Archive through June 27, 2007
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Prime Directive RPG: NEW EMPIRE BOOKS:
RPG FEDERATION:
Federation Background:
Archive through June 27, 2007
I believe the plan is to use the Fed Frigate plans (originally from Prime Alpha).
Nick,
What, not finished with those BCH plans yet? Did SVC want all the variants done or what?
Hee, hee.
To everyone else, I'm kidding around.
Although an APT might be nice.
I was thinking that a CL or POL would be more interesting - and would also help an FRA campaign, too!
Gary
I do want to do a Texas class CL.
Well, technically it's originally the Province-class - if you wanted to include the W- and Y-era variants.
And that's before we even mention the Aurorans...
Gary
Texas Class CL PLEEEEAAAAAAASE!
Well, I started drawing one, but I doubt Steve wants it for the Fed book as he is planning to use the FF plans, but perhaps in a Cap Log down the road...
Maybe you could do it up as an FRA CL, to use in a future Omega book!
Gary
One thing I'm interested in seeing are the variety of political systems that occur within the Federation. GPD states that member worlds must have multi-party democracy and a free market capitalist economy, which sounds very blah, but with a little creativity, could be quite interesting.
Perhaps a hereditary monarch with elected ministers. Elected positions held for life (or perhaps leaders are changed only when recalled by demand of the populace, like in California with Schwarzeneggar) could be interesting.
Also, government regulation of the economy can take different forms, shaping different planetary economies into very different things.
The planet in "The Cloud Minders" with its rigid caste system, was a Federation member. I'm thinking the Federation, particularly when forming for mutual protection against the Romulans, Klingons, and Kzinti, were not that picky about who they let in.
Well, to understand it fully you'll need to read the government files that explains the different types of memebers of the Federation and there's a nice article come in PD Feds.
There are several types of "members" under the Federation.
Y125 setting questions from a first time GPD GM:
I'm adapting that Graduation Exercise adventure (published in 1992) for my gaming group. Specifically, the initial little faux hostage rescue scene at the beginning of the adventure is now for real. I seek the answers to the following four questions. The answers do not have to be ADB canon; let me know if they are though.
Q1. What is the smallest pre-Y125 civilian ship that would take on paying passengers, cargo, and have a shuttle bay? My players (recent Academy graduates) are returning from 2 weeks R&R before getting their first real assignment. While returning home (Earth), sinister forces on this ship will force the Ensigns to spring into action. I want the ship to be small enough so that it is reasonable that they would be the most equipped persons on board to handle the situation--everyone else will be looking to them to take the lead.
Q2. What would the crew compliment be on the above ship?
Q3. What likely planet would they go to for their two week holiday? I want it to be close enough to earth that they could easily book affordable civilian transport to get there. I want it to be far enough away that they can not just call for help and expect it to get there in a few hours.
Q4. Star Fleet Academy is on Earth, right? San Francisco?
Thanks for any help/advice!
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In answer to the above,
(1) While an APT or FedX might be smaller, you've got deckplans for a Free Trader in GPD4. I'd use that.
(2) Ditto.
(3) If you're thinking of a all-science no-fun planet that's an archeological dig, go for Ankrogea on the Federation border; ANYTHING could come across the border. If something more like Las Vegas would be to your cadet's taste, pick something in the Orion Cluster.
(4) Correct.
JOHN SICKELS: In the C?? topic, an interesting point came up.
Regarding warp-capable races/planets that are physically within Federation Space but are not members of the Federation, how does the Federation handle interaction between these races and foreign governments, such as the Klingons?
Some races might not be "joiners", or are so alien that they cannot understand what interspecies cooperation is, or they simply may not meet the requirements for membership and have NO interest in changing things -- example, slavery.
Is this something you've thought about for PD FEDS? Yet? 
Yes, it's something I've thought about. Haven't written up the solution yet.
I don't think that there is a complex problem there.
Any single planet really doesn't have the resources for building anything that is a serious threat. They might be able to build one full cruiser per four or five years but are more likely to build small ships along the size of frigates with maybe a DD and those ships would number in the handfull. Still more likely would be Free Trader size units.
Within their own space which might be a parsec or two, maybe ten tops, they could operate freely but the Federation would have contacted them and explained that he territory around them belongs to the United Federation of Planets. This is sort of a hard thing to argue and stand against since there is no one race to hate. If you want things different you are standing against the majority and you cannot claim that one race is being overbearing.
Such individualist races will find it in their best interest to cooperate simply because they naturally gain the protection of Starfleet (which doesn't force their protection) and so this race can focus its efforts on ecconomic expansion.
A race with imperialistic goals will suffer the most feelings of confinement. They will only be able to choose isolation and not gain the bennefits fo trade and such from the Federation. It's hard to see an advanced race remaining so unless they simply don't need anything from outsiders. They could go to war with the Federation but Star Fleet will have made the futility of such a thing clear from first contact, in a polite and honest way of course.
The there is the pure isolationists who only control their own star system and either forbit intrusion or are open to visitation. They people might have some warp capable ships but probably only small FedEx syle units for trade with exotic locals.
OK, Loren, then what do you do if you have a race that doesn't recognize the Federation's authority, for any number of possible reasons, and they don't want to toe the Federation line. For example, they want to colonize a planet in a nearby system, but the Feds have reserved it for someone else. Do you blow up the colony ships when they refuse to talk with the Feds?
What if the race is so alien that communication is impossible? A race that is telepathic within it's own species, and the Fed telepath races cannot make contact?
In a galaxy as large as ours, there are always going to be races that don't want to play nice with the others. A military option is always there for races like the Klingons, but what options does the Federation have if a diplomatic solution is not acceptable to the minor race?
The Federation is a huge ecconomic force and has a great many resources that it can bring to bear on any particular situation. No, they will not use the military as a quick solution but they will find a way to come to a compromise. So long as the race in question isn't attacking the Federation colonies and members there is continuing diplomacy. The Federation might even pay them off in some way. There are other means of force short of OPEN military conflict as well... Prime Teams and other resources less know but highly effective.
There is no doubt that an unclaimed planet or system can be claimed by this race in question but if it has already been claimed then the Federation will hold hearing as to the rightful claim and enforce the finding.
The Federation is certainly willing to exert military force, just that it goes through the right channels and fits the situation. FOr instance, genocide would never be reasonable but a strong blockade would be and if that meant the planet began to starve then the Federation would send aid (while still maintaining the blockade).
I'm sure most races see reason though and some solution of coexistance is found. Clearly the Federation has existed through history and never destroyed anyone so continuing diplomacy eventually works. Many or a few may choose isolation or limited trade with specific partners.
Some might even prefer trade with enemies with the Federation. They would have that right as non-memebers but you can be sure the Federation would be seeing to their interests (like spying on them).
The basic rule would be, impeed bad behavior and support good behavior and don't do any of the former in public view but do ALL of the latter in the open.
Remember the the Federation is not pacifist but is highly agressive. Their agression is expressed in all way non-military as much as possible with the military always in the background supporting everything else.
And the Federation would NEVER go to war with a race inside their borders. Such actions are called "police actions".
BTW, I'm away until Friday.
The Federation would never subjugate a noncompliant planet...but, of course, you need to have Federation Food/Drug Authority certification to sell food products or pharmaceuticals to Federation customers. And you need to have Federation Aero/Astronautical Authority certification before you're permitted to transport Federation citizens on your vessel...and only a few Federation ports will even permit a non-certified vessel to land (it's typically part of the insurance contract, y'see.) And, of course, there's the 35% tariff on all goods produced by "foreign states".
And that's before you get into the Federation Bureau Of Sustainable Ecology documentation requirements. Did you, sir, ensure that your business process does not cause permanent and irrevocable harm to the indigenous natural population of the area in which you're conducting your business? Oh, it's an asteroid with no atmosphere, is it? Well, then in that case certification should have been easy to obtain...
Gary;
I would think the Federation would simply blockade the system of any race that does not want to play nice. Place a few automated monitoring buoys and have a FF standing by to intervene if necessary. Intercept any vessel leaving the solar system order them to turn around and board and commandeer any vessel that ignores the warning and continues to enter Federation space. If the race wants to use force to get its way it would quickly find a CA group "defending" Federation interests. From a PR point of view, it would be shown as Star Fleet defending the Federation from a bunch of “Savage Barbarians”. As Loren says star ships are expensive, in F&E terms an independent world cannot produce enough economic might to finance a "fleet" in anything under a generation. Let alone maintain it.
I would think the Federation would be very adapt at creating trading relationships, with independent systems, and moving the races through the chain, from first contact through trading agreements, to alliance partners, to associate members to full Federation memberships. Those that do not want to process down the path would find themselves isolated.
PLus of course, the primary traders with these rogue planets would be Orions.