Working for the USPS in transportation/logistics, it occurred to me that the Andromedans have nothing resembling satellite and central logistics hubs where resources could be consolidated for easier transportation. Having centralized places to consolidate resources makes the procurement and movement of resources far, far easier to manage, so I present

ANDROMEDAN LOGISTICS BASES

The Andromedans deployed these bases in places that they either held through their operations or were relatively certain that they could avoid detection due to remoteness, terrain, or other factors. The purpose of these bases was to provide a centralized logistics hub for varying purposes including but not limited to cargo transfer, resupply, and repairs. Placing these bases was no small undertaking. Typically, a Missionary carrying the base, a small cargo pod carrying supplies necessary for construction, a repair sled, and an ore gathering sled would be seny to the location where the base was to be set up. The ore gathering sled would work to excavate an underground chamber, after which the repair sled would construct the facility. The cargo pod would server as the "shell" for the underground hanger facility as well as the cargo capacity for the base.
These bases act as motherships do with regards to satellite ship operations, but may only launch using transporters as they lack displacement devices. The hanger is configured as hanger spaces on a mothership would be configured. While inside the hanger, units may be repaired, have cargo transfered to and from them, and transfer crew units as satellite ships do aboard motherships. Units with power absorbers inside the hangers may pick up energy released by the bases power absorbers in the same manner as satellite ships can inside of a mothership and under the same conditions (D10.42), but may not release power from them while inside the hanger. If a ship inside the hanger explodes, treat the explosion and resulting consequences as per G19.32. Units withion the hanger may not be targeted as separate units. As with the Mobile Weapon Platform Ground Bases, The hanger is located underground which means that if the base is destroyed and the units assigned to it are within the hanger at the time of destruction they are trapped there.
Typically, these bases were assigned cargo pods in order to consolidate resources to a central location for easy extraction. The ore gathering sled would often be assigned to the system in which the base was located in order to help procure resources, while the repair sled would normally be retrieved after construction was completed. If the base was deemed to be secure enough in its location and operations looked to be of considerable length, a mobile operations sled would be assigned along with a compliment of SSUs to help operations. These bases were almost never assigned a gun sled nor a mine laying sled, with ore gathering sleds, cargo sleds, and cargo pods being the predominant units found there. SSUs could be present, but were under restrictions:
- No more than 1/6th the total hanger capacity could be comprised of SSUs;
- No more than one (1) Small Energy Support Unit could be assigned, but rarely ever were;
- No more than two (2) Mobile Recovery Platforms could be assigned to help with relocation cargo pods if a sled was unavailable to help with the operations;
- Only one (1) Mobile Ground Assault Platform, Mobile EW Support Platform, and Mobile Mine Platform may be assigned but only if they were needed by a Mobile Operations Sled assigned to the base. Otherwise, such units would almost never be found there.
- Displacement beacons were never assigned to these bases as they were never expected to see combat, or were on planets that were fortified by other bases and/or a monitor.
- Mobile Weapons Platforms may be present, but may not comprise more than one half of the total SSU compliment and even then are ususally assigned to a Mobile Operations Sled that was assigned to the base.
- Mobile Cargo Platforms and Cargo Support Units are under no restriction other than being limited to the total number of SSUs that could be assigned to the base.

Planetary Logistics Base

The smaller of the bases, these units were encountered in systems that the Andromedans deemed suitable for long-term operations. Generally, these bases would be set up and a compliment of ore gathering sleds, cargo sleds, cargo pods, and other units deemed necessary for operations would be deployed in the system and surrounding systems for the purposes of extracting resources more efficiently and easier retrival. The 9 hanger space were usually configured to hold 2 large, 3 medium, and 4 small satellite ships with the large satellite hanger spaces often holding 2 small cargo pods per R10.18. With the addition of SSUs, one of the large hanger spaces might be configured to hold 6 SSUs.
These units are small ground bases and are covered under the rules outlined in R10.311. This includes the ability to be connected to a power grid (they are subject to all of the benefits and conditions outlined in R10.31P if they are), life support, fire control, weapons arcs, etc..
These units, once active, have positional stabilizers (G29.0) and cannot be moved, rotated, or deployed in space.

Specifications:
TYPE: APLB
9 x Hanger
9 x APR
12 x Cargo
2 x Bridge
2 x Battery
2 x P-2
3 x Repair
4 x Transporter

PA cost: 1/2
Crew: 10
Boarding Parties: 2
Sensor: 6 - 0
Scanner: 0 - 9
Dam Con: 4 - 2 - 0
EX Dam.: 3
SC: 5
Life: 0
Docking points: 1
BPV: 50/8 (?), EPV cost includes the small cargo pod used in construction.


Sector Logistics Base

The larger of the bases, these were always placed in locations that provided better security via terrain, placement of ground bases, and/or defending ships as the loss of one of these bases could hamper the movement of resources to the lesser magellenic cloud for processing. They serve as a centralized point of logistics within occupied terrotory. As with the Planetary Logistics Base, these units required the main base, a small cargo pod with components, an ore gathering sled, and a repair sled to set up. Other units would be assigned to these bases based on need to accomplish the necessary operations. The main base component is the same size as a small satellite ship and cannot be connected to a power grid on a planetary surface. These units were often assigned a Mobile Operations Sled, along with the accomanying MWPs, and a Decoy Beacon for added defense. More often than not, a Gun Sled would also be assigned for added defense.
the 18 hanger spaces were usually configure to hold 4 lage, 6 medium, and 8 small satellite ships with the large satellite hanger spaces often holding 2 small cargo pods per R10.18. With the addition of SSUs, two of the large hanger spaces might be configured to hold 12 SSUs.
These units, once active, have positional stabilizers (G29.0) and cannot be moved, rotated, or deployed in space.

Specifications:
TYPE: ASLB
18 x Hanger
18 x APR
18 x Cargo
2 x Bridge
4 x Battery
4 x P-2
6x Repair
8 x Transporter

PA cost: 3/4
Crew: 20
Boarding Parties: 4
Sensor: 6 - 5 - 3 - 0
Scanner: 0 - 1 - 4 - 9
Dam Con: 4 - 2 - 2 - 0
EX Dam.: 4
SC: 4
Life: 1/2
Docking points: 3
BPV: 75/40 (?), EPV cost includes the small cargo pod used in construction.


If I missed anything or anyone has questions regarding these units, please feel free to provide feedback and/or ask.

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - 05:23 pm: Edit

As a note for real-world equivalencies as to the development of the units:
OGS = small mail delivery truck
CS = delivery van or large delivery truck
APLB = your local mail branch
ASLB = central facilities including processing and distribution centers (P&DCs), national distribution centers (NDCs), or international staging centers (ISCs)
Bull Snake cargo ship = 7 ton straight truck
King Snake cargo ship = 11 ton straight truck
small cargo pod = tractor trailer with 28 - 38 foot trailer sans tractor
medium cargo pod = tractor trailer with 45 - 53 foot trailer sans tractor

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - 07:10 pm: Edit

The problem I see is where these units fit in and how much 'future' knowledge (there were no medium or large satships during their go in the LMC and early Milky Way). There may need to be rules on reconfiguring the hanger bay. to account for the larger satships as they come into service.

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - 08:47 pm: Edit

Thank you for the feedback.
These units have a limited amount of repair, which may allow them to reconfigure their hangers themselves given enough time and resources. If so, then rules concerning reconfiguring the hanger bays would need to be worked in.
Also note that the most likely unit deploying these are noted as Missionary class ships, which would put the YIS around the same as them (Y176 in the known galaxy, earlier in the LMC).

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 - 08:15 am: Edit

DO they have beacons for the Andros to be able to use their speed?

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 - 03:12 pm: Edit

As noted in the write up above, no they don't but the bases themselves may act as a beacon in accordance with G35.425 in module J2. I would leave that up to the Steves if this proposal is accepted but it would be very useful if they were.

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Monday, May 09, 2022 - 04:33 pm: Edit

I'm guessing that this is DOA.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, May 09, 2022 - 06:08 pm: Edit

No decision has been made as SPP isn’t available.

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Monday, May 09, 2022 - 10:18 pm: Edit

Ok, and thank you for the update

By Tim Longacre (Timl) on Thursday, June 09, 2022 - 03:55 pm: Edit

OK, getting back to this as I found it again...

None of the aforementioned systems are set in stone, being up to the Steves to determine if accepted, but my reasoning for them are as follows:

1) Hanger spaces - These should be difficult if not impossible to evacuate in a scenario assuming that all of the pods, sleds, and/or SSUs are present.
2) Placement - these MUST be placed on the surface of a stellar object. Basically, if a galactic force could set up a BS there, these can fit there as well. The reason is the cavernous hole in which to place the hanger.
3) Power - These should not have enough power to do everything in a turn required for an evac scenario, but they should be able to do some of the things necessary during one.
4) Hull - I did not put hull on the write up for these as I don't have an idea of how the hull:crew ratio should work.
5) Locations - Not every system would or should have these, nor would see them necessary in the LMC due to the proximity of the Andro SB(s) in the cloud. I see these being placed in the Milky Way and surrounding dwarf galaxies as a means to consolidate and extract resources for transport back to the LMC, a loal base (SatB, BS, BATS or BAC), and as a depot to place resources needed for operations in the conquest efforts (fuel, repair materials, whatever Andromedans eat and drink, etc.).

Once again, I would appreciate any feedback