Sins of a Solar Empire: Fires of War
Synopsis:
Fires of War takes place 3000 years after the TEC-Vasari war and the advent return. It deals with Four factions, the Confederate Remnants (CRF), the Prometh and the Enclave. The fourth faction, is the Scourge, an insectile race.
The Mod will be in two releases, Fires of War: Baptism by Fire which will bring the Scourge and CRF into the picture and then Fires of War: Inferno which will bring the rest into the picture, the Enclave and the Prometh
Features:
A Reworked Economy-We are going to nerf extractors and make Refineries and Trade Ports FAR more important. This way commerce raiding effective and a valid tactic. Note that only the CRF is getting a dedicated commerce raider.
Revamped Battle System- Gravity wells will be made MUCH larger, also larger ships will be more towards broadsiding rather than facing their opponents. And if it is feasible, we will make it so that ships can move in engagements and large fleet battles.
New ship classes- Each faction will have similar. Their shiplists will follow the general rule of 15 ships total, 8 of which are universal roles of: basic combat, advanced combat, long range, basic carrier, colony, siege, utility, and scouting roles. Two of these will be multirole vessels. They will then have four special ships. These may also be advanced versions, like the CRF Phoenix Carrier, it is an advanced carrier whereas the Guardian carrier fufills the colony and basic carrier roles. Capitals will be arranged much the same, following the format of a combat cap, a utility cap, a carrier cap, a supercapital and a unique utility cap. All factions will also have three Strikecraft types. Interceptors- light and fast Strikecraft that are used SPECIFICALLY against other strikecraft, Multi-role fighters that can go after either small warships or other strikecraft, and dedicated bombers which are pure anti-warship and will be cut to shreds without fighter support.
Reworked weapons- Fires of War will completely redo the existing weapon system. First, all warships will now be equipped with anti strikecraft weapons of some kind (with the exception of the scourge, to balance the fact that they can easily overwhelm existing forces if used properly). Also some weapons will have a chance to bypass shields, and other ships will have dedicated anti-shield weapon systems.
Reworked Research- Research will now become much more important, as you will have to research in order to access almost all the good abilities and in order to build cruisers, destroyers and capital ships. Also there will be no more free first caps.
Reworked fleet supply- Fleet supply will be almost tripled for most factions and capital ship limits will be increased drastically to make them more important.
New Planet types- Simple, we plan on integrating Sins Plus (pending DANMAN's permission)
Volumetric Explosions- yep we plan on using the volumetric explosions by ManSh00ter, once he has released a 1.16 compatible mod-integratable version.
Reworked tactics- Basically, we are throwing out the current accepted multiplayer tactics and replacing them with our own. For starters, we are going to be killing both Carrier spam and LRF spam. In the way of new tactics, they have yet to be developed and will be faction specific, so there will be no Zergling rush with the CRF, as it is the scourge tactic.
Redone class balancing- Pretty much certain ships will have there uses and will be intentionally designed to ONLY fit those uses. Basically, you won't be able to use a Vindicator or Liberty Dreadnought as a commerce raider effectively, the Hydra is specifically created for that role and vice versa, it won't be able to be used as a heavily combatant
The Confederate Restoration Forces (CRF)
“Throughout recorded history, civilizations have faced near destruction, and somehow managed to survive. Humanity is no different” – Vice Adm. Jacek Quorr, CO CRF 3rd Fleet
Chapter 1: The Beginning
3000 Years ago, the Vasari Exodus Fleet arrived in Trade Order space, catching the Order off-guard. The Vasari quickly overwhelmed the Traders and seized many of their worlds. Soon, the Traders Emergency Coalition (TEC) was formed, and began the widespread conversion of non-combat ships into combat capable vessels. Within 10 years, the TEC had driven the Vasari to a stalemate. This allowed the TEC to send some of its veterans home to their families. However, an old enemy would soon join the battle.
Around seven centuries ago, diplomats from Trade Order discovered a civilization flourishing on a small desert world, The Advent. The practices of this civilization abhorred them. Then the Order made perhaps one of worst decisions in human history: they forcibly removed the Advent from their homeworld. With this, they etched a hatred of the Traders upon the entire Advent society. The consequences of this would prove disastrous, centuries later.
A year after the war had been driven to the stalemate, the Advent joined the fight. At first, the Advent sent forth only small fleets, to lure the TEC into thinking it had the upper-hand. After many “victories” by the TEC, the Advent showed their hand. The Advent war fleet overwhelmed the weary TEC defenders. This resulted in the TEC drafting many civilians into the armed forces to combat this new threat. Within a year of intense fighting, the TEC was on the verge of collapse. With the coming of the Advent, the Vasari had seized the opportunity to break the stalemate, and drove the TEC defenders back further and further. While on the other side of the sector, the Advent were smashing through the TECs defenses. Humanity was on its last ropes, and hoping for a miracle.
Then, out of nowhere, the Vasari began pulling back. The TEC seized upon this and pushed back, regaining much of its lost territory within a matter of months. Soon, the Vasari had faded back into the darkness of deep space. Now the TEC brought the full strength of its fleet on the Advent. This caught the Advent off-guard, figuring that the TEC would be weakened from its recent counter-offensive. What they didn’t count on was the iron resolve of the TEC crews. The TEC quickly pushed the Advent back and seized back its old territory. The Advent, on verge of destruction, decided it would be best to retreat. Their fate is a tale for another day.
Thus ended the Vasari-TEC-Advent War.
Chapter 2: Restoration and formation of the CRF
The war left humanity scarred. Many just wanted to return home to their families and rebuild. Others however where restless, knowing that if humanity lowered its guard again war would come, and humanity may not survive. They formed the CRF, the Confederate Restoration Forces, and began developing new technology and ship designs, all largely based on technology reverse engineered from captured Advent and Vasari ships.
Meanwhile, the TEC was disbanded and the old Trade Order government was put back in place. This brought a reprieve to many citizens, and the rebuilding of the once grand Trade Order began.
Chapter 3: Discovery of the CRF fleet
With the government focused on reconstruction, the CRF was given time to grow. Over two decades, the CRF grew in size and power. Soon it would be ready to strike.
That time never came. After 20 years of under-hindered growth, the CRF fleet was almost destroyed because of one lowly trader. The freighter Aurora came out of phase space right in the middle of the CRF’s staging grounds. Caught off-guard, the CRF responded quickly by capturing the freighter and her crew. However, the admiralty knew that they must strike soon, lest they be discovered and caught off-guard again. Thus began the rapid mobilization of CRF forces and within a month, they were ready. Operation “Restore”, as it was named, was about to begin.
Chapter 4: Failure of Operation “Restore”
Operation “Restore” was fool-proof, or so the admiralty thought. It called for the simultaneous attack and seizure of key Trade order worlds. However, the planners failed to take one thing into consideration: communications. While transmitting the operational plans to CRF ship captains, they forgot to encrypt them. Trade Order intelligence analysts intercepted the transmissions. With the operation about to launch in two days, the Trade Order government mobilized its aging fleet of warships.
Two days later, the CRF fleet launched the operation. All was going well until the fleets reached their intended targets. They found the planets heavily defended. Numerous CRF crews were lost in the taking of their objectives, but most of the task forces were repulsed. This raised the question among high command: how could the Trade Order have known we were coming?. Investigations revealed that one of the transmissions carrying the plans was unencrypted. The analyst responsible was interrogated and discovered to be a spy for the Trade Order government.
The Admiralty acted quickly, knowing that if they didn’t, the entire CRF fleet could be destroyed. The entire fleet regrouped and launched a massive offensive on the Trade Order. Thus began the Trader Civil War.
Chapter 5: Trader Civil War
With the failure of Operation Restore, began the Trader Civil War, which lasted for two years. In the first year, the CRF and Trade Order fleets fought to a stalemate. The tide turned in the CRF’s favour a month into the second year. During the 2 decades following the Vasari-TEC-Advent war, the CRF had discovered several Vasari “Kostura” cannons, orbiting a rogue star. The CRF relocated these cannons to its headquarters within the Caldeira Nebula and tried to adapt them to human technology. During that month, CRF scientists had finally managed to power all seven cannons up.
The Admiralty now had a way to turn the tide of the war, and they used it. The CRF simultaneously fired all the cannons and launched a renewed counter-offensive. The CRF forces quickly overwhelmed the Traders.
Over the next eleven months, the CRF gradually gained momentum. In the final month of the war, CRF forces were in orbit of the Trade Order Capital. It looked as though it would be another month before the war would be over, until the Trader Government offered its unconditional surrender.
Chapter 6: A New Era
With the fall of the trade order came about a new government and a new era of prosperity. The new government, unlike the old one, was a republic system (much like the government of the USA on old earth). Rebranding itself the CRF, the new government poured credits into military spending. The military quickly grew, fuelled by new technological breakthroughs. Over the next 3 millenia, the CRF society would grow to overshadow the splendour of its predecessor, the Trade Order. The CRF originally stood for Confederate Restoration Forces, now it is just known as the CRF (the original name has been lost to the ages).
Chapter 7: Discovery of Alien Ruins
2000 years later, CRF explorers discovered an alien testing facility on one a backwater planet. Within, was a cache of experimental alien technology and research. The Military quickly moved in, securing the system and setting up a research and testing facility there.
This was the beginning of the STARFALL Project.
Chapter 8: The STARFALL Project
Within the alien cache, CRF scientists discovered a prototype “micro-singularity” weapon. Realizing the potential for such a weapon, the Admiralty ordered the creation of a facility for the development of technology related to the prototype. The STARFALL Project was born.
STARFALL, along with other projects, provided the foundation for the modern CRF society and military. Some of these advances include the creation of “mass synthesizers.” This particular technology allowed the mass synthesizing of various items and materials, completely eliminating the need for credits.
After 1000 years of research, the STARFALL Project itself yielded two major creations: The STARFALL Weapon (mounted on STARHAMMER dreadnoughts) and the Singularity Generator. The STARFALL Weapon was a offensive adaptation of the micro-singularity weapon. Able to create a micro singularity that would suck in any enemy ships within its radius, the STARFALL was the most advanced weapon in the CRF arsenal. The defensive/logistical adaption of this Technology took the form of “Gateways”, allowing near instantaneous travel between “Hubs”.
Chapter 9: The Scourge War
A decade after the construction of the first Liberty Superdreadnought, the Scourge came.
Like locusts descending upon crops, the Scourge descended upon the CRF, as countless as the stars. The CRF defenders were quickly overwhelmed by the Scourge, despite a valiant defense there were just too many.
Within a few weeks, countless CRF worlds had gone dark. The populations of these worlds were turned into mindless husks used for the construction of Scourge hives on these planets.
However, all was not lost; CRF scientists had modified an experimental bio-weapon to specifically target non-humans, DG-Blue. The bio-weapon delivery system, or as it was called PLAGUE, was mounted aboard a few select Mediator Class Destroyers.
These Mediators, nicknamed “Plague-bringers” were assigned to the CRF 3rd Fleet, under the command of Vice Admiral Jacek Quorr. Another ship was also added to the fleet, the Liberty Class Superdreadnought Republic. Just a few days after receiving these vessels, the 3rd was ordered to the front lines. This ticked off most of the 3rd fleet non-commissioned personnel, who did not know the real reason behind these orders. The officers of the fleet knew the real reason: to field test both the Liberty Superdreadnought design and the new PLAGUE system.
Soon after departing the 3rd fleet’s home base in the Antares System, the fleet arrived in the frontline system of Caldeira.
Upon arrival in the Caldeira system, the 3rd fleet promptly deployed its forces and began the evacuation of the civilian population. Days after the evacuation began; a scourge patrol entered the system. This alarmed the defenders who promptly dispatched it, though not before it could relay its discovery to the Scourge Hive. This prompted the 3rd fleet to hasten the evacuation (which was halfway through, the Caldeira system had a population of over 500 billion). It was projected that it would take another two days for the evacuation to be complete, but they would not have that much time. The next day a massive scourge invasion force entered the system, starting the Battle of Caldeira.
Chapter 10: The Battle of Caldeira
The Battle of Caldeira was the bloodiest battle of the Scourge war, yet it was also the most significant, marking the turning point of the war in the CRF’s favor.
The CRF 3rd fleet defenders were caught off-guard, not expecting the Scourge to attack. Knowing that the remaining civilian transports had to be allowed to escape, Vice Admiral Quorr took the PLAGUE system armed Mediators and the Republic into the Scourge force.
This bold move blindsided the scourge, who had expected the CRF defenders to flee. Soon, the small force unleashed a hail of deadly plasma fire upon the Scourge, quickly exterminating a quarter of the invasion force. However, Quorr’s Task force was still outnumbered 200 to 1.
The rest of the scourge quickly fell upon the small fleet, destroying one of the Mediator Destroyers. It was in that moment that Quorr ordered the deployment of the DG-Blue bio-weapon. A hail of missiles launched from the Mediator’s, engulfing a formation of Scourge swarmers and as designed, were infected with the bio-weapon, which spread to the other Scourge. It appeared as though Quorrs fleet had one, but nothing was farther from the truth. A t that moment, when the crews of the force were celebrating, a Harbinger along with another Scourge fleet appeared. Harbingers were a rarely seen breed of scourge, the most mysterious, yet the most powerful. Quorr had few options, faced with impossible odds and with his ships heavily damaged, Quorr made a desperate move. He ordered the surviving Mediator Class Destroyers back to the rest of the fleet and took the Republic into the Scourge fleet. Fortunately for the crew of the Republic, she had been equipped with quantum crystalline armor, rendering her impervious to all but the heaviest of weapons, like those on the Scourge Harbinger. Once it got within weapons range, the Republic began taking a beating from the Harbinger’s weapons while returning fire. The Republic had another surprise for the Harbinger, an MDEMP (Mass-dispersal Electro-Magnetic Pulse) bomb. MDEMP’s were by this time standard ordinance on board Liberty Class Superdreadnoughts. However this MDEMP had been laced with the DG Blue bio-weapon. Upon the detonation of the MDEMP, the Harbinger and surrounding Scourge were infected, however this proved not to be enough to take out the Harbinger. With the Republic heavily damaged and the Harbinger drawing closer to the evacuation fleet, Vice Admiral Jacek Quorr issued a final order: Abandon Ship, but the crew refused, vowing to fight till the very end. With that, Admiral Quorr took the Republic closer to the Harbinger and rammed it. At that moment, he overloaded the ships reactor core, and in the ensuing explosion destroyed the Harbinger along with the remaining Scourge fleet. This battle marked a turning point in the war, with it being the first real CRF victory. Quorr and the crew of the Republic were awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroic sacrifice, allowing the remaining civilian transports to leave the system and singlehandedly destroying an entire Scourge fleet. Soon afterwards, a new Liberty Class Superdreadnought was commissioned, named the Republic II in honor of the ship and her crew.
Chapter 11: Changing Winds
The Battle of Caldeira was the turning point in the Scourge War. Now with an effective way to fight the Scourge, the CRF went on the offensive. Within months, the CRF had reclaimed most of its territory. However the assimilated worlds had to be abandoned, the Scourge conversion had left them scarred and unable to support life. As these worlds where now useless, the CRF high command began mass deployment of “Planet Busters”, destroying these planets to get at the resources still contained within them.
Soon, the Scourge were pushed out of CRF space and into the void of deep space were they recovered and rebuilt.
Chapter 12: Aftermath and the Future
The war was over, but it had left the sector scarred. Dozens of worlds were ravaged, millions had been killed. The losses for the war were estimated at over a trillion civilian, and half billion military personnel.
The Scourge war is regarded by many as the CRF’s baptism of fire. Humanity had learned much from this war and the mistakes of their ancestors three millennia ago. Many changes were made to the CRF military and defense systems. STARFALL weapons were deployed to every single Confederate World. New weapon systems and ships were designed and built. Humanity would not again be caught off-guard.
The CRF had much rebuilding to do, and little time to do it, within a decade war would come again to humanity. They would be caught in the middle of a turf war between two empires. The Scourge would also rise again, stronger and much more powerful than before. This would all stir a race as old as the stars themselves...
The Fires of War will again consume the galaxy…
CRF Space:
The CRF controls the north western arm of the galaxy. CRF space has been divided into three sectors since the Scourge War.
The Bastion
The Bastion is the Center of the CRF sector, containing the CRF Capital system of Altair. The Bastion is also the most resource rich and heavily industrialized of CRF space. At the center of the Bastion is the Acrux Blackhole, which is rumored to contain a CRF military installation.
The Rim
The Rim is the systems farthest from the Bastion, they are highly prized because they are rich in natural resources and heavily colonized. Additionally this sector is home to the legendary Caldeira Nebula, the site of the battle of Caldiera (the wreckage of the Republic can still be seen).
The Badlands
The Badlands is the name given to the narrow sector of space that separates the Rim from the rest of the Galaxy. The Badlands were the site of the most intense fighting of the Scourge War, and as a result are home to hundreds of desolate planets, asteroid fields and debris fields (wrecks). Nonetheless, the Badlands are the most heavily defended and patrolled section of CRF space (due to it being the border between CRF space and the rest of the galaxy.
Shiplist:
Frigates:
Omega Class Probe
Role: Scout
Abilities: Explore, Cloak
Weapons: None
Description: A cheap and fast probe used by the CRF navy for reconnaissance and surveillance
Monarch Class Assault Frigate
Role: Combat
Abilities: Shield Leech
Weapons: six (two forward, two port, two starboard) Ion Cannons, Four PDLs
Description: The Monarch is the workhorse of the CRF Navy and is a common sight in CRF fleets. Heavily armored and moderately armed, the Monarchs can take on many ships on their own and emerge victorious. Monarchs are also equipped with planetary assault weapons.
Guardian Class Assault Carrier
Role: Carrier/Colonizer
Abilities: Invade Planet, Colonize, Capture Extractor
Weapons: 4 PDLs, 2 squadrons
Description: The Guardian is an assault carrier used by the CRF navy. A multi-role vessel, the Guardian is equipped with hangars to house starfighters and troop transports for planetary invasions.
Destroyers:
Ranger Class Mine layer
Role: Special
Abilities: Deploy mines
Weapons: 4 Ion Cannons, Six PDLs
Description: The ranger is a support ship brought in after a system has been secured to deploy mines for defense, or blockades.
Cruisers:
Hydra Class Strike Cruiser
Role: Special
Abilities: Modified Singularity Drive, Micro E.M.P, Micro Jump, Deploy Covert Ops Team
Weapons: five twin Ion Cannon Batteries, Seven pulsar torpedo launchers, Eight PDLs
Description: The Hydra is a relatively unique design in the CRF Navy, lightly armed for a ship of its class, it fits the role of a fast raider. Armed with multiple pulsar torpedo launchers and a specially designed singularity drive, the Hydra class can jump in system, wreck havoc and then jump out again quickly.
Valiant class Attack Cruiser
Role: Adv. Combat
Abilities: Boost Weapon Power
Weapons: six twin Ion Cannon Batteries, two pulsar torpedo launchers, Eight PDLs
Description: The Valiant is the most heavily armed ship the CRF uses that is not a capital ship. The Valiant is a fairly slow moving ship by modern standards, but is heavily armed, armored and shielded. It also has the ability to divert power from its shields to its weapon systems, boosting its damage output by decreasing weapon cool down.
Havoc Class Missile Cruiser
Role: LRM
Abilities: Anti-Matter Warheads
Weapons: Four Pulsar Torpedo Launchers
Description: A fairly recent addition to the CRF Navy, Havoc Missile Cruisers are often at the back of the fleet, pounding the enemies of the CRF with their torpedoes. Long ranged, but slow and lightly armored.
Phoenix Class Escort Carrier
Role: Adv. Carrier
Abilities: Boost Shields
Weapons: Four PDLs, 5 fighter squadrons
Description: The Phoenix is the next step up from the Guardian. Forgoing armament , the Phoenix is able to carrier a large amount of fighters.
Rejuvenator class Fleet Tender
Role: Support
Abilities: Regenerate Shields, Repair Hull, Re-supply Antimatter
Weapons: Eight PDLs
Description: Wherever there is a CRF fleet, you can be sure that a group of Rejuvenators are not far away. Rejuvenator is the re-supply ship of the confederate navy.
Capital Ships:
Vindicator Class Battleship
Role: Combat
Abilities: Full Salvo, JUDGEMENT Mode, Fire beam cannons, Inspired Command
Weapons: 16 twin Ion Cannon Batteries, Five pulsar torpedo launchers, 5 squadrons,
Description: One of the most powerful ships in the Navy, the Vindicator is designed with one thing in mind: War. The sheer amount of firepower that this ship can bring to bear on enemies of the state is enough to slag a planet several times over. Vindicators also carry the JUDGEMENT system, allowing them to briefly boost their armor, hull points, shield regeneration and giving their weapon systems greater range.
Conquest Class Fleet Carrier
Role: Carrier
Abilities: Designate Fleet Target, Rapid Manufacturing Facilities, Blockade, Skilled Starfighter pilots
Weapons: 10 squadrons (upgradeable to 100), 14 twin Ion Cannon Batteries, 10 PDLs
Description: The Conquest is the biggest and best of the carriers in the CRF arsenal, able to carry a complement of well over 100 fighter squadrons, the Conquest is capable of supporting a planetary invasion all on its own. Conquests are also heavily armed and possess command and control facilities, allowing them to serve as flagships.
Freedom Class Dreadnought
Role: Support
Abilities: Synchronized Targeting Systems, Deploy Mobile Shipyard, Deploy Gateway, Deploy Defenses
Weapons: ten Ion Cannon Batteries, Ten PDLs
Description: The Freedom type dreadnought is a support capital ship used by the CRF. Freedom dreadnoughts are unique among the CRF Fleet, with the ability to deploy mobile shipyards, defense platforms and “Gateways”.
Liberty Class Superdreadnought
Role: Supercapital
Abilities: Quantum Crystalline Armor, M.D.E.M.P, Inspiring Presence, Fire beam cannons
Weapons: 20 twin Ion Cannon Batteries, ten pulsar torpedo banks , 20 squadrons,
Description: The Liberty Class is the biggest and best ship the CRF has to offer. The product of a top secret navy research project, Liberty’s are meant to be the first ship in the action and the last one out. With recent upgrades, the Liberty class is near invulnerable.
Starhammer Class Dreadnought
Role: Superweapon
Weapons: 30 PDLs (Point-Defense Lasers)
Abilities: Activate STARFALL Weapon
Description: The STARHAMMER dreadnought is the carrying vessel of the STARFALL weapon system. Heavily armored, expensive and slow, the STARHAMMER mounts 30 PDLs for anti fighter defense, and not much else. It must be escorted or it will be quickly destroyed by enemy forces.
Strikecraft:
Sovereign Class Interceptor
Role: Interceptor
Weapons: Twin fire linked pulse lasers
Description: Sovereign Interceptors are the standard anti-fighter unit in the CRF fleet. They are very effective at taking down enemy fighters and bombers (however will be ripped to shreds if they do not engage bombers with sufficient fighter support). Additionally, they can take down small warships in sufficient numbers.
Liberator Class Heavy Fighter
Role: Multipurpose Fighter
Weapons: Twin fire linked pulse lasers, pulsar torpedo launcher
Description: The standard fighter in the CRF fleet. Liberator’s are effective against bombers and larger warships.
Diplomat Class Heavy Bomber
Role: Bomber
Weapons: Twin fire linked pulse lasers, two pulsar torpedo launchers
Description: The Diplomat is the CRF’s standard bomber. Sporting a pair of pulsar torpedo launchers, the Defender Heavy Bomber has enough firepower to wreck the largest of enemy capital ships. Effective against all warship classes.
Tactical Structures:
Ion Cannon Defense Batteries
Description: A defensive satellite armed with Ion Cannons that is cheap to produce and powerful.
Polaris Type Shield Generator
Description: A planetary shield generator that can prevent some damage to a planet from orbital bombardment.
Hangar Defense
Description: Orbital Hangar that houses starfighters for planetary defense.
Citadel Type Starbase
Description: CRF orbital space station that is usually seen in orbit around most CRF worlds. Armed with numerous weapons emplacements, Gravity well generators and starfighter hangars.
Gravity Well Projector
Description: Based on phase inhibitor technology, this is a CRF design that prevents enemy ships from escaping the gravity well of the planet that it is in orbit of.
Gateway
Description: A civilian adaption of the Micro singularity technology, Gateways carry onboard Micro singularity generators which open a stable singularity which allows near instantaneous travel between Gateway’s. They are a common site in CRF star systems.
Logistical Structures:
Crystal/Metal Mine
Frigate Shipyard
Capital Shipyard
Combat Lab
Civilian Lab
Trade Port
Media Center
Orbital Refinery
Fleet Supply Yard
The Dev Team:
JaggedSparFel-Project Leader
SpardaSon21- Coder
Kreeargh (i deem him unnofficially a member)- Modeller (he is doing the CRF models)
Also of note, we are doing away with the Nexus model imports in favor of original models
