Task Force: Gamma

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject: A Modest Proposal

Greetings all,

First, I'd like to let everyone know that we've recently passed the USS Hartington Simulation's three month anniversary. Congratulations to us all! With that in mind I'd like to take a moment and talk with you all about the future. Not just the future of the Hartington Sim, but of our gaming group.

When I set about designing this Sim I had a much larger design in mind. In my wildest dreams the Hartington served as the Flagship of a Sim Fleet, several sims under our control. Now, I don't see this happening over night, or even at all to be completely truthful with you, but hey, a guy can dream can't he?

Let me tell you what a reasonable plan is. What I would like to do is start planning for the launch of a second Sim. Where the Hartington was my brain child, my intellectual baby, this new Sim would be ours, collectively.

Before we begin worrying about who would be in Command of this Sim or what the setting would be I would like to gauge the waters of the crew to see who would be interested in this idea. We do not need 100% involvement from the whole crew, in fact we only need a small handful of us to sign on. Ideally, I'd like for everyone to have a hand in this but I don't know how feasible this would be.

So, tell me what you all think about this idea, the good, the bag and the ugly. I want to hear your opinions, even if you want to shout me down.
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ArjimCalodan · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:42 pm Post subject:

I really like the idea and would be willing to expend time and resources to help make it happen.

And interesting idea that could work with this would be that as Starfleet and the Federation are rebuilding from the Dominion war, they are sending more ships through the wormhole to help out the Hartington. I think it would be interesting for there to be a Gamma Quadrant "task force", headed by the Hartington with another ship or two as part. Running simultaneous missions in seperate sectors but coming together for joint misisons on an as needed/wanted basis.
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Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:20 pm Post subject:

Are you reading my mind?

Seriously, this is the exact plan I had when I did the whole dreaming up a fleet idea. I had several Sim ideas: A Starbase, a Marine Rapid Response Unit, a Hospital Ship, A Colony, A Klingon ship and of course the Hartington.

That said, I've also had ideas for a few other ideas... a TOS era ship/starbase (though I'll admit, reading Vanguard has helped fuel that particular idea), a Movies era ship (You just have to love those uniforms), a "Lost Era" setting (Early to Mid 24th century, Tzenkethi, Thollian and Cardassian Wars, things like that). There is always a post-Destiny storyline where the Federation is rebuilding after the devastation of the Borg assault on the Alpha Quadrant... the ideas are pretty endless.

With regard to Task Force Gamma (The name I was using in my mind for the Hartington's ongoing storyline) I did have a plan much later in the Hartington Sim to branch off into a Starbase, but that isn't for a while, after the characters here learn more about the sector of space we're about to move into (in fact, we're about to meet the Hartington's villain species).

So, let's talk!
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ArjimCalodan · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject:

Reading your mind? No...no Betazoid in my lineage. We just think alike which makes it fun to sim with you.

I think it makes a lot of sense for Starfleet and the Federation to very quickly want to establish a Starbase and a colony on the heels of the Hartington's mission (especially as we're about to meet a mysterious and powerful new enemy?). It would be good fun to sim a Starbase and a colony.

I would also love to see the Hartington joined by a small Starfleet ship (Nova class maybe?) for a while to run some joint missions. It could then be spun off on its own to mission.
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Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

Id be interested in lending a hand where needed. I may also know a couple people that might want to join the crew.

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:42 pm Post subject:

Excellent, I'm glad that this seems to be getting some support.

McTavish, if you'd like to go ahead and talk to the people you think may be interested and let us know, I'd be interested in seeing how much support we can drum up from outside... also if you could scrounge up a few more seats to fill on Hartington, junior officers and enlisted personnel are always needed (not to mention you'd get an award if they stay)!

Calodan and I have been talking via e-mail and a science ship of some sort may be interesting, Nova, Intrepid or Saber class is what I'm thinking. What about you guys?
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Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

I'm game. (a very simple answer, I know, but I'm a very simple person).
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Azmay · Guest

I you think I can offer anything, count me in, canon or non-canon.

Even if, sincerely, I would be more interested in polishing the Loráby and building on them since their acceptance into the Federation. I also would like to share with you some ideas, and some characters, from the other two Lorábyn species, the Zethny and the Ab-Loraben. Maybe I could also take the chance to work some of my species from my own sci-fi milieu to Star Trek.

But you know how meager my knowledge of Star Trek is... I guess I just would be willing to follow Tom's into hell... Very Happy

uvek · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:23 am Post subject:

You can count on the Guardian and the Avenger....

we stand ready to help in any way we can!

Love the idea, and would love to be a contributing writer or concept developer, anything.

Great plan.....let's GO!

Marek · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:52 am Post subject:

I think this is an awesome idea, love the idea of a starbase. My character of course has intrepid class experience, but in the PF once I gave up my Defiant class (escort class?) I had a sabre class. I think if we could get even six to a dozen more people we could easily maintain that size sim, plus the story possibilities would be nearly endless. Count me in!
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Marek · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject:

Just some errant thoughts, but I thing the USS Cutlass would be a cool Sabre class name and USS Archer (ie Jonathan Archer) would be a cool Intrepid class name. Also, if there is a space station, some kind of excuse for a DS9 style Cardassian station would make a nice symmetry on each side of the wormhole.
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Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

Uss Archer is already used. http://stexpanded.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Archer_%28NCC-44278%29

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:53 pm Post subject:

Whoa! I'm glad this is getting such a good response!

First let me comment on the Starbase idea. I have already been planning on doing a Starbase plot for the Hartington much further in the future, so any talk of that can be scuttled for the time being... we'll have our Starbase in the Gamma Quadrant, it'll just be a while. For that base I was thinking either a Spacedock style base or an original design.

With regard to what ship we should use... personally I'm in love with the Intrepid class and I like the idea of the USS Archer as the name. Just because someone else used it doesn't mean we can't. We're our own fleet. The first Sim I commander back in the early 2000's was called the Phoenix... I can't tell you how many USS Phoenix's I've seen over the years! Not to mention that the USS Archer they're talking about on that Wiki (which I don't consider canon for our game anyway) is for a fan fiction series anyway. In any case, my personal vote will be an Intrepid class ship... I'll start a new poll for this in a bit however, just to get the opinion of the crew.

We have 13 players aboard the Hartington at the moment. I figure that at least some of us will create another character to join this new ship, maybe having a character or two transfer off of Hartington over to USS Blankity Blank. This leave room for us to recruit new players into the Fleet and grow our base.

Ideally, if we can achieve sustaining numbers for both Sims I figure we could try to add another Sim each three to six months. Again, these are only dreams. For now, let's worry about the next ship.

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject:

On the recruiting note:

Recruiting is HARD. It is even harder when a sim seems like it is running slow.

Now that we are going somewhere, it will be much easier to get folks involved. Having a good website and our own domain name is also a great boon to the recruiting drive.

If you have friends that like writing/reading fanfic or a spouse/s.o. that wants to be "more involved", you should let them read through our mission(s). That really is the easiest way to hook people. They see that this is Trek, but they drive the action. A lot of people see simming as like D&D, where there is a dungeon master and they are in charge of what happens. That is not the case in a good sim with a good Captain (and this is a good sim with a great captain). Also, try a bit of strong arming if you have to. Smile

That all being said, I am going to pester my girlfriend now.
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uvek · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

I think the excelsior class has its own perks. We are in unexplored space, why not use an unexplored ship? USS Guardian is a good name, too. It denotes the purpose of the Federation presence and offers a bit of imagination beyond that which is already created. (plus, while I am NOT in other simms, I did create and use the Guardian during my Starfleet battles lifestyle in the 90s).

Let's go outside the box, and create our own mythos!....just my thoughts.