Strip them of their titles, that’s in the spirit of meritocracy.
The rebellion is in support of the God Emperor. In my opinion it will makes rallying other planets easier than if we are neutral or in support of the Omnissiah. Keeping the Imperial faith may gives us a small chance to turn the rebellion into a civil war similar to the Age of Apostasy, in time. Plus we could claim to reform the Imperium rather than going full secessionist.
Vox Meritum is fine.
+1 to this
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
The surviving nobility of Ushevan shall be
stripped of their titles and where applicable, tried in a fair interim court for their crimes. This solidifies your rebellion as an existential threat to the nobility, though not necessarily a lethal one. The rebellion’s leadership consider this a wise and fair decision. While a few would have preferred more violent retribution, they cannot disagree with the principles.
As for your view on religion, that much is clear.
The rebellion is in support of the God Emperor and seeks to oust the Ecclesiarchy that has grown fat and cruel on the backs of Mankind. It is secondary to your true ideological aims but so long as the Ecclessiarchy continues to oversee the incompetent stratification of our glorious species, there can be no true universal Meritocracy. Therefore, it must be removed and replaced.
The rebellion will be called the
Vox Meritum in a clear, simple High Gothic statement of your ideals. This is unanimously agreed upon as excellent. Now that everything is taken care of, you turn your attention to your strategic position.
This crude pictogram is the finest the Euclite Mechanicus can provide, and serves to summarize the Warp routes of the Euclite Subsector. A straight line indicates a stable Warp route which usually takes 2-6 months to traverse, while a squiggly line indicates an unstable Warp route which usually takes 1-12 months to traverse. The Euclite Subsector is notably stable and has only one unstable Warp route, going from the Xephenus system to the Ophus system. This may be a benefit or a detriment to the Vox Meritum going forward.
Below is the known information on the varying planets of the Euclite Subsector.
Euclite (Forge World)
A small, frozen iceball on the outskirts of its system, so covered with sprawling manufactorums and foundries that much of the planet’s surface isn’t visible from orbit. Initially founded by the Adeptus Mechanicus in the earlier era of The Great Crusade to sustain war efforts in the neighbouring stars, it was initially specialised in the manufacture of Heavy Munitions and has seen little divergence in the millennia since. Though more basic armaments and armours are made in concert, the brunt of its industry is turned toward this and Rocket Launchers, Meltaguns, Heavy Bolters, and more are churned out by the thousands daily. It is responsible for an appreciable fraction of similar weaponry across the Eastern Segmentum Pacificus, such that its loss is a heavy blow to the Imperium and a godsend to the treacherous Vox Meritum.
It is the single most resilient planet in the Subsector, if not the Sector at large, boasting six large Orbital Weapons Platforms, four large Orbital Defence Laser Platforms, and two large Orbital Torpedo Platforms, and a permanent garrison of twelve ships, consisting of five Falchion-class Frigates, two Sword-class Frigates, two Firestorm-class Frigates, and three Lunar-class Cruisers, all of which and more, have joined them in their rebellion.
Ushevan (Frontier World)
An average-sized temperate, dry dust-bowl in the goldilocks zone of its system, only recently terraformed well enough for a colonisation effort to begin. Despite its recent habitability, its proximity to Euclite caused an emphasis to be put on its settlement by the Sector command. Only the best of the best applicants were selected for the colonisation effort and a sense of superiority filled its initial settlers. In several more generations, it would’ve simmered down to more standard xenophobia but the philosophy of Meritocracy, that only the skilled should lead, caught on like wildfire and led them to rebel against their Imperium-assigned noble rulers.
It lacks any orbital defenses or a significant garrison, as it is too new to have established itself. The Vox Meritum may change that.
Xephenus I (Mining World)
A small, molten hell that can barely claim a solid surface, so close to its sun that unassisted human life is impossible. In most circumstances it would be ignored by the Imperium, but the quantity of rare, valuable chemicals in its crust led to a colonisation attempt. The planetside mining operation overwhelmingly consists of mindless servitors and press-ganged men from elsewhere in the Subsector.
It lacks any orbital defences, apart from its reputedly hands-off Planetary Governor’s Orbital Palace and private army.
Xephenus VI (Frontier World)
A typical yellow gas giant far in the outer system, noteworthy that one of its many moons can sustain liquid water for most of the year. This moon holds a respectable military outpost that exists primarily to ensure that Xephenus I continues uninterrupted and to process incoming labourers.
Its garrison is disproportionately large and boasts a pair of small Orbital Weapons Platforms.
Ganars V (Civilised World)
An average-sized, temperate and marshy world in the goldilocks zone of its system, notable for its seasonal monsoons. Two centuries ago, it was still Feudal and has experienced significant growing pains in its rapid advancement. It is notable for its tradition of executing peasants and occasionally nobles at random in accordance with the Emperor’s Tarot for purposes of spiritual purification. Its habitability and semi-lucrative position have led to heavy immigration and the establishment of a small arcology in its northern hemisphere.
It lacks any orbital defences but is known to provide an excess of Guard regiments for the Imperial Tithe.
Ganars IX (Unsettled World)
A large, lifeless and frigid rock in the outer system. It would be uninteresting if not for the fact that its crust holds a higher than average quantity of basic minerals. No effort has yet been made to exploit the rock but it’s likely only a matter of time.
Lendypso (Death World)
A scorching, torrid, and small pustule of a planet wisely avoided by those with good sense, colonised by Mankind sometime during or predating the Age of Strife. Its surface is dominated by a fetid jungle riddled with carnivorous and venomous plants of all varieties and a number of hostile, though in comparison to similar worlds, unexceptional, insect macrofauna. The most notable among these are the Nustrud- a species of bipedal, hard-shelled pack herbivores with bladed forelimbs and a violent territorial instinct. Previous inspections by Magos Biologis have concluded that while they have a rudimentary clicking language, their recently evolved, subhuman intellects are barely capable of object permanence and show no risks of exiting the neolithic era for the foreseeable future. Sector leadership opted to leave them alive to harden the planet’s struggling indigenous human population, and harden they have.
It has a single small Orbital Weapons Platform that serves mainly to survey the planet below.
Rana’s Pearl (Mining World)
A hot, parched, and large planet in the goldilocks zone of its system, named for the esteemed Matriarch of the Chartist Merchant dynasty that funded its colonisation. It has no native biosphere and its large population is primarily dedicated to the stripmining and refinement of the basic minerals in the crust. The entirety of the planet’s economy is in the direct service of a select few Chartist Captains and is unusually restrictive, even by the standards of the Imperium.
It has three small Orbital Weapons Platforms and a permanent garrison of three ships, two Cobra-class Destroyers and one Sword-class Frigate.
Ophus (Civilised World)
A temperate, dry planet nearly twice Terra’s size with an only slightly higher than Terran gravity due to the abnormally low density of its core, in the goldilocks zone of its system. Although it was uninhabited on discovery, colonists found ruins of a once-prosperous human population and an investigation concluded a famine drove them extinct in the Age of Strife. This has led to a fatalistic pessimism in the local culture, which is unhelped by the Adeptus Administratum’s heavy influence in their planetary government and the ever-present bureaucracy. Due to the separation of the Adeptus Mechanicus and Adeptus Terra, Ophus is the capital of the Subsector despite Euclite’s immense importance.
As the Subsector capital, it is heavily defended and claims three small Orbital Weapons Platforms, one small Orbital Defence Laser Platform, and a permanent garrison of thee ships, two Sword-class Frigates and one Firestorm-class Frigate.
Sebaustia (Frontier World)
A large, frozen planet barely contained in the bounds of its system but near to its Mandeville Point. This, coupled with its position on an important Warp route, led to its colonisation despite it otherwise being unsuitable for human habitation. Centuries later, it holds a thriving trading post and a respectable domestic industry. If rumours are to be believed, smugglers are not an infrequent sight in its starport.
It lacks any orbital defences and while its hab-blocks are fortified, its small population has little military strength.
Tabos (Agri-World)
An average-sized, humid, and warm planet in the goldilocks zone of its system, dominated by sprawling grassland. Rather than use its soil for a standard Agri-World, it is home to untold millions of Grox and a much smaller population of human handlers. The sale of meat elsewhere in the Sector is lucrative and has funded the Planetary Governor’s attempt to erect the grandest cathedral in the Subsector.
It has a small Orbital Weapons Platform.
Needless to say, you have an overwhelming, if localised advantage. Even alone, your fleet would be capable of dominating the Subsector quite handily but with Forge World Euclite’s industrial support, you see no major obstacles to your swift domination of these eight stars. Of course, you aren’t concerned about the Subsector. Once the wider Sector realises your treachery, it will retaliate in force and the Imperium itself will follow. It will take time for news of the rebellion to reach the Segmentum Pacificus capital Hydraphur and time for a coordinated reprisal to arrive. The Euclite Mechanicus estimates the Vox Meritum has fifty Terran years before an Imperial incursion, possibly less, hopefully more.
You consider the Vox Meritum’s current industrial capacity and the resource requirements of its various armed forces.
Each point of Resources and Industrial Output represents many tens, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds of material and product. There are three Resources, basic Resources (representing common minerals), rare Resources which are x10 as valuable (representing uncommon chemicals), and unique Resources which can’t be quantified as whole (representing the individual types that can’t be mass-produced). To contrast, there are numerous forms of production. Production is either specialised for an extra +0.2 efficiency per point at the cost of only manufacturing the specialisation, or it is generalised for no bonus but high flexibility.
To change Industrial Output specialisation or revert it to generalised production requires 1 Resource per 1 point and one Terran month per 1,000 points of Industrial Output changed.
Each population of 1 million is capable of sustaining 1,000 Industrial Output given the proper infrastructure, which requires 1 Resource per 1 point of new manufactorums and one Terran month per 100 points of Industrial Output added. The same population of 1 million is also capable of extracting 1,000 Resources given the proper infrastructure, which requires 1 Resource and 1 nearby Industrial Output per 1 point of mines and quarries, and one Terran month per 100 points of Resource Extraction.
On this scale, 1 regiment consists of 10,000 fighting-men, who must be equipped. To equip a single regiment: Crude Weapons such as autoguns require only 1 Industrial Output, Light Weapons such as lasguns require 10 Industrial Output, and Heavy Weapons such as autocannons require 100 Industrial Output. Crude Weapons require 0 resources per Terran year to maintain, Light Weapons require 1 resource per Terran year to maintain, and Heavy Weapons require 10 resources per Terran year to maintain.
Likewise, to outfit a single regiment: Basic Uniforms require only 1 Industrial Output, Flak Armour requires 10 Industrial Output, and Carapace Armour requires 100 Industrial Output. Basic Uniforms require 0 resources per Terran year to maintain, Flak Armour requires 1 resource per Terran year to maintain, and Carapace Armour requires 10 resources per Terran year to maintain.
Under volunteer recruitment, each population of 1 million is capable of producing and sustaining 2 regiments at a slight morale bonus. At their most basic, these regiments are Militia with no fighting skill. 1 Terran year of training can convert them into Trained Militia, 5 Terran years of training can convert them into Infantry, and 10 Terran years of training can convert them into Trained Infantry. Further training requires exceptional means. Regiments that have seen and survived heavy combat will gain experience on their own, much more efficiently. Regiments recruited from more violent populations start at a higher experience and/or have unique attributes. Ganger regiments are one example.
Total Resources Stockpiled: 4,000,000
Annual Resource Extraction: +1,000
Euclite:
Annual Industrial Output (AIO): 800,000 specialised Heavy Weapons, 200,000 Generalised.
Annual Resource Extraction (ARE): None, everything of value was stripmined centuries ago.
Population: 1,000 million (1 billion)
Ushevan:
AIO: 1,000 Generalised.
ARE: +1,000 Resources
Population: 5 million
Annual Resource Upkeep: 112,000
In the Euclite system:
6 Cobra Destroyers (Very Small, Fast, Fragile Torpedo Boat)[-6,000 Resources]
9 Sword-class Frigates (Small, Durable Laser Boat)[-18,000 Resources]
5 Falchion-class Frigates (Small, Durable Versatile Boat)[-10,000 Resources]
9 Firestorm-class Frigates (Small Lance Boat)[-18,000 Resources]
3 Lunar-class Cruisers (Large, Durable Versatile Boat)[-60,000 Resources]
Annual Resource Upkeep: 260,028
Euclite Garrison:
1 Titan Legion (20 Warhound Scout Titans, 30 Warlord Battle Titans)[-100,000 Resources]
1,000 Veteran Skitarii Regiments (Heavy Weapons, Skitarii War Plate)[-20,000 Resources]
1,000 Veteran Skitarii Regiments (Rad Weapons, Skitarii War Plate)[-20,000 Resources]
Euclite Orbital Defences:
6 Large Orbital Weapons Platforms [-60,000]
4 Large Orbital Defence Laser Platforms [-40,000]
2 Large Orbital Torpedo Platforms [-20,000]
Ushevan Garrison:
8 Militia Regiments (Light Weapons, Basic Uniforms)[-8 Resources]
2 Trained Militia Regiments (Heavy Weapons, Basic Uniforms)[-20 Resources]
Ushevan Orbital Defences:
None.
In short, Euclite has enough resources stockpiled to keep the Vox Meritum at full military and industrial capacity for roughly four Terran years, give or take. The Forge World is heavily specialised toward Heavy Weapons production and will require some time to retool, if deemed necessary. Previously, Euclite received a steady stream of minerals from across the Sector but now that it has pledged to the Vox Meritum, that has been cutoff and income is reduced to what can be extracted locally. At the moment, that isn’t much. The Fabricator-Locum recommends that we prioritise resource income and conquer the Euclite Subsector as rapidly as possible.
Euclite is willing to allow the provisional use of its Titan Legion and of one-fourth of its sitting Skitarii garrison, 500 regiments, for this purpose, though the Forge World is unwilling to lose any more of its defences and
HIGHLY recommends that you are careful not to receive any more Titan casualties than absolutely necessary. As the current leader of the Vox Meritum, the future of the rebellion is yours to decide. First of all, you decide to keep track of time with a new calendar tracking the Years Since Rebellion rather than keeping the Imperium’s time system. After that, you do some strategizing and make your first moves.
What is your initial plan?
