Armed and Dangerous
BRC website: http://www.buckyballracing.org.uk
discord: link
Background
“Well, I guess it's out of our hands, now.” Lt. Commander Friedrich Rinz declared, activating the docking computer.
A burst of thrust from the engines pushed both him and his gunner, Lt. Amy Spinner, back into their seats as the Lakon Type 9 Heavy Transporter, Make a Splash, made a close pass by the Coriolis starport Viete Colony. The central trade hub of the Koine system, its inhabitants operated a refinery economy, taking minerals mined within the system or elsewhere and turning them into metals and materials suitable for manufacturing into a million different commodities. They depended upon regular shipments from the surrounding systems for provisions, medical supplies and high-tech goods and the arrival of a heavy transporter was a cause for celebration. Viete Colony was just an ordinary home amongst the stars for the tens of thousands of people living on board her but to those new to the system, or unwary, she had a big surprise in store.
Viete Colony was armed.
High-gravity industrial processing and refining units were suspended on sturdy arms four kilometres long, sprouting from the central cuboctahedral body of the Coriolis. Almost one hundred metres thick and designed to withstand the inertial forces of the station's rotation, they could smash a ship into pieces like a giant mace.
“Viete Colony to Lakon Romeo India November Heavy: disengage your docking computer and approach on manual. Beware the station arms. Repeat: disengage your docking computer.”
“Arms? What arms?”
The radio signal cut off leaving only the sound of static, as five hundred cargo canisters and associated debris suddenly cluttered the scanner display at flight operations.
“Listen, people, that's the third heavy transport to be destroyed this month. We need ideas on how to stop this. Put your thoughts out there. Anything actionable. We have to protect our posteriors on this one, as it's always admin and traffic control that gets it from the president when he has to cough up the insurance on the shipment.”
The head of the Imperial Flight Operations Bureau on board Viete Colony was Fred Decker and it had been his eardrums that had faced the assault of the company president who had paid for the delivery of the cargo carried by the Make a Splash. Her shipment of high-tech goods, imported from the nearby technology hub of Gandza, had been worth millions of credits and was now mostly adorning the exterior surfaces of the station. It had been made clear to him by the president that his job was now on the line, so he had set up a hasty staff meeting to come up with a plan, before there were any more casualties and he was demoted to latrine technician.
“We could disable docking computer support and require all ships to land manually.” Jayne Doyle, one of the assistant traffic controllers, suggested to groans all around the tiny conference room. This had been suggested before and was readily met with the usual argument:
“No good. We need approval from the Elite Federation of Pilots administrators to remove that support. You've more chance of getting the Federation to allow civilian ships to dock with a Farragut. And many pilots of large ships depend on the docking computer. Half the Belugas coming here wouldn't be able to land and then how would everyone commute?”
There was a moment's silence as Fred Decker's reply sank in. It was no good relying upon outside help. There had to be something they could do themselves.
“Can we make the high-gravity units more noticeable? Paint them luminous colours and increase the lighting, perhaps?”
This was another common idea, with flaws, from another assistant traffic controller, Angus Ring. Fred Decker gave the standard reply, hoping that some original thoughts would soon find their way into the stuffy room through the underpowered air-conditioning system.
“It's the docking computer that needs to be made aware of the danger. Pilot awareness doesn't make any difference once that AI has been engaged. It can be lit up and glowing green like a Christmas tree on Achenar but if the human pilot isn't at the controls to see it, then it's pointless.”
Again there was silence and Fred Decker let it persist to give everyone a chance to think. After several minutes it became uncomfortable and he broke the silence.
“Come on: there has to be one idea coming from this meeting! Let's hear it, no matter how crazy or unpopular you think it might be. Action will not be taken against you for suggesting something absurd.”
There was silence again and Fred Decker looked over to his Chief Traffic Controller, Orla Fell, who had been conspicuous because of her silence. With fifteen years of experience, she was the only person there besides himself who knew how to get a Panther Clipper through the airlock without denting the station and he had been hoping that she would have something to say.
Orla saw him looking at her but she had wanted to wait until her idea was the last possible course of action before suggesting it. She had also taken the liberty of recording the meeting, so as to get the 'Action will not be taken against you' part down safely. Her career depended upon it.
“It is fundamentally an awareness issue that we face here. If pilots coming here all knew of the danger posed by the high-g units, then they would be careful to make a manual approach and not engage their docking computer until on the safe side of the station. The challenge is to raise awareness on a scale such that pilots from all over civilised space – and the Federation and the Alliance as well – know that Viete Colony has this hazard.”
“We have an advertising budget that allows us to run a few hoardings for Achilles and Gutamaya outside the station entrance – on solar power. That kind of campaign would need tens – no, hundreds – of millions of credits. And it would be forgotten in a week or two.”
Fred Decker had been hopeful of a better suggestion but Orla was not finished.
“The way to get large-scale attention is not through an advertising campaign but through an event that people will remember for a long time.”
“More memorable than a T-9 and five hundred tons of smartwatches being blown up?”
“T-9s get blown up ten times a day in some stations and Galnet doesn't touch that story. No, we need an event that attracts the attention of the Elite Federation of Pilots and it must be something that does not cost us anything to stage ourselves.”
There was laughter from around the room. An event that would attract the attention of the entire galaxy – for free! Orla must have got hold of some of her favourite Eranin Pearl Whisky...
“We're all ears, Orla.” Fred Decker smiled, though inwardly he was cringing and regretting what he had said about absurd suggestions.
“Well, my great uncle on my mother's side has a nephew who is Chief Traffic Controller at Bushkov Dock in the Borovii system, just over thirty light-years away from here. That station is also a Coriolis with high-g processing units and they also have occasional mishaps. So what about a race between the two stations?”
“A race? Who would race just from here to there because you suggest it – and who in the galaxy would care about it and pay attention if they did?”
“The Buckyball Racing Club.”
A burst of thrust from the engines pushed both him and his gunner, Lt. Amy Spinner, back into their seats as the Lakon Type 9 Heavy Transporter, Make a Splash, made a close pass by the Coriolis starport Viete Colony. The central trade hub of the Koine system, its inhabitants operated a refinery economy, taking minerals mined within the system or elsewhere and turning them into metals and materials suitable for manufacturing into a million different commodities. They depended upon regular shipments from the surrounding systems for provisions, medical supplies and high-tech goods and the arrival of a heavy transporter was a cause for celebration. Viete Colony was just an ordinary home amongst the stars for the tens of thousands of people living on board her but to those new to the system, or unwary, she had a big surprise in store.
Viete Colony was armed.
High-gravity industrial processing and refining units were suspended on sturdy arms four kilometres long, sprouting from the central cuboctahedral body of the Coriolis. Almost one hundred metres thick and designed to withstand the inertial forces of the station's rotation, they could smash a ship into pieces like a giant mace.
“Viete Colony to Lakon Romeo India November Heavy: disengage your docking computer and approach on manual. Beware the station arms. Repeat: disengage your docking computer.”
“Arms? What arms?”
The radio signal cut off leaving only the sound of static, as five hundred cargo canisters and associated debris suddenly cluttered the scanner display at flight operations.
“Listen, people, that's the third heavy transport to be destroyed this month. We need ideas on how to stop this. Put your thoughts out there. Anything actionable. We have to protect our posteriors on this one, as it's always admin and traffic control that gets it from the president when he has to cough up the insurance on the shipment.”
The head of the Imperial Flight Operations Bureau on board Viete Colony was Fred Decker and it had been his eardrums that had faced the assault of the company president who had paid for the delivery of the cargo carried by the Make a Splash. Her shipment of high-tech goods, imported from the nearby technology hub of Gandza, had been worth millions of credits and was now mostly adorning the exterior surfaces of the station. It had been made clear to him by the president that his job was now on the line, so he had set up a hasty staff meeting to come up with a plan, before there were any more casualties and he was demoted to latrine technician.
“We could disable docking computer support and require all ships to land manually.” Jayne Doyle, one of the assistant traffic controllers, suggested to groans all around the tiny conference room. This had been suggested before and was readily met with the usual argument:
“No good. We need approval from the Elite Federation of Pilots administrators to remove that support. You've more chance of getting the Federation to allow civilian ships to dock with a Farragut. And many pilots of large ships depend on the docking computer. Half the Belugas coming here wouldn't be able to land and then how would everyone commute?”
There was a moment's silence as Fred Decker's reply sank in. It was no good relying upon outside help. There had to be something they could do themselves.
“Can we make the high-gravity units more noticeable? Paint them luminous colours and increase the lighting, perhaps?”
This was another common idea, with flaws, from another assistant traffic controller, Angus Ring. Fred Decker gave the standard reply, hoping that some original thoughts would soon find their way into the stuffy room through the underpowered air-conditioning system.
“It's the docking computer that needs to be made aware of the danger. Pilot awareness doesn't make any difference once that AI has been engaged. It can be lit up and glowing green like a Christmas tree on Achenar but if the human pilot isn't at the controls to see it, then it's pointless.”
Again there was silence and Fred Decker let it persist to give everyone a chance to think. After several minutes it became uncomfortable and he broke the silence.
“Come on: there has to be one idea coming from this meeting! Let's hear it, no matter how crazy or unpopular you think it might be. Action will not be taken against you for suggesting something absurd.”
There was silence again and Fred Decker looked over to his Chief Traffic Controller, Orla Fell, who had been conspicuous because of her silence. With fifteen years of experience, she was the only person there besides himself who knew how to get a Panther Clipper through the airlock without denting the station and he had been hoping that she would have something to say.
Orla saw him looking at her but she had wanted to wait until her idea was the last possible course of action before suggesting it. She had also taken the liberty of recording the meeting, so as to get the 'Action will not be taken against you' part down safely. Her career depended upon it.
“It is fundamentally an awareness issue that we face here. If pilots coming here all knew of the danger posed by the high-g units, then they would be careful to make a manual approach and not engage their docking computer until on the safe side of the station. The challenge is to raise awareness on a scale such that pilots from all over civilised space – and the Federation and the Alliance as well – know that Viete Colony has this hazard.”
“We have an advertising budget that allows us to run a few hoardings for Achilles and Gutamaya outside the station entrance – on solar power. That kind of campaign would need tens – no, hundreds – of millions of credits. And it would be forgotten in a week or two.”
Fred Decker had been hopeful of a better suggestion but Orla was not finished.
“The way to get large-scale attention is not through an advertising campaign but through an event that people will remember for a long time.”
“More memorable than a T-9 and five hundred tons of smartwatches being blown up?”
“T-9s get blown up ten times a day in some stations and Galnet doesn't touch that story. No, we need an event that attracts the attention of the Elite Federation of Pilots and it must be something that does not cost us anything to stage ourselves.”
There was laughter from around the room. An event that would attract the attention of the entire galaxy – for free! Orla must have got hold of some of her favourite Eranin Pearl Whisky...
“We're all ears, Orla.” Fred Decker smiled, though inwardly he was cringing and regretting what he had said about absurd suggestions.
“Well, my great uncle on my mother's side has a nephew who is Chief Traffic Controller at Bushkov Dock in the Borovii system, just over thirty light-years away from here. That station is also a Coriolis with high-g processing units and they also have occasional mishaps. So what about a race between the two stations?”
“A race? Who would race just from here to there because you suggest it – and who in the galaxy would care about it and pay attention if they did?”
“The Buckyball Racing Club.”
Premise
This is a short course race for any ship, starting at Viete Colony in the Koine system and calling at Tesla Dock in Gandza and then Crick Orbital in Osermians before finishing at Bushkov Dock in Borovii, or in the reverse order, starting at Bushkov Dock and ending at Viete Colony. Both Viete Colony and Bushkov Dock are variants of the Coriolis station with long 'arms' extending approximately 4km away from the central body of the station, which is what gives the race its name. These stations can sometimes surprise unwary pilots (and possibly docking computers, although I have not tested it) that exit supercruise on the far side of the station to the airlock, or who set a course for their next destination when it is behind the station, giving them nicknames such as 'noob hammers of doom' or 'doom hammers'. This race therefore tests both supercruise approach skills (admittedly now much easier since you can see the station's orientation in supercruise) and flying in normal space as well as docking manoeuvres.
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An inexpensive stock Adder option, the Adder Special class, is available to provide a level playing field for comparison with other racers, with a fixed load-out and no use of engineering or synthesis, whilst in Unlimited class anything goes: all ships, engineering and synthesis are allowed. The Adder can be purchased and outfitted to the race specification at either Viete Colony or Bushkov Dock.
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The race can be run in any game mode but Open play is encouraged so as to see and meet other racers on the course. Racers from all platforms are welcome! The Horizons expansion is not required for this race.
Entering the Race
In order to enter this race, screenshot or video evidence will be required as detailed below. Please upload to a site such as imgur or YouTube and PM me a link through these forums. It is not essential to announce your intent to race in this thread but it will be helpful to let myself and the other racers know to look out for you on the course! The race can be run in any mode – there is no need to say which was used when submitting. It is not expected that running in a particular mode will give an advantage in instance loading times.
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Your PM will need to include the following information:
- Forum name
- CMDR name
- Race class (Adder Special or Unlimited)
- Ship type
- Ship name
- Race time
- Link to screenshots or video
In addition to these, the leaderboards for both Unlimited and Adder Special classes will also show in which direction you ran the course: starting at Viete Colony and finishing at Bushkov Dock or the other way around. In Unlimited, your fastest time for each ship type will appear on the leaderboard, regardless of which direction you ran the course in.
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The screenshots or video should show the following:
- The station clock with time and date on the pad at your chosen starting station ( Viete Colony, Koine, or Bushkov Dock, Borovii ).
- The station clock upon landing at either Tesla Dock, Gandza, or Crick Orbital, Osermians.
- The station clock upon landing at either Crick Orbital, Osermians, or Tesla Dock, Gandza.
- The station clock upon finishing at either Bushkov Dock or Viete Colony.
- Your right-hand panel showing the modules equipped (Adder Special class only).
Additional information on how to outfit your ship and collect evidence for race submissions can be found at the Buckyball Racing Club's webite: http://www.buckyballracing.org.uk
Ship Specifications
The Adder Special race class requires an Adder with a particular load-out. The Adder and all modules required can be purchased from either Viete Colony or Bushkov Dock.
- Thrusters: 3D
- FSD: 3D
- Life Support: 1D
- Power Distributor: 2D
- Power Plant: 3D
- Sensors: 3E
- Shield Generator: 3E
No other modules should be equipped (including discovery scanners and a fuel scoop!).
cost: 118,720 Cr
You should have a jump range of 13.71 LY and all modules should fit into one screen on your right-hand panel. This Adder can make it around the course without refuelling, so don't worry about not having a fuel scoop.
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In Unlimited class, all ship types, engineering and synthesis are allowed. This is to allow as many ship types as possible the chance to be competitive on the course. Every type of ship in the game should be able to make each leg in a single jump with adequate engineering and/or FSD boosting. The distances for each leg are as follows:
- Koine to Gandza: 26.94LY
- Gandza to Osermians: 20.74LY
- Osermians to Borovii: 19.02LY
The Adder Special can complete this course in seven jumps.
Notes and Trivia
Koine is a Powerplay 'Control System', held by Arissa Lavigny-Duval at the time of writing. The ruling faction is the 9th Legion, a Player Minor Faction, but this is not their home system. Traffic in Open may be increased near the end of the Powerplay cycle on Wednesdays. As long as you are not carrying any Powerplay cargo, Powerplay NPCs should not bother you regardless of whether you are pledged to a Power, however other players might react differently. If you want to avoid the potential hazards this might entail, you can run the race in either a private group or solo mode.
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Elite Dangerous: Premonition spoiler (although anyone who was playing on the 29th April knows about it already)
Salomé, the protagonist of the official Elite: Dangerous novels Elite: Reclamation and Elite Dangerous: Premonition, was killed in the Anumclaw system on 29th April 3303, located roughly half way between Koine and Borovii – plotting a course in economical mode from Borovii to Koine will take you through the system.
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Final Leaderboards
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