ULTRA Mini-Contest #10: Jun 12th - Jul 4th

[Cralis]

Welcome everyone to the LAST ULTRA Mini-Contest. This one is going to be a doozy, and not only will it be more difficult but it will also be worth _double_points_!! What is it? Well...

The last contest is: The best alt race or government concept.

Since both of these topics are especially difficult and we don't expect you to come up with new ideas as quickly as other topics, we've combined them into a single topic. The idea here is either: a new alternate race concept (that would apply to the alternate race rules in App.HH5.06), or a new government type. Or you can submit a combination of both, like the J'Rill or Bug Race that is not already covered under the rules. While simple alterations of existing types will not count, a significant twist on a previous concept will probably count!

(If you have any questions on whether an idea will count before you put a bunch of time into it, just PM or email me and ask, in this case I understand and I'll let you know what I think. Keep in mind that I'm not the only decider, so you can try even if I don't think it is different enough!)

As I said above, because this is such a difficult contest, the ticket scores will be doubled!!

Parameters:
1. Must be a NEW or significantly altered race, government type, or combination of both.
2. Must contain all the necessary rules, charts, and data to be usable. Suggested ranges for values will be accepted if you're not sure what the final number should be.
3. Must contain some flavor text that describes the race or government, what they are like, and how they would act.
4. Each submission must be in a separate post.

Good luck!

[Cralis]

This contest is coming to a close this weekend. If you haven't made any submissions to the contest yet - being it is worth double points - I highly recommend you do so immediately!

[procyon]

Mini Contest #10

Toridean (Micro-G) Life

Toridean Life exists either in a reflective/emission nebula, or near a neutron star. Toridean Life exists in the micro-g environment of a gas torus. They survive by burrowing into the asteroids and debris in such fields much like an ant or termite colony. They also possess very large (40-50 meters) and delicate wing like structures they use to move within the gas torus from one asteroid to another, and to absorb radiation much like a photovoltaic cell. Long lived and with small metabolic needs, they are quite capable of navigating amongst the many settlements that make up their 'home'.
Due to their lack of anything resembling a gas exchange respiratory system they are also quite capable of settling in standard asteroid belts, but lack the ability to move from one colony to another without mechanical assistance. The also do not need any life support systems (Q) placed on asteroid forts, treating them much as a terrestrial race does a PDC on a benign planet. Toridean Life still requires the normal amount of Q on all other vessels and structures. Toridean Life may also place IU in HGT and AB. Due to their long life all graded leaders are one grade higher than would be normal for their government type. Hive mind Toridean Life will not have a bonus to graded leaders, and is instead considered to have a Base Grade of Crack.
Drawbacks of the race are that it is completely unable to survive any substantial gravity due to their very delicate structure. Toridean Life may ONLY colonize HGT or AB. All other locations are considered death. They also halve the rate of any 'ground construction' due to the dispersed population and industry, but the entire population of an HGT or AB is considered for 'ground industry' and installations like RDS/SA. They must also place all SA, RDS, PTF, or other 'ground installations' in AF and pay maintenance on these assets. SY of the race may either be placed in SS or AF.
They are also unable to use Cp drives as the inertia and acceleration associated with it is fatal for Toridean Life. Inertialess drives are used without restriction.
Toridean Life also do not receive any PU to PTU adjustment for populations, making them particularly vulnerable to bombardments/genocide.
Finally, they receive only 75% value of Qv or PU in any ground combat due to Toridean Life's delicate structure.




Table HH3.06.1a Life Form/Planet Type Environment

AST Benign

HGT Benign

All others Death



Table HH3.06.1b Population Limits

HGT
(Toridean)

HGT 200 + 20 per LM

AB 60 per LM




(I am not absolutely sure of the PU levels, but with what system data I could get it looked to be fairly balanced in that no HGT gets bigger than 20M, and most AB will hold about the same Toridean PU as other races colonizing the whole system. An abundance of binary systems with multiple AB could easily skew this though.)

[Cralis]

Because Marvin is on vacation we are extending this contest until he returns on July 4th! Besides, what better day to end our whole contest?

EDIT: Due to the delay in ULTRA we are delaying the announcement of the end of this contest and winners until August. Don't worry... I think you'll love the results!

[Club]

0 success government Extreme bi-partisan government

Immediately start from scratch to generate a new government type, and set up the race. After racial setup is complete, generate another government type. At the end of every turn evenly divisible by 20 (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120) roll a D100; if the roll is over the government's Racial Outlook, the other government replaces it. Immediately conduct treaty checks for each extant treaty.

Commentary: A bit of a commentary on current events; From the outside looking in, the US political scene is weird.

[mavikfelna]

Guild Meritocracy (D/C)*L
RD success only

IC: 1/2 RC

RC Mods: -15/-05/0/+05/+15

Spending: 20/10/40/30

Grade/SY: Crack/+1

Bonus Graded Leader: One LG+1 leader (1-3 Admiral, 4-5 General, 6-8 Governor, 9-10 Diplomat)

The guild meritocracy is a state ruled by those who have shown great competence and ability within their chosen field such that they have risen to the senior leadership of that field. The various guilds or fields have then formed a ruling council of these leaders who form the federal government. These governments are known for their determination and are generally well run but the narrow focus of the guilds can lead to infighting between factions. They tend to focus on industry and trade though the more militant and xenophobic versions of this government will eschew trade in favor of military strength and conquest. Their militaries tend to be small but very professional and competent.

While those in charge are masters within their guilds, the council can often be fractious as each guildmaster has their own agenda and direction. This always leads to consideration delays.

[mavikfelna]

Zenjedi (R/I)
RC/RM/RD success

IC: RC (see below)

RC Mods: -/+05/+10/-/-

Starting Funds: 40/10/40/10

Grade/SY: Crack (see below)/+3

The Zenjedi is actually an extra-galactic energy entity that became trapped within a physical matrix of a computer/robotic deep space probe. His imprisonment has driven him insane and left only his cruel nature and desire for conquest and destruction intact.

Zenjedi has mastered his robotic form and learned how to impart a tiny piece of his consciousness into other robotic and computer systems. This allows him to control vast armies of robots and extend his senses over vast areas of space.
(Similar to hivemind telepathy)

Zenjedi has difficulty with physical technology and is very slow to discover new tech items on his own but he can quickly replicate captured technology.
(EL research is always normal but SL and item research is 2x cost and research points required is +50%. Captured technology needs to be disassembled in an SY but is then available the next turn.)

Zenjedi is able to run his industry very efficiently and thereby doubles his income and build rates. He does not grow normally but builds every individual units so when he chooses to grow he must build his population at a rate of 100HS and 10MCr per PTU. Zenjedi PTU are build for their environment so they may not be moved once placed but treat any body they are on as benign. Emplaced population are treated as growth. He will not build populations on Hot or Frozen O1 or O2, V, G or I bodies. Population limits as per T/ST races apply. Qv and H troops require 10HS and normal cost to generate and may be stored indefinitely until used in Qv and H aboard ship without maintenance or H loss.

Zenjedi's units are granted greater or lesser parts of his consciousness depending on if they are meant as leaders or how important they are to him. Any unit of the 2 largest hull sizes he can build as well as any unit with a CIC or X will get a Greater Consciousness (use J'rill (Brain) for ease of play) all others will get a Lesser Consciousness (use J'rill (Slave)). Lesser Consciousness units are always treated as Green grade, may not advance and may not carry a graded leader of any kind. Greater Consciousness units start at Crack grade and may advance. They may also carry a graded leader consciousness if one is available. While the units use the Brain and Slave tech items for convenience, they do not suffer the J'rill limitations. The Brain and Slave units do replace the H and Q requirements for the hulls, same as they do for J'rill.

Graded Leader Consciousnesses are difficult for Zenjedi to create. Each turn there is a cumulative +1% chance per turn since the last leader was created that he will create a new one. They may be of any type, including diplomat, determined randomly (1-5 Admiral, 6-7 General, 8-9 Governor, 10 Diplomat). They begin as LG+0 and have the normal chances for special abilities and advancement. This is the only way Zenjedi may generate graded leaders. They cost 1000Mcr when created. He does start with an LG+2 Efficient General.


Zenjedi will capture populations as well as units and is willing to use them as slaves. He will never advance them past the Slave relationship stage. There is a 1% chance per turn that he will tire of a population and wipe it out completely. He will use any method available to do so, including genocidal ground attacks and nuclear bombardment.

Upon first contact with a new race, there is a 10% chance that Zenjedi will be interested in talking with them. If this is the case, the only treaties he will accept are Non-Intercourse, Non-Aggression, or Defensive Military. There is a 5% chance per turn that he will tire of the treaty and seek to change it (50%) or discard it and go to war (50%). If a Defensive Military treaty exists and he chooses to change it, there is a 50% chance that he will upgrade it to an Offensive Military treaty and ask his treaty partner to join him in one of his ongoing conflicts, or if there are no current conflicts, to start a new war or join in one of his allies wars. He will sell technology of up to EL-2 SL to his military allies and will always try and acquire any tech he doesn't have.

[Club]

Warp Race

The warp race is a truly odd variant on a vacuum race. They inhabit the debris most warp points collect, and survive on solar radiation and the energy released by the WP's reality distortions. Having evolved in weightless conditions, they have no tolerance for any kind of gravity, but can manage to eke out existences in asteroid belts, as well as their native habitat around warp points

Warp Points
Habitability Benign --> harsh
REI - always Very Poor (It's barely a step from deep space. Also to counter the obscene number of habitable sites)
Population limits - low. given just how many colonization sites these people have, they don't need big populations. suggest a multiple of the warp point hull capacity.

Asteroid belts.
Habitability - desolate.
REI - rich
Pop limits - standard LS*15

Everything else - death. Any appreciable gravity crushes them to death. They simply aren't designed for it.

"Ground" combat
Qv must be mounted in shuttles to count towards resolution.
Ast count for 40 QV towards resolution
Armed ships count as 20+(HS/5) QV
Fighters and gunboats count as QV equal to the number of DP the squadron has

Benefits - Warp Point race triple their EL when determining the size of base they can build.

Drawbacks - really easy to invade. Hard to hide their warp chains, as their civilizations give away WP locations. No space stations (They tend to drift uselessly around the system) or PDC.

[Club]

Solar race:

Solar races are children of atomic fires and complex plasma physics. They develop in the outer layers of suns, and have physiology barely comprehensible to more conventional life.

Stars - I'll leave the population limits and REI to someone who knows the details of astronomical classifications.

Gas giants. Extreme. Low population limits. Like 10 or 15 PU

Everything else - death.


Disadvantages. Cannot survey or traverse starless nexus. Ships without stars nearby simply shut down after 5 tactical turns. Just the way their tech develops, no way around it. Also means that they won't be able to use the distant star in most trinary systems

Advantages -

1) Sensors ignore nebula effects. They're used to the conditions inside STARS - some dust is barely noticeable.
2) Ships do not take damage from proximity to stars or maser nebula. They're adapted to them as a necessary engineering feat for their existence and common use. This trait is not transferable.
3) Try to invade the star. Just try.
4) If all known survey-able systems have been surveyed to the maximum possible level (for their EL) five times, there is a 1% (Cumulative) chance per turn that a random star in their empire will develop the Coronal WP oddity; this always leads to another Coronal WP.( See note 1)

Note 1 - I know I read this oddity somewhere. I just can't find it. it's a WP within the radius of a star.

[Cralis]

While I moved and Marvin was away, the decision was to leave this contest open. We are finally closing it in order to start an end to the contest! Yes, that means we are also getting closer to finishing the next revision of ULTRA...

We'll be back shortly with scores. There were more than a few last minute entries!