Proposed by: Shaughan Rick (USS CENTURY) * Bare in mind if this proves to be unpopular for whatever reason there are two ‘reserve’ occurrences I can call on. Subject Outline The Romulans, having been quiet on the borders of the Federation for quite some time launch a blitzkrieg style offensive deep in to Federation space Starfleet is crippled loosing almost 70% of its ships and personnel, its best and brightest, as well as the Federation loosing many key worlds such as Vulcan and Andor and Vega, as well as several colonies. The Klingons step in to avoid further bloodshed, but the damage has been done and the Federation’s back is broken. Unlike previous setbacks however, this seems irredeemable, with supplies at perilously low levels as well as ships and personnel at a minimum, certain more Federation worlds leave to peacefully join a Commonwealth of states that are not aligned to any of the major powers. Role of the RP units How the role and application of RP units will change: Whereas before players have the temptation to seal potential crisis points up by using the vastness of the organization as a blanket to cover things up, they will no longer have this Freedom. By destroying a vast part of the military network RP units and players will have to be more resourceful both in storylines and out with storylines. Several basic perceptions of the Federation and Starfleet will have to change as it becomes a second rate power, no longer holding sway in any situation. Essentially the only thing the Federation has going for it, is its level of technology, still comparable to the other major races however with the lack of ships to apply this Starfleet has to adopt either Guerilla tactics to combat, or Voyager styled negotiations. This incident would provide for a more reasonable application of diplomacy and a justified avoidance of combat without the usual moral and ethical ambiguities Star Trek usually raises. The missions are endless, there would be combat on offer, there would be reconstruction, medical work, refugee work, supplies, support. The Federation would no longer have the power it once did have and the RP would have to approach scenarios from different perspectives, no longer being able to charge in stating they are the Federation, but having to be humble once more. It has enough to cover the wide range of characters involved, almost everybody would be touched and almost everybody in turn would be able to change their characters for better or for worse. It would make each RP more individual, having to support themselves with a real sense of comradeship. Each Federation ship encountered would also be a big thing, and there would be no temptation to wipe situations under the carpet by creating a task force here or a task force there. Another consideration would be that the Romulan conflict would be resolved, and the Klingons brought it. There could be possibilities for resentment once more between the Klingons and Federation who see Starfleet as too weak to protect the Federation and costing the empire many brave young warriors. Starfleet would also have to cope with people like Section 31 and potential temporal problems they might envisage, not to mention fending off the Ferengi, the Cardassians, the Borg etc. Of course there are strong arguments against this course of action. Art imitating life being the main concern, in a conversation I had with Cheryl Vogel shortly after the Thal resolution was canned I remember he saying that there is enough suffering in the world without us imitating it in our game, this is true, but you have to bare in mind that there actually is little need for combat at the outset of this there could be a series of news reports or encounters, very much like when Japan surrendered at the end of the second world war, certain areas of the Federation might not know what has happened once again leading to an exciting level of developments. The scale of this would be so dramatic I wonder if the council would even consider it, although they have done in the past, there is seemingly no resolution to the problem in sight so one might see it as a little too drastic. You might be worried that it could ward off potential players, but at the same time it might get their attention, a Star Trek RPG with a difference, the Federation is no longer an all singing all dancing powerful state, it is a humble skeleton of its former glory. RP unit’s role in the disaster, timeline of events and solution 1) Introduction post written with Council consent by myself setting the stage for developments across the fleet. Whilst not being a fleet-wide mission, each RP unit will work on a single mission at the same time. A second fleet-wide post would be released at the end of the latest finishing mission with the CO’s that finish early taking their crews on to predetermined R&R setting (Joint Mission It must be understood that the RP units used are suggestions for RPs only.) Opening of the Offensive: A single RP unit (USS AVALON) is reassigned to a small task force and ordered to escort a Marine Division to the frontlines to bolster defenses on Vulcan as Intelligence has got word that the Romulans will attack. Another RP unit (USS PATRIOT) is ordered to the same task force, however because it is quite far away it will not rendezvous for several days. The General mission outline for these two RP units is that the convoy is attack and obliterated in the Romulan sweep, however because of the speed of the Advance smaller ships are left behind to sort out prisoners and destroy remaining resistance. The AVALON is badly damaged but not destroyed and the PATRIOT’s arrival through a nebula shielded it from Romulan sensors. These two RPs must then make it back to a Starbase by breaking through the frontline forces. However, as a twist in the mission, the Starbase is destroyed as they near it and are regrouped in to a fleet escorting refugees from colonies and the Starbase back to safe territory. It is at this point that the RP units are made aware the severity of the problem, although the actual facts are withheld for a while more. Mission ends when the RP units are successfully back in Federation space (Betazed for arguments sake) Joint Mission This mission would have to be the PROPHECY and the GATEWAY station. After learning that there is the possibility of a large Romulan offensive, Starfleet dispatch a fleet to assemble at the GATEWAY station. The PROPHECY is not part of this fleet; it is just at the GATEWAY for routine re-supply work. The Fleet goes off and everyone assumes it’ll be a bloody but successful battle. The PROPHECY goes off on a small mission to catalogue the strange mineral content of an ice ring around a planet in an alternate dimension; they are however recalled by massed distress calls from the GATEWAY Station and the fleet. On arriving back they discover the station is now the refuge of the remnants of the fleet, having suffered 80% casualties and ship loss. They provide immediate assistance but find the resources on the Gateway do not come close to meeting the requirements. Medical teams from the PROPHECY as well as the Engineers stay behind to assist in the treatment of the ships whilst Starfleet dispatches a small task force to bolster the defense. Meanwhile, the PROPHECY and a portion of the GATEWAY’s command crew go to a friendly dimension to petition medical aid from the inhabitants of a planet (This is best left to the Prophecy crew as the nature of treaties with these planets it not at my disposal.) The GATEWAY is meanwhile left to fend for itself with the crews experiencing lack of food, lack of room, lack of just about everything fundamental. Hate crimes on Vulcans for instance and general chaos as the Federation crumbles before their eyes potential for some interest psychological and emotional writing. Mission ends when the PROPHECY returns with help (after solving the problem of transporting more people than the PROPHECY can hold through the inter- dimensional threshold.) The GATEWAY is then permanently assigned the fleet of ships and it’s CO is made Military governor of a large region of space, mainly because the administration functions of the Federation have all but dissolved. Individual Missions up for grabs by the remaining three RP units Negotiating assistance from the Klingons (Perhaps suited to DISCOVERY or CENTURY or PATRIOT) This would be based on one character suddenly being told by some long lost friend that there was a major offensive on its way perhaps an ACT colleague who left or just an NPC they are told they must contact the allies of the Federation and bring them in against the Romulans or there is no hope of stopping them. Starfleet Command confirms this and the ship must make its way to Klingon territory whilst having a Romulan saboteur on board. The saboteur destroys their inertial dampeners whilst they are at transwarp sending the ship careening in to space without knowledge of the direction. Whilst the saboteur is dealt with, a more interesting situation occurs. The RP unit encounters a small task force carrying diplomatic envoy to the Klingons (Admiral Tomlinson) that is under attack. Rescuing the Admiral from the jaws of the Romulans, the RP unit must then proceed on its delayed mission to Qu’Nos, or wherever the Klingon Seat of Power lies. Mission Ends when the Klingon fleets engage the Romulans, by attacking them in the rear they stall the advance allowing what remains of Federation forces to sneak out of the pockets that were closing around them, to regroup. The Ship then returns to it’s home base. Evacuation of Frontline Colonists (Perhaps suited to the CENTURY or SUTTNER) The Offensive has started and Command sees that they have no chance of stopping the Romulan advance. They advise the captain of the RP unit in question to help convince local militia groups to stand down and evacuate their planet (think Marquis here) before the Romulan spearhead arrives there because there is no hope for them if they don’t. There follows minimal evacuation proceedings whilst forward ships engage Romulan craft. The Reason this mission is perhaps more suited to the CENTURY is as follows, however largely depends on one person’s involvement.) If Marko Sertic were to agree to bring his character back for a single mission operating out of his old Ship the CENTURY, (the way Ian Astbury returned to the PATRIOT for one mission) then the character Dexter Marxx could be used to negotiate the civilians down by providing them with first hand knowledge of Romulan internment (having survived the Romulan Incursion.) If not then an NPC could be created to do the same job. The outcome of this mission is largely up to the CO, depending on where the crew takes it the civilians can or won’t be evacuated. As the developments there have little effect on the ship itself or the security of Starfleet. This mission is more open ended and finishes when the Ship returns to its home base. Romulan Saboteurs (Suited to all ships with the Exception of GATEWAY and PROPHECY) Whilst the ship is in dry-dock receiving much needed repairs and systems upgrades the crew are enjoying life on a Starbase. This mission can take a number of different turns and like the last one can provide a lot of freedom for the crew involved. 1) There are Romulan Saboteurs on board the station attempting to achieve a tactical and strategic advantage over the Federation by downloading details of their fleet deployments. They must be stopped and the redundant command crew is given this option. 2) Whilst doing this, they have to deal with the problem of not being able to help their comrades and suffering a great sense of helplessness. Starfleet is being decimated on all fronts and they can do nothing but watch the news reports and see it unfold before their eyes. 3) There is the possibility of a larger ground mission here, the Starbase could have an extensive ground facility which is compromised by the sabotaging team, and the Command Crew could then chase them to their secret hideout in the hills or jungle for a showdown. Mission ends when Saboteurs are apprehended and the remnants of a Fleet returns to the Starbase for repairs they then have to deal with combat weary troops and crews returning to see them totally unaffected by the destructive last salvo of combat. 2) Another post (written by myself with council approval) is released to bring everybody up to date on the occurrences. I’d project the total size of both of these posts to be around 150K 200K each; this would provide me room to develop both NPCs and explore each and every player. I project the time needed to prepare both these posts at 4-5 months. In the Aftermath of the assault, the Federation is unable to reclaim its lost territories and unable to support it’s allies in keeping the Klingons at bay. Subsequently is also forced to surrender to the Romulans in a Peace-Agreement that recreates the neutral zone around the areas lost, but no more territorial concessions are made. (Mainly because of Section 31 manipulations raising the ethical questions that go with an organization like that doing something that is actually noticeably good.) Solution to the Problem, How does the Federation Recover from such a setback? Over the course of some time (perhaps 2 or 3 years), insurrections supported by the Klingons and other such activities certain border areas renounce Romulan occupation and revolt. The Council proposal for the Romulan civil war is also tabled again with certain factions within the Romulan Empire unhappy about treatment of Prisoners of War and of civilians in the occupied territories. The idea would be to play on the Romulan discontent whilst the Federation moves to achieve as much galactic support as possible. This could result in the post- recovery development of a UN / League of Nations type of Organization involving all the races in the Galaxy to place sanctions on the Romulans. The Federation would ideally return to something just short of its size in DS9 with extra territories remaining part of the newly formed Federal Commonwealth. Factors of the FRPG altered and added to as a result of this Creation of new medal system I.e. Addition of new service medals (Nothing inspires people more than medals.) Possible remodeling of ACT simulations, based on the New Federation. Each ship would have to be more independent in the game, people would need to understand the idea that their ship would be away from support for extended periods of time (a little like the Episode of TNG when the Enterprise C cropped up out of nowhere.) Greater sense of unity amongst players they have all been through hell in one form or another together, they all have common ground to work on. Votes: Outcome: Failed/Closed Notes: I want it noted that the main reasons mentioned for the failure of this resolution are its initial (large) impact to the fleet and its lasting impact on the RPG both as a game and in relation to Trek canon. In accordance with Res0055 Section N, any further discussion of a "fleet wide event" should be made outside of the Council until a structured resolution can be presented. SD 2.20510.1629 |