Faction Technology, Probe Skills, and Secret Projects

Yes, I'm finally posting again. This is something that's been kicking around in my head for a while; it's an attempt to quantify the workings of the Research score, the Probe score, and secret project building in GURPS Alpha Centauri.

Research
Technological progress is divided up into several main areas: Hard Physics Applications (better weapons, armor, and materials science in general), Social Sciences (advancements in economics, politics, and philosophy), Terran Bioscience (developments in bioengineering, medical science, etc), Planetary Bioscience (developments in understanding and bioengineering Centaurian lifeforms), Computer Science (better computers, both hardware and software, artificial intelligence, and better network architecture), Cybernetics (interfacing mechanical parts into organic lifeforms), Terraforming (Planetary ecology, making Planet more like Earth, and making Earth life more compatible to Planet), and Psionics (understanding telepathy, and enhancing it artificially).
A faction can be at one of four states with respect to each of these technologies: Bleeding Edge (the faction is several years ahead of the average), Advanced (the faction is one of the frontrunners in developing that technology), Average (the faction is neither ahead nor behind the curve on the technology), and Dead Last (the faction has a serious lag when it comes to the technology).
For every point that a faction's Research score exceeds zero, it has one technology at the Bleeding Edge state, with the rest of its technologies at Average. A faction with a Reseach score of exactly zero has one technology at Advanced, and all others at Average. A faction with a negative research score has a number of technologies at Dead Last for every point it is below zero, while the rest of its technologies are Average. A faction can "trade" one technology at a given level for two technologies at one level lower.

The Lords Believers have a Reasearch score of -4, the worst on Planet. For them, Social Science, Computer Science, Terran Biosciences, and Cybernetics are all Average, while Hard Physics Applications, Planetary Biosciences, Terraforming, and Psionics are Dead Last.
The Cybernetic Consciousness Corporation has a Reasearch score of +2. They are Bleeding Edge in Cybernetics and Computer Science, and Average in Social Science, Terran Bioscience, Planetary Bioscience, Hard Physics Applications, Terraforming, and Psionics.
The Data Angels have a Research score of +2. They are Bleeding Edge in Computer Science, and they are Advanced in Social Science and Cybernetics (they've traded one Bleeding Edge for two Advanced). They are Average in Social Science, Terran Bioscience, Planetary Bioscience, Hard Physics Applications, Terraforming, and Psionics.
The Free Drones have a Research score of 0. They are Advanced in Hard Physics Applications, and Average in all other fields.
Gaia's Stepdaughters has a Research score of 0. They are Bleeding Edge in Terraforming (because they control the Weather Paradigm), Advanced in Psionics, and Average in all other fields.
The Human Hive has a Reasearch score of 0. They are Advanced in Social Science, and Average in all other fields.
Morgan Industries has a Research score of 0. They are Advanced in Social Science, and Average in all other fields.
The Peacekeeping Forces has a Research score of 0. They are Advanced in Terran Bioscience, and Average in all other fields.
The Nautilus Pirates has a Reserach score of 0. They are Advanced in Planetary Bioscience, and Average in all other fields.
The Cult of Planet has a Reserach score of 0. They are Bleeding Edge in Psionics (because they control the Empath Guild), Advanced in Planetary Bioscience, and Average in all other fields.
The Spartan Federation has a Research score of 0. They are Advanced in Hard Physics Applications, and Average in all other fields.
The University of Planet has a Research score 0f 4. They are Bleeding Edge in Hard Physics Applications, Cybernetics, Computer Science, and Terran Bioscience, and Advanced in Terraforming (The University has traded one Bleeding Edge for two Advanced fields, but they control the Human Genome Project, which increases their Terran Bioscience back up to Bleedinge Edge). They are Average in Psionics and Planetary Bioscience.


Probe
To calculate how many probe teams a faction can field, add 1 to its Probe score (if positive), and multiply by 10. If a faction's probe score is negative, subtract it from 10 to get the number of probe teams the faction can field.
Each probe team can either infiltrate an enemy base, or defend a faction's own base. A probe team has an effective skill in general espianoge equal to 11 plus its faction's probe score. When a probe team infiltrates an enemy base, roll a quick contest of the probe team's skill vs. the defending skill. The defending skill is equal to either the skill of a defending probe team, or to 6 plus the faction's probe score if no opposing probe team is present, plus 2 in either case, to represent "home team advantage". If more than one defensive team is present in a base, each gets a separate quick contest against the infiltrating probe team.
For example, the Lord's Believers, with a Probe score of +3, send a probe team to a Spartan base. The Spartans have a Probe score of 0. If there is no Spartan probe team defending the base, then the Believer probe team rolls a quick contest of its espianoge skill of 14 (11 + 3, the Believer's Probe score), against the base's counter-espianoge skill of 8 (6 + 2 for home team advantage). If, on the other hand, a defending Spartan probe team was present, the Believers would roll 14 against the Spartan's 13 (11 + 2 for home team advantage).
A faction can choose to convert two probe teams into one team, with a +1 bonus to its skill. This can continue indefinitely, but each +1 doubles the number of probe teams the faction must consolidate. For example, to get a +4 bonus, the faction would have to consoloidate 16 probe teams.
Simple infiltration of a base will grant the successful faction a general idea of the base's layout, political system, major power players, and key base systems. However, sometimes, a faction needs more direct action by a probe team. These actions are generally harder to do covertly, and thus apply a penalty to the probe team's roll.
Minor sabotage (destroying non-essentail base functions, or private property: -1.
Major sabotage (destroying essentail base functions such as military units or defensive structures): -3
Short-term intelligence (determining individual military units' movements, determining immediate research goals): -2
Long-term intelligence (determining general strategy, determining the general goal of a reasearch strategy): -4
Full technology theft: -5
Base destruction (through plague, sabotage of all base functions, etc): -7
Base conversion (through sedition or coup): -7

Secret Projects
When determining who first builds a secret project, several factors contribute. The first is number of bases; more bases means a bigger economy and more resources to devote to projects. Base heavy factions (The Drones, Gaia, the Hive, and Sparta), produce one Project Point per year. Base medium factions (The Believers, the Peacekeepers, the Nautilus Pirates, the Cult of Planet, and the University) produce one Project Point every two years. Base light factions (C^3, the Data Angels, and Morgan) produce one Project Point every three years.
Having a lead in technology related to the project also helps. Choose which branch of technology (Hard Physics, Social Science, Terran Bioscience, Planet Bioscience, Computer Science, Cybernetics, Terraforming, or Psionics) the project falls into (a project can fall into more than one field. For example, the Neural Amplifier would fall into both Cybernetics and Psionics). If a faction is Bleeding Edge in a technology the project falls into, it gets +2 Project Points for that project. If a faction is Advanced in a technology a project falls into, it gets +1 Project Point.
Having a high Economy, Effeciency, or Industry score gives extra Project Points, at a rate of +1 for each of the relevant score above 2, or +2 for each score above 4. These modifiers don't stack with multiple high scores, however; a faction with Efficiency and Economy ratings both above 2 only gets +1, not +2 for both scores.
Finally, a faction can sabotage another faction's project, by sending probe teams. This is a major
sabotage attempt, with the -3 penalty that entails. A successful mission causes the project to lose 1d/2 Project Points.
The first faction to accumulate 15 Project Points toward a project successfully constructs that project. Other factions can trade their Project Points in a project for points in another project 2 for 1.

The currently built secret projects, and their owners, are:

The Weather Paradigm was developed early in the Gaian's history. As a result, they have long enjoyed a healthy lead in terraforming projects, and their territory is well developed without significant ecological damage.

The Human Genome Project was one of the first major research projects that the University undertook on Planet, and their medical care and understanding of genetic engineering is top-notch on Alpha Centauri because of it.

The Virtual World was actually developed by the Lord's Believers, initially as a religious educational tool. Although it grew beyond that, into the wide variety of entertainment programs it currently offers, the virtual enviroments still reflect a deep spirituality and respect for Believer morality.

The Merchant Exchange was constructed by Morgan Industries, almost as soon as they had contact with other factions. Even today, Morgan's original base remains one of Planet's leading financial centers because of it.

The Command Nexus was constructed by the Spartans, to coordinate their scattered and sometimes undisiplined militia units. The firm guidance and tactical and strategic knowledge of the Command Nexus staff has forged Sparta's army into the strongest military force on Planet.

The Empath Guild was originally formed by the Gaians, and with it they had a strong lead in psionics for much of Planet's early history. However, the Guild was never fully integrated into Gaian society, and during the recent revolt of the Cult of Planet, much of the upper leadership of the Guild defected to the new faction, giving it a strong edge in psionics, and leaving the Gaians seething.

The Citizen's Defense Force was an innovation of the Free Drones, who rejected the elitist views of their original masters, the Human Hive, and created a truly egalitarian military. As a result, every Drone not physically incapable has served for at least one year in the military, with the according basic training.

The Maritime Control Center was originally a Gaian project, designed to win naval superiority over the other factions by better organizing their seagoing forces. However, when the Nautilus Pirates revolted, the Admirality staff of the Center joined their sealoving brethern. Now, the Control Center acts to coordinate the Pirates' shipping activities, both commercial and military.

The Planetary Transit System was created by the Gaians, and insures that travel within Gaian territory is quick, simple, and safe. Gaians make extensive use of cargo zeppelins and large, slow moving, solar powered crawlers for cargo, and smaller, but faster, "buses" for moving people. All Gaian vehicles are extremely low pollution, in accordance with Gaian philosophy.

The Planetary Energy Grid was a construction of the Peacekeepers, who wanted to use economic means to increase the unity of the factions. Though this goal has not so far succeeded, they have made a significant profit off the energy futures market, as well as insuring other factions against energy shortages.

The Planetary Datalinks were only built in the past few years, by the Data Angels, who wished to collate all of human knowledge in a more easily accessible form. To this end, they also created the first truly Planetary computer network. So far, the Datalinks have proved very useful for the Angels, who find it easy to get knowledge from members of other factions who come to the Datalinks to study.

The Neural Amplifier was a creation of the Cybernetic Consciousness Corporation, who were seeking a way to improve their defense against telepathy, both from human and Planetary attackers. They have recently begun licensing the technology to other factions, but their own units still have the best available neural amplifier designs, giving them an edge.