rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8

Day 28, Month 11. Things go well, or at least as well as can be expected. The opposition's network is present in every facet of your County and even its government, including DCE. Though your counter-espionage department is by far the best off, the ease with which your holdings were infiltrated disturbs you. Still, the twins have their plans in place. At a word, you can have all known members of this conspiracy arrested. Yet, you wonder what would keep something like this from happening again. If you are to make Dreamwood truly secure, the network must be traced, and its heart disposed of.

On your orders, five think tanks, corresponding to the four classical elements and one to arcana, have been established and are operating under the Bureau of Research. None are well-staffed, but there isn't much to go around at the moment. Hopefully, they will prove to be a great asset in the future.

Contact has been established between BemCorp and several air travel companies in Perin's metropolitan districts. The general sentiment, considering the speed with which you've implemented rail, is that they will all be driven out of business in less than a year if they don't do something. About half of those contacted are open to a partnership or a buy-out.

An entrepreneur from the capital is in correspondence with one of your economic advisers. He appears to be interested in investing in Zeppelin transport. The government's scientific network, headed by New Aarmour, has expressed interest in acquiring six of your hybrid steam engines. Designs for an eight-ton armored Zeppelin have been completed, up to government spec but too large to be built in your existing facilities.

>>10911020
How long would it take to build better facilities for zeppellins?
Are we feeding false information to the spy net ?

>>10911020
Can we get a scry or something to talk with our bros at new aaramour ?

>entrepreneur
meet him, if he's a cool guy tell him not to and instead to wait for heavier than air flights.

rolled 1, 3, 2 = 6

>>10911086
Your existing Zeppelin Yard could be expanded appropriately in two weeks. Construction of an entire new yard could take anywhere from a month to a month and a half. The main problem is the hit rail production would take during this time.

You are. Several more sabotage attempts have been foiled due to this. Sooner or later, the opposition will realize what's happening, and act to correct it. DCE estimates another week before they have traced the immediate source of the network's orders.

>>10911111
Yes. You can speak to them through the Conclave. What do you wish to say?

>>10911130
Would you like to meet him directly or have one of your ministries handle it?

>>10911156
meet him directly unless we have something to do

>>10911156
Ehm, for new aramour, let bem speak with them and get a good contract

How's the plutonium going? Can we manage to make a power plant with it ?

>>10911176
Additionally, rather than telling him not to invest in zeppelins, let him know that we might have other, better, things down the line and to not be wholly invested in zeppelins only (don't tell outright what we're doing, just >imply).

>>10911156
Did the government actually contract us for the zeppelin transport, or did they just tell us what they want to buy next? If they contracted us, then we will need to expand the Maya-Graf Zeppelinwerk facility to meet our obligations.

rolled 6, 4, 4 = 14

>>10911176
Very well. The entrepreneur, Hall, is pleased to talk to you directly. You tell him that it would probably be better to wait for heavier-than-air craft before investing, but he brushes off that suggestion. According to him, he's missed out on a great opportunity by withholding his attention until now. Zeppelins have the potential to become a very, very big thing, and he thinks they'll be around long enough to make him an incredible profit.

Bem says you can't go wrong by taking his money. It's enough to make a substantial dent in a new yard's construction requirements or get several more towns involved in rail production.

>>10911186
Contract made. R&D#3 is working with your industrial sector to get the engines made. It will be a couple of months before the order is filled.

>>10911230
R&D is still analyzing the heaters. The material their cores are made of is still unidentified, but it is now possible to extract the plutonium. R&D is not yet working on reactor designs, but that would take a substantial amount of time anyway. It would take much less time to develop a primitive gun-type nuclear weapon.

>>10911186
>>10911156
In addition to selling our new hybrid steam engines to New Aarmour, how do people feel about opening up a contract with them to run a telephone line out to them?
Terms of the contract are: we provide technical personnel and equipment, they provide workers and reasonable fee. This way it won't interfere with our rail construction and it can help advertise our telephone technology. Not to mention, the boost that our R&D would get by being able to talk with another large research university.

>>10911314
All righty, take his money, build more railway. We'll get to more zeppellins later.

As for the nuclear plant, it's not complicated at all.
The nuclear reaction heats water, which becomes steam and the steam itself makes an engine rotate.

rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9

>>10911294
They didn't make a contract, but they did encourage you to make the designs. The armored transport was worked out according to all of their specifications. The armed ship has yet to be designed, but its specs are a lot more vague, since the government doesn't know what, exactly, to arm it with.

>>10911350
They don't know you have telephone technology. They do not even have audio radios yet. Since you have only been running cables and building repeater stations, not anything recognizable as radio-type equipment, they may think you're working on providing electricity, not communication.

>>10911314
invite the entrapreneur to live in dreamwood. We need more capitalists.

>>10911389
well, surprise them.

>>10911368
But that's far too simplistic.
What material are you going to use for the fuel rods and control rods? How are you going to control the reaction, or even monitor it? How are you going to build the containment housing? The coolant systems? How are you going to build a steam turbine that can handle that pressure? Get rid of all the radioactive waste and components that have worn out?
If you build a reactor without the necessary scientific backing and infrastructure, you'll have a Demon Core (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core) scenario at best, and a Chernobyl situation at worst!

To develop nuclear reactors we need proper theories and stuff. If we can remember personally those things it would be great but I doubt we can do that.


>Several more sabotage attempts have been foiled due to this. Sooner or later, the opposition will realize what's happening, and act to correct it

What about we let a couple of sabotages to go through? Some very minor ones that will defiantly wont do much damage? That way we can extend the time before saboteurs realize that they are under close watch.

>>10911389
Very well then. We can finish our immediate rail supremacy plans first, then ratchet it back once AA has been crushed sufficiently and reallocate resources to our zeppelin projects.

As for what weapons to put on the zeppelins, we should work on rifled artillery. Howitzers and Gatling guns on a zeppelins; we'll make this world's first aerial Gunship.

rolled 3, 2, 4 = 9

>>10911368
Done.

That's the general principle, yes, but not the whole thing. The reaction must be carefully monitored and altered, not to mention that you have to know the particulars first. Until the actual math of it is available, building a plant is asking for disaster.

>>10911390
He declines. He is much more comfortable in the capital, or in major cities. Your County is nice, yes, but it's just not the same.

>>10911407
If they're not aware, hold off on the telephone contract suggestion for now.
We'll let them know the day before our Dreamwood-Capital Telephone Trunk goes online. That'll maximize the impact of our announcement.

>>10911389
Can we draft some designs for bombs that can be carried and dropped with zeppelins and some form of anti-aircraft weapon. Possibly a belt feed gun that fires incendiary rounds that could be mounted on thopters?

>>10911417
True.

Lets hold off making nuclear reactors just yet. We can't even justify building them: we aren't energy hungry yet.

Better build coal based energy plant or wind-turbines, we have perfect geographic position for wind-turbines.

>>10911474
As >>10911440 said, let's let a few of the less dangerous sabotage attempts get through. We can't allow the enemy to know that their network is compromised yet.
We must track down the heart of this conspiracy, and crush it.

>>10911389

There were suggestions to have airships with mages, they can provide protection and artillery. We can design airships specifically to enhance mages capabilities (using charms or magelocks)

>>10911499
Unguided bombs like blockbusters shouldn't be impossible for us to make. Stabilizer fins, and maybe gyroscopes for further stabilization.
The main problem will be getting an explosive mixture that is efficient enough.
Explosives research in general needs to be done: for better explosive artillery shells, propulsion for same, better bullets, and grenades.

>>10911555
That's very true. But what is best is synergy between the mages and the artillery crews. Imagine a howitzer shell being accelerated and enhanced by a Perin mage's light shield.

rolled 2, 5, 4 = 11

>>10911440
You could certainly do that. Your citizens' opinion of your security would decrease, though.

>>10911461
Artillery research confirmed. R&D is also researching machine guns and Gatling guns. Do you have a priority in mind?

>>10911499
Bomb technology would not be hard to adapt, but it would take time to increase accuracy to acceptable levels. As long as the primary aircraft is a Zeppelin, a single combat mage could probably down one.

>>10911598
the citizens opinion will raise again when we will reveal we allowed them to do it in order to help catch the culprits

>>10911020
No need to necessarily run them out of business. Air travel will still have a large market, especially once Zeppelins become more widely available. They won't be as expensive to book flights on as ornithropters, and can be used for travel rather than just message carrying.

Something I mentioned at the end of last night, but I think I came in too late, was that we should think about opening our own airline to operate in conjunction with our railway. Trains may be faster, but Zeppelins don't need rails put down to travel, and give even more amazing views. They're more luxury craft.

rolled 6, 5, 4 = 15

>>10911516
A coal-burning power plant could be built, but all of your electrical hardware is primitive and inefficient, not to mention incredibly massive. There is also the question of pollution, though the druids and earth mages are holding it down for now. R&D#2 is working on a charmed plant that metabolizes coal dust, among other things.

>>10911559
The Fire think-tank is working on this. However, resources are stretched. As mentioned, your rail program is taking up the vast majority of your personnel and equipment, not to mention production capacity.

>>10911629
I believe our current plans are to offer partnerships and buyouts for the ornithopter and balloon companies. We don't want to assimilate them completely, but enough that they won't be fighting us, and that universal standards can be adopted.

rolled 3, 4, 3 = 10

>>10911611
Revealing that you intentionally allowed enemy spies to sow destruction when you could have stopped them is a bad idea.

>>10911598
>>10911611

Maya works mysterious ways, citizens mustn't know everything. Make sure that the allowed sabotages will not claim lives: material damage can be repaired, lost lives cannot.

Focus on machine guns and Gatling guns. About the Gatling guns, I remember watching a documentary and one of the original problems with gatlings were that if you turned the wheel too fast the barrel would melt. During the training and testing there was no problem but on actual battlefield the soldiers would panic and shoot as fast as possible. There must be a threshold on how fast the barrels can spin. Relay that to your R&D

>>10911644
>rails having lots of manpower
that's the way it must be

>>10911598
For the security situation, while regrettable, not allowing the enemy to know that they have been compromised is essential to our ultimate victory. They will feel better when we can say that the enemy has been stamped out.

For priority of weapon research, I would suggest artillery. It's something that the Perinese military already understands, and so can be used immediately by them, and therefore can be sold easily.

>>10911688
>>10911675
Oh yes, they must never know. It'll have to be one of our dirty little secrets, like the voices in our head.

Just a little request: Can we name the Zeppelin Yard to something a little more...personalized?
Graf-Maya Zeppelin Mittelwerk.
(translation: Count Maya Zeppelin Central Works)

rolled 5, 2, 5 = 12

>>10911688
Acknowledged. Any sabotage attempt likely to injure or kill will be stopped.

Relayed. Building in a maximum firing rate, or a rate selector, is within the realm of possibility. However, you should know, as a Frost Giant, that magic offers some interesting possibilities as far as cooling goes. Would you like to research cooling charms?

>>10911715
Confirmed.

>>10911787
You can. If there are no objections, this will be the new name.

Oh,

Have Capitol sector rail network have all the mid-size locos. All the new mid-sizers must go there.

When AA finally slowpokes their way to Capitol they will find hard time convincing anybody with their mini-locos (which they haven't even made yet)

FUCK I JUST HAD AN INCREDIBLE IDEA
SUPERCONDUCTORS + COLD MAGIC
FUCK YEAH

rolled 2, 4, 6 = 12

>>10911834
This will require air-drops for any locomotive made in Dreamwood, until the central line is complete. Confirm?

>>10911870
only if they're safe

>>10911806
Sure, if we have some time, work with R&D #2 and the Arcane division on making some cooling charms. At the very least: Fridges! Freezers! Ice cream and frosties for everyone! Not to mention: Air Conditioning!

>>10911806
Right, hybrid research. Alway better than one way. Yes, research cooling charms so that we can make much more efficient guns. But also, if it becomes impossible to apply charms in certain situations, have them work out weapons tech-only

>>10911870
Yes. Query, how many Zeppelins have we produced so far? For our own use, not counting those that the government commissioned.

>>10911870
I don't think it's safe, unless we have an airfield with a mooring tower at our Second Site in the capital. Trying to recreate the stunt with dropping a loco onto the rails is just plain crazy.

rolled 2, 1, 2 = 5

>>10911877
As long as it isn't too windy, they are.

>>10911878
>>10911886
Confirmed. Research will commence.

>>10911891
Two multi-purpose transports, one 4.5-ton and one 5-ton. One courier, 1-ton. A diplomatic transport is queued, after which you will have the yard back.

>>10911908
You do have a mooring tower, but no proper airfields exist in the County.

>>10911859
holy fucking shit yes, magic makes superconductors easily feasible for most applications
tell our scientists about them

>>10911870
Yes, the Capitol line must have top of the line rail network.

>>10911908
We aren't going to make PR stunts each time we bring a loco. From now on we make sure if something goes amiss, no one gets hurt.

>>10911958
Approximately how much time until the Capitol's rail line is complete? We've been devoting a huge amount of our resources towards this and our other rail projects, perhaps to the detriment of other things. Once the Capitol is completed, it might be a good idea to redirect our focus a bit, lower rail on our list of priorities a bit.

>>10911962
It's something to shoot for in the long-term, but it's not too useful right now. Sure, let them know about the phenomenon known as super-conductivity, but it's not something that'll be terribly useful with the electrical machines we have now.

>>10912021
no man, rails is the only place where we have serious enemies, therefore it's the place with most resources

rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12

>>10911962
They have been told already. The idea is awesome, but the truly interesting applications, such as in computing, are not yet fully understood, given your lack of real modern hardware. You don't even have a difference engine; all calculation is done by hand, though with the aid of protractors and things like that.

>>10911987
Very well.

>>10912013
Air drops will not be advertised any more.

>>10912021
Ten months is the conservative estimate.

>>10912047
Right, and once we finish this rail project, thus disposing of our only competition, we should possibly move our focus to other things. Obviously rail work wouldn't stop entirely, I just mean that we can focus on rooting out the spy network and find out who is controlling them, and our think tanks.

>>10912058
>no more pr stunts
what?!
fuck that, we NEED pr stunts every time we install a locomotive in a city that has NEVER seen one before.

I PROPOSE A 1 WEEK TIMESKIP SO WE FINALLY DISCOVER WHO IS BEHIND THE SPIES

>>10912096
let's do it!

rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13

>>10912082
These are all going to the capital. They've already seen one.

>>10912096
I'm up for this. Anyone else?

Oh by the way, how did the deals with southern countries go?

I know one of them was cool with the idea and provide 60% of labor. What about the other, have we made deals yet?

>>10912115
TIMESKIP DRIVE, ENGAGE

>>10912082
I can agree with using PR stunts, if they're used in a strategic manner like this. Maybe limit such airdrops for when we build a line to a nation's capital, say.
Also, we should see about hiring mages as support personnel for zeppelin crews. Specifically, mages that are good at controlling the wind. They will assist in stabilizing the zeppelin during take-off and landing, making sure there is no wind during delicate operations, and such.

Engage the Timeskip Drive!

rolled 5, 4, 1 = 10

>>10912124
No deals with Sillasull have been made. They're hedging, but it looks like they'll go for it eventually.

>>10912115
Yes, lets do small timeskip

No, don't do any more PRs. Maybe when we get full sized locos we'll do another but not each time. That would get too bothersome.

Oh!

Lets build Military Academy and Mage Academy in our county. Make them as high end as possible also modular, etc etc

rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14

It has been five days. DCE, through various unscrupulous means, has accomplished its goal two days early. The opposition's network was laid bare before you in a secret conference in your manor back home. Every operative, from the lowliest worker to the government agents, reports to the same source. And that source, unsurprisingly, is a noble.

Earl Yucian is the ruler of Bane of Forus, perhaps the largest collection of reactionaries and hard-line warmongers in the North. Bane of Forus is a fortified manufacturing center that maintains a large force of 'knights' that act more like the Earl's personal enforcers. The small city produces a vast amount of superior weapons, making the military its primary customer. The Earl is well-connected, and by all accounts, those he counts as his inner circle are either the same as or worse than he is. He has friends in high places, and outranks you in the nobility.

Orders?

rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17

>>10912224
Very well. Both in Central, I'm assuming?

>>10912249
Send him a letter, bluntly tell him to stop trying to infiltrate Dreamwood or else no kind of economic deal will be ever struck with him by us.

>>10912294
I highly doubt that he will comply. He's described as a reactionary, and I don't believe that he will listen to reason.

>>10912308
that doesn't mean we won't try.

>>10912249
Does his circle of friends extend to the Conclave? Does he have any political enemies we can ally with? Does Perin Intelligence have anything against him, what with him running a private army and intelligence agency that might be compromising national security?
We need to find a way of crushing him utterly. This won't be easy, since he outranks us, has a number of rabid allies, and is unreasonable and unwilling to talk things out, it seems.

rolled 4, 1, 5 = 10

>>10912294
I'll need a consensus on this. No matter whether you send the letter, though, you still have an enormous amount of enemy agents in your population. What are you going to do about this?

>>10912294
Nah

>>10912249
Contact Conclave. If they say they can't do anything without evidence, tell them we have mountains of it. Ask how to deal with this situation. Also ask advice from your advisors... it their jorb.

>>10912343
But sending him a letter only gives him warning that we know about him and are going to attack him somehow. Essentially, we would be advertising our attack and losing the element of surprise. So no, don't send him anything unless it's a letter from the King revoking his noble title.

>>10912362

I second this, Get the conclave involved.

>>10912249
Interesting. You know, it might be time to start building a few more of those armored war Zeppelins. Get some nice bombs, maybe a few gatling guns on it. Take 'em for a spin round abouts the Earl's domain. Nothing hostile, just a show of force.

>>10912359

I guess we wait a bit and build a temporary detainment (prison), I doubt we have much place to detain them. Then we arrest EVERYONE in one single smooth strike. Have twins work out the plan (it should go something like this: they are all invited through "secret messages" to meet in a warehouse or whatever for further instructions or plans on "massive" sabotage, when they all gather, we surround the fuck out of them and arrest them)

rolled 1, 5, 1 = 7

>>10912355
Not the entire Conclave, but he does have some contacts within it. Obviously, they aren't very high up, or the organization would not be so willing to cooperate with you. This does not mean he hasn't used those contacts as part of his plans.

He has plenty of enemies, but most do not oppose him openly. The Count of Manticore, the Baron of Bira Manor, and the Count of Fighter's Edge form a local opposition to his policies. The high nobles are indifferent, and the military councils his allies sit on are all currently concerned with the Forusian Occupation.

Intelligence has enough evidence now to get him censured, fined, and forced to submit Bane of Forus to inspection. However, he has enough political clout to escape any serious damage.

>>10912426
Oh and when the operation goes though, congratulate them and give promotions/bonuses or whatever to people who worked so hard to bust the spy network.

>>10912426
While effective, I have some reservations.
This would be a blow to morale, as people see friends, co-workers, and family whisked away and knowing that such close associates were traitors.
Also, this would mean that we can't allow them back into the general populace again, as they might get lynched.
Perhaps it would be better to bring them in and offer them the option of becoming a double-agent?

>>10912492
Or, even better, when we turn those agents and lock up those that didn't turn, we have our newly minted double-agents report back that they were able to escape our grasp and continue their work.
This way, they will gain the Earl's trust, and they can funnel any new spies into our hands.

Well, fuck. We aren't releasing the patents to firearms at all before we make ourself also a powerful military manufacturer. If we had done that, those would have defiantly fallen in Earls hands.

rolled 4, 1, 5 = 10

>>10912362
The Conclave really doesn't have much power over this sort of thing. They will lend support to any political motions you bring, but that's the extent of what they can do officially. Politics is a dirty business. In the grand scheme of things, this is relatively minor compared to what nobles who oppose each other usually do. You might consider challenging him to a duel, if you want to deal with the problem quickly and decisively. Otherwise, use every tool at your disposal to crush him, or he will simply return stronger and even more furious.

Sahl thinks you should paint Zeppelin 2 red and pay him a friendly visit. The twins think you should arrest the entire network at once and reveal it, turning most of the region against him.

>>10912492
I kind of though that these people wouldn't have families here.

Oh, we will go easy on the ones that were blackmailed, lied and generally threatened to work against us, like that native guy. We should not even tell that they were involved to general populace so that they wont be hated or something.

rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17

>>10912426
DCE has been planning a capture operation for months. You have enough underground prison installations to keep hundreds of people in individual cells. They're modular, so they're being used for storage right now.

>>10912555
>Sahl thinks you should paint Zeppelin 2 red and pay him a friendly visit. The twins think you should arrest the entire network at once and reveal it, turning most of the region against him.

Is there any reason we can't do both? And then challenge him to a duel?

>>10912555
do what sahl suggests.
Say you are enraged by his behaviour and call a duel to set this on fair ground.

rolled 2, 3, 5 = 10

>>10912622
No, you could certainly do both, and then challenge him to a duel. As the challenged, though, he would get to choose the weapons.

>>10912644
ask advisors if they think it's a good idea.
I mean, we're a fucking wizard giant in full plate
what can he do against us ?

>>10912581
Right. For the ones that don't want to work for us, we use them when we announce publicly that we have crushed the network. For those that turn and work for us now, we have them report to the Earl that they escaped capture. That will weaken the Earl's defenses, as he underestimates us and further cements his belief in our naivety.
Then we can begin destroying him from the inside out. Preferably culminating in crushing him while taunting with a trollface.jpg.

>>10912666
>>10912644
I dunno. What are the chances that he demands a sword duel, no magic, and then pulls out a Bastard Sword of Giant Slaying +5?

Some guy in previous thread suggested that we have our soldiers (not militia, guards and officers) look like this.
I am all for this idea.
Complete with glowing eyes and shit. We should start developing these kind of combat armors.

the do as >>10912408
Drop the soldiers.... you know, just for a walk... they need air.
And us personally too.... we just came to look around. No need to worry...
Oh these? The armored flying machines of destruction that have all of you industry under their bomb shaft? Oh, don't mind them.... I am just taking them for a test ride ... yeah

>>10912706
Forgot mah hat

>>10912644
Duel might not be such a good idea. But I am in favor of revealing what he's done and then taking a couple of armed and armored Zeppelins to his county to make a personal appearance.

Challenging him to a duel seems hardly like a fair fight. I mean we can personally level armies... what is he going to do?

>The twins think you should arrest the entire network at once and reveal it, turning most of the region against him.

Also, do this.

>>10912706
seconding this
be as fucking terrifying as possible

>>10912725
I think we need to consult our legal counsel in all of this first. Check in with the legality of what the Earl has done, the legal repercussions of challenging him to a duel, what happens when we kill him, that sort of stuff.
Let's rules-lawyer him into dust.

>>10912698
True that.

They are cunning fuckers. Might even cheat and get away from it.

rolled 6, 1, 1 = 8

>>10912666
Bane of Forus makes weapons. That's literally all it does. If you do challenge the Earl to a duel, he is going to use the best he has, or the best he thinks he needs. He could say that magic is allowed, or call it a straight-up mage duel, but he's not magically attuned, so there's little chance of that.

This man lives the life of a paranoid dictator. The fact that he hasn't sent assassins or his best spies means that he doesn't consider you a threat on that level. Tread carefully.

>>10912674
You can always do this, but DCE is far smaller than the Earl's intelligence division, and its operatives are not as well-trained.

>>10912698
Chances are good that he would pull a flaming sword of Ignore Fire Retardant instead.

>>10912746
As other posters have said, I think we should give those that were coerced a chance to turn, before arresting them and publicly letting it out. Otherwise, our intelligence efforts in the future might be more difficult, since spies won't have any reason or desire to betray their own masters and work for us.
Humanity and morality are important for a good spymaster and leader.

reveal the spy net

>>10912802
Well, yes. I told that too.
Do not reveal those who didn't actually want to work against us.

Ah, we might think of developing and producing machine guns, personal gatling guns (magically charmed so that a human can wield and shoot them) and combat armor first before paying a friendly visit.

rolled 4, 3, 6 = 13

>>10912706
Your militiamen are currently mostly unarmored. There has been talk of developing materials akin to that used by modern ballistic vests, but no progress has been made. Armor or Powered Armor, with magical aid, is possible, with research.

>>10912765
What he is done is certainly not legal, but, as said, he has the political and legal means to cover himself. Duels are legal, and the procedure is simple. The challenged decides the weapons and the battlefield. Additional stipulations, like the presence of an armed guard, or an anti-magic field, must be agreed upon by both parties. If the challenger finds the conditions not to his liking, he may withdraw the challenge (forever ruining the honor of his name) or call for mediation. If the two are not able to reach an agreement, the conditions set by the challenged stand.

If he agrees to a duel, neither can be held legally responsible for the other's death. The unwritten code of honor prevents others from taking action as a direct result of the outcome of the duel, but, since it's an unwritten code, there is no legal penalty for breaking it. There are also ways around it.

>>10912787
I think that, since he still doesn't consider us a major threat, that we should help to continue that illusion.
Then, when all is ready, we hop on a Graf Zeppelin that has been painted red with a contingent from our Kerberos Corps, fly over to the Earl, challenge him to a duel, and utterly crush him.

rolled 1, 5, 6 = 12

So far as I gather, your intentions are to have DCE turn any potential double agents and reveal the rest, using those double agents to infiltrate Bane of Forus and keep tabs on whatever the Earl does as a result of the reveal.

Shall we move forward with this?

>>10912912
I SAY WE PROVOKE HIM INTO ATTACKING US.

>>10912978
Yes. And +1 vote for giving the Earl a show of force via our Zeppelin air superiority.

>>10912978
Yes, but no show of force yet. We want the Earl to continue to underestimate us, until we are able to crush him. A show of force would only provoke him to send assassins and better spies.

Dealing with this guy will be like dealing with a cancer. There will be no perfect harmless solution.

I vote to bounce his network and then challenge him. It'll be the least damaging. Pretty much anythnig else will only lead to a form of civil war.

>>10913030
nah let's provoke him into attacking us

>>10912978
Yeah
though I am still dubious about using double agents. I doubt that they don't have mindprobers of their own to check legibility of the agents.

rolled 3, 3, 2 = 8

>>10912999
Network reveal confirmed.

Do you want to wait and prepare, or move ahead with your existing equipment? You have two mid-size Zeppelins and a small courier, and your militiamen are armed with repeating rifles and revolver sidearms. You also have several combat mages in the militia.

If you want, a few months could be spent building another Zeppelin, possibly one of those armored transports you now have the design for. You could also construct some fearsome armor for your militia, even if it's mainly for show (glowing red eyes can be replicated by magical charms easily).

>>10913037
SPDM basically just said he has superior everything to us; espionage, military strength, foreign contacts...

>>10913030
I vote this.

>>10913059
I mean, provoking him into a duel

>>10913037
YEah, that seems better then challenging to a duel. He might pull something on us if we directly challenge him.
But if he attacks us outright, then we can level him without much worry.

Oh, don't forget to put on our armor, it must be gathering dust right now.

>>10913061
>>10913030
Have you considered how he might react when challenged to a duel? What weaknesses we have that he might try to exploit? I think you're rushing headlong into a conflict without the proper forethought.

>>10913057

Lets prepare first.

Also, even if the armor is just for show, make them at least the same level as plate armor (divert some production and research from rails if need be)

Attacking Perin's largest military supplier isn't going to win us any points with the upper nobility. It may win us jail time, or an execution. We're still a Frost Giant. We'll be playing to their prejudice of bloodthirsty raider. They may look at us as a threat again.

>>10913077
He has an army to back him up, we don't.
We can't fight an entire army, and that's not including the spies and saboteurs that he has available. Getting into a conventional fight with him is stupid!

rolled 4, 1, 6 = 11

>>10913059
No foreign contracts. Bane of Forus deals with Perin's military only.

>>10913106
It is not the largest supplier by far. It is a significant piece of the engine, but it is still a Northern rural city.

>>10913091
Fire.

Also what are our strong points that he could negate with conditions?
Magic. He just tells that using magic is forbidden and we are fucked up.


BUT! What is something that he doesn't know much of or at all?
We have fire-weapons!
Lets go to shooting range and train accuracy for the next two months while we prepare. If R&D figures our machine guns, we could build one for ourself too.

>>10913091
The only real weakness we have are to weapons that have been enchanted to slay giants.
We can beat fire with our armor, we can beat anti-magic duels with our skill with weapons, and we can beat him saying we can only use exotic weapons by overwhelming him with sheer strength if needed.


We would be able to pick our own armor right Subproc?

>>10913134
So, basically, would this be viewed as Proctor & Gamble launching a raid on Lockheed?

HOW THE FUCK IS THIS STILL GOING?

rolled 3, 3, 3 = 9

>>10913149
Bane of Forus does not have firearms. Thus, the weapon he chooses will not be a gun, so you couldn't use one either. Also, since you are a giant, you are open to penalties that will reduce your racial advantage at least slightly. However, from what you know of the Earl, he would probably see defeating an unencumbered giant war hero as a chance for a PR explosion.

>>10913149
It's a duel, dimwit. He chooses the weapons, not you.

>>10913121
>We can't fight an entire army

Uhhh. Yes we can.
Where were you during the all-out attack by Forus?

We must have personally killed 5000+ enemies in that fight.

>>10913202
>>10913207

Yearhg
Sorry, sorry, I forgot.


Ok then. Dunno about challenging him directly.

>>10913213
While we had backup! We had the Perin military on our side! And we didn't have to deal with assassins in the night or poisoned food or water.
How are we going to fight an entire army, with magical support, if we don't have mage divisions of our own?

just reveal the fucking spy net you idiots

rolled 2, 5, 5 = 12

>>10913166
Not necessarily. Duels are usually fought with no or minimal armor. He would probably choose to make it armor-less, though you could still technically back out of the duel if he did.

>>10913182
More like Union Pacific vs. Lockheed. But, yes, in the military or intelligence departments, Bane of Forus is undeniably superior.

>>10913213
Mostly with magic, which you probably won't be able to use.

>>10913241
Develop machine guns and Gatling guns.

Put fortifications on either side of the battlefield. The enemy will advance and be caught in cross-fire.

Voting we should take care of the infiltration ASAP regardless of how long it takes us to prepare for a duel.

>>10913285
Yeah. Then maybe call him a coward for the underhanded tactics. Send him a statue of himself with a penis in his mouth.

>>10912263
Yes.
North of explosion test range, that way they can practice there too. Or maybe somewhere else since I am sure we can build underground practice ranges in either buildings.

>>10913301
Which takes time and resources, which we don't have available if we taunt the Earl into attacking now.
And is dependent on him attacking during the day, on a course we can predict, and ignoring the fact that he can bombard us with magical mobile artillery.

>>10913321
seconding offensive statue and name-calling

>>10913321
No name-calling or taunting. The man is a paranoid dictator, and will respond accordingly. He might not be able to assassinate us directly, but I can see him targeting Bem, or Sal, or the twins, or any number of our associates.

>>10913321
Whats with you guys and sending penises.
I mean, it might be funny on the internet but in there it is just wrong on every account and will probably do us more harm.

>>10913376
>paranoid dictator
:O
It just clicked in!
This guy is Kim Jong-Il!
Kim Jong Il always wants Aid. Maybe we could become a buyer of Bane's goods, and then he won't want to dick around with us because we're too good of a customer?

Peaceful solution!

>>10913343
Hey hey
I am voting for prep-time also, you know. Like 2-3 months

rolled 3, 2, 3 = 8

You could almost see the gleam in the twins' eyes when they got the order. DCE, its preparations complete and its personnel ready, made their move swiftly and took decisive action. Twelve enemy agents were subverted and placed on DCE's payroll, with plenty of supervision. All had been coerced by threats of violence. The remaining known agents were simultaneously arrested and detained. Their capture was announced both locally and to the government; your double agents were able to report their own safety to the Earl.

Yucian is furious. The surviving agents were berated for their incompetence and threatened with even more excessive measures. None of them, fortunately, have been detected as doubles or recalled. The Earl has decided that you're more of a threat than he thought, and is going to 'stop this idiotic farce and do some real damage'. No word yet on what that entails.

As a result of the reveal, five more enemy agents were detected.

>>10913331
Acknowledged.

>>10913417
>is going to 'stop this idiotic farce and do some real damage'.

Okay NOW I'll vote for aerial bombardment. Time for some regime change up in Bane of Forus.

>>10913417
start checking food, water, etc. for poison.
Continue controlling for spies.

Can we make a homing missile with current technology ?

>>10913417
Hehe

What is he going to do now?

Actually take military campaign against us? Okay, lets prepare for that. I guess we'll have to ease up on rail making but I think we have won that race already (split production and research 60(rails) - 40(military))

Make machineguns, Gatlings, Armored Zepps, actually practical and useful combat armor. Use all R&D for these.

Concentrate most of our DCE in Dreamwood.

Must be ready for anything.

>>10913417
Step up security, especially around our food and water stores.
Let the Conclave know that if the Earl starts playing hardball, we're going to respond in kind and would appreciate their help in minimizing collateral damage. We don't want to cause a civil war, and the Conclave wouldn't want to deal with one.

>>10913507
subproc did we really win the rails race ?

rolled 3, 4, 6 = 13

>>10913472
Checks confirmed. The druids are sweeping your consumables and the stream. Nothing has been found, except the usual near-harmless pathogens.

>>10913493
No. You can make black-powder rockets, but the closest they can come to guided is being charmed for accuracy or actually piloted.

Do you want the eight agents subverted, revealed, or left alone?

>>10913548
what do you mean by subverted ?
did we win the rails race ?

>>10913507
I think you're underestimating AA.
This is a two-front war we're in right now. Weakening the rail side to prepare for the Earls' attack could give AA the breather it needs to catch up.
I suggest crushing one enemy before turning on the other.

>>10913548
Offer the same deal to the enemy agents that our own double-agents were offered: work for us, or be exposed and arrested.

>>10913575

We have already made a significant rail network in Capital.
We have much more advanced trains (they have none as they only built rails)

So I doubt that easing up a little bit will do harm. I am not suggesting to stop it all together.

What 8 agents are you talking about.

Oh, and I assume everyone we caught will be questioned heavily, right?

rolled 2, 5, 3 = 10

>>10913530
Most of your agents are already concentrated in Central. The rest are either with BemCorp or the rail construction parties.

>>10913533
Security is at maximum priority.

The Conclave has been made aware of the possibility of military action or serious terrorism. Those in Intelligence who have been working with you are on your side. The high nobles still do not care much, except as far as these events affect your productivity. They seem torn between enjoying watching you deal with this and getting angry about what's cutting into their profits. All area garrison are being placed on alert. The Conclave is organizing fast-response squads, should things go down.

>>10913536
AA is still doing its best to fight you, but they have already lost. Their rails, though produced faster and in greater quantity, are subpar, and they cut corners on the mini-locos. The capital market belongs to Dreamwood.

Now might not be the best time to bring this up but I came up with a possible arms deal with the goverment via the Conclave.

On their end it would require the creation of firearms permits and registration. We should be able to make a case for this fairly easily eg; given how people with these weapons could assasinate heads of state. If or when other companies start producing firearms of their own they would have to be imprinted with serial numbers. Records would also be kept on what weapons were sold to who. I'm sure that wont stop a black market from popping up but we might as well try.

Once that's in place (or promises to do so) we see about assisting in the formation and training of a new cavalry unit that will be sent to fight in Forus. This unit would be equipped with the latest weapons and be divided into two parts: light and heavy cavalry.
The light cavalry would carry leaver action rifles, some pistols and the usual assortment of weapons Perin cavalry are normally equipped with. They would have little or no armor, acting as a fast response unit.
Heavy cavalry would be equipped with tungsten ceramic armor of our manufacture for the rider and the front of the horse. Both would also have fire resistant clothing that could be donned before battle. They would have the same types of weapons as the light cavalry but have a higher number of pistols. Heavy cavalry units would also be deployed with horse drawn artillery.

If the war hasnt ended in the time it takes to assemble and train these guys a parade before their departure might be in order.

rolled 3, 5, 6 = 14

>>10913572
>>10913643
The agents exposed as a result of the reveal. Subversion means they will become double agents working for DCE.

Everyone caught is being interrogated. It will take a little while for you to see results.

>>10913601
Consensus?

>>10913619
But you have to remember that they have a much bigger industrial infrastructure that they can take advantage of once they can begin locomotive construction.
It's not enough to have superior technology, you must have the industrial capacity to be able to take advantage of it.
German Tiger tanks, Japanese Zeros: they were superior to their Allied counterparts, but were inevitably drowned in the unending flood of Shermans, T-34's, Mustangs, and Corsairs.

rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17

>>10913548
>eight

I meant five.

>>10913601
Seconded.

>>10913682

What is topping these guys from saying that they have subverted but then work against us?

I am generally against this. The more we have double-agents the more chance that they are discovered/betray us

>>10913650
Huzzah! That means we can shift some of our forces from that towards this new threat.

rolled 4, 2, 1 = 7

>>10913738
All five have been subverted. No known enemy agents are left under the Earl's control.

>>10913742
They are being continuously watched by DCE, but it is possible that one or more are still working for the Earl. There is no real way to ensure they are not, besides a mind probe, which still has a high chance of killing or seriously damaging the subject.

Oh
We should make different qualities of passenger cars for our trains.
Make luxury cars, middle-class cars and economy class. So that rich people will feel comfortable and don't have to mix with lower people and so that poor people can afford transport.

>>10913742
Because they have handlers that check on them, and they are used in operations that specifically designed to take advantage of double-agents.
This is how spywork is done. You would needlessly cripple our intelligence efforts.

>>10913777
Have them feed the Earl false information. Things like imaginary spies recruited from the populace, fake DCE agents turned to the Earl's service, production quotas falsely affected.
Basically, like how British spies trolled Nazi Intelligence throughout the entire war.

Oh.

build several small and fast Zeppelins so that they can scout area and alert if they notice enemy presence.

Also, put some people in towns between us and the Earl, if he makes a move they can quickly alert us.

>>10913829
Reports about successful sabotages too

How many agents were there in total anyway?

>>10913742
They'd have to have
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChronicBackstabbingDisorder
to become a tripple agent.

rolled 3, 2, 2 = 7

>>10913785
Fees are already quite low, and trains are still novel enough for the rich to ride without being put-off by 'mixing'. Building luxury cars with more expensive seats might affect your PR negatively among commoners.

>>10913829
Program confirmed. DCE will feed increasing amounts of false information into Bane of Forus.

>>10913836
Scout design: 0.25-ton, 31MPH max. Three can be built at a time in a single yard, or one scout and one courier. Is this acceptable?

DCE will put some agents in towns between Dreamwood and Bane.

>>10913900
Build 3 scouts. Should be enough for now.

rolled 5, 1, 2 = 8

>>10913851
Acknowledged.

>>10913855
71, at the time of the reveal, not including the 17 now subverted.

How about to further make AA's life difficult, we start headhunting their foremen, supervisors, and project managers. Any AA rail worker that quits and comes to us are given salaries commensurate with the experience that they already have. This way, coming to work for Dreamwood Rail is a sound decision economically.

>>10913900
Yes.

I think we shoudl work out a production order for the next few months. I would suggest 3 Scouts/armored/courier&scout/armored.

>>10913941
Has there been any response from the balloon and ornithopter companies in Perin about possible buyouts, mergers, or partnerships?

>>10913942
A little dickish but perfectly valid. Wouldn't hamper resources on any other projects as best I can tell.

I'll support it. Works in-hand with that bullish facade we want our corporation to have. But, we really need to do more "good works" while we do this kind of thing.

Maybe headhunt their engineers into our Habitat for Humanity project? Do we have a name for it?

>>10913900
Ffffine

Then make them ALL comfortable and nice. Not overly luxurious but not too cheap-looking either.

>>10913987
How about holding off on making the armored transport zeppelin so that we can expand the Graf Maya Zeppelin Mittelwerk? Basically add another zeppelin construction yard, which IIRC would take about a month to a month and a half.

rolled 1, 4, 6 = 11

>>10913935
Very well.

>>10913942
Plan confirmed.

>>10913987
A diplomatic design has already started construction in the yard, according to military contract. In two months the scouts will roll out, unless you want to remove the incomplete hull and start them immediately.

>>10913995
Half of those contacted are prepared to join with BemCorp or bought out. All you need to do is give the order, and they will be dealt with appropriately.

>>10914013
I assumed that the work pool for constructing zeppelins and making another construction facility were separate; if that's not the case then I agree, first priority is to expand our ability to produce zeppelins.

>>10914026
Let's finish the diplomatic zeppelin first. Business before pleasure, after all.

As for the balloon and orni companies, yes, begin their integration. Leave the door open for anyone who sees the light and decides to join us later. Otherwise, stay cordial with the companies that stayed out, and work with them on universal standards of flight plans and air traffic control.

>>10914026
I meant for all of this to be done after the stuff we've been commissioned for has been completed.

rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13

>>10914003
It is as yet unnamed.

>>10914008
All cars will be upgraded to this standard.

>>10914013
The resources for this will be available if you slow rail expansion.

>>10914049
Nearly all of the personnel required to construct another yard are already present in the rail industry. Second yard confirmed for timeskip. Does it need a name?

rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8

>>10914060
>>10914063
Very well. The diplomatic design will be finished first.

All air companies that are open to it will be bought out or organized under BemCorp subsidiaries.

Ready for timeskip?

>>10914103
Yes.

>>10914103
sure

>>10914075
>Second yard confirmed for timeskip. Does it need a name?
Lilientarl Zeppelin Yard.

>>10913650
>AA is still doing its best to fight you, but they have already lost.
Okay, if it's all over except for the screaming, then I can get behind reallocating some rail resources back to other projects and our zeppelins.

We should hire/invite some music performers and teacher for our concert hall and music shcool

>>10914075
For the Housing Co-Op Charity, how about "Hearthshapers"? Make it a way for people to self-identify and be proud? makes it a bit conversational/viral. "I'm a Hearthshaper." kind of like saying "I'm a Big Brother/Big Sister."

>>10914139
Whoops, meant Lilienthal Zeppelin Yard.
Names after the Glider King (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Lilienthal).

Does our rail-network in the Capital make a circle around the capital? That way it will be easy to move around it. Also, did we make rails inside the Capital? Like going though it along the streets like trams?

If not, do that.

>>10914162
Alright, do that.

Do we have anything named after that super-old researcher guy who may or may not still be with us? (Vasian, maybe?)

>>10914250
Should we name a zeppelin after him? Or a whole class of zeppelins? Or how about the science building at Dreamwood Academy?

>>10914280
#3

>>10914250
hmm. you make a valid point. We should build a university and call it Vasian University. Or call our research complex Vasian Institute or something similar.

rolled 1, 2, 6 = 9

>>10914145
This is being done. The theater group is handling trials.

>>10914156
It's a bit of a mouthful.

>>10914195
An incomplete circle, made specifically to block AA.

As in most places, the terminals are on the outskirts, and the trains do not enter the city proper. Laying rails in the more populated sections will necessitate some degree of demolition to make room. Negotiations are underway.

>>10914250
No. It would be somewhat improper to name anything after him before he has passed, as he is not a war hero, despite everything he's done so far.

The Vasian Science Building? As well as the Bem Building for the College of Business.

>>10914321
He's SCIENCE! hero!

>>10914156
That's nifty, I like it.

For the Combat equipped airship design the government wants I think the best arrangement of guns would be in a triangle. This could work for 3 or 5 gun emplacements quite well I believe. We should also see about keeping the ammo magazines along the ship's centerline. If we had one near each gun it could effect the pitch of the ship as ammo was expended. While a few people I've seen talking are leaning towards dropping bombs I'm still an advocate of direct fire artillery guns like what's used in the AC-130.

Since we seem to have come to an arrangement with the Ornithoptor people we might also want to look at developing an airship as a carrier. Crimson Skies would be a good example.

>>10914321
Hearthies?

rolled 4, 1, 3 = 8

>>10914427
That sounds more like a candy than an organization.

Just call it Foundation. People associated can call them self Builders.

Doesn't sound so .... faggy at least. Almost business-like respectable name.

>>10914528
The Foundation sounds like it should be the holding company for all of our charitable efforts.
Also, does this mean we'll also be creating a Second Foundation hidden in the capital and working on psychohistory?

>>10911020

I was meaning to ask where's Dreamwood secondary at? Is it our province near capital?
Nice map, btw

rolled 2, 3, 5 = 10

It is the end of the twelfth month. Winter has begun in earnest, but it is no longer a time of despair and starvation. All under your watch are content, well-fed, and, finally, safe. Kaver Peak and your other allies have pledged their support against your enemy, but you are reluctant to involve those who are unprepared for the path. The Earl has resumed his machinations and begun his second plot, but no new agents have entered the County, nor have any of your citizens or employees been subverted, as far as you can tell. Bane of Forus is silent, and that does not bode well.

The diplomatic transport has been completed, along with Lilienthal Zeppelin Yard, made ready just yesterday. Like most of your structures, it is modular, and additions to support the construction of the larger military designs will take another two weeks. In the meantime, it can certainly handle anything smaller, for it is the equal of Mittelwerk. Three scouts are queued at the first yard, nothing at the second yet.

AA has launched a campaign to discredit Dreamwood's rail and locomotive holdings. It is not only ineffective, but is contributing to the backlash brought on by their inferior products. They have decreased fees to undercut you and are offering lucrative deals for freight transport. Not many are buying, but they do have some customers. Bem says they won't be able to keep it up for long, unless they're committed to running themselves into the ground.

rolled 5, 3, 4 = 12

>>10914558
Nine air companies have been acquired or partnered with. You now have the designs for various hot-air balloons and ornithopters, as well as the facilities to construct them. BemCorp also has an additional source of revenue. Hot-air balloons are inferior to Zeppelins in nearly every way, but still fun to ride. Ornithopters are mostly single-seat, rarely carrying a second or third aboard, and require magic in construction and operation. However, the fastest can reach 138MPH, and they average about 70-80MPH in general.

Rudimentary cooling charms are now available. They can decrease the temperature of an object by about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or 6C. Charmed plate armor designs are also available for militia outfitting. They look remarkably like powered armor, are jet black, and have sealed helmets with breath filters. The eye holes glow bright red on command. Vision is not impeded.

rolled 2, 6, 6 = 14

>>10914543
Dreamwood Secondary is marked by a green circle on this map.

>>10914568

Does the combat armor look terrifying? What is the feedback on it? What do militia and our "military" think of it?

>>10914568
As >>10914387 said, have our Air think-tank take a look at turning a zeppelin into an ornithopter carrier. Fire division will look into turning an ornithopter into a ground-attack craft. We will continue development towards true powered heavier-than-air flight, but these will help fill in the gap in the meanwhile.
Our newly acquired flight assets can continue business as usual, and have them work towards building airfields where zeppelins and their own flyers can take off and land without trouble.

>>10914579
Ah, I see.

... how did we get that anyway?

Work together with ornithoper companies their pilots and engineers to develop modern planes... or do we need proper engines first? IIRC we are still on steam-power, right?

rolled 5, 6, 5 = 16

>>10914645
It is indeed terrifying, at least at night, when the eyes can be seen clearly, but everything else is hidden. In the daytime, it makes the wearer look like part of a faceless army, which conjures up the old fears of Forus's seemingly infinite amount of troops. It is very effective, and unsettling.

The militia alternately find it a bit unpleasant to wear, because of the reactions they get, or empowering to wear, for the same reason. It is comfortable but can get hot, which is why the cooling charms are a godsend.

For shock troops or raiders, the armor is perfect because of its psychological effect. However, it should not be used in any normal capacity, because of its effect on regular citizens, and because that will get people used to seeing it and reduce the utility.

>>10914704
i was about to mention that.
they should be like swat or storm troopers and reserved for those roles with a friendlier force for normal duties.
or used to quell an area.

>>10914651
We should also try talking to some of the ornithopter pilots ourselves to get an idea what they'd think of fighter planes from earth.
I know this request may be a lot of work but can we get an idea of what most of the current 'thopters look like?

>>10914704
Yes, use the armor only for assaults and raids, for stormtroopers. We'll have to have Earth and R&D #2 and #3 look towards making some strength enhancement amulets so that the armor can work more like powered armor and improved armor for the hard pieces and very tough ballistic cloth for the undersuit. Also, see if they can also implement sight-enhancement to go along with the red glow. Infra-red or image enhancement of some kind, so that they can work effectively at night.

What shall we call them? Panzer Corps? Kerberos Corps? Terra's Stormtroopers?

>>10914751
Actually, how heavy are the ornithopters? If they're really as fast as it sounds, we might be able to use large, high-altitude zepplins as "carriers" for several ornithopters.

>>10914704
>For shock troops or raiders, the armor is perfect because of its psychological effect

Well, that was the idea in the first place.

We should start training shock-trooper division or similar.
But I guess for the regular army that would be tad too much?

How about we make regular combat-armor look like Imperial Guard-like? With camouflage patter and all that?

Still face-less scary but not as much as the previous.
When fighting us it would be like "Oh man, these guys are scary", and then shock-troopers move in, "Holy shit, these are even more scary!"

Drawfag here. Still not caught up on all the threads I have missed, but here is another work in progress for you guys. Something a little more light-hearted from awhile back in the quest. I wanted to drop it off before everything 404s for the night. Keep up the good work Subprocessor.

rolled 2, 4, 3 = 9

>>10914651
Acknowledged. Tentative designs for a carrier involve a seven-ton military model with five parasite craft, three under the main fuselage and two under the 'wings'.

Ground-attack research confirmed. Fighters, Bombers, Multirole, or both?

Airfields will be built in the County and BemCorp will finance their construction elsewhere.

>>10914652
You ordered construction of a site near the capital some time ago, some citizens were ferried out there, and local labor was used to build most of it.

>>10914673
You are still on steam power. Ornithopters, being hybrid craft, rely jointly on magic and muscle power for propulsion. Your smaller steam engines do not provide enough power to replace a human, though they can operate for longer, despite the loss in speed. You can focus on further miniaturizing steam engines or developing ICEs, it is up to you.

>>10914779
I know they use magic to lighten the apparent mass of the vehicle so that human muscle power is enough to lift it, the pilot, and some small cargo. I imagine that if a zeppelin were to be large enough, it could conceivably act as an air carrier.

>>1091479

With only five craft, multirole would probably be the best option.

>>10914797
>Fighters, Bombers, Multirole, or both?
For now, bombers and recon. Attackers, because that's the primary target we're going after (ground installations and troops), and Scouts, because information on enemy movements and dispositions is vital strategic information.
I don't think we need Fighter yet, because no one else seems to have any idea the importance yet of air supremacy or air power.

>>10914795
Oh man, thanks

We are talking here on making terror forces and carpet bombers and suddenly you come along and post such a cordial picture.

It's pretty sweet.

rolled 5, 6, 3 = 14

>>10914744
Understood.

>>10914751
Ornithopters fly by wing-action. Some resemble birds, some resemble bats, and some do not look like natural animals at all. The most basic ultralight designs resemble this picture. The heavier ones, with two seats or even three, may be much larger or have more than one set of wings. However, they are still quite small by the standards of modern aircraft on Earth.

An Ornithopter's pilot is also the engine, unless a second seat is reserved for someone dedicated to operating the wings. All ornithopters are magically lightened, since they would be too heavy to fly otherwise. Most also get a bit of a propulsive boost from magic, but they do still need human power unless gliding.

>>10914797
>>10914836
Supporting Multi-role.

Oh, don't forget to include radios on our military zeppelins! Being able to coordinate with air assets and relay information to Command on the ground can be a real game-changer.
If radios aren't miniaturized yet that they can go on a zeppelin or be powered, set up heliographs for communication.

>>10914797
>developing ICE

This.
Steam power is outliving its use. And we have hefty supply of petroleum anyway, need to use it.

>>10914797
Scouts are the single most important use for ornithopters at the moment, I think. They can't carry enough ammunition- and we don't have deadly enough weapons- to make them viable in a fighter or bomber role, but they're fast enough to make excellent scouts. Then we put some sort of communication device- perhaps a magical item, or a more powerful radio?- in the zeppelin, so that it can communicate what its parasite craft learn back to base. The carrier group should be able to stay scouting for weeks at a time and gather intelligence about a massive area with relatively little risk, except from any mages able to throw fireballs thousands of feet or call lightning bolts.

rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14

>>10914761
Work is being done on night-vision charms, based on the Frost Giants' racial bonus. You will expedite it.

>>10914791
Most of the fear effect is in the look of the helmet and the color of the armor. Simply swapping the helmet out for something less fearsome, or that exposes the face or eyes, would work.

Shock troops are being trained. Since you do not have a large militia, this is in addition to their other duties. Two eight-man squads, for a total of sixteen, unless you would like more.

>>10914795
Thanks. Picture saved.

>>10914795
Oh wow. This is great. Glad to see you're still alive anonymous drawfag!

>>10914919
Well, I was just thinking ahead with the designs and training.
We'll have bigger regiment in the future I suppose.

>>10914919
have all of the militia go through the training if possible.

>>10914886
For a modern type of ICE, we have lot of work to do. The alloys needed for the pistons and valves, spark plugs, aerators, radiator and air filter.
A lot of work, made all the harder by not having millions of scientists and engineers working on this problem worldwide.
But, the rewards: tanks, planes, trucks and cars. The benefits cannot be understated, especially for military applications.
So yes, let's have R&D #1 work on ICE's.

>>10914919

Exposing the face and eyes is no good, makes a weak-spot

rolled 3, 3, 3 = 9

>>10914836
>>10914852
>>10914875
Modular Multi-roles, bombers, and scouts will be developed. The multi-roles will be relatively easy to convert to either use, though they will have less carrying capacity than a dedicated bomber and they will be slower than a scout.

>>10914877
Radios are already in use in Zeppelins for communication with ground crews. They are still limited in range, and their speakers are low-quality. However, since they can be run off the Zeppelin's powerplant, they do not suffer from battery limitations.

>>10914919
Come up with a much less threatening pattern for normal militia use. Include camo patterns.
When the vision enhancers are done, elite scouts and rangers are to be equipped with a stripped down version of the stormtrooper helmet: no glowing eyes but keep the vision enhancements.

>>10914997
>still limited in range, and their speakers are low-quality
This is something we will need to work on.

rolled 6, 5, 3 = 14

>>10914886
Acknowledged.

>>10914971
All militia members will be rotated through shock training. Do you wish to have enough armor to suit the entire militia?

>>10914985
Do you want them to resemble more traditional knight helmets, then?

Hey, did we build Military and Mage academy?

>>10914855
>>10914919
>>10914945

Glad you guys like it. With any luck, I will have this shaded before the thread dies. Also, I can already tell that I will have a field day with all the shenanigans you guys have been up to. Physics-breaking-flying-war machines? Fuck yeah. Sadly, my new job is like a black hole for time, but I will do what I can. (Also, minor update on pic from last week)

>>10915058
>Do you want them to resemble more traditional knight helmets, then?
How about modern helmet designs instead?

>>10915058
might as well since well have a larger dedicated force to shock troops later and need it anyways.

>>10915058
>Do you want them to resemble more traditional knight helmets, then?

I want them to have visors like this >>10914791 and air filters.

>>10915101
Seeing as it's a militia and not a whole army, I think we can afford it. When we start amassing a personal army, though, we'll probably have to switch to the Imperial Guard-pattern of armor.
Also, whatever happened to the idea of a personally financed Order of Engineer-Knights? we'll probably want to give them similar armor, but with a less fear-inducing helmet pattern.

rolled 4, 6, 3 = 13

>>10915029
Got it.

>>10915059
Yes. Since they have just been established, concrete results will not be seen for a while. Veterans are being tapped for the military academy and mages of various spheres are being offered teaching positions at the other.

>>10915075
I like it. You do good work.

>>10915083
Most modern designs do not cover the face at all times, but one that does could be based on them. Your researchers will see about it.

>>10915101
Very well. The armor works will churn out enough to equip the whole militia. Helmets will be interchangeable to suit various roles.

>>10915075
Cool

I can't wait to see your interpretation of our Magma-steel armor that we had been using during invasion arc

>>10915127
But that still hides the face and makes them scary and unsettling to the local culture. You haven't resolved the problem at all!

How's the progress on machine guns and gatling guns?

>>10915168
Local militia has Hugo Boss WW2 German style uniforms

I am talking about armor that will be used during military campaigns.

rolled 2, 2, 2 = 6

>>10915127
As you wish. Bulletproof or shatterproof visors are not available, but will be researched.

>>10915149
It was suggested, but you didn't end up actually choosing or training any knights. It seems to have worked out well, regardless.

>>10915193
A prototype tri-barrel design has proven to be usable but prone to jams. Six and nine-barrel designs have been drawn up, but are not yet workable. Actual man-portable machine guns are currently beyond you, but a semiautomatic non-revolver rifle has passed the prototype stage. On the brighter side, you should have smokeless powder by the next timeskip.

>>10915226
The problem was with armor that militia men or soldiers would be normally wearing while on duty or otherwise interacting with the populace.

>>10915251
Excellent. Once smokeless powder has been achieved, we'll need to make a dedicated ammunition factory for the production of bullets. Perhaps it would be safer, though slower, to research a construction magelock that can produce bullets? I don't know if we have the necessary technology or science to make a bullet factory as safe as a modern one; otherwise we'll be risking a catastrophic explosion in an accident, which is especially a concern since the Earl of Bane of Forus is currently working against us.

>>10915257
Oh, but I prefer them to have stylish uniforms when on duty. Wearing combat armor all the time would be tiring and unsettling no matter if the face is seen or not. People in our uniforms are nice to look at and I assume are very attractive, but when wearing armor designed for combat and aggression they will be unsettling and scary.

So keep Guards who do police task wearing nice uniforms... but develop under-cloth protective vests.

>>10915075
Ah, jobs. The enemy of man. Best of luck to you!

>>10915251
How about a more primitive, hand crank gatling gun? Would that reduce difficulty in production until we've gotten the kinks worked out? Even very primitive gatling guns are still far, far above any non-magic weapons Perin has.

>>10915251
Okay, do the time skip now.

>>10915336
We should charm the big guns to be lighter and have lesser recoil while charming the combat armor to increase the strength of the wearer and durability and protection of the armor.

rolled 5, 1, 4 = 10

>>10915315
R&D has been making explosives for a long time now, and the only 'accidents' in recent memory have been due to sabotage. However, an ammunition factory would be a tempting target. It should be possible to make a construction magelock that produces bullets, but unlike with the structural one, your mages do not have an existing design to build off of.

>>10915331
Modification noted. Under-uniform flexible armor will be developed.

>>10915336
The tri-barrel is hand-cranked, they just haven't gotten the mechanism in order yet.

>>10915342
Timeskip running.

rolled 4, 1, 2 = 7

>>10915388
One question: What do you want your second Zeppelin yard to produce? You will not be able to construct military designs until after this timeskip.

>>10915388
Cool
waitan for op

>>10915414
Another Zeppelin, better version just as always if possible

>>10915388
We could build 2 factories, 1 being the real one and kept secret, and the 2nd being a honeypot trap for any potential saboteurs. Build the real one under the fake, so that you don't have bullets appearing from the wrong place.

As for the construction of a bullet mage-lock, I think it's a worthwhile investment in the long run. Being able to make bullets, shells and grenades at your forward firebases rather than transporting them all the way from your home base, would be very useful for a military that is dependent on ammunition, as ours will be eventually.

>>10915414
Make 2 courier zeppelins, if it can handle it. We can begin DPS, Dreamwood Parcel Service.

In magic department could we learn about memory charms and work on those? when I was a kid I watched that How Its Made show all the fucking time, +school trips exc we could help teck up much more if we could have better access to our one memories

>>10915439
I agree.
Maybe even miniaturize it enough to have personal bullet making mage-locks?

rolled 3, 2, 3 = 8

>>10915438
>>10915455
Consensus needed. I've started writing already, anyway.

>>10915475
It will be done.

>>10915497
Even if possible to make, these will likely be very expensive and limited to a certain charge.

>>10915522
>Consensus needed. I've started writing already, anyway.
Zep suggester here. Forget that, I just said something so that our yard does not sit without work, I don't care either way.
Make couriers.

>>10915522
>Even if possible to make, these will likely be very expensive and limited to a certain charge.

Well, they could be given to our "elite" troops or troops operating deep behind enemy lines with no supply.

>>10915576
These could be reserved for our Northern Rangers (I'm just tired of adding Dreamwood in front of any military thing we have; the name doesn't sound intimidating) when they go on Long-Range Recon Patrols.

>>10915626
Yeah good name when we get around establishing special forces division

Hey, does Perin have a Royal Postal Service? If not, can we get into that market? Using courier zeppelins and trains to transport between hubs, and ornithopters for deliveries, we stand to make everyones lives better and make some money.

rolled 6, 4, 6 = 16

It has been an additional month, and the end of the year is approaching fast. Your three scout Zeppelins are complete, as are two more couriers. While the scouts patrol, the couriers relay cargo and messages, as part of your air transit network. You can practically hear AA's board screaming from here, but they seem to have accepted your dominance in the industry, for now. They are no longer actively expanding their rail network. You received a letter from them saying: 'No hard feelings?' signed by one of the owners.

The militia has taken to its new armor well, and the modified 'standard' helmet is agreed upon as a far more normal-looking counterpart to the forest-camouflage plate. Smokeless powder is now a reality, undergoing various tests to ensure purity and effectiveness. The departure from black powder will make your firearms easier to use for extended periods, due to the lessening of buildup in the mechanism, not to mention that firing will not give away the user's position.

At your invitation, a host of ornithopter pilots were brought to meet you and discuss various things, among them aircraft design. You gave them a brief outline of modern fighter design, making a few models with alchemy to show them exactly what you meant. After expanding on the necessary technical details, you found that their opinion was rather critical. Most didn't see any reason to keep the wings fixed, and they had trouble believing a mundane craft could travel so rapidly without magical assistance. Once you reminded them of locomotives and Zeppelins, they came around a bit. Many of them think that sticking to an Earth design when you have magic is, at best, stupid.

rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6

>>10915829
Work on ICEs is now proceeding in earnest. They will be difficult to develop, but you are hitting diminishing returns where miniature steam engines are concerned. Multiple ornithopter and Zeppelin designs are also in the pipeline, and Bem asked you if you'd like to convert some of the air companies' facilities for Zeppelin construction.

Locomotive 2 has been destroyed. A piece of what is assumed to be Forusian hardware was used to accelerate the fuel burn and overwhelm the emergency valves. The resulting steam explosion killed both engineers along with most of the passengers in the first car, and caused the train to flip. The death toll is estimated at 80-100 of 191. The wreckage is still being searched, but the body of the man responsible has been recovered. There is no question that Earl Yucian is responsible, nor was there meant to be.

>>10915829
>Many of them think that sticking to an Earth design when you have magic is, at best, stupid.

>>10915829
Lets give AA same offer that they tried to give us. You know, we change their rails free of charge while we pretty much take over everything else.
trollface.jpg

>>10915848
Hey what do you know?
Start a massive PR campaign discrediting the Earl? Pay compensation for people who died and got injured.


Did we make working armored Zep designs?

>>10915829
>Many of them think that sticking to an Earth design when you have magic is, at best, stupid.
That is because they don't know of the effects of supersonic flight, or of modern superalloys, ceramics, and other artificial materials.
>>10915848
>There is no question that Earl Yucian is responsible, nor was there meant to be.
Okay, this? This is obviously a terrorist action. Attack us, fight us in the market, even sabotage our research or production; but when you start killing the citizenry simply because they use our products? That's a terrorist attack against the nation itself.

So what does government think when their own start using terrorism and kill their citizens?

Did anyone important/rich die?

> You received a letter from them saying: 'No hard feelings?' signed by one of the owners.
Could this mean that their Board isn't united? Or that he simply sees this all as a game?

>>10915848
>There is no question that Earl Yucian is responsible, nor was there meant to be.
Okay... and the government puts up with this?

If they're willing to put up with one of their nobles slaughtering innocent civilians for no better reason than to spit in another's eye, how would they feel about our marching into his citadel and freezing his blood in his veins?

>>10915948
Yes, seconding giving assistance to those affected. And making sure that people know that this wasn't a result of any mechanical problems on our machines, but rather due to the jealousy and spite of the Earl of Bane of Forus.

rolled 3, 5, 3 = 11

>>10915886
Replacing all of those rails would take a lot of effort. Are you sure you wish to commit to this?

>>10915948
Your ministries will begin the PR campaign. Compensation is being offered, but, while it's admirable of you to pay, most don't want it from you. They want it from the Earl.

Your military transport design is ready for construction, as is an armed design. The armed Zeppelin would be limited to repeating rifles, bombs, rockets (both black powder, or thermite bombs), and whatever mages aboard could cast from it. Of course, it is modular, so it could support artillery or machine guns when they're developed.

>>10915993
It is, of course, unacceptable. Several prominent capital citizens were killed, as well as a Marq-Baron from farther South. The Conclave and Intelligence are both very confused. Not only did the Earl launch an attack on such a level that even his connections cannot protect him from the consequences, he made it obvious that he did it. It doesn't make sense.

Hmm,
I though we made our trains as safe as possible. I guess not enough.

Alright, MASSIVE overhaul. Check ALL of our Zeppelins and trains, double, triple check. Screen every worker we have too. Try to upgrade our trains and Zeps to be less lethal in case of major disaster.

rolled 6, 4, 5 = 15

>>10916020
Either one. Or, since their first communication with you assured that there would be no hard feelings when it was over, it could be a surrender of sorts.

>>10916032
They're not putting up with it. In fact, the local fast-response forces are being mobilized to storm Bane of Forus and arrest the Earl, along with anyone complicit in this assault.

>>10916040
They are already aware of that. Everyone knows who's responsible, but there will be an understandable effect on rail travel, at least temporarily.

>Not only did the Earl launch an attack on such a level that even his connections cannot protect him from the consequences, he made it obvious that he did it. It doesn't make sense.

Ah, maybe he's being framed? He has lots of enemies too, I suppose. We must dig deeper.

Design machine guns and artillery.

>Replacing all of those rails would take a lot of effort. Are you sure you wish to commit to this?

I dunno. I suggested this for trolling potential, lets see what others think.

WAIT!
Something doesn't make sense though.
Why so obvious?
The Conclave and Intelligence are confused. Could someone be controlling the Earl and trying to create a civil war? Such as a Forusian mage-lord>

I think we should bring up the possibility that the attack could have been carried out by a third party.

>>10916189
Hmm
I'm more and more sure that he must have been framed. Ask Conclave not to be too harsh in their actions and try to accumulate as much of evidence they can in his keep.

>>10915848
So, he's killed people that aren't even part of our county, near the capitol? Because that goes beyond a grudge between the two of us, that's harming all of Perin. Does he have enough political clout to ignore the ramifications of that?

rolled 6, 4, 5 = 15

>>10916126
You are not allowed to attack Bane of Forus or the Earl. Your property was damaged and your people were killed, so you will be compensated. But, just as justice is in your hands in the County, the government administrates Perin. You are welcome to observe the Earl's capture from your Zeppelin, but any interference from you or Dreamwood will be dealt with harshly.

>>10916132
Acknowledged. All vehicles will be grounded upon their next arrival and checked thoroughly. All workers will be re-examined and records will be gone over. Massive safety measures are already in place, but there is no way to prevent disaster in the event someone goes to this much trouble to cause it.

>>10916215
We should suggest that the Conclave investigate this possibility once he's been taken into custody. All of our military assets should be on standby to move in and attack if something should happen to the Perin forces sent to take care of him.

As for AA the the rail thing; we should talk to them again about a unified rail system. If (this time) they're more onboard with the idea and adopt better quality control we should see about selling trains to them for their lines.

>>10916189
>Or, since their first communication with you assured that there would be no hard feelings when it was over, it could be a surrender of sorts.
We should really be a gracious winner here. Write a response assuring them that there are indeed no hard feelings. After all, while they might have been a competitor, they weren't the ones sabotaging us. Since they kept everything above the table and played fair, we have an obligation to do the same.

We might want to buy them out eventually, but that's something for the years to come. We have other concerns right now.

rolled 5, 6, 5 = 16

>>10916197
Digging. No statement has been made by the Earl and, in fact, Bane is still silent.

Machine guns and artillery are already being designed.

>>10916238
This possibility is already known, but the only way to be sure of the guilty party is to launch an investigation. In the meantime, the Earl, as prime suspect, will be imprisoned.

>>10916249
They have been warned. They will do as much as they can to ensure that all the facts are uncovered.

>>10916288
>You are not allowed to attack Bane of Forus or the Earl

Thats better too. Why waste resources and possibly our people if Perin is going to deal with it.

Ask if DCE agents can observe and later search for clues and whatnot.

Ask around if there is a Forusian Al-Qaeda.

lets make the light artillery/ man portable artillery the same size round as a repeater rifle of our size

and lets get a repeater rifle and 2-3 six shooters for our selves Magasteel bullets? please

also mass produce flint locks and give to government for epic level remember charms, trinkets, and teachers to teach us remember magic and alchemy/transmutation/building stuff magic

>>10916428
>also mass produce flint locks and give to government

Oh right, we can start trading these. Lets do it.

rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12

>>10916254
No. Not even close. The high nobles are unanimous in calling for his trial, and they very rarely agree on anything. His allies are either silent or agreeing with the high nobles.

>>10916349
>>10916351
Message sent. There will probably not be a response for a while, considering the present situation.

>>10916367
Yes, but only as long as they don't get in the way of Intelligence or overstep their authority.

>>10916368
There is no one organization that stands out. Of course, there are terrorists and rebels aplenty in Forus, but few are this competent, and there is not a good reason for a Forusian to destroy a train when there are better targets, especially in the capital.

I would recommend caution, and continuing our own investigation.
I might be paranoid, but I think someone might be using the Earl as a false flag operation.
They bombed the train which leads back to the Earl, but at the same time they plant evidence suggesting that we bombed our own train and made it look like the Earl did it because we wanted him taken out.
This hypothetical third-party then gets the advantage of 2 of Perin's greatest national assets (military production of Bane of Forus and technology of Dreamwood) seriously hampered.

>>10916487
>Yes, but only as long as they don't get in the way of Intelligence or overstep their authority.

Okay, tell that to your agents.

rolled 2, 4, 1 = 7

>>10916428
Light artillery will be made in the same caliber as giant rifles.

Rifle and sidearms confirmed. Your present revolver holds five shots, but one could be designed to carry more. You could also get a semiautomatic pistol instead, once research is complete. Magma Steel rounds confirmed.

Mass production of rifles, at least on that level, is not currently feasible. You could build a relatively small amount and begin trading, offer the government the design, or start facility expansion.

>>10916560
Damn it, THAT IS paranoid.
Now I am paranoid too.

Dunno even how to prepare for such a scenario.

>>10916597
Lets make small party and give them to military/government. See what they think about them.
Expand facilities too.

>>10916610
The only way I can think of is to run our own investigation as well.

rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10

>>10916560
Acknowledged. You will move forward with caution, and DCE will investigate.

>>10916574
Relayed. The twins will send their best, with strict orders not to interfere with the efforts of Intelligence.

This session is at an end. Sorry to leave you at a cliffhanger.

A reminder: There will be no session tomorrow due to the Fourth of July. Is there anything that needs to be taken care of tonight?

>>10916597
facility expansion please but take time to make it easy to upgrade to better things quickly

>>10916560
>>10916610

Ask twins (and other) what we can do to preemptively defend ourself for this hypothetical situation

>>10916665
Ah, man. Nah cliffhanger endings are cool.

Thanks DM.

Damn, this is probably going to be my last session for the next two months. I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope that Frost Giantess will still be going strong at that time.

See you at the end of August or beginning September. Thanks again, I love your work.

rolled 5, 2, 6 = 13

>>10916650
>>10916676
A small load of primitive rifles will be constructed and given to the military. Facilities for building more such weapons will also be constructed, but made modular for easy conversion to other purposes.

>>10916681
Ensure that you and your people cooperate fully with the ensuing investigation, while mounting your own investigation into literally everything - the event, the circumstances surrounding it, the people there, the people responsible, the people investigating, everything. Above all, remain open to the possibility that the government itself, or a faction in it, is responsible, and be prepared to escape or, if necessary, fight.

I guess we can ask general questions if we have some?

What was reaction when we upgraded all of our passenger cars to be more comfortable and generally nicer?

Do we have military advisers/generals ?

Man, I gotta say I can't wait for ICE to be finished.

Because then tanks and airplanes. And that means bombs and large munitions. Along with our "power" armor and terror-troops.

We're like fucking magic-nazis, and we're gonna blitzkrieg any bastard dumb enough to try to put us down.

Is it just me or did this quest take a turn for the bloodthirsty?

P.S. After we get a respectable force built, we should put on a military parade to show the nobles that we are capable of defending ourselves.

>>10916772
Okay, do what twins suggest.

On the side-note. What do twins think about our paranoia and obsession with safety and security?

>>10916665
Talk to the government about a firearm equipped Cavalry unit for deployment to Forus or perhaps even just inside Perin for the moment.
As seen>>10913665
And I think there was a second post to go with this but cant find it now.

>>10916808
This idea is cool but could we NOT send our people? I mean our militia is small enough already and by sending them to a hot zone we could lose some of them.

>>10915075

Done-ish. Now I can go read the 20 plus threads I missed. WOO!

>>10916560

Even though I doubt this to be the case, I like the way you think. One can never be too cautious. You never know when a third act plot twist will pop up.

>>10916800
No, I think we should keep our full strength hidden.

>>10916833
Good luck.

rolled 1, 6, 6 = 13

>>10916745
Thanks for being here. We made it to thread 64, so I think we'll be alright.

>>10916780
You may.

Overwhelmingly positive, especially since fees did not increase. Commoners now travel in luxury, and nobles in something that, while not what they're used to, is close enough to be bearable. Your advisers suggest a gradual campaign of increasing standards to increase popularity further and draw in richer customers.

You do, insofar as the Bureau of Defense can be considered 'military'. The veterans among your citizens hold command or analyst positions, though most of the Bureau's job ties in with research, since you only have a militia, not a standing army, and you are not expecting to go to war.

>>10916800
>Is it just me or did this quest take a turn for the bloodthirsty?

Nah, we're just over-protective.
The idea of a parade is pretty cool but if we overdo it they might collectively see us as dire thread to national security.

>>10916832
I never said they'd be our people. It'd be a cavalry unit of Perin's that we equip and train.

>>10916745

God speed, good sir. May your travels treat you well.

>>10916920
Why thank you, kind gentleman. I wish you pleasant time too.

>>10916865
about the ice cola thing.
would it be easier to make a lemon lime, sierra mist, or orange soda type drink?

>>10916919
Ah, cool then. But we will be giving them our latest weapons though, not that I really mind that.

rolled 2, 5, 6 = 13

>>10916807
Mostly justified, considering recent events. The horror stories you've told about what happens on Earth when standards aren't respected seem more real now. What they don't like is you spending so much time worrying and trying to micro-manage your forces. You have people trained for this, and you should learn to rely on them, lest they lose their edge. Of course, since your policies prevented something truly horrendous from occurring, it could go either way.

>>10916808
Firearms must be tested before they start thinking about assigning them to cavalry. Most likely, they will see use in the infantry for a while first.

>>10916991
Lemon lime and sierra mist are very similar. Orange is simple enough. Given that BemCorp already makes carbonated fruit drinks, none of those are a stretch.

>>10916865
Will our popularity decrease if we make luxurious cars for noble, now? I mean commoners will still be taking cars much more luxurious then anything they are used too and the "elite" can be in their usual comfortable surroundings too. I wouldn't think there will be any hard feelings.

We should upgrade our passenger zeps for comfort too

>>10917014
They do have a point. Delegating more duties and decisions would free us up for more of our personal projects.
On the other hand, staying elbow-deep in everything does keep us informed and helps to head of disasters.

>What they don't like is you spending so much time worrying and trying to micro-manage your forces. You have people trained for this, and you should learn to rely on them, lest they lose their edge

What do they mean exactly? I supposed that everyone does their job in the background.

>>10917014
>Firearms must be tested before they start thinking about assigning them to cavalry. Most likely, they will see use in the infantry for a while first.

A special unit of some kind then able to make use of the power and accuracy of these new weapons. I really expected we'd still be using black powder. Once the weapons have gone through proper testing I still think a Cavalry unit would make the best use of the limited quantities of guns we can produce.

So, when it becomes apparent that we've achieved WW2-era technology and delivered it to our own troops, and the national army is using flintlocks, will there be political backlash? Or is this kind of a "watch out for yourself, then the country" deal?

Oh, oh!

Since the saboteur used some forusian voodoo we should put charms on all our transport defending them from magical attacks/manipulation

>>10917152
I assume we will trade/sell inferior technology as soon as we come up with something new. that way we are a step or two ahead while the government will not feel threatened.

rolled 2, 3, 3 = 8

>>10917061
There will always be some effect on PR. This is not an egalitarian country. In fact, it is far from it, and there is a wide berth between the rich and the poor. Even though you are a noble, you worked your way to that rank by impressing the government with your service in the war. You are not a typical snobbish elitist either, you are as much a commoner in spirit as any of them. They respect you. This is why instituting anything that could be seen as segregation could be damaging to your image.

>>10917088
They do indeed. But it seems like whenever something goes wrong, or you see a potential problem, you insist on managing it directly. There is nothing wrong with this, really, as long as it works, but rapid expansion is carrying you too far forward for it to continue working forever. You will have to delegate more and more as you become concerned with wider and wider pictures, and all of the people who relied on you for orders in the thick of it will have to use their own judgment or that of those above them.

If you want an effective force, you need to let people stand on their own more often. Even if it's just the illusion, if you give them a chance, but are ready to steer them back if they go off-center, you should prepare them for when you're not there to help them anymore.

I remember there being oil some were lets get into making gas/plastic/kerosene/asphalt exct

then were closer to heaver than air planes and the internal combustion engine

then we can research magic charms that re use the waist from these things to reduce or stop pollution

>>10917221
The twins do have a point. Our people need to be able to work on their own, especially when we take a trip up north to Frost Giant lands.

>>10917221
Argh, alright then.

But have Zeps undergo upgrades too.... how are they right now anyway?

rolled 5, 5, 3 = 13

>>10917152
Not a large one, unless you flaunt it, or are a large enough power that they can't avoid seeing it every day. If you are taking your flight of Laser-armed VTOLs off on maneuvers for the third straight day while they do another drill with the steam tanks, there would obviously be some animosity. On the other hand, since you seem to be a lot more willing to share civilian tech than military, which they can understand, there's not really a problem yet.

The government is obviously building its own network to try to keep up with you militarily, or at least reverse-engineer whatever you don't give them, but that's not up to speed yet. As long as the County is not a real threat to Perin's internal supremacy, you're in the clear.

>>10917169
That is not yet feasible, but R&D#2 will work on it.

>>10917221
>>10917299

But we do keep asking for advice from them and generally follow what they suggest.

Hey,
Lets contact New Amor again and see how university is doing. What other breakthroughs have they done and just general chit-chat.

rolled 6, 4, 1 = 11

>>10917293
There is an oil refinery in Dreamwood Industrial. Obviously, without ICEs they don't know exactly what they're looking for, but fuel oil for lamps can be made, as well as a dozen other varieties that are not yet used for much. Plastic is being developed, but the best current type is brittle and resists molding. Asphalt has not been developed.

>>10917315
The Zeppelins have been outfitted with the latest technology. The mid-sizers can reach 24MPH, the couriers 28MPH, and the scouts 31MPH. Zeppelins 1 and 2 can be upgraded to 6-ton capacity, but this would require an overhaul, taking up a full yard for a week or two.

>>10917411
You know, this brings up the question of how the Conclave is taking the fact that we use them as our own personal cellphone.

Is Lord STILL locked up?
When is he going out? Maybe he's sick and his son died long time ago?
Who's next in line anyway?

>>10917434
Yes, upgrade them all at the same time check for shenanigans. Also make them more comfortable and generally nicer. Have bars and restaurants on board, or at least some snacks and drinks delivered to passengers.

>>10917476
Could whoever orchestrated the current situation with Earl Yucian also have targeted the Lord of Perin's son so that the Lord will be distracted at best, and completely incapacitated (like now) at worst?

>>10917456
Haha, true that.

But soon we'll have telephone connections.

>>10917476
>>10917554

I mean, how long has this been going on?

>>10917328
> If you are taking your flight of Laser-armed VTOLs off on maneuvers[...]

This reminds me, could we mount two lasers on our military zeplin design for point defense? They could also be used to blind enemy infantry.

rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12

>>10917411
The university is doing very well. Had you never visited them, they would have been left far behind the curve after you started developing Earth tech, so they owe much of their recent success to you. Their study of your telephone technology has brought them closer to audio radios, and from the specs, their batteries, generators, and optics are better than yours.

New Aarmour, and, by extension, the government's network, has completed prototype non-vacuum lightbulbs, airfoils, gliders, and microscopes.

>>10917456
They have an entire division dedicated to handling distance communications, growing every day. Some enjoy talking to you, and some are resentful, but, on the whole, the Conclave sees it as something like their due.

>>10917476
He is. There is no way to know when or why he will return. He has only one son, and no immediate family. If both the Lord and the Prince die, there is likely to be a war of succession.

>>10917554
>>10917584
>>10917476
Dammit I'm always always forgetting things. Finding out info on the Lord's son's status might be out but that doesnt mean we have to ignore the whole thing.
The next time we're in the capital would leaving a bundle of flowers outside of the palace with 'a get well soon' note pinned to them be appropriate?

>>10917651
Rather then brooding, Lord should get his dick wet and produce several more heirs. Or should have.. damn people who don't look ahead. Why did he send his only son to a hot zone anyway? I believe in character building but that's going too far.

OOC question: Are we just dealing with the mortals for the immediate quest, or will shit with the pantheon and the Bleeding Sun go down soon?

rolled 5, 5, 5 = 15

>>10917518
Very well. They will be upgraded one after the other, so only one yard will be occupied and both will be done in one timeskip.

>>10917554
There is no way to know, but anything's possible.

>>10917584
Months. Less than a year, possibly half. I'm not sure exactly.

>>10917605
You only have the one laser, and it requires the two storm knives to fire. You could produce more 'tubes' without great effort, but a suitable power source would have to be found, and a firing assembly designed and manufactured, if more storm knives or comparable items could not be acquired. It is theoretically possible for a steam engine-run generator to power a laser, but the bulk and mass of such a system would restrict even a 6-ton Zeppelin to a single laser.

>>10917651
We have audio radios already, no? Albeit low quality. We could trade for either batteries, generators or optics, no?
Lets see if they want to.

rolled 6, 2, 3 = 11

>>10917681
You could have them delivered directly to the Prince's room, if you like.

>>10917706
As the story goes, the Lord never recovered from his wife's death (in childbirth, no less) and so has never considered producing another heir. The Prince has from a very young age been determined to escape his overprotective father and seek adventure in Forus. He proved himself an extremely effective commander and a brave warrior who doesn't shy away from close combat. His antics have caused the Lord no end of grief, but the Prince has never responded to any attempt to convince him to settle down.

Heh, look what I found on deviantard

>>10917817
>You could have them delivered directly to the Prince's room, if you like.
And then we discover he was allergic to them and he finally couldn't hold on and died.

rolled 4, 1, 1 = 6

>>10917726
I can't reveal anything. Events are largely dictated in some way by what you do, though, so if you are looking for a specific result, you should head towards it.

>>10917800
They are always willing to accept tech trades. Which one would you be looking to get?

>>10917800
This.

>>10917651
>war of succession.
OOH no, not that shit. Dramatic steps would need to be taken to prevent that. Be it a transition to democracy or the apointment of a Steward to lead the country until such a thing could be brought about.

>>10917817
Dammit, Prince, can't you see you are ruining your family !?


I wonder if there's anything we can do? The magic healing is much better than what we have back home and I doubt that we know anything about medication and biology anyway.

Unless we must go on a quest to retrieve an ancient magic artifact from Mt. Doom I have no idea

So, with our continual advancements in science and technology bolstered by magic, are we going to build an air fleet of zeppelin battleships?
Pic related.

>>10917981
We could always go North into the Unclaimed Lands and look for an ancient Frost Giant hospital. There might be something left, like a magical ICU or something.

>>10917904
Dunno, batteries and generators seem good idea so that we don't have to waste time developing them later. Then Uni will work on radio we can trade back for better radio with something else.

rolled 6, 2, 5 = 13

>>10918001
Zeppelins are much too fragile for roles other than fire support and ferrying small craft. However, an actual air battleship able to stand up to serious firepower is feasible, if you are willing to spend the money, take time to research the appropriate tech, and use unhealthy amount of magic.

>>10918036
Haha... too bad that the ancient city is gone.


DM, are there other lands that have better healing methods or races specialized in that. We know all our neighbors but how about other places?
We might need to take a Zep and go on ADVENTURE!

>>10918087
Of course we are, what kind of question is that?

>>10918125
Now this sounds like a plan!
Just make sure Bem isnt the only one running things while we're away as he'll go for money first as discussed yesterday.

>>10918125
The capital is gone, but that doesn't mean that there might not be other ruins of cities scattered throughout the North.

rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9

>>10918125
Better methods probably wouldn't help you all that much unless you knew exactly what condition the Prince was in. It would be... disheartening to travel hundreds of miles, siege a fortress temple, and escape the winding tunnels of the Plains of Mirth just to find out that the Prince's infection is immune to the artifact you brought back. Right?

How is Ervrus doing?
Can we go visit him?

rolled 4, 6, 3 = 13

>>10918238
The Conclave says he is doing fine, but his integrated anti-scrying field prevents you from contacting him directly.

He is no longer sequestered, so you can see him, as long as you ask for permission ahead of time.

>>10918213
Hmm, yeah thats right.

What is he suffering from then?

rolled 5, 6, 5 = 16

>>10918295
You don't know, and no one you've asked has told you anything other than 'he's injured'.

>>10918291

Man, I wanted him to upgrade him as we make more and more military break through... He must be here in person for that though.

>>10918336
Maybe he has been magically poisoned or something? Is there anyway to find out?
Bribe some nobles or something?

Hmm... financial wise.. how RICH are we anyway? Are we on par with high nobles or not yet?

rolled 4, 4, 2 = 10

>>10918337
He is military property, so any upgrades you made would be analyzed by the military.

>>10918384
You could potentially bribe someone, yes.

Not even close. All of BemCorps assets could potentially be worth as much as one of their lesser estates. This is not to say that they can't be bribed, though, but the main thing they want is tech. Guns and Zeppelins are also good.

>>10918001
MORE BATTLESHIPS!

Has the appropriate winter theme for DW as well.

>>10918461
I'm all for making them personal superluxerious Zeppelins (especially made to be hard to reverse-engineer... at least without breaking them and taking a year or something). But military tech is a no-no.

>>10918238
>>10918291
Cool, we should go visit.

The problem with the prince is becoming a major point in how things will go from now on. Has there ever been a time in Perin's history where the King and/or their heirs have been incapacitated even temporarily?

I'm starting to wonder if there wasnt some kind of injury that damaged the mind or put him intoa Coma. We need that information but without getting into serious trouble.

>>10918336
Huh. Well, with any spare time/resources we have, we should try to find out exactly what is wrong with the Prince.

rolled 2, 4, 4 = 10

>>10918487
>airships, trains, stylish buildings

If not for the mountain and cable cars, that would practically be Dreamwood.

>>10918461
How do we find out who to bribe and if the information is legitimate?
Could we ask assistance from Conclave or use DCE resources?

>>10918566
Ah, we can't have all the nice things at once can we?

>>10918566
Wait, like, for serious?

rolled 4, 6, 3 = 13

>>10918560
Yes, many times. In fact, that is pretty much what's happening now; since the Lord is not actively ruling the high nobles are doing it for him. The dilemma comes about when the line of succession is broken.

>>10918584
Have DCE spend some time scoping out government officials, then decide on the best mark and offer them what they want. Or, you could ask the government outright and offer to trade them technology for that knowledge.

Involving the Conclave in the first plan would be a bad idea. You don't tell a government organization that you're trying to bribe someone in the government.

We should start laying foundation for eventual subway-system.

rolled 4, 1, 4 = 9

>>10918614
Well, aside from the terrain, and the presence of multiple airships that low, that is pretty much what Central looks like.

>>10918666
Thanks to the chained spirit, you can lay the tunnels themselves without effort.

>>10918689
Damn..... I guess, mentally, I've still been thinking of Dreamwood as relatively undeveloped. Sure, we've got lots of crude stone houses and some of the main buildings are 2-3 stories, but still mostly medieval level of architecture. This really puts things into perspective for me.

>>10918461
Where do High Nobles get their money?
We'll we have eventual spike in income when we connect all of our neighbors and start exporting our products?

>>10918739
Things are constantly being upgraded if I understand correctly. And we made a policy to make everything art deco style some time ago starting with our Manor.

rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6

>>10918739
They're not crude anymore. Every building built in any of Dreamwood's holdings is in art deco style, more modern than this world's modern.

>>10918794
Estates, mainly. They also draw a salary from tax revenue, but it's a pittance compared to their business profits. The average high noble owns at least one plantation, administrates several cities and a dozen towns, and has control of entire business conglomerates.

Yes, that will increase your income immensely.

>>10918855
>>10918875
Right, right. I knew that intellectually. But my mental image was still of a fairly primitive town. I have to say, I'm very pleasantly surprised and impressed! We've come a long way since the first thread.....

How does the balloon and ornithoper buyout/integration/partnership working out? Do they feel it's a fair deal? I hope we aren't undercutting them or anything.

rolled 4, 6, 1 = 11

>>10918925
Indeed. And there is a long way yet to go, though you still have yet to set an ultimate goal.

>>10918875
Damn High Nobles, think they are better then us.

How many are of them anyway?

What titles do they have?

rolled 6, 1, 2 = 9

>>10918934
It is working out well for everyone. And it should, because the only participants are those who expressed interest in it beforehand. Bem has made sure to keep everything fair to his new employees, who, after reorganization, are making more than before. Being made a part of BemCorp has had lots of consequences. For instance, Dreamwood's strict safety standards have resulted in a reduced number of accidents and the inclusion of various emergency devices in craft designs.

>>10918936
Obviously, we need to find a dimensional portal to Earth, and seal ourselves underground and in stasis for a long time. Then, when we wake up, we can yell "After ten thousand years! Time to conquer Earth!"

Or, we could, I don't know, seek to bring all of Perin to a technology level comparable with a First World country of Earth. That's probably a more serious milestone goal to work towards.

>>10918925
Yeah, its pretty bitching.

Do we have universal electricity or only in essential buildings? Maybe hook up theater and concerthall too?

rolled 4, 1, 4 = 9

>>10918996
When I say high nobles I am referring to those on the Lord's personnel councils and those who truly control Parliament, just to be clear.

There are 47 high nobles. 5 are Grand Dukes, 31 are Archdukes, and 11 are Electors. This is the rank scale:

Grand Duke
Archduke
Sir/Madam Elector
Duke
Earl
Count
Baron
Lord of the Manor (Marq-Baron)

>>10919024
Rift opens and Maya jumps out of it in middle of New York
"Guess who'd back bitches!"
Followed by an army of Space Marines pouring out of the hole.

rolled 4, 3, 6 = 13

>>10919024
I really don't know why you'd wait that long.

Just Perin? It's fairly small compared to the planet. Or the system. Or the galactic arm.

>>10919056
Essential buildings only. You don't yet have the infrastructure in place to power all buildings. The theater is wired, but not the concert hall. Do you wish to make it a priority?

I think our Major Goal for now should be the Moonshot. To have a Perin man stand on the Moon.
There's also Bleeding Sun to deal with, and the Ice Demon when he reveals himself.

>>10919079
Hmm Earl is not as high as I though it was.

Man, if we do manage to cure Lords son then we'll certainly get upgraded a few levels.