Tech Ratings

[Fargo]

What follows is a comparision of tech ratings of the various strengths/weaknesses of the two major faction's technologies. This followed from a discussion from Vector on the subject and I'm more then willing to alter the numbers where appropriate too.

I may in time do one for the Selvans as well who have Medical and other technology above the confederation. They'd likely have a lot of 5's on their chart. Saurians and Tariez would be 6's or 7's on the chart but again for now, this is to compare the Playable Charachter's races strengths and weaknesses and outline them techwise.

The tech scale that I've devolped goes from 1 to 5 and I've included a description and reason behind giving this rating to each faction in the notes behind it. The scale goes as follows:

1. Primitive: They have derived the very basic methods of this technology but exist only in very limited and crude models. For example, a propulsion rating of 1 means that they have the ability for sublight drive and inter-system travel ONY.

2. Basic: The faction/empire has a basic established method for this technology that is in place and working but is less advanced then the “average”. A rating of 2 for propulsion (as our example) would mean that they only have access to assisted FTL (node) based travel and had no access to nodeless FTL.

3. Developed: The technology is functional and “average” and has been tried, tested, and driven into the ground. This is where much of Terran technology lies. (See below) As per our example: a propulsion level of 3 would mean that they have very well developed and established methods for node assisted flight and have limited, short range nodeless capabilities.

4. Advanced: The technology has been developed and refined above the “standard”. A rank 4 or 5 tech means the organization has spent a considerable amount of time and effort into researching this technology. A rank 4 or 5 propulsion drive would be capable of much longer range and more stable nodeless unassisted FTL drive.

5. Cutting Edge: The race possesses technology in this field which is on the cutting edge of what is allowed for a PC race. The ironic part is many of the tech level 5 capabilities would be much like a tech level 1 in the fact the technology is often on the “bleeding edge” and “new” not trusted and time tested as with tech levels 2-4.

[Fargo]

Terran Confederation

The Confederation is by far and wide the largest faction and empire in the Neospace universe and relies mostly on time tested and well developed technology. The technology used aboard most Confederation starships hasn’t changed at all with what was used 50-75 years ago.

Having developed genetic engineering hundreds of years ago however, the Confederation has some of the most advanced capabilities to create genetically engineered and altered beings; the most knowing being the Recombinants, which are animal/ human genetic hybrids.

Starship and Weapon Technology:

Propulsion 3: Confederate ships use tried and tested jump drive systems, which are often the basis for many other FTL drive systems. However as mentioned above most of the systems in use by the confederation starship wise rely on older, more tested technology rather then the more refined and advanced systems of the Selvan and the Talosian Republic. Confederate ships use primarily node-assisted jumps and have limited capabilities for short-range nodeless jumps, though doing so is inaccurate and often risky.

Computers 3: The computing technology often goes hand and hand with the level of the propulsion tech, as it is what is used to calculate jumps and calculates the margin of error for the exit point of a jump. More advanced FTL systems typically go hand in hand with the tech level of the computer systems. As mentioned earlier many of the Confederate ship systems use tried and true systems, often aged and beaten and this applies to the computer systems on board as well.

Confederate computers are solid state computers comprised of silicon mainboards and independent processors.

Weapon Systems (Ballistic) 4: The confederation relies heavily on ballistic based munitions for both personal weaponry to those used aboard capital starships. Since these have been in use for centuries; the technology for ballistic weapons in the confederation is very refined. These range from handheld caseless slug throwers to starship mounted rail guns and missile pods.

Weapon Systems (Energy) 3: Energy weapons in the confederation are not uncommon but are often on the “cutting edge” and considered to be controversial and “unreliable” weapons by some. The most common handheld weapon is the Confederate “blaster” which is standard issue for CFSF officers. Starship energy weapons consist of mostly light and radiation based laser systems.

Power Generation 3: Both confederation and Talosian ships use the same basic system to generate power, which is fusion reactors. Simple but effective fusion reactors create cheap efficient power.

Defenses and Armor 3: Most confederate ships have layers upon layers of heavy, bulky non-charged armor composed of whipple plates, overlaying a honeycomb of durasteel and aerogel which protects and hardens them against both energy and ballistic attacks.

Other Starship defenses include matter-based chaff for anti-missile defense.

Personal and Marine armor ranges from flak armor used by basic infantry and light Marines to heavy powered suits used strictly by confederate marines. Most is comprised of bi-state gels that harden on impact and can sustain multiple hits by a projectile weapon of even large calibers. Resistance to energy weapons is minimal.

Biotechnology and Cybernetics:

Genetic Engineering 5: The confederation has well developed and long standing genetic engineering techniques, most known for the Recombinants- Animal/Human hybrids who have been developed nearly 400 years ago. Since then methods have continued to improve and the Terran confederation remains one of the forerunners for artificial genetic engineering.

Medical 3: Confederation medical technology is proven and well tested, and while Terran medicines and vaccines are not as advanced as the Sevlans; it is the standard of what the Confederation as a whole uses. Medical technology has increased lifespans considerably from what was expected in the OOC era of earth for both Recom and Human alike; and it is not uncommon for lifespans surpassing 110-120 years.

Cybernetics 4: The Confederation has an advanced cybernetics program and is capable of creating androids and droids with varying levels of consciousness ranging from limited astrogation droids to fully aware and sentient Artificial Intelligence. Fully aware AI is rare but does exist in “prototype” form.

[Fargo]

Talosian Star Republic

The Talosian Republic is a conglomeration of systems controlled by the central government of the Talosian Republic. While much smaller then the confederation in terms of space controlled, the Republic is a very tight knit, consolidated and organized empire and often rivals the Confederation for power struggle throughout known space.

Although the Talosians are a very young race, they have put huge amounts into research and re-engineering and enhancing existing technology as well as minor breakthroughs on their own. Most Talosian ships are new, modern and are often replaced or fully refitted within 5-10 years of service with the most modern weapon, computer, and propulsion systems available to the Republic.

Starship and Weapon Technology:

Propulsion 5: The Talosians have spent much of their research into completely redesigning the basic warp principles to develop a drive system capable of full nodeless travel over much greater distances and ranges then Confederate ships, backed up with powerful computer systems to handle the complex calculation. It is however based on the same principles as confederate FTL drives just much more refined.

One drawback to Talosian drive design is the engines require “pods” or nacelles as generators to emit more power to field integrity which allows them to make longer, more accurate jumps through space. The nacelles are always external on the hull and many times are separated fully by long pylons. While these nacelles are armored; they are a lot more vulnerable and it is much easier to disable FTL on a Talosian vessel in combat.

Computers 4: Talosian computers are highly advanced and often very specialized for starship or personal use. The computer systems aboard Talosian starships use a method of computing known as a “cell” processor, which is many small co-processors that operate collectively rather then independent of each other.

Because the cell processor cannot operate as an independent unit however, failures that take down numerous co-processors in the cell unit can cause a cascading failure, which could shut the entire system down. This puts Talosian computers on the “bleeding edge” of technology.

This makes Talosian computers very efficient for number crunching and complex calculations; making them slightly more advanced then Confederate computer systems though they are both physical solid state computing systems.

Talosian computer systems do however as a result draw a lot more power then confederate computer systems; especially those designed for starship or outpost use.

Weapon Systems (Ballistic) --: The Talosian military and Navy have abandoned the use of ballistic weapons since these are viewed as being “obsolete and inefficient”. Indeed energy weapons provide infinite-renewable sources of ammunition.

Weapon Systems (Energy) 5: Talosians have refined the science of energy weapons with what technology is available to an art. While ship weapons put strains on the reactors of Talosian starships, and often require time to recharge before becoming fully effective; they provide powerful and cheap sources of munitions.

The standard basic infantry rifle in the Republic is the Pulse rifle, a refined version of a las gun containing a powerful and efficient focused light-pulse laser. The battery packs that operate a standard pulse rifle can be recharged at any power generator fitted to output the correct voltage to recharge the pulse rifle’s battery clips.

Pulse lasers are too large to fit inside a pistol or a carbine; instead side arms are plasma-based weapons, which are very similar to confederate blasters. Talosian plasma pistols are by far the most common energy based sidearm used by civilian and military alike.

The only non-fully energy weapon used by the Talosian army is the plasma grenade/grenade launcher/plasma mortar/plasma bombs. These are energy weapons internally but are launched or lobbed/dropped as ballistic weapons but rely on plasma stored in a spherical metal container with a igniting “fuse” rather then explosive muniton. These can be set for either a time delay or ignite on impact. Micro explosives inside the grenade or bomb burst the compartment apart spreading ignited white-hot plasma over an area of effect causing “splash damage”.

In addition to pulse laser turrets (which are typically used for anti-air or anti infantry purposes with high rate of fire) Talosian tanks, fighters and starships are equipped with plasma cannons or plasma torpedoes (a capital ship version of the plasma cannon sending balls of ignited drive plasma hurtling towards the enemy) and Ion cannons.

Talosians remain the pioneers and fore front users of the Ion cannon, a weapon that shoots highly charged ionized particles at a target. Ion cannons or “disruptors” fire an intense concentrated beam which is powerful enough to cut through most forms of armor, and is often used by the army as the primary anti-tank weaponry of the Talosian military.

Ion cannons are also the standard main weapons for the Talosian navy. Ion disruptor cannons are used in vessels ranging from fighters to much larger versions mounted on capital ships.

Talosian energy weaponry has its share of drawbacks which equalize the effectiveness of Confederation ballistic weapons in combat, the main one being that while Talosian energy weapons have increased ranges over their confederation counterparts; they still have much shorter ranges then ballistic weapons and capital ship weapons take time to recharge to not run the ship’s power reserves dry. Therefore most Talosian commanders use hit and run tactics when engaging in capital starship warfare.

Defenses and Armor 4: Talosian starships, vehicles and tanks use lightweight composite-ceramic armors with thin layers, meshes, or underlays of a lightweight titanium alloy to re-enforce the armor. Most capital starships and heavy land based tanks will charge this composite armor further increasing its effectiveness to displace energy based attacks.

Other defensive countermeasures standard to Talosian starships include Electronic missile defense systems and EMP systems.

Armor on Talosian starships is however much lighter and thinner then confederate ships and is not as effective at stopping solid state ballistic attacks as it is displacing energy based or explosive muniton rounds.

Personal armor ranges from archaic carapace armor used by the Talosian peacekeepers which is a full body suit of Kevlar-like compounds and metal mesh which is very durable to physical and ballistic attacks; to the standard blast armor used for infantry and standard marines; which is made out of a much lighter version of the same composite materials used in starship and tank armors.

Talosian powered armor likewise uses the same ceramic-composite material and thus is very expensive to make. It is however slightly lighter in weight then its confederation counterparts and provides the wearer with greater mobility as a result.

Power Generation 3: Both confederation and Talosian ships use the same basic system to generate power, which is fusion reactors. Simple but effective fusion reactors create cheap efficient power.

Biotechnology and Cybernetics:

Genetic Engineering 1:

Talosian’s are “genetically engineered” through selective breeding, a primitive method of genetic engineering which does not alter the actual DNA and takes hundreds of years to breed out “desirable traits” through different bloodlines. This evolved naturally from a society, which was in the past deeply rooted in a feudalistic society, and many of those “breeding laws” stay in place today to preserve the different “pedigrees” and traits of the Talosian race.

This is however a primitive form of natural genetic engineering and requires no real technology to achieve. Talosians otherwise have limited abilities to do some genetic cloning and manipulation in the medical fields, as far as cloning organs for medical purposes. However cloning and true DNA altering genetic engineering is something the Talosians have never really grasped nor put any effort into researching.

Medical 3: Talosian medical technology is on par with what is available in the confederation. Hypodermic needless sprays are quickly replacing syringes as a method for delivering vaccines and drugs.

Cybernetics 2: Talosian cybernetics are limited mostly to prosthetic limb replacements. The Republic has not put any real effort towards the creation of androids and most robotics employed are fully automated machines with no ability to make sentient decisions.

Talosian starship computers are the most advanced form of AI that the Talosians have access to and are able to make decisions based on user input with an advanced AI set. While the AI used in Talosian starships is advanced, its hardly in a portable format and Talosian scientists have not researched a way to make this technology portable without the usage of a massive networked cell processing system.