Bayard: A 2300AD RPG Blog

The dominant flora on Bayard is what the colonists have come to refer to as needle grass--a term that covers a broad category of thin, tubular short "grasses" that have evolved into nearly every biome on Bayard. Needle grass is more akin to Terran fungus in the clavulinopsis  genus. Needle grass typically grows 3-4 inches tall and comes in a variety of shades from grey to green to brown. The grass requires organic material on which to feed, though it can be of very little amount--ask any number of colonists who have found clumps of the grass growing on the spaces between tiles. Needle grass is noted for it's vibrant hues as the close of the day cycle ends on Bayard. Approximately 48 hours before sunset, needle grass transforms to bright, vivid colors--reds, yellows, and oranges in particular. The whole of Bayard becomes resplendent with those vivid colors. At the end of that 48 hours, the individual clumps eject spores, and the grass returns to its normal coloring.

The Leclerc system was first surveyed in 2253 by Commander Camille Lasant Said, a descendent of le maréchal Philippe Leclerc, and the crew of  Melodie  Chromatique . The French ensured a small colony was created in 2254 at present day Varennes. The French hoped to claim primacy of their position as the Japanese and Texas governments learned of Bayard. Shortly thereafter, a planetside explorer by the name of Charles de Vanteaux discovered what he believed to be a significant tantalum deposit on the continent of Renal. The French government, anxious to preserve the tantalum for themselves, sent a Legion etrangere company to set up a camp (Camp de Seeger) to establish a primary claim. Additionally, they colluded with the Japanese and Texans in violation of the Melbourne Accords to keep the presence of Bayard a secret from the other nations--which lasted for a period of 40 years. In those intervening years, those three nations built a sizable presence on Bayard, all agreeing that