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Special Actions cover any request for the Game Master (and moderators) to undertake some task. These fall into the following categories:
- Investigation
- Customised Scan
- New Research Avenue
- Adjudication
- Interaction with Non-Player-Characters
- Free Action
- Query
- Everything Else
Investigation
This is a direct follow up to a statement in a surface exploration or a prior investigation. It can be anything from investigating the salt rich sediment along the beaches of an evaporating shallow sea to the migrating herds of hexapods discovered in the vast plains. While many will be geared towards determining if the object of the investigation can be exploited in some way by a base (using resource complexes) it can simply be satisfying curiousity. For example determining why a desert creature has vestigial gills.
Customised Scan
When exploring worlds, there are few commonly applied customised scan that work in conjunction with Surface Exploration in maximising the amount of information available before specfic investigations are made. These customised scans are really standardised investigations that have become the accepted first steps in surveying a world over years the game has been running.
Orbital Scan
This will reveal information about appropriate aspects such as the upper atmosphere; details of a magnetosphere; minor satellites, both natural and artificial; but most importantly, any anomalies.
Low Pass Scan
Reveals a broad overview of the world that will include details on easily detectable anomalies; populations if relevant; and general surface geological features of the world. If there is an abandoned civilisation, this will normally report it and if contained on a single continent or even sector, indicate where (or simply explain the presence of ruins on the map).
Subsurface Scan
This is generally geared towards information regarding the geology of the world though may indicate the presence of a buried civilisation or localised anomaly. It may give some information regarding the formation of the world or its reveal in the case of rubble-pile asteroids, the existence of large interior voids.
New Research Avenues
There are a lot of items in Phoenix that are not common knowledge. These have been added to the game as a result of game mechanic upgrades, the result of special actions or through player suggestions. In the latter two cases the knowledge of the item will be given to specific individuals (added to their information archive). It is up to them to disseminate the information throughout the game (usually to their affiliation, though they are free to sell it for in-game profit). Players may however submit special actions enquiring about new lines of research though they have to be specific. It is most common to seek to improve on an existing item or extend stellar cartography to the next level.
Where items are being improved it is very rare that items can be improved past mkIV. mkIV normally represents the break point beyond which production costs outweigh improvement.
Adjudication
Occasionally a player needs to ask the GM to look at game data and determine if the data is correct. This might be something as simple as the GM giving a resource the default item such as metals or guilders instead of the one specified in the investigation.
After a game upgrade the occasional bug slips through. This can lead to results that are not consistent with the mechanics as described. As such adjudication may be required to seek redress.
While very rare, things occur in-game that the player feels require the moderators to have a look and see if something nefarious is going on. This might be a player joining an affiliation, professing loyalty and being given affiliation owned assets, only for them to start stripping out the assets and handing them over to a rival faction.
When brought to the GM's attention, they will investigate and determine what action to take. This can be one or more of the following:
- Explanation of situation (normally included)
- No action
- Warning
- Issue instructions to be undertaken
- Restoration of assets
- Modification of game data (normally the case when a GM or game error has occurred)
- Restoration of assets
- Removal or redistribution of assets
- Suspension of player or players' accounts (game and/or nexus)
- Removal of player or players
Calls for adjudication can also be made through Private Message (PM) to Mica via Nexus. Note that there is not normally a cost associated with requesting adjudication via a Special Action order. Adjudication while not exactly the same as complaints about abusive players (on Nexus) though the process of investigation and action is generally dealt with by similar actions.
Interaction with Non-Player-Characters (NPC's)
NPC's covers everything from the drunk ex-Republic officers the investigating party made contact with in a shady part of an urban sector on Mobile Bay to the civilian government of a small planetary population. The specifics of a special action are limitless and may be a paying the afore mentioned drunk to reveal where he abandoned his space ship to putting pressure on the government to support a specific affiliation's system claim. In virtually all these cases the Exploration Skill Level of the officer of the position will be taken into account when conducting the special action and the special action should reference any other appropriate skills or information to support the action if appropriate.
NB Having lvl 4 in Exploration (the coverall away-team skill describing street smarts, diplomacy, scientific knowledge etc) does not guarantee success. Some have discovered that natives rather than treating lone officers as gods poisoned them and scoffed them.
Free Action
A free action is invariably at an invite from the game mechanics or in response to a previous action. They are called free actions because there isn't the standard special action fee associated with them (like adjudication requests). Common ones include a request to start a GM permitted research project, e.g. Racial Design for a specific species. Another is the claiming of free cave complexes for an outpost built in a specific type of sector on a world where the subsurface scan has revealed stable cavities.
Query
Queries cover questions posed to the GM into game mechanics as applied to a specific situation such that asking them on the forums (Nexus) will require the revelation of sensitive information. Typical things include 'why does a newly researched blueprint have zero production output?'
Queries are rarely charged unless the wording of the query is such that it fits more comfortably into another type of special action, e.g. 'are the GTT now tapping my deposits?' or 'can the civilian population increase the amount of basic modules they are selling on their civilian markets?'
Everything Else
Whether the special action is charged for will depend on the wording and nature of action though if it is a quick bit of advice or a question about a previous special action results, then it is rarely charged for.
Further Reading
Article on Game Mastering was written for the IGN
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
The Falconian Republic (FCN) has declared itself restored under Emperor Scipio Acropolis, ending a period of silence and launching an audit of Acropolis, Falconia, and all related assets, charters, and alliances. The Flagritz Republic (FLZ) says AFT attacks in Tramoss have put it at war with the AFT; it reports about 60 AFT ships destroyed for 20 FLZ losses in the Corewards Periphery, plus an AFT strike on a Halo Periphery platform that remains under FLZ control. The FLZ has also formed a mutual defence alliance with the FET, so an attack on either is treated as an attack on both.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
DEN forces launched a successful multi-day assault on FEL positions at Harrappa and Elam, destroying numerous FEL warships with minimal losses of their own, seizing significant ground control, and reducing a key base to rubble; hostilities ended with FEL retaining full control of Elam while DEN gained exploration and mining rights on other bodies.
FET has acquired Starbase Aglaea and is taking over the Highgrace system (claim effective Stardate 226.36.2), keeping it open to peaceful trade.
A low-profile war continues between AFT and OPS, marked by ship losses, boardings, a broken blockade, and reports of OPS deploying large pirate-style fleets.
Separately, the DNA hosted talks (and poker) with the Flagritz Republic and GTT, resulting in the DNA acquiring a starbase from the Flagritz.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Pirate activity remains high, with reports of a ship taken from OPS in Zewt, plus earlier losses of a GTT 50N explorer and a CIA 40N destroyer.
In DNA Elections 226, independents achieved a major victory, claiming all leadership positions: Foreign Minister Chairman TonTon, Education Minister Qui'Haktey, and Health Minister Dr. Shawna Tanniek Dorrendarger. The Wodenzoon Group’s withdrawal from politics boosted independents to 34% in the National Assembly, with South Road and Trad-Nap groups also gaining.
Results confirm the DNA’s confederate, pragmatic, and mildly traditionalist direction. Foreign policy and business relations are expected to remain stable under the established “Good Neighbour” approach.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
OPS has aggressively claimed the Nog Kesri system in the Corewards Periphery, purging AFT forces amid a massive multi-faction fleet presence (DTR, DEN, FEL, FET, FLZ, GTT, MOH, OPS, and PIR). Factions are hunting for a rumored hidden MEK base or rift point, but so far only a ship graveyard and one PIR sensor ship have been found. Meanwhile, PIR activity continues with attacks in Kasmer and Teller, while GTT is cracking down hard on small ships in their territory.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Kulthean forces struck back against pirates and MRC, destroying a PIR boarding ship in Daggern and capturing three MRC freighters in Brixx, while defending Dryfus from pirate assault.
Meanwhile, Pirate Casio scored a major victory in the Teller system, successfully boarding and capturing two 300 Heavy Hull FEL warships — the Pride of Bannockburn and Pride of Angara — in a single daring raid. Significant prisoners were taken as the pirates withdrew with their prizes.
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***Anonymous Submission***
FLZ claim CIV system in the Coreward Arm and try for Another
The FLZ have undertaken a couple of minor scale operation into Xarze and Assanistra systems in the Coreward Arms, claiming the CIV system of Xarze away from local control and have put in a claim in Assanistra to contest that system. When asked the FLZ replied that the operation started as part of their hunting down Pirates (sic)...and then clammed up. Locals have claimed that it is clearly a power grab and imitation flattery.
All CIV claims in Xarze seem to have been crushed by just enough FLZ to effect the claim. Assanistra is sure to follow. Money is on Violet Gate to be the next to come under the claws of the FLZ. These systems coming under FLZ control sees an increasing push by the FLZ to have a reason to go through Damnation Alley and get attacked by the pirates like all the cool affiliations.
***PIR in Fortoon system***
The PIR this last month have attempted to take control of a FEL outpost on Dryfus in Fortoon, sporadic reports suggest an overwhelming force led by the GTT destroyed the hostile PIR ground parties. Questions have been asked of the DNA ability to defend the planet with a number of affiliations offering support
***Noctollis***
The Noctollis system has been claimed away from the DTR by the FLZ Republic with the FLZ announcing the move is at the request of the resurgent DEN affiliation. The AFT have been advised to avoid the Noctollis stargate.
Per the system charter (in addition to the DEN) the KRT, FET, DTR , MOH, and GTT are welcome to continue moving ships through Noctollis to reach their assets in-system or deeper in the periphery.
All other affiliations are advised to avoid using the stargate
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***********An article from Sin Feine Media.......*************
Don't worry, criminals have your back?!?!
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(Fin Saine media video transmission submitted for Sub-Space-Static publication)
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(Hooshie of the Clockworks' appearance can best be described as a naplian ruffian, gang member, or scruffy pirate, but it appears he is also today's host. He does sport a nice Big Golden Classic digital watch though, but surprisingly on the inside of his wrist. Fine craftsmanship with bulky steampunk motifs, and a barn door style protective cover built right in. You know, the type with two doors and the locking bar across when closed?!?! Hand crafted! Great watch!
In what humans have termed a gruff slavic voice, he begins to speak: )
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Pirates strike palace fo the Emperor
A fleet of twenty PIR flagged warships have attacked the palace of the Emperor in the human Inner Empire. Armed with heavy weaponry the PIR ships penetrated the shields and caused significant damage. Reports indicate that a third of the palace has been left a smoking ruin. The human affiliations loyal to the Emperor scrambled their fleets to catch the pirates, but when the warships arrived the PIR ships had vanished without a trace.
The GTT has already moved to close the borders of the Inner Empire periphery, an act which seems to have already led to a few AFT trade ships getting blown up by the defensive platforms. The message is simple with the GTT PD stating to us "If you are not running any fixed assets in the Inner Empire then you are not welcome".
So far nobody has been accused of running the pirates by either the CIA or the GTT. But this represents perhaps the most serious attack on the Emperor in modern history. Our reporters have noted serious concerns from the human planets in the Inner Empire periphery about this attack. It's not understood how a previously safe area of space that was hard for PIR shps to access has been penetrated by a fleet of twenty warships without them being spotted.
Corewards Corridor sees renewed pirate activity.
After the FET destroyed a number of PIR boarding ships, it went rather quiet with pirate activity almost halting. However, reports have started to come in over the last week that the Scavenger pirates are back in action.
The AFT have reported attacks in Kaygen and Discordia. The GTT have also reported a failed attack in Kaygen.
Be aware, the pirate threat has not been eliminated and all ship captains should be prepared when undertaking long distance trips where they might be exposed to attack.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
FET strike back at pirates
Several FET fleets including patrols and specialist operations teams have come together and landed a telling blow against the Scavenger pirate band. The FET received intelligence about the location of a PIR Javelin-R Class boarder in Daggern and immediately responded.
Forces deployed consisted of the 8th Pursuit and 35th Battle clusters, supported by the 12th and 18th Striker Trinaries, as well as the 22nd, 23rd, and 36th Battle Trinaries. This culminated in a huge FET force coming across four PIR ships. The pirates attempted to board four of the first warships to arrive and were then overwhelmed by the supporting fleet. PIR Scavenger (7818), PIR Scavenger (4582), PIR Scavenger (4956), and PIR Scavenger (82576) were all destroyed by the combined fire of the warships deployed.
GTT claim key CIV system in the Orion Spur
The GTT have undertaken a large scale operation into Monument in the Orion Spur, claiming the main CIV system in the area away from local control. When asked the GTT replied that the operation started as part of their hunting down IND positions, due to IND attacks they had been the target of. Locals have claimed that it was clearly a power grab.
GTT transports delivered over a million troops and hundred of thousands of tanks to the CIV system of Monument and both IND bases fell quickly. A small number of IND ships fled the orbit, some were destroyed and some escaped. The local population have maintained their strong local claim but so far GTT forces have deployed enough manpower to maintain control of the system.
The system of Monument coming under GTT control sees an increasing push by GTT forces into Orion Spur.
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