Colonial Development
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:42 pm
Phases of Colonial Development
During the STL Era, nearly 5,000 systems were settled by Terragen Civilization. More have been claimed afterwards. Those that settled did so for a wide array of reasons; from government funded programs to civilian programs organized by fringe ideologies and newly emerged minorities. Colonial Histories also differed massively, from peaceful steady developments to cycles of bloodthirsty wars. That said, most historians have devised a system for rough tiers of development based around industrial and population. This shall have a rough summery of stages of development in accordance to the commonly held Nuwa Model of Terragen Colonization on Habitable/Terraformable worlds (some will object and state that the Brisbane University model (or some other system) is a more accurate, although the Nuwa Model is more popular).
Nominal Development
A general note: How long a colony stays in each developmental period (especially Stages I through III) depends massively the initial settlers. The first wave of STL Extrasolar Colony ships were publically funded projects. All prospective colonists were well trained men and women between 24 and 35 in good health, above average education and had been screened for mental stability. Specialists such as doctors were brought aboard in large numbers. Married couples were also sought out in large numbers. Their equipment, while less sophisticated than latter systems, was top of the line material for its day and redundancies were put in where-ever possible. The colonists were also given considerable opportunities to mingle with each other before launch. In short, these men and women were top of the line personnel well suited for setting up colonies. Latter privately funded extra solar colonization efforts typically had much lower standards despite some regulations.
Nominal Stage-I: Initial Settlement
General STL era length: 20-100 T-years
General Population-500 to 100,000 individuals
This is a colony immediately after arrival as it begins to set up itself. This stage is in which the beginnings of habitation and basics for survival are established. During this period, the first waves of settlement begin. This starts out with a single small community with a few farms and satellite outposts around it. Conditions are fairly Spartan as most of what is used is generally prefabricated for the first decade at least. While there are exceptions, industry is generally held in common for this early stage. There is no mass production and manufacturing equipment is to assemble what is needed on a piece by piece basis, though there is generally some specialist equipment such as nanoprocessor chip growth chambers exists. During this period there is typically intense population growth, most colonists go along fully expecting to have children and start up a new society. With few acceptations Families with more than five children are typical and generally the average is higher. On planets that require significant Terraforming, this stage lasts longer as settlers also have to dig in. The Length of Stage-I development is directly tied to the following factors…
• Initial Number of Colonists
• Colonial Development Supplies
• Planetary Habitability
At this stage, a colony is at its most vulnerable to collapse or complete destruction. The population is small and centralized with industrial resources being highly limited. The Death of a specialist such as a doctor, a malfunction at the wrong time, fire, unexpected flood or rockslide and so forth can have disastrous results long-term, causing significant delays which can have disastrous results. . A single natural disaster or social upheaval can bring this initial settlement to an end. This was especially true in the STL colonial era when the chances of another colony ship arriving were minute in the extreme, but the dangers remain even into the FTL colonial Era.
Should several ships arrive to settle a planet within fifty years, creating two independent settlements they will both be listed as developing independently regards to their index. This will remain the case until they are united or they reach Nominal Stage-IV.
Nominal Stage-II: Early Planetary Expansion
General STL era Length: 150-300 T-years
Population-50,000-50,000,000 individuals
Stage-II is when a colony begins active expansion across the surface. While there are some differences in settlement patterns and exceptions, but for the most part development at Stage-I is highly centralized, limited to an area 20 kilometers in radius or along maybe a hundred kilometers of river or coastline. At this stage, expansion begins outward. Ships and Convoys are sent out to set up new settlements. Generally this happens in waves, where settlers push out a distance (usually 30-100 Kilometers), set up a town at some promising local connected to the other settlements by roads and railways and a few decades later, expansion would continue if going overland, and setting up small enclaves on distant shores on planets with a lot of water (for example, the colonization of the Southern Polar region using a fleet of Solar Powered airships on Nova Australia). Population growth will remain high during this period, though it will still remain relatively and natalist initiatives will be kept in place to make sure this stays the case. The initial colony will generally grow and become the center of commerce and manufacturing, as well as an administrative center.
This period also sees the colonial society moving beyond simple survival and allowing themselves a greater degree of luxury than the first waves of settlers allowed themselves. The population moves to the point where gradually, assembly line manufacturing becomes possible and practical for every day needs and wants. Although there are exceptions driven by those who founded colonies on collectivist philosophies or came from collectivistic backgrounds in some way or another, industry is usually privatized. On planets undergoing extensive terraforming, this will be slowed as basic survival takes more resources, population growth is limited and Terraforming projects take up a significant percentage of these resources. That said, even they will see some increase in living standards, albeit in a more restrained degree. By the latter half of Stage-II some limited space development has begun (usually in terms of setting up satellites in low orbit and possibly the beginnings of some orbital infrastructure. In modern times this includes basic docking facilities and some minor orbital defense), although some extraordinary factors can push development along further.
The Vulnerability of collapse at this stage is less likely, but still present. While a much greater degree of redundancy is worked in, there are still risks. As mentioned before, the initial settlement remains a core of manufacturing as well as becoming a center of higher learning. A major disaster that affects the core, the repercussions to surrounding areas can be massive. Civil Conflict also remains high. At this point social stratification begins. While there are exceptions Stage I societies tend to only have three distinct social groups: General Colonists, Technicals (People with some level of advanced technical skill: Engineers, Doctors, Specialized Workers and so on) and Government Administrators, which tend to have only marginal stratification. As markets open up and private industry develops you see the rise of the rich and the poor. Poor planning on part of Colonial Governments can result in a highly stratified society, which can have disastrous results. This also opens to floodgates to economic recession and depression. Other social issues can crop up more unexpectedly in response to more specific scenarios and cultural conditions. Some civil conflicts can devolve into war, which is generally limited to infantry and mechanized warfare due to limitations in industrial resources.
Nominal Stage-III: Advanced Planetary Expansion
Population-25,000,000-600,000,000 Individuals
General STL era Length-200-300 Years
While in Stage-II the beginnings of urban society, this is still fairly limited in scale. Either slowly creeping over land from a singular core or stemming from a set of a handful of nodes. Urban culture begins to emerge, but is still limited in scale with cities rarely having more than a few hundred thousand people. Stage-III refers to the emergence of a society capable of meeting the needs of a modern world. At this point, a colony has reached a level of social and industrial maturity. Settlers lay claim and establish cities were-ever viable and mass transit systems are set up. Even on worlds still undergoing terraforming, standards of living are roughly comparable to those closer to the homelands that they left. Population growth also recedes.
This stage also marks extensive movement into space. Where-as at Stage-II space development was limited to orbital and possibly lunar development, at Stage-III a colony has the resources to begin more extensive development further out. In the FTL era this would include, with some assistance the ability to set up shipyards capable of building a hyperspace capable ship at about half way through it (this can be accelerated). Their planetary industries can also be adapted to provide spacecraft grade munitions and consumables, as well as equipping and training soldiers. Such colonies tend to make up the bulk of the more developed planets along the outer expansion sphere. In the Second Expansion Sphere, these worlds are generally targeted for conquest by various more developed worlds seeking power and prominence and rarely stand alone.
Nominal Stage-IV Developed World
Population-350,000,000 to 7,500,000,000
General Length-250 to 500 years if population control measures are not put into place
This stage represents a colony development to true maturity, with the planet united now united under one banner has emerged as a technological and industrial powerhouse. It has a distinct hold on the surrounding star system. Heavy Industry is transferred into orbital or Lagrange based facilities, as is a significant chunk of the population. Population growth typically stabilizes at some point at a fairly low rate of expansion.
While Stage-III colonies can (usually) assemble ships up to the size of cruisers, Stage-IV colonies have the resources to build Battleships and even Dreadnoughts. In the Second Expansion Sphere, these worlds can be at the core of advanced System States or the core of Multi System Empires. The conquest of one is often a respectable boom to interstellar states in the second expansion Sphere. To the core states, they are artifacts to be conquered and bartered in, chips of the Great Game
Nominal Stage-V Heavy Population Center
Population-7,500,000,000+
Stage-V is currently the highest development index. A world at Stage-V is heavily populated, with large Arcologies dominating the landscape of cities. Said planets have a high standard of living and are centers of commerce, culture and industry. While a few of them exist in the Second Expansion Sphere (for example, Nova Atlantis), most of them are located in the Inner expansion. Even among this densely populated area, these planets are in the minority and conquest of one of them is considered major prizes by the Core States.
During the STL Era, nearly 5,000 systems were settled by Terragen Civilization. More have been claimed afterwards. Those that settled did so for a wide array of reasons; from government funded programs to civilian programs organized by fringe ideologies and newly emerged minorities. Colonial Histories also differed massively, from peaceful steady developments to cycles of bloodthirsty wars. That said, most historians have devised a system for rough tiers of development based around industrial and population. This shall have a rough summery of stages of development in accordance to the commonly held Nuwa Model of Terragen Colonization on Habitable/Terraformable worlds (some will object and state that the Brisbane University model (or some other system) is a more accurate, although the Nuwa Model is more popular).
Nominal Development
A general note: How long a colony stays in each developmental period (especially Stages I through III) depends massively the initial settlers. The first wave of STL Extrasolar Colony ships were publically funded projects. All prospective colonists were well trained men and women between 24 and 35 in good health, above average education and had been screened for mental stability. Specialists such as doctors were brought aboard in large numbers. Married couples were also sought out in large numbers. Their equipment, while less sophisticated than latter systems, was top of the line material for its day and redundancies were put in where-ever possible. The colonists were also given considerable opportunities to mingle with each other before launch. In short, these men and women were top of the line personnel well suited for setting up colonies. Latter privately funded extra solar colonization efforts typically had much lower standards despite some regulations.
Nominal Stage-I: Initial Settlement
General STL era length: 20-100 T-years
General Population-500 to 100,000 individuals
This is a colony immediately after arrival as it begins to set up itself. This stage is in which the beginnings of habitation and basics for survival are established. During this period, the first waves of settlement begin. This starts out with a single small community with a few farms and satellite outposts around it. Conditions are fairly Spartan as most of what is used is generally prefabricated for the first decade at least. While there are exceptions, industry is generally held in common for this early stage. There is no mass production and manufacturing equipment is to assemble what is needed on a piece by piece basis, though there is generally some specialist equipment such as nanoprocessor chip growth chambers exists. During this period there is typically intense population growth, most colonists go along fully expecting to have children and start up a new society. With few acceptations Families with more than five children are typical and generally the average is higher. On planets that require significant Terraforming, this stage lasts longer as settlers also have to dig in. The Length of Stage-I development is directly tied to the following factors…
• Initial Number of Colonists
• Colonial Development Supplies
• Planetary Habitability
At this stage, a colony is at its most vulnerable to collapse or complete destruction. The population is small and centralized with industrial resources being highly limited. The Death of a specialist such as a doctor, a malfunction at the wrong time, fire, unexpected flood or rockslide and so forth can have disastrous results long-term, causing significant delays which can have disastrous results. . A single natural disaster or social upheaval can bring this initial settlement to an end. This was especially true in the STL colonial era when the chances of another colony ship arriving were minute in the extreme, but the dangers remain even into the FTL colonial Era.
Should several ships arrive to settle a planet within fifty years, creating two independent settlements they will both be listed as developing independently regards to their index. This will remain the case until they are united or they reach Nominal Stage-IV.
Nominal Stage-II: Early Planetary Expansion
General STL era Length: 150-300 T-years
Population-50,000-50,000,000 individuals
Stage-II is when a colony begins active expansion across the surface. While there are some differences in settlement patterns and exceptions, but for the most part development at Stage-I is highly centralized, limited to an area 20 kilometers in radius or along maybe a hundred kilometers of river or coastline. At this stage, expansion begins outward. Ships and Convoys are sent out to set up new settlements. Generally this happens in waves, where settlers push out a distance (usually 30-100 Kilometers), set up a town at some promising local connected to the other settlements by roads and railways and a few decades later, expansion would continue if going overland, and setting up small enclaves on distant shores on planets with a lot of water (for example, the colonization of the Southern Polar region using a fleet of Solar Powered airships on Nova Australia). Population growth will remain high during this period, though it will still remain relatively and natalist initiatives will be kept in place to make sure this stays the case. The initial colony will generally grow and become the center of commerce and manufacturing, as well as an administrative center.
This period also sees the colonial society moving beyond simple survival and allowing themselves a greater degree of luxury than the first waves of settlers allowed themselves. The population moves to the point where gradually, assembly line manufacturing becomes possible and practical for every day needs and wants. Although there are exceptions driven by those who founded colonies on collectivist philosophies or came from collectivistic backgrounds in some way or another, industry is usually privatized. On planets undergoing extensive terraforming, this will be slowed as basic survival takes more resources, population growth is limited and Terraforming projects take up a significant percentage of these resources. That said, even they will see some increase in living standards, albeit in a more restrained degree. By the latter half of Stage-II some limited space development has begun (usually in terms of setting up satellites in low orbit and possibly the beginnings of some orbital infrastructure. In modern times this includes basic docking facilities and some minor orbital defense), although some extraordinary factors can push development along further.
The Vulnerability of collapse at this stage is less likely, but still present. While a much greater degree of redundancy is worked in, there are still risks. As mentioned before, the initial settlement remains a core of manufacturing as well as becoming a center of higher learning. A major disaster that affects the core, the repercussions to surrounding areas can be massive. Civil Conflict also remains high. At this point social stratification begins. While there are exceptions Stage I societies tend to only have three distinct social groups: General Colonists, Technicals (People with some level of advanced technical skill: Engineers, Doctors, Specialized Workers and so on) and Government Administrators, which tend to have only marginal stratification. As markets open up and private industry develops you see the rise of the rich and the poor. Poor planning on part of Colonial Governments can result in a highly stratified society, which can have disastrous results. This also opens to floodgates to economic recession and depression. Other social issues can crop up more unexpectedly in response to more specific scenarios and cultural conditions. Some civil conflicts can devolve into war, which is generally limited to infantry and mechanized warfare due to limitations in industrial resources.
Nominal Stage-III: Advanced Planetary Expansion
Population-25,000,000-600,000,000 Individuals
General STL era Length-200-300 Years
While in Stage-II the beginnings of urban society, this is still fairly limited in scale. Either slowly creeping over land from a singular core or stemming from a set of a handful of nodes. Urban culture begins to emerge, but is still limited in scale with cities rarely having more than a few hundred thousand people. Stage-III refers to the emergence of a society capable of meeting the needs of a modern world. At this point, a colony has reached a level of social and industrial maturity. Settlers lay claim and establish cities were-ever viable and mass transit systems are set up. Even on worlds still undergoing terraforming, standards of living are roughly comparable to those closer to the homelands that they left. Population growth also recedes.
This stage also marks extensive movement into space. Where-as at Stage-II space development was limited to orbital and possibly lunar development, at Stage-III a colony has the resources to begin more extensive development further out. In the FTL era this would include, with some assistance the ability to set up shipyards capable of building a hyperspace capable ship at about half way through it (this can be accelerated). Their planetary industries can also be adapted to provide spacecraft grade munitions and consumables, as well as equipping and training soldiers. Such colonies tend to make up the bulk of the more developed planets along the outer expansion sphere. In the Second Expansion Sphere, these worlds are generally targeted for conquest by various more developed worlds seeking power and prominence and rarely stand alone.
Nominal Stage-IV Developed World
Population-350,000,000 to 7,500,000,000
General Length-250 to 500 years if population control measures are not put into place
This stage represents a colony development to true maturity, with the planet united now united under one banner has emerged as a technological and industrial powerhouse. It has a distinct hold on the surrounding star system. Heavy Industry is transferred into orbital or Lagrange based facilities, as is a significant chunk of the population. Population growth typically stabilizes at some point at a fairly low rate of expansion.
While Stage-III colonies can (usually) assemble ships up to the size of cruisers, Stage-IV colonies have the resources to build Battleships and even Dreadnoughts. In the Second Expansion Sphere, these worlds can be at the core of advanced System States or the core of Multi System Empires. The conquest of one is often a respectable boom to interstellar states in the second expansion Sphere. To the core states, they are artifacts to be conquered and bartered in, chips of the Great Game
Nominal Stage-V Heavy Population Center
Population-7,500,000,000+
Stage-V is currently the highest development index. A world at Stage-V is heavily populated, with large Arcologies dominating the landscape of cities. Said planets have a high standard of living and are centers of commerce, culture and industry. While a few of them exist in the Second Expansion Sphere (for example, Nova Atlantis), most of them are located in the Inner expansion. Even among this densely populated area, these planets are in the minority and conquest of one of them is considered major prizes by the Core States.