'd rather whine for more free support from the Empire than do the work they contracted to do so that the new worlds could start paying their fair share. They take an even dimmer view of private colonization efforts that claim to need help.

 

[epicenter00]

Scavenger Colony: Scavenger colonies are similar, but not the same, as Castaway and Pioneer Colonies. Scavenger Colonies (sometimes more politely referred to as Salvager Colonies) make their living off of recycling the leavings of other people. For instance, Mining Colonies whose minerals are played out, Starbases which are victims of changing trade patterns, and military bases who have outlived their strategic use. Given the cost interstellar transport, it's usually cheaper to buy new fittings and erect new buildings than move the existing ones. Therefore, such abandoned sites often have a large amount of refined metals (scrap metal) and in many cases abandoned machinery and devices. Scavengers deliberately choose such places to live, recycling abandoned colonies and turning them into their own homes. While most Scavenger colonies break down the abandoned resources and sell them to eke out a living (and being a kind of Mining Colony), others might more resemble exile, utopian, or colonial communities. What they all have in common is their re-use of abandoned sites of murky or unenforced ownership.

 

[savage]

IMTU crooked real estate dealers run a minor and light-footed industry in selling groups of people on the idea of starting their own colonies. The more honorable of them do it to create captive markets for their goods. The less honorable are selling off junk and sending people off to die en masse.

Seems the Imperium would have to curb this behavior. Financially, colonies that don't thrive won't pay taxes...etc. However, it would be interesting for the late Rule of Man as it expands.

I can see the Military and merchants have nicknames for these colony types like Utopians being Wannabees, Dreamers, etc.

 

[rancke]

Pioneer Colony: unorganized farmers, prospectors, and individualist types simply spreading into unclaimed or under-utilized territories. organization develops over time and with an increase in population, centered around resource concentrations and transportation confluences. examples: the american west, the 49'ers in the former northern mexican territories, the boers in south africa, the russians along the trans-siberian railroad.

This wouldn't produce a colony in itself, it would augment an existing population.

Colonial Colony: a colony imposed upon an existing inhabited area. often (but not always) military and driven by economics, technology, or religion. examples: norman conquest, hong kong, andalusia, crusader jerusalem, british india.

Either an outpost (if the invaders intend to return home one day) or a sponsored colony (if they plan to stay).

Mission Colony: a colony devoted to conversion of existing population rather than an influx of newcomers. examples: california missions, african missionaries ("the flag frequently followed the cross").

As above, either an outpost or a sponsored colony.



Hans

 

[rancke]

Scavenger Colony: Scavenger colonies are similar, but not the same, as Castaway and Pioneer Colonies. Scavenger Colonies (sometimes more politely referred to as Salvager Colonies) make their living off of recycling the leavings of other people. For instance, Mining Colonies whose minerals are played out, Starbases which are victims of changing trade patterns, and military bases who have outlived their strategic use. Given the cost interstellar transport, it's usually cheaper to buy new fittings and erect new buildings than move the existing ones. Therefore, such abandoned sites often have a large amount of refined metals (scrap metal) and in many cases abandoned machinery and devices. Scavengers deliberately choose such places to live, recycling abandoned colonies and turning them into their own homes. While most Scavenger colonies break down the abandoned resources and sell them to eke out a living (and being a kind of Mining Colony), others might more resemble exile, utopian, or colonial communities. What they all have in common is their re-use of abandoned sites of murky or unenforced ownership.

Sounds like outpost colonies to me.


Hans

 

[rancke]

IMTU crooked real estate dealers run a minor and light-footed industry in selling groups of people on the idea of starting their own colonies. The more honorable of them do it to create captive markets for their goods. The less honorable are selling off junk and sending people off to die en masse.

Seems the Imperium would have to curb this behavior. Financially, colonies that don't thrive won't pay taxes...etc.

The resources the Ministry of Justice can dedicate to hunting down con-men is probably limited. Mass murderers would definitely be worthy of their attention (at least repeat offenders), but proving guilt may be a problem.


Hans

 

[dean]

Anyone read 40,000 in Gehenna ? Not sure what kind of colony that would be. Screw the other government colony?

 

[aramis]

The resources the Ministry of Justice can dedicate to hunting down con-men is probably limited. Mass murderers would definitely be worthy of their attention (at least repeat offenders), but proving guilt may be a problem.


Hans

Again, Hans, you limit the imperium by modern legal standards.

Only the investigator and the appropriate level nobleman really need be satisfied... at which point, it's all over but the FGMP's and Type Z's cooling off.

The Imperium, as stated in canon, is a government of men, not of laws.

Convince the right man, and he crushes you with the military might of the rest of his see. Once the sector duke realizes what's going on, he sends the marines in to "protect his investment in the Citizens of the World" (read as 'Nationalize' the colony to the sector government) and "Approve the Charter" (revise their local constitution to something where his see benefits).

Of course, if he's in on it, no amount of BuCol is going to get him to do jack about it... the next rung up, however...

 

[saundby]

Again, Hans, you limit the imperium by modern legal standards.

Only the investigator and the appropriate level nobleman really need be satisfied... at which point, it's all over but the FGMP's and Type Z's cooling off.

The Imperium, as stated in canon, is a government of men, not of laws.

Convince the right man, and he crushes you with the military might of the rest of his see. Once the sector duke realizes what's going on, he sends the marines in to "protect his investment in the Citizens of the World" (read as 'Nationalize' the colony to the sector government) and "Approve the Charter" (revise their local constitution to something where his see benefits).

Of course, if he's in on it, no amount of BuCol is going to get him to do jack about it... the next rung up, however...

This is pretty much how I play it. The con artists often play games with borders and jurisdictions as well. They pay "ice money", too, but as with other such ventures sometimes the powers that be take the ice and bust them anyway. Depending on what the authorities think of the colonists and their contacts a bust can come before or after the colonists depart. Sometimes it's easier to prove you're doing your job if you avert a disaster, but its usually got more traction if you're responding to a disaster.

 

[rancke]

Again, Hans, you limit the imperium by modern legal standards.

Only the investigator and the appropriate level nobleman really need be satisfied... at which point, it's all over but the FGMP's and Type Z's cooling off.

The Imperium, as stated in canon, is a government of men, not of laws.

Canon also states that the Imperium governs the space between worlds. Does that mean that if an evil-doer stays on the surface of a world outside the starport, he's safe from the Imperium? Of course not. Both "The Imperium governs the space between the worlds" and "The Imperium is a government of men, not of laws" are catchphrases, not accurate, and certainly not exhaustive, descriptions. If the Imperium didn't have laws, it wouldn't have Imperial judges.

I think the Imperium and its relationship with its member worlds is a complicated web of laws and customs. Before the appropriate level nobleman signs off on sending in the marines, he'd have to consider if his duke would approve. And the duke would consider how his worlds would react to having Imperial goons throwing their weight about.

"I'm sorry, the man you want us to hand over is a citizen of Trin. Do you have any evidence that he has committed any crime?"

"Duchess, I'm not going to invade Trin without a direct order from Sector Command and several fleets worth of reinforcement."


Hans

 

[Jame]

IMTU, most colony ships would be at least 1000 tons (preferably 2000 to 5000) and minimum J-2, so that the colony can be expanded and supplied.

 

[rancke]

IMTU, most colony ships would be at least 1000 tons (preferably 2000 to 5000) and minimum J-2, so that the colony can be expanded and supplied.

I think colony ships would come in all shapes and sizes, although I agree with you that most of them would be big. Usually they would be obsolescent freighters that had been converted. J3 is a possible alternative to J2. The per parsec cost is about the same and J3 gets you there faster. But J2 is cheaper in absolute terms and colonists might well be willing to trade time for money. They might even settle for J1 (depending on astrography, i.e. where they are and where they plan to go)).

Canon data points:

The ihatei fleet described in AM1 consisted of "ten armed 50,000 T ships, each capable of jump-3 and 3-G. Each ship carried 10,000 T of cargo (primarily colonial supplies), a crew of 300, and a colonial force of 1700". [AM1:38]

The Ihatei-class transport described in Rebellion Sourcebook is 50,000 T, unarmed, capable of jump-3 and 1-G, has a crew of 150 and carries 10,000 colonists in low berth and 'about 1.5 tons of heavy equipment and start-up supplies per colonist'. [RbS:88]

Non-canon data points (mostly assumptions and surmises and results of random die rolls):

In my work on the history of Regina, I've established that the original expedition was 9,000 people in one large, aging freighter. When it became clear that there were more would-be colonists than there was room for on the freighter, the richest colonists clubbed together to buy three additional small freighters. (These three small starships were highly unusual).

Tarsus was settled by 19,125 emigrants from Fornice and it took 12 years to transport them (that much is canon).

12 years (= 4380 days) to transport them all (less 180 days for 12 annual
overhauls = 4200 days)
Round trip to Tarsus takes 30 jumps (jump-2)
30 jumps @ 9 days (average) = 270 days = 15 trips = 1275 passengers per trip

Each colonist requires one shared stateroom (The steaders refused to travel by low berth; it was a triumph of diplomacy to get them to accept makeshift quarters and double occupancy) plus an average of 1.5 dT of equipment.

15 jump-2 400 T merchants with holds converted to carry 85 passengers in double staterooms plus 1.5 dT of equipment per colonist is needed. Add one more to account for accidents and delays.

So I decided that the government of Fornice bought 16 merchants and used them to transport the colonists. Afterwards they converted them back and set up a government-sponsored shipping company.


Hans

 

[Garyius2003]

I look at it two ways. The first is a small scale colony, a few thousand people sent out in cold sleep with lots of equipment and supplies. They are awoken a little at a time and start making their new home. The end result is the world with 10 or 20k folks out in the Marches.

The second, which I tried to use as a setting for a game that dwindled out, was loosely based on David Drake's semi-voluntary colony idea, but on a massive scale.

The Imperium financed huge 1/2 million ton jump 2 colony ships (at TL-13), each with about 400k folks plus supplies extra supplies and a small amount of baggage. High pop worlds would, with lots of 3I help, charter flights to earthish worlds in the coreward regions.

The other selling points were that TL-13 yards got work, and after the push is over the ships can be used to fill in the need for cheap transport in non-Core areas. The oilers were also TL-13, but J-4 to be used in fleets afterwards.

The 3I sent scouts and military, mostly engineer, units along with the mega corps to lay out a starport, the government center/hospitals, and rail lines out in all directions to future farm areas, mines, industrial areas...

The first load was a good mix of builders, techs, medical, workers..what you needed to get the first living space in. By going first these guys also got first choice of land.

Later loads were less voluntary. However, the 3I also kept an eye on things to make sure people got jobs or got moved out into a plug and play farm. The 3I also took loads of folks from different worlds.

The end result is a world with some commerical debt to the home worlds, a mix of population, and a central planned economy which could be good or bad depending on which child of a Ducal family is in charge.

The main action started in a Fiery which was escorting two of the ships, and the game finished dying as the invols started getting awoken for transport down.

 

[Poor Merchant]

Only if it intends to trade with the outside world. If not, then any commodity that is available can be used as a curency standard. Gold is nice, because outside of electronics, it is useless. You can't make a gold plow, or sword. (Well you can, but the combat effectiveness of a gold sword is limited)

If you have an isolationist colony, money is not an issue. You're separatists, what you need with Imperial Credits if you are trying to get away with them.

But most historic colonies needed to trade with the outside world for the simple reason they couldn't make everything themselves (as they were also "corporate" colonies their backers had a desire for some return on their investment as well) and I don't see this being any different in the 3I. For the New England colonies the "cash crop" was initially spars for ships which provided something for the colony ships to "backhaul" to Europe.

I would suggest that most rational people would not want to simply cut themselves off from the rest of civilization when they start a new life and if they want visitors from off-world then they will need something to sell or the colony will not succeed. Each landing could bring new blood, news and new ideas to the colony - I would suggest that frequent landings by traders would also be something that would help attract would-be colonists (on the basis that if things didn't work out you could get off the God-forsaken rock). I don't see that colonising in the 3I would be quite as much a one way trip as it was in the 17th and 18th Century.

Obviously the colonists could declare their currency to be anything they liked but I see no reason why Imperial Credits wouldn't continue to be used as currency by 3I colonists - although the local market might have very different values for common items from the values in more developed planets in the Imperium.

By the way, an isolationist "colony" in the sense you imply isn't actually a colony at all as one of the key elements of a colony is that the inhabitants continue to remain under the political jurisdiction of their native land (hence the American Colonies ceased to be colonies when they declared themselves independent).