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 agree...

I figured I'd better start off with the premise of my 2300AD campaign. I'll fill out many of the details later that provide the context (many of which I've already considered). Some of what follows may be as clear as mud if you're not familiar with the 2300AD universe. Apologies...some will become clearer over time, but I don't want to repeat all the source material (the Kafers, mentioned below, have an entire source book dedicated to them). I think the key parts of this universe to understand are that humans have colonized dozens of worlds in the area near Earth, they have encountered several sentient alien species, and the notion of nations is still alive and well. The Kafers have overrun Arcturus Station and invaded Aurore. The human counterattack fleet is mustering in Hochbaden, and very little is known at this time about the Kafers, a new and hostile sentient race. Kafer scouts, presumably, have been spotted in several systems up the French Arm, including ...