| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 06:43 pm: Edit |
BLACK WOLF
STARDATE 10.22.25
YESTERDAY GALAXY
Link to previous Black Wolf entries
"Captain's Starlog, Stardate 10.22.25. Captain Talbot Lupinus reporting. The Black Wolf has entered a Temporal Anomaly that has transported us to our distant past. This was intentional. In the future, Indomitus has become so advanced, it has become a near unstoppable artificial intelligence. Indomitus has waged war against every empire of the Yesterday Galaxy all at once, conquering over fifty percent of every empire's territories save three who are xenophobic and isolated. But here in the past, Indomitus is only in its early stages of inception. We can convince the empires of this time period of the future threat that Indomitus will pose, pushing them to destroy it while they still can. It is our only hope."
Talbot paused, stroking his black goatee out of habit. His solid black eyes squinted as he remembered all of his friends and colleagues who had died fighting against Indomitus.
"Our mission is to reach the Commonwealth in this time period to warn them about Indomitus. Our advanced weaponry may also be of benefit to them with the proper research. Unfortunately, the Temporal Anomaly deposited us on the opposite side of the Yesterday Galaxy. We now have to travel across its entire breadth to reach the Commonwealth. It will be a long journey indeed and time is limited. I can only hope we find some sort of shortcut that will shorten our travels."
Talbot considered the probabilities of successfully completing his mission. The odds were certainly against the Black Wolf. But he had to try. He had no choice. In the future, there was no hope at all...only death at the hands of a mad machine.
You did the right thing, Mother Bethany said telepathically from the Bridge. She was both his First Officer and Lover. He loved her with all his heart. Don't blame yourself as you are so fond of doing. We are holding position per your last instructions. What are your orders?
The Black Wolf is in the middle of the Ebra Breeding Ground, Talbot thought to himself. In this time period, the Commonwealth has not made contact with them yet. The Ebra were only interested in isolation and protecting their Breeding Ground. And with good cause. The creatures they rode in as starships were limited in number and slow to multiply.
Proceed at Warp Factor Two, but avoid the Ebra at all costs, Talbot replied to Mother Bethany telepathically. We don't want to make contact with them if we can help it. If things go our way, we will be out of their territory before they know it.
Uh....Talbot....you better get to the Bridge...right now! Mother Bethany said in his mind.
What is it? Transmit what you see on the View Screen directly into my mind...it will be faster!
An image slowly formed in Captain Lupinus' brain. It was the Black Wolf's View Screen.
Talbot gasped and then instinctively bared his fangs. He let out a low growl.
THE BLACK WOLF WAS SURROUNDED BY THREE MASSIVE WHALE-LIKE CREATURES, EACH OF WHICH WAS TEN TIMES LARGER THAN THE BLACK WOLF.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 08:10 pm: Edit |
REPUBLIC SECOND CRUISER SSD
Link to the Republic Second Cruiser SSD
PROJECT-X
REPUBLIC SHIPS
(PXR1.7) SECOND CRUISER (SCA):
The Republic Second Cruiser was designed and introduced in the Second Era of Project-X. In the beginning, production was slow and limited. Only a few Second Cruisers were launched from Space Dock. The intent was to carefully monitor their performance in order to gauge whether the cost and resources were worth expending for the vessel. Time would validate the Second Cruiser and the Republic eventually would approve their mass production.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Republic was its Phaser Array. Boasting a stunning total of Nine Phasers, the Republic Second Cruiser carried a mixture of Six Phaser-5's and Three Phaser-6's. The Phaser-6's were installed specifically to counter the Regime's Light Missiles. The Republic Second Cruiser was armed with Two Kinetic Torpedoes, but these were now augmented by the newly developed Kinetic Capacitor. Shipwide Phasers enjoyed a brand new Phaser Capacitor, an element that would make a critical difference in all future Republic engagements. The Republic Second Cruiser had numerous other improvements, some of which were Increased Reserve Power, More Command Centers, a Greater Power Curve, and Stronger Shields to improve defenses.
DESIGNER NOTES
It is important to remember that, from the perspective of Project-X empires, going from First Cruisers to Second Cruisers was the equivalent of going from General War to X-Technology. Second Cruisers heralded a new era, or in Project-X terms, the Second Age. The Second Age would change a great many things within Project-X for technology had advanced and starships had gotten bigger and deadlier.
It should also be noted that there is still much to be done for the First Era. The First Era is far from complete. So introducing the Second Cruiser does not mean that the First Era (and SSD's for it) are over. Instead, it is meant to be more of a taste of things to come.
The Second Era allowed for the construction of larger starships as well as advancements in technology. I decided that each empire would have some kind of unique technological advancement. For the Republic, that unique new development was the Kinetic Capacitor. The Kinetic Capacitor stores energy specifically for use with the Republic's Kinetic Torpedoes.
Other Second Cruiser improvements included a Larger Hull, a Phaser Capacitor (a massive development for all the empires of Project-X), more Phasers, Different Types of Mixed Phasers, more Control Spaces, more Hull, more Warp, more Power, more Reserve Power (another significant improvement for all empires of Project-X), more Systems (Labs, Transporters, etc.), more Shields, better Maneuverability, and improved Sensor/Scanner/Damage Control/Excess Damage Tracks. One can quickly see how the First Cruiser would become obsolete after the Second Cruiser entered mass production.
When designing their Second Cruiser, the Republic specifically focused on countering the Regime's Light Missiles which gave the Regime a distinct advantage over the Republic in battle. The Phaser-6 was chosen to counter the Regime's Light Missiles due to its higher rate of fire. The Republic managed to install three Phaser-6's to protect the vessel from the Regime's Light Missiles. The Republic Second Cruiser therefore possessed a very impressive Phaser Suite composed of both Phaser-5's and Phaser 6's.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, January 02, 2026 - 07:14 pm: Edit |
THE FINAL ENEMY - THE RISING
STARDATE 01.02.26
The frail figure with bone white skin and blood red eyes felt a surge of newfound strength throughout his body. With unnatural ease, he broke free of the chains that imprisoned him. His red eyes glowed with determination. It was time to escape this icy prison at long last. He began his ascent.
Within a lake of ice, he saw betrayers and traitors. Those who turned on those of shared blood, those who turned on their country, those who turned on their guests, and those who turned on their masters. Each betrayed a sacred trust given to them.
The old man continued on, his white hair flowing behind him. It was revenge which drove him on, along with a burning hatred in his heart. Not a wild, untamed hatred, but a controlled and tightly focused hatred. The kind that provides endless fuel for the firestorm of revenge.
He passed ditches upon ditches full of those who were guilty of fraud. Panderers, seducers, flatterers, simoniacs, sorcerers, barrators, hypocrites, thieves, overseers of fraud, and those who sowed discord. Each languished in their own specialized torment.
At the base of a great cliff, he mounted a monstrous creature known as Geryon. The creature flew upward, depositing the old man at the top of the cliff. There, he passed through a vast burning plain. Here were those who committed forbidden violence in a sexual manner against innocents.
He entered the dark wood of twisted trees. Each tree was a being who cared not to live any longer. The man with bone white skin ignored their cries for mercy. He emerged from the haunted forest.
Walking along a river of boiling blood, he saw those who perpetrated violence against those around them. Centaurs fired arrows at them, punishing them for their crimes. At the end of the river, a Minotaur charged at the man, but upon seeing his blood red eyes, the creature turned and fled.
The old man continued on, his white hair flowing behind him. It was revenge which drove him on, along with a burning hatred in his heart. Not a wild, untamed hatred, but a controlled and tightly focused hatred. The kind that provides endless fuel for the firestorm of revenge.
He passed the flaming tombs which held those who denounced the true way. Upon exiting the City of Dis, he was confronted by a trio of Furies. But, again, once they realized who he was, they bowed their heads and moved aside. A boat provided passage across the swampy, stinking water of the river Styx, where the wrathful ever fight each other.
Nodding his head to Pluto, he witnessed those persons guilty of greed forever pushing huge sacks of gold with their bodies up a steep slope. Three loud growls informed the man that he entered the domain of Cerebus, the three headed dog that torments gluttons. The beast stopped in mid-jump, where the old man took a moment to lovingly pet each of the three heads.
The old man continued on, his white hair flowing behind him. It was revenge which drove him on, along with a burning hatred in his heart. Not a wild, untamed hatred, but a controlled and tightly focused hatred. The kind that provides endless fuel for the firestorm of revenge.
Powerful winds nearly knocked over the elderly figure. But the man rose to his feet, refusing to be stopped. Above him, whirlwinds whipped through the air, buffeting all those who had been consumed by lust. Further on lay the serpentine judge, Minos. The old man nodded at the old king, who let him pass without incident.
Soon, the man found himself in beautiful, peaceful meadows. Here were philosophers, poets, and those innocents who never found the true way. They all watched as the strange figure with bone white skin quietly passed them by.
After emerging from an enormous Gate, the man found himself blocked by the river Acheron. He took a moment to read the sign above the Gate: Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Then then motioned with one hand to summon the ferry. Charon appeared and transported the man across Acheron.
The old man continued on, his white hair flowing behind him. It was revenge which drove him on, along with a burning hatred in his heart. Not a wild, untamed hatred, but a controlled and tightly focused hatred. The kind that provides endless fuel for the firestorm of revenge.
He found himself inside of a dark wood which would normally cause ordinary souls to become lost. But the man knew the way through. He exited the dark wood and waited patiently on the other side in a dim light.
A small ship emerged from subspace. It landed next to the old man. A beautiful woman exited the vessel and approached the man with bone white skin and blood red eyes.
She had blonde hair with red streaks and green eyes. She smiled, stared lovingly into the old man's eyes, and then kissed him passionately. It had been an eternity since they last saw each other.
"Ichaborn believes you are dead."
"Of course, he does, my love. That is the arrogance of the light. He was a fool from the start and he will be to the end."
"Ichaborn can never kill the Final Enemy."
"FOR HOW CAN YOU KILL YOURSELF?"
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, January 03, 2026 - 08:00 am: Edit |
KRAKENFISH WHIP CRUISER SSD
Link to the Krakenfish Whip Cruiser SSD
SECTOR 50
KRAKENFISH SHIPS
(50R4.2) WHIP CRUISER (CA):
The Krakenfish Whip Cruiser was a common variant of the Krakenfish Heavy Cruiser. The two forward Bioelectric Bolts were replaced with two Plasma Whips. This resulted in a vessel with an increased amount of Plasma Whips, but a decreased amount of Bioelectric Bolts. As a result, the Krakenfish Whip Cruiser became more reliant on Whipcrack Torpedoes in combat. Its Bioelectric Bolts became a secondary follow-up weapon, rather than the primary means to break through an opponent's defenses. In fleet engagements, the Krakenfish Whip Cruiser would be used to ravage enemy vessels whose shields have been brought down by allied starships.
DESIGNER NOTES
This SSD was created back in 2019, which is why it lacks the "Genesis Information Box" which is normally underneath the Ship Data Table. Everything here and on the SSD is still relevant today. I would simply add that the Krakenfish Whip Cruiser also has the ability to provide "plasma wave" support in fleet engagements. Launching four Whipcrack Torpedoes at once is not something to be underestimated, and in the world of Sector 50's smaller ships, even one of those Whipcrack Torpedoes can substantially damage a shield.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, January 04, 2026 - 05:31 pm: Edit |
ROMAN MISSILE CRUISER SSD
Link to the Roman Missile Cruiser SSD
SECTOR 50
ROMAN SHIPS
(50R3.2) MISSILE CRUISER (CA):
The Missile Cruiser was a rare variant of the Roman Heavy Cruiser. The Tachyon Guns were replaced with Tachyon Missiles during the construction phase. This resulted in a vessel that was ineffective in one-on-one starship duels, but which became invaluable during fleet engagements. Roman Missile Cruisers would stay back from the front line and launch their Tachyon Missiles in support of the main fleet. These Tachyon Missiles would primarily be used to either drive off incoming enemy starships or to provide support for Roman vessels closing on the enemy fleet with their Tachyon Guns. Because of their low number of overall starships and their inherent value in fleet combat, Roman Missile Cruisers were almost never left alone. Instead, they would be escorted by Destroyers and Frigates, depending on the Roman War Machine's available resources, or left at a Starbase, where they would fall under the protection of a plethora of nearby starships.
DESIGNER NOTES
This SSD was created back in 2019. All is still relevant today. I would add that Roman Tachyon Missiles are basic and simple at the beginning of the Sector 50 Timeline. However, as time progressed, they developed larger and more fearsome Tachyon Missiles. This increased the effectiveness of the Roman Missile Cruiser over time, making it deadlier and deadlier with each new incarnation.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, January 04, 2026 - 07:52 pm: Edit |
(PXSG1.0) SLEIPNIR'S SACRIFICE
by Ichaborn, Genesis Galaxies
PROJECT-X
The Battle of Saint Petrigio was a bloody conflict that nearly destroyed both sides. At its end, one badly damaged Republic ACA survived. Intent on destroying the Republic ACA was a relatively unscathed Regime FZ4, the only surviving member of its fleet.
The Republic dispatched Sleipnir, a nearby Repubic FFCA, to save the Republic ACA from certain destruction.
(PXSG1.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the attacking player (Regime) and the defending player (Republic)
(PXSG1.2) INITIAL SET UP
DEFENDER: Repulic ACA in 1820, heading E, speed 2, WS-III.
Sleipnir Repubic FFCA in 0130, heading B, speed 18, WS-III.
ATTACKER: Regime FZ4 in 3712, heading E, speed 14, WS-III.
YEAR: Plaser should select a year before setting up the scenario. This will define the availability of ships, refits, fighters, missile speeds, and other items.
(PXSG1.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario continues until all forces belonging to one player have been destroyed, captured, or have disengaged.
(PXSG1.4) SPECIAL RULES
(PXSG1.41) MAP: Use a fixed map.
(PXSG1.42) SHUTTLES AND PFs:
(PXSG1.421) No ship in this scenario is qualified to carry an MRS shuttle
(PXSG1.422) There are no EW fighters in this scenario
(PXSG1.423) There are no PFs in this scenario
(PXSG1.43) COMMANDER'S OPTION ITEMS
(PXSG1.431) Each ship can have additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (e.g. T-bombs, extra marines, etc.) up to 20% of its combat BPV if both players agree to allow them. See (S3.2) for details and exceptions.
(PXSG1.44) All refits are available subject to the players' agreement on their use and the year selected for the scenario.
(PXSG1.45) The Republic ACA has been severely damaged. At the start of the scenario, mark the following boxes destroyed: Both boxes of the KHWZ, seven boxes of LWRP, five boxes of RWRP, three boxes of FHULL, two boxes of AHULL, one TRAC, one TRAN, all PH-5's except the L PH-5, three boxes of IMP, two SHTL, one BRDG, two LAB, two BTTY, all SHIELDs except for two boxes of SHIELD #2 and one box of SHIELD #5.
(PXSG1.46) The Regime FZ4 has suffered minor shield damage. Using 1D6 for each point, randomly distribute three damage points among the six shields.
(PXSG1.47) Republic ships can only disengage on the left side of A and D on the map.
(PXSG1.48) Regime ships can only disengage on the right side of C and F on the map.
(PXSG1.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS:
Attacking Player:
Legendary Victory - both the Republic FFCA and the Republic ACA are destroyed. The Regime FZ4 was not destroyed.
Decisive Victory - the Republic ACA was destroyed. The Regime FZ4 was not destroyed.
Marginal Victory - The Republic FFCA was destroyed. The Republic ACA disengaged. The Regime FZ4 was not destroyed.
Defending Player:
Legendary Victory - The Regime FZ4 was destroyed. The Republic ACA and the Republic FFCA disengaged.
Decisive Victory - The Regime FZ4 was crippled or disengaged. The Republic ACA and the Repubic FFCA disengaged.
Marginal Victory - The Regime FZ4 was destroyed, crippled, or disengaged. The Republic FFCA was crippled or destroyed. The Repubic ACA disengaged.
(PXSG1.6) VARIATIONS: The scenario can be played with different ships of the Regime, Republic, or both. Multiple ships on either side or both can be used. Carriers and PF Tenders can be used. Other Project-X Empires can be substituted for the Regime, Republic, or both.
(PXSG1.7) BALANCE:
(PXSG1.71) To make the Attacking Force stronger, substitute a Regime starship with a higher BPV for the Regime FZ4.
(PXSG1.72) To make the Defending Force stronger, substitute a Republic starship with a higher BPV for the Republic FFCA.
(PXSG1.73) To make the Attacking Force weaker, substitute a Regime starship with a lower BPV for the Regime FZ4.
(PXSG1.74) To make the Defending Force weaker, substitute a Republic starship with a lower BPV for the Republic FFCA.
(PXSG1.75) To make the Defending Force stronger, reduce the amount of damage sustained by the Republic ACA.
(PXSG1.8) TACTICS
DEFENDING PLAYER: Due to its reduced number of PH-5's, the FFCA is going to have a hard time dealing with the Regime's Light Missiles. Plan accordingly, taking the damage on a specific shield if necessary. You have the advantage of speed which gives you the initiative during engagement and allows you to control the distance during the battle. Remember that your goal is to have the Republic ACA disengage. If you must sacrifice the Republic FFCA for this goal, so be it.
ATTACKING PLAYER: In order to win, you must destroy the Repubic ACA before it disengages off the map. Keep your target in mind and close in as fast as you can. Whenever you have a choice between firing at the Repubic ACA or the Republic FFCA, choose the Republic ACA. Destrooy the Republic ACA at all costs, even if you must suffer heavy damage to do so.
(PXSG1.9) DESIGNER NOTES
This scenario familiarizes players with the strengths and weakness of the Republic FFCA and the Regime FZ4, while throwing them into an exciting conflict and a desperate race for survival. Experiment with the scenario, modifying it as necessary until both players find playing their side to be tactically challenging.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, January 05, 2026 - 05:52 pm: Edit |
THE MITRAX GALAXY
RECONSTRUCTING/DESIGNING THE MITRAX MAP
Link to the Mitrax Galaxy
In order to write Scenarios for the Mitrax Galaxy, it is essential to have a working map. This identifies which empires border which other empires and which empires are so far away they have no contact. A working map is also critical to constructing a proper Timeline for the Mitrax Galaxy.
The issue is that Francois Angers' map was in constant flux. What started as the Mitrax Galaxy eventually morphed into the Triangulum Galaxy. I have at least six different maps, each one containing substantial changes from the others. Sorting through them all has not been easy.
It should be mentioned as well that Francois used his Mitrix Galaxy Maps to create the Triangulum Maps simply by shuffling around various empires and renaming them. Since I am interested in the original Mitrax Source Maps, I am more focused on them rather than the later derivative Triangulum Maps.
Note also that all of this is subject to change. The Mitrax Map is a living document that is in constant evolution.
So what do we know for sure? Based on the documents, what have I decided for my working Mitrax Map?
The following is as of M114 on the Mitrax Timeline. It marks the beginning of the First Great Expansion War. The Mitrax Map will look different prior to M114 and after M123.
1) There is a large, vertical region of space in the center of the Mitrax Map called the Khartax Free Zone or KFZ for short.
2) On the west side of the Khartax Free Zone is the Mallaran Empire. They have a huge section of space on the Mitrax Map.
3) On the east side of the Khartax Free Zone is the Worlds of Union. They have a huge section of space on the Mitrax Map.
4) Both the Mallaran Empire and the Worlds of Union have invaded the Khartax Free Zone. In fact, there have been numerous Wars fought over the Khartax Free Zone.
5) Within the Khartax Free Zone, there is a minor empire called the Corsairs of the KFZ.
6) On the northwest border of the Khartax Free Zone lies the Order of Ultimate Truth.
7) On the northeast border of the Khartax Free Zone is the Edurian Theocracy.
8) On the south side of the Khartax Free Zone is the Helgardian Protectorate. The Helgardian Protectorate also borders the Mallaran Empire and the Worlds of Unions.
9) The Human Cooperative (along with other empires) borders the Mallaran Empire on its west side. Directly to the north of the Human Cooperative is the Demony Alliance. The Demony Alliance launched a major invasion into the Human Cooperative.
This is a good start for the Mitrax Map. It establishes the location of several Major Powers and their neighbors. There is much more to the Mitrax Map, obviously, and many more empires.
Some of the Triangulum Empires, which have unique properties, will be reverse engineered and placed onto the Mitrax Map in new locations. However, Triangulum Empires which are simply copies of Mitrax Empires with new names but using the same technology, will not be used.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 01:49 am: Edit |
ATREAN HEAVY CRUISER SSD
Link to the Atrean Heavy Cruiser SSD
THE MITRAX GALAXY
ATREAN SHIPS
(MXR5.1) ATREAN HEAVY CRUISER (CA):
The Atrean Heavy Cruiser was a revolutionary and innovative starship in the Mitrax Galaxy. Armed with Five Medium Pulse Phasers, Three Light Pulse Phasers, and a Solid Layer of Neutronium Armor, the Atrean Heavy Cruiser favored the Battle Run in combat. Six Hardened Plasma Torpedoes formed the core firepower for the vessel. A Singularity Dome protected the starship's aft section after it launched its Hardened Plasma Torpedoes. However, it was the Atrean's unique Support Chamber that allowed the transformation of Hardened Plasma Torpedoes into Ten Different Types of Plasmas, including Piercing Plasmas, Warding Plasmas, Splinter Plasmas, Collector Plasmas, and others. The Support Chamber shifted the function of the Atrean Heavy Cruiser from a standard combat vessel into a flexible, multi-roled vessel capable of performing a variety of fleet oriented tasks.
DESIGNER NOTES:
The Atrean Heavy Cruiser was originally designed by Francois Angers for the Triangulum Galaxy. However, I am going to transplant the Atrean Directorate into the Mitrax Galaxy. As you will see, I instituted major changes in order to make the Atrean Heavy Cruiser balanced against the Alpha Sector and to give it a type of flexibility far beyond its original design.
The first thing to be done was to rename the Atrean's Heavy Weapon and its Warheads. The original name for the Heavy Weapon was the Plasma-X Torpedo or PL-X. However, I immediately saw the potential for confusion with an X-Technology Plasma-X. So Plasma-X Torpedoes were renamed as Plasma-H Torpedoes. The H stands for Hardened, which I think better describes the Torpedo. The original Warheads were designated Small, Medium, Large, and Huge. To me, it sounds more professional to call the Warheads Light, Medium, Heavy, and Superheavy.
Other than the naming, I had to make other changes to the Plasma-H (originally called the Plasma-X). In particular, the Warhead Strength and the Arming Cost came under intense scrutiny.
The Warhead Strength became an issue when I realized that the Atrean Heavy Cruiser could launch six PL-H's at once. With the ability to choose between combining plasmas to form a larger PL-H (like a Medium, Heavy, or Super Heavy), there must be a reason for the owning player to choose to combine plasmas to form a larger plasma instead of just launching many Light PL-H's.
Francois originally had a Warhead Strength of 20 for the Light Plasma-H. This caused some issues. Six Light Plasma-H's therefore, could score 120 points of damage. But if you combined plasmas, one Medium Plasma-H scored 30 points of damage and the remaining four Light Plasma-H's scored 80 points of damage. That yielded a total of 110 points of damage. Why would you combine your plasmas into a Medium Plasma-H when you actually get 10 more points of damage by simply launching six Light Plasma-H's? You could answer for the higher ECM and Phaser Resistance, but that answer is not sufficient justification (because ech of the Light PL-H has both qualities as well). If you follow this train of thought for the larger Plasma-H's (Heavy, Super Heavy), the same logic applies. It is preferable to launch six Light Plasma-H's rather than to combine and launch a larger Plasma-H.
The solution was to lower the Warhead Strength of the Light Plasma-H. It was brought down from 20 to 15. This lower damage amount provided the reason and justification for choosing to combine plasmas into something larger. Now, it was more tactically advantageous to always combine plasmas into a larger Plasma-H whenever possible. This made much more sense.
Next came the Arming Cost. This came up during my comparison of the Arming Costs for the Plasma-H versus the Arming Costs for Standard Plasma Torpedoes. Francois' Original Arming Costs were very close to Arming Cost for the Standard Plasma Torpedoes. However, I quickly realized that the Plasma-H's were actually better than Standard Plasma Torpedoes. They possessed ECCM along with Phaser Resistance. But they also traveled farther, making them more effective. I had to compare the Maximum Range for Standard Plasma Torpedoes versus the Maximum Range for Plasma-H's to come to this conclusion.
To correct this, the Arming Cost of the Plasma-H's had to be increased across the board. The Arming Costs could not be the same (or very close to being the same) if the Plasma-H was actually a more efficient and deadly weapon compared to Standard Plasma Torpedoes. Adjustments were made and now the Core Weapon of the Atrean was much more balanced.
On Francois' original SSD, he had Twin Pulse Phasers (TPPs) and Dual Pulse Phasers (DPP's). As these border on the rapid firing abilities of X-Phasers, I previously decided on other Mitrax Empires to remove them for now. So the TPPs were converted to LPPs and the DPPs were converted to MPPs.
Francois' original SSD only had 3 Batteries. This would not due for balance reasons in combat. So I increased the Batteries to 4 like other Heavy Cruisers.
Which brings up the Atrean's Support Chamber. My first reaction was that this was extremely similar to the Worlds of Union's Hellfire Torpedoes. Too much in fact. So I was about to delete almost all of the Support Chamber's functions. But upon closer inspection, I realized that the abilities provided by the Atrean's Support Chamber were, in fact, different from the Worlds of Union abilities. They simply needed careful review and modification.
Francois originally had one main ability to turn a Plasma-H into an Imploding Torpedo like a Hellbore. But I have already reserved this ability for another empire in a different Genesis Galaxy. So the Implosion Enhancement was deleted from the Support Chamber.
Francois also had an Overload Ability that increased the Plasma-H Warhead by 50%. This was simply too much. Imagine if a Light Plasma-H could score 30 points (originally), a Medium Plasma-H could score 45 points, a Heavy Plasma-H could score 60 points (more than a Plasma-R), and a Super Heavy Plasma could score 75 points. Clearly, all of this would be unbalancing to the game and to the Atrean as an empire, so this function of the Support Chamber was deleted.
Francois' other Support Chamber abilities were fine except for the Speed Boost, which was too similar to the Worlds of Union Hellfire Torpedo abilities. So the Speed Boost was deleted as well.
This left too few functions for the Support Chamber, so I was free to develop my own. I came up with many new abilities, all of which had tactical advantages to their use. Some of these are standard Plasma Torpedo functions, so they might not look new to you, but remember that the Atrean originally did not have access to these functions for their Plasma-Hs. Now, through the Support Chamber, they do (at a higher cost). One of the primary attack functions for the Plasma-H (with the Support Chamber) is now the Piercing Plasma, which works like a Qari Kinetic Cannon Penetrating Round.
I also came up with other useful functions, like gathering Lab Data and acting as a Wild Weasel. The Support Chamber can also generate Pseudo Plasmas without limit, except only every three turns and at a high energy cost. I have other Support Chamber functions in mind to be introduced as the Mitrax Timeline progresses, when the Atrean to develop new technology.
As the original Atrean Heavy Cruiser (designed by Francois) stood, it was lacking in my opinion (similar to the original Worlds of Union CA). It was simply a Plasma ship, and even with its advanced Support Chamber features, it would still fly like other Plasma ships. So it needed something more, something different.
That something became the Singularity Dome. This powerful defensive device is unique to the Atrean. It protects the aft section of the ship after the Atrean starship has launched its Plasma-H's during a Battle Run. The Singularity Dome reduces all damage received through those arcs. But it must be tactically implemented to be correctly used.
In summary, the Atrean Heavy Cruiser has been heavily modified from Francois' original design. It has been brought into balance with the Alpha Sector as much as possible. The Support Chamber's new functions make the Atrean Heavy Cruiser much more flexible and versatile, even outside of combat. It is a starship with many tactical implications.
But there are still many questions remaining to be addressed for the Atrean. Where on the Mitrax Map will the Atrean DIrectorate be placed? Its neighbors must provide tactical challenges for the Atrean's unique weaponry and devices. What type of government will it have? What is the biology of the Atreans themselves? What are the goals (in the Mitrax Galaxy) of the Atrean Directorate? What wars have they fought? Who are their allies? Who are their enemies? All of these questions will be answered in the future.
| By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 05:15 pm: Edit |
One reason for combining the plasma might be range (slightly less damage for increase range) …
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 06:48 pm: Edit |
Yes, Stewart, great point. The larger the PL-H, the further it will travel. Thanks
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 - 12:23 am: Edit |
(MXSM1.0) DRACOLICH
by Ichaborn, Genesis Galaxies
Link to previous Scenarios
Your starship stumbles across a graveyard full of ancient starships. As you investigate the graveyard, a mass of floating bones begins to form into a massive undead creature of death. You barely have time to go to Red Alert before the creature is suddenly upon your ship.
(MXSM1.00) GENESIS GALAXY: The Mitrax Galaxy. As the Mitrax Galaxy is balanced against the Alpha Sector, the Monster Scenario will work with Alpha Sector starships as well.
(MXSM1.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1; The Dracolich moves by automatic rules; see (MXSM1.44).
(MXSM1.2) INITIAL SET UP
MONSTER: The Dracolich is in hex 1321.
SHIP(S): One Mitrax Heavy Cruiser in hex: 3012. Heading at the option of the player, speed 10, WS-II.
YEAR: The player should select a year before setting up the scenario. This will define the availability of ships, refits, fighters, missile speeds, and other items.
(MXSM1.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario continues until the Dracolich has been destroyed or the starship is destroyed by the Dracolich.
(MXSM1.4) SPECIAL RULES
(MXSM1.41) MAP: The map is floating.
(MXSM1.42) SHUTTLES AND PFs: MRS shuttles may be purchased (up to the limits in (J8.5)) under (SM9.431). Standard rules on PF deployment apply. Leader or scout versions can only be deployed if a tender is present in the squadron.
(MXSM1.43) COMMANDER'S OPTION ITEMS: Starships can purchase additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (e.g. T-bombs, extra marines, MRS shuttles, special drones, etc) up to 20% of its combat BPV. See (S3.2) for details and exceptions. The costs of all these items count against the BPV allocated for the starship.
THE DRACOLICH
(MXSM1.44) The Dracolich moves by special automatic rules. At the beginning of every turn, the Dracolich will move as a seeking weapon toward the starship until it reaches the starship's hex. The Dracolich moves at Speed 32 at all times. The Dracolich has a Turn Mode of 1 at all times. The Dracolich can Sideslip as a starship. The Dracolich can HET once per turn. All Dracolich weapons are 360 degrees. The Dracolich can be displaced, trapped in a web, and placed in stasis. The Dracolich will detonate mines as a size class 3 ship. The Dracolich uses free movement at all times.
(MXSM1.441) Every turn, when the Dracolich reaches (or is) 20 hexes (or less) from the starship, it will launch a Plasma-G Torpedo toward the starship by breathing flame at it. It will only do this once per turn.
(MXSM1.442) Every turn, when the Dracolich reaches (or is) 2 hexes (or less) from the starship, it will fire two PH-2's out of its eyes at the starship. It will only do this once per turn.
(MXSM1.442) Every turn, when the Dracolich reaches the same hex as the starship, it will use its Claw Attack. The Claw Attack will bypass Shields, but it will not bypass Neutronium Armor. Roll a single die and use the following to determine the number of internals scored:
1 = 10
2 = 9
3 = 8
4 = 7
5 = 6
6 = 5
The Dracolich will only do this once per turn.
(MXSM1.443) Every turn, on the impulse after the Dracolich reached the same hex as the starship (and attacked with its Claw Attack), it will move away from the starship. Roll a single die to determine the Direction. The Dracolich will move in the determined Direction until it is 10 hexes away from the hex where it attacked the starship with its Claws. Note the Hex Number because the starship will most likely move away, creating distance between itself and the Dracolich. If the Dracolich reaches the Noted Hex, it will stay in that Hex until the turn ends. If the Dracolich does not reach the Noted Hex by the end of the turn, it will begin the next turn in the Hex it is currently in (disregard the Noted Hex since it did not reach it).
(MXSM1.444) The Dracolich will attempt to destroy any seeking weapon that enters its hex. The Dracolich accumulates a static ionic charge along its hide, and by flicking its tail (as in cracking a bullwhip), it can direct bursts of this charge toward targets. The tail operates as a defensive system with a 5/6 chance of destroying any shuttle or seeking weapon that enters the Dracolich's hex (i.e. range zero). The tail can engage up to three targets per impulse (roll randomly to determine which targets). This defense is resolved after the weapons move into the Dracolich's hex but before they score their damage. There is no way to destroy the tail of the Dracolich except by destroying the entire creature.
(MXSM1.445) The Dracolich cannot be held in a tractor beam.
(MXSM1.446) The Dracolich is immune to Wild Weasels, however it is possible to distract the Plasma-G Torpedo with a Wild Weasel.
(MXSM1.447) The Dracolich is destroyed when it suffers 150 points of damage. All seeking weapons targeted on the Dracolich are removed from play since the target is destroyed.
(MXSM1.448) If the Dracolich is destroyed, it will Reconstitute itself 8 impulses later. The Resurrected Dracolich disregards all previous damage and begins anew with full hits. On its next turn, it will begin to attack once more (see MXSM1.44). During the 8 impulses of Reconstiution, the Dracolich is immune to damage. However, on the 9th impulse, damage can be scored once more against the Dracolich. There is no limit to the number of times the Dracolich can Reconstitute itself.
(MXSM1.449) The only way to stop the Dracolich's Reconstitution is for the Starship to use its Labs and Probes to gather Scientific Data about the Dracolich. Follow the Rules under (G4.1) and (G5.22). When the starship gathers 200 points of information about the Dracolich, the Dracolich will no longer Reconstitute itself when destroyed.
(MXSM1.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS: This is a do or die scenario. Either your starship destroys the Dracolich (Victory) or the Dracolich destroys your starship (Defeat).
(MXSM1.6) VARIATIONS: Dracolich can be made more challenging by making the following modifications:
A) Increase or decrease the amount of damage required to destroy the Dracolich.
B) Increase or decrease the amount of Scientific Data required to prevent the Dracolich's Reconstitution.
C) Increase or decrease the number or types of attacks used by the Dracolich.
D) Increase or decrease the number of times the Dracolich can use its tail against seeking weapons.
E) Increase or decrease the BPV of the Heavy Cruiser.
F) Use a starship of a different Ship Type than a Heavy Cruiser.
Feel free to mix and match these modifications, enacting more than one modification if desired.
(MXSM1.7) TACTICS: In order to win the scenario, you must destroy the Dracolich permanently. This means that gathering Scientific Data on the Dracolich is the top priority. If you place battle as a higher priority to gathering Scientific Data, the Dracolich will simply Reconstitute itself over and over until your starship is destroyed. Use both Labs and Probes to gather Scientific Data. Starships with fewer Labs are going to be hard pressed in this scenario, while starships with a high number of Labs will have an easier time achieving victory. Protect your starship against the Dracolich's attacks, strike with your own weapons when they are most effective, and gather Scientific Data on the Dracolich as quickly as possible. Don't become one the ancient floating starship husks in the Dracolich's graveyard!
(MXSM1.8) DESIGNER NOTES: Dracolich is a challenging introductory scenario for the Mitrax Galaxy (or any other Alpha Sector Equivalent Galaxy). It allows new players to become familiar with a Mitrax Heavy Cruiser while putting them under the constant pressure of their starship's destruction. Players will also learn the value of gathering Scientific Data and which starships are better suited for this function.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, January 15, 2026 - 02:28 pm: Edit |
BETHLEHEM
STARDATE 01.15.26
DRAGON'S TEETH
Link to Dragon's Teeth
Link to previous Bethlehem entries
Link to the Utopia Heavy Cruiser SSD
"I want every crew member on their best behavior. Any action which offends the Sirens will be severely punished. They will answer directly to me."
Commander Rahab, Bethlehem's First Officer, nodded her head and walked down the corridor away from Captain Abrams.
Later, in the Transporter Room, Captain Abrams and Commander Rahab watched as shimmering lights indicated the arrival of their guests. Two beautiful women appeared, one with red hair arranged above her head and the other with long black hair and deep blue eyes. Captain Abrams and Commander Rahab were stunned by their sensuality, but they managed to maintain their composure. The two crewmen behind them who were operating the transporter were not as strong willed. They could not help but to drop to their knees momentarily, overwhelmed at the sight.
"Captain Amphitrite," Captain Abrams said to the woman with red hair, "Welcome aboard the Bethlehem." The woman smiled slightly and shook Captain Abram's hand, which was as smooth as silk. Captain Abram's felt an instant shock fly through his body, nearly causing him to lose control. But he uttered an inner prayer to the Old Man and stood firmly.
"Thank you, Captain Abrams," Captain Amphitrite replied in a soft voice. She turned and motioned to the lovely woman next to her. "This is my FIrst Officer, Commander Rusalka."
Commander Rusalka bowed before Captain Abrams, allowing her long black hair to dangle around her shoulder. She glanced at him with her deep blue eyes as she did so. A sly smile formed on her face. Captain Abrams felt as if he just got punched hard in the gut.
"And this is my First Officer, Commander Rahab," Captain Abrams announced, trying to distract himself so he would forget the soul piercing look that Commander Rusalka gave him.
"Come, let us proceed to the Briefing Room."
In the Briefing Room, Captain Abrams, Commander Rahab, Captain Amphitrite, and Commander Rusalka discussed matters of life and death.
"The Lorelei and the Bethlehem are all that stands between the Warmonger/Horrid Fleet approaching the Jordan System. There are seven million people on Planet Cyrene. The Library of the Magi, a repository of ancient knowledge, cannot be destroyed. The Enemy Fleet is composed of three Warmonger Destroyers, one Horrid Destroyer, two Warmonger Frigates, and four Horrid Frigates."
Everyone was silent as they stared at the miniatures on stands positioned in front of them on the table over a war map. Two miniatures on one side represented the Lorelei and the Bethlehem. On the other side, ten small miniatures represented the Enemy Fleet. Even in their silence, the Sirens' beauty was intense, maybe even more so than when they spoke.
"First and foremost," Captain Abrams said, gazing at Captain Amphitrite with a face of stone. Even his long beard appeared to be chiseled out of granite. "Captain Amphitrite, I need to be sure of your committment. If winning this engagement requires the sacrifice of the Lorelei, the Bethlehem, or both, are you willing to make that sacrifice?"
Captain Amphitrite nodded in agreement at the question, saying nothing. There was clear determination in her pink eyes. But the smooth features on her narrow face hinted at a heavy sorry at the suggestion of losing the Lorelei and all who served aboard her.
"I am as well," Captain Abrams announced, looking at Commander Rahab to make sure she would do what was necessary if he was seriously injured or killed during the conflict. Commander Rahab met his gaze without blinking, an indication she would do what needed to be done no matter the cost.
"Now that we have settled that," Captain Abrams continued, stroking his beard out of habit. "I need to be sure of the Lorelei's capabilities. I have followed reports of Siren activity within the Chosen with much interest. This is the first time the Bethlehem has actually worked side by side with a Siren starship. Is it true that the Siren Song attracts both seeking and direct-fire weapons?"
"Yes, Captain Abrams, our Siren Song does indeed work on both seeking weapons and direct-fire weapons," Commander Rusalka answered. She subtly adjusted her long black hair over one ear to draw attention. "It is a defensive device developed by the Sirens to protect critical ships during fleet engagements. And may we ask, are the Utopia's Reactor Torpedoes as devastating as we have heard?"
Commander Rahab spoke out, staring directly into Commander Rusalka's deep blue eyes. "Indeed they are. Our Reactor Torpedoes have a variable warhead yield, but if you get us within 80,000 kilometers of our target, I guarantee they will regret it."
Captain Abrams waited until his First Officer was done speaking before asking another essential question. "We have heard of the Siren Wail that your vessel is armed with. Is it correct that your weapon can hit a blanket area of space, damaging all starships within the target area?"
"Yes, that is correct," Captain Amphitrite said softly. She studied Captain Abrams' body language and facial expressions. He was a tower of self control. She wondered what motivated him in life and what his innermost desires were.
"Very well. Here is the suggested battle plan. Please interrupt if you have questions or wish to add anything. The Warmongers are highly disciplined and tactically focused, but the Horrid are not. This is their predicted fleet formation. As you can see, they are most likely to employ a tight fleet formation with the four Destroyers up front and the six Frigates behind. However, it is more than likely that the Horrid will break formation, moving as a Mob instead. That is to our advantage. Bethelehem will be the hammer and Lorelei will be the shield. We will attack ships on the edges of the fleet formation, particularly strays who move out of position. At the start of the engagement, Bethlehem will launch a Scatterpack full of Plasma Drones. This swarm should be enough to maim or obliterate one of the enemy Destroyers. With our combined firepower, we will be able to cripple or destroy one Destroyer with each Battle Pass. Lorelei will use her Siren Song to draw enemy fire and reinforce her shields accordingly. The Siren Wail will be used to hit enemy starships that are bunched together, to take advantage of the Siren Wail's area of effect. If we force an enemy vessel to explode while it is close to other enemy starships, they will be damaged as well. Between the two of our starships, we have eight Transporter Bombs at our disposal. I recommend we place them here, here, and here. We will draw the Fallen Fleet in and force them to pass through the laid Transporter Bombs. During the engagement, we will take heavy fire from the enemy fleet. Our shields are sure to be breached and our crew members lost. We may even lose one of our ships or both. But we are both willing to make this sacrifice if necessary. Thoughts?"
Captain Amphitrite carefully studied the battle map and the figures sitting upon it. "It is a sound strategy. I agree. I would only add that how we use our shuttles will be also be critical to the engagement. We must prepare Wild Weasels to supplement our SIren Song, as well as Suicide Shuttles. These Suicide Shuttles will be lethal to the smaller enemy Frigates If we get close enough, we can tractor a Frigate to establish an Anchor, and then launch Suicide Shuttles."
"If one our vessels loses a majority of its shields, the other starship can cover while the damaged vessel performs Damage Control to restore its shields," Commander Rusalka added.
Commander Rahab stated, "We will make our stand in the Plasma Springs, which sits in-between Planet Cyrene and the approaching enemy fleet. This will introduce a random element to the engagement. The Plasma Springs explode randomly, damaging starships in the immediate area. Since we are outnumbered in this conflict, the Plasma Springs will work to our advantage. If the enemy fleet tries to go around the Plasma Springs, it will delay them substantially, allowing Chosen reinforcements to arrive."
Captain Abrams reminded everyone of one final fact. "Remember, we don't need to destroy each and every starship in the enemy fleet. We only need to force them away from their destination. Inflict enough damage to their starships and they will have no choice but to give up their objective."
The four individuals studied the battle map and the pieces once more. Finally, they concluded the meeting and turned to leave.
Captain Amphitrite put one hand on Captain Abram's shoulder, sending shockwaves through his body. "It is a good plan, Captain Abrams. It will be an honor to fight by your side."
Captain Abrams turned and faced Captain Amphitrite. He knew this might be the last time he sees her face to face. His heart grew heavy at the thought of such a beautiful thing being extinguished from existence.
"We have an important saying back on our Homeworld, Captain Amphitrite,"
"EVERY BOXER HAS A GOOD PLAN...UNTIL THEY GET HIT."
| By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Thursday, January 15, 2026 - 05:35 pm: Edit |
Question...
Can Plasma Drones be upgraded to the first level with allocated power, then upgraded to the second with reserve power right before launch?
Ship doesn't have a lot of reserve power, but the extra warhead points may make it worthwhile.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, January 15, 2026 - 08:03 pm: Edit |
Hi Jeff. Since both the Enhanced and the Super Enhanced states of the Plasma Drone have a cutoff time right at the time of launch, I would answer Yes.
In your example, you Enhance the Plasma Drone during Energy Allocation and then before launch, improve the Plasma Drone to Super Enhanced with Reserve Power. Both happen before the Plasma Drone is launched, so it should be fine.
Thanks Jeff
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, February 20, 2026 - 09:20 pm: Edit |
HELGARDIAN HEAVY CRUISER SSD
Link to the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser SSD
THE MITRAX GALAXY
HELGARDIAN SHIPS
(MXR6.1) HELGARDIAN HEAVY CRUISER (CA):
The Helgardian Heavy Cruiser was a swift and maneuverable starship in the Mitrax Galaxy known for its powerful Particle Shotguns, regenerating Rotary Shields, and rapid firing Graviton Beams. While not as structurally sound as other Mitrax Heavy Cruisers, the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser made up for this with Four Direct-Fire Particle Shotguns, Two Rotary Shields, and Eight Graviton Beams which were spread throughout the starship. The vessel was noted to be low on Shuttles and Laboratories, weaknesses its adversaries often exploited in battle. The flexibility of its Graviton Beams to fire in four different modes provided the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser with a tactical breadth rarely seen in the Mitrax Galaxy.
DESIGNER NOTES:
The Helgardian Heavy Cruiser was not easy to bring into balance with the Alpha Sector. But overall, I am pleased with this new design.
I knew that redesigning the Graviton Beam was the most important task in the effort to bring the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser into balance with the Alpha Sector. When I playtested the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser for Francois over a decade ago, the Graviton Beams were the highest concern, with Rotary Shields being the second.
The primary issue with the original Graviton Beams were their total damage output. Consider that the weapon, as originally designed, could fire up to four times per turn, once every eighth impulse. If the weapon scored six points of damage (maximum damage), that is a total of twenty four points of damage per Graviton Beam per turn. Remember, this is for a Phaser Type of weapon. Compare that to a PH-1 in the Alpha Sector which can score at most nine points of damage per turn. Also note that Burst Mode for a Graviton Beam allowed it to fire every second impulse, not every eighth impulse. The original Graviton Beam had four modes: standard, burst, focus, and overload.
My initial thought to correct this damage imbalance was to turn the Graviton Beam into something like a PH-1, which could fire only once per turn. Problem solved. But I realized that Francois wanted those four modes present not just to give the Helgardians a unique flavor when played, but also to give the Helgardian Captain more options to use in combat.
So I started to think of ways to balance the Graviton Beam while retaining the four modes. There were two primary solutions. The first is the damage output needed to be scaled back. With a lower damage output, it would much more acceptable (and balanced against the Alpha Sector) if the weapon fired frequently every turn. The second is that the rate of fire per turn needed to be reduced. Other minor adjustments were also necessary to the various modes and how they worked during gameplay. For example, instead of saying the Graviton Beam used the next highest Table during overload, it saved space on the SSD and was more balanced in terms of damage output to simply say the damage result was double when overloaded. Ultimately, no matter what mode the Graviton Beam utilizes, the total damage output is now comparable with a PH-1.
While each Graviton Beam mode provides an advantage, it also has a trade-off, which is essential for game balance (such as not being able to fire again for 32 impulses). I saw no need to allow Graviton Beams to double their damage against small targets, so that advantage was deleted.
Since the three original Graviton Beam Tables (Light, Medium, Heavy) had been eliminated, there was no need to have separate designations on the ship itself. So Light, Medium, and Heavy Graviton Beams were renamed and are now simply Graviton Beams. In the future, as the Helgardians develop better technology, they might develop an Advanced Graviton Beam or an X-Graviton Beam which has a higher damage output (more than a PH-1) per turn.
Making the Particle Shotgun balanced against the Alpha Sector proved to be more challenging than I initially anticipated. I thought changing the damage output of the direct fire weapon was all that was needed. It turns out, much more work was required.
Because Francois designed the original Helgardian with only three Heavy Weapons, he allowed the Particle Shotgun to score four damage points per hit (six possible hits when overloaded). This allowed for the possibility of each Particle Shotgun scoring twenty-four points of damage (when overloaded). Compared to the Photon Torpedo, this was obviously too high. There are other problems with having only three really powerful Heavy Weapons, which I have addressed in previous Mitrax commentary.
To bring the Particle Shotgun into balance with the Alpha Sector, the amount of damage scored per hit needed to be brought down from four to three. This would mean the maximum damage (when overloaded) per Particle Shotgun would be eighteen. This is much more in line with a Photon Torpedo. With this newly reduced damage, I was able to fit four Particle Shotguns on the Heavy Cruiser, which is a much better match with other Alpha Sector Heavy Cruisers.
Redesigning the Particle Shotgun Table required the most work. I didn't like the requirement of having to multiply the number of hits by the damage per hit. This slowed down gameplay and destroyed game immersion. The Table should just show the total damage result, saving the player the time and effort of having to make an unnecessary calculation. But when I examined the Particle Shotgun Table (as presented in Triangulum), I found it very convoluted. Not only were the total damage points not shown, but the to-hit chances were inverted and the overload table was combined with the standard table.
My new Particle Shotgun Tables resolve all of this. The two tables have been separated into Standard and Overload for easy of use. The total damage has been indicated, eliminating the need to make damage multiplications on the fly during a game. And the to-hit inversion has been corrected so that they now show lowest roll (and highest damage) at the top rather than at the bottom.
When I originally playtested the Helgardian for Francois over a decade ago, I found problems with the Rotary Shields. Its ability to regenerate every turn at full capacity was deemed unbalancing. However, after rereading the rules for the Rotary Shields, and particularly noting their "porous" nature, I believe they are fine as written. This is only because they can ultimately be destroyed by hits on the DAC, taking away their protective advantage. Other Mitrax ships have Neutronium Armor, which the Helgardians do not have, so possessing a unique defense like Rotary Shields provides lateral balance between Mitrax empires.
Some examples I ran for Rotary Shields were:
* A PL-F hits one Rotary Shield scoring 20 points of damage. 10 points would eliminate the Rotary Shield (even at Reinforced Levels) and 10 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* A PL-S hits one Rotary Shield scoring 30 points of damage. 15 points would eliminate the Rotary Shield (even at Reinforced Levels) and 15 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* A PL-R hits one Rotary Shield scoring 50 points of damage. 25 points would eliminate the Rotary Shield (even at Reinforced Levels) and 25 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* An Overloaded Photon Torpedo hits one Rotary Shield scoring 16 points of damage. 8 points would nearly eliminate the Rotary Shield (at Reinforced Levels) and 8 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* A Standard Photon Torpedo hits one Rotary Shield scoring 8 points of damage. 4 points would damage a standard Rotary Shield (and be negligible at Reinforced Levels) and 4 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* An Overloaded Disruptor hits one Rotary Shield scoring 10 points of damage. 5 points would nearly eliminate a Standard Rotary Shield (and be negligible at Reinforced Levels) and 5 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
* A volley of Phaser-1's hits one Rotary Shield scoring 40 points of damage. 20 points would eliminate the Rotary Shield (even at Reinforced Levels) and 20 points would leak through to hit the ship's normal Shield or score Internals.
Over a decade ago, while playtesting the original Helgardian CA for Francois, I developed the Rotary Shield Tracking Table, which make it easier to track each Rotary Shield as it shifted around the ship during each turn in combat. However, the Rotary Shield Tracking Table is no longer necessary, firstly to save space on the SSD and secondly because writing on the SSD itself or a piece of note paper is just as easy and effective.
On the Triangulum Helgardian SSD, the Rotary Shields are noted as Rotating Shields. But the Triangulum Rules reference the device as Rotary Shields. Therefore, I eliminated the term Rotating Shields (which only caused confusion) and used Rotary Shields as the final designation.
In the end, the Helgardian Heavy Cruiser possesses a Heavy Weapon which scores more than an Overloaded Photon Torpedo, a Defensive System that Regenerates, and a versatile, rapid-firing "Phaser" that scores a lot of attrition damage (as well as Mizia Hits), but lacks crunch power. The Helgardian Heavy Cruiser is low on Internals and a single instant Alpha Strike, but possesses high Total Power. It is quite different from other Mitrax Heavy Cruisers, resulting in the need for different tactics to be victorious. It is these differences which make it a welcome addition to the Mitrax Galaxy.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, February 23, 2026 - 10:53 am: Edit |
WAYFARER MARKET SHIP SSD
Link to the Wayfarer Market Ship SSD
SECTOR 50
WAYFARER SHIPS
(50R14.1) MARKET SHIP (MS):
The Wayfarer Market Ship was the workhorse of the fleet. Loaded with goods, food, stories, and technology, the Wayfarers journeyed to the furthest parts of Sector 50. These peaceful beings were not interested in wars or conquest. Being social creatures, they loved the exchange of goods, meeting new people, and forging relationships that last. However, it would be a critical error to think the Wayfarers were pushovers. Armed with Two Focused Tractor Beams, Four Quantum-1 Phasers, and Two Integrated Warp Tractors, the Wayfarer Market Ship was one of the strongest vessels in all of Sector 50.
DESIGNER NOTES:
The Wayfarer Market Ship is based on the Bolosco Tradeship and Bolosco Guild Cruiser. As with all of the initial starships in Sector 50, the intent was to reduce everything down to roughly half of the original starship. However, given the unusual nature and structure of the Bolosco fleet, this proved to be more difficult than usual.
Like the Powrie and the Loriyill, I had to make decisions in order to capture the essence of the original vessel. Most of the initial Sector 50 starships only began with their original primary heavy weapon. Nevertheless, there were a few rare exceptions in order to keep the essence of the original empire. The Wayfarer and the Bolosco are one such case.
The Crates take the Bolosco Pods and break them up into a smaller format, allowing more of them to be carried. This will generate more variety and combinations during transport. Like the Bolosco, the Crates reduce the Turn Mode and increase the BPV of the vessel, although this is not specifically broken out on this initial SSD (it may be on future SSD's).
The Focused Tractor Beam is an underutilized heavy weapon, in my opinion. Not only does it affect different size classes in varying manners, but it also possesses an overload and critical overload feature similar to the Hydran Fusion Beam. Focused Tractor Beams have other Tractor Beam-like qualities as well.
When I read the Integrated Warp Tractor rules over two decades ago when Omega-4 was first released, I didn't like half of its features. Not only did I find the "Crush" and the "Punch" to be facetious, but also unbalancing. Even so, after I reread the Integrated Warp Tractor rules recently, I found all of its features to be fine. The "Crush" is simply an Enveloping Effect borrowed from Plasmas and the "Punch" is a direct-fire application with a low damage effect. Neither should imbalance the game. It's funny how one's perspective changes over time. This is all moot because the Sector 50 Design Paradigm states that all technology and weapons will be used as published, with no modifications or changes.
I thought it would be beneficial to list all the Integrated Warp Tractor functions on the SSD, both to remind the player of their options and to show all of the functions in a distilled format. I will continue to do so as long as there is room on the SSD.
Leaving the Phasers as Optional, like the Bolosco, would have opened the door to imbalance for the Wayfarers. so they were discarded. I had to make a decision as to what Phaser would take their place. I chose the Quantum Phaser.
Ironically, because the Wayfarer possesses both heavy weapons (with a critical overload feature) and devices with direct-fire applications, it has one of the highest Alpha Strikes in Sector 50. It also has one of the highest Internal counts in Sector 50 due to its crates. Therefore, an empire that is not interested in fighting happens to be one of the toughest combatants in Sector 50.
And so the Wayfarers enter Sector 50, eager to trade, exchange, and barter. They will spread their goods and technologies to the ends of Sector 50, uniting the Sector in a way other warlike empires never could. However, the Bolosco's final fate will not be the Wayfarer's fate. Time will tell what sort of destiny the Wayfarers achieve.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - 09:34 pm: Edit |
ATREAN FIRST MAULER SSD
Link to the Atrean First Mauler SSD
THE MITRAX GALAXY
ATREAN SHIPS
(MXR5.2) ATREAN FIRST MAULER (FM):
When the Atreans discovered Mauler Technology, they quickly adapted one of their Heavy Cruisers to create the First Mauler. The Atrean First Mauler was an experimental starship built specifically to test the capabilities of Mauler Technology. Interestingly, the Atreans developed their Mauler to be funneled through their Support Chamber, something never seen before. This resulted in many drawbacks such as the loss of Piercing Plasmas, Warding Plasmas, Smart Plasmas, and Cracker Plasmas. It was also not possible to keep the Singularity Dome functioning on the First Mauler. Finally, in order to discharge the Mauler, the First Mauler was required to move extremely slow for stability. In order to install the Mauler Weapon, one third of the systems, devices, and weapons on the Heavy Cruiser had to be removed to make room for seemingly endless rows and rows of Batteries.
The Atreans only created one First Mauler. It was dubbed The Eye of Flame. The Eye of Flame went down during the Battle of Four Angers. It was lost permanently.
The Atreans learned valuable lessons from the First Mauler. Lessons that would forever steer the course of their Mauler development. They learned about the limitations of the their Support Chamber in conjunction with Mauler Technology. They learned how the Mauler affected other systems on the starship. They learned that Speed was a critical issue when firing the Mauler. They learned that the Heavy Cruiser Hull was not the best ship type to house the Mauler. And they learned that Batteries could be separated to form groups for more focused Mauler discharging. Future Atrean Maulers would look completely different from the First Mauler.
DESIGNER NOTES:
I thought of giving the Atreans Mauler Technology when I was creating the various Support Chamber functions for the Heavy Cruiser. However, I knew that the Atrean Mauler would require its own SSD. So it was put off until after the Atrean Heavy Cruiser was posted.
Allowing the Atreans to have perfectly functioning Mauler technology right from the outset was inconceivable. Not only was Mauler Technology new to the Atreans, but they still had to figure out how to integrate it with their Support Chamber. Not only that, but the Atreans would have to learn the hard way about ship design requirements for a Mauler. Simply converting an existing Heavy Cruiser was not the best strategy.
Therefore, the Atreans gained Mauler Technology, but at a heavy cost. The drawbacks of the First Mauler almost nullified the advantages of having Mauler Technology in the first place. But remember, the First Mauler was first and foremost, a former Heavy Cruiser. It still possessed many of the capabilities of a Heavy Cruiser, including launching up to six Light Hardened Plasmas at once or combining six Light Hardened Plasmas to form three Medium Hardened Plasmas. The First Mauler also retains most of its Light and Medium Pulse Phasers, making it a deadly threat even when not using its Mauler.
Overall, an interesting starship to join the Atrean Navy. It is a unique vessel, one with an Experimental Mauler and one with the firepower of a Heavy Cruiser. The First Mauler's lessons are to be found on the battlefield, in action, not on a drawing board or blueprint. A final note about the First Mauler is that it completed various tasks and functions before it was lost, so tales still remain to be told about the Atrean First Mauler.
| By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, February 27, 2026 - 07:48 pm: Edit |
ALLIANCE OF LORDS CANNON CRUISER SSD
Link to the Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser SSD
THE PRIME SECTOR
ALLIANCE OF LORDS SHIPS
(PMR1.3) CANNON CRUISER (CCA):
The Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser was a rare version of the Alliance of Lords Heavy Cruiser. Only three such starships ever completed production: the Eruptor, the Vaso, and the Pot-de-fer.
The Design Philosophy behind the Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser was to multiply the amount of Short Range Cannons by removing two Phasers and reconstructing the space in-between the original Short Range Cannons and the former Phasers. Unfortunately, Alliance of Lords Engineers ran into unexpected problems with the starship's underlying architecture and systems, forcing the removal of one of the starship's Photon Torpedoes.
The Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser served in fleet engagements where they provided outstanding protection against Drones, Fighters, and other seeking weapons. Because the Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser retained most of its weaponry, including Photon Torpedoes, Phaser-1s, and Ultrawarp Missiles, it was able to provide fire support for the fleet while concurrently protecting its most valuable members.
DESIGNER NOTES:
The Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser is an obvious variant for the Alliance of Lords Heavy Cruiser. However, simply adding the additional Short Range Cannons would have been too much of an advantage for a starship that originally only held two such weapons. A compromise needed to be made, and the result was the loss of one Photon Torpedo.
The Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser served a specific function and Alliance of Lords Command wondered if it was worth the conversion effort. In time, they would conclude that the Alliance of Lords Cannon Cruiser was not the most efficient design and that there were better and less costly ways to implement Short Range Cannons to protect a fleet.
| Administrator's Control Panel -- Board Moderators Only Administer Page | Delete Conversation | Close Conversation | Move Conversation |