The concept of one empire transferring certain technology types to another is well established in the Star Fleet Universe. Of course, the most well-known example of this is with the Treaty of Smarba, accounted for by (607.26) from the 2016 update to the Four Powers War scenario in Fighter Operations.

Another example of this is with the Seltorians. Historically, the Torch expedition acquired samples of gunboat technology from the Klingon Empire. The Klingons also provided the "balance studies" which permitted "three-boom" hulls, such as the DNL and NCL, to be built. The Klingons also provided the fighters used on Seltorian carriers, complete with "mercenary" pilots capable of flying them (as the Seltorians are physiologically incapable of flying fighters themselves). And there are rumours of the Klingons and Seltorians working together to develop Seltorian first-generation X-ships, though any such progress would have been lost when the ISC intervened to extinguish the Burning Torch of Vengeance.

Of course, none of this happens for free; the Seltorians would have had to pay at least part of the cost, while the Klingons would have had to invest resources of their own in order to fulfill their end of the bargain.

With this in mind, I was wondering if there might be some means of accounting for technology transfers like those outlined above.

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For example, perhaps any fighter factors used by the Seltorians would have to be "raised" by the Klingons and exported to the Hive Ship. In this instance, the Seltorians would not be able to generate their own fighter factors. [This would be a corollary of sorts to (546.223).]

While the Selts can build and operate their own PFs, they'd still need Klingon help to do this - from importing samples of Klingon G1P gunboats in order to acclimatize themselves to PF flotilla operations, to converting two of the Hive Ship's bays into PF production and repair facilities. [This would be a corollary of sorts to (546.333).]

Also, perhaps the Klingons would have to pay a certain cost in EPs in order to run the "balance studies" needed for each "three-boom" hull; each "balance study" would be for only one new hull type at a time. So, if the Seltorians want to build or convert NCLs, the Klingons would have to pay a certain amount in EPs to help figure out how to do this, while the Seltorians would have to at least partially reimburse them for the effort.

So far as X-technology goes, the Klingons might have to divert a certain number of XTPs to a "Seltorian X-Technology Development Fund"; a running total over the course of several turns. Should the Seltorians survive long enough to actually start fielding X-ships under (546.6), they might be obliged to gradually pay the Klingons back for this service.

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While I have used the Seltorians as a sample case study, the concept of both empires involved in a given technology transfer having to play a role in making it happen (and in paying for it in the process) might also apply to other technologies. Be it the Romulans selling mauler technology to the Klingons (who in turn would sell it to the Lyrans); the Federation selling samples of fighter technology to the Gorns (which might factor in the cost of shipping over the Skolean "mercenary" pilots needed to fly them); the Klingons providing samples of "Klingon-type" fighters and pods to the Lyrans and LDR, as well as warp engines to the WYNs and Vudar; or perhaps the Lyrans providing samples of gunboat technology to the LDR and Klingon Empire; there is scope for other such transfers to be more formally accounted for.

So, do any of these cases of technology transfer sound like they might be worth taking a closer look at in F&E terms, if only as optional rules? Or would they take place "below" the scale at which this game system is set?

By John Christiansen (Roscoehatfield) on Saturday, May 08, 2021 - 10:21 am: Edit

Good subject and questions. I have an extra interest in the Seltorian involvement in this.

Other examples which might be of interest are the Andromedan's maulers. I don't remember if this is original Andro tech, or captured/stolen tech from local galactic powers. Also, there's the Tholian acquisition of Disruptor technology which was stolen from the Klingons. IIRC, the Tholians also stole Photon torp tech from the Federation before the Feds gave it to them.

I'll have to read the History and rules, but I'm not sure if PFs and HDWs were universally and concurrently researched or copied after observation.

It's worth the brainstorming efforts of conversation. It might evolve into or spawn something useful.