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If this is teh NPR, do they then start more advancd than us or hav they just got luck adn got free tech from precursors to get that high engine speed?

Passive systems still work - shields, CIWS - but no attacking anything until the shock wears off.
Wasn't CIWS a weapons system?
Yes. but the system we're talking about is an empty system that sits between the system we just found them in and the almost empty system we intend to fortify. That bit is basically a big empty void that they will have to search to find the JP to harmony. So yes, it can only see things crossing into that space, but the idea is that from there it will keep watch on any Modron ships and if anything gets close to our JP we can make sure we are ready for them.
Ah. Thought it was the ssystem we wasnted to fortify.
 
My main rationale was that whenever we place a RADAR beacon the other player can see it too; and we are drawing the opponent's attention to exactly that spot.

So I would rather NOT place them where they illuminate - like street lamps - a quick route to our own Empire. I'll put them where he can only see them AFTER he has found the jump point by his own efforts.

Wasn't my intention either - I was thinking keep an eye on the JP leading *into* that system - so they'll see it after they have jumped through, not before - and station a scout close to keep tabs on whatever gets inside.
 
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I’ve skimmed the first 12 pages to begin developing a FAQ post.

The Map
The number in brackets indicates the real-space distance (eg: Sirius is 8.6 light years away). Cyan dots are the number of potential Mars-like colony locations. Dark grey dots are potential Ganymede-like colony locations. Light grey (10) dots are no-planets-here-just-comets.

The red rims indicate "not fully checked for jump points".
Light blue outer circle is "Pops".
We can define directions for this map. Assume that the core of the galaxy is off the top edge of the map (a long way off, in fact) and that the edge of the galaxy is off the bottom edge. If the galaxy rotates counter-clockwise (as it does in real life) then for purposes of our map it spins from left to right.

So our four cardinal directions (up, right, down, left) are core-ward, spin-ward, rim-ward and widdershins.
Dark blue is Earth. Light blue is Mars-like. Dark grey is Ganymede-like. Light grey is a comet. Orange is an unexplored jump point.
The orange box surrounding the Sol jump point (JP2) indicates that a jump gate is in place.
The gold lines represent our Star Gates; so we have four links of our Star Gate network complete (Sol <=> Alpha Centauri, Sol <=> Psi Ceti, Sol <=> 61 Hydrae, and Sol <=> Luhman 16) and are working on two more... Sol <=> Sirius and 61 Hydrae <=> EZ Aquarii.
Edit: From post 7112:
The little yellow triangles mark the jump connections that we have so far managed to "alarm" with intruder-detecting RADAR buoys.

I seem to have missed the explanation for the light blue/cyan circles around some of the systems[Updated; thanks, Emu!] I looked only for posts with maps, and missed the explanations for the colors for the various ships. Anyone want to write those out or quote blue emu? Otherwise I’ll try to remember to look another time—I have to go do some chores. (I’m not exactly the best person to be doing this, as I have a sieve for a memory and have never played the game myself. ;) :D But a FAQ for Emu to bookmark could be helpful.)

P.S. Feel free to edit the heck out of this if you want, Emu. :)
 
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Light blue outer circle is "Pops".
 
If this is teh NPR, do they then start more advancd than us or hav they just got luck adn got free tech from precursors to get that high engine speed? - We started with World War II tech. Not even any ICBMs. The NPR started with space ships, including warships. And research labs. We had to build ours.

Wasn't CIWS a weapons system? - Only anti-missile.
 
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I've tweaked the Fighter design a bit, and we're now researching the new components.

Time to find out whether our scout gets away.



After we turned off our RADAR and IFF transponders, we vectored off at an angle away from the approaching alien ships.

Then the alien ships apparently halted... and then (after a brief delay) turned off their own RADARs.
 
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In stealth mode (RADAR and IFF off) the ESNS Aristarchus heads for Waypoint #2 at lower left.

sc-1940.jpg


The alien ships disappeared from our RADAR at a distance of 243 million km from our scout. Note that they were first detected at 238 million km.

So it doesn't appear that they were trying too hard to close in on us.

Should the scout simply withdraw and wait for a more appropriately equipped ship to arrive and take over the reconnaissance?

It could place that RADAR beacon on the far side of the jump point.
 
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could place that RADAR beacon on the far side of the jump point.
Aa in in thus system?
Could make them think the JP is elsewhere it is.
 
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Aa in in thus system?
Could make them think the JP is elsewhere it is.

Yeah... but I'd like to disturb them as little as possible until we locate a planet with pops on it, for contact purposes.

That means not relying on them to "follow a script".

If we were going to risk placing ONE probe then I would rather place it on the moon that orbits that habitable planet, not on a random spot to mislead them.
 
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Our shipyard will be re-tooled for Diplomat II class contact ships in less than three months.
 
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Why do we need to find a pop planet yo make contact?


Also, hasn't the NOR been going since game ststt
If so, why wasit then without importance which direction we explored in, as they'd have existed sin this system from the start.
 
Why do we need to find a pop planet yo make contact? - What would you suggest? Their ships are more than three times faster than ours. We CAN'T stay within range of them to communicate. We're too SLOW. We need to find a Pop.


Also, hasn't the NOR been going since game ststt
If so, why wasit then without importance which direction we explored in, as they'd have existed sin this system from the start.

Not sure what you mean. How could we possibly know at game start which direction the NPR would be found in?
 
The alien ships disappeared from our RADAR at a distance of 243 million km from our scout. Note that they were first detected at 238 million km.

How much range do we have on our own active sensors? If I'm not mistaken generally you can spot active radar from a longer range than the range that sensor can see things at, so that number doesn't really tell us how far away they can see. But it's a hint.

So it doesn't appear that they were trying too hard to close in on us.

Well, good.


Should the scout simply withdraw and wait for a more appropriately equipped ship to arrive and take over the reconnaissance?

It could place that RADAR beacon on the far side of the jump point.

Definitely try to get a probe stationed on that moon, planet 2 is with very high probability inhabited.
If we're lucky, this is a single-system just-generated NPR, not the original one. Even if possibly more advanced in the engines department.
 
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How much range do we have on our own active sensors? If I'm not mistaken generally you can spot active radar from a longer range than the range that sensor can see things at, so that number doesn't really tell us how far away they can see. But it's a hint.

90 million km. Currently turned off.

The Alien is using an AWACS-grade sensor, which is why it stands out like a light-house beam even from a quarter of a billion km away.

I'm not at all convinced that he can see me, even with that super-sensor of his. Not at this distance. Our signature is only 600 tons.

Definitely try to get a probe stationed on that moon, planet 2 is with very high probability inhabited.
If we're lucky, this is a single-system just-generated NPR, not the original one. Even if possibly more advanced in the engines department.

Yes, but we don't need to use THIS ship to do it.

The Agents are smaller, faster and stealthier (a Fighter-sized signature instead of FAC-sized) and also carry probes.
 
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I'm sending the ESN Mount Fuji squadron to scout the alien star system.

sc-1941.jpg


Neither the Mountain class nor any of the scouts have jump drive, so an Admiral is going along as Jump Tender and AWACS.

The Mountain contains four parasite scout ships, consisting of two Agent class (one of which will enter the Mechanus system) and two Spy class (ditto).

Only those two small ships will actually infiltrate the Mechanus star system. A total of 5,300 tons (military), all of it heavily stealthed.
 
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Fine with me. The spies will have their work cut out for them. Lovely :)
 
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Fine with me. The spies will have their work cut out for them. Lovely :)

Their main job is to stay out of sight and not get shot at.

The loss of a few small ships would be trivial. The loss of the current state of peace would be very serious indeed.
 
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OK... it appears that the aliens aren't even tracking my engine plume. At least, there have been no interrupts to my 8-hour turns.

That's good news... they don't seem particularly interested in our scout.
 
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Oh, crap.

sc-1942.jpg


Again, they are about a quarter of a billion km from our scout.

Are they going to let us out?

Are they headed for the Empire?
 
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All three of those 20,000+ kps ships were different hulls, according to the game.

Not repeated sightings of the same ship.

Let's see of this one will let us past...