First Solo Campaign

[PaulB]

Thought I'd try to fart around with a solo campaign as was home sick today. Not sure how far I'll get into this but should be interesting while it lasts.

Decided to run a campaign as the Klingon Empire, using custom conversion's of FASAs starships which you can find on http://www.ststcsolda.space/ . One of the things I want to do is to focus on different variants of the same type of vessel, allowing for a fleet which can be upgraded over time.

First thing I did was roll up the homeworld of Qo'Nos. I fudged the special stats a bit because I wanted to give a sense that it's a world that's over-populated, heavily industrialized and low on resources.

Qo'Nos:
Capacity: 12
Raw: 3
Census: 10
Morale: 9
Production: 8

I likewise fudged a bit with the starting conditions, allowing myself 6x the production for starting forces rather than the typical five. That said, I drew up the stats by guessing at the capabilities of the FASA vessels rather than strictly use the VBAM conversion system. As such, some of the ships are consequently quite antiquated and comparatively overpriced so it should even out.

klingon_empire_pb.pdf

Klingon Force List 2190

(262 KiB) Downloaded 508 times

The Homeworld has RAW of 3 x Production of 8 which results in 24 Production, times six is 144 total to spend on starting forces.

To keep the Klingon Houses in line, I recruit 6 Division of Regular Infantry. Orbital Assets include a Shipyards, a Z-4B Battle Station and four K-30A Monitors for defense. All costing a total of 64 EP. For the fleet I build a core Battlesquadron of 3 D-7A Painmaker Cruisers. A D-4A Predator leading two D-16 Swiftwind Destroyers forms an additional three combat squadrons. Finally, I build a pair of two-ship scout divisions for exploration with D-17A Deathstalkers. Of those Squadrons, all are slow save the D-4A/D-16s. Ships with a Cruising speed of Warp 6 or less are deemed to be slow, those ships with a cruising speed of Warp 7 are given regular speed.

Qo'Nos Ground Forces
6x Regular Infantry

Qo'Nos Close Defense
Z-4B Deathgame Battlestation (9/8)
K-30A Luckless Monitor
K-30A Luckless Monitor
K-30A Luckless Monitor
K-30A Luckless Monitor

1st Cruiser Squadron
D-7A Painmaker Cruiser (6/6)
D-7A Painmaker Cruiser
D-7A Painmaker Cruiser

1st Battle Squadron
D-4A Predator Cruiser (4/4)
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer

2nd Battle Squadron
D-4A Predator Cruiser (4/4)
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer

3rd Battle Squadron
D-4A Predator Cruiser (4/4)
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer
D-16 Swiftwind Destroyer

1st Scout Division
D-17A Deathstalker (3/2)
D-17A Deathstalker

2nd Scout Division
D-17A Deathstalker (3/2)
D-17A Deathstalker

Rolling for Lanes on Qo'Nos results in 5 Jump Lanes from the homeworld.

2190.1
Income: 24
Maintenance: 20
Net Income: 4
Treasury: 4

Scout Divisions 1 and 2 try to each scout one of the jump lanes but both fail.

2190.2
Treasury: 8

Scout Division 1 successfully explores a lane, finding the system of Qu'Vat a Minor Colony. A large world with the potential for many colonists but lacking in basic resources.

Qu'Vat
Capacity: 8
RAW: 2
Jump Lanes: 2

2190.3
Treasury: 12

Both Scout Divisions successfully map out an additional world, with 1st Division finding the outpost world of:

Rura Penthe
Capacity: 4
RAW: 1
Jump Lanes: 2

And 2nd Division finding a resource-rich world suitable for a minor colony:

Praxis
Capacity: 4
Raw: 3
Jump Lanes: 3

Klingon Forces assemble a Trade fleet for Qo'Nos and assign the 3rd Battle Squadron to defend it. Leaving 2 EP in the treasury.

2190.4
Income: 24+8
Maintenance: 20
Net Income: 12
Treasury: 14

1st Scout Division at the limits of its supply heads back towards Qo'Nos
2nd Scout Division is unsuccessful.

2190.5
Treasury: 26 (14+12)

1st Scout Division returns to Qo'Nos
2nd Scout Division unsuccesful.

2190.6
Treasury: 38 (26+12)

Qo'Nos assembles a Colony Fleet using 30 EP.
Both Scout Divisions are unsuccessful in exploring additional lanes.

2190.7
Treasury: 20 (8+12)

Both Scout Divisions are unsuccessful in exploring additional lanes.
Colony Fleet One loads a Census and reduces Qo'Nos to 9. 1st Cruiser Squadron is assigned to protect it.
Qo'Nos recruits 2 Transport Fleets for 20 EP

2190.8
Treasury: 12

Both Scout Divisions are unsuccessful in exploring additional lanes.
Colony Fleet One, Transport Fleet One guarded by 1st Cruiser Squadron moves to Praxis.

8 Points is Invested into Technology.

2190.9
Treasury: 16 (4+12)

1st Scout Division at Qo'Nos succesfully explores a lane. A minor Settlement world rich in resources but polluted with a late-industrial native species, the Krionians.

Krios
Capacity: 4
Raw: 3
Census: 2
Morale: 2
Production: 2
Jump Lanes: 3

1st Scout Division moves in to engage. Both sides are at Battlestations. The Krionians opt for 1 round, the Klingons opt for 4 rounds of combat with +1 due to scout functions. They want to secure the orbit of this Late Industrial world

Krios has four Missile Satellites in Orbit with Stats: DV 1 AS 1 AF 0
Klingons have two D-17A Deathstalker : DV 5 AS 2 AF 2

Round 1:
Krionians: Roll 3 x 4 /10 = 1 (to D17A #2)
Klingons: Roll 1 x 4 /10 = 0 Damage

Round 2:
Krionians: Roll 5 x 4 /10 = 2 Damage to D17A#2 (3/5)
Klingons: Roll 5 x 4 / 10 = 2 Damage to Destroy DefSat#4

Round 3:
Krionians: Roll 1 x 3 /10 = 0
Klingons: Roll 5 x 4 / 10 = 2 Damage to Destroy DefSat#3

Round 4:
Krionians: Roll 3 x 2 /10 = 0
Klingons: Roll 4 x 4 / 10 = 1 Damage to cripple DefSat#2

Round 5:
Krionians: Roll 3 x 2 /10 = 0
Klingons: Roll 2 x 4 /10 = 0

Round 6:
Kironians: Roll 6 x 2 /10 = 1 damage to D17#2 (4/5)
Klingons: Roll 4 x 4 /10 = 1 damage to destroy DefSat#1

Combat Ends
Krionians lose 3 DefSats
D-17A #2 is Crippled

The Klingon Scout Division has nearly eliminated Krinonian defences but have taken heavy damage in the process. Scout Division#1 sets course for home.

2nd Division at Praxis fails.
Colony Fleet One colonizes Praxis for 2 Census, 2 Morale

8 Points goes into Tech (16 Total)

2190.10
Treasury: 20 (8+12)

With Praxis colonized, 1st Cruiser Squadron returns to Kronos. 1st Battle Squadron moves to Praxis to assume guard duties. 2nd Battle Squadron guards the Transport Fleet in Qo'Nos
Scout Division#2 is unsuccessful.
1st Scout Division returns to Qo'Nos

10 EP is transferred via Construction Pipeline to Praxis, creating 1 Productivity

8 Additional Points goes into Technology (24 total)

2190.11
Treasury: 17 (2+12+3)

With the people of Krios no threat to the Klingon empire, they focus on development of Praxis before readying a return plan. Repairs on 1st Scout Division are delayed.
Rumours of a raiding force operating in Qo'Nos don't come to fruition.
2nd Scout Division unsuccessful.
10 EP is transferred to Praxis. 13 Total locally

4 Points go into Technology (28 Total)

2190.12
Treasury: 12 Qo'Nos (Praxis 16 (13+3))

2nd Scout Division unsuccessful.
10 EP is transferred to Praxis. 26 Local. Builds a second Productivity for 20 EP

2 Points go into Tech (30 Total).

- - - - - - -

End of Year:

Technology Advancement, System Income:
Qo'Nos: 24
Praxis: 6

Total Tech Investment 30 so 100% chance to advance to year 2191.
Population in Qo'Nos increases from 9 to 10
Praxis results in a 6, no population increase.
Krionian population does not increase.

Map:

Map 2190

klingonmap_2190.png (51.06 KiB) Viewed 9383 times

[wadewan]

Paul,

This is great and hope you continue to post progress. It is very helpful for us newer players to see the flow of the game. How did you handle the creation and diplomacy of Krionians? Did you create the race using any of the Menagerie rules?

Cheers.

[PaulB]

Hey there,

Haven't much fleshed out the Krionians yet actually. I'm trying to figure out things as I go along seeing as this is the first time I've tried a solo campaign. Originally I even planned to have Qo'Nos even more resource starved with only 2 RAW until I realized the fleet maintenance would exceed my income.

But after I had finished the year, I realized I'd forgotten to roll for NPE encounters in a few systems and rolled retroactively, changing what those Scoutships had done. I just used the NPE activation rules in the 1e Companion, and drew up their forces from the sample units on page 97. I think I may have even goofed up the NPE roll, and used 2d6 instead of 2d10 which might explain why I got a less advanced species.

The Klingons, being as they are, will probably try to subjugate them as I'd like to play them more like the SFU Klingons which use a lot of slave races in their forces. Will need to investigate the diplomacy rules and the Menagerie to see how that will work out.

In general though, I'll probably try to steer clear of designing space-faring empires and will just plug in some of the basic races from 2nd edition or perhaps some of the 1e sourcebook races, at least for the first one that I encounter. Maybe after I get the basics of that down I can check out the Menagerie rules when I encounter a second race.

[PaulB]

Haven't played any more turns, but was reading through some more of the companion and saw the AIX stats for NPE races, NPE being Non Player Empire. AIX is I think basically the NPE Artificial Intelligence from what I can tell. Didn't get too in depth with it, but thought I'd roll the three base attributes for the races, which are Aggression, Integrity, and Xenophobia. You roll a d100 with high scores favoring the stat and low scores being the opposite, so a low aggression would be more pacifistic.

After rolling it up, here's the AIX stats for the Krionians

Aggression: 94
Integrity: 63
Xenophobia: 98

With super high aggression and xenophobia it looks like they wont want to make friends with the Klingons any time soon. It's probably a good thing that they're not an interstellar empire.

[Tyrel Lohr]

Yes, the 1E Companion rules for NPEs used AIX as the basic diplomatic AI to let you automate those empires so that their reactions were out of your direct control. The Krionians are bloodthirsty xenophobes that wants to purge the galaxy of alien life. It's a good thing that they have no ability to realize their goals, and the Klingons will soon be able to declare war on them and conquer them, adding another planet to their empire.

One thing I did want to note is that you don't need construction capacity to build Productivity. That is being handled by civilian construction, and you just pay economic points out of your Treasury to cover those expenses. The construction pipelines are meant for when you want to transfer construction capacity to another system to build military infrastructure or units there. For example, you could use four transport fleets, two in each system, to move enough construction capacity to build a Z-4B Deathgame in another system if you thought you needed a base out on the frontier.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

[wadewan]

It is fortunate the Klingons discovered the Krionians first and not the other way around. With that kind of AIX rating are you sure they not an offshoot of the Klingons deposited by the Old Ones?

I like the AIX rules as it helps shape the NPE personality. As you mentioned there is no chance of diplomacy between these two empires. Easy enough to understand the aggressive xenophobia personality, not sure how the integrity trait comes into play with this NPE. I guess it means they pretty much guaranteed to keep their word that they are going to destroy you(?).

I recently purchased all the VBAM rules and supplements and still absorbing everything before launching my first campaign so your campaign is a great walk through while I learn. It is also great that Tyrel can provide input!

Glory to the Empire.

[PaulB]

Ooops. Yeah I'm still figuring out the rules. Didn't know that I could just simply buy productivity, seemed to make sense to me that you'd need a transport chain to build the initial infrastructure.

Yeah I'm still absorbing the rules too. Played a bit in the past but never delved too deeply into the campaign or menagerie, always had someone else doing that for me.

[Tyrel Lohr]

I think it's an interesting optional rule to have to move the construction capacity out there to build the Productivity, but you would end up having some pretty big problems improving Productivity on your worlds unless you were doing an over-time allotment of capacity, which doesn't work with how the rules are written as construction capacity is more of a ceiling for how much you can build and it doesn't normally carry over from turn to turn. But your interpretation and implementation in this game works fine and I'll be interested to see how it plays out!

It's always unfortunate when you run into an empire that has AIX values that makes them difficult if not impossible to deal with. We can just be glad that the Krionians are weak enough that you can easily conquer them and eliminate them before they can become a threat. If they had been Interplanetary by this point instead, then you may have had to worry a bit!

[PaulB]

Haven't touched this in a while but will try to get another year done next week. Been fairly busy at work as we're at the end of a project