Second Sphere History Paths

History Path Bonuses

SP

SP (Starting Points) are bonus points that you can spend to customize your nation after it has gone through the history paths.

Population

Population represents the number of inhabitants in your nation. A nation with many dots in Population will have an intrinsically larger population base and consequently a larger draft pool and strong economic base. It also makes military support cheaper, as wages are lower. However, a nation with a large population and relatively low wealth bonuses has low per-capita income and its citizens will be relatively badly off compared to the norm.

Transgene

Many people across the human-explored galaxy have augmented themselves through genetic technology, passing along modified traits to their children. Transgene is a representation of how significant and/or how common they are.. At low levels (1-2) they typically represent a minority group with significant augmentations or minor widespread effects. At moderate levels (3-4) they represent a population that is dominantly (>90%) transgene, generally of a single 'template' (eg, Ishtar upgrade, Coordinator pattern, etc). A high levels (5+) it represents a population that has multiple different 'templates' in large quantities, or less commonly a single radically upgraded (and generally cost-inefficient) template. Examples would be Haraway's World for the former and Adhara for the latter.

Morale

Morale represents your government's popular support in the eye of its people. At negative levels it generally means you have significant outstanding issues, while at high positive levels it represents nearly fanatical devotion to 'the cause'. Be wary though, it may mean that going directly against prior politices your people approved off will lead to domestic uphevals . . .

PIP

PIP (Primary Industrial Points) are your nation's heavy industries, a holistic measure of your resource extraction and assembly abilities. It is your steel mills, your mines and your shipyards and all units and items are built wherever their PIP is spent. PIP ultimately represents the 'low-tech' end of industry.

CIP

CIP (Complex Industrial Points) are your nation's precision manufacturing and intellectual production abilities. These are your computer programmers, your chip foundries and your advanced materiels labs. Unlike PIP, CIP is highly portable as it is high-value, low-mass/volume items, and as a result is it relatively trivial to ship CIP between worlds. CIP ultimately represents the 'high-tech' end of industry.

Fabers

Fabers - Fabricators - or Cornucopia Machines are sophisticated posthuman-derived nanotech assembly plants. They can, within reason, build anything, so long as the operator has raw materiels and faber blueprints. Normally build into 'dumpers' which are large lift vehicle sized drop capsules they were common spread in colonies set up in the late 20th century. Many have since been disassembled due to age, but many others still operate in the Expanse. They can output PIP or CIP in whatever ratio the operator desires.

Wealth

Wealth is effectively a measure of per-capita wealth, eg, how well-off and affluent your citizens are. As a result, high wealth is a good way to get lots of tax money. Unfortunately, as a result a nation with high wealth will have workers who demand more pay, and as such military support will be relatively expensive.

Dust

Delta Dust is the miraculous technology of the Precursors that was reverse-engineered by the Posthumans, replacing their own crude reality-modifying technology. It is found all across the Sphere, in both ancient sedimentary deposits or in modern Posthuman structures, and can also be made with black-boxed factories. Dust is a comparative value of how much Dust your nation produces relative to the norm.

Theta

Theta Dust is a more potent version of the familiar Delta Dust, found exclusively in Posthuman sites. It is most commonly used in high-performance FTL drives, though ZOCU has pioneered its use in other fields as well. Unlike Delta, which represents a relative value, Theta represents an absolute value - if you do not have any dots in it, you do not make any.

Military

Military represents the effective dollar value of your combat arm(s), ranging from the poor bloody infantry to the giant robots to the warships. It is a comparative value to the norm for major colony worlds, and nations with many dots in military are powerhouses when it comes to warfare.

Doctrines

Doctrines are the training your troops and leaders get - while Sphere assumes a well-trained, professional military, not everyone trains to fight a fleet war or use giant robots. Doctrines thus represent discretionary points to improve your abilities in various aspects of the science of running a war.

Logistics

'An army marches on its stomach'. In Sphere, the concept that the future army will deploy every man as a front-line soldier has been disposed of. Infantry need food and bullets, tanks need power cells and shells, warships need fuel and missiles. Logistics represents your ability to support a large military during both peacetime and wartime.

RP

RP (Research Points) represent your nation's extraordinary ability to develop new technologies. RP can help reduce the time and/or cost of new technologies. Further details will be forthcoming when the technology rules are drafted.

Technologies

Technologies are just that - the developments your nation has made in improving their civilian and military applied sciences. Dots in tech represent a 'dollar value' of technologies you have above the norm - development is quite the opposite of free! They may be in specific fields (such as Shipbuilding, Infantry technologies, etc) or may be nonspecific. A nation with 3-5 dots in tech is considered average, with those above and below being relatively high or low tech. Of course, a nation that is excellent at building mobile suits may be inept at building warships due to stagnation in that field - having many dots in tech doesn't mean that you're the best at everything.

Stockpiles

These simply represent things your government has put away for a rainy day, ranging from large money-making investments to giant buried ammo dumps to vaults full of Delta Dust.

Debt

Debt is the opposite of Stockpiles, and represents you owing a significant amount of money to your citizens. Almost all of the ZOCU worlds have it, due to the ruinous expense of their war. Dots of Debt cancels out dots of Stockpile on a 1:1 basis and vice versa.

The Paths

Universal Routes

A1) Initial Colonization Mission Type

Longshot Mission (+ Faber)

The first colonies went out with the blessings of the posthumans, bringing with them compact universal fabricators. Some, headed for the far Rim, have not even be recontacted, over a century later.

Resource Base (+ PIP)

Some worlds were claimed because they had ample resources, often by corporations.

Early National (+ CIP)

The first offworld colonies have matured to feature a modern, high-tech economy.

Late National (+ pop)

Later colonies tended to recieve additional settlers from Earth.

A2) Initial Colony Population

Dominantly Transgene (++ transgene)

A number of worlds were settled almost exclusively by transgenes, or else took a policy of subsidizing transgenic upgrades.

Mixed (+ transgene, + SP)

Other worlds have a mixed population to this day, due perhaps to multiple colonization waves or an inefficiently applied subsidy program.

Dominantly Baseline (+ pop, + logistics)

Most worlds near the Earth have populations made up almost exclusively of 'baseline' humans, often the results of eco-exodus efforts by various Earth nations.

A3) Destination World

No Suitable World (Go to A4)

Unfortunately, sometimes a prime spot simply lacks a nice place to drop your cities down, or your FTL drive wandered off-course. Time to build your own!

Hell World (Go to A5)

Various reasons exist to land on hell worlds. Habitability is not one of them.

Resource Rich World (Go to A6)

Some worlds or systems were identified to be particularly rich in ores or other valuable resources, with terracompatibility a secondary criteria.

Terraformable World (go to A7)

There is a finite number of garden worlds within easy reach of human starships, but many more marginal worlds that with a bit of work can become comfortable places to live.

Garden World (Go to A8)

The gems of any colonization effort, most garden worlds were seeded with life more than a hundred million years ago by the Precursors, the garden-gods of the Milky Way.

A4) No Suitable World

Adapt (Radical Morphological Change)

In a world with no up or down, the man with hands for feet is king.

Build Our Own (+ PIP)

Gerald O'Neil gave us the plans, all we need is effort.

Posthuman Structures (+ dust)

Some posthuman structures can be used as foundations for larger, human habitats.

A5) Hell World

Adapt (Radical Morphological Change)

A normal human won't survive Chernobyl Beta. A normal human.

Tough It Out (+ Morale, Balls)

We've defeated everything this world could throw at us.

Make Do (Scraphunters)

We're not where we wanted to be and there's no way back, so we need to use absolutely everything to its utmost.

A6) Resource Rich World

Simple Ores (+ PIP)

Geologic processes can concentrate ores into deposits that are far more lucrative than sifting through asteroids.

Fascinating Pharmaceuticals (+ Wealth)

Some worlds have biospheres that are not fully compatible with Earth-based biology but nonetheless have intriguing and valuable biomateriels.

Relic Dust (+ Dust)

The Precursors did great works, but after a hundred million years even their stoutest structures have eroded away, leaving nothing more than peculiar sandstone deposites full of delta dust.

A7) Terraformable World

Get To Work (+ pop)

Once the terraforming efforts have begun, many worlds were opened up for additional waves of colonists.

Artifact Rush (+ PIP)

Sometimes artifacts of posthuman provenance are found, leading to a surge of investment in an effort to extract them.

Terraforming Failure (Defensible)

The worst-case scenario is a chaotic destabilization of the planet's climate, often making things worse than when they started.

A8) Garden World

Population Boom (++ pop, - wealth)

With Earth's overpopulation causing significant ecological effects, efforts were made to move as many people off-world as reasonably possible.

Cash Crop (+ Wealth)

Agriculture has been the base of Earth's economy for ten thousand years. Who's to say it won't be in out in space?

Xenomorphs (+ military)

This garden has snakes.

B1) History of the Colony, Volume 1

Quiet (+ Wealth, + population)

A few decades of quiet is what every colony aspires for.

Transgene Migration (+ transgene, + population)

Stauss-Kaserism proved to be a significant disincentive for transgenes to stay in the Core.

Crisis (+ Stockpiles, Go to B2)

Oh God oh God oh God

Military Action (+ Military, Go to B3)

General Veers, deploy your men.

Artifact Find (+ dust, Go to B4)

We're picking something decidedly odd on the scope.

B2) Crisis Situation!

Sudden Change of Government (+ morale)

Viva la revolution!

Get Help from Earth (+ logistics)

We're here to help.

Tough it Out (+ Doctrines)

Everything is a learning experience.

Shoot it Repeatedly (+ military)

Exactly what it says.

Muddle Through (+ PIP)

We'll just fill the holes in afterwards.

Innovate Madly (+ CIP)

Sometimes, the simple solutions aren't the best ones.

Privatize It (+ wealth)

We'll have Haliburton fill the holes in.

B3) Military Action!

Narco-Warfare (+ military, + doctrines, - pop)

Some sort of intercine warfare. May not actually involve drugs, though either way it's unpleasant for the locals.

Regime Changed (+ military, + logistics, - morale)

An external power has swept in and replaced El Generalisimo with the Shah.

Feral Drone Attack (+ military)

Feral drones became a persistant and significant problem in the 20s and 30s, though attacks happened all through the years.

Supply Dump (+ Helium)

Superpower Squabble (+ logistics)

Various campaigns and operations required significant sources of supplies. Your world is the recipient of one such.

Training Ground (+ doctrines)

Various military forces chose exotic and interesting locales to train their troops.

Miner Beatdown (+ PIP)

An element in your society is probably dissatisfied but after a few bouts with the riot troops, works like they should.

B4) Artifacts!

Feral Drone Attack (+ military)

Feral drones became a persistant and significant problem in the 20s and 30s, though attacks happened all through the years.

Ancient Resources (+ dust)

The Precursors did great works, but after a hundred million years even their stoutest structures have eroded away, leaving nothing more than peculiar sandstone deposites full of delta dust.

Extra Fabs (+ fabbers)

A few colonies recieved an extra set of fabers, effectively jump-starting their industry.

Useful Finds (+ CIP)

Some posthuman technology is fairly simple and suitable for everyday use.

Reverse-Engineerable (+ tech)

Others, however, takes rather more understanding, though it gives a big leg up on technological development.

Active Machinery (+ theta, - dust)

A few rare sites have enigmatic but still active posthuman machinery.

C1) History of the Colony, Volume II Repeat B1, then continue to D1

D1) The Breakdown

Isolated (+ stockpiles, Go to D2)

When the Breakdown struck, many worlds were thoroughly isolated from what interstellar travel did exist.

Broken-down (+ PIP, Go to D3)

Others were a bit luckier, being able to maintain some semblance of regular (if slow) contact with others.

Catapulted (+ wealth, Go to D4)

Most of the major worlds along the primary arms however were connected by FTL catapults and except for a few adjustments, continued on more or less unaffected.

D2) Isolated (may not chose Sign the PACT or The EU Includes Us in E1)

Juche! (+ PIP, + helium)

The only people you can rely upon are yourselves.

Tough it Out (+ Doctrines, + morale)

The well-prepared survive.

Transgene Invasion II: The Boys from Brazil (+ Military, + doctrines, + PIP, - Transgene)

You were invaded by the Magnates.

Go Weird (++ Transgene)

Strange social experiments in transhumanism were not known in more cut-off systems.

Strange Discovery (+ dust, choose from B4)

Exactly what it says on the tin.

D3) Broken-down

Civil Unrest (++ military)

The lack of contact with Earth and the Core caused no end of social problems.

Become energy independent (+ Helium, + dust)

Without the core to provide energy, new sources must be developed.

Get UN Aid/Refugee Center (+ logistics, + pop)

Some worlds managed to get help from ARROWs, distributing food, fuel and medicine to the needy.

Revolution! (+ military, + doctrines, + morale, - pop)

Viva la revolution!

Theta Hub (+ theta, + wealth, - dust)

Theta dust was the only way to make high-speed FTL during the breakdown, and those who had it could practically set their own price.

D4) Catapulted (may not chose Independence, Solidarity or Make My Own Bloc in E1)

Quiet (+ Wealth, + pop)

The status quo is god.

Trade Hub (+ wealth, + PIP)

Some systems were particularly well situated, leading to increased commerce through their catapults.

ARROWs Staging Area (+ logistics, + military)

ARROWs needed a home base for their missions into the broken-down Expanse.

Hyperdrive Repair Research (+ CIP, + tech)

A number of centers were set up to find a solution to the breakdown virus, attracting many high-tech institutions.

Catapult Construction (+ dust, + PIP)

As the breakdown wore on, it became clear that catapults were the answer for FTL transit.

E1) The Zodiac Organization

Independence! (Go to F1)

Some worlds were sufficiently powerful to chart their own course, ending up as wild cards and power brokers in the Expanse.

Solidarity! (+ Dust, - debt, Treaty of Sirius, Go to G1)

The ZOCU worlds grew out of colonial dissatisfaction to become the new major power in the Expanse.

Sign the PACT (+ Wealth, - theta, Go to H1)

The worlds of the PACT are a diverse lot, ranging from South America to North America, Japan and Korea and finally to Oceania.

The EU Includes Us (+ CIP, - theta, Go to I1)

Informed by its philosophy of equality of opportunity, the EU is a tightly-knit great power.

China is #1! (+ Pop, - theta, Go to J1)

China's golden age was cruelly shattered by the breakdown and now they seek ways to reclaim their preminence.

Make My Own Bloc (+ PIP, Go to K1)

Drawn together for mutual protection against the Magnates, the League is a small cluster of worlds in the deep Expanse, gazing out into the depths of the Rim.

Indie Routes

F1) Indie World Politics

Get Sirius (+ hangarize, + morale, + military + ZOCU relations, - debt, - Treaty of Sirius)

Be Interventionist (+ Military, + logistics)

Core Subversion (+ dust, + SP, + logistics, - morale)

Take a Third Option (+ logistics, + Relations with secondary powers)

Fie On The Homeland (+ PIP, ++ logistics, - non-Rim relations)

Still Alive (and out there!) (++ PIP, + Dust, - tech)

Phezzan (+ sneaky shit, + all relations, - military)

Planet Wal*Mart (++ PIP, + Wealth, + ARROWs relations, - military)

Law of the Gun (++ Military, + PIP, - Morale)

Transhuman Supremacy (++ Transgene, + Morale, - relations)

Ideological Purification (++ Morale, + PIP, - CIP, - relations)

F2) Indie World Economics

Regional Hub (++ wealth, + pop, + CIP)

Transhuman Resources (+ transgene, + wealth, + CIP, + tech)

Center for Research (++ RP, ++ tech, + CIP, - PIP)

The Tensor Building (+ dust, + CIP, + RP, + weapon tech)

Expanse Production Center (++ PIP, ++ CIP)

Exploration Launching Point (++ dust, ++ logistics, + FTL tech, - military)

The HECsagon (+ Logistics, +++++ Helium, - military, - PIP)

F3) Indie World Military

Fort Up (+ military, + stockpiles, + defensive stuff, + ground doctrines, + ground tech)

Salvation Armada (+++ military, ++ logistics)

Zoom and Boom (++ military, + air doctrines, ++ aircraft tech)

The Fleet does the Flying (+ military, + logistics, + PIP, + fleet doctrines, + ship tech)

Friends from ZOCU (+ ground doctrines, + air doctrines, + fleet doctrines, + mecha tech, + mega particle tech)

Hypertech Bullshit (+ theta, +++ tech)

Low Profile (++ sneaky stuff, + CIP, ++ doctrines)

Scrap Heaps (++ PIP, ++ logistics, ++ military, + doctrines, -CIP, - tech)

ZOCU Routes

G1) ZOCU World Politics

Put It Behind Us (+ Wealth, + Pop, + stockpiles)

Never Forget (+ military, + logistics, + doctrines)

Guiding Star (+ ZOCU relations, + morale, + CIP)

House of War (+ morale, + transgene, + ground doctrines, + logistics - core relations)

Internal Collapse (+ military, + SP, + logistics, + stockpiles, - morale)

Hardliner Ouster (+ morale, + ARROW relations, + Core relations, + pop, - ZOCU relations)

G2) ZOCU World Economics

Regional Hub (++ wealth, + pop)

Transhuman Resources (+ transgene, + wealth, + tech)

Center for Research (++ RP, + tech, + CIP, - PIP)

Arms Production Center (+ PIP, + RP, + weapon tech)

Postwar Depression (+ Logistics, + military, + CIP, ++ PIP, -- Wealth)

Crash Industrialization (+ CIP, + Wealth, ++ PIP, - debt)

G3) ZOCU World Military

Fort Up (+ military, + defensive stuff, + ground doctrines, + ground tech)

Fight in the Jungle (++ ground doctrines, ++ morale, + ground tech, - pop)

Giant Robots Rule (+ ground doctrines, + air doctrines, + fleet doctrines, + mecha tech)

The Silent Service (+ stealth technology, + CIP, + dust, + ship technology)

Midseason Uglies(+ Theta, + tech, + CIP)

Low Profile (+ sneaky stuff, + CIP, ++ doctrines)

Crush them WITH YOUR MIND (+ transgene, + CIP, ++ tech)

PACT Routes

H1) PACT World Politics

New American Millenium (+ Military, + Technology, + Morale, - Rim relations)

Your colony has primarily exports freedom, democracy, and McDonalds to the Rim. Sadly the Rim doesn't seem to appreciate it.

Hope and Change (+ Wealth, + Pop)

Personal charm and promising change from the no-doubt unpopular former regime have gotten your power some additional immigration and revenues.

American-Led Peacekeeping (++ dust, + SP, + logistics, - morale, - pop)

Your colony is one of those places where freedom and democracy was exported to. It kinda sucks to be occupied by foreign forces but here, have a Big Mac and it'll be all better.

Corporate State (+ Wealth, + Tech)

Deregulation has helped boost your power's economy, as large interstellar corporations gain significant footholds in your colony both economically and politically.

Transhumanize! (+ transgene, + CIP, + tech, - Morale)

Recent human enhancement programs in your colony have increased human ability, as well as bringing with it advances in productivity and biotechnology, but strained relations between the enhanced and unenhanced are now a political problem.

H2) PACT World Economics

Ignore the War (++ wealth, ++ pop, - logistics)

Do what America did best in the early 20th century by ignoring the wars going on in faraway lands.

Center for Research (++ RP, + tech, + CIP, - PIP)

Government funding has been heavily invested into advanced industries and cutting-edge science. Sadly most of the discoveries haven't panned out but with a well-funded research base and lots of high-tech industry you're sure it's only a matter of time.

Arms Production Center (+ PIP, + RP, + weapon tech)

Economic stimulation via the act of making things that blow up sounded good on paper, but didn't work out in practice. On the other hand now you have plenty of things that make other things blow up, and you've gotten really good at making them.

Postwar Depression (+ Logistics, + military, + CIP, ++ PIP, -- Wealth)

After the massive crash industrialization taken to fight in the ZOCU war, your nation was suddenly struck with the problem of not having any reason to keep all those people employed in the firearms factories.

Blood for Dust (+ Theta, ++ logistics, - morale)

Invading someplace with active posthuman machinery and occupying it for years might have hit your government's popular support, but it secured a decent supply of Theta dust.

H3) PACT World Military

Zoom and Boom (+ military, + air doctrines, ++ aircraft tech)

Airpower wins wars. Your air force has seen a lot of funding increases, making it a large, well-trained, and advanced force.

The Fleet does the Flying (+ military, + PIP, + fleet doctrines, + ship tech)

The Great White Fleet's back and it's all under your control.

Send in the Marines (+ ground tech, + military, ++ ground doctrines)

No matter how overwhelming your fleet is, or how through your air dominance is, you still need boots on the ground, and your military planners understand that.

Rangers Lead The Way! (+ sneaky stuff, + CIP, ++ doctrines)

In the ZOCU war, your contribution was measured in special forces. Your "wet works" units are skilled and numerous, and the infrastructure needed to build that high-tech gear has grown prodigiously.

Area 52 (++ doctrines, ++ Tech)

DARPA (or some analogue) has set up a branch office wherever you are, dedicated to testing out any technology that doesn't break more than one law of physics, and is bringing very experienced friends over to help with that testing as well as with training your military.

Once Tom Clancy Is Mass Produced... (+ stealth technology, + CIP, ++ aerospace technology)

If something can't be seen and flies really fast, it can't be hit, and everyone knows airpower wins battles. Military development has reflected that.

Keep 'em Flying (++ Logistics, ++ Cargo)

You might not be making cutting-edge advances, but in the end all that fancy gear is useless without supplies, which you can deliver to your troops in great quantity.

Tin Soldiers (++ AI tech, + ground doctrine, + air doctrines)

People dying in wars is unpopular. The solution, of course, is to eliminate people from the battlefield with AI systems.

EU Routes

I1) EU World Politics

Bureaucracy as Usual (+ Pop, + PIP, + logistics, - debt)

New European Millenium (+ Military, + Technology, + Morale, - Rim relations)

Credits to Society (+ Pop, + Wealth, + Morale, - military)

To Go Boldly (+ tech + military, + CIP, - wealth)

Fraying Patchwork (+ transgene, + military, + logistics, - morale)

I2) EU World Economics

Ignore the War (++ wealth, ++ pop, - logistics)

Regulated Economic Market (+ CIP, ++ PIP, + Morale, - debt)

Center for Research (++ RP, + tech, + CIP, - PIP)

Arms Production Center (+ PIP, + RP, + weapon tech)

Postwar Depression (+ Logistics, + military, + CIP, ++ PIP, -- Wealth)

Neo-Luddite Movement (+ Pop, + logistics, ++ PIP, - CIP)

I3) EU World Military

Drastic Military Reformation (++ Doctrines, + Technology, ++ CIP, - Military)

New Golden Age (+ Naval Technology, + Naval Doctrine, ++ Warships, + logistics, - Ground Forces)

Gundam Counterattack (+ ground doctrines, + air doctrines, + fleet doctrines, + mecha tech)

Foreign Legionnaires (+ ground tech, + military, + ground doctrines, + logistics)

The Special Aerospace Service (+ sneaky stuff, + CIP, ++ doctrines)

The Silent Service (+ stealth technology, + CIP, + dust, + ship technology)

Keep 'em Flying (++ Logistics, ++ Cargo)

Tin Soldiers (++ AI tech, + ground doctrine, + air doctrines)

Chinese Routes

J1) Chinese Arm Politics

Breakway System (+Non-core relations, +PIP, +CIP, -Chinese relations)

Some colonies in the Chinese Arm took advantage of the Breakdown to free themselves from rule by Earth, at least nominally.

Democracy Unleashed (+ Morale, + CIP)

Others were more stable, having peaceful changeovers from colonial rule to a democratic system, as was intended for colony governance.

Special Administrative Region (+RP, +Tech, +Morale, -Doctrines)

A few, owing to certain factors, have been given extreme freedom of action due to their economic or research importance but their military readiness has suffered, owing to the belief that "Earth will take care of it".

Autonomous Region (+ Morale, + Military, + Pop, - Debt)

Some were originally granted extreme amounts of leeway by their founding government, but with the implication that they'd be on their own. Such colonies generally were happy with their independence but required a buildup of military force beyond normal, causing them to suffer from high debt.

Province (+Pop, +Stockpiles)

Some colonies have or had become full provinces of their government, even, although owing to distance regional governors are still given a greater-than-average amount of leeway to act.

Direct-Controlled Municipality (+Wealth, +CIP, +Pop, -Morale)

After the Breakdown ended a few particularly rebellious colonies were suppressed and put back under terrestrial control. These colonies have generally been given significant economic aid and there are high incentives to immigrate to them, but there is still an undercurrent of anger at their conquest.

J2) Chinese Arm Economics

Special Economic Zone (++Wealth, + Pop, +CIP, +PIP, -Military, -Doctrines)

It is not uncommon for certain regions in the Chinese arm to offer corporate havens, but due to low taxation rates military readiness suffers.

Transshipment Center (+CIP, +Tech, +Dust, +Logistics, - Wealth)

The existence of posthuman artifacts and the valuable Delta/Theta Dust in the Rim make certain colonies drop-off points for exploration missions. The Chinese and their "treasure fleet" meant that many colonies they founded became port colonies for said treasure fleets, and with the Breakdown spent much of their time reverse engineering the dust they received.

Military Industrial Zone (+CIP, +PIP, +Weapon Tech, +RP, -Wealth)

A few colonies have been heavily involved in the arms trade, making them havens for military weapons production and development.

Regional Defense Base (+Military, +Logistics, +PIP, +Pop, -Wealth)

Strategic outposts in the arm were heavily reinforced with soldiers, who, during the Breakdown or post-Breakdown years, stayed and reinforced the arm further.

Conurbation (+++ Pop, + PIP)

The Chinese Arm was colonized by several of the most populous countries on Earth, and many of their Colonies have populations massively larger than the norm.

J3) Chinese Arm Military

Supersoldier Factory (+ tech, + transgene, ++ supersoldiers)

Strauss-Kaserism never took off in China, meaning that they are one of the few Core powers to still commonly use the heavily augmented in military roles. A few of China's colonies took that doctrine to heart.

Got a PLAN (+ military, + PIP, + fleet doctrines, + ship tech)

With planets surrounded by space, it is no wonder that the first line of defense, and the best funded one for many colonies, is the navy.

Long March Into Space (+Navy, ++Shipbuilding Tech, +Fleet Doctrines, +Logistics, -Debt)

The PRC today has a significant amount of force projecting that several of her colonies wish to emulate, but without the PRC's economic powerhouse, such an attempt invaribly leads to swimming in debt.

Crysis Situation (++Dust, +Tech, +Sneaky Shit)

A handful of Chinese arm colonies have been raided for their posthuman ruins, and to hold them have improved the size and sophistication of their special operations forces.

Fist teams (++ Doctrine +technology +CIP)

The Chinese Arm has shorter logistical trails and a higher overall population compared to the other arms, meaning that the governments involved in colonizing it could afford to be both more selective with the quality of soldiers as well as equip them with more advanced technology compared to other powers.

Steel Dragons (+ ground doctrines, + air doctrines, + fleet doctrines, + mecha tech)

The Chinese arm was neutral as a whole during the ZOCU war, and took advantage of that stance to buy and reverse-engineer mecha technology, as well as take lessons from battle reports in their application.

League Routes

K1) League Politics

Be Interventionist (+ Military, + logistics)

Fie On The Homeland (+ PIP, ++ logistics, - non-Rim relations)

Still Alive (and out there!) (++ PIP, + Dust, - tech)

Law of the Gun (++ Military, + PIP, - Morale)

Transhuman Supremacy (++ Transgene, + Morale, - relations)

Ideological Purification (++ Morale, + PIP, - CIP, - relations)

Evil to Fight Evil (+military, +transgene, ++doctrines, +tech, –morale, -relations, -pop)

K2) League Economies

Regional Hub (++wealth, +pop, + PIP)

Black Market Hub (++wealth, +CIP, +sneaky stuff)

Basketcase (+pop, ++PIP, ++military, + logistics, --wealth)

League Production Center (++ PIP, ++ CIP)

Exploration Launching Point (++ dust, ++ logistics, + FTL tech, - military)

Regional Port (+dust, ++PIP, + CIP, +shipbuilding, -ground tech)

K3) League Military

Battlefield World (+ military, + stockpiles, + defensive stuff, ++ ground doctrines, - pop)

Salvation Armada (++ military, ++ logistics)

Scrap Heaps (+ PIP, ++ logistics, ++ military, + doctrines, -CIP, - tech)

Magnate Killteams (++ sneaky stuff, ++ doctrines)

Copycat (+CIP, ++air or ground doctrines, +mecha tech)

High-Tech Bullshit (++ Dust, ++ tech)

Guts (+military, +++morale)

Mao Mode (++military, +PIP, +doctrines, +stockpiles, ++morale, -transgene, -CIP, -tech)

Stalin Mode (++PIP, +CIP, ++logistics, +helium, +tech, -doctrine, --morale)

Starting Tech Bonuses (Tentative)

ZOCU: + Mecha Tech, + Mega-Particle Tech, + Shield tech, + propulsion tech, + Hangarize, - shipbuilding

PACT: + Aerospace Technology, + ECM Technology, + Pulse Tech, + Carrier Technology

EU: + Naval Technology, + Ground Tech, + Railgun Technology, + Defensive Technology

China: + Shipbuilding, + Aerospace tech, + Ground Tech, + Railgun Technology

League: + Ground tech, + Defensive tech, + Technology (any), - shipbuilding

Independent: ++++ Technology (any), - shipbuilding

Chaotic Events

These represent events that are difficult to predict in any form of historical pattern and are not tied to any specific sequence of events. Tentatively, any nation may chose one (just to keep things simple) to further customize their nation and represent particularly anomolous events in history.

Found Religion (+ Morale, - Wealth)

Ran Outta People (+ Computer Tech, - Pop)

Don't Touch That! (+ Stockpiles, - Debt) - note: your +s stockpile cannot be removed by -s debt during nation creation

Hippies Under The Bed (+ pop, - military)

My Toaster Hit Singularity (+ dust, - CIP)

Libertarian Rickroll (+ Wealth, - Morale)

Communist Manifesto (+ PIP, - Wealth)

Economic Progression (+ CIP, - PIP)

Build It And They Will Come (+ Logistics, - Wealth)

Immoral Breakthrough (+ tech, - Pop, - morale)

My Little Lacus (+ Transgene, - Military)

Reaganomics (+ Wealth, - Debt)

Cut To The Bone (+ doctrines, - military, - logistics)

Transgenes Go Back To Transgeneland! (+ Morale, - Transgene)

Populism! (+ Morale, - everyone relations)

Development Hell (+ RP, - tech)

The Weak Perish (+ doctrines, - pop)

Kinderfaber Surprise! (+ drexlers, - fabers)

Path Change log

Upgraded

A2) Initial Colony Population

Changed:

E1) The Zodiac Organization - Solidarity!

F1) Indie World Politics - Get Sirius

G1) ZOCU World Politics

G2) ZOCU World Economics - Crash Industrialization

I1) EU World Politics

I2) EU World Economics changed

--Shrike 08:23, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Changed:

D4) Catapulted (may not choce Independence or Solidarity in E1)

--Shrike 18:30, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

Added:

Chinese Arm and League paths

Changed:

Almost everything for Indies.

--Shrike 21:04, 22 July 2009 (UTC)

Changed:

Fixed minor imbalance in League Militaries.

Noncannon Ideas