A Turn-based Alien Invasion RP
So are you an outcast from some intergalactic empire? Found yourself on the lowest, unclean caste of a crazy cargo cult? Want to make a quick buck or claim major fame and glory among your well-to-do friends? Well, guess what!? World conquest is for you! Sure... you can just be like the billions of other losers pretending to be 'pioneers' rotting away in uninhabited rocks or gas giants; but imagine a life of action, adventure, and wiping/enslaving/eating a pack of primitive inhabitants on a richly laden planet! But where're you going to find one so far out in the Milky Way?
Bingo! Third rock from that bright yellow sun! It looks green and blue, full of water and carbon to harvest and sell on the intergalactic market, plenty of unique lifeforms for all those zookeepers and nature nerds who like to study on animals. Best of all, there appears to be some pink bipedal creatures possessing some form of intelligence. Wonder what you could do with them?... In any case, what're you waiting for!? Hop on in to your massive big-ass spaceship and start carving out your place in the sun! What's the worst that could happen?.
-PlanetQuest Advertisement
You are a contestant in the latest season of one of the universe's most popular and watched reality holovision shows ever, PlanetQuest, the famed game show which throws would-be invaders into the life of a world conqueror, subjugating natives in a remote planet for a chance to call the shots at your own spot in the universe. Owned by the indomitable holovision network and corporate nation-state, ArcCorp, PlanetQuest is hosted by an Eccentric Cat-Like figureand CEO of ArcCorp, [NAME REDACTED]. With minimal resources and weapons at your disposal and your hilarious exploits watched by billions across the galaxy, your group will be thrown to a long-abandoned resort planet in the one of the most backward fringes of the galaxy, Gaia (Earth). But no group of contestants have ever won on PlanetQuest before, and the bets heavily weighed on your spectacular failure. Can you beat the odds and claim your place in the sun against a pack of primitive apes, or will your hastily mangled bodies be broadcast to the perverse enjoyment of thousands of worlds? You decide...
- Take control of a member of a group of alien adventurers seeking to become warlords of their own part of the universe.
- Manage a small base and army (either robots or fellow adventurers) established on the planet and build it up as a frightening horde to conquer Earth
- Engage in diplomacy with both alien and human factions in an attempt to obtain meagre resources, support and subterfuge.
- Fight amongst yourselves for the top spot of Generalissimo
- Do whatever the hell you want in your ill-gotten lands (so long as you don't anger the Mod-Gods) -
- Build a religion or personality cult your human subjects
- Clear the land for colonists
- Enslave humans for labor or pleasure (if you're that huge a sexual deviant)
- Eat them (they taste like space chicken... I think...)
The RP will play out similar to the Original PlanetQuest thread, with a few changes. The RP will be turn-based, where players argue for the group to make choices depending on the resource cost and possible outcomes they desire for each turn, which tentatively spans a month. The aim for the group as the whole is obviously to take over Earth, but keep in mind that there can be only one head, and if you're ambitious enough, you can - and should - plot to take control of your motley band with your fellow conspirators, and watch your back for anyone wanting to bump you off. If you're less keen on being the warlord of the planet, you can just place your lot with whoever seems likely to become the head in the end. It's entirely up to you.
Outcomes for both conquest events and player-initiated plots will be determined by RNG rolls by the OP (unless you can suggest a better system), playing as the Gamemaster, which will be RPed out. IC reactions are optional, but recommended (which can play to your advantage in bumping off players you don't want). Charisma actions are the only exceptions to RNG rolls, which only affects non-boss NPCs. Convincing player characters and boss NPCs, on the other hand, requires language skills, in the form of your post.
Traits
Traits determine the probability of a certain individual action turning out successful, as well other miscellaneous abilities such as damage, carrying capacity and negotiation with non-boss characters. Note that these traits are effectively disabled against player characters and boss NPCs under the control of the OP, and would require writing skills to advance your character's aims.
- Strength (STR) - How powerful is your punch/bite/kick. Boosts melee damage and carrying capacity
- Toughness (TGH)- How much you can stand poison/disease/fatigue/bruising. Increase survivability. Less prone to illness.
- Dexterity (DEX) - How fast you are. Boosts speed and dodge chance.
- Intelligence (INT) - Can you into smart? Boosts research rate and more dialogue choices. Boosts ranged Damage
- Charisma (CHR) - How well can you speak to NPCs (and players)? Relations bonus with factions and more dialogue choices.
Inventory
- Weapons - Effects only take place when in combat. Bonuses granted will be removed against enemies of a different type than what the weapon is designed for. Costs will remain in combat regardless of opponent.
- Melee (boosts STR vs Infantry)
- Light - Daggers, knives (+1 STR), suitable for DEX and INT users.
- Medium - Short Swords, Single Axe (+2 or +3 STR, -1 DEX)
- Heavy - Long Swords, Polearms, Hammer (+3 or +4 STR; -1 TGH, -2 DEX)
- Ranged (boosts INT vs Infantry)
- Short Range - Pistols (+1 INT)
- Medium Range - Carbines, SMG (+2 INT), Assault Rifles (+3 INT, -1 DEX)
- Long Range - Sniper Rifles (+5 INT, -1 TGH, -3 DEX; bonus reduced to +1 INT vs light vehicles)
- Machine Guns - SAW (+4 INT, -2 TGH, -2 DEX, bonus reduced to +1 INT vs light vehicles) or GPMG (+6 INT, -3 TGH, -4 DEX, bonus reduced to +1 INT vs light vehicles)
- Rocket Weapons (boost INT vs vehicles, depending on type)
- Anti Tank - RPG, Recoiless Rifles (+4 or +5 INT against ground vehicles, -2 TGH, -2 DEX, bonus reduced to +1 INT for air vehicles)
- Anti Air - Stinger (+4 INT or +5 against air vehicles, -2 TGH, -2 DEX, bonus reduced to +1 INT for ground vehicles)
- Melee (boosts STR vs Infantry)
Actions
Individual Actions
Individual actions are performed by your characters and may be done multiple times, depending on the situation. Your stats would determine the probability of success, as well as the degree of success an action achieves. Be warned, that your probably of success will be lowered due to the stats of your opponents, depending on their actions, so choose wisely.
Shiori, armed with a titanium blade (light melee weapon), is being attacked by a slime (all stats are 0). What will you do?
- [ ] - Attack head on (melee) - Chance: 16% (STR - 2 x 1 = 16%)
- [ ] - Dodge around it for a hit (melee) - Chance: 5.33 + 16 + 18.67 = 40% (STR - 16/3 = 5.33%, DEX - 48/3 = 16%, INT - 56/3 = 18.667%)
- [ ] - Block - Chance: 32% (TGH - 32% chance of damage reduction)
- [ ] - Try to flee (instinct or tactics) - Chance: 48% or 56% (DEX - 48% or DEX - 48/2 = 24%, INT - 56/2 = 28%)
*NOTE: 1 Point is equal to a 8% boost in chances. Making 100% success rates completely impossible. Sorry Min Maxers. Also, equipment will provide various stat boosts depending on their design.
Faction Actions
Faction actions are performed at the beginning of each turn, and would determine the overall success of your mission. For a faction action to be performed, a consensus among those who responded after the choices are presented must be reached among the group regarding the action. This is determined by a majority vote, in which players may argue for their chosen course of action. If no consensus is reached for an extended period of time, the OP reserves the right to step in and mediate, which may or may not result in the worst course of action possible.
[quote]So here it is... Gaia, Terra or whatever that host called it. Now then... Where to start our new base?
- [ ] - That icy wilderness up north seems remote enough. Also, that glowing red light down there beckons me... I feel... jolly... (North Pole)
- [ ] - Let's try that messy green mass in the middle of nowhere. Seems very undeveloped. We might even be able to find natives primitive enough to manipulate. (Central America)
- [ ] - I want those small patches of dirt in all that H2O! (Pacific)
- [ ] - Screw hiding! We will go boldly and demand their immediate surrender! Or... ask nicely... (Europe)
- [ ] - Hmm... Maybe we should try somewhere else... (Suggest a different location)
Most choices will cost money, materials and/or fuel, so be careful when agreeing on a choice.
Research and Miscellaneous Options
Research and miscellaneous options are faction decisions as well, but you can perform more than one research and miscellaneous option at one time. However, you will need a consensus from everyone on what to do before I post the results. You pick a person to work on the research or the action (if required) and if there is a time cost to it, that base cost will be reduced based on that character's stats as highlighted. Getting more people to work on the action will further reduce the time cost by summing up the stats of the researchers, but it will not reduce money or matter expenses.
You may also refuse to do any of the options and just go for the main action (what to do in the turn itself), but being inactive has its own costs.
(credits to Esternial for the update)
Faction Types
- Organic
Rather than rely on technology, these aliens primarily employ their own innate abilities to give them an edge in combat. They are often more adaptable than others and utilize Biomass to produce new spawn or organic structures. - Technological
A very broad term ranging from grey aliens wielding advanced plasma blasters to brains encased deep in sheets of armor or simply remote-controlled robotic minions. These aliens do not adapt, and thus do not require Biomass and instead use Materials to construct units and buildings
Resources
Being dirt poor, your group will start out with very minimal resources, with a set number of credits to purchase mercenary or advanced weapons, as well as earthly resources such as fuel and metals.
- Biomass (Organic only)
Acquired from pretty much all forms of organic life, it is used by Organic Alien Factions to create new units or buildings. - Materials (Technological only)
Different metals and other materials gathered from human structures, etc. and used by Technological Alien Factions to create new units or buildings. - Fuel
Charcoal, hydrocarbons, uranium cells, ...
Used by both factions to power buildings, war machines/creatures (reflected in building costs). - Money
Credits: Intergalactic moolah. Use it to buy hi-tech stuff, purchase off-world materials or hire thugs you can't access on Earth (at least early on). Also used for research on alien tech.
Bullions: Shiny precious metals that humans seem oddly attracted to. You won't know how valuable they are initially, but when you do, be sure to use them to buy off native merchants for materials or hire local mercenaries (and maybe bribe politicians in a choice or two).
Can only be used for research on human tech, if you have the relevant local brains on your side.
Technology
At the start of the RP, your group will begin with only the most basic infantry and weapons to begin your takeover of Earth. As such, you will need to your way up the technology ladder to upgrade your military capabilities, spending credits to fund research on alien research. In addition, given the vast distances between Earth and any weapons depot open for purchase, you may also spend bullions on more mundane human weapons like a cannon or a rifle. While likely not as strong or flashy as alien technology, it would help even the odds in your favour at a more reasonable cost.
More information will be available as the IC progress... Note that until a specific human faction is discovered, a player's character cannot express knowledge of it. Such action is liable for a warning by the OP, which may result in his or her expulsion from the RP. All alien factions are assumed to be 'discovered' and may be interacted from the start of the RP.
Aliens
Players may only field one character at any point of time. If a character has died in the course of the IC, his player is not allowed to send another. He may still participate in discussion in the RP, post side stories, or control human factions if the OP allows, but he would no longer be allowed to reenter EarthQuest as an alien contestant.
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