Talk:ZOCU: Upsetting the Applecart
The Zodiac Outworlds Colony Union is an extra-national economic/defense pact consisting entirely of outworld states.
History
The War
The war of '87 was both divisive and inconclusive. The ZOCU states managed to bring large numbers of proper military designs into service but could not deploy them to the front lines before hostilities were brought to a close.
Rejectionists
Not all ZOCU joined Treaty of Sirius. Several forces, most notably those under the command of the late Admiral Zeorhymer, refused to comply with the treaty. Many of the rejectionists have gathered at Axis, where they remain on a war footing with the Core under a HEC embargo.
The current Axis government has been attempting to align itself with ZOCU, with limited success. Ithaca is the only ZOCU state with friendly relations with the Principality, although many extremists in mainline ZOCU states sympathize with its goals The invasion of Ling-Shan and confrontation with Hampshire created
The ESA Conflict
Haraways's World had long desired it's own alliance after its perceived abandonment during the First Space War. In 2194, this led to the formation of the Expanse Systems Alliance (ESA) with two ZOCU states, several independents, and multiple . After talks between Haraway and Londonium broke down, the ESA states of Nidaros and Haraway's world were expelled from ZOCU.
Talks continued on an unofficial basis between Ithaca, Valera, and Haraway with the hope of hammering out a non-aggression pact. The talks broke down after ZOCU sources revealed that Haraway was attempting to have Horizon join the ESA. Relations with the ESA remain cold.
The Treaty of Sirius
The Treaty of Sirius is the wide-ranging agreement signed to end the war of 2187. The ZOCU states came off less-favorably in the negotiations.. Recognizing that the ZOCU worlds had legitimate greivances, it specifically enumerated their freedoms and independence. However, as the instigators of the conflict the treaty also imposes significant limits on the military forces that the ZOCU states were allowed to possess. Initially, this limited heavy warships to 1 battleship and five cruisers or eight cruisers without battleships. The treaty specifically prohibited carrier-type hulls (which led to the incorporation of hangers into ship design) and stealth ships and craft (the so-called Hampshire clause).
Current Limitations
In 2195 continued growth in a number of neighboring power's warship fleets tripped the Sirius 'Escalation Clause', allowing states limited by the Treaty of Sirius to increase their heavy warship hull counts.
- Warship limit of: 12 cruisers or the equivalent
- Every battleship hull counts as 3 cruisers
- No carrier hulls or hulls with equivalent carrying capacity may be built or used
- No stealth technology may be used on any aerospace craft or starship.
ZOCU Functions
Most normal ZOCU states follow the lead of the government in diplomatic matters. These ZOCU states are Neutral towards the Rim. They are Cold towards the Pac-Am states and the Sino-Russian states. They are Unfriendly towards the EU. States that are not members of ZOCU, but are under the Treaty of Sirius as well tend to have better relations than normal.
ZOCU Unified General Staff
A rotating command led by some of the finest minds in the Sphere, the basic principles of ZOCU doctrine have been tested by battle and backed by some of the best mobile weapons and vessels in space. The standard fleet of ZOCU vessels is centered around heavy cruisers and destroyer with built-in hangers, all focused on the deployment of mobile weapons into battle. Combat docrine rankings are given below.
- Air Superiority: 3
- Decisive Battle: 2
- Combined Arms: 1
- OpSec: 1
- SigInt: 1
Strategic Materials Purchasing Program
A number of materials are available for purchase from an internal market for valuable materials.
Common - Sakuradite - 4 DAP and 50W per 25 units
Uncommon - Delta Dust, Condensates, ß-Titanium - 6 DAP and 30W per 15 units
Rare - Iotimoline, Hyper-Glions - 6 DAP and 20W per 10 units
Precious - Drexlers - 6 DAP and 20W per 5 units
Template
ZOCU Member State The Zodiac Outworlds Colony Union is an extra-national economic/defense pact consisting entirely of outworld states. Having recently fought an indeterminate conflict against the core worlds over rights, ZOCU member-states have achieved their autonomy but now labor under a number of treaty limitations.
- 375 SD
- 8 Diplomatic Action Points monthly
- 50 free He3 extraction
- Automatic Traits: Treaty of Sirius, Hangerize!
- Disallowed Traits: Superheavy Shipyards, HEC Connections
Membership
13 Zodiac States
| Aries | Belinta |
| Taurus | Transbaal |
| Gemini | Haraway's World |
| Cancer | Belinta |
| Leo | Hampshire |
| Virgo | Ophen |
| Libra | Londonium |
| Scorpio | Asakura |
| Sagittarius | Ithaca |
| Capricorn | Hasseldorf |
| Aquarius | Neorabia |
| Pisces | Khemet |
| Ophiuchus | Horizon |