Settlement Design: The Soviet

[Force of Arms]

By Szunyog

On the dark side of the terminus in that rugged area of canyons and 'seasonal' lakebeds and wadis is a small settlement that ekes out a survival in one of the most brutal and deadly environments on K-Gamma.

The population scratches out a living by piracy labeled as "border security" or by clawing resources from the various canyons and rockfalls around the area of the settlement.

Most of the standing security force are mech pilots on their way down or on pilots who have earned either fairly or unfairly, reputations as untrustworthy. Their infantry and armour are pretty much from the same types. They all are set apart from other 'pirate bands' by a charismatic group of political leaders who judiciously play each faction against the other and as the need arises all the groups against the bogeyman of "Hostile Corporate Take-over".

Currently the 'Central Committee' has been able to maintain this delicate political balance and keep the security forces as well maintained as can be expected. Even they know that when they depart for whatever reason, the balance will dissolve, but no one is able to or willing to try and buck the current system.

The civilians, mostly refugees from Corporate creditors or the Law, or just a need to adventure, like the freedom of The Soviet, and for the most part do not fear the military.

The military of which there are several sub-factions enjoys a relative amount of perks, but chafe at the lack of spares but are unwilling to lose their independence by 'kissing the crotch of a corp'.

The Corps would like to remove this speck, but it is economically unfeasible with the current posturing and tinderbox delicacy of the current situation. Besides losses are minimal and unless it became worthwhile, until the Corp dominance against it's other competitors will require more worry and actions than this pest.

Other settlements occasionally hear rumours of 'independent' settlements but so many are nothing more than the ravings of Twitch addicted miners and prospectors. Occasionally though someone truly desperate and vastly lucky find their way out there and tries to settle in.

The one thing that makes The Soviet a temporary looking camp rather than a permanent settlement, is the weather. Twice a year the ice comes, and twice a year the floods follow later on. The permanent residents have learned to move their housing and other structures up the canyon walls until the flooding passes and then move back down to get at the new veins of ore and whatever else has been uncovered. The military structures are permanently on the canyon tops and heavily camouflaged to remain hidden from prying eyes and satellites.


>>>>> Well, this is just off the top of my head and a bit of pondering. Given more time I can flesh out major personalities and even firm up factions etc. I envision this as a extra-planetary 'Free City of Krakow' ala Twilight 2000 of GDW fame.
I hope this finds some use for the game.

[Force of Arms]

Response by khil1

Looks good but K-9WD Gamma is a desert planet in the begining, no flooding going on. Unless this settlement doesn't pop-up until after terraforming has begun.

[Force of Arms]

Response by Crosseyes

I got to about "dark side of" and gave up. A paint file and a description would do  s'cool tho, I'll try to finish reading

[Force of Arms]

Response by Agamemnon

Oh for shame Crosseyes, That was a really GOOD write up envisioning the settlement. Although, with a little tweaking as khil1 mentioned for the factor of terraforming I forsee the "free city of krakow"-ish settlement known as The Soviet as a no greater hive of villainy in the galax....err...oops sorry wrong game.......eh,  a really great settlement idea....I would love to see the vision come to the game. Please expound upon it more and if possible detail out what it looks like.

[Force of Arms]

Response by Szunyog

>To Khil1: I might have seen or misread something about the icecap of K-Gamma. Putting The Soviet a little further along during the terraforming process is not a problem as the basic idea of a "refuge settlement" an excellent source of RP material and given humanity's basic pig-headedness very viable from a percieved need by the persons who would live there. If I am wrong, the fault is mine. Also, before you say: "Whaddya mean it is necessary?" Bear with me here a second. You have a shipload of COLONISTS. One of the prerequesites to be a colonist is a need to be free from some restriction in your life. I mean, (w/o any stereotyping going on here) a welfare mother or a successful middle class shop owner will not have that 'itch' to get out of their comfortable spot, nu? On the other hand, a young-ish say extreme sport athlete does have that itch to go out and find the next extreme thing, or just go where S/He can go and find that cliff that NO ONE ELSE ever parasailed from or whatever. A blue collar worker would want to find a place where he can earn a good wage, maybe get out from some grinding debts back on the home-planet etc.

>The Crosseyes and (somewhat to Agememnon): I have the artistic ability of a paraplegic amoeba, but if you all dinna laugh too hard I will try to work up some sort of map. So give me a day or two to try to get something down. The next Q I'd have is: HOW in blue blazes do I put it into a thread when I get done?

I am truely a refugee from the short bus when it comes to computer stuff. 

[Force of Arms]

Some responses from previous thread omitted due to being off topic or no longer relevant to the new forums.

[Crosseyes]

drawing a map isn't that tough, (free-hand, or computer pic) just draw a circle with a bunch of squares inside of it and lable them

As for how, here are some "special" directions on how to get an image on here:

1. turn on computer ( just kidding, seriously now)

1. search (use any search site) for "free image hosting"
2. choose a site (this is usually Image Shack)
3. Follow site instructions
4. Copy the "HTML" code (note: there may be different kinds, HTML is usually the one that starts with "http//:)
5. Paste the code inside your post, and put "image brackets around it" (found in the buttons section right above and [note: this may not be nessesary{preview the post before posting it}])

Did that help?  yes[ ]  No[  ]  kidding

P.s. don't use the image re-sizer, I was thinking of something else

[Shadow Star]

Dont know if a map was previously posted for this settlement on the old forums.

I know mine wasnt the best map, but i put out my time and little skill and lots of patience for all to use. Drop me a PM or an Email (my adress is not hidden) with a basic sketch or a detailed description and i will see what i can do.

[Szunyog]

Here is the updated map. 

KEY:
A:  Military hangars (underground)
B:  Residence areas
C:  Mining and Manufacturing
D:  Government, Hospital, and Greenhouses

Green installations:  Defence turrets
Red Installation:  Sensor base and power plant(underground)

THis is the best I could do without a mouse.  The photo image is one of Mars itself and gotten from a Google search.

~Yogi

[Hamilton]

By chance, do you know what name of that map of Mars is?  Or the link??

It may be possible to get that landscape into the game world.  The problem is that the picture shown is a shaded relief map, which doesn't provide shades of elevation well (black being the lowest, white being the heighest).  So with a name, we might be able to track down the digital elevation map of that picture.  Load it into the game world and now your settlement can match the layout as shown above.

Worst case, we can try an emulation of it (it will take longer).

[Distance880]

it still wouldnt be ideal.  But you could invert the colors.  basicly make a negative of the image you have already.

[Szunyog]

The actual pic:  http://www.kidscosmos.org/kid-stuff/mars-trip-2a.html  The website using this IDs it as the Ares Vallis area of Mars.  In the unsullied photo, it is the centre of the photo image.



The other picture I would have used was this one:  http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/inquisitor/pages.html  (Landsite.gif)


But I just liked the Ares Vallis one a bit better for clearness of the mapping I could do.

[Mr_Red_X]

One thing: does this mean they're russian? and do they  have a uniform?

[Szunyog]

Oh not at all.  I used the term 'soviet' in it's generic meaning of ruling governmental committee. 

It sounded more pertinent and less limiting than say, The Triumvirate, and more devious than The Committee

At first their 'uniform' would be a mish-mash of whatever they had available for each refugee with maybe a paint job hastily applied to vehicles and not terribly conforming to a perfect copy of whatever iconic representation they'd use.  The 'military' would merely have an armband ala the French resistance fighters had in the confusing moments leading up to the liberation of Paris.

Later when they were more entrenched into the world they might have a simple uniform and a more uniform set of crests and paint jobs for vehicles and such.

[Mr_Red_X]

Oh not at all.  I used the term 'soviet' in it's generic meaning of ruling governmental committee. 

It sounded more pertinent and less limiting than say, The Triumvirate, and more devious than The Committee

At first their 'uniform' would be a mish-mash of whatever they had available for each refugee with maybe a paint job hastily applied to vehicles and not terribly conforming to a perfect copy of whatever iconic representation they'd use.  The 'military' would merely have an armband ala the French resistance fighters had in the confusing moments leading up to the liberation of Paris.

Later when they were more entrenched into the world they might have a simple uniform and a more uniform set of crests and paint jobs for vehicles and such.

ah got ya....

Triumviate...team led by three....weird....but cool....logo I'm guessing will be some odd triad?