QT3 in Space! (Distant Worlds Interactive AAR)

Games
1

So, since Distant Worlds is A) awesome B) has a good high level somewhat indirect control structure to begin with and C) lets you rename just about everything… I thought it might be fun to do a QT3 “interactive” AAR along the lines of the QT3 X-Com game (http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=32835).

Post if you want to join in the game and I’ll do my best to run your little corner of the universe according to whatever personality / general objectives you set. QT3 folks can play as:

Ship Captains (military or explorers)
System Governors
Espionage Agents

If we actually get developed and there’s interest I’d be happy to make someone in charge of our diplomatic stance or as a fleet admiral. Our little Empire is small but I’m sure will soon grow (barring my incompetence at playing the game)!

I’ve set up a game and run the first 2 months – details in next post(s).

Our Cast of Characters:

Governors:
TomChick - An uptight system governor: overly taxxy, fiscally stingy, socially repressive, the type to have to put down recurring rebellions. Governor of our 1st new colony system at Deluxina, founder of Chick Station.
Raife - “They must work efficiently, but give them their bread and circuses.” Governor of Sondare, founder of Haven.
Mind Elemental - “I find my colony made of brick, and I leave it made of marble.” Governor of Faliin, founder of Fourecks.
Kirian - aka Kirian Scurana aka "Big Bear’. Prone to over-liberal social policies. Ppredilection to reward guts over standard fiscal practice. Governor of Zhar, founder of Owl’s Patience.
RepoMan - “Anything that increases population growth I am in favor of.” Governor of Xu.
Alan Au - Defense-minded and a big believer in colonial self-sufficiency, for when the metal ones decide to come for you, and they will. Governor of Kaamas.

Ship Captains:
Willk0 - Captain of the destroyer “Valkyrie”, fighting pirates. Veteran of the battles of Nabuu. Medal earned in battle of Zhar. Joined the 1st Fleet.
Sinfony - Captain of the “Pulseczar”, our first explorer-class vessel. Last reported in from the Pantulumen system. Discovered the Deluxina and Sondare systems.
Brandon Clements - Captain of the destroyer “Stringer Bell”. Joined the 1st Fleet. Medal earned in the battle of Zhar.
Djscman - Captain of the destroyer “Infrangible”. Veteran of the battle of Nabuu. Joined the 1st Fleet.
Dreamshadow - Captain of the exploration vessel “El Santo”. Discovered the home base of the notorious Lone Rock Gang and the Sinister Claw Ravagers. Beyond the Jirejadur Drift.
Chaplain - Captain of the frigate Intolerance, engaging pirates in the Nabuu system. Veteran of the battle of Nabuu.
Schurem - Captain of the destroyer “Red October”, assigned to guard our colony in Delunixa.
Zak Gordon - Captain of an explorer doing survey work in nearby mining systems. Square-jawed, thinks with pants not brain, all round dumb jock type with an eye for the alien ladies! On a long-range exploration mission.
Kieron Gillen - Captain of an explorer, exploring. EXPLORING THE UNDERGARMENTS OF ALIENS. aka Kieron “Fucking” Gillen. Headed to an unknown star.
Smoothie - Captain of a frigate, patrolling the far reaches of the empires.
McKnight - Captain of the destroyer “Excalibur”. Joined the 1st Fleet.
JM - Captain of a frigate, patrolling the far reaches of the empires.
Larinson - Captain of a destroyer. A ruthlessly aggressive military man, not afraid to throw his men to their deaths if it means glory to the Empire. Joined the 1st Fleet.
Drake113 - Captain of a destroyer. Joined the 1st Fleet.
Lee Johnson - Captain of a dilapidated scow, the “Morning Glory”.
Dave Markell - Captain of the destroyer “Red Shirt”. aka Dave “Daring” Markell. minimally competent but insanely (suicidally?) brave commander awaiting a chance to send his loyal crew to their cold, unmourned deaths in deep space. Fighting pirates in Nabuu. Out of favor with the central government.
Sebmojo - Captain of a destroyer. Dreadnaught captain, half cut on whiskey and dandling a Venusian fancy lady on his knee as he sends his lads off to die! Patrolling the empire.
Demorve - Building mining installations near Haven. “Remember fellas all good navies need their supply sarges.”
Brian Rubin - Captain of an explorer. Surveying mining systems.
russellmz - Captain of a resupply ship, supporting the 1st Fleet. “Remember, it’s “ships leave the combat zone and head to me”, not “i head to the combat zone.””
Sir Digby - Captain of an explorer, heading out for parts unknown beyond the Jirejadur Rift.
Sarkus - Captain of the prototype Chicago II class destroyer, the “Sarkus Imperium”.

Agents:
Demon G-Sides - Secret agent, code name “G-Man”. Infiltrating Wekkarus Sovreignty.
Calistas - Secret agent, waging a secret campaign to rename one of our colonies “Chogglepants” (shudder). Counterintelligence operative.
Tyjenks - Aspiring secret agent. aka Ty Slate. Code name “Lead Grub”. An honorable saboteur who aggressively seeks destruction, but only of those races that are perceived to be truly malevolent.
Matt Bowyer - Aspiring secret agent. code name “Kid Socrates”.
Delta - Aspiring secret agent. Unsure as to whether or not it’s cooler to be the suave Sean Connery spy type or the brutal Jason Bourne espionage type so veers wildly between the two.

Researchers:
Therlun - Chief researcher at Therlun Station, orbiting IB717. “A quiet spot away from ship battles, determining the technological future of the empire sounds nice enough.”

Diplomats:
Mightynute - Emissary of HELL YEAH! and Face-Punchin’! Two-fisted diplomacy!

Key Locations:

Quarterville - our glorious homeworld
Chick Station - our first expansion system colony, founded in 2755.
Haven - our second (and farthest) colony, founded in 2755.
Fourecks - third system colonized, founded in 2756.

Military History:
2756: Pirate base of the Lone Rock Gang destroyed.
2757: Pirate base of the Sinister Claw Ravagers destroyed.

2

Whee! Great idea, Xemu. Toss my name into the mix! I’m not sure how much flexibility is built into the way systems are run beyond setting tax rates, but maybe you can put me in there as an uptight system governor: overly taxxy, fiscally stingy, socially repressive, the type to have to put down recurring rebellions.

 -Tom
3

Here are the initial settings. I set us up as the goofy Original Star Trek looking space brain dudes – extra research is always good and ship maintenance bonus is nice because it’s easy to over-expand. Otherwise mostly default though I gave us a nicer-than-average start world to offset for my newb-ness at playing the game.

Victory conditions are also default, though I turned on the 15 yr time limit, because having some closure is always good. Too short? No clue.

4

Sign me up as a ship captain. I don’t really care about my disposition, but if I can get some front line action in, that’d be great!

5

Explorer ship captain plz.

6

Home sweet Homeworld. Quarterville, in the Dirra system.

Technically, a continental moon. You can see our nearby sister moon, poetically named HH780, orbiting nearby where we have a mining rig setup. A movement to rename HH780 in light of our newly renewed imperial spirit of expansion is underway.

We are, of course, well known for our ample supplies of Rephidium Ale, which makes us the life of any intergalactic party (along with our giant craniums packed with obscure gaming trivia).

Here’s a view of the broader system – fairly normal stuff. Dirra 2 & 3 look like good nearby planets to expand to, both continental with a handful of resources.

The sector around us… we have a few mining outputs set up on Nabuu (really? Nabuu?) which has a decent collection of planets & resources. OK680 on the other hand is an intergalactic waste of space, a Red Giant with nothing.

7

Stardate 2754.01.10

Our empire is in a fine starting condition. 13k cashflow, a small handful of starting ships, and a healthy private sector.

I queue up a pair of colony ships at Quarterville proper, while on the poetically named “EM616 Space Port” orbiting above I get a triplet of “Baltimore” class ships queued up as well as a second exploration ship.

Galactic scholars recognize that EM616 is the original name of our homeworld, but the politicians put out the call for some more interesting suggestions for the space port that is our lifelink to the rest of the galaxy…

8

Stardate 2754.02.28

What’s this? Pirates sighted on long range Space Radar!

Approach vector looks like he’s headed to go pick on our defenseless miners over at Nabuu. One of our two Chicago class Destroyers, the “Willk0” departs from Dirra and is reassigned down to Nabuu to patrol in case our pirate friend decides to cause trouble.

Meanwhile, the “Sinfony”, one of our brave Explorer-class vessels, has ventured out to nearby Tarsont. A promising system of 12 planets and 18 moons, it may take some time to fully survey the system.

9

Ship captains should feel free to rename their vessels, I just figured ship name = captain name was easiest. :)

Once we establish a primary colony on a second system I’ll make you the governor there Tom, where you can oppress the people to your heart’s content. Let me know if you have a desired name otherwise it will be the colony “TomChick” for similar reasoning as the ship names…

Since the game seems to have defaulted to us having city-named ship designs unless someone has a better idea I’ll continue with that method. Also anyone who wants a space port or mining outpost I’m happy to oblige but I don’t know how much action they’ll see…

10

I’d like to be a System Governor. Maybe of an industrial center, but I don’t really care. They must work efficiently, but give them their bread and circuses.

11

Call mine the Pulseczar.

12

I’ll sign up for a ship captain, if one is available.

13

Dammit. If I end up buying this it’s going to be your fault.

I must say I like the sound of Gendal the Governor though.

14

Please put me down as Ship Captain Djscman of the Warship Infrangible. I want to keep my ship safe until we’re both bound for the breakers, and secondly to blast enemies of Quarterville into subatomic particles.

Also, I’ve never heard of Distant Worlds before, but it looks like it scratches that Master of Orion itch that flares up now and again. Can’t wait to read the rest of your report!

15

Espionage Agent Demon “G-Man” Sides, reporting for… duty.

16

Dammit! I second Gendal’s objection. This thread is going to make me buy another game.

My backlog is killing me! Have some mercy!

17

Signing on as either an explored or research oriented governor.

Ship = el santo
colony = Planck’s Depth

18

Chaplain commanding the Intolerance in bringing the Emperor’s (er… Xemu’s) justice to all who would defy. Suffer not to let the Xenos live.

19

Stardate 2754.03.21

The pirate escort “Forceful Scorpion” warps in and starts attacking our outpost at Nabuu 3 as Willk0 races there to save the day.

Stardate 2754.04.20

Help arrives before the outpost loses it’s shields, as Willk0 comes in guns blazing. An escort is no match for a destroyer, but the pirates have sent reinforcements as well…

… and are attacking another mining outpost at the same time! Perhaps subversive elements in our government have been covertly aiding the pirates, for surely they could not have amassed such a fleet already on their own?

Our first batch of Baltimore class escorts will be done shortly, and that should help provide some coverage. The first is dispatched directly to Nabuu, while the second joins Captain Brandon Clements in patrolling the Dirra system – with this much pirate activity an attack in the home system is inevitable.

Captain Djscman is called in to oversee construction of a new Destroyer to add to our fleet. These are the top of the line warships we can create, and the Infrangible will surely help in keeping the pirate scum at bay… once it leaves the shipyards. Two more frigates and a 3rd explorer join the Infrangible in our construction yards.

Meanwhile the fight over Nabuu 3 is coming to an end – while the two pirate escorts are no match for Willk0’s shields and firepower, they manage to finish off the mining station before they are chased away.

20

Stardate 2754.06.07

The pirates up the ante, sending in frigate to challenge the Willk0. Captain Chaplain of the frigate “Intolerance” is redirected from elsewhere in-system to match the escalation.

Starfate 2754.07.27

The battle of Nabuu 3 has ended in pirate retreat, but with no ships lost. Captains Willk0 and Chaplain remain on alert and the system remains hot with lesser pirate activity.

Meanwhile, the exploration vessel “El Santo”, under the command of Captain Dreamshadow heads out into deep space but finds nothing but dead White Dwarf on her maiden voyage. The system is named Esdi Naha, meaning “waste of galactic real estate” in our native tongue. SIGINT detects additional pirate reinforcements coming from Galactic North of Esdi Naha, and the El Santo is given a dangerous mission – to scout the probable location of the pirate base.

Meanwhile the Pulseczar continues its mission on the other side of our local area, and discovers the Pudires system – a few planets, but nothing we can immediately use.

Despite the military chaos in Nabuu, news on the domestic front is good. Our first colony ship has been launched for in-system expansion on Dirra 2. A modest achievement, to be sure, but good for shaking out problems in the colonization modules. The second colony ship will be ready shortly, and should be able to set out as soon as a suitable planet is found. Our third explorer is almost complete and should be able to help in the search.