- Published: 26 March 2020
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That’s Why They Call it the Blues (GM Information)
Even before the final battle, any science teams that make it to the ground during the resupply run are going to be working on determining what is going on with the Blue ecology that is creeping across the planet. Whatever happened at the Biogenesis facility, the site and all its data are gone. The remaining management at the firm’s headquarters claim they don’t know anything about what might be going on, and all indications are that they are telling the truth. Survivors on world might know some details or might be able to direct players to off site backups that, while deep in the Blue Zones, would likely still be intact. Initial examinations of Blue organisms show some similarities with the Shohan, but also distinct differences. Like the Shohan, the organisms from the blue Ecology apparently encrypt their genetic information, and there are indications of an unknown nanotechnology operating in the Blue ecology. However, that nanotechnology is significantly less organized than what the Shohan possess and shows no ability to sustain itself outside of living tissue.
So what is the Blue and how are the Shohan related to it? Here are some possibilities:
- Everything is going according to plan for the Shohan. The Blue Zones are Shohan Creches and the Ferals are either young Shohan or young Cerberi. The entire process is intended to winnow them until only the best survive to be brought into the Shohan Assembly.
- Those concerned that the Shohan are only a mask, servants of nanosync ecology, are correct. New Detroit is a colonization effort, only something in the work Biogenesis did is interfering with the process and the nanosync here has gone feral. Possibly, The Shohan Ecology realized this at Minerva and recognized it as a threat. In that case, New Detroit is a test study as they work out countermeasures.
- Alternately, New Detroit has long been regarded as a model for terraforming and helped make Biogenesis’ reputation in the industry. What if they used something they’d discovered, either on planet, or elsewhere to achieve such remarkable results? Perhaps the Shohan recognized this helping hand and consider it to be a threat, not just to themselves but the entire Fourth Population. Their foray into the Biogenesis labs might have awakened something they truly have no idea how to handle. They are doing their best, for now, to contain the situation before it blows up even further.
- The Shohan intended to make the world their new capital in the sector. Destroying the Biogenesis facility was only a means to stamp their claim upon the world. For some reason, however, the nanosync has stopped responding to their commands. An Altered is spreading the Blue Zones. Once one of the terraforming scientists at Biogenesis, he’s been driven mad during his alteration. In his madness, he sees this as a glorious rebirth for the world and humanity. The “Ferals” are other Altered on the planet. For some reason, the Blue Zones call to them and many have joined his cult.
Regardless of its origins, even if the Terran Sphere is able to liberate New Detroit, the clean up effort to contain the Blues will take years, possibly even decades.
System Forces
As the current fulcrum of the war in the sector, New Detroit has a large contingent of forces from both sides. The Terran Sphere maintains a backbone of 4 squadrons of Redemption Frigates and an additional 2 quadrons of Retribution class frigates in the system. Lighter forces can vary more, but there are at least 3 squadrons of Defiances assigned to protect the Port Station with a mix of older cruiser hulls moving in and out of the system while moving through their patrol routes and other missions. As the resupply mission grows, squadrons of LASCOs, ferrying in Dragons and Bridgehead squadrons will be increasingly common sights around Port Lernoult. Player characters operating in the system should be able to have some impact on the forces present for the resupply mission through their actions, but at a minimum, The Terran Sphere can be expected to commit 5 squadrons of Dragons and Bridgeheads.
Admiral Zehun, the commander in charge of the Terran Sphere forces, spent many of the decades prior to the war as an instructor at the Ceres Military Institute. Many of the officers serving with the Admiral now have gone through their tactics classes, and the Admiral still commands the same instructor’s respect. While the admiral is considered to be one of the more brilliant tacticians the Terran Sphere has produced, even they will concede their brilliance is more technical than inspirational. It is rumored they have some history with Commandant Tanaka and fought for this assignment.
Meanwhile, on the Shohan side the occupation forces field 5 dreadnaughts, supported by 9 destroyer squadrons. This represents the base level, with the odd dreadnaught or destroyer squadron cycling in or out as the Shohan make their own force adjustments to the demands of the war. If using the Drone Destroyer from the Companion, the new destroyer class is slowly being cycled in to the occupation forces with the drones these vessels carry being used in a close air support role for surface ops. The increasing numbers of these ships could potentially force Admiral Zehun’s hand on the resupply mission as the drone screen provided by these vessels is a threat to their Dragons and Bridgeheads.
The Shohan forces are commanded by Star Overseer Deryn. The Overseer is hot tempered by Shohan standards, but quick to react and will move quickly and decisively against perceived threats.
Admiral Zehun - By The Numbers
Initiative: 5
Action Points: 6
Target Numbers:
Tags:
[I Wrote the Book], [Pop Quiz]
Commandant Tanaka - By The Numbers
Initiative: 4
Action Points: 7
Target Numbers:
Tags:
[I’m Too Old For This]
Overseer Deryn - By The Numbers
Initiative: 7
Action Points: 5
Target Numbers:
Tags:
[He Who Hesitates Is Lost]
Dragon Squadron
Battlestrain: 40
Skill List: Piloting 20, Gunnery 20, Tactics 20, Computers 18
Tags:
Equipment: Dragon Class Escorts
Bridgehead Squadron
Battlestrain: 40
Skill List: Piloting 20, Gunnery 20, Tactics 20, Computers 18
Tags:
[In The Pipeline 2]
Equipment: Bridgehead Class Dropships
Defiant Squadron
Battlestrain: 40
Skill List: Piloting 20, Gunnery 20, Tactics 20, Computers 18
Tags:
Equipment: Defiant Class Cruisers
Redemption Squadron
Battlestrain: 40
Skill List: Piloting 19, Gunnery 21, Tactics 21, Computers 19
Tags:
[Takes a Lickin And Keeps on Ticking 2],
[In Death Ground, Fight 2]
Equipment: Redemption Class Frigates
Retribution Squadron
Battlestrain: 40
Skill List: Piloting 19, Gunnery 21, Tactics 21, Computers 19
Tags:
[Run And Gun]
Equipment: Redemption Class Frigates
Dreadnaught Squadron (1)
Battlestrain: 65
Skills: As per the Dreadnaught Skill list
Tags: As per the Dreadnaught Tag list
Equipment: Shohan Dreadnaught
Destroyer Squadron (4 Destroyer, 2 Destroyer-Drone)
Battlestrain: 50
Skills: As per the Shohan Destroyer or Drone Destroyer Skill list
Tags: As per the Shohan Destroyer or Drone Destroyer Tag list
Equipment: Shohan Destroyer or Drone Destroyer
System Tags
[Black and Blue and Red All Over]
[We’re On the Clock Here, People]