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Your staff have compiled a list of possible locations for such a device, from east to west in order.

>Far Eastern Islands
After the issue was explained to him, Orion suggests an antenna be built on his mother's island, which he claims is much larger than yours. It would be way out of the way, which is both a blessing and a curse.

>Tannhauser Island.
Building the antenna right here would solve a lot of logistical and security issues, but it would consume valuable real estate. The island is not very large and this would limit future expansion severely.

>The SSC
Ms Kenaway's organization is better funded than yours. You could probably convince her to foot most of the bill and share the facility with you in exchange for access to MultiVAC. The only problem is this capability would be shared with your friendly rival.

>The Royal Astrological Society
Your mother could convince her masked friends to donate land to build a radio-telescope in Midland. You would still have to pay for most of it, but logistical issues would be lessened.

>The Westrin Academy
You could donate money to the academy to have them build a telescope for you. This would cost less than building it yourself, but as with the SSC, you would be sharing the telescope. There is also the issue of political instability in the west.

>The Royal Navy
You could also ask the Navy to build and maintain a ship equiped with large radio antennas. This could fill gaps in your coverage. Unfortunately General Clay is currently cross with you, and you would need his support to do this.

>>25326353
I have a solution. We have private contractors build a series of radio telescopes on mining vessels. Thus, we bypass the military, and get global coverage.

OR, we can find another admiral who would be interested in missiles that can strike our foes throughout the world, and say that using missiles without a tracking system is pointless.

>>25326622
You mean a Foreign admiral? General Clay is in charge of all the armed forces of Midland. Technically your father outranks him, but good luck doing anything without his support.

As for building your own ships. That would be more expensive than any of the other options.

>>25326438

We should have the RAS deal with it -- it will give them renewed purpose, which they should appreciate, and they have a lot of connections to put to use.

>>25326702
He is one man, and we can find others to go around him if we must, BUT, why not use existing ships, and mount the equipment to save money, it should be cheaper.. or we can combine this with a research project, if I may bold.

>>25326770

Even big ships such as dredges wobble, having them mount antennas that reach to orbit is doable, having them mount anything directional isn't.

>shiparnio known

While you deliberate over where to build a radio telescope. You receive news that Ms Kenaway's latest launch was delayed.

Currently in orbit are 3 of her passive reflector balloons, and two of your radio satellites.

Also, your birthday is at the end of next turn. Do you have any plans your highness? Is there anybody you would like to invite?

>>25327034
We must work, though we will need to have a small party. Invite our parents of course.

>>25327118
>Small party
>Inviting the king and queen.

>>25326770
Wow, what a terrible and stupid idea.
Go around him? There is no one else to go to, besides the King, and if his past responses are any indication, he will not give us any support.

And get a ship? From who, and what of the cost to outfit it, and getting the Naval escorts since there are pirates as well as Nordland submarines to consider.

>>25327145
Yes, as we did the last time.
Remember the last time?

>>25326438
The SSC or the Astrological Society may be our best bets... the Astrological Society would cost more, but if the SSC has access to our telescope they can launch their own lunar probes without much trouble.

Building the antenna here is a possibility - the question is just how *much* of our land would it take up? Would it put an upper limit on how big a rocket we could launch?

>>25327200
Don't forget that if it's placed here on Tannhauser Island that it'll be destroyed when Typhoon Season comes around, unless we make it retractable into an underground bunker.

>>25327200

We should tap the Astrological Society - it'd give them a place in the new order of the heavens, so to speak. They'd appreciate it. And they have some relevant skills as far as the running of an observatory is concerned, the logistics can't be that different.

>>25327250
They'll give us the land, but even though they have the money to help, they won't.
And they've had decades to set up the necessary arrays to detect and capture the transmissions from the Foe Stars, but they didn't even realize that they were transmitting.

Their incompetence would only lead to the array underperforming.

We build the primary Large Radio Array, and we can have the Westrin Academy help in creating the second one.

Remember that we need 4 in all, and they must be spaced accordingly.

God Mother, will the Royal Astrological Society provide personnel that can be trusted when we use the Array to capture Foe Star communications?
Will the Array site also provide enough land for us to build a MultiVAC and Radio-Reactive Turbine as well?
Can it be made secure?
And would it be land in our name, or controlled by the RRC?

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You contact your mother, and she makes a joke about it being your birthday present.
The society will cover the invention and construction. You just need to spend the RnD points to upgrade it from 1/5 (No tech transfer because it's size 5)

There is one catch however, you will have to return home for your birthday. She expresses concern that you have been spending too much time away from home.

>>25327930
>you will have to return home for your birthday
Very well. We will acquiesce.
However, work cannot be delayed.

>>25327736
There will be room to install additional equipment at the site. The RRC would control the site jointly with the RAS.

>>25327943
We will spend our free time on this trip lobbying for more funds. We are the consumate professional.

>>25327930
What turn is it, and do we have a budget?

>>25328073
Turn 8, and we already budgeted for this turn.

>>25327930
How quickly will the invention and building of the Large Array take? Will we be able to begin Developing it on Turn 9?

>>25328129
How many satellites do we need for global coverage? I think somebody said 5, but that seems low.

>>25328144
since it's mass 5, that means each reliability step will take 5 RP. to bring it to 10/15 that is 19 steps, or a total of 95 RP.
Westerin said they would split research costs, so that is 47~48 RP investment.

Answere: It will take awhile.

>>25328144
You can invent and build it in turn 9. It will cost 20 points. Then you may upgrade it as any other mass 5 object.

>>25328150
You need 6, you have 2, Ms Kenaway has 3.

>>25328237
So we launch one this turn to make 3, and we will finish on turn 11? Or is the launch this trun the second?

>>25328279
Uh, are you getting mixed up between the orbital satellites and the ground-based radio antenna?

>>25328279
You have one satellite ready to launch right now. Then you can skip ahead to the next turn and head home to celibate your 18th birthday and building the radio telescope.

>>25328237
>You can invent and build it in turn 9. It will cost 20 points
Didn't you just say that the Society is going to cover the invention and initial construction?

>>25328315
No, we only need 4 ground arrays for SETI and moon missions. We need 6 satellites to get constant coverage.

>>25328359
Oh silly me. Yes I did. You will have to upgrade it from 1/5 however.

Thank you for catching me.

>>25328435
Incidental question - since it's highly unlikely that we're ever going to have a rocket big enough to launch an entire radio telescope into orbit, does it still have to follow the "cannot be advanced past 10/15 without being launched into space" rule?

Turn 9 budget:
15RP Satellite Launch
10RP Television Module 15/19
15RP Large Radio Array 3/6
1RP Harker Improve Stamina
1RP Palmer Improve Engineering

>>25328741
The requirement is actually being tested. Usually this means putting it into space. But a radio telescope works just as well on the ground as it does in space.

Ready to advance to the party?

>>25328756
Launch is 16 points. suggest Launching the mapper this turn or next.
Suggested Budget:
16 RP Satellite
10 RP Television (15/19)
16 RP mapper satellite

(this should give us extra funding because of new orbit for mapper + mapping + had a camera along.)

>>25328877
You will need television to make a map without having to manually recover photographic plates from an inclined orbit.

And yes, you still have a radio-sat ready for launch. Do it before you leave for the party?

>>25328903
Yes, deploy the satellite before going to the next turn.

>>25328877
6RP Archangel + 3RP Pathfinder + 3 MiniVAC + 1RP Photovoltaic Power Cells + 1RP Radiolight Beacon + 1RP Hawtrey Thrusters = 15RP

Rolled 1, 9 - 2 = 8

You launch one last rocket before returning home.

Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Ignition!

>>25328877
>>25328954
Oh shit, I believe I might be mildly retarded.

>>25328903
Wait, we invented the television camera but not the TV to go with it.

>>25328996
It's fine - someone said 16RP before, but we did the calculations and figured out it was actually 15 last thread. If you missed that you'd have missed the correction.

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Rolled 1, 8 - 2 = 7

>>25328979
Liftoff!

>>25329011
Oops my mistake. I apologize I have been herping and derpping over my own game today. You could launch the camera at 10/14 if you wanted. Probably too late for this one. But next turn it will only cost 1 point to get the camera up to the max.

Rolled 10, 5 - 2 = 13

>>25329070
Begin plane change maneuver.

Rolled 8, 6 - 2 = 12

>>25329085
Power check.

Rolled 8, 4 - 2 = 10

>>25329101
System check.

>>25328877
>>25328756
Yeah, neither of these work because the Television module hasn't been successfully launched.

Turn 9 should be:
15RP Satellite (Radio) Launch
15RP Television Mapper Satellite
10RP Television Module 15/19
1RP Harker Improve Stamina
1RP Palmer Improve Engineering

>>25329070
so on turn 9 we could do:
15 RP Satellite
1 RP Television 10/15
15 RP mapper satellite
10 RP radio-Reactive pile 7/12 or Television Module 15/19
1 RP Harker Stamina

>>25329167
At some point we should put 9RP into the MiniVAC. It's got the lowest Fail rating of anything we're relying on for a satellite, if the wiki's 16/20 is correct.

>>25329200
REVISIONS!
9 RP minivac 19/20
15 RP Satellite
1 RP Television 10/15
15 RP mapper satellite
1 RP Harker Stamina
1 RP Palmer Engineering

>>25329146
Instead of putting those last 2RP in training, since we're not going to do manned missions for a while, put them into MiniVAC.
15RP Satellite (Radio) Launch
15RP Television Mapper Satellite
10RP Television Module 15/19
2RP MiniVAC 18/20

>>25329241
Splendid. I support this entirely.
( >>25329146 looks good but I'm fairly sure it doesn't work - I believe launches only happen at the end of a turn, so we can't advance the TV module during that turn?)

>>25329278
MiniVAC requires RP as if it were a mass 3 object, doesn't it?

>>25329313
>>25329278
Minivac counts as mass 0 when in a capsule and as mass 3 for upgrading.

Rolled 8, 8 - 2 = 14

>>25329118
Your third comsat is now operational, giving you coverage over half the globe at any given time!

>>25329374
Is our brother within range? We should call him. (And then market telecommunications)

>>25329278
MiniVAC counts as Mass 3 for construction and development.
So that doesn't work.

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You manage to send a message to your brother while you are flying home. Relaying the signal off two satellites to contact the Staberinde patrolling of the coast of the western islands.

He congratulates you on your satellites. But warns that you will have trouble getting around Clay. "He's gained a lot of influence from all the trouble in the west. This might turn into another war, and all the nobility are worried."
Who are you taking with you back home? And what are you wearing for the occasion?

>Frilly dress (no bonus or penalty)
>RRC officer dress uniform (A sharp military uniform with shiny medals and crisp epaulettes, Impresses the military but frightens the common folk. Also includes a sword and pistol)
>Business dress (A professional looking skirt-suit, Impresses the bourgeois, but offends the nobility with it's distasteful combination of pretension and plainness)
>Fancy dress (Your solstice present, an elaborate dress that will put everything else to shame, but will offend the military with it's gaudiness)
>Trendy dress (A custom made dress, costs 1RnD point and impresses everyone for a few turns before being obsolete)

>>25330230
Are we expecting Clay to be at this party? If not, we might wear the Fancy Dress. It was our solstice present from our parents, if we recall correctly.

>>25330230
We will take with us Amelia, Lord Perro, Mister Luxon, Cottonball.

Dame Minerva needs to continue working on the test pile and make sure that Klaus keeps out of trouble.

Do we expect any military to be present at the party?
The Fancy Dress would be best otherwise.

>>25330334
>>25330506
All three demographics will be present here.

>>25330673
If that's the case, then instead of 1RP for improving Palmer, invest it in a Trendy Dress.

With the military as our enemy, we will need all the support we can get.

>>25330751
An acceptable choice.

>>25330751
Much as we dislike spending valuable research funds on fashion, we really do need allies right now. We shall invest a small portion of our personal funds in diplomacy via fashion

You commission a trendy dress from the royal Taylor and affix to it your medals from the RRC.

"PRESENTING, HER HIGHNESS PRINCESS LYDIA TANNHAUSER VON CYGNUS GATES THE THIRD" cries out an overly pompous announcer as you enter the court, escorted by Sir Perro. Behind you follows Amelia escorted by Mr Luxon.

Watching you are mostly nobility, with Clay and the other generals standing off to the side, and the press watching all around you, taking photographs for the papers. At the end of the room are the King and Queen sitting on their thrones.

>>25331381
First go to Father and Mother to present ourselves.
Father is as cold and judgemental as always, is he not?

>>25331476
Yes, that is his job. One of the few things a monarch is still allowed to do in this troubled age. As he watches you approach the throne, you find yourself glad that you are only second in line of succession.

Mother on the other hand, rarely acts appropriately for a woman of her status. She smiles and waves as you approach.

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>>25331711
>measure is unceasing
I feel like that's something our Father would have told us. Does he wear glasses?
Even though we're only second in line, our lack of success and propriety have disappointed him, haven't they?

>>25331711
Curtsy for the appropriate depth and length, and address them properly.
No acting like Mother, or speaking out of turn.
We are being measured here, and I suspect we have already been found wanting.

>>25331854
We haven't been all that unsuccessful. Miss Kenaway is slightly outpacing us at the moment, but within two months we'll be making a lunar probe landing, and we're about to start automatically mapping the planet. We're doing pretty well for a program that's only been running for a year.

"Congratulations Lydia. We wish you good luck in your endeavors." Father nods to you before dismissing you.

You are now free to wander about the court and join in the festivities.

>Talk to the Generals
>Talk to the Nobility
>Talk to the Press
>Get cake

>>25332046
We also chose a location that will cost 70RP every year to repair, and will essentially knock us out of the race for 5 Turns.

We're continuing to associate with what is essentially a primitive from the Eastern Isles, and all of the rumors that such associations generate.

Even though we had a significant head-start and advantage, the Merikans have not only caught up but surpassed us, and their budget was actually the same as ours before they got more bonuses than us.

We still haven't found a way to protect our workshop or launch tower, or a way to continue our research and development while the Typhoon Season is in effect, and it starts in less than 9 Turns (it starts on Turn 16).

There's a lot to be criticised about, and that's not including helping the military when we're a military agency and the kingdom is expecting near-civil war.

>>25332321
>Talk to nobility
>Talk to press
>Talk to military with cake
>Get Cake
In this order.

>>25332321
First speak with the Nobility.
Then we will speak with the Generals.
Then we will speak with the Press, and finally get cake.
We will not speak while holding something that could fall on our dress.

>>25332390
>that's not including helping the military when we're a military agency
*that's not including the lack of helping

>>25332390
And for that cost, you gained independence. You have your own island duchy on which you can build anything you want.
Also the Mericans have always had a 5 point lead on you. It's only increased to 6 points because you have been gaining funding almost as fast. It's not impossible to catch up with her.

You make your way over to the throngs of nobility swarming around the court. Knowing among them are likely the masked men who meet at the dead of night on top of the castle, and in the fields where standing stones mark the alignments of the heavens.

Pleasantries are exchanged and the topic of your new radio-telescope comes up. One of the lords is interested in radio astrology, and asks if the stars also shine with the invisible light of radio?

>>25332694
Independance has a price. A price that was well worth paying.

>>25332694
>asks if the stars also shine with the invisible light of radio
"It has always been thought theoretical, and we hope to prove that once we have the arrays built and in place.
"And the practical matter of being able to receive radio signals from probes we send to the Moon, of course."


>>25332694
>>25332777
>independence
And are we ready for that independence? Turn 16 and the Typhoon Season fast approaches, and it will mean being unable to do much but repairs until Turn 23.
We didn't even build the workshops underground or reinforce them this time!

>>25332814
Good answeres. Seconding.

Also, we have over 12 turns for reinforcement. Current priorities is getting a fundin boost from being the first to get worldwide communications and a world map.

>>25332814
It's true Tannhauser island is barely more than a Cay. Orion has told you there are much safer islands to be on during Typhoon season.
But your other options would have been the west or the south. The west might explode into war at any time, and you challenged your best contact in the south to a race...

You stop daydreaming and snap back to reality long enough to answer the Noble's question. He nods to your answer knowingly and smiles. "It is definitely an exciting time your highness. I wonder what other secrets this new radio-telescopic will uncover."

>>25332992
"Many We hope. This is the forefront of exploration, everything forward is the unknown."

>>25332883
>we have over 12 turns for reinforcement.
Typhoon Season starts on Turn 16.
This is Turn 9.
We have 7 turns left.

God Mother, please start a countdown to Typhoon Season.
We need to begin reinforcing.

>>25332992
>I wonder what other secrets this new radio-telescopic will uncover
"We are confident that Midland shall rise to the challenge of these new frontiers we are exploring."

Next is the military.

>>25333088
Damn, I've just been full retard tonight.

>Orion has told you there are much safer islands to be on during Typhoon season.
Should we relocate some of our facilities?
We may need to look into getting a bigger island, though I'm not sure what we would do about the town and the people in it.

>>25333218
We can probably split our facilities across two islands if they're relatively close by. We can keep in contact between the two fairly well with radio.

>>25333127
Don't sweat it, I've made some dumb mistakes tonight as well.

>>25333088
Confirmed, A countdown will run from the beginning to the end of summer when the typhoons come.

The nobleman gives you that suspicious smile and waves as you leave to go talk with the generals.
Clay greets you with open arms, pretending he's not furious with you right now, and congratulates you on your satellite system. "While the Suts are messing around with there party balloons, Midland will have maps and secure communications all over the globe," he boasts to the brass who lap up everything he says like a pack of dogs begging tor table scraps. "So, whatever happened to the Mk4c anyways? Shouldn't it be finished by now? And what kind of payload could require such a large booster?"

>>25333218

We could just do it like Hawaii, with the exception of having the islanders try to become a territory. We could allow the ruling family direct governorship of their main islands and allocate certain areas for the royal rocket corps usage.

I'm certain the navy would love a port to outfit and base some of their vessels out there, and the sailors on those ships wouldn't mind wasting their money out there as well.

>>25333306
But aside from the blockhouse and the Manor, anything not built underground will be damaged or destroyed by the typhoons.

The only things we could leave on Tannhauser Island are the things in the basements.

>>25333328
Except that no, they prefer to be a sovereign nation-state, so we'd have to take them by force.

>>25333365

I thought they were savages that really didn't care what was happening?

>>25333321
"We plan on being able to send larger payloads further than ever before."

>>25333365
Would you? I don't remember implying anything of the sort.
It's true they are independent, but they lack the irritating nationalist fervor that has tainted the southern and western states.

>>25333400
"What kind of payloads exactly your highness?" "Do tell" "Quite Right" "do tell"

>>25333365
They have canoes and spears. We have battleships and ICBMs. This does not qualify as a fair fight.

>>25333321
"The Mk4c needs to be certified 100% safe before we're willing to put manned capsules onto it, General. We won't risk our brave Void Knights' lives needlessly."

>>25333321
"There are many things that we are developing, General, and the Mk4c is being slowly readied for full-time usage.
"As for the payload...well, now that our new guidance system is ready, and soon our navigational beacon network will be complete, we shall be able to put whatever we want, where ever we want, General. Anywhere on the globe. At any time. With a sizable Payload."

>>25333442
"You have already heard of our initiative to give midland communications to any point on the globe. In addition, we plan on producing an accurate map of the entirety of Gaia, even accurate weather conditions for any point on the globe."

>>25333480
...eh, let's not go full military. But do say something about global guidence systems.

>>25333480
"Yes but what is the Cheribum for exactly? You've proven the Archangel does a fair enough job putting satellites into orbit."

>>25333659
"Yes, small satellites into low orbits. We plan on putting much larger satellites into higher orbits."
Segue into >>25333609

>>25333659
"The more complicated our devices get, or the further they have to go, the more fuel we require to lift them, General. The Archangel is effective at lifting the simple beacons and transmitters we have now, but if we aim for Midland to out-do the Suthlanders we need to keep improving our lift capacity."

>>25333659
"The satellites we have now are limited in what they can accomplish, as well as where they can be sent. The Cheribum will be sending probes to the Moon, as well as putting larger satellites into orbit. With larger satellites, a greater variety of missions can be accomplished."

He really didn't catch that we can put a nuke anywhere on the planet with the Cheribum, and guide it?

>>25333788
I think his point was that we can put a nuke anywhere on the planet, with guidance, with an Archangel. (Assuming one of our original Mk 2 or Mk 3s delivered the first nukes, he's completely right, too. A Mass 12 lifter is complete overkill when a nuclear payload is liftable by Mass 1).

>>25333838
Correct. You aren't quite sure where he's going with this, but it feels like he's trying to entrap you somehow. He's either doing a bad job or a very good one. You can't tell, maybe it's just nerves?

>>25333897
So let's answere with non-militaristic answeres.

>>25333897
The Cheribum is to get satellites to the Moon and to send up a bigger manned capsule when it's done.
I don't think I can make it simpler for him, and these answers fulfill the royal mandate for the RRC, so I can't see what he's trying to entrap us with.

>>25334020
... *Is* going to the moon in the royal mandate for the RRC?

>>25334078
Not technically... no.

>>25334283
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found our trap. Be very, *very* careful what we say to these guys.

>>25334319
Trap-sense for the win.

Okay, how do we want to spin it. I propose talking about the projects we have like mapping, communications, and vague extensions of these.

>>25334438
Interesting thought - we could theoretically use a larger version of a plane-type capsule like Harker's Meteor to air-drop a small Special Forces team. Of course we couldn't do it *stealthily*, but still, the ability to rain sabotage teams on an enemy's home territory regardless of their air defenses is a potent threat.

>>25334526
I was hoping to keep the talk mostly civilian oriented. We turned down Clay to seperate ourselves from the military. We should approach this with tact. Make sure Clay knows it's not a slight against him, but moreso an internal direction of the RRC. Highlight want we want to accomplish already and how that could potentially help them, but without being militaristic.

>>25334625
Mm. I agree with you entirely on not putting that forward as a real plan, I was just idly speculating. I suppose it's not really a practical use for an entire rocket when we have planes and helicopters, honestly.

>>25334723
We're also working on nuclear power for uses other than bombs. But we're not going to bring up anything to do with radio-reactivity for obvious reasons.

The reason being Clay wanted us to build a bigger nuke. I though about leaving it unstated, but then again stupider mistakes have been made than completely missing the point.

You try to divert the conversation, but you can't fight the feeling that the damage had already been done. Eventually a page approaches with a document requesting confirmation of the turn 9 budget, and authorization to launch the next satellite. This is a perfect opportunity to make a tactical retreat from Clay and his hounds.

>>25329241
Our current budget is... this one, yes? Except we took Palmer's 1 training RP out in favour of our fashionable dress.

>>25335095
All because one person wanted to talk about niking shit.

>>25335228
Right, so it should read:
This is the month of two (2) satellite launches.
>9 RP minivac 19/20
>15 RP Satellite
>1 RP Television 10/15
>15 RP mapper satellite
>1 RP Harker Stamina
>1 RP Trendy Dress

>>25335228
>9 RP minivac 19/20
>15 RP Satellite
>1 RP Television 10/15
>15 RP mapper satellite
>1 RP Harker Stamina
>1 RP Trendy dress.
You sign off on the budget.
Confirming budget, updating wiki.

Confirm launch of the next radio-satellite?

>>25335415
Confirm

>>25335415
confirm launch of all satellites.

>>25335438
>>25335450
You also sign the launch orders, and hope everything goes smoothly. You will find out how things went later.

Eventually the party winds down. And so it is also time for your GM to retire to bed. The game will continue on Tuesday afternoon at the usual time. Good night.