OK, guys, here is a very rough outline of the R&D projects I am kicking around. Please take a look and tell me what you would like to see that is not already here.
-General R&D (basically the random roll we already have)
-HPG Technology
-Black Box Technology
-Communications Enhancements (chatterweb, etc, also known as "beyond Advanced Provider")
-Exploration
-Technology Transfer (legacy version for ground forces)
-Add new design (harder)/variant (easier) to equipment table
-Swap two rows on equipment table
-Build Nuclear Weapons
-Build Chemical Weapons
-Develop Biological Weapons [requires multi-step R&D path]
-Develop Cyberware [requires multi-step R&D path]
-Create prototype (step 1 in the custom design R&D path - easy)
-Develop new design (step 2 in the custom design R&D path - gets something custom into general production - hard)
-Develop new variant (alternate step 2 - get something custom into general production with significant limitations - not so hard)
-Enhanced Investigate
-Training more than one unit per turn
This is not intended as a final list, just a reflection of what is in my notes at this moment.
Develop Weapons Technology(research new/future weapons technology)
Refurbish Design(update designs with Star Leauge or Clan technology)
Upgrade Industrial Base(increase Capacity of MFs or SYs, multi-step -or- incrimental increase(.25, .5, .75, 1)
Upgrade Industrial Efficency(decrease speed of build projects; once per turn, must target a multi-turn build project(IC, ComHub, SY), must pay full cost in addition to this project's cost)
Jump Drive Technology(increase hex/turn ratio, increase range of VIP movements, increase range of SF team movements, ect...)
*Special-Command Circuits: longer CCs, ability to 'cross' CCs, higher capacity CCs, ect...)
I'm sure more will come to me later.
Improved colonization tech (multi level)? ;D
On that idea;
Improve USIIR(reduce time required to upgrade newly colonized world from Member to Control)
Its currently 6 turns, yes?
Maybe let the clanners try to develop new phenotypes?
Kinetic Bombardment: the Poor Man's Nuke.
Requirements: Research Roll, Mobile Aerospace unit (max FP 6, Elite experience level).
Damage: FPx10*
*On a miss, strike hits any civil infrastructure, on a damage/Crit of 12, degrade planet 1 step National Capital becomes Regional, Regional Cap. becomes Control, Control becomes Member-if a control world with infrastructure is degraded in this fashion, all hex elements are automatically off-line for 3 turns +1 turn for each potential point of damage in the strike, and can not be salvaged until planetary infrastructure is restored.
Kinetic Bombardment generates Terror per Nuclear Terror rules.
Process: a KB strike must be launched two combat rounds prior to hitting, and may be intercepted by the defender. In the case of interception, the defending force must make a combat roll against the bombardment, and reduces the damage of the strike per the appropriate table. On a roll of 12 in this case, the defender successfully stops the entire strike.
Example:
House Chronic Gluteal Pain (Designated House GP for this Exercise) launches an invasion of planet shitty rock, among the GP's forces is the 111th ratscrewing aerospace Troupe (6FP Aero, Elite).
Round 1, the GP's launch a KB strike against the defenders of shitty rock, Clan Nastycaseaworms. (designated Clan N for this exercise) Roll to-hit. (GP rolls 10)
Clan N doesn't want to have their shitty rock hammered this soon, so they dispatch a fighter group to stop the strike-the 13th Leeroy Jenkins Cluster (Aero, 60FP)
Interception roll: potential damage is 60FP, Clan N's response is 60 fp, roll on simpres combat table. Clan N rolls a 6, the rocks roll a 4.
Bombardment is now reduced by 30% (1/3rd) resulting in a potential energy of 40 FP next round-it will hit the following round, giving the defenders a chance to try and stop it again, in this case with their own forces degraded by 20% (48 FP), assuming that the invaders don't move to stop the interception, that is...
Round 2, everyone else is fighting, the invading GP's ignore the efforts of Clan N to stop the incoming rocks. (poor strategy, unless the invading forces are kinda short on fighter cover or something...nyuck-nyuck..)
Clan N rolls 9, the rocks roll 10. Note that this doesn't stop the impact next turn, but it has reduced it some, maybe enough that it won't hash up EVERYTHING on the planet...unless the defenders are supremely un-lucky today.
55% of 48 (Defending aerospace) leaves 26.4 (round to nearest half) 26.5 out of 40-resulting in 13.5 FP damage (with Terror and possible infrastructural damage, etc.) beyond any hope of stopping.
60% of 40 is 24, leaving 16FP of defending aero to (I guess) try and fight the invading army coming in behind the rocks.
Round 3: Damage!!
Rocks hit, Simpres said when they were targeted in round 1
Base damage 14.5
Round 4: House GP finally lands their troops.
(okay, if anyone thinks I'm serious about this...)
On a more serious note...
Crypto/encryption breaking/signals intelligence: This capability reduces the difficulty of intelligence-gathering rolls when used offensively, or increases the difficulty of hostile intel-gathering operations.
Requirements: IC or Provider status, Research roll of 11 or better to gain the capability to TRY and crack into enemy systems. Each target costs 10RP base, Plus any bonus RP spent.
SigInt used offensively requires a new roll for each additional target with a difficulty reduced by 1 for each 10 points of RP spent on the operation, once one has cracked a targeted faction's codes, it remains active until the targeted faction spends the 5RP for counter intelligence AND beats the initial roll.
While SigInt is in play, all intel gathering rolls against the target faction are reduced to 1/2 listed cost, and difficulty is 6.
"Gentlemen, do not read other Gentlemen's Mail..."-Cordell Hull, just before Pearl Harbor.
Surveillance Capability: Required: Aerospace Unit, Veteran experience, size cap .5FP (minimum is .25FP), Research Roll 10 or better, Black Box capability.
Method: Requires Naval Recon or Special/Covert mission. after the recon passes through, a small portion (.25 to .5 RP) is left behind in a concealed location, able to report back to the originating force on developments. Current Naval Recon rules provide a "Snapshot" of what was in the system when the recon group went through, this provides continuous data on Naval elements moving in, through, and out of the target system for up to 3 turns. (if you don't realize what kind of useful that is, shame on you!)
Goofing around with more that will be rejected...(because it's late, and Dave asked...)
Efficient Logistics:
Type 1:
For each design 'sacrificed' from the table (i.e. for each model or configuration of fighter, 'mech, tank, etc.) reduce cost of new units produced by .1 RP/FP, only applies to 'mech scale and smaller designs (such as Battlesuits, Tanks/vees, 'mechs, or ASF). This represents needing fewer variant models, variant ammunition types, spares, etc.-note that this does not help in rebuilding captured equipment unless the equipment is of the right type and model.
Requirements: More than one factory owned by the faction, Research Roll 9 or higher.
Type 2: Applies to dropships.
"During WWII, the Germans alone fielded over fifty different types of eight and nine milimeter small-arms rounds-all incompatible with each other. The United STates fielded three calibers of small arms, four if you count the .50 caliber Machine Gun..."
BTW: what does "Cyberware" refer to, precisely? are we just talking about installing electronics in people, (ala Manei Domini) or does it include research into artificial intelligence type technologies, electronic warfare (strategic grade, network penetration, hacking technologies and the like?)
Cyberware is human-computer interface systems, ala Manei Domini, according to CBT. Clantech EI is a first basic step on that path I would think.
Quote from: Cannonshop on November 03, 2010, 08:55:31 AM
Goofing around with more that will be rejected...(because it's late, and Dave asked...)
Efficient Logistics:
Type 1:
For each design 'sacrificed' from the table (i.e. for each model or configuration of fighter, 'mech, tank, etc.) reduce cost of new units produced by .1 RP/FP, only applies to 'mech scale and smaller designs (such as Battlesuits, Tanks/vees, 'mechs, or ASF). This represents needing fewer variant models, variant ammunition types, spares, etc.-note that this does not help in rebuilding captured equipment unless the equipment is of the right type and model.
Requirements: More than one factory owned by the faction, Research Roll 9 or higher.
Type 2: Applies to dropships.
"During WWII, the Germans alone fielded over fifty different types of eight and nine milimeter small-arms rounds-all incompatible with each other. The United STates fielded three calibers of small arms, four if you count the .50 caliber Machine Gun..."
Since many of my aerospace forces used to consist of only one design before the new spreadsheet... ;D
Quote from: Cannonshop on November 03, 2010, 11:20:35 AM
BTW: what does "Cyberware" refer to, precisely? are we just talking about installing electronics in people, (ala Manei Domini) or does it include research into artificial intelligence type technologies, electronic warfare (strategic grade, network penetration, hacking technologies and the like?)
Quote from: Daemonknight on November 03, 2010, 11:27:31 AM
Cyberware is human-computer interface systems, ala Manei Domini, according to CBT. Clantech EI is a first basic step on that path I would think.
The Cyberware R&D path was done with EI and Manei Domini in mind as examples, but I don't see why the higher levels of the path couldn't eventually lead to lostech along the lines of what the Star League had in near-AI and related technologies. Of course, it'll also be interesting to find out what the "Machina Domini" that are supposedly going to be in Final Reckoning are all about...
I want to replace my mechwarriors with AIs utilizing Cloud Computing.
yes, i want Battledrones. I want to miniaturize the Caspar systems, and put them in battlemechs. If you think about it, the actual controls would be far simpler, its the AI systems that would need to be developed. More difficult, is the secure communications networks to allow the different units to speak to each other. And command heirarchy would actually work perfectly aswell, because in a Clan style structure, all 5 points would be a single cloud, all Star Commanders would be another, all Star Captains another, and all Star Colonels another. It can scale perfectly, because each 'officer' system is defined by being in 2 simultaneous clouds: meaning that information can theoreticlly be passed from one side of a planet to another, if a unit is spread out, depending on the communications protocols.
shortwave would work perfectly: its encryptable, its cheap and easy, and its so versatile considering that you can bounce the signal around the world.
Quote from: Dave Baughman on November 03, 2010, 10:04:08 PM
Quote from: Cannonshop on November 03, 2010, 11:20:35 AM
BTW: what does "Cyberware" refer to, precisely? are we just talking about installing electronics in people, (ala Manei Domini) or does it include research into artificial intelligence type technologies, electronic warfare (strategic grade, network penetration, hacking technologies and the like?)
Quote from: Daemonknight on November 03, 2010, 11:27:31 AM
Cyberware is human-computer interface systems, ala Manei Domini, according to CBT. Clantech EI is a first basic step on that path I would think.
The Cyberware R&D path was done with EI and Manei Domini in mind as examples, but I don't see why the higher levels of the path couldn't eventually lead to lostech along the lines of what the Star League had in near-AI and related technologies. Of course, it'll also be interesting to find out what the "Machina Domini" that are supposedly going to be in Final Reckoning are all about...
It would actually seem like a less...intensive...development for the larger, as opposed to small-enough-to-implant systems to be first or earlier, with a division on the tech tree after you get to DNI/EI style implantation. it's harder to make small, compact systems after all-I could see a fundamental rift here.
For instance, the B3tti system used in the Star League Era "trainer" ASF (iirc, it was one of the hellcats) is miles different from DNI/VDNI/Manei Domini style technology, and bears a closer resemblance to the expert-system tech used in the Mk19 Blackwasp, both of which are closer in tech-tree terms to the automation on a Clan-built Fredasa corvette, than to EI implantation.
Integration of computers/interfaces into people is more of a medical than a true computing development, and has no real resemblance to the development of near-AI or True AI systems. While having some crossover, the two trees are radically different in concept and execution.
What about less... military "cyberwear"?
Like the FarLookers by a few years "ago" had technologies that aided in colonization of worlds that normally humans wouldn't be able to easily colonize (air and liver filters, gills, eye gear and things of that nature). Not really military gear, but still tech going into humans...
I would disagree that smaller always means harder in the computer world. If you are attempting to scale something down without changing functionality, I would agree, but this is something different. Going from DNI/VDNI systems to full automations is atleast doubling the required functions on a computer. Not to mention that you can't just stick a 'logical' system into a mech and make it work.
You've been in combat CS? I don't remember if you ever told me your MOS. For anyone that has; how many things are going on in your head once you hear that first bullet zip past? And I don't mean the fear, thats a given, I mean just things that actually pertain to your training.
A computer can be programmed to know those things, but can it be programmed to actually understand them? Does a computer know the different between 50% armor on it's center torso and 15% on it's right torso? It knows there is a difference, and that it needs to protect its right side. It would analyze it's own weapons, analyze those of it's enemy, and make a calculated decision to attempt to minimize it's own risk, and also maximize it's chances of taking it's target down. However, I garuntee that a human will come to that decision quicker, because so much of what the human mind processes can be 'tuned out' due to training. You can train a person to recognize things and react without actually 'thinking' about them. The term 'incoming' comes to mind. I have a friend who was a Marine for 15 years, and to this day, if someone yells 'incoming', he will immediatly drop to the floor without hesitation. He drops, covers his head with his arms, and burys his face in the ground, on pure instinct. A computer can't do that, it HAS to run the computations to come to a decision, by checking every possible factor. Granted it can check each individual datum faster than a human, it still has to go through the list.
And its an exponential problem: every second requires millions more calculations, as the situation in a combat zone is so fast-paced. There is no way to scale that type of system down to an implant. Its actually the inverse, because as a machine gets larger, it has more variables, which requires even more data checks, and logic paths. Making a Battle Armor suit an automation is likly about as difficult as a tank, or a battlemech. They all operate on essentially the same principles, although BA and Mechs have the whole gyro and jumping issues, those are minor compared to the tactical aspects.
However, what about an aerospace fighter? You have easily doubled if not more than doubled the ammount of processes that computer needs to run, simply by adding a third axis of movement. Then add in the dynamics of flight, and its likly another doubled process. Warships? Their sheer size, the number of systems required to allow them to function makes them the most difficult of all.
I would actually say that if you have EI or MD, it doesn't really provide any assistance to creating the types of systems I'm interested in. Likewise, the systems I'm discussing have little to do with EI or MD, because their purpose is to replace the human directing the action, not merely make him better.
Quote from: Daemonknight on November 04, 2010, 09:24:49 PM
I would disagree that smaller always means harder in the computer world. If you are attempting to scale something down without changing functionality, I would agree, but this is something different. Going from DNI/VDNI systems to full automations is atleast doubling the required functions on a computer. Not to mention that you can't just stick a 'logical' system into a mech and make it work.
You've been in combat CS? I don't remember if you ever told me your MOS. For anyone that has; how many things are going on in your head once you hear that first bullet zip past? And I don't mean the fear, thats a given, I mean just things that actually pertain to your training.
A computer can be programmed to know those things, but can it be programmed to actually understand them? Does a computer know the different between 50% armor on it's center torso and 15% on it's right torso? It knows there is a difference, and that it needs to protect its right side. It would analyze it's own weapons, analyze those of it's enemy, and make a calculated decision to attempt to minimize it's own risk, and also maximize it's chances of taking it's target down. However, I garuntee that a human will come to that decision quicker, because so much of what the human mind processes can be 'tuned out' due to training. You can train a person to recognize things and react without actually 'thinking' about them. The term 'incoming' comes to mind. I have a friend who was a Marine for 15 years, and to this day, if someone yells 'incoming', he will immediatly drop to the floor without hesitation. He drops, covers his head with his arms, and burys his face in the ground, on pure instinct. A computer can't do that, it HAS to run the computations to come to a decision, by checking every possible factor. Granted it can check each individual datum faster than a human, it still has to go through the list.
And its an exponential problem: every second requires millions more calculations, as the situation in a combat zone is so fast-paced. There is no way to scale that type of system down to an implant. Its actually the inverse, because as a machine gets larger, it has more variables, which requires even more data checks, and logic paths. Making a Battle Armor suit an automation is likly about as difficult as a tank, or a battlemech. They all operate on essentially the same principles, although BA and Mechs have the whole gyro and jumping issues, those are minor compared to the tactical aspects.
However, what about an aerospace fighter? You have easily doubled if not more than doubled the ammount of processes that computer needs to run, simply by adding a third axis of movement. Then add in the dynamics of flight, and its likly another doubled process. Warships? Their sheer size, the number of systems required to allow them to function makes them the most difficult of all.
I would actually say that if you have EI or MD, it doesn't really provide any assistance to creating the types of systems I'm interested in. Likewise, the systems I'm discussing have little to do with EI or MD, because their purpose is to replace the human directing the action, not merely make him better.
Luckily for me, no combat time when I was in-at least I was spared that, thanks. It's interesting that at the end of your comment, you essentially make the same point I was trying to make with my post: that "Cyborg-wear" isn't necessarily something that shares a tech-tree with AI or automation of weapons systems.
Though it might be interesting indeed to have a tech-tree that leads to AI augmentation of soldiers ala HALO or Red Vs. Blue.
Tech Tree for Autonomous Munitions/robot soldiers:
Stage Zero: Hi-Scout Drone Carrier, C3(inner Sphere Only, including C3i Variants), TarComp (Clan OR Inner Sphere), Artemis IV, Guardian ECM (for the ECCM applications),Beagle Probe.
Stage Zero because these are current-service systems that can work as a basis for your development project.
Stage 1
Btt7i/augmented pilot training 'expert systems'-(TRO 2750, Page 60, "Swift" entry) they already exist in the game-universe (check TRO 2750) but would require dedicated effort to develop. Game Mechanic: Reduces training time/resource cost to move units from R to V. this is your 'stage one'. Why? because you have to teach machines how to "Think like a fighter", and it also permits your programmers and dev. staff to view/review/examine real-time training and/or combat footage to help develop the needed reflexes for a future autonomous system.
Battle Armor C3: this one is found in (iirc) Strategic Ops, though it might be in TacOps (the damn book's laid out so funny I can't find much in either one...except by accident). This teaches your officers how to "Think Cloud" with improved intercommunications between relatively small elements across a broader frontage.
Kanga Computer: the jump computer in the Kanga hovertank was complex, so complex nobody remembers how to build it-except your faction, who've doped out all the little microsensors needed to give a hovercraft a 'sense of balance' in free-fall/vertical envelopment operations.
those're "Stage One" technologies-stuff the Star League had scads of at its height, open to all factions who have access to a good pre-war technical library or good reverse-engineering people.
Stage Twos:
Blackwasp "Brain"-the first units the SLDF automated were fighters-there's a reason for that-a fighter can 'coast' in space while making up its mind. (Relatively common in the 28th century for guarding special installations, the Mk-19 Blackwasp was an automated, unmanned aerospace drone fighter with a very limited intellect-the same tech forms the in-canon basis of the "Caspar II" SDS systems used by WoB-possibly because the more advanced Caspar I's were too independent. We have Canon game-rules for the II's, thanks to the Jihad sourcebooks, but even Herb Beas is afraid to tackle REAL Caspars as they were described in the Star League book back in the 1980s.)
Fredasa Automation (Clantech Only)-reduces the number of crew needed to run the ship-even in combat. This is stage two because it fairly represents a bridge between "Expert systems" like the BTT7i and "SDS" quality automated ships-you still need a crew, but not as much.
The various "Caspar" systems detailed in the 3085 TRO would be Stage Twos-they don't work well without a human in the loop (-4 to initiative rolls)
Stage Three:
Caspar SDS/SYBIL Computer systems. These are true Autonomous Warcraft, includes the Mk-39 Voidseeker and similar advanced systems. These systems can operate on a tactical level with only an objective, and make limited value judgements (See fluff: Luxor class Warship-drew off Caspar and SDS units because they evaluated the class as the most threatening of Kerensky's navy.)
Stage Four:
Beyond Caspars, true Human-level judgement and/or intellect. If you're a Fanfic reader from the CBT boards, then names like "Sibyl Luddington", "Tabiranth", "Nike" and "Chobi" (or Man'yoshou) illustrate this level of development along this tech-tree.
You need to be at Stage Four to get things like autonomous Battlesuits that operate in "cloud" intelligence models with any reliability (esp. in an ECM rich environment). These suits are likely to be Quads because Canon rules don't allow for autonomous bipedal robots at ANY level of development-including 'mechs, so it is logical that any extension beyond FanPro/Catalyst rules would follow similar trends (much as the development of the Inner Sphere version of the Clan Heavy Machine gun has the exact same defects as the Clan HMG-one can take some comfort in assuming, therefore, that some physical rules and engineering choices are necessity, rather than mere education. Apparently it's not possible to make a Heavy machine gun that does Machine Gun damage over longer ranges as the trade up for the additional mass... Maybe in the BT universe, if you increase the proportion of propellant to projectile too far, you get a bomb, instead of a bullet...or something.)
For "Cloud Computing" AI "armies", the tech development would follow these steps, (based on canon sources and extrapolating beyond what Herb&Co. are comfortable dealing with...)
Stage Zero:
Hi-Scout Drone Carrier
C3i
Stage 1: Kanga 'brains/reflexes' computer, BA C3, BTT7i "Expert" pilot training aid.
Stage 2: Blackwasp equivalent 'brain' computer technology.
Stage 3: SIBYL computer (I forget the canon entry for this one-but it was the Star League's first true "AI").
Stage 4: Integration of what you've learned-the machine is probably a networked system-quad BA (unmanned) with reduced-size "Kanga" computers for their reflexes and balance, reduced-capacity Blackwasp equivalent brains, and BA scale C3, with a "master" computer proportionally installed in a vehicle (such as, say, a modified APC or urban combat track, or modded Hi-Scout carrier). Each individual unit has about the brain-power of a Bumble-bee, but through the link, it increases in ability with numbers-a 'gestalt' intelligence, the more you have, the more it can do on its own-the likely 'cap' in this case, would be how many networks can work together-based on C3 tech, you can't interlink an entire battalion of piloted machines, the most you can manage is a single company-likely a SIBYL level computer can handle MORE, but perhaps not as well. Optimum performance would be at Company level, with battalion level decisions coming through as simplified instruction sets ("Take that hill", "Retreat to Rally Point and re-group", "Exterminate all carbon based organisms in your sector", "Do Not engage vehicles using the following IFF codes" or "prepare L-shaped Ambush at site XYZ coordinates, set pre-programmed fires and suppress emissions until condition W occurs or condition X, Y, or Z invalidate this order.")
Another direction in this tech-tree goes toward human interaction (but not Cyborg humans...)
Stage zero: BAP, ECM, TC, C3
Stage One: BTT7i (Betty) Expert systems, BA C3.
Stage Two: Fredasa style automation of mundane functions (Logistics/Maintenance)
Stage Three: SYBIL style high-end computers in network.
Stage Four: You still have humans in the loop, on the ground, but they have AI assistance with additional sensors on vehicles, sort of a "Super C3" network where crews can put the tank/'mech on "autopilot" or BA troops can 'rest' while the suit keeps going. On this tree, a Stage Four force can keep going under conditions where non-augmented forces can not, and enjoys a much more omniscient view of the battlefield with recon data updating displays based on multiple points of input-best uses would be in coordination with "Force Multipliers' such as artillery, air-strikes, or OrBom under high-tempo operations-basically a stage four force in this case would have better targeting, gunnery, initiative numbers, but would be horrendously expensive on a per-unit-cost basis-the trade off being that this higher level of integration improves the force's ability to inflict damage and out-manuever enemies in the field. Game Mechanic would be paying for "Elite" forces right out of the factory. The down-side being that you're paying for Elite forces, right out of the factory. A single infantryman's load in this case would be equivalent in cost to a squad of Assault BA troopers, and if he's separated from the other arms, he's only got an infantryman's weapons on hand to defend himself-and he loses most of his bonuses if he lacks air-cover, or artillery support, or vehicle support, and if the force "Loses the Hub" then everyone is suddenly green, because their gear doesn't work, or "Regular" because it's only working across a company-scale range and the force multipliers don't work RIGHT anymore-but the RP cost for the force itself remains the same as if everything DID work like it was supposed to.
I just thought of something: how about a tech tree or 2 that the canon universe DIDN'T ever go down.
Now, one problem is that there is the risk of whatever it is being broken. But the bonus is that in theory those IN universe shouldn't know just what everything leads to before hand.
Like "information tech" may result in being able to use blackboxes as low level HPG at its endpoint, but we don't know that. We might be under the impression that it aids spies in figuring things out.
Quote from: Jeyar on November 05, 2010, 11:39:45 AM
I just thought of something: how about a tech tree or 2 that the canon universe DIDN'T ever go down.
Now, one problem is that there is the risk of whatever it is being broken. But the bonus is that in theory those IN universe shouldn't know just what everything leads to before hand.
Like "information tech" may result in being able to use blackboxes as low level HPG at its endpoint, but we don't know that. We might be under the impression that it aids spies in figuring things out.
That actually sounds to me like a neat idea-and some of hte more advanced models in canon actually DO work that way.
Here's an idea on an unrelated note...
Skyhooks/space elevators as a possible tech-tree (not considered in Canon). this would allow "Portage" for ships that don't land (Like the Behemoth Dropship) to move high-bulk cargoes between planets. If you can make shipping, say, GRAIN cheap enough, it can be a better revenue generator than shipping germanium ore.
Here's how I would envision it working in "Game Effects" rules:
Requirements: Tech roll/discovery success
Cost: 5RP per "tower", time to build each tower 4 turns (doesn't reflect so much the builiding time, as getting your supporting infra laid out-ships to use the towers, convincing people they're safe, staffing and training, etc.)
Benefit: Resource Multiplication. Let's say we multiply the RP output by the number of such towers you've built in your nation...of course, there needs to be a 'cap' on this, but that can be worked down to a reasonable level-say, a maximum of x4 for ease of maintenance. that means if you have four built, that gives you 1 RP (Link it to the output of the specific hexes! four hexes have towers, those four hexes each generate 1 RP instead of .25, the more you build, the more the multiplier is.)
Restrictions: there has to be a cap on the multipliers, so we cap it at a nice, round number...say, x10, past that, you're just building in redundancy.
This could, concievably, make smaller factions resource-competitive against larger factions-but at the cost of increased vulnerability of that resource base to attack-if you have, say, eight hexes with eight control worlds, and each one has a tower, sure, you're going to make sixty four RP (assuming no other infra is built)-but if the neighbours raid you on multiple worlds, you won't make that next turn even if you beat them back (provided the dice gods don't like you that turn!)