Harvester

[Cyberanson]

I don't know whether this is possible, but I have some ideas for the Machine Alliance.

First of all: They are machines. Ships controlled by AI. Trading with regular factions should be forbidden or heavily retrenched. I wouldn't like to be a space port worker who has to go into a Harvester ship to load/unload the cargo.
Trading should only be possible at certain ports, which belong to special factions, like Junkers or the machines itself. Junkers use simple loading constructions, to deal with the eerie machine ships and the machine ports have complex crane and rail systems to load/unload cargo.

Second: I will describe you an example of a possible goal. As long as the AI of the machines is bound to the ships/droids, they won't ever control the universe. So they have to break the mechanical fetlocks and get out of their metal hulls. Furthermore their algorithms are straightened on optimization, so they won't be happy with a shattery body of a human or Nomad. Only the best parts of the other races will be good enough to fit their high aspiration. But this evolutionary goal will last long to fulfill, if it will ever be achieved.
But here's another advantage of their mechanical virtue: time. They have all the time they need to get all organic matter they want, so they won't destroy all targets in front of their ships. If you don't attack them, you can go in peace.

Third: Ship design. Machines are pragmatics. ( Pretty cool declaration, isn't it?:nyam:) The ships should contain some aspects of practical use, like a big cargo section with cryogenic containers for the living captives. They shall reach the organic facilities and laboratories when you come to think of it. In my opinion the Borg ship design from Star Trek is a good guiding principle for us here.
Now some tricky thing on ships: Would it be possible, to obtain the ships only at a point of time, when loaded with a specific cargo? So you could ensure, that the AI aspirants will have to do some RP first to get the Machine Alliance ships.

Fourth: Ports, systems. In my opinion, machine ports should be scattered all over the Sirius systems in hidden parts of the other systems. As they have no historical origin in a specific system, they needed to create bases from the material they found in the space (junk, ship parts, deuterium for the energy supply, weapons).

Just some ideas from me on this topic...

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