We all know much about the Imperial X-Boat system, but how do the other races communicate? How many of them use X-Boats? The Vargr, for example, will probably have several competing and incompatible systems, but how would the Solomani, Zhodani, Hiver, K'Kree or Aslan operate? Would they use larger couriers rather than X-Boats?
X-Boats of the Other Races
- Thread starter Golan2072
- Start date
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
The Solomani although having their own Government courier ships will use both Imperial Xboats and Tenders. The system was introduced in 624 and covered the entire Imperium (including the Solomani sphere) by 718. They are probably trying hard to replace Imperial technologies with prestige Solomani designed equipment.
Maladominus
SOC-14 1K
The large human governments such as the Solomani Confederation and Zhodani Consulate will probably copy the Imperial X-boat system:
Use hundreds of FAST Jump-6 ships which are cheap, small (100-200 tons), and relatively easy to manufacture.
I agree that the Solomani Confederation probably has a surplus of old ragged Xboats that they already possessed BEFORE they seceeded from the Imperium and before the Solomani Rim War. However, these boats are over 200+ years old, and they are probably falling apart. The Confederation is indeed scrambling to replace these old postal goats.
Question: There is a huge amount of trade going on between the Third Imperium and the Solomani Confederation. Would the Imperium dare to sell new Xboats to the Confederation if the Confederation requested them?
Use hundreds of FAST Jump-6 ships which are cheap, small (100-200 tons), and relatively easy to manufacture.
I agree that the Solomani Confederation probably has a surplus of old ragged Xboats that they already possessed BEFORE they seceeded from the Imperium and before the Solomani Rim War. However, these boats are over 200+ years old, and they are probably falling apart. The Confederation is indeed scrambling to replace these old postal goats.
Question: There is a huge amount of trade going on between the Third Imperium and the Solomani Confederation. Would the Imperium dare to sell new Xboats to the Confederation if the Confederation requested them?
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
It would be easier for the Confederation to build its own xboats. The Navy, Party, and SolSec will have their own fleets of J5 (and a few experimental J6) couriers.
The Consulate probably use a similar network.
Ditto the Hivers, but their ships will be safer and at least J5.
The Consulate probably use a similar network.
Ditto the Hivers, but their ships will be safer and at least J5.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
More to the point, would the Confederation even request them? I doubt it, and even if given a "really good deal" would probably turn it down. You don't think we'd think they were trying to install a covert intelligence gathering network?
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
I would imagine that Hive federation x-boats would be completely robotic.
As would those of the K'kree, oddly enough (but the Hiver's are better
).
As would those of the K'kree, oddly enough (but the Hiver's are better
).
GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
The Zhodani network tends to connect Navy bases, according to AM: Zhodani.
Staring at old DGP Xboat maps, I can almost imagine that the Imperial and Solomani networks are still connected. On Earth, we keep the data flowing across borders in times of peace. (And war, despite what the governments might wish.)
When the Sols and Imps aren't actively shooting, I would imagine that public data still flows. The military traffic is either encrypted or on its own network anyway.
When the Sols and Imps aren't actively shooting, I would imagine that public data still flows. The military traffic is either encrypted or on its own network anyway.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
I'm just not sure I've ever really saw a need for public information from several (never mind dozens) of parsecs distant. At least not for the general populace of a planet. And if we are to imagine the networks are there for the entertainment of the few (comparatively) Travellers it seems a pricey proposition.
Now if on the other hand the X-Boat network is primarily (as seems the intent from the early descriptions I think) the way of disseminating official information then it's easy to see the government allowing a limited amount of civilian content for those few wealthy or notable Travellers (i.e. those with TAS membership mostly).
This also has implications for the number of higher jump couriers, as in they would be few and used for only the most important time sensitive missions. All of which points to a poor (as in cash strapped) Imperium of smallish size ships. Oh sure there would be some huge show ships but not as many as seem to be bandied about with all kinds of handwaves at how big a budget the Imperium has for such. And all of which goes out the window if you believe in the big ship TU. So small ship TU with (or without) X-Boats, or big ship TU without X-Boats.
Now if on the other hand the X-Boat network is primarily (as seems the intent from the early descriptions I think) the way of disseminating official information then it's easy to see the government allowing a limited amount of civilian content for those few wealthy or notable Travellers (i.e. those with TAS membership mostly).
This also has implications for the number of higher jump couriers, as in they would be few and used for only the most important time sensitive missions. All of which points to a poor (as in cash strapped) Imperium of smallish size ships. Oh sure there would be some huge show ships but not as many as seem to be bandied about with all kinds of handwaves at how big a budget the Imperium has for such. And all of which goes out the window if you believe in the big ship TU. So small ship TU with (or without) X-Boats, or big ship TU without X-Boats.
Let us say that the IISS might offer “charter” flights?
This saves you as a media producer having to buy your own ship and crew. The IISS could charge 5+% over cost and actually make a little money on the operation.
Soon media companies and merchant corporations might pool their resources to charter these flights. Over time charter operations could expand into a whole rang of services.
This saves you as a media producer having to buy your own ship and crew. The IISS could charge 5+% over cost and actually make a little money on the operation.
Soon media companies and merchant corporations might pool their resources to charter these flights. Over time charter operations could expand into a whole rang of services.
Maladominus
SOC-14 1K
Civilians will also pay for "postal services". Such as delivery of electronic mail or important small packages to their relatives living in planets several parsecs away. Don't think that only the government pays for these things.
I'd say that the 19th century Pony Express was a very accurate analogy. You wanna deliver a small package or a mail from Chicago to Tombstone Arizona? Sure it can be done. But the postage is gonna cost ya!
For things like electronic mail, I'm sure the Xboats and small couriers can easily handle the load. For carrying tons of small packages.... this will be taken care of by the private courier companies and shipping services.
For example, "Solomani Shipping! We'll ship packages to any destination you want! You got a birthday present for your mom who lives 7 parsecs away! Need it there by the end of the month? No problemo! We take care of it!"
If the Imperium were a true capitalist society like the USA, the Xboat network itself would be a minor player, since there would be LARGE private companies that competed for the same business of sending private mail and small packages all over the Imperium.
I'd say that the 19th century Pony Express was a very accurate analogy. You wanna deliver a small package or a mail from Chicago to Tombstone Arizona? Sure it can be done. But the postage is gonna cost ya!
For things like electronic mail, I'm sure the Xboats and small couriers can easily handle the load. For carrying tons of small packages.... this will be taken care of by the private courier companies and shipping services.
For example, "Solomani Shipping! We'll ship packages to any destination you want! You got a birthday present for your mom who lives 7 parsecs away! Need it there by the end of the month? No problemo! We take care of it!"
If the Imperium were a true capitalist society like the USA, the Xboat network itself would be a minor player, since there would be LARGE private companies that competed for the same business of sending private mail and small packages all over the Imperium.
The Imperium IS capitalist - just horribly monopolistic. Most corporates monopolize certain lines, and form cartels on others; the Imperium itself is, in certain ways, a cartel of megacorps (remember the part in Hard Times [?] where the stock ownership of the big corps is listed, and it shows the 5% that the Imperial Family owns in every megacorp? And the fact that the Imperium strives to keep a "stable economy" - i.e. protect the megacorps' profits?). I bet that one or two megacorps have a monopoly over producing and/or maintaining the X-Boats (sure, the Scout Service does the actual maintainance work, but who supplies the parts?).
And there is competition, though it is usually limited to the "free trader" size of shipping and speculative trade.
And there is competition, though it is usually limited to the "free trader" size of shipping and speculative trade.
Absolutely.
It's useful to remember that monopoly is the natural outcome of capitalist competition. Big fish eat little fish.
Counteracting that basically requires state intervention, which, of course, has been a feature of capitalism since Day One.
None of this has much to do with the X-Boat network anyway, of course, since the X-Boat network is only partly commercial in nature anyway. Its main purpose is to keep the Imperium in one piece, and to keep the bureaucracy in touch with itself.
In a sense it's the bureaucracy's communication network, with commercial appendages.
At least some of the megacorps probably have comparable networks in place, over at least parts of the Imperium. Of course, their networks will tend to be more profit driven, so that they won't extend to unprofitable worlds unless there is some other corporate interest involved.
yeah the x-boat system from what i can see
(of course i only have some of the LBB's so dont know)
is really like the USA postal service which
is under federal control...
but that wont stop other companies from
operating also like UPS DHL postnet Fedex
and all the other assorted private mailers...
they probably wont be as large a network
(number of ships) but they could cover
from 1 sub-sector to a few sectors or more...
im sure all the different empires have thier own
equivlant system as stated above...i do think
they might have some left over stuff for the imperium in SOL...
i worked on AWACS for the USAAF but we also
provided AWACS for france NATO korea australia
japan & saudi arabia...but you should have seen
how limiting thier versions were as compared
to ours...it was like marbles compared to a
basketball in size...
so i am sure they could work out some j4 or j5's
for SOL in trade....keeping j6 for themseleves...
on the other hand they probably wouldnt do that for any of the other races in the game...
(of course i only have some of the LBB's so dont know)
is really like the USA postal service which
is under federal control...
but that wont stop other companies from
operating also like UPS DHL postnet Fedex
and all the other assorted private mailers...
they probably wont be as large a network
(number of ships) but they could cover
from 1 sub-sector to a few sectors or more...
im sure all the different empires have thier own
equivlant system as stated above...i do think
they might have some left over stuff for the imperium in SOL...
i worked on AWACS for the USAAF but we also
provided AWACS for france NATO korea australia
japan & saudi arabia...but you should have seen
how limiting thier versions were as compared
to ours...it was like marbles compared to a
basketball in size...
so i am sure they could work out some j4 or j5's
for SOL in trade....keeping j6 for themseleves...
on the other hand they probably wouldnt do that for any of the other races in the game...
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
"I'm just not sure I've ever really saw a need for public information from several (never mind dozens) of parsecs distant."
The *network* spans the Imperium, but most *messages* will only travel a few parsecs.
Think of all the emails, faxes and letters sent every day. Even if only a small fraction was sent off-world, it's still a lot, especially when you multiply it by 11000...
The *network* spans the Imperium, but most *messages* will only travel a few parsecs.
Think of all the emails, faxes and letters sent every day. Even if only a small fraction was sent off-world, it's still a lot, especially when you multiply it by 11000...
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Gah, did I really butcher that sentence that badly?
I did.I'd say you are correct Andrew for the private uses, but there is ample evidence of public news and other information travelling the whole network.
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
Oh, sure, there will be a small amount of data that gets passed from xboat to xboat right across the network, but most msgs will only travel one or two jumps.
Maladominus
SOC-14 1K
That really depends on the level of microprocessing and miniaturization at Tech Level 15, doesn't it Andrew?
If a single X-boat could carry the emails of 12 billion people (say the local population of a single subsector), and cram all that info into a few microprocessor chips (each one the size of a credit card), then what's the problem?
Like I said, it all depends on the capability of microprocessors and computing at 57th century technology. But yes, I do agree that most civilian mail will not be relayed more than a few parsecs.
I'm not saying that it is forbidden/impossible to send a civilian electronic letter from Terra to Vland. Sure, it's possible. But that service is going to cost a LOT!
Fritz_Brown
Super Moderator
Andrew, Dan, there will also be the "combining" of the different facets. Yes, that message will normally only disseminate a few jumps, but a newsie will pick it up, and his corp will pay to have it sent to the head office, which will then disseminate it (paid routing) to their subsidiaries, etc....
B
Black Globe Generator
Guest
IMTU, the IISS Commo Branch prioritizes its meassages: (1) official Imperium communications, (2) TNS bulletins (a sweetheart deal between the TAS and the IISS that is bitterly opposed by erstwhile competitors in the media business), and (3) private messages and goods in whatever space is left over in the data banks and cargo hold.
Since the amount of private traffic cannot be served by the x-boat network, this opens up plenty of opportunities for small courier services as well as the mail contracts that are part of the bread-and-butter of fat traders. I would also hazard that a fair amount of the cargo that free traders find waiting for them in various starports, travelling a jump or two away, is small packages consolidated by a delivery service middleman.
In addition to the aforementioned small courier services, there are also competitive x-boat networks as well, such as those of GIINN, the Gateway Interstellar Independent News Network. GIINN operates its own x-boats and couriers for the purpose of scooping TNS on major stories of general interest (which means the more sensational the better, of course). GIINN purchases used x-boats and scout/couriers from the IISS to operate its own system throughout the sector - and if you can think of a more harrowing proposition than piloting a surplused x-boat, I'd love to hear it!
(Y'know, this would actually be a great application for j-torps...hey, put down that stick...!)
As far as the original question goes, IMTU the Solomani use the ConNav, the Hivers use courier ships, the K'Kree rely primarily on commercial and private ship traffic (there's no need for a specialized service for this since information sharing is part of the herd instinct), the Vargr have sixteen or twenty or some such different methods (the number is constantly changing), and the Zhos...well, that's classified...
The Aslan? Since all of my game is on the opposite side of the Imperium, I haven't given the hyperkitties much thought - I'm open to suggestions.
Similar threads
