Back in Black

[General Havoc]

Hello everyone.

So, over the last bit, I've run two different games on these forums, both of which were a lot of fun, for me at least. Sadly, commitments of various sorts rendered me unable to continue them both, and eventually I had to stop. I always meant to go back to them, but previously did not have the time. However, now that I've finally finished several enormous projects, I feel that I can once more give these games the time they require, and would like to know if anyone is still interested in playing one of them, and if so, which one. The poll above will be a rough guide for me making the decision as to which game I commence. If the vote is close, I will pick whichever one I feel more like running. If it is lopsided, then I will let it decide. Please make your opinions known as to which game you prefer, or whether you're willing to play in either one. And obviously, if you're not interested in either game, simply do not vote.

For those not in the know, the games in question are as follows (both of the games, as well as the background material for them, can additionally be found on the forums).



His Majesty's Dragons: The year is 1940. It is Europe's darkest hour.

In the skies above Great Britain, in the deserts of North Africa, from the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea to the frozen fjords of Norway, war has enveloped the world. The invincible legions of the Nazi Empire have crushed all resistance to their tyrannical rule, covering the entire continent in a shawl of darkness and terror. Only Britain, and her far-flung Empire still stands against the Nazi hordes, battling for her very survival in the face of an evil too terrible to contemplate.

The defense of Britain, the lynchpin of her resistance to Hitler's tyranny, are the dragons and dragonriders of the Royal Air Force, Britain's last, best weapon against the menace of Nazism. Bred and raised to combat from all across the world, crewed by expert captains and officers, these majestic beasts take daily to the air to combat the draconic armadas of the German Luftwaffe in battles that will decide the fate of the world itself. Aided by volunteers from foreign lands, and refugees from nations already crushed under the Nazi yoke, these desperately outnumbered dragons and captains are the only weapon Britain has to defend itself against the seemingly limitless power of the Nazi war machine.

The battles to come will be one day known as the Second World War. They will prove either the last gasp of a defeated nation, or the finest hour in the storied history of His Majesty's Dragons.




Star Trek, Death of the Federation: In a time long past, the Borg came to the Alpha Quadrant. Their forces numbered in the uncountable millions, and the power of their weapons, and of their untiring legions of the assimilated were were without equal in all the great nations of the Quadrant, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, and the greatest of them all, the United Federation of Planets.

In five years, they reduced the great powers of the Alpha Quadrant to carrion and ash, leaving a trail of burnt or assilimated planets behind them. No fleet, no weapon, no desperate stand against the darkness sufficed to hold them back, until at length the resistance of the finest soldiers and minds the Alpha quadrant had to offer proved ultimately futile. Earth itself was subsumed within the tide of grey, and the combined armadas of the Federation and all her allies swept aside and lost to the depths of history and time.

Two years after the fall of Earth, with the Federation burned to ashes alongside allies and enemies alike, it came to pass that the sole remaining core world among the once-vast Federation, Bajor, now was all that was left to defy the Borg's dominion over the Alpha Quadrant. Bit by grasping bit, such ships as remained intact, with such crews as were willing to still obey the call to battle, began to gather there, in preparation for one final, desperate stand against the approaching Borg.

Heroes were born in the fire and bloodshed of the battles that followed, and their names and deeds will never be forgotten...

[LadyTevar]

His Majesty's DRAGONS!!!!

[rhoenix]

I know that it would have to be one or the other - I would be fine with either one.

[JimmyTheCannon]

I know I'm new here, but my vote is for His Majesty's Dragons - it's why I signed up, after all.

[White Haven]

Leyton would like a word. This word may be comprised of phaser syllables.

[Charon]

*casts his vote for "Here there be Dragons"*

[LadyTevar]

Gonna bring back Jake & Kunta, Charon?

[Charon]

I dunno.

[Dark Silver]

either or, really.

But I've been playing a lot of STO lately.....

[Dark Silver]

To show how much I wish Star Trek.....

My preliminary character sheet

USCE Avondale NCC-865498
Archimedes-Class Federation Fleet Tender (Starfleet Corps of Engineers)

Length: 1623m
Beam: 1146m
Height: 824m

Decks: 80
Crew: 3900 (Stock: 80% Engineering and Construction, 3% Science, 2% Security, 3% Medical, 15% Flight Operations)

Auxillary Vehicles: 300 Worker Bees, 2 Yellowstone-class runabouts (U.S.S. Sabine and U.S.S. Atchafalaya), 10 Type XII Shuttlecraft, 15 Type VII Shuttle, 5 Type X Shuttlecrafts, 10 Type IX Shuttlecrafts

Armament:
Type X Phaser Array x5

Defense:
Triple Redundant Heavy Shield Generators
Duranium/Tritanium Double hull with 5cm of Ablative Armor
High Level Structual Integrity Field

Warp Speed
Normal Cruise: Warp 7
Maximum Cruise: Warp 8.0
Maximum Sustained: Warp 8.3 for 20 hours



Ship Systems:
.:Industrial Replicator System:.
Installed as default, these powerful Replicators are utilized in the creation of replacement components for starships docked within the Archimedes-Class' repair hold. Within reason, the replicators can produce most major components for a Federation Starship short of weapons systems. The Industrial Replicators are feed by multiple storage tanks of industrial grade replicator matter - and under duress, can utilize material from stellar objects (certain nebulas and asteroids) to help restock.

.:Multi-Redundant Warp Core :.
(The Engineering Deck of the Archimedes Class looks more like the Engineering Deck of the Big E in the 2009 Trek movie) Multiple warp core ARRAYS are in use in the Archimedes-Class, to provide Main and Warp Power generation should issues occur in the primary Warp Core Array.

.:Tractor Beams:.
A staple on nearly every class of Federation vessal, the Achimedes-Class' hull is nearly covered with Tractor Beam Arrays. These are not the standard Starship caliber emitter arrays, instead the Achimedes Fleet Tender is equipped with the arrays generally found in Starbases and Shipyards, allowing it to tow at Warp Speeds, multiple starships with ease.

.:Automated Industrial Factory:.
For all their utility, there are somethings even Industrial Replicators cannot make. For those cases, the Archimedes Class contain two Industrial Facilities capable of creating a limited number of important ship components. These facilities are mostly automated, though they can be manually operated to a extent. Each facility has a large cargo hold dedicated to the important materials utilized in the function of these facilities, but they only contain a finite stock of components...




Weakness:
.:I'm giving her all I've got!;.
The Archimedes-class is truly massive, the largest Federation Ship ever created, and it pays for the size in spades. The ship is slow, extremely slow. It's top rated Warp Speeds, even with multi-redundant warp cores and multiple Warp Nacelles is slower than nearly every other modern - and some not so modern - ship in the Quadrant. Even in sublight, the ship is ponderous, slow to turn, slow to accelerate....and even harder to slow down.



.:She just ain't moving:.
While a truly massive ship, the grand bulk of the Archimedes-class is empty space - this is due to it's role as a mobile Repair Yard. The ship can "unfold" portions of it's lower hull and extend out four "legs" to emcompass all but the largest Federation starships (leaves the ship looking similar to Earth Station McKinley from TNG episode "Family"). When in "Repair" mode, the Archimedes-class is unable to move under it's own power.






Crew:
Captain Hannable "Han" Solo
Human, Male, Age 43 Years. Born on Antaxia Beta II, Hannable was always interested in Engineering. After Graduating the Academy, instead of going into the Exploration or security sections of Starfleet, Hannable made it his priority to joint he Star Fleet Corps of Engineers. He served on the 'USCE Da Vinci' as a junior engineer for some time, with distinction, before moving up the ranks steadily. He helped build the USCE Archimedes, the first of new generation the Federation Fleet-Tender ships, and served as it's Chief Engineer for the first five years of it's operation. When the 'USCE Avondale' began construction, he was offered Project Lead, with option of Command of the ship when it came online. He gladly took the assignment, and spent the next three years constructing the gigantic ship. The Avondale was completed with three others of her class, only a year short of the Borg's all out Assault on the Alpha Quadrant. Following orders from Command, Solo kept the ship behind the front Lines, but within reach, to tender repairs to ships who managed to escape the battle being waged. After the Fall of Earth, the Avondale's escort ships were slowly paired down by whatever was left of command, until the great ship was left with nothing but it's own shuttles, and a small flight of Peregrines to protect itself - Peregrines which were lost as the ship fled towards Bajor and the Federation Fleet gathering there.



Commander william "Lil Buddy" Giligan
Human, Male. Age: 34
Born: Mars

Born on Mars, William Giligan Attended Starfleet Academy and graduated with honors in his Class on Warp Theory and Design. He joined the Starfleet Corps of Engineers after Graduation and worked his way to a posting on the USCE Starship Command tract, and launched


Lt Commander Rhee's
Androian Age: 29

One of the few Non-Corps of Engineer officers on the command crew of the Avondale,


Ensign Vince Hoff - Helmsman
UnJoined Trill, Male Age 24





Commander Caxafingarathi - Chief Medical Officer
43 Year Old Calminian Female. Non-starleet, took the job after having been rescued from Delmanian IV after a Borg assault, which lead to the death of the CMO.


Commander Scott Taylor - Chief Engineer
Human, Male Age 43

Loudmouthed, arrogant, prone to cussing, Commander Taylor was one of the USCE's best and brightest - unless his foot got in the way of his mouth. He's quick to rise a pint at the Replimat or the Ship's Galley, and quicker to cuss as he's attempting to make a repair and skins his knuckles. Speech for him come easy - and unfortunatly for those of more sensitive morals, rather vulgarly.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Dragon Sheet
Name: Haakon Magnusklekket (Haakon, Hatchling of Magnus), "Jarl of Innherred"
Breed: Valdemarian
Nationality: Norwegian
Color: Fir-Green with speckled grey.
Born: 1773
Religion: Draconic Norse-Pagan
Languages Spoken: Norwegian (including Old Norse), Swedish, Danish (These are all nearly mutually intelligible, and if you know one, given proximity, one readily picks up the others)
German, French, English, Latin, Ancient Greek.

Armament: Dragon-harness, usual guns and crew. Long piercing spines attached to his tail with leather straps (basically a thagomizer. WHat, you dont think a viking dragon will have other weapons?), steel claw extensions.

Haakon was hatched on October 17th, 1773 in his family line's fortress Festing Drage-Innherred to Magnus Halvardklekket, the Grand Duke of Innherred since his own ascension in 1545, and traces his family line and their holdings back to Torstein "Deathwing" Olavsklekket, who conquered the region from Nils Eriksklekket in 840 AD. In fulfillment of his obligations, he has fought in every war from the Theater War to the Norway-Sweden war in 1814, which resulted in the union between Sweden and Norway, which lasted until 1907. He ascended his Dukedom in 1814 upon the death of his father at the battle of Langnes (and either driving off, or accepting into his service his younger siblings, granting them baronies within his own territory). The end of the war resulted in 126 years of peace. Haakon "rules" over the border region between southern and northern Norway, and saw the industrial revolution, Darwin, and the advent of genetics, and considers himself a child of the enlightenment. Most other Valdemarians are conservative if not downright parochial. Most of these Valdemarian's live in the arctic circle. Haakon is not. He grew up ruling a port city in the Age of Reason, and as a result, while he is old and temperamentally conservative, he is aware of it, and finds this ideologically unacceptable, and considers himself (and in fact is) classically educated. He actively makes an effort to take an interest in newfangled technology, new philosophies and coming up with new ways of doing things. He also supports (vocally, in his capacity as Grand Duke) equal legal rights for every and all people (Humans all look alike to him, so he really sees none of the differences the humans seem to quibble over). So, he supported the abolition of slavery, universal suffrage, religious freedom for jews and others. On the other hand, he is a vocal and sincere Pagan, still observes the old rules of hospitality, and is positively medieval in his views on how one handles threats and challenges to his power (he once blood eagled a feral reaper that attacked livestock on his eastern border, and left it as a warning to others).

In the southern more urban part of his lands, he offers "advice" to the human government, contributes his vast wealth to politicians and organizations he finds worthy, handles feral beasts, organizes the militia and does other things of that nature. In the northern more rural part of his territory, he effectively IS the government. He serves as the arbiter of last resort, he (through human surrogates) administers relief to the poor, helps with infrastructural projects (you can do that when you weigh 20 tons), fends off ravening Ferals and other things. His people are HIS and he takes care of what is HIS, within the bounds of what he is permitted before a Jotunmeister pays him a visit. In practice, he views himself as a vassal of King of Norway, and follows the rules laid down by said King, who he recognizes has the power to remove him should he so choose.

And then the war began. It did not hit Norway at first, and it was not certain who would invade first. Both the Germans and the British traded with Norway, and wanted to deny strategic access and trade to the other, and had busily been violating Norwegian neutrality. Haakon got to work. He mobilized his Huskarls (yes, Huskarls. His crew, and an off-the-books ground militia) and prepared Innherred for war. The Germans invaded first on the 9th of April, 1940. The germans attacked Oslo, Kristiansand, Egersund, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik simultaneously, in addition, they hit the dragon coverts at Fornebu and Sola. The Norwegian army was at this point only partially mobilized (and in secret, no less), and due to prior maneuvers and naval combat between the british and germans, did not know the full gravity of the situation until the germans landed. Taking the dragon coverts at the same time left most of the Norwegian airforce unable to join battle at all--having either been captured, or in full flight to secondary coverts after overwhelming force was levied against them.

The Navy was caught unaware, and with inadequate coastal defenses. The Germans took Narvik and Trondheim almost before the Norwegians knew what hit them. The coastal defenses at Bergen managed to damage a light cruiser before the fortifications and city were taken. Kristiansand was more difficult. Twice the landings were repelled, until the germans started using captured Norwegian codes to send false orders and friend/foe recognition. Oscarsborg even managed to sink a cruiser, but in the end, Oslo was taken within 24 hours. This however, gave the government, along with the treasury, the time they needed to leave the capital. After a week of what is best considered delaying actions by Norway and allied forces, Steinkjer was occupied by the french at Haakon's invitation, as part of an attempt at retaking nearby Trondheim. His brothers and sisters, each controlling their own villages and towns within his Demesne held the line with Haakon when the Luftwaffe commenced its attack on the French and Norwegian forces attempting to stage an offensive out of the town. However, the few mid-weights--even when supported by anti-aircraft fire and artillery from Festing Drage-Innherred--could not maintain air superiority alone against the sheer weight and numbers of German dragons, and were forced to withdraw after losing half their number and inflicting disproportionate casualties upon the Germans. This left the town open for bombing, which left most of the town in ruins and 2000 people homeless. On April 24th, after a week of fighting, Drage-Innherred, and the rest of Steinkjer surrendered to the Nazis and were occupied. The germans then called Haakon's younger brother Lars Magnusklekket out of exile in the mountains, and set him up as the new Dragon-Jarl. One who was all too willing to collaborate with the Nazis. On that day, watching from a mountaintop as his brother landed on the highest perch of the fortress proclaiming himself Jarl, Haakon swore an oath to kill his traitorous usurping brother, and display his flayed corpse--preserved with Formalin--in the central courtyard of Steinkjer, until his line failed or the final battle of Ragnarok ended the world.

From that humiliating defeat, his forced abdication from his Roost, Haakon and his loyal siblings, along with their Huskarls traveled north to assist in the liberation of Narvik, retaking the city on May 28th. However, by then the invasion of france and the low countries had commenced, forcing allied soldiers to evacuate Norway, along with the legitimate Norwegian government and roughly a quarter of the Valdemarian Dragon-Jarls. The rest had either been killed, captured, or were collaborating with Fascist scum. Haakon went with them, along with those of his siblings who survived the final attack by the Luftwaffe--with all of their air-crews and whatever ground forces they could rescue--reasoning that to remain would only lead to their deaths, while allying with Germany's enemies would perhaps permit them to eventually recapture their home.

Utøvende Sheet:
Name: "Utøvende" Bjørn Svendsen
Nationality: Norwegian
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Green
Born: 1903
Religion: Norse-Pagan
Armament: bearded axe, submachine gun

The Valdemarian relationship with humans is a bit different from the relationship with most other dragon breeds and their "captains". Valdemarians are not harnessed at hatching, will not permit themselves to be 'bred', nor do they take orders from their human companions. Rather, the human companion is selected by the dragon as he ages, acts as an adviser, confidant, and executive officer (Utøvende), carrying out the will of their Jarl. It is an inherited position within the lifetime of a single dragon (unless the line fails or none of the children are acceptable), though it may switch families between dragons. Legally speaking, they hold the military rank of captain within the Norwegian military, and are trained by said military when they reach the age of majority. Periodic drill is also required. This is a concession on the part of their Jarl, partially because they would arrange for their human to be trained anyway, and partially because they do participate in the armed forces of Norway from time to time. However, by no stretch of the imagination is there any doubt about who is subordinate in the relationship. This of course is not to say that an Utøvende does not have a great deal of power.

Bjørn is the fifth in his line. His great great grandfather Marius Knutsen was the son of a free-holding farmer acting as a stable-hand until the "little" Haakon took a liking to him and vastly changed his station in life. He is a good man, verbally terse until he drinks, then he tends to go "mead hall" viking. Literally. It is not that he is unfriendly, he isn't. He just does not see the point in talking unless he has something to say, and many times he can express exactly what he needs to nonverbally.