In the year 4081, the Iron Heart Empire embarked on a monumental journey, sending its first colony ship to a distant solar system. This vessel, a colossal 25,000-meter-long ship, carried 50,000 dwarves, all eager to claim a new home among the stars. Under the command of Emperor Karl von Bismarck, the expedition aimed for a planet designated H-5, a world that had been meticulously terraformed over the last 170 years to support life.
With the rapid advancements in technology spearheaded by Emperor Bismarck, the dwarves had transformed space travel from a distant dream into a practical reality. Faster-than-light ships and near instantaneous communication had made interstellar travel feasible, allowing the Iron Heart Empire to reach nearby systems with relative ease. H-5, the third planet under their control, represented a significant step in their expansion.
In charge of the new colony was Prince Heinrich von Bismarck, the Emperor's second son. He bore the weighty responsibility of establishing a stable settlement on H-5 within a daunting timeframe of 200 years. As the colony ship hurtled through the void of space, Heinrich wrestled with the enormity of the task ahead.
Establishing a thriving colony would not be a simple endeavor; Heinrich calculated that it would take at least a millennium to develop the necessary infrastructure. The construction of a land and spaceport alone would require 250 years, not to mention the farms, housing, transportation systems, and city management that would be needed to support the population. To complicate matters further, the ship's supplies were limited. They had enough food to last only 20 years, and after the long journey, they would have just a decade's worth of provisions left.
Farming was thus a top priority. Heinrich knew he needed to secure food not only for the 50,000 colonists but also for the 5,000 dwarves who had been tasked with the terraforming of H-5. Although the terraforming crew was small, they relied on a steady supply of resources, which were quickly dwindling. Fortunately, the necessary tools and equipment for terraforming remained intact and could be repurposed for mining operations.
With furrowed brows and tugging on his beard, Heinrich pondered how to tackle the immense challenges before him. He needed to devise a plan to establish farms, construct a spaceport, and mine the planet's resources—all while ensuring the survival of the colony.