Missions:

Federation Missions: Federation missions would include the standard package/passenger missions as a starting point. Next,you'd run packages from the Federation to the CIS and Empire, paying a lot more, and a lot more dangerous. You would be offered a position in the Tri-Alliance, eventually. War breaks out with the FFM. During a war, rank advancement rates would be doubled for any job. If the Federation wins against the FFM, the leaders of the Federation, including most of those whom the Empire bought, get greedy, and believing they can beat anyone, start to skirmish against the Empire. In the initial skirmishes, the Federation comes out victorious, and this further convinces the Federal leaders that they are undefeatable. Military strikes against Imperial targets would follow, leading up the climatic battle of Achnear. The game wouldn't end, but if you survive the war, you'll acheive hero status (in the Federation, not Elite ranking). If you run from the fight, you will be expelled from the Federation and the Federation will lose the battle.

The Free Federation Movement: After you reach a certain rank in the Federation, you'd be contacted by a man in a bar. He'll say, "The Federation once held human rights to be sacred. Now they desecrate them daily. We, the Free Federation Movement want to make the Federation what it once was: a land of freedoms and rights, and a place we are proud to call home. You have come to our attention as one with a sufficient rank to be effective in our fight. I'm not going to lie to you: joining us will mean disobeying orders, stealing information, and aiding and abetting known criminals in the Federation. But in exchange for all that, we can give you freedom, we can give you the truth, and we can open all of our resources to you." If you accept, you will be given a welcome and your first FFM mission. If you decline, the agent will say, "Then it is my duty to inform you that you are now an enemy of the FFM. May God help us all." All FFM agents will always stress freedom and truth, and will almost always have good motives (though they are occationally misinformed). Assassinations and bombing runs are rare (until war breaks loose), and most often FFM missions involve stealing (information or packages), rescue missions, and photography missions. The reason for so few bombing/assassination missions? The FFM can't afford a drop in its already low popularity, and any such mission would be twisted by the Federation Journals into a mindless terrorist attack. So in the meanwhile, the FFM bides its time, gathering information, and feeding it back to the public. Several items are unique to the FFM, including several top-secret equipment items (stolen from the Federation's research wing) and the Banshee (the flagship of the FFM). Some of the 'top-secret equipment items' would never be seen by the player, and wouldn't even have to be coded. Eventually, war would be declared. The FFM makes intelligent strikes, but could be overmatched. (see victories/defeats/aftermaths for more)

Empire Missions: The Empire will offer the standard package/passenger missions at the beginning. As you rise in rank, bombing missions to the CIS will be offered (during these missions, you won't be 'officially' employed by the Empire, but you'll rise in rank all the same), in addition the passenger/package missions to the Federation and photography missions to the Federation. You can join the Tri-Alliance through the Empire. After you preform many missions against the Federation, the Federation will collapse (though not officially) to the Empire. The Empire will win, missions against the Federation will cease, and being of Imperial rank will allow you to get away with anything within the Federation- no crime will be punished. Next, the Empire will occupy the CIS to 'help deal with the pirate threat.' There will be a few revolts to put down, but if you win, Empire will be contented. It will calm, and military missions will slow to a near halt.

Alliance Missions: The Alliance tries to keep the peace. Missions will start at ground level, of course, but will eventually settle into a cycle of diplomat-gathering missions and discovery missions. But that's not all. There will also be propaganda missions for the FFM and against the Regiment, aid missions to the FFM, passenger missions to 'insert' Alliance loyalists into the Federation's government, and bombing missions against the Tri-Alliance. If you reach a high rank in the Alliance, a few final battles will play out against Tri-Alliance, and it will collapse. If you have a ranking in the Alliance and reach dangerous, you can start missions for the Elite council. If you carry out enough successful missions for the Alliance, victory will come in three parts: #1. The Tri-Alliance collapses, the Thargoids thank you. #2. The journals announce that the Alliance is the most prosperous nation in the galaxy. #3. War is averted, and the CIS survives.

Commonwealth Missions: The CIS would also start with the ground level missions of package and passenger running. However, in the CIS one advances in ranks faster than any other political body. Soon message missions to the Federation become available, as do missions against pirate bands. On all CIS sponsered raids against the pirate bands, the kills going to Elite rank are doubled (as the Elite Council is in the CIS). Once you reach the Elite ranking of dangerous, you can start missions for the Elite Council. The CIS is also trying its hand at counter-espionage. Suprisingly, the newcomers are fairly skilled at these operations. Thus, the CIS has two possible victories: #1 work for peace, like the Alliance, or #2 encourage an armed conflict between the Federation and Empire through disinformation. If one chooses the second alternative, you can watch both the Federation and Empire come near to collaspe, the conflict ending in a draw.

The Regiment: Various missions of package running to begin with, but soon you could preform missions to independent and Alliance systems, such as package, photography, and bombing missions. The Regiment has slow advancement rates, so no untrustworthy fellows make it to high ranks, yet it gives away many, many medals, so everyone feels like they are 'part of the movement.' The Regiment has one possible victory: expansion.

The Elite Council: Umm... to get missions, you must have a combat ranking of at least Dangerous and to join, you have to be involved in either the Alliance, Empire, FFM, or CIS and be Elite. It has an open bar. There would be a mission with the reward of a Thargoid warship...

The Elite Bar: Possible focal point of the endgame? We've got to do something with it. I've still got to talk to Bee about it. I think in the end, Bee and Co. would create an ark to save the beloved life forms of BeBeCe (alas, even the mimes, as some fish have evolved to eating the dead ones), and recreate BeBeCe at the other end... of course, I could be wrong...

Tri-Alliance: Bombing missions against Thargoid targets, assassinations of 'Thargoid influenced' Alliance figures. When the other aliens arrive, these guys get a little schizophrenic. They don't know whether to trust the new aliens or to shoot on sight.

Thargoids: I've heard several good ideas concerning this, but have recently formulated my own... I think that the Thargoids should remain mysteriously absent until the events leading up to the endgame starts. For more on this, look at my endgame page.

Augurs: A mysterious new alien race that shows up at the first signs that the galaxy is about to blow. They convince most that they are well meaning. They keep making statements about how humanity must learn to accept its fate. The Empire, Regiment, and Tri-Alliance are very suspicious of these newcomers. Just before the endgame starts, the Thargoids arrive and explain that the Augurs are their enemies and plan to loot humanity after the galaxy disperses. However, it's not clear who humanity can trust, even at the end.

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Political Victories

The Alliance:

Alliance Victory: Peace is kept, the FFM leads a bloodless revolt (kind of a 'glorious revolution'), and the CIS survives.

Victory Aftermath: The Tri-Alliance collapses; the Regiment continually shrinks until it only holds its Alkaid; the Alliance expands; the FFM leads a successful, bloodless revolt; the Alliance becomes the most prosperous nation in the known galaxy.

Alliance Defeat: War breaks out, the Alliance's economy falters, and the FFM is crushed.

Defeat Aftermath: The Tri-Alliance threat grows; the Regiment expands; the Alliance doesn't grow (it shrinks 'north' and 'south,' but grows 'east' and 'west'); the FFM is crushed; the Alliance's economy slows; the Federation and Empire go to war.

The Federation:

Federation Victory: The Empire is taken over by the Federation, and the FFM is defeated.

Victory Aftermath: The Regiment expands; anarchy increases everywhere; and after initial expansion; the Federation starts to lose systems to anarchy; owning them only in name. Finally, the Federation and anarchy reach a balance, the Federation stabilizes and is quite larger.

Federation Defeat: (to FFM) The Federation becomes what it once was, a champion of the human spirit. Also, it begins threatening postures with the Empire anew. (to Empire) Both sides will be forced to sign a treaty, boundaries would be reset to their original state, and both states will be devastated.

Defeat Aftermath: (to FFM) The Federation's moderate government is restored, the cold war continues, but nothing becomes of it. (to Empire) The Federation and Empire decline from greatness.

The FFM:

FFM Victory: The FFM reinstates the government of the Federation, making it a peaceful and good place to live once more...

Victory Aftermath: The Federation prospers under a new government; The cold war continues against the Empire, as strong as ever; The Alliance's influence increases.

FFM Defeat: The Federation crushes the movement. After this, on a military 'high' believing they can beat anyone, the Federation declares war on the Empire.

Defeat Aftermath: The FFM goes deep 'underground.' A costly battle between the Federation and Empire begins.

The Empire:

Imperial Victory: The Federation is completly subverted; the CIS colapses (the Empire occupies them) and all CIS systems become poor Imperial mining states (and this would spawn another mission to locate the new headquarters of the Elite Federation)...

Victory Aftermath: Any crime by an Imperial agent in Fed. space is not punished; Anarchy increases everywhere, numerous riots occur in formerly Federal and CIS systems; Trying to quell the riots, the Empire gets stretched thin, and becomes weaker; The Alliance's influence declines, and the Regiment hits its maximum expansion point; The original Imperial states grow more prosperous.

Imperial Defeat: (Federation) The FFM wins; (CIS) one of the CIS revolts is successful.

Defeat Aftermath: (Federal Defeat) The Empire has no control of the 'new' Federation; The Empire's military strength declines; the Empire's influence declines; The Alliance's influence increases; (CIS Defeat) The Alliance's influence increases; The Empire's military strength declines; More revolts occur in the Federal systems; the FFM resurfaces; Anarchy increases.

The CIS:

CIS Victory #1: CIS survives and aids the Alliance's mission of peace.

Victory Aftermath #1: The CIS expands; the Regiment shrinks; the Alliance expands; and pirate raids stop.

CIS Defeat #2: The CIS ceases to prosper; Pirate raids increase until the Empire occupies the CIS.

Defeat Aftermath #2: The CIS becomes a group of poor Imperial mining states; The Empire becomes more prosperous; the pirate raids stop.

CIS Victory #2: CIS provokes war between its enemies (Empire and Fed.) and lives in the delightful aftermath where it would no longer be threatened.

Victory Aftermath #2: The CIS expands; the Regiment expands; the Empire and Federation weaken (the conflict ends in a draw); anarchy increases everywhere, and the Alliance shrinks and cuts all ties to the CIS.

CIS Defeat #2: War breaks out, and anarchy reigns after the two forces decimate each other. Depression sets in.

Defeat Aftermath #2: The CIS cuts off all political ties; the Alliance discovers and condemns the CIS's pre-war activities; The CIS loses its wealth.

The Regiment:

Regiment Victory: The Regiment expands.

Victory Aftermath: Anarchy increases everywhere but the Regiment; the Regiment reaches its maximum expansion point; The Alliance shrinks; The Federation and Empire weaken; and the CIS cuts off all political ties in a manical attempt to avoid the madness; and the Alliance organizes counterattacks.

Regiment Defeat: The Alliance expands and out-does the Regiments propeganda, beating them on their own turf.

Defeat Aftermath: The Regiment shrinks until it holds only Alkaid; the Alliance's influence increases; the Alliance expands; Peace is kept.

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