RFC: Second Survey and Non-Allegiance (Universal?) Base Codes

[Condottiere]

Custom unions, trade pacts, tax agreements, economic associations.

Increase the size of the commentary for each planetary entry.

 

[tjoneslo]

Hope I didn’t come off as argumentative, just trying to get on the same page as it were. Like I said, I like where this is going but I do think there’s overlap that could probably be refined a bit to make each category more distinctive.

Not a all. Your point is a good one. Rob's original point was that of the 25 defined base codes from the Traveller Map data, 12 are used for some form of Naval Base. And we should be able to pull apart the "Naval Base" aspect and the who controls it (Imperial, Vargr, Aslan, Droyne, K'kree, Hiver, etc). But how fine do we want to slice definitions before the overlap causes confusions is a good question to ask. One is you end up with a base code of "AENST", and is that really necessary.

 

[robject]

I like being in the brainstorm phase though - the ideas come out and then we all get to ruminate on them.


The latest to catch my eye is the Junkyard... and I would spin it and call it a Mothball yard, which we know exists from Azhanti High Lightning... and we even have a system where that yard exists in the Spinward Marches.

It’s the anti-Depot.


I also thought about the Research base (I gave it the “L” code from the type L “Lab Ship”).

 

[robject]

Then what's the point of a class T Trade Station?

I think specifically this is probably a Megacorporate trade station.

So Junidy might have a Tukera trade station, denoted with a T?

 

[robject]

But how fine do we want to slice definitions before the overlap causes confusions is a good question to ask.

I feel okay talking about that as well. I understand that the cognitive space for these codes is about the same level as the Starport grades... and if you had a world that had five bases, you’d list the top two, and then use a write up to explain the others.


But I also think if it leveraged cognitive space from the starship codes, you’d have potentially additional codes available. They even match up with the Type S and the “S” Scout base.

 

[robject]

That's what the initial starport code in the UWP is to indicate. It's part of what the Imperium's trade first approach has wrought, and infected most of the rest of charted space. If we're really going to mix things up I would make the following changes:

An interesting point: STARPORT is a specialized code slot to indicate the level of interstellar commercial activity.

In short, it is a Trade station, a Commercial port. You might call it a Freeport... we could discuss what a Freeport IS if it’s inside the Imperium! That makes me wonder what the definition really means.


The “base” codes are typically — almost exclusively — military, aren’t they, with the Hiver exception.

 

[tjoneslo]

The “base” codes are typically — almost exclusively — military, aren’t they, with the Hiver exception.

I would argue no: The Corsair base may or may not be military depending on how you interpret the description. The Scout base, Way station, and Exploration Station are established and run by an arm of the government but not for strictly military purposes. Depending on the uses for the Clan/Tlaukhu base it may fall closer to the Corsair base in actual practice, or a combined navy/military base. So adding a Trade station and a research station into the mix doesn't sound like too much of a stretch.

I think a big part of this will be setting a minimum size to be considered a "base". I would set at pop 4 (1,000) or pop 5 (10,000) sophonts residing on/at the base with the accompanying infrastructure as a minimum base size. You can have smaller "stations" which appear in other places but are not generally marked on the map, except at extreme detail levels (i.e. in the write-up).

 

[Spinward Flow]

I think a big part of this will be setting a minimum size to be considered a "base". I would set at pop 4 (1,000) or pop 5 (10,000) sophonts residing on/at the base with the accompanying infrastructure as a minimum base size.

1000 is an outpost.
10,000 is a base.

 

[Condottiere]

Unless the primary means of employment, or industry, is servicing the base.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Unless the primary means of employment, or industry, is servicing the base.

Take the "tooth-to-tail" ratio into account.

There are the base workers.
There are the support people for the base workers.
There may be a secondary economy supported by the base.
The base personnel may have dependents accompanying them.
There might need to be an industrial base supporting the base, if it's big enough.

 

[GypsyComet]

Do K'kree have some sort of sub-herd interstellar organizational leaning?

Yes, IMO, but the term *also* translates as "Herd", and they don't build bases at that political level. Much like the map level of the Imperium, all Bases are "Two Thousand Worlds" bases.
Where political designations might be useful in K'kree space is in their client states, where the state may have bases but the Two Thousand Worlds *also* have bases.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Depending on the uses for the Clan/Tlaukhu base it may fall closer to the Corsair base in actual practice, or a combined navy/military base.

Clan base = Scout base (space support focus) and/or Military Base (ground support focus)
Tlaukhu base = Navy base (Hierate wide)

After that, you simply need a trade notation for which Clan(s) occupy the Clan base and you're good to go.

Where political designations might be useful in K'kree space is in their client states, where the state may have bases but the Two Thousand Worlds *also* have bases.

Client bases = Scout base (space support focus) and/or Military base (ground support focus)
Two Thousand Worlds base = Naval base

Substantially the same idea as the Aslan above.