Post by AdmiralKerkov on Sept 9, 2019 21:05:53 GMT
Turn 3 - 2378
Osean Federation
-A tax increase bill is written and is passed through the legislative organs of the Osean government. It is not widely popular throughout the nation, and some economists argue its bad for the economy as they claim the Osean nation is in an expansionary phase and that increased taxes will hamper it, however government financiers are holding the opposite view that an imbalanced government budget will be fair worse for the Osean economy, and therefore are necessary for the future well-being of the economy.
-Although some grounds are made on balancing the budget, the taxes do not compensate for the huge increase in military spending this year, and in fact the budget deficit grows. The pay cuts do little to nothing. (But not significantly enough to change the budget deficit indicator, so don’t change it)
-Many take up the Osean Federation’s offer, and 164 merchant vessels are signed up as auxiliary vessels. 74% of these are vessels owned by major corporations, mostly domestic, 18% are owned by small businesses and local companies, and the remaining 8% are privately owned.
-Your state department working alongside military officers in the Osean navy negotiate a deal with the Federated States of the Galaxy to purchase all four vessels, for only 119% of build cost. Not only that, but they are already built and only a few years old, and are immediately sent to the Osean Federation. Please add 3 Porters and 1 Exeter to your mil numbers.
-Your offer is recognized, and does invite four minor corporations to set up headquarters in Osea as opposed to the Ecumene. 3 are military related industries, and 1 is a vehicle manufacturer.
-Little to no Ecumene refugees have come to the Osean Federation.
-No pirates surrender.
-The war games are considered a success as the vessel performed admirably with the right commanding officer. It performed best in convoy protection operations, defensive battles, and system control.
-This is done, it causes a huge disruption in trade efficiency and flow, but it does heavily decrease the civilian vessel loss or captured Osean citizens. Mixed reactions from the people, and concerns are made by government economists.
Please change your Tax indicator to high.
Osean Federation Events:
-Public Outrage as beloved comedian and longtime Osean independence supporter, Kadri Ratas, makes offensive comments against “spacers”, people who live primarily on starships or space stations. This has brought national controversy, after she made such statements on her nationally televised comedy show. Many citizens and subjects have said such statements are warranted, due to claimed stereotypes of spacers. Others say this is “settler” nonsense, and a continuation of a vicious cycle of Spacism as a result of little contact between settlers and spacers. There are also some spacer groups that look down upon settlers as foolish, and too rooted in the ground to understand their importance, which has only inflamed the debate. This has caused some minor non-violent conflict, but has been an ongoing issue for the majority of 2378.
-A much less vitriol and less popular national debate has started as a result of the Osean auxiliary program. Some retired military officers and government officials, led by (ret.) Admiral Skaag, have petitioned the government to drastically shrink the fleet size. However many corporate representatives, business executives, and wealthy private individuals have made counter-arguments that although it is a high cost, if their ships aren’t outfitted with armaments that the economic loss to the Osean nation due to trade disruption by pirate groups will outweigh the effects of the debt the government goes into to pay for them. They also state that by signing up their vessels and crews to the Auxiliary force, that Osean government declared itself legally obligated to provide the armaments.
-The conflict for secure trade routes has turned in the Osean Federation’s favor. Using intelligence operations, Destroyer Division 3, convoy tactics, and two successful sting operations within the Q-ship task force created by Operation Defiant. 36 pirate vessels have been captured, 8 destroyed, and over 3,458 outlaws captured. Although, half a dozen civilian ships were still destroyed in the crossfire. The military establishment has decided to retire the Q-ship task force after only two successful apprehensions due to a government leak that revealed their nature. Although piracy is still a definite threat, Osean adjacent hyperspace lanes are now no longer fully controlled by pirates, and any pirate vessels that were taking refuge in Osean inhabited systems are now gone.
Ecumene:
-The entire Ecumene navy is tasked with escorting operations. They are successful in guarding the convoys they are tasked with, but non-escorted vessels still face piracy, and little is done to proactively apprehend pirate vessels. State owned corporation vessels are armed, this leads to a slight increase in profits of state owned-corporations as their starships do not face the same threat level as privately owned ones.
-Some citizens join and are trained.
-At 143% of build cost, all four Porters are ordered, despite protests from a minority of the Ecumene council. They shall be completed and delivered in 2381 (So add them to your mil numbers when writing up turn 6) Six armed Yaos are ordered at 120% build cost, which shall be delivered in 2380.
-With the cut in regulations, the mass exodus of private corporations from the Ecumene comes to a stop in 2378. The wage and healthcare law reforms are also welcomed by the blue-collar sector of the population, drowning out any discussion about the cut in regulations.
-In an effort to cut spending, 3.5% of the government budget is cut. This has led to huge cuts in social security, unemployment benefits, civil service space station (Comms relays, star system ship guidance stations, FTL markers, etc.) funds and military base/ground force maintenance funding. The increase in taxes was not welcomed by the population and largely went to military purchasing orders.
-The policy is introduced. This has actually started to introduce some new finance companies to Ecumene space as the inflation control advertises financial security.
-The anti-corruption measures are well-received, however the repeal of the caste system is not. Many of the older generations and those who live in space believe the caste system is what is needed to differentiate the Ecumene from other space faring nations in the power race that is to come, and that the caste system will only strengthen the nation’s domestic resolve. Many large protests against this move are held near political buildings of importance, and on international trade stations. However, many people living in cities, especially those of the younger demographic, support this change as a sign that the Ecumene is evolving from its past as a nation in rebellion, and becoming a new nation in its own right.
-The planet is populated very slowly, and most citizens live so sparsely that they live largely free from government intervention of any kind. Needless to say, nothing of note happens.
-The project is started, but little to no government funds are found for the project due to large cuts, and most of the increased budget cash flow is used for military purchases. Almost no progress is made on the construction projects and very few jobs are created.
-No pirates surrender.
-Without any major setbacks, researchers determine that design development, prototype testing, and mass-manufacturing preparation should be complete by 2380. Once ordered, the first Alash class Guardship hulls can be laid down by 2381. Simulation testing has determined that the ship shall be constructed and capable as per design requirements, no significant issues.
-Development and testing shall be complete by 2379, and should be ready for construction by 2380. Simulations have determined no faults, and is actually considered a staple in secondary kinetic firing armament. Some believe that other government may even come to the Ecumene to lease the design.
-A fire consumed the laboratory and offices where Project A293 is being tested and developed half way through the year. All research progress was lost, setting the researchers back three years. However, in the last six months, they have been starting up research again, but it was a significant setback. After a thorough investigation, it was found out the building was set afire by arson, a very well organized and large scale arson job, however no culprit has been found.
-Equally bad news for the J251 program, some progress was lost due to corporate sabotage, a researcher, Jaan Needlemyer, stole several no-copy documents related to the research and design of J251, then fled the country before police forces could apprehend him. It is unknown where he is, or if he has sold it to any government or corporation.
Change your tax indicator to high, and your currency indicator to weak.
Ecumene Events:
-The war on piracy does not bode well for the Ecumene. Dozens of private and corporate vessels are still being captured and raided, while only state corporation vessels are being escorted. Although the placement of ships has dealt with lurking pirate vessels in the home systems. However, adjacent FTL route stops are still controlled by pirates. So far only four vessels have been captured, and one destroyed. This has incited large social unrest from citizens of the Ecumene as over 4,289 citizens have been killed or captured by pirates, most held for ransom. This has also damaged the economy as the state corporations can not make up for the loss of other private corporations’ goods. However, state corporations have grown significantly while private corporations profit growth has slowed considerably.
-Massive social unrest from two large issues the Ecumene are facing today. Many older citizens, led by Aarn Unovik, are protesting the repeal of the caste system, a social system of order that largely shaped their lives during the war for independence and as newly free Ecumene citizens. They consider this change as a betrayal of the older demographics despite their sacrifice during the war and despite voting in this current council and high council many years ago. Another large group protesting, led by figures such as Anna Putin and Mikhail Slavonovitch, are workers in the transportation industry, family members of citizens who have been captured or killed, and just the general population who have been effected by the constant shortages and loss of life by this pirate infestation. They demand the government take a more proactive stance against the pirate threat, as the Ecumene have suffered while other nations are winning their wars on piracy. This has also led to some questions of the dubiousness of the current government structure. After this series of unpopular decisions, many are supporting a constitutional change in the government of the Ecumene, citing that a council that serves for life, with an oligarchic high council with no checks on their power, is dangerous for the well-being of a seemingly democratic and liberal society.
-Economic Crisis! Several top economists, such as Nimoy Farentov, are saying the Ecumene has entered a severe recession as a result of continuously decreasing supply to a starving market. Started by the mass exodus of corporations and continued by the piracy presence, Ecumene demand heavily exceeds supply, causing a huge decrease in consumer spending, and causing the fast decline of the current business cycle. If things are not done soon, greater consequences than a rising unemployment rate may occur.
Tamaz Confederation:
-Aid is given out where possible, causing some minor increases in budget spending, but aiding large amounts of private vessels. Corporations and Tribes are happy with this.
-This is done, it does increase anti-piracy operations, and further secures Tamaz space, but Vice Admiral Saad Harrak warns the central government that this may give the various tribes and citizens more armed power relative to the central government, and may assert an idea of self-certified independence. Various representatives of Tribes, such as representative Ali Mabdoubly, say that this policy only strengthens Tamaz patriotism
-This is done, with considerable increase to the military budget, which helps secure several private vessels and trade connections. The instruction proves invaluable as it decreases the raid/capture rate by 54%, some government statisticians say.
-Adrienne Raja, founder of the games, personally thanks the Tamaz government, and the organization gains wider support from various tribes, in preparation for the next games.
-The planetary government that currently detains the vessel demands a Porter class warship in return for the Erickson, stating that it is only fair, a ship for a ship.
-The vast majority of governments in the other system accept your offer, increasing relations between the Tamaz and the system.
-The convoy operates successfully, fending off six attacks over the year, and only having one ship under its protection being damaged, but the majority of its crew lived with the cargo intact.
-Research is under way, early simulations present no serious complications, although fighter, fuel and ammunition storage does take up ten percent of Yao cargo holds. Research to be completed by 2379.
-Money allocated to the development was reportedly embezzled by members of the research community and military researchers, in what is becoming a national scandal. According to preliminary reports, most of the money was used in a series of lavish resort visits and ‘conferences’ to discuss and write the doctrine, but little was actually done. In light of the crisis, the bureaucracy of the Tamaz has closed the study, and the people demand action on part of the government. Needless to say, nothing was accomplished.
-Irony is noted.
Change currency strength indicator to strong.
Tamaz Confederation Events:
-Culture Wars. Popular culture has exploded in Tamaz space as various television, audio-vision, and analog novels have taken the rest of the galaxy by storm. Some attribute this new love for Tamaz culture to the edge-of-your seat tales of tribal pirate-hunters and the ancient storytelling culture many say originates from Tamaz’s ancestors, the Berber people. Whatever the reason, Tamaz culture is spreading to places like the Federation of New Colombia, the Merchant Republic of Hailil, and even the homeworlds in the Federated States of the Galaxy. One expert in foreign relations, Faruk De Gaulle believes that the Tamaz government should use this to establish a cultural hegemony over its neighbors, as did the United States of America in the late 20th century, and the Indian Republic in the late 21st century. However, others in the entertainment industry, such as author Maisa Khan, believe that any government intervention in the creation of shows or novels will only decrease the quality and creativity and lose what strength it has.
-Piracy is on the decline. 26 pirate vessels have been captured, twenty of them by civilian vessels using letters of marque. 3 pirate ships have been destroyed. Tamaz home systems are completely clear of pirate presence, and adjacent FTL route stops are mostly safe, with occasional pirate attacks.
Federation of New Colombia:
-Attracted by the incentives, many entertainment and communications companies have moved onto Colombian planets. This has led to a huge boom in the industry, and even the growth of domestic companies that are related.
-Investigation is undertaken, and although a large rot of the corrupt officials and their subordinates are found and charged, many people are still angry that such a thing could ever happen in the first place.
-Information is given out. It immensely helps the operations in Tamaz and Osea.
-The conference on piracy is ongoing.
-The bureau is created.
-187 vessels and their captains are signed on to this program, causing a large increase in military funding due to paying for the training, refits, and extra equipment. Only 22 are refitted, while all captains and their executive officers are trained through the year. The vast majority of these are captains working for companies, as these corporations required them to be trained and their ships outfitted, with only 42% of those companies being domestic. A mere 4% are privately owned. This has caused a significant increase in the military budget.
-This is proving very effective in dealing with the piracy issue.
-The Morrison carrier undergoes research and design development, with early simulations detecting no serious issues. The class should be ready for construction by 2381.
-Little to no research is completed due to issues with the offices and acquiring a proper research and development team.
Raise your Gov. spending to high. Change currency strength to strong.
Federation of New Colombia Events:
-Militarization? Many citizens in the NFC believe this new auxiliary program could lead to a militarization of the private sector and increase military control over Colombians. This has caused some social unrest as many believe that their personal liberty is at risk. Many of these worries are led by Frank Meyer, who also represents those who believe this is bad for the economy as the budget becomes overinflated. On the opposite side, representatives of corporations such as Brummer Fleet Solutions, and Post-Mars Transpo. State that the FNC legally obligated itself to outfitting and arming their vessels when they signed up their ships for the Columbian Commercial Security Detachment. Such a breach in contract would not be acceptable and would be pursued with legal action.
-Faith of the Stellarum is still taking over the nation by storm as it spreads from city to city, planet to planet. Not only has it taken over public demographics, but every local and state elections in the last two years have seen the rise of Stellarum candidates, promising religiously related policies. The few that have made it to office have already had their effect seen, passing several policies related towards subsidizing resort and religious space stations and inter-FTL stop rest stations, these passing due to Christian, Astral Pagan, and Jewish representatives trying to appeal to their Stellarum voters. These bills have of course been made in the effort to ‘spurn outer spatial related industries’, but have been seen as obvious legal loopholes in the separation of church and state as per the Colombian constitution.
-The pirate threat to FNC shipping has almost all been wiped out. What little piracy remained in adjacent FTL stops have been eradicated, and FNC ships even have substantial security going through non-multi-system nation systems and FTL routes. This is welcomed by the general population.
International Events:
-A great discovery is made in the Alpha Centauri system, an ancient ship from the year 2086 exited jump space, a previously discovered parallel dimension that allowed for early FTL travel, until it was made obsolete by modern “instant” FTL engines. The ship was an early FTL exploration vessel, a part of the now defunct Solar Soviet Fleet. Among its twenty-eight man crew, there is Captain 2nd Rank Sergei Vilinov, and Zompolit Captain Lieutenant Leonid Kutsenov, the commanding officer and political officer, who have become overnight celebrities for their senior positions among such an anomaly and as primary sources for their time period. Current speculations as to their survival is that the ship, which was suppose to spend three months in jump space, while the crew slept safely in cryogenic sleep, actually remained in jump space 292 years, due to multiple malfunctions in the crew’s FTL drive.
-Large overturn in the corporate world as NIM, a large conglomerate of transportation companies, spanning from the Osean Federation to the Free Republic of Courel, has officially replaced Jan Energy Group as the tenth largest corporation in the human galaxy, according to the Alpha Centauri Free Commission of Interstellar Finance and Economics. To explain this sudden rise, its CEO, Xi Yaio had to say, “Its simple, with the collapse of the FSG Exterior Settlement, and with it the dissolution of the Government Transport Corps, it was inevitable that private industry would rise to take the task of connecting Human Space through trade and communications. I saw this, and just decided to bring all these regional companies together, expanding overall coverage, unit efficiency, and corporate profit margins.”
-Piracy, despite large efforts to fight it, still plagues the various “FTL Highways” of the known galaxy. Although most piracy presence in actual systems has been wiped out or lowered to a minimal level, there still is a large amount of pirate vessel, and organized crime groups in systems without large centralization of power. It is theorized that pirate ships have started conglomerating into pirate fleets, and creating space station ‘hide-outs’, by building space stations outside of plotted hyperspace routes and inhabited systems. Where pirate ‘CEOs’ and ‘Admirals’ plan out strategic raids and heists, then disappear to unknown locations.
-International controversy as the two year conference set up by the Federation of New Columbia in order to create an international response to the piracy threat, has lost two of its main contributors, the Yining Xi bloc, and Inter-Trade Bloc, both citing that the conference failed to come up with any viable solution in its two years of existence.
Osean Federation
-A tax increase bill is written and is passed through the legislative organs of the Osean government. It is not widely popular throughout the nation, and some economists argue its bad for the economy as they claim the Osean nation is in an expansionary phase and that increased taxes will hamper it, however government financiers are holding the opposite view that an imbalanced government budget will be fair worse for the Osean economy, and therefore are necessary for the future well-being of the economy.
-Although some grounds are made on balancing the budget, the taxes do not compensate for the huge increase in military spending this year, and in fact the budget deficit grows. The pay cuts do little to nothing. (But not significantly enough to change the budget deficit indicator, so don’t change it)
-Many take up the Osean Federation’s offer, and 164 merchant vessels are signed up as auxiliary vessels. 74% of these are vessels owned by major corporations, mostly domestic, 18% are owned by small businesses and local companies, and the remaining 8% are privately owned.
-Your state department working alongside military officers in the Osean navy negotiate a deal with the Federated States of the Galaxy to purchase all four vessels, for only 119% of build cost. Not only that, but they are already built and only a few years old, and are immediately sent to the Osean Federation. Please add 3 Porters and 1 Exeter to your mil numbers.
-Your offer is recognized, and does invite four minor corporations to set up headquarters in Osea as opposed to the Ecumene. 3 are military related industries, and 1 is a vehicle manufacturer.
-Little to no Ecumene refugees have come to the Osean Federation.
-No pirates surrender.
-The war games are considered a success as the vessel performed admirably with the right commanding officer. It performed best in convoy protection operations, defensive battles, and system control.
-This is done, it causes a huge disruption in trade efficiency and flow, but it does heavily decrease the civilian vessel loss or captured Osean citizens. Mixed reactions from the people, and concerns are made by government economists.
-The large scale of the refit operation vastly increases the military budget, bringing mixed reactions from the military establishment. Many companies and private citizens, such as prominent business man and spokesman Lee Beringer, are very supportive of the government program, while some retired military officers, led in their opposition by retired Admiral Lada Skaag, believe this is diverting funds from valuable projects in favor of making sub-par auxiliary vessels. In 2378, 37 vessels are refitted.
-All researches not addressed in this turn already, have been completed.
Please change your Tax indicator to high.
Osean Federation Events:
-Public Outrage as beloved comedian and longtime Osean independence supporter, Kadri Ratas, makes offensive comments against “spacers”, people who live primarily on starships or space stations. This has brought national controversy, after she made such statements on her nationally televised comedy show. Many citizens and subjects have said such statements are warranted, due to claimed stereotypes of spacers. Others say this is “settler” nonsense, and a continuation of a vicious cycle of Spacism as a result of little contact between settlers and spacers. There are also some spacer groups that look down upon settlers as foolish, and too rooted in the ground to understand their importance, which has only inflamed the debate. This has caused some minor non-violent conflict, but has been an ongoing issue for the majority of 2378.
-A much less vitriol and less popular national debate has started as a result of the Osean auxiliary program. Some retired military officers and government officials, led by (ret.) Admiral Skaag, have petitioned the government to drastically shrink the fleet size. However many corporate representatives, business executives, and wealthy private individuals have made counter-arguments that although it is a high cost, if their ships aren’t outfitted with armaments that the economic loss to the Osean nation due to trade disruption by pirate groups will outweigh the effects of the debt the government goes into to pay for them. They also state that by signing up their vessels and crews to the Auxiliary force, that Osean government declared itself legally obligated to provide the armaments.
-The conflict for secure trade routes has turned in the Osean Federation’s favor. Using intelligence operations, Destroyer Division 3, convoy tactics, and two successful sting operations within the Q-ship task force created by Operation Defiant. 36 pirate vessels have been captured, 8 destroyed, and over 3,458 outlaws captured. Although, half a dozen civilian ships were still destroyed in the crossfire. The military establishment has decided to retire the Q-ship task force after only two successful apprehensions due to a government leak that revealed their nature. Although piracy is still a definite threat, Osean adjacent hyperspace lanes are now no longer fully controlled by pirates, and any pirate vessels that were taking refuge in Osean inhabited systems are now gone.
Ecumene:
-The entire Ecumene navy is tasked with escorting operations. They are successful in guarding the convoys they are tasked with, but non-escorted vessels still face piracy, and little is done to proactively apprehend pirate vessels. State owned corporation vessels are armed, this leads to a slight increase in profits of state owned-corporations as their starships do not face the same threat level as privately owned ones.
-Some citizens join and are trained.
-At 143% of build cost, all four Porters are ordered, despite protests from a minority of the Ecumene council. They shall be completed and delivered in 2381 (So add them to your mil numbers when writing up turn 6) Six armed Yaos are ordered at 120% build cost, which shall be delivered in 2380.
-With the cut in regulations, the mass exodus of private corporations from the Ecumene comes to a stop in 2378. The wage and healthcare law reforms are also welcomed by the blue-collar sector of the population, drowning out any discussion about the cut in regulations.
-In an effort to cut spending, 3.5% of the government budget is cut. This has led to huge cuts in social security, unemployment benefits, civil service space station (Comms relays, star system ship guidance stations, FTL markers, etc.) funds and military base/ground force maintenance funding. The increase in taxes was not welcomed by the population and largely went to military purchasing orders.
-The policy is introduced. This has actually started to introduce some new finance companies to Ecumene space as the inflation control advertises financial security.
-The anti-corruption measures are well-received, however the repeal of the caste system is not. Many of the older generations and those who live in space believe the caste system is what is needed to differentiate the Ecumene from other space faring nations in the power race that is to come, and that the caste system will only strengthen the nation’s domestic resolve. Many large protests against this move are held near political buildings of importance, and on international trade stations. However, many people living in cities, especially those of the younger demographic, support this change as a sign that the Ecumene is evolving from its past as a nation in rebellion, and becoming a new nation in its own right.
-The planet is populated very slowly, and most citizens live so sparsely that they live largely free from government intervention of any kind. Needless to say, nothing of note happens.
-The project is started, but little to no government funds are found for the project due to large cuts, and most of the increased budget cash flow is used for military purchases. Almost no progress is made on the construction projects and very few jobs are created.
-No pirates surrender.
-Without any major setbacks, researchers determine that design development, prototype testing, and mass-manufacturing preparation should be complete by 2380. Once ordered, the first Alash class Guardship hulls can be laid down by 2381. Simulation testing has determined that the ship shall be constructed and capable as per design requirements, no significant issues.
-Development and testing shall be complete by 2379, and should be ready for construction by 2380. Simulations have determined no faults, and is actually considered a staple in secondary kinetic firing armament. Some believe that other government may even come to the Ecumene to lease the design.
-A fire consumed the laboratory and offices where Project A293 is being tested and developed half way through the year. All research progress was lost, setting the researchers back three years. However, in the last six months, they have been starting up research again, but it was a significant setback. After a thorough investigation, it was found out the building was set afire by arson, a very well organized and large scale arson job, however no culprit has been found.
-Equally bad news for the J251 program, some progress was lost due to corporate sabotage, a researcher, Jaan Needlemyer, stole several no-copy documents related to the research and design of J251, then fled the country before police forces could apprehend him. It is unknown where he is, or if he has sold it to any government or corporation.
Change your tax indicator to high, and your currency indicator to weak.
Ecumene Events:
-The war on piracy does not bode well for the Ecumene. Dozens of private and corporate vessels are still being captured and raided, while only state corporation vessels are being escorted. Although the placement of ships has dealt with lurking pirate vessels in the home systems. However, adjacent FTL route stops are still controlled by pirates. So far only four vessels have been captured, and one destroyed. This has incited large social unrest from citizens of the Ecumene as over 4,289 citizens have been killed or captured by pirates, most held for ransom. This has also damaged the economy as the state corporations can not make up for the loss of other private corporations’ goods. However, state corporations have grown significantly while private corporations profit growth has slowed considerably.
-Massive social unrest from two large issues the Ecumene are facing today. Many older citizens, led by Aarn Unovik, are protesting the repeal of the caste system, a social system of order that largely shaped their lives during the war for independence and as newly free Ecumene citizens. They consider this change as a betrayal of the older demographics despite their sacrifice during the war and despite voting in this current council and high council many years ago. Another large group protesting, led by figures such as Anna Putin and Mikhail Slavonovitch, are workers in the transportation industry, family members of citizens who have been captured or killed, and just the general population who have been effected by the constant shortages and loss of life by this pirate infestation. They demand the government take a more proactive stance against the pirate threat, as the Ecumene have suffered while other nations are winning their wars on piracy. This has also led to some questions of the dubiousness of the current government structure. After this series of unpopular decisions, many are supporting a constitutional change in the government of the Ecumene, citing that a council that serves for life, with an oligarchic high council with no checks on their power, is dangerous for the well-being of a seemingly democratic and liberal society.
-Economic Crisis! Several top economists, such as Nimoy Farentov, are saying the Ecumene has entered a severe recession as a result of continuously decreasing supply to a starving market. Started by the mass exodus of corporations and continued by the piracy presence, Ecumene demand heavily exceeds supply, causing a huge decrease in consumer spending, and causing the fast decline of the current business cycle. If things are not done soon, greater consequences than a rising unemployment rate may occur.
Tamaz Confederation:
-Aid is given out where possible, causing some minor increases in budget spending, but aiding large amounts of private vessels. Corporations and Tribes are happy with this.
-This is done, it does increase anti-piracy operations, and further secures Tamaz space, but Vice Admiral Saad Harrak warns the central government that this may give the various tribes and citizens more armed power relative to the central government, and may assert an idea of self-certified independence. Various representatives of Tribes, such as representative Ali Mabdoubly, say that this policy only strengthens Tamaz patriotism
-This is done, with considerable increase to the military budget, which helps secure several private vessels and trade connections. The instruction proves invaluable as it decreases the raid/capture rate by 54%, some government statisticians say.
-Adrienne Raja, founder of the games, personally thanks the Tamaz government, and the organization gains wider support from various tribes, in preparation for the next games.
-The planetary government that currently detains the vessel demands a Porter class warship in return for the Erickson, stating that it is only fair, a ship for a ship.
-The vast majority of governments in the other system accept your offer, increasing relations between the Tamaz and the system.
-The convoy operates successfully, fending off six attacks over the year, and only having one ship under its protection being damaged, but the majority of its crew lived with the cargo intact.
-Research is under way, early simulations present no serious complications, although fighter, fuel and ammunition storage does take up ten percent of Yao cargo holds. Research to be completed by 2379.
-Money allocated to the development was reportedly embezzled by members of the research community and military researchers, in what is becoming a national scandal. According to preliminary reports, most of the money was used in a series of lavish resort visits and ‘conferences’ to discuss and write the doctrine, but little was actually done. In light of the crisis, the bureaucracy of the Tamaz has closed the study, and the people demand action on part of the government. Needless to say, nothing was accomplished.
-Irony is noted.
Change currency strength indicator to strong.
Tamaz Confederation Events:
-Culture Wars. Popular culture has exploded in Tamaz space as various television, audio-vision, and analog novels have taken the rest of the galaxy by storm. Some attribute this new love for Tamaz culture to the edge-of-your seat tales of tribal pirate-hunters and the ancient storytelling culture many say originates from Tamaz’s ancestors, the Berber people. Whatever the reason, Tamaz culture is spreading to places like the Federation of New Colombia, the Merchant Republic of Hailil, and even the homeworlds in the Federated States of the Galaxy. One expert in foreign relations, Faruk De Gaulle believes that the Tamaz government should use this to establish a cultural hegemony over its neighbors, as did the United States of America in the late 20th century, and the Indian Republic in the late 21st century. However, others in the entertainment industry, such as author Maisa Khan, believe that any government intervention in the creation of shows or novels will only decrease the quality and creativity and lose what strength it has.
-Piracy is on the decline. 26 pirate vessels have been captured, twenty of them by civilian vessels using letters of marque. 3 pirate ships have been destroyed. Tamaz home systems are completely clear of pirate presence, and adjacent FTL route stops are mostly safe, with occasional pirate attacks.
Federation of New Colombia:
-Attracted by the incentives, many entertainment and communications companies have moved onto Colombian planets. This has led to a huge boom in the industry, and even the growth of domestic companies that are related.
-Investigation is undertaken, and although a large rot of the corrupt officials and their subordinates are found and charged, many people are still angry that such a thing could ever happen in the first place.
-Information is given out. It immensely helps the operations in Tamaz and Osea.
-The conference on piracy is ongoing.
-The bureau is created.
-187 vessels and their captains are signed on to this program, causing a large increase in military funding due to paying for the training, refits, and extra equipment. Only 22 are refitted, while all captains and their executive officers are trained through the year. The vast majority of these are captains working for companies, as these corporations required them to be trained and their ships outfitted, with only 42% of those companies being domestic. A mere 4% are privately owned. This has caused a significant increase in the military budget.
-This is proving very effective in dealing with the piracy issue.
-The Morrison carrier undergoes research and design development, with early simulations detecting no serious issues. The class should be ready for construction by 2381.
-Little to no research is completed due to issues with the offices and acquiring a proper research and development team.
Raise your Gov. spending to high. Change currency strength to strong.
Federation of New Colombia Events:
-Militarization? Many citizens in the NFC believe this new auxiliary program could lead to a militarization of the private sector and increase military control over Colombians. This has caused some social unrest as many believe that their personal liberty is at risk. Many of these worries are led by Frank Meyer, who also represents those who believe this is bad for the economy as the budget becomes overinflated. On the opposite side, representatives of corporations such as Brummer Fleet Solutions, and Post-Mars Transpo. State that the FNC legally obligated itself to outfitting and arming their vessels when they signed up their ships for the Columbian Commercial Security Detachment. Such a breach in contract would not be acceptable and would be pursued with legal action.
-Faith of the Stellarum is still taking over the nation by storm as it spreads from city to city, planet to planet. Not only has it taken over public demographics, but every local and state elections in the last two years have seen the rise of Stellarum candidates, promising religiously related policies. The few that have made it to office have already had their effect seen, passing several policies related towards subsidizing resort and religious space stations and inter-FTL stop rest stations, these passing due to Christian, Astral Pagan, and Jewish representatives trying to appeal to their Stellarum voters. These bills have of course been made in the effort to ‘spurn outer spatial related industries’, but have been seen as obvious legal loopholes in the separation of church and state as per the Colombian constitution.
-The pirate threat to FNC shipping has almost all been wiped out. What little piracy remained in adjacent FTL stops have been eradicated, and FNC ships even have substantial security going through non-multi-system nation systems and FTL routes. This is welcomed by the general population.
International Events:
-A great discovery is made in the Alpha Centauri system, an ancient ship from the year 2086 exited jump space, a previously discovered parallel dimension that allowed for early FTL travel, until it was made obsolete by modern “instant” FTL engines. The ship was an early FTL exploration vessel, a part of the now defunct Solar Soviet Fleet. Among its twenty-eight man crew, there is Captain 2nd Rank Sergei Vilinov, and Zompolit Captain Lieutenant Leonid Kutsenov, the commanding officer and political officer, who have become overnight celebrities for their senior positions among such an anomaly and as primary sources for their time period. Current speculations as to their survival is that the ship, which was suppose to spend three months in jump space, while the crew slept safely in cryogenic sleep, actually remained in jump space 292 years, due to multiple malfunctions in the crew’s FTL drive.
-Large overturn in the corporate world as NIM, a large conglomerate of transportation companies, spanning from the Osean Federation to the Free Republic of Courel, has officially replaced Jan Energy Group as the tenth largest corporation in the human galaxy, according to the Alpha Centauri Free Commission of Interstellar Finance and Economics. To explain this sudden rise, its CEO, Xi Yaio had to say, “Its simple, with the collapse of the FSG Exterior Settlement, and with it the dissolution of the Government Transport Corps, it was inevitable that private industry would rise to take the task of connecting Human Space through trade and communications. I saw this, and just decided to bring all these regional companies together, expanding overall coverage, unit efficiency, and corporate profit margins.”
-Piracy, despite large efforts to fight it, still plagues the various “FTL Highways” of the known galaxy. Although most piracy presence in actual systems has been wiped out or lowered to a minimal level, there still is a large amount of pirate vessel, and organized crime groups in systems without large centralization of power. It is theorized that pirate ships have started conglomerating into pirate fleets, and creating space station ‘hide-outs’, by building space stations outside of plotted hyperspace routes and inhabited systems. Where pirate ‘CEOs’ and ‘Admirals’ plan out strategic raids and heists, then disappear to unknown locations.
-International controversy as the two year conference set up by the Federation of New Columbia in order to create an international response to the piracy threat, has lost two of its main contributors, the Yining Xi bloc, and Inter-Trade Bloc, both citing that the conference failed to come up with any viable solution in its two years of existence.
