Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Tourism.
intergalactic jumpgate
- Thread starter Werner
- Start date
Tourism.
The Imperium has an Agency with the authority and capability to turn inhabited planets into sterilized obsidian globes when necessary to preserve the Imperium. They also have the resources of 10,000 worlds with which to do this.
If they decide the intergalactic exiles pose a threat to the Imperium, that threat WILL be eliminated.
I finished the Subsector:
0504 Layer 8 Alpha A011674-C M9 V N
0506 Layer 7
Orbit AU Name UWP Orbit Period Remarks
Primary 0 Helios G0 V Mass 1.04 solar masses, Luminosity 1.21
0 0.2 Empty 32 days
1 0.44 Hermes Y300222-A 105 days
2 0.77 Aphrodite Y8B0164-A 242 days
3 1.10 Gaia A867634-B 413 days
_60 385,000 km _Selene G200665-B _27.218 days
4 1.6 Ares G430562-B 725 days
5 2.8 Planetoid Belt 1 G000322-A 4.59 years
6 5.2 Zeus Large GG 11.63 years
_6 422,000 km _Hephaestus H210663-B _1.762 days
_9 670,900 km _Athena Y200313-A _3.533 days
_15 1,070,400 km _Hercules G300361-A _7.119 days
_25 1,882,700 km _Perseus G300234-A _16.607 days
7 10 Kronos Large GG 31.01 years
_20 1,221,870 km _Atlas G3A0622-B _15.885 days
8 19.6 Uranos Small GG 85.09 years
9 29.4 Poseidon Small GG 156.32 years
10 38.8 Hades F110216-A 236.99 years
0209 Layer 6 Beta A547548-9 M0 V G B
0504 Layer 6 Gamma D34047A-4 F0 V G B
0401 Layer 5 Delta C310456-9 F0 V G
0108 Layer 4 Epsilon C758230-9 M5 V
0604 Layer 3 Zeta D620532-5 M0 V G
0604 Layer 3 Eta C330775-7 M5 V - orbit 10 S G B
0606 Layer 3 Theta C556863-5 F0 V G B
0503 Layer 2 Iota C577443-7 M0 V G
0809 Layer 2 Kappa B668542-B F5 V N G B
0809 Layer 2 Lambda B1109AC-C M5 V - orbit 8 N G
0703 Layer 1 Mu B8AA457-E M0 V N G
0801 Layer 1 Nu C855521-7 F5 V S G
0801 Layer 1 Xi B553155-A M5 V - orbit 10 N G
0802 Layer 1 Omicron B6BA66B-A M5 V G
N = Naval base
S = Scout base
G = Gas giant
B = Planetoid belt
0504 Layer 8 Alpha A011674-C M9 V N
0506 Layer 7
Orbit AU Name UWP Orbit Period Remarks
Primary 0 Helios G0 V Mass 1.04 solar masses, Luminosity 1.21
0 0.2 Empty 32 days
1 0.44 Hermes Y300222-A 105 days
2 0.77 Aphrodite Y8B0164-A 242 days
3 1.10 Gaia A867634-B 413 days
_60 385,000 km _Selene G200665-B _27.218 days
4 1.6 Ares G430562-B 725 days
5 2.8 Planetoid Belt 1 G000322-A 4.59 years
6 5.2 Zeus Large GG 11.63 years
_6 422,000 km _Hephaestus H210663-B _1.762 days
_9 670,900 km _Athena Y200313-A _3.533 days
_15 1,070,400 km _Hercules G300361-A _7.119 days
_25 1,882,700 km _Perseus G300234-A _16.607 days
7 10 Kronos Large GG 31.01 years
_20 1,221,870 km _Atlas G3A0622-B _15.885 days
8 19.6 Uranos Small GG 85.09 years
9 29.4 Poseidon Small GG 156.32 years
10 38.8 Hades F110216-A 236.99 years
0209 Layer 6 Beta A547548-9 M0 V G B
0504 Layer 6 Gamma D34047A-4 F0 V G B
0401 Layer 5 Delta C310456-9 F0 V G
0108 Layer 4 Epsilon C758230-9 M5 V
0604 Layer 3 Zeta D620532-5 M0 V G
0604 Layer 3 Eta C330775-7 M5 V - orbit 10 S G B
0606 Layer 3 Theta C556863-5 F0 V G B
0503 Layer 2 Iota C577443-7 M0 V G
0809 Layer 2 Kappa B668542-B F5 V N G B
0809 Layer 2 Lambda B1109AC-C M5 V - orbit 8 N G
0703 Layer 1 Mu B8AA457-E M0 V N G
0801 Layer 1 Nu C855521-7 F5 V S G
0801 Layer 1 Xi B553155-A M5 V - orbit 10 N G
0802 Layer 1 Omicron B6BA66B-A M5 V G
N = Naval base
S = Scout base
G = Gas giant
B = Planetoid belt
Exactly my point, however if they send something over there, they will depend on whatever jumpgates the enemy built to get back, otherwise it's just a one way mission, their is no way to determine whether such a mission succeeded or failed because there is no way to send a message back without a return jumpgate.
Enemy jumpgates might not be so easy to operate, they might be rigged to self-destruct in case of enemy capture, or someone might blow it up or damage it beyond repair. Communication using a jumpgate is only one way going with the ship that carries the message.
Bring your own gate kit, or just accept that it's a one-way mission.
AtlanticFriend
SOC-12
Maybe it could be the dark secret behind the mission: the inmates are supposed to fail (and probably die), and whatever installation they're supposed to build serves a different purpose, or is only destined for another, more trustworthy group.
AtlanticFriend
SOC-12
Excellent! ;D
related to pre-determining the sectors: if this is going to be an actual game, this would be an opportunity to have the players roll up the systems using sensors and all that. Depending on the players, of course. If I were to play in such a game, I'd love to just start generating a system that I've "discovered" and get into all the nooks and crannies. It would give me some ownership of the game.
Somewhere on this board someone did that with the character generation: it was also home world generation and they got to help shape their home systems and the subsector. That sort of metagaming is how I like to play, but is definitely not how a lot of people want to play.
edit: plus, just how old is the sensor data again? I think it was long enough for significant geophysical changes.
Somewhere on this board someone did that with the character generation: it was also home world generation and they got to help shape their home systems and the subsector. That sort of metagaming is how I like to play, but is definitely not how a lot of people want to play.
edit: plus, just how old is the sensor data again? I think it was long enough for significant geophysical changes.
The Andromeda Galaxy we can see through our telescopes is as it was two and a half million years ago, those spiral arms have rotated somewhat in that amount of time.
You know the Traveller game has been around for a long time, it would be nice to do an exploration campaign. The Solar System I detailed is a rough copy of our own. I am sure a system like that exists in the Andromeda galaxy, as it has about one trillion stars, and if you roll the dice enough times you will get some repeats. As we zoom into the planet Gaia, we find it is not in fact Earth, as we look up at the Moon Selene we discover that it is not our moon, it has similar features it has mares and craters on its nearside, but they are in a different pattern from what we know.
I will say that Gaia life is DNA compatible with Terran life. Life transplanted here from Terra will thrive, so a colony here can be started fairly easily if one can get here. Humans have colonized a whole bunch of worlds from all over the subsector, not just Gaia. The adjacent subsectors are fairly unknown and barely explored. Most of the people here are of Solomani origin, they have adopted the Solomani calendar, the Gaian year is a bit longer than the Terran year because the star Helios is brighter and paler than our own Sun so the planet Gaia orbits 10% further out. To human eyes the difference is barely noticeable.
There are a few "Buck Rogers" out here, they were cronies patients from the 21st century, they were revived and joined the Solomani rebellion after being sold on the idea that the Imperium was an evil empire that was oppressing Terran Culture. They have taken a sort of leadership role on the planet Gaia.
Tourism.
Daaaagoh, Daagobah! Daylight come and we wanna go home. Come mister tally man, tally me banana. Daylight come and we wanna go home!
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
The gate is as big as a class A starport, it is several miles across and is in the shape of a ring, attached to it is a massive fusion reactor and fuel tanks. A pretty large size capital ship can fit through that ring including some of the largest ships in the Imperium's fleet, the Imperium built this jumpgate with that in mind.
There is one in the Terra System in the Solomani Rim, it is that one which is primarily used to send the rebel prisoners and space pirates to the Andromeda galaxy, they are given time to supply and refit their starships at their own expense before they go. The Jumpgate is operated by the Third Imperium Navy and also counts as a Naval base for all intents and purposes. The ring is located in the Terra-Sol Lagrange 5 point to satisfy the requirements for making a jump and for continuous access to the most populous planet in the system, which is Terra of course, the gate remains a constant 1 au away from that planet forming an equilateral triangle with the planet and the Sun.
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2.5 Million of years is nothing in the lifetime of a planet. If a planet is habitable 2.5 million years ago, it will likely remain habitable now. What will change is that some planets will move into the examined subsector and some will move out. By examining the surrounding area around a subsector, the motions of stars in a galaxy are fairly predictable. If you examine a field of stars in and around a subsector as they appeared 2.5 million years ago, one can plot their movements with a computer and determine their actual positions in the present with a high degree of certainty. The Imperium can then make a map of what will be in the subsector they are sending them to, and characters can then use that map for navigation purposes and plotting their jumps after taking careful instrument readings just to make sure. The Imperium can also observe planets in other galaxies and determine their general natures, atmosphere, hydrographic etc.
Would you be interested in doing a play-by-post game? We could use Classic or Mongoose Traveller rules the characters could be Space pirates, Rebels, or anyone else who ran afoul of the Imperial occupation authorities in the Terra or other nearby systems, maybe it was a frame up job or something.
Characters get to purchase and take their equipment through the gate. Passage is usually by low berth unless the characters fully own their own starships. There is a charitable organization on Terra that donates money to pay off remaining debt on PC class starships for those exiled to Andromeda, so starship debt is not really a problem for those who just arrived. All arriving ships are fully bought and paid for one way or another.
Solomani rebels and pirates have a lot of sympathizers on Terra, they are seen as Robin Hood like figures. The Imperium allows for such donations to be made, as prisoners keeping their starships allow for better survival odds. They after all, don't know what's awaiting them in the Andromeda galaxy, a return gate has not been built yet, so there is no return information about what is happening over there.
Exilees are encouraged to spend all of their remaining credits on tradeable goods as the Imperial credit is likely not worth anything to the people in the Andromeda galaxy subsector. Characters can sell those tradeable goods for whatever local currency there is to make some local purchases later.
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Enoki
SOC-14 1K
So, if the gate is that big and the Imperium is serious about colonizing Andromeda using it, why wouldn't they send say a 500,000 to 1 million ton ship through the gate equipped with several small J2 200 ton transports, several 100t scouts, a military ship that can handle things, and enough settlers, technicians, and professionals with materials and equipment to set things up properly? The big colony ship doesn't even need to be jump capable (the gate will get them there) and only needs minimal maneuver capacity. After all, once you put the smaller jump ships out, they can haul everything to the colony planet.
Want to go cheaper? Use a small planetoid for the ship hull...
If using slave and POW labor is your goal, send them on follow on ships that go. Those wouldn't even have to have a working jump drive. Again the first ship's arrival with a fleet of small jump ships could handle moving them where they need to go.
Need high tech materials? Build a hull to hold them with some life support and a caretaker crew of a few. Pack a gazillion tons of whatever inside and shoot it through. No need for maneuver or jump drives whatsoever. Your fleet of small jump capable merchants can handle moving the supplies.
Want to go cheaper? Use a small planetoid for the ship hull...
If using slave and POW labor is your goal, send them on follow on ships that go. Those wouldn't even have to have a working jump drive. Again the first ship's arrival with a fleet of small jump ships could handle moving them where they need to go.
Need high tech materials? Build a hull to hold them with some life support and a caretaker crew of a few. Pack a gazillion tons of whatever inside and shoot it through. No need for maneuver or jump drives whatsoever. Your fleet of small jump capable merchants can handle moving the supplies.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
What's to stop these pirates and other neer-do-wells from simply setting up at the far end for "gate jumping" ships as they arrive? Looting these ships would be quite lucrative I'd think. They provide materials and slave labor for your colony rather than get to run around exploring and becoming competition.
All ships that use a jumpgate need to either be jump capable or be Carried onboard a jump capable ship. What the jumpgate does is get the ship into jump space, the thing is once in jump space, no matter how far the jump is, the time spent in jump space will last about a week, so a ship that is in jump space will need a jump drive to maintain a jump bubble around itself for one week until it enters normal space, a jumpgate can do that job, because it doesn't travel with the Starship it sent into jump space. Also the rule for jump travel is you need 10% of the hull volume in liquid hydrogen for ever parsec of space crossed, so for a 750,000 parsec jump, which is what's you'd need for that jump to Andromeda, a 100 ton scout ship will need 7,500,000 displacement tons of liquid hydrogen, most of this fuel is loaded into the fuel tanks of the jumpgate and is used to initiate the jump, all this hydrogen gets injected into jump space along with the Starship that is sent, the Starship then needs to inject 10% of its hull volume into jump space to maintain the jump bubble as it travels for one week in jump space. Fortunately hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is fairly cheap.
The formula for calculating the jump fuel required to send a Starship through jump space to andromeda galaxy is therefore 750,000 × ship dton hull volume/10.
The fact that the arriving ship arrive at a random location in the subsector that said pirates cannot anticipate or predict. They cannot set up an ambush if they don't know when or where the next starship will appear, and its not like they arrive on a regular schedule either.
Newly arriving starships usually arrive in interstellar space between the stars and typically need to make one more jump upon arrival to get in the nearest star system to refuel.
Bond: "Do you expect me to talk?"
Goldfinger: "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"
And, on the other hand,
Dr. Evil: "Scott, I want you to meet daddy's nemesis, Austin Powers."
Scott Evil: "What? Are you feeding him? Why don't you just kill him?"
Dr. Evil: "I have an even better idea. I'm going to place him in an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death."
The Imperium does not control what's on the other end until a return gate is constructed. Sending anyone over there breaks the chain of command. The commanding officer of any expedition has a choice of either ruling this galaxy or doing what his emperor bids, there are no consequences if he does not follow orders, the consequences only occur if he builds the return gate. The emperor does not know what's going on over there, he does not know whether his orders are being carried out, he can't rule another galaxy if there is no information about what he sent coming back! Whoever he sends out is on his own. Maybe the emperor can take some hostages, so that whoever he sends has to build the return gate if he ever wants to see them again.
