Tribulation (spoiler) chap one

[dellstart]

I will start the ball rolling ....

Brilliant chapter as usual and one to be honest , due to the all the developments requires more than a simple one time read through. It was also quite illuminating to see whose predictions were on the mark as well.

As a major anmie/manga fan boy loved the 'Ghost in the machine' reference. one of the mot amazing and thought provoking anmies ever.

[Wolfee]

Indeed a great chapter! I'm anticipating the future success of the Wolf fighter in combat... However I must say that Jason's last comment to Yila Trefani definately made me almost choke laughing - Jason's going to open his Toybox and Yila Trefani is going to plan the targeting... LOL should be "EXPLOSIVE." Looking forward to it!

[SYED]

34% of the fleet, that is a third of the fleet, a whole 10000 ships taken out. The rest damage to various degrees, with only one damaged base left. Most of ships would have still had their jump engines active, even if they werent trying to jump though many probally werre, and all would would have kept their hyperspace communication on to co ordinate so those systems will be fried. THis would leave only the smaller docked ships capable of jumping or hyper chat. They were to have many bases servicing the fleet, now tens of thousand depend on a single damage base, so it will only have limited supplies and parts, it had not been established yet. They wont bring in another station, as it would only expose it to jason attack also they moved the station with 6000 ships, and only 3000 are available.. The station will try as best as it can, while ships are towed to the others for work. this might mean there are more stranded ships than there are ships capable of towing them. Depending on how many ships are sent for towing are sent, this bomb could strand them again.

its amazing how the imperium is rushing to karis is filling with worker , where is all the secreecy. also dont forget the production of stargates., they also need to be able to ship through other gates. with the new fighter, the faey have made their fighter squadrons even more feared, not only for telepathic attack, but a true threat to ships of war. using consortium tech, the imperium could produce vast squadrons of fighters to deal with their enemies.

wonder if nanites could help the man machien interface, also is there gonna be a program to give humans telepathic abilities. COmbine the mind machine tech, with nanites, based on a broadcasted power system, you could potentially have a totally internal conection to machiens not dependant on telepathy. ALso with consortium compuuter tech you could pack a lot in.

SO karis is near the alliance and the skaa empire, with the collective near the skaa republic and the nine colonies. THe skaa are faced with a choice attack the allience for trying to frame them , or wait due to the threat of the consortium. Once it is known that the alliance planed to wipe out the academy, most of the sector would be against them, also great excuse to deny them the academy consortium info. with the alliance and consortium up to no good, all the little guys would be looking for protection. the nine colonies will be eager to join once they are informed that the collective need telepaths, so if not the faey the they would likly be a target as they are the next most telepathic species, this would lead to the jakkans being targeted as soource for telepaths. Also the jakkan live on irradiated world, if the faey claim them they need to have some one to run them, so give them to the kimdori as payment and a way to align them. The skaa groups could deal with the alliance if they not too afraid of the consortium, for not only trying to frame them but for costing them money. THeir forces will be diminished, even if the alliance wind, the imperium and her allies will come allong and take them for themselves.

THe consortium has bases, many ships, probally some supplies, but to be a long term winner, they need inferstructure and industry. THe bases are probally pretty self sufficiant but they still need supplies. SO they have to secure someone do do the dirty work. So they need a lot of stuff, so many little guys or one of the big guys. INdividually the skaas and the alliance have fewer worlds or systems than the imperium currently, but collectively would out number them. Givern the size and number of the collective forces they would need an empire to sustain it. It would also give them a forward position against the faey.

What with loses and jason continual production and distributing weapons, they cant have the big empire arm themselves, so if the skaa or alliance try to do so they are gonna get hammered. also leak the location of damaged consortium shipss to the alliance. their fleet jumps in, get shreaded and dealt with.

[expedient]

Once it is known that the alliance planed to wipe out the academy, most of the sector would be against them, also great excuse to deny them the academy consortium info.

At that point it probably wouldn't matter as if all the governments around them were gunning for the Alliance then they would have no choice but to side with the Consortium. Jason's strategy is much clever than that, manipulating their "neutral" position for their gain.

[SYED]

If they do work for the consortium, it gives the imperium the opportunity to shattere their inferstructure, any space borne units and milary industry are targets.

[Wolfee]

Now that I've had some time to think about this chapter I see several trends that are interesting.

The current forces of all known navy's center around the Command ship, with BB support which is in turn supported by HCs, CCs and DDs (Battleships, Heavy Cruisers, Cruisers and Destroyers respectively.) Even a fleet comprised of previously mention ships, supported Biogenic Mainframe will have a much shorter combat range than a fleet based around carriers launch Wolf fighters.

However a fleet centered around a carrier(s) in this case presents Jason with a problem. The fighters and the addition of missile barges capable of launching massive barrages of hyper capable missiles will give the fleet a much longer combat range, even outside of the range of the generation using the Biogenic Mainframe to destroy the enemy fleet. But having fighters outside the effective range of even the generation manning the Biogenic Mainframe and its awesome power means Jason will lose people. Something he doesn't like... On the other hand bring the enemy fleet into combat range of the entire fleet puts the entire fleet at risk. It will be interesting to see what Jason who has seen wet navies with large carrier fleets will do.

Either way, the introduction of hyper capable missiles will force current navies to begin introducing missile defense doctrine. If you can't or have not yet closed with the enemy they can still target fleets with the hyper capable missiles... As we see in chapter 1 the Karinnes and Kimdori ships put peddle to the metal and left the ambush point rather than deal with the hyper capable missiles. This is either because there where so many they where afraid they'd be destroyed or badly damaged or because they had no real defense against them other than shields. If properly used hyper capable missiles should drop to sublight immediately outside of a enemy's shields or if the shields are place far enough from the hull should jump past the shields and deal damage directly to the hull.

The only weapons we have listed that are beyond the combat envelop of the Karinne ships is fighters, railguns, GRAF cannon, hyper capable missiles... towed asteroids are also to be considered. Of course the ultimate weapon a Command Ship or BB with a Biogenic Mainframe on board will operate outside of the normal combat envelope, the generation using it to augment his or her abilities, but it still has distance limitation. Jason's fleets will have to close with the enemy at least to get within range so the Generation aboard the Command or BB can go to work. But depending upon the Nav systems Consortium hyper missiles may be able to jump this short of a distance and give the fleets some serious grief. A definite point in favor of the Karinne, Faey and Collective fleets adding some dedicated missile defense ships is the introduction of Consortium hyper missiles. It would also seem that all ship should be able to launch hyper capable missiles as well as mounting anti-missile defenses and that a dedicated missile barge to pump out massive barrages of hyper missiles would be very positive addition to fleet structures.

I could also see the Buzzsaw weapons being modified to produce a long 180 degree field of destruction to intercept waves of incoming hyper missiles. Another thing Jason could do to upgrade the combined forces would be self powered weapons pods that could strap onto Faey Raptors add Consortium energy weapons and hard points to the Raptors to carry anti-ship or dog-fighting missiles as the case may be.

As to the Alliance I do see another method of dealing with them. One that would involve direct military action. While the Consortium is salvaging what it can and while keeping them under fire as much as possible, the Faey, Collective and Consortium would invade and destroy all space capable vessels and all ship yards. They would then seed tons of standard mines into the orbit of each system as well as Torsion Weapons platforms, a stargate for each system and a interdictor. At each of the Alliances systems a number of small manned patrol vessels would provide support to defend the interdictor against anything launched from the surface and prevent the building of vessels or shipyards. Another method would be simply assassinate the political, military and economic leaders of the Alliance and replace them with Kimdori who would take they're place no one being the wiser.

However this method of defusing the problem that the Alliance presents unless handled with the greatest of care would most definitely cause the other empires to feel that they may be next and drive them straight into the arms of the Consortium. Also the attack on the Alliance itself even carried out with the utmost speed presents the problem that the Consortium may also be able to interrupt and cause significant losses while saving a good portion of the Alliance fleet. Not to mention gaining a area to stage from that is rather closer to Karis than they're previous location.

A point of interest on the Name Consortium.... The name suggests a business enterprise of some sort. What if the entire Consortium is nothing other than a very large powerful trading guild and the only true members of the Consortium we've "seen" are the "beings of light" and insects are a race they've conscripted to be they're attack forces? The enemy the Consortium could be fighting on the Andromeda galaxy are nothing more than another extremely large and powerful trading guide?

Regardless of our speculations, I’m sure Fel will keep us mightily entertained!!

[DigitalMaestro]

Even a fleet comprised of previously mention ships, supported Biogenic Mainframe will have a much shorter combat range than a fleet based around carriers launch Wolf fighters.

As I recall, the majority of Karis is linked by a biogenic network that allows basic communion across a large area. It seems to me that the Wolf fighters could each carry a biogenic relay of some sort that would extend the range of the Generation/Mainframe. The types of manipulation might be limited, but there should be a way to accomplish this...

-DigitalMaestro

[D.F. Thompson]

Indeed a great chapter! I'm anticipating the future success of the Wolf fighter in combat... However I must say that Jason's last comment to Yila Trefani definately made me almost choke laughing - Jason's going to open his Toybox and Yila Trefani is going to plan the targeting... LOL should be "EXPLOSIVE." Looking forward to it!

Mien Gott in Heaven. May what ever deity the High Staff holds dear have mercy on his soul cause. Yila and Jason sure as hell won't.

[SYED]

The consortium sent a gravametric missile so it traveled in real space, the imperium left because it was just the 1st from thousands of ships, they had grievously wounded the enemy fleet without losing a ship, so left while a head of the game.

A way to really annoy them is to set up some long range sensors, so to target ship from a different system, the missiles travel long distance in a plat form that when reaching destination uses coordinates to strike.

A way to get back at the alliance would be to steal systems, jump in an indictor and gate, and if you plan it right you can seperate the system from the alliance, and send whole fleets to secure the system. COol idea would be that as there are some systems that would be worth less, nothing there that you want or need just empty, just that it is close to other systems that do. JUmp in gates and indictors and claim these systems, seeing as you can jump out, you could shorten the time necessary to jump and attack systems. THis would force the alliance or skaa groups to send ships for security, you could creat all these new boarders, which you enemy has to guard. If nothing else due to being able to jump out, shiping times would be reduced. these systems would allow you access and movability, and as it takes so long to travel in real space and there is nothing of worth in the system, it perfect place to allow enemies to attack as no cost if lost.

Depending on what is defending a cconsortium base, bring an indictor to deny hyper would be ideal to isolate forces to have naval battles. no chance of reinforcements if they jam comm at the same time. There are around 16 station with currently at the most 3500 ships to defend them, thats a bit more than 200 ships each. THey planned to divides the whole force so roughly 1000 ships each, with the seven major bases geting more than the minor ones. The bulk of their forces are stuck at the ambush site with almost all of them with damaged engines as they would have sent at least one ship to get help afterwards. They dont know if the other bases are known yet or how much they were comprimisse, and jason has turned the site into a war zone. 17000 ships need to towed, thats more than they actually have avaiable. They know if the site is not defended jason would destroy more ships, but defending it will make them bleed.

The alliance has to have space born inferstructure, what would happen iif the conduit cracker called saurons ring, satan marbles and metal and meson weapons were smuggled aboard and activated. They would still be there but those stations would be incapacitated.

[Fel]

A point of interest on the Name Consortium.... The name suggests a business enterprise of some sort. What if the entire Consortium is nothing other than a very large powerful trading guild and the only true members of the Consortium we've "seen" are the "beings of light" and insects are a race they've conscripted to be they're attack forces? The enemy the Consortium could be fighting on the Andromeda galaxy are nothing more than another extremely large and powerful trading guide?

Actually, that's how the Consortium began. It began as a merchant guild, then became a mega-corporation, but as time went on, it eventually became a military and governmental power. It stopped doing business and started conquering.

Oddly enough, the Consortium strictly forbids the races under its dominion from fighting. They are civilians, not soldiers, and the Consortium protects them as much as it possibly can. The insectoids were genetically engineered to fight, and they do all the fighting for the citizens of the Consortium, willingly and with pride. Naturally, this policy would change if the Consortium started losing badly, but for now it stays in effect. It also goes to show that even the "evil enemy" can display some admirable traits.

The energy beings are not the original races that created the Consortium. They are the ones that took it over and turned it into a galaxy-spanning empire.

And yes, you're actually correct. The "other power" in Andromeda is a rival mega-corporation, just as big as the Consortium. The two have been fighting for over 600 years, and it all started when the rival stole the Karinne technology the Consortium stole from the Karinnes.

So, what you have going on over in Andromeda is basically a galactic war that's been raging for centuries. Both sides are almost unimaginably large, and the death toll numbers in the trillions, though you'd be surprised to know that both sides adhere to strict rules of war that prevents the destruction of planets and forbids the wholesale slaughter of non-combatant civilians. The Consortium doesn't see the war with Jason the same way, however, because there are no treaties. Therefore, anything goes...much to their growing chagrin.

The 30,000 ships the Consortium sent were only a small portion of their fleet, but were all the ships they felt they could spare from the war effort.

Maybe now you see why they want Cybi and the secrets of biogenics so badly. There is no defense against it except another Generation, and if you control all the Generations, well, you get the point. They see it as the most effective means to win their war, by throwing weapons at their enemy against which they cannot defend.

And since they're in the Milky Way now, they intend to expand and begin taking it over as well, at least once they conquer Karis. For them, it's win-win. Even if they lose the war in Andromeda, they have a new galaxy to conquer, one their enemy can't reach (they can't put their crews in stasis the way the Consortium can).

[Hearly]

A point of interest on the Name Consortium.... The name suggests a business enterprise of some sort. What if the entire Consortium is nothing other than a very large powerful trading guild and the only true members of the Consortium we've "seen" are the "beings of light" and insects are a race they've conscripted to be they're attack forces? The enemy the Consortium could be fighting on the Andromeda galaxy are nothing more than another extremely large and powerful trading guide?

Actually, that's how the Consortium began. It began as a merchant guild, then became a mega-corporation, but as time went on, it eventually became a military and governmental power. It stopped doing business and started conquering.

Oddly enough, the Consortium strictly forbids the races under its dominion from fighting. They are civilians, not soldiers, and the Consortium protects them as much as it possibly can. The insectoids were genetically engineered to fight, and they do all the fighting for the citizens of the Consortium, willingly and with pride. Naturally, this policy would change if the Consortium started losing badly, but for now it stays in effect. It also goes to show that even the "evil enemy" can display some admirable traits.

The energy beings are not the original races that created the Consortium. They are the ones that took it over and turned it into a galaxy-spanning empire.

And yes, you're actually correct. The "other power" in Andromeda is a rival mega-corporation, just as big as the Consortium. The two have been fighting for over 600 years, and it all started when the rival stole the Karinne technology the Consortium stole from the Karinnes.

So, what you have going on over in Andromeda is basically a galactic war that's been raging for centuries. Both sides are almost unimaginably large, and the death toll numbers in the trillions, though you'd be surprised to know that both sides adhere to strict rules of war that prevents the destruction of planets and forbids the wholesale slaughter of non-combatant civilians. The Consortium doesn't see the war with Jason the same way, however, because there are no treaties. Therefore, anything goes...much to their growing chagrin.

The 30,000 ships the Consortium sent were only a small portion of their fleet, but were all the ships they felt they could spare from the war effort.

Maybe now you see why they want Cybi and the secrets of biogenics so badly. There is no defense against it except another Generation, and if you control all the Generations, well, you get the point. They see it as the most effective means to win their war, by throwing weapons at their enemy against which they cannot defend.

And since they're in the Milky Way now, they intend to expand and begin taking it over as well, at least once they conquer Karis. For them, it's win-win. Even if they lose the war in Andromeda, they have a new galaxy to conquer, one their enemy can't reach (they can't put their crews in stasis the way the Consortium can).

Wonders if they will send a Star gate to the Andromeda galaxy and try and get the other group to help, but they sound just as bad as the Consortium..


Edit:

Also been thinking how will this end, I mean Andromeda is very far away, and honestly even if the all the empires the faey are aware of, combine into 1 "unit" they'd never be able to take the fight to the Consortium's base in andromeda.... (at least with what we know right now...)

Also if the consortium starts losing too much, might they go to part of our galaxy where no existing empire is and building some major fleet construction yard, maybe some insectod breeding grounds and build up over some years and try and just expand that way...

[nicolai]

Since it's a corporation, a business entity, is it possible that they will decide that the attempt to conquer Karis and the Imperium simply costs too much, that the benefit they'd gain would not offset the cost of gaining it?

After all, when it's a business, the bottom line is what really matters. Although personal ambition (and greed) can have a major influence.

And they've just had a rather pointed lesson about the cost of their plans.

[SYED]

If they are a business, they might out source the invasion to the alliance. ALso the systems taken by the consortium will likly be come faey asthey would be easy target during the war and 3D will devestate.

[GBLW]

The "other power" in Andromeda is a rival mega-corporation, just as big as the Consortium. The two have been fighting for over 600 years, and it all started when the rival stole the Karinne technology the Consortium stole from the Karinnes.

The Consortium doesn't see the war with Jason the same way, however, because there are no treaties. Therefore, anything goes...much to their growing chagrin.

The 30,000 ships the Consortium sent were only a small portion of their fleet, but were all the ships they felt they could spare from the war effort.

Maybe now you see why they want Cybi and the secrets of biogenics so badly. There is no defense against it except another Generation, and if you control all the Generations, well, you get the point. They see it as the most effective means to win their war, by throwing weapons at their enemy against which they cannot defend.

And since they're in the Milky Way now, they intend to expand and begin taking it over as well, at least once they conquer Karis. For them, it's win-win. Even if they lose the war in Andromeda, they have a new galaxy to conquer, one their enemy can't reach (they can't put their crews in stasis the way the Consortium can).

So we have two corporations fighting for control of a galaxy, and the Consortium is desperately fighting with the Karinnes stolen technology, but they are getting desperate to find new weapons and they are like most corporations - totally attuned to their own survival. It sounds to me as if they are reaching a point of total desperation - if they can't win the war with Karis quickly, just what do you think their next action will be?

I think they'll soon see Karis as a dangerous foe and corporations have been known to merge just so they can conquer a rival. (But then, I've always been a pessimist!)

GBLW

[SYED]

They want the consortium to gain territory, this means they have to defend it as jason can easily strike theses area, force them to invest in defending themselves so much that forces are spread thin and easily defeated.

Can you be aware in stasis, as if you are wired or in communion with a ship, you could safely do long distance jumps with out being ambussed and bewing able to react.

Mass produce the mines and sell them to the small empires and potential allies. make the skaa and alliance the best bet to attack. their fleets will crash, and alot of systems would need to be guarded