The Phalanx Editorial Office

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Googlie
And as the game recognizes terrotory to be just 7 tiles from a base (3 for a seabase) maybe we should temper the Doctrine

IMO, we should only temper it, if there's anyone able to challenge us. After all it is a declaration of power, so powerful it should sound. We do have assault ships to enforce it, right?

[Googlie]

We have 2

- one, the SCC (Spartan Combat Craft) Hunter, is just in the bay southwest of our landmass - it's the one that popped the pod last turn and will pop another this turn or next.

- the other, SCC Invincible, is half way round the planet on an extended explration trip, Right now it's in Gaian coastal waters way south of us. It's 20% damaged from an IoD encounter, still has 4 mps, but wouldn't survive another IoD attack, so we're not podpopping with it until after it gets back to a friendly base to get to 100% efficiency.

(See map below. We're the black dots in the upper right quadrant of the map. two vessels are hilited in yellow

)

[Modo44]

So, basically, we would be trying to scare people with that statement, because one vessel isn't enough to stop more than one vessel... Propaganda.

Or are we producing more? Because we definately should be, given our position - surrounded by water.

[Googlie]

We will be producing more, esp after we get the MCC, but our priorities right now are crawlers (to instabuild SP's and to work mines, thus offsetting our industry penalty), hoplites (trance scouts) to fend off drones (one unit quells 1 drone) so that we don't need to build rec commons right away, crypteia (defensive infantry probes) to word off the others' probes when they come crawling, rovers, for our invasion of the Uni, formers, to build mines and boreholes to enable bases to produce things like ............... ships

That's about where they are rtigth now in our priority list. Too many things needing built, and not enough bases (or minerals) to build them.

(Plus, right now, we only have 3 coastal bases, and one of these, Gythium Harbour, is currently close to zero minerals, and the second, Minas Tirith, has just been founded these last few turns and is still producing its garrison units. The other (Vladivostok, our Eastern Fleet headquarters) will soon have a 7-mineral mine working, so it'll prolly be our overall naval HQ)

[Modo44]

I see. So no big ships yet.

Still, probably the secret projects soon to be completed will be good enough to justify our claims. After all, the others don't know (yet) that we only have those two vessels. So make them worry some more.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
Still, probably the secret projects soon to be completed will be good enough to justify our claims.

Indeed. Currently an eight-tile territorial claim doesn't make sense, but next year when we construct the MCC, it does since we have 8-MP cruisers.

Of course a seven-tile territorial claim would work too: that would still officially allow us to sink invading 7-MP elite probe cruisers.

[Maniac]

I think we should aim to release our next Phalanx before the turn reaches Morgan. As our combat navy is limited, we mainly have to count on the bluff and propaganda of the Googlie-Maniac-Snoddasmannen Doctrine (how about the 'Modo Doctrine' as a err... compromise? ) to convince the Morganites it might not be such a good idea to try and infiltrate us. (Though of course SCC Hunter is well-positioned to patrol the Laconian Straits if we'd want to do that)

Btw, I've rewritten the article about us going Fundy a bit, to include us building the Command Nexus. Tips to improve the article are always welcome! - I suck at writing stories.

---

OLYMPUS ACADEMY – As of MY 2148, the Spartan Federation has gone through a governmental reform. The gradual democratization happening in the last few decades has been put to a halt. Instead a factional state of emergency has been declared, concentrating power with the military and especially the higher echelon Junta.

The reason for this state of emergency had not been released at the time. Speculations therefore had gone wild of course, ranging from a power struggle within the Spartan elite to an invasion of the Progenitors. Now three years later the reasons have been officially announced: the reforms were necessary to succesfully prepare for the University invasion. Whatever the reason may be, protest has risen against the annulation of certain Helot rights (a Helot is a Spartan non-citizen) and the increased government control over the economy. Some liberal Helots have even called the new regime “Fundamentalist”. We have not been able to ask these liberals for further comment though, as they seem to have disappeared.

One of the first changes announced by the now even more powerful Junta government was an increase in military spending. The aim of that budget increase is to build up the most powerful and unchallenged elite army on Chiron. To that end the current military HQ at the Santiago Citadel command center has been moved to Olympus Academy. There a brand new Command Nexus has been built, equipped with the most modern information & communication technology, so strategists can even better guide our troops to victory!

Alongside these major reforms another minor measure was announced: an order to address Lt-Colonel Riveira with the title “Duce Maniac”. After some Dutch speaking Spartans started calling him the similarly pronounced “doetje” (softy) Maniac though, this measure was quickly reversed…

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Maniac
(how about the 'Modo Doctrine' as a err... compromise? )

Yes, a splendid idea. I agree.

[Snoddasmannen]

I'm really looking forward to the next issue of the Phalanx Kass, not to mention the reactions of the other factions

[Kassiopeia]

Heh, thanks. I'm pushing to get Special Edition #1 out today.

[Kassiopeia]

Grievous University Atrocities Revealed

by Major Kassiopeia

With heavy heart I write this news report onboard the SNC Mercury, bound east, having assumed command of my personal brigade and the Spartan Expedition Force.

Only a week ago, a Spartan intelligence unit conducting normal operations inside Spartan territorial waters was encountered by a makeshift boat. Upon intercepting the vessel, the only passenger of it, whose name shall remain withheld for the time being for their own security, declared their desire to defect to the Spartan Federation. With them was a wealth of damning evidence of actions inside University bases that are in violation of everything from the UN Charter to the common sense of decency.

[Images of drones and even normal citizens being subject to testing Doktor Mengele would be envious of, including extreme temperatures, electric shocks, consummation of corrosive substances, etc. Also included is footage of horribly malformed humans, apparently victims of heavyhanded and primitive experiments in genetic engineering.]

Faced with this evidence, the Spartan Junta pursued the matter with University Base, demanding that their activity be ceased and inspectors from all factions be allowed access to their facilities to ensure that this has indeed taken place. These demands, based on a wholesome sense of the importance of human rights, fell on deaf ears.

After this diplomatic crisis had broiled for some time, the Junta also came to the conclusion that the Merchant Exchange situated in the very base of University Base was posing a major threat to the Spartan economoy and through that Sparta's sovereignity. In a speech held before the Junta, Lieutenant Colonel Maniac said that:

"The Merchant Exchange has only been constructed a year ago, and already the University is flooding our markets with their cheap and decadent products. Already our Helots are being corrupted by their cultural and economic imperialism. If we don’t defend ourselves, it would only be a matter of time before we were forced to become minions of Zakharov's brutal amoral society."

The statement was met with a storm of rousing applause.

It is therefore that, with heavy heart and great reluctance, the Spartan Federation considers as of Mission Year 2151 the University of Planet its foe and opponent in vendetta and war.

The declaration of war was delivered to the University ambassador to Sparta yesterday, who was then allowed to return to her homeland with her staff.

Intelligence data suggests that several University bases immediately initiated the construction of Perimeter Defences after this had occurred, implying that University may have been preparing for armed conflict for some time now.

Added a few hours later:

To report on the actual war actions taken a few hours ago and in the future, The Phalanx has its own war correspondant, Lieutenant Isela Grosskreutz from the Ministry of Information. Due to heavy electronical jamming and scarce resources, the Lieutenant is forced to communicate text-only. Her first report to us follows.

Spartan Expedition Force Lands; Operation to Topple Tyrannical Government Initiated

by Lieutenant Grosskreutz

Earlier today the Spartan Expedition Force, SEF, approached a piece of University shoreline onboard the transport unit SNC Mercury. On the Mercury to lead the assault was Major Kassiopeia.

The vessel lowered anchor several dozens of meters before the shoreline and the actual expedition force was sent to the land by manner of special landing boats. The SEF had prepared for a brutal landfall and was prepade for a prolonged battle from the moment they would disembark, but the coastal area was, much to everyone's surprise, found empty of any University activity. The Major confirmed one last time the Junta's decision to break the Treaty of Friendship with the University of Planet.

Then with careful and reserved actions the SEF then established itself on the landing zone. I can not divulge their entire strengths or abilities here, but I can tell you as I type this that several units were armed with particle impactors and that most of the SEF was a mobile force using rover and speeder chassis. This was because the actual target of the landing was a hundred or so kilometers further inland: University Base.

The decision to assault University Base was an obvious one after some consideration, Major Kassiopeia told me when I had the opportunity to ask him about it after the initial operations were over. It was relatively close to Spartan territory and thus ideal for a quick offensive operation, and above all, it was the home of the current University administration, the toppling of which was the primary objective of the Expedition Force.

But I get ahead of things. After securing a foothold on the landing zone most of the Expedition Force set forward up the rolling hills and plains to engage the defenders of University Base. As its white citadels appeared into our view after a few hours of undisturbed travel, the entire SEF was again surprised to discover that there was no resistance at all. The rudimentary perimeter defence system was apparently meant only for staving off hordes of mindworms, not a well-balanced military machine. Only a few automated guns opened fire, but no Spartan soldiers were injured in this nominal first battle operation.

As we continued on towards central University Base, having penetrated the environmental isolation hub of it, groups of people started to emerge to the streets, waving hands at us and cheering. The streets got so cramped that our assault ground to a halt, and the commanding officers were starting to wonder if this was some sort of cowardly ploy by the University military. When I myself descended from the rover I was travelling in to talk with the University citizens, I was told that we were being greeted as liberators, a reaction we hadn't quite expected but had suspected all along despite the propaganda broadcast and netflashes we had received from the UoP.

Apparently, as several of our intel and political analysts had postulated, the University is in fact being governed by a small academic elite, numbering only a meagre three to five percent of the entire population. This almost infinitesimally small minority had, with its control over the armed forces and simple commodities such as water and food, subjugated the massive working classes under its control. This included businessmen, simple drones, and even academics of the humanities and environmental scientists who were of the ecologially friendly, dare I say Gaian, persuasion.

And so after installing a few loudspeaker to kindly ask the masses to give way, we proceeded towards the University main heaquarters, a large stack of towers dominating the University Base cityscape. Major Kassiopeia's personal rover unit, Shinsengumi, took the lead in the offence as we navigated our way through the streets. A few hundred meters before the headquarters there was not enough room for the speeders to maneuvre, and the Major saw it best to emit from them and proceed to the building complex on foot. The impact guns of the rovers were mostly detached to create mobile weapons platforms that could be carried and operated by a few men - a Spartan innovation that allows great flexibility in combat operations, especially in urban environments.

As the men of the Shinsengumi approached the main doors of the headquarters, bustling and loud sounds were heard from within. The brigade took positions in the nick of time as a barrage of bullets shattered the glass walls and doors. Simultaniously intel reports of the entire University administration fleeing the base started to leak in. Shinsengumi promptly attacked the headquarters building and eliminated all resistance. Later studying and interviewing has revealed that the resistance was set up by a University militia, an arm of the UoP armed forces, which is loyal to Zakharov and his cronies to the point of fanaticism. The takeover of the University HQ building was the only major combat event of this operation so far.

What will happen after this? Details are not divulged for obvious reasons, but Major Kassiopeia had this to say:

"The base formerly known as University Base will from now on be called Arcadia University. The current plans for Arcadia University are to establish a provisional University government here, which can preside over the rebuilding of the University faction after we have liberated it from Zakharovian yoke.

I am personally taking over as Governor General of the faction for now, although I will continue in my former duties as Senior Diplomatic Officer as well. I have discussed with representatives of the common Universitians, that 97 percent of them, and they have lauded their actions and given their support for me and the Federation until Zakharov and his henchmen have been completely ousted. Then a democratic process may elect a new, ethical and moral administration for the faction."

[Kassiopeia]

This, of course, means that from now on my entire title is:

Major Kassiopeia, Senior Diplomatic Officer, Governor General of the University of Planet, Minister of Information, Chief Editor of The Phalanx, and Commanding Officer of the Spartan Expedition Force.

[Kassiopeia]

To that end, I'm thinking that we could rename the entire UOP faction to "Arcadia". I'm already now referring to "Arcadians" in a new version of the articles, and the invasino operation is codenamed "Operation Arcadia". I think the names very fitting and would emphasise their new future as a pact sister faction. Also it allows for a WW2-esque or Cold War-esque formality: the University of Planet no longer exists and is but a bunch of Zakharovian cronies, who have subjugated and are unlawfully occupying Arcadian bases and lands. We should also instruct other factions to cease from communicating with this unlawful administration until we can completely topple it and replace it with Arcadians.

We could ask the mods to do an edit of their faction name in this vein should we subdue them to a submissive pact, and we could write a piece on how Zakharov was really a front, imprisoned himself by UOP tyranns, and has now been installed as the rightful president or something like that.

[Modo44]

Good read.

Good idea about Zak too.

Major Kassiopeia, Senior Diplomatic Officer, Governor General of the University of Planet, Minister of Information, Chief Editor of The Phalanx, and Commanding Officer of the Spartan Expedition Force.

We are definately short of personnel.

[Kassiopeia]

We are definately short of personnel.

I was thinking, as the SEF needs to proceed further into Uni territory, the Mercury could dock at Arcadia University and you could be appointed Governor General in my stead with me needed elsewhere. How about it?