Year 4, Month 1
Two new Thor class assault cruisers, Odin and Loki, along with three new Javelin -r1 destroyers and Cartwright, a Blacksmith class mobile shipyard, are completed. This brings our fleet strength to 10 Apollo CLs, 3 Thor assault CLs, 18 Javelin -r1 DDs, 3 Javelin DDs, 34 Attack CTs, 5 Pursuit CTs and 6 Blacksmith SYMs. An additional Apollo is under construction, and 3 further CLs and 5 DDs are undergoing refit. There are also 6 Surveyor FGs and 100 Whisker EXs in the survey fleets, and 6 small bases around homeworld. A further 2 Surveyors are ordered so that each survey fleet will have the required two survey leaders.
Our scientists are hopeful that the ongoing theoretical research will soon produce a general breakthrough, but in the meantime a small group of skilled computer and sensor/scanner techs are brought together to try and bring about a breakthrough in target tracking.
In Hummingbird, Small Fang Twang's contact teams establish full communications with the Barada, but our generous offer of a trading relationship is rejected. Our stealthy probes of their homeworld have shown it to be poor in mineral wealth, and coupled with the hostile environment, this makes it particularly undesirable.
2^nd Survey finds a WP in Armadillo that leads over to Camel, where the contact ship in orbit around the alien homeworld has also completed the sly evaluation of the planet, finding it to have an unpleasant biosphere, but with the offsetting advantage of plentiful mineral wealth.
Over in Platypus, 3^rd Survey completes the rough survey and finds a welcome three new WPs. Initial excitement is dashed, however, when they are probed. They lead to Toucan and Gorilla, both uninhabitable single star systems, and Owl, an uninhabitable binary system. Most disappointing.
This is further compounded when 4^th Survey finds no new WPs in Wildebeest when the rough survey is done.

Year 4, Month 2
Our scientists were correct, and we have made a number of useful breakthroughs from theory to reality in science and technology, and industry is already benefiting. As the new Apollo Kali leaves the yards, work is begun on an even larger cruiser hull. And the whiskers of the military are vibrating with the thought of possible new weapon technologies to go with this powerful vessel.
The refits of the CLs and DDs are completed and a fourth FDF is formed under the command of Least Claw Aristedes, and is sent to Walrus to guard our growing colonies on Tethys and Aurora.
Our diplomats have recommenced activity and meet with some success. Although the Barada, Smargis and BrunAgi all reject our offers, the Falasians have consented to upgrade our treaty to Trade and Military. In Camel, the Tolmecs have been added to our growing list of friends and they have agreed to open up Trade immediately.
The first small colonising party arrives on Gkar.
In Hummingbird 1^st Survey completes the detailed survey and finds a new WP. It is found to lead to Toucan, a welcome link from one side of the Confederation to the other. At the same time as the probe goes in, the rest of the fleet finishes the non-habitable worlds survey. As the frontier around Hummingbird has been explored, 1^st Survey makes use of this new link to jump to the stellar region around Platypus.
4^th Survey completes stealthy probes of the homeworld of the primitives in Wildebeest, finding it poor in useful resources, but with a pleasant climate.

Year 4, Month 3
A major investment is made in science. The hope of this new research is a sensor system that will allow our ships to detect hostile forces at long range. This costs us nearly 70% of our net income. The Rigellian Commune agrees to a Partnership deal and an outpost will be placed there as soon as possible to aid them in their HT research. They provide us with all their information on their system that they have gleaned, giving our survey a bonus head start. Their plans to place a colony on their third planet will move rapidly ahead with our help, as both planets are climatically harsh to us, but the third planet is almost a twin of the Rigellian's homeworld and very rich in mineral wealth.
The two new Surveyor survey leaders are completed and head out for their respective fleets. The timely arrival of Surveyor 07 allows 1^st Survey to complete the rough study of Toucan, but nothing is found. 2^nd Survey completes the detailed survey in Armadillo and moves back to Camel after finding no new WPs. 3^rd Survey also completes a detailed survey, this time in Platypus. Yet again, no new expansion routes are found and the fleet moves in to Owl. The disappointment of the month is completed when 4^th Survey finishes the detailed survey of Wildebeest and discovers no further WPs.

Year 4, Month 4
The space station in Horse has finally completed refit to Haggi standards, giving us another nine shipyard modules to aid in fleet expansion. The first small party arrives on Rigel, with many more technical advisors and their families on route from homeworld. Research starts into a system that will allow our forces to tow structures from site to site. It is termed a tractor beam, and military theorists believe it may prove useful in close range combat. Only one new ship is begun, a Thor class light cruiser destined for the mothball reserve, which will undergo considerable expansion in the future. Most of the remainder of our resources are committed to industrial expansion, which has been sadly lacking.
4^th Survey returns to Pelican to finish the detailed survey there.

Year 4, Month 5
The Science Council reports that the Multiplex Tracking system is available for operational deployment, and that work has commenced on an improved version of the point defence system currently in deployment.
A Trade agreement is signed with the primitive Smargis, but there has been no progress beyond partial understanding with the aliens in Wildebeest, and the Barada have refused a Trade deal.
Under the terms of our partnership with the Rigellian Commune, Haggi ships land their first colonists on the planet New Dawn, along with some Haggi compatriots.
1^st Survey completes the detailed survey in Toucan, finding nothing, and then moves off to Gorilla. 2^nd Survey also finds no new avenues of exploration upon completing the detailed survey of Tortoise. However, 3^rd Survey in Owl finds a new WP when the rough survey is finished, the first discovered in three months. It is found to lead to Rhea, a starless nexus, so 3^rd Survey continues with the detailed survey of Owl. 4^th Survey's luck is as bad as 1^st and 2^nd's, for it finds no new WPs in Pelican.

Year 4, Month 6
The promise of major combat improvement should we encounter more hostile advanced races persuades parliament to divert massive resources into the development of a new computer system that will allow our warships to link into three ship squadrons. Although this represents over 80% of our available tax revenues after necessary expenses, the benefit of such a system would be enormous. Remaining funds go on colonisation.
Our abysmal recent survey luck continues as 1^st Survey finds no WPs in Gorilla after finishing the rough survey. 2^nd and 4^th Survey move into Camel and Crocodile respectively to survey these uncharted systems.

Year 4, Month 7
Scientific research continues apace and work has begun on a cut-down shipyard module optimised for field repairs of damaged units. The new long-range sensor system is now available for deployment, and new survey ships are designed to use it immediately.
Vibrasse Scout: [2] HXXr(I)Qs(I) [8/4]
Surveyor Frigate -r1: [2] SAH(BbL)(Ic)Xr(CIC)(Ic)QsX(Ic) [4/4]
Consideration is given to a fleet scout type vessel, but it is decided that Vibrasse scouts will be adequate for this duty.
Freya, a Thor class assault CL, is built into the mothball reserve in the Haggis system.
Major funds are again diverted into colonisation efforts.
3^rd Survey in Owl discovers a new WP after completing the detailed survey. The probe reveals a single star system with no habitable planets. It is given the name Rat and the fleet moves in.

Year 4, Month 8
The first Vibrasse is completed and assigned to the newly formed 5^th Survey Fleet under the command of 5^th Least Claw Pertwee.
Research into the tractor beam is completed, and a tug ship is laid down at Horse.
Nostromo TG: [3] H(BbS)T(Ix28)T(II)(I)(II)(I)(II)LhQ(I) [6/3]
Njord, another Thor class, is added to the mothball reserve, and an orbital dock is completed above Aurora in the Walrus system.
Once again, parliament approves massive expenditure on increasing the size of various colony populations.
1^st Survey completes the detailed study of Gorilla, finding two new WPs. Probes reveal a plantless white dwarf system, which is given the name Dog, and a binary star system with a type T and ST world. Emissions are detected from the habitable world indicating the presence of a steam age civilisation. Small Fang Twang orders her fleet in for the survey and takes her flagship in to orbit and attempts contact. She succeeds in establishing a basic understanding.
No new WPs are found by 2^nd Survey in Camel after making a rough survey. 4^th Survey in Crocodile discovers a cornucopia of five new WPs in the blue/red giant binary system of Crocodile. Probes reveal Viper, containing an ST world Squid and Krill, two uninteresting systems, a link back to Bear that will shorten travel time from homeworld helpfully, and Buffalo, a system with two habitable worlds, the inner of which is home to another primitive society. Least Claw Grendall moves his fleet to Buffalo and attempts to contact the primitives, but meets with no success.

Year 4, Month 9
(Note: I've got tired of all the non-HT races, so chance of HT pop now set to 20% and all others will be ignored.)
Major colonisation efforts continue, stretching the CFN to near its limit. More new survey ships are laid down and industrial expansion receives major funding.
Small Fang Twang and Least Claw Grendall establish partial understanding with the low tech race in Moose and the primitives in Buffalo respectively. The Tolmecs, the natives of Camel, agree to a Partnership with us and a colony will be placed on their homeworld to help them learn. Unfortunately, the Barada reject a Trade deal and the BrunAgi again refuse to upgrade our treaty to a Trade and Military Alliance. Their intransigence is becoming annoying, and they may need to be dealt with more directly.
3^rd Survey completes the rough survey of Rat and finds a binary system at the other end of the one new WP discovered. The probing Whisker heads for the binary companion to check out the two habitable planets detected there. However, the crew is surprised to be intercepted well short of the planets by a ship even larger than our new heavy cruiser that is scheduled to leave the yards next month. Despite the obvious power of this vessel, the aliens seem at least curious, if not friendly and some partial understanding is established. A courier drone alerts Small Claw Smokey, who positions his escorting warships near the WP and dispatches drones of his own back to homeworld and also to the Horse system, which is equidistant. Fortunately for any potential conflict, our entry point to the Rat system is closed.
5^th Survey, consisting of only 6 ships at the moment, heads off for Chinchilla, home of the Rigellian Commune, to survey that system.

Year 4, Month 10
The improved version of the point defence system has been completed and ready for deployment. The Ministry of War is waiting for the datalink system before committing to refits, and researchers are hopeful that it will be available within two months as only a few bugs remain to be squashed.
The Thor assault cruiser Hel joins the mothball reserves and our prototype heavy cruiser, Cat, leaves the yards. Until the discovery of the aliens in the Aardvark system, she was due to be the most powerful vessel in known space. We must get scanner readings on this new hull type urgently and create a matching class of our own. In the meantime, substantial reinforcements are dispatched to picket the WP to the alien's system. A Vibrasse scout goes with them to provide long range scanner support. Small Claw Smokey is transferred from command of 3^rd Survey to take over this new fleet, being replaced by Least Claw Nimitz.
Proto CA: [3] SSSSSAAAAH(BbS)Q(II)WW(II)WWDbB(II)WLWMgDb(II)(II)LDbLhQ(II) [6/3] 12XO
Several of the Vibrasse scouts laid down last month are dispatched to the various Frontier Defence Forces to provide scanner support, greatly improving their effectiveness, one is also assigned to Home Fleet and the rest head off to join 5^th Survey.
More funds are ploughed into colonisation and industrial expansion, although some money is diverted to pay for three more prototype CAs and more Vibrasses.
No progress is made with the high tech aliens, nor the primitives in Wildebeest and Buffalo. However, Small Fang Twang succeeds in gaining full communications with the Nacratmo civilisation in Moose. Unfortunately, they can not see beyond their own atmosphere and fail to grasp the potential benefits of a trade treaty with us. Still, they may learn to look to the stars soon.
Also in Moose, 1^st Survey successfully completes a rough survey. The single discovered WP leads to a starless nexus, which is given the name Mouse. The survey of Moose continues. Information exchanged with the Nacratmo and our own stealthy probes have found their world to be benign in climate, but very poor in resources.
2^nd Survey finds one additional WP in Camel after the detailed survey is done. It leads back to Monkey. 4^th Survey also discovers one new WP in Buffalo after the rough survey, which leads to an uninteresting system that we name Vulture. It also completes the habitable worlds survey in Buffalo, of both the uninhabited planet and the primitive's homeworld, finding them to be rich and very rich in mineral wealth respectively. However, both are climatically harsh. We must exploit this valuable system urgently.

Year 4, Month 11
Our researchers have proven correct and have completed the datalink system. The first ships to be refitted to the new standards immediately enter the yards.
Cat CA: [3] SSSSSAAAAZH(BbS)Q(II)WW(II)WWDM1(II)WLWMgD(II)(II)LDLhQ(II) [6/3] 12XO
Apollo -r1 CL: [3] SSSSAAAZH(BbS)(II)W(I)WM1(II)WWD(I)WMg(II)DLhQ(I)L [6/3] 9XO
Javelin -r2 DD: [3] SSSAAAZHQs(I)(I)(I)WDW(I)(I)(I)DQs(I)WMg [7/3] 6XO
A major colonisation effort is mounted on the uninhabited planet in the Buffalo system, as it is only three transits from homeworld. If no progress in communication is made with the primitives on the other world very soon, we shall be forced to take more direct action. Major funds are also diverted to industrial expansion.
Nostromo joins the fleet. She moves to support Picket Fleet, in the event cripples need towing home. The naval architects are currently busy designing new defence bases, as fixed fortifications have been badly skimped on, as our fleet is the people's shield. However, our expanding realm has forced a strategic rethink, mainly due to the costs associated with maintaining a standing fleet capable of defending the whole Confederation and undertaking offensive actions against our foes.
Full communications are established with the high tech aliens, who call themselves the Druidic Conclaves. Their society appears quite peaceful, but our own experience with religious cults in the past gives us cause for some concern, especially considering their obvious technical superiority. We offer them a Non-Aggression Pact, as our normal trade agreement with aliens would force us to reveal our closed WP into Rat, which in turn leads to Bear adjacent to both Horse and homeworld. However, the Druid Council rejects our offer. On the plus side, detailed short range science scans of the battlecruiser have been made and sent to homeworld. However, after a fortnight of discussions, the contact ship's captain cites "urgent business" and is replaced with an explorer that appears similar to our own Vibrasses.
1^st Survey moves to Mouse after no WPs are found in Moose upon completion of the detailed study.
2^nd Survey moves to Monkey as nothing is yet known of this system.
3^rd Survey finds two more WPs in Rat when the detailed study is done. Probes reveal a link to the Penguin system and a binary system with four habitable planets that is given the name Pangolin. 3^rd Survey immediately moves in to survey this bonanza.
5^th Survey completes the rough survey of Chinchilla, finding nothing of interest. A few more Vibrasse scouts join up with the fleet early in the month, and more are underway from homeworld.
Worrying news reaches homeworld mid-way through the month. A small scout ship with a drivefield pattern matching the Druids was detected probing the Llama system. Fortunately, the Horse system is next door, so any attack can be reacted to rapidly. Bases will be constructed in that system as soon as their design is finalised and some are pre-fabricated.
(Notes: the Druids found 9 WPs last turn and explored 4, finding a hostile HT4 race. They also found 4 more WPs this turn, for a total of 13 in their home system. The new aliens destroyed the probe/contact ship on sight thanks to the Hostile NPR rules from EC. The Druids will be going to investigate their probe ship's disappearance in a couple of months. In addition to the aliens and the Llama system, they found an uninhabitable system and a system with one ST world.)

Year 4, Month 12
The machine shop module is now available to support our forces in the field, and a new class will be laid down soon. As our scientists now have enough data to commence work on a general infrastructure upgrade, the funds ear-marked for base construction are diverted to the down payment for this important work.
The Javelin -r1 destroyer Atlatl completes refit to -r2 standards, and eight more destroyers across the Confederation immediately enter the yards, with one new construction also being started along with several Vibrasse scouts. Another orbital dock is completed, this time in Roadrunner.
Courier Drones are sent to 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th Survey fleets ordering them back to homeworld for reorganisation.
3^rd Survey remains in Pangolin, but will receive additional ships from the other survey fleets. In the meantime, the habitable worlds survey of the primary star is completed there, finding a rich and very rich world, both benign in climate. The ships move into the binary component and start studying the habitable worlds there.
(Notes: The Druids found another link to the ST system, and a new system with both a type T and an ST world.)

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