After NTEOP's demise, I've been working on new campaign stories
This is the latest campaign idea I've been bouncing around, in the thought of taking it and running with it. As the story is very linear, and the player starts at the begining, I can't offer much more than a bulleted form. I have included in paranthesis and bold what the player would be doing while this all is going on.
This is only the beginning, I have after the war is declared hidden somewhere, I just have to find it
Setting: Solar system, 90+ years from now.
Political state: Mars is a separate country. The moon is jointly settled by several different Earth countries. The planet is still fragmented, yet the UN has gained power and operates in a more controlling fashion
- Mars is colonized ten years from now. Colony flourishes and forty years from now, it becomes independent of Earth by law.
- Game picks up ninety years from now. Mars begins to assemble an exploration fleet, comprised of some twenty ships, tasked with learning all they can about the solar system and eventually, what lies beyond.
(Game: The player is first introduced to his/her ship and wing mates. Some basic training begins. The player takes on the roll of a National Guard officer, as the Martian space military is very small, numbering only about five ships.)- The UN on Earth sees this and suspects a secret invasion force. They call upon Mars to allow delegates from Earth to inspect the construction facilities. The Martian government, in an effort to protect local industries, declines, saying that their ship building techniques may be spied on and stolen during the inspections.
EDITORS NOTE: I’m toying with the idea that the heads of the Earth nations had in fact gotten annoyed with Mars’s enormous trading surplus and advantages, and were waiting for an excuse to go to war.
(Game: Large note in next briefing of the above text, also, in game chatter during third mission provides more details. The player is tasked with holding a cordon of the ship building area, keeping potential saboteurs, spies, and smugglers out of the local area. Some, of course, do show up, and minor action is seen.)- This refusal and aggressive protection of the area raises suspicions on Earth, which begins arming their ships and rushing old/new designs for warships into production. Mars, alarmed, does the same with their fleet, thus “confirming” Earth’s suspicions.
(Game: The player is given a new ship, and new instructions. His/her ship is now assigned protection duty of the fleet.)- Earth and Mars begin a gradual build up of forces, and tensions mount. An incident occurs on a transport liner when, during routine inspections, a drug smuggler is found to be on board the ship. A Martian squad is sent to apprehend the suspect, who opens fire. During this time, several cohorts arrive in the area, and begin firing on Martian ships. Panic ensues, and gunfire erupts both inside and outside of the liner. Two Earth citizens are killed in the crossfire by the smuggler, and the enemy fighters are downed. Outrage erupts on Earth, and it’s citizens see the mishap as a deliberate attack on Earth. Jealous of the greater prosperity of the colony, tensions ebb towards the breaking point, as Earth begins to chomp at the bit to teach it’s colonies a lesson.
(Game: The player is sent with his/her ship on this very mission. When the enemy warp in, the must provide cover until the marine squads can detain the suspect.)- When the truth of the entire incident comes out a day or two later, things begin to cool down a bit, and diplomats begin talks. First a DMZ is established in and around the asteroid belt, thus leading to a large military build-up on either side of the field. Chance encounters are common, although they are mostly semi-friendly. Some trips even trade with the other side during the stand-off.
(Game: Simple footnote in the briefing for the next mission…)- However, a Martian cruiser develops engine trouble and begins to drift off course, directly into the DMZ. The player’s ship is dispatched to rescue the stranded vessel before it enters the DMZ – they almost succeed, until the ship strikes a mine, hidden in the field – and to prevent damage, they begin firing on other mines around them, destroying them before they cause damage. However, Earth forces on the other side see this, and, thinking it’s a prelude to an attack, begin to move into the DMZ. Mars forces, seeing this, think the same thing, and eventually the two forces clash in battle, which ends in both sides retreating. The uproar is too great on both sides of the conflict, and the first Space War is declared.
(Game: The player is tasked with first escorting a tug to the stranded vessel, then destroying the mines while the ship is towed out of position. When the fighting starts, the player is tasked with defending their ship until they can gain sufficient distance to leave the area.)Comments/critisisms?
