New California Nebula Alliance bases construced
- Thread starter Saool
- Start date
The thing I find interesting is the Alliance is expanding into Cal Sector unopposed, while the Feds and Imps are beating each other senseless over expansions in the Pleiades. Another example of the Alliance astutely flying in under everyone's radar.
The California Nebula is the furthest any of the superpowers have actually expanded (the Colonia waystations and Colonia itself are further, but officially Independent). If the whole Bubble went poof tomorrow, out of the three superpowers only the Alliance would survive.
The California Nebula is the furthest any of the superpowers have actually expanded (the Colonia waystations and Colonia itself are further, but officially Independent). If the whole Bubble went poof tomorrow, out of the three superpowers only the Alliance would survive.
Jolly good, Sir.
The Alliance have some tricks up their sleeve. It's no coincidence that Jasmina Halsey is now one of Edmund Mahon's most trusted advisors or that they are following a totally different approach when it comes to meta-alloys and unknown probes. Unlike the Federation and the Empire, as the OP points out, they seem far more interested in the strange fungal life forms that can be found in the California Sector, something that could potentially be weaponised against insectoid life forms. Some long term strategic thinking going on here, by the look of it.
You are all assuming that the superpowers are working against each other.
Could be just the plan of the Dynasty conspiracy.
Everybody kept distracted by their hate for each other and doing what their are meant to do.
Could be just the plan of the Dynasty conspiracy.
Everybody kept distracted by their hate for each other and doing what their are meant to do.
I'll be right back.
. . . . . .
[okay back now]
The fungus farm out the back of Mahon Research Base in HIP 18077 has turned into a pumpkin patch.
Still growing Cordyceps and Phloem excretions at the same heights, just different bases.
They used to look more like termite mounds and were called "bark mounds" but I can't find the in-game source. Tourist beacon I think.
There's another base at California Sector BA-A E6 that one is kinda cool with the nebula red sky.
Thanks for the heads up, I was on my way out to the new asteroid Base out there, ("Darwin" how can I resist it's my home) but eddb.io lists that as independent. So I was probably going to end up trawling back and forth looking for the Alliance base.
I'm carrying a half dozen tons of Lavian Brandy to celebrate the opening.
Actually I nearly lost them last night. Opened up my ship to MC multicrew explo. Blew some dude away showing him the pumpkin patch. Pressed the wrong key during chat. Jettisoned all cargo. Had to get out in the SRV to collect.
Hey is that TWO surface ports?
And is one high security?
I can't complete the trip tonight unfortunately - the NBN is down for all the NT. Probably another Dial-Before-You-Dig idiot in central Queensland again. Last time it happened one team of techs drove in from Mount Isa and the other from the coast. Eventually one team phone the other "hey Dougie - you got the fiber splicer with you?" "I thought you had it" Third team flies up from Brisbane.
For those who haven't been following these things:
The Alliance has built bases out in the California Nebula.
There are fungus fields out the back of the first two.
The fungus has four fruiting bodies:
Polyporous Growths
Cordyceps Growths
Mussidaean Seed Pods
Phloem Excretions
When you shoot them they turn into mats. The Phloem Excretions give rare mats according to Planetary type. You can find about 15 in each field (maybe two Rares). Each field is about 500m across.
There's all sorts of odd features of the bases.
1) Cordyceps are an endoparasitic fungi. Mainly they prey on arthropods (like Thargoids).
This is what they do to spiders
This chart shows how the Cordyceps look in game. (Thanks to CMDR PanPiper) There's about 400 species of Cordyceps, but they're all parasitic. A lot of the ones that prey on catapillars look different, but you can see the in-game ones have been modelled on the spider eaters.
2) Mic Turner was the founder of the Alliance with Meredith Argent after the 'Caker' rebellions on the gas platforms of Alioth (originally called "fruitcake" for its minerals).
He was also instrumental in the parts of lore that have been retconned out. Where he developed a vaccine against the 'Mycoid Virus' (from mycelium or fungus) that saved the Thargoids from the Virus developed by INRA.
3) Mic Turner Group are an Alliance Dictatorship. Kinda rare - though definitely not the only one.
4) The bases have interesting commodities markets. They have a lot of the same stuff you would find in a normal high tech market, but there's no computers - it's all medical. Microbial Furnaces, Hostile Environmental suits. Narcotics. Weapons. Everything you would need if you were running a bio-weapons facility. Including a black market.
5) At Mahon research base there was this weird news item:
There is a bit of noise that it's player written, but it doesn't have an attribution so who knows.
With the new information that INARA is still working behind the scenes, I reckon we'll be seeing more developments.
. . . . . .
[okay back now]
The fungus farm out the back of Mahon Research Base in HIP 18077 has turned into a pumpkin patch.
Still growing Cordyceps and Phloem excretions at the same heights, just different bases.
They used to look more like termite mounds and were called "bark mounds" but I can't find the in-game source. Tourist beacon I think.
There's another base at California Sector BA-A E6 that one is kinda cool with the nebula red sky.
Thanks for the heads up, I was on my way out to the new asteroid Base out there, ("Darwin" how can I resist it's my home) but eddb.io lists that as independent. So I was probably going to end up trawling back and forth looking for the Alliance base.
I'm carrying a half dozen tons of Lavian Brandy to celebrate the opening.
Actually I nearly lost them last night. Opened up my ship to MC multicrew explo. Blew some dude away showing him the pumpkin patch. Pressed the wrong key during chat. Jettisoned all cargo. Had to get out in the SRV to collect.
Hey is that TWO surface ports?
And is one high security?
I can't complete the trip tonight unfortunately - the NBN is down for all the NT. Probably another Dial-Before-You-Dig idiot in central Queensland again. Last time it happened one team of techs drove in from Mount Isa and the other from the coast. Eventually one team phone the other "hey Dougie - you got the fiber splicer with you?" "I thought you had it" Third team flies up from Brisbane.
For those who haven't been following these things:
The Alliance has built bases out in the California Nebula.
There are fungus fields out the back of the first two.
The fungus has four fruiting bodies:
Polyporous Growths
Cordyceps Growths
Mussidaean Seed Pods
Phloem Excretions
When you shoot them they turn into mats. The Phloem Excretions give rare mats according to Planetary type. You can find about 15 in each field (maybe two Rares). Each field is about 500m across.
There's all sorts of odd features of the bases.
1) Cordyceps are an endoparasitic fungi. Mainly they prey on arthropods (like Thargoids).
This is what they do to spiders
This chart shows how the Cordyceps look in game. (Thanks to CMDR PanPiper) There's about 400 species of Cordyceps, but they're all parasitic. A lot of the ones that prey on catapillars look different, but you can see the in-game ones have been modelled on the spider eaters.
2) Mic Turner was the founder of the Alliance with Meredith Argent after the 'Caker' rebellions on the gas platforms of Alioth (originally called "fruitcake" for its minerals).
He was also instrumental in the parts of lore that have been retconned out. Where he developed a vaccine against the 'Mycoid Virus' (from mycelium or fungus) that saved the Thargoids from the Virus developed by INRA.
3) Mic Turner Group are an Alliance Dictatorship. Kinda rare - though definitely not the only one.
4) The bases have interesting commodities markets. They have a lot of the same stuff you would find in a normal high tech market, but there's no computers - it's all medical. Microbial Furnaces, Hostile Environmental suits. Narcotics. Weapons. Everything you would need if you were running a bio-weapons facility. Including a black market.
5) At Mahon research base there was this weird news item:
There is a bit of noise that it's player written, but it doesn't have an attribution so who knows.
With the new information that INARA is still working behind the scenes, I reckon we'll be seeing more developments.
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There are no obvious fungus patches or anything else unusual within 15km of Redmarch. I've not driven around the facility yet, but the only thing I coul dpoint at as interesting is that there is a dish that might be pointed at a near by cluster. I'll try and identify that cluster.
EDIT: Actually that 'cluster' may just be one of the other gas giants in the system and it's moons.
Redmarch Labratory
EDIT: Actually that 'cluster' may just be one of the other gas giants in the system and it's moons.
Redmarch Labratory
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Haha! I was just down there at Mahon Base and found these "space pumpkins"; I was wondering why I hadn't seen them posted on the forum before. They're the first persistent surface features I've visited in the game (I don't do surface driving much).
I don't get the big deal with this. Plenty of places like this.
So far the Alliance have built bases with a purpose, this system however , the reason still eludes me. I suspect there is something here in system to discover , but where or what ?
California Sector BA-A E6 Mic turner base, built on planet with many barnacles , centre of the California nebula, also with a fungus garden, strange that no volcanism, as every other known fungus requires volcanism.
HIP 18077 Mahon research base , No known barnacles , searched many times but doesnt look the correct conditions. Fungus garden at the base, this time planet has volcanism, but not found any away from the base yet.
Pumpkin patch appeared with 2.3 , but unknown if intended, some cmdrs still see the bark mounds, others see the pumpkins. i see pumpkins.
JH-V C2-12 . Barnacles may be possible on planet 6 only, where Nerio Hold is, but have not found any there, few viable locations and none found yet. More likely no barnacles here i feel, all other planets too hot , other moons too cold.
Same for natural cone fungus , aka Bark mounds.
One thing only is strange, but thats for a different reason, a bug i still need to do a report on.
From others i have found they have no problem with the system map, everything looks correct. Also they had not scanned the system before 2.3 . I had complete scans of the system prior to the patch and base being placed there.
Sometimes when changes occur in a system , the planet scans vanish, undiscovered again, so suspect a change happened there. Rarer occasions you get the blackout on the planet. No system map planet data at all, and no surface map.
Worst cases you dont even get the planet drawn in game, but can land on a invisible planet, not the case this time, but as you can see the system map, 2 and 2A are not there properly.
Since i have everything detailed scanned before, something changed on 2 and 2A, since its scanned i cannot rescan them, but they are still undiscovered. Also they are not targetable unless in system map too. No navigation target for me on 2 and 2A.
A bug on my end i think, system map overwritten my old system data and bugged somehow and i cant rescan it , but suggests something new on 2 and 2A. i can still see the planet in game at least, and searched both moons for a while, but absolutely no POI.
not sure if thats because i have no nav data for both and maybe no POI ?
Anyway, i'll still be searching for a reason why they built in this system. Maybe other organic types we havn't found yet. 2 and 2A hotter than regular fungus or barnacle requirements.
No volcanism found yet on 2A either, silicate vapour geyser fumaroles.. I'm suspecting i will find nothing , since ship location when down here still says Deep Space. doesn't recognise i am on a planet without nav data
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So far the Alliance have built bases with a purpose, this system however , the reason still eludes me. I suspect there is something here in system to discover , but where or what ? No navigation target for me on 2 and 2A.
A bug on my end i think, system map overwritten my old system data and bugged somehow and i cant rescan it , but suggests something new on 2 and 2A.
Great insight as always.
That's definitely a glitch - those bodies are fine. I'm parked up there on 2A for the night.
The names are aways worth noting in hand crafted systems.
Pharos was the Lighthouse at Alexandria:
Nerio is an ancient war godess and consort of Mars.
might also be this guy
I don't have anything for Redmarch although it is suggestive of Mao's Long March.
Those scopes ARE pointed at the other Gas Giant, but I didn't note which one.
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It's really about where they are, the best part of 1000Ly from the bubble, and there possible connection with the big plot stuff going in on the background. EG in Frontier First Encounters (now not cannon), the Alliance hot hold of the cure for the Mycoid virus that was used to destroy the Thargoids drive systems, and delivered it to the Thargoids, undoing the carnage caused be the secret war with INRA.
We don't know what the current story is, or how much it differs from FFE, but there location, and purpose suggests strong connections.
Also...
Just if anyone wanted to know.
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Sure.
The system is valuable for explo data and worth a visit if youre out this way.
There's a Pristine Metallic ring on the Blue Gas Giant planet 12.
Then there's Ammonia Based life in the brown Gas Giant planet 11.
And there's a terrestrial water world with life as well at planet 10.
The telescopes at Nerio Hold might be pointing at the Ammonia Gas Giant with life. (need to check). And there are three nebulae that the "other telescope aim point" but I don't properly recognise them. I don't have a screen grab on this machine.
Redmarch is on a tidally locked moon of that planet as well. Is there any reliable lore around Thargoid chemistry? Specificaly are they ammonia based?
This is the first time I have looked under the rock of "what is specifically in the system bodies" so I can't tell if having two different types of life chemistry is common or rare. Anyway it looks like a good place to site some Thargoid <> Alliance content. I'm not sure if I have the patience to crawl around the 2 and 2a planets looking for things.
In other news: Saool I fixed your Avatar:
Thread here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/349148-Some-HoloMe-picture-fun
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I also notice the Alliance is no longer alone, out there in Cal Sector. One of those new asteroid-bases has been plonked out there: in the California Sector BV-Y C7 system is the Darwin Research Facility, operated by the Indie democratic faction Deep Space Investigations. Unlike the system in the OP, this system is visible as inhabited from the Galaxy Map.
Just visited there. There's a minor map glitch here: the asteroid is orbiting right next to the star, but the system map has placed it out beyond the furthest planet.
There's another remote outpost not far from there, in one of the 2MASS-with-the-too-long-to-copy-down-correctly-code systems, down next to the NGC 1333 Nebula: an Indie Corporate asteroid base, Ring Mine, run by Deep Space Mining.
Just visited there. There's a minor map glitch here: the asteroid is orbiting right next to the star, but the system map has placed it out beyond the furthest planet.
There's another remote outpost not far from there, in one of the 2MASS-with-the-too-long-to-copy-down-correctly-code systems, down next to the NGC 1333 Nebula: an Indie Corporate asteroid base, Ring Mine, run by Deep Space Mining.
Yup, visited them both. Too far away for the Alliance to move in however, even at Investment ranges.
Well, Turner's Dictatorship has already Expanded into Darwin, so it's up to the Alliance BGS guys to force a takeover if they want it. They're only at 10% influence right now, and not offering any missions when I was there.
Ring Mine is, however, going to remain an asteroid too far. It was 5 jumps away in my 42 LY Asp so it'd take years for the Investment range to span that gap.
Ring Mine is, however, going to remain an asteroid too far. It was 5 jumps away in my 42 LY Asp so it'd take years for the Investment range to span that gap.
Thanks for the tip off. I though the 42Ly or so distance was too great for Turner to reach. I'll head out this weekend and start... eh... bringing stability to the system?
[SUB]
Why did they have to be a damned Dictatorship?[/SUB]
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I really do hope there's more to the "Cordyceps Growths" than just as a weapon against the Thargoids. Using some kind of altered version of Ophiocordyceps could be used to implant and chemically change the brains of Thargoids bringing them, and/or their ships, under human control. One other use for Cordyceps is as a source for ciclosporin; an immunosuppressive drug used in human transplant operations which, with some more tinkering, might also be made more effective if there were experiments involving hybrid human/Thargoid biological technologies.