Covert Ops Centre

[Drogue]

I think keep off the MC at the moment, we don't have enough forces to successfully hold it, nor the transports to continually back it up with garrisons IMHO. I would wait for HEC (Plasma armor) and until we have built the CDF before we MC and garrison it.

[Drogue]

Provisional Orders

Provisional DEI orders:

The Western probe foil is to continue moving towards the coast and then up the coast, infiltrating the first faction they come across, since we have not yet finished the peoples last expressed wishes. If anyone objects, please post grievances and I shall try to address them.

The Eastern probe foil's, new ships' and scout patrol's orders, are subject to polls, which is shall post tonight, so that people can give me their ideas for what they would like the options in the poll to be (*hint* *hint* )

[GeneralTacticus]

*BUMP*

I was just examining the save file to revise my orders for the Centralis region, and I noticed that the Hive is within 1 year of developing SFF. This makes it a no.1 priotity to get the eastern probe foil to a Hive base and steal it ASAP, as this will not only eliminate the tech edge Yang has over us, but will save many years of research as well.

[Drogue]

Yep, which was why I ordered that last turn (it just hasn't reached it yet)

[GeneralTacticus]

Good.

[AdamTG02]

I'd like to suggest moderation in saobotaging base facilities. If we can disrupt troop porduction, that's good. But if we destroy a base's Perimeter Defense and then Mind Control it, won't we be in a worse tactical situation?

I'd favor allowing the Hive to keep the necessities of life: Rec Commons, Children's Creche . . . even Perimeter Defenses would be a boon to us once we mind control the base. Sabotaging Rec Commons may produce chaos for the Hive, but it also makes it significantly harder to establish a stable provisional government, after the conquest. Even Network Nodes, in the enemy's hands, will help us -- we're about to cash in on the Hive discovery of Synthetic Fossil Fuels, are we not?

I'm open to being proven wrong, but in my mind unrestricted sabotage seems like it would be more costly in the long run.

[Drogue]

Probably right if we intend to MC. But stealing tech IMO has priority ATM at least anyway.

[GeneralTacticus]

Net Nodes don't help us to steal tech, and there's no need to help them along tech-wise, as they'll have SFF next turn regardless.

[AdamTG02]

My point was that the quicker the Hive researches new technology, the quicker we can steal it from them.

However, I recognize that leaving the enemy's facilities intact may make the war more difficult. Maybe a compromise? Leave facilities intact in the three southwest bases (The Hive, Laborer's Throng, and The Leader's Horde), and wreak mayhem elsewhere.

On the other hand, our probe teams might be best used specifically to disrupt enemy troop production. If we're able to stop that, destroying facilities such as Recycling Tanks and Command Centers doesn't really net us anything.

What do you all think?

[AdamTG02]

It occurs to me that the Hive has files on High Energy Chemistry, which we have been researching for over 10 years.

If we were to acquire those files, we would be able to focus our efforts on other areas of knowledge. My best analysis is that we would be able to research a different new technology in three or four years.

What does the Exploration and Intelligence Directorate plan to do to acquire these files?

[Drogue]

I have ordered (last turnchat) the nearest Probe Foil to infiltrate the Hive at the Leader's Horde to steal tech. Hoping to either get HEC or SFF. It will reach it in about 4 more turns I estimate. If there is no objection, I plan to keep the orders polled for last turnchat for the next one, since we only played 2 turns.

Is this to our esteemed DoS's liking?

[Earwicker]

I agree that the theft of technology has priority at the moment. Depending upon how long until we discover HEC, it might even be more important than infiltration: if we could acquire HEC and SFF in advance of our own discovery of both, we'll have saved years toward the research of Neural Grafting or some other vital tech.

As for sabotage, it seems most prudent to do only when

* you have a number of probes ready to strike in quick succession (otherwise you might repeatedly sabotage the four mins toward a recon rover instead of knocking out the perimeter defense);

* the base has piled up huge production for an SP, prototype, or expensive facility; and/ or

* you don't mind losing pop points after capturing it, because of drone control.

All told, I agree that it's usually better to go for draining energy reserves. However, unless the Hive has been thieving from someone else, it's unlikely that Yang has a huge store.

[AdamTG02]

Is this to our esteemed DoS's liking?

Definitely. It's too bad that we won't be able to get a new tech in time to transfer our research in High Energy Chemistry to something else, but there's not much we can do about that. It's only just now that we learned he had the tech at all. So stealing Synthetic Fossil Fuels, and then Nonlinear Mathematics, from Yang's two nearest sea bases seems like a good idea.

Thanks for the update.

Earwicker: I'm actually advocating directed sabotage, which is a bit riskier for our Probe Teams but would allow us to eliminate the base facilities which allow the Hive to threaten us (mainly, Perimeter Defenses) while leaving other facilites intact.

[Voltaire]

Though it may be desirable to prevent the Hive form acquiring planet busters by means other than conventional warfare, we must be prepared to admit that sabotage can only go so far.

But furthermore, we must ask ourselves, are we willing to go to fight a conventional war with the Hive in the first place? If it becomes a necessity, as in the case of a Hiverian invasion of our mainland, then we have little choice in the matter. But what about in the case of an invasion against the Hiverian forces on their continent? Are we prepared to sacrifice our soldiers? Furthermore, can we launch an effective assault against the Hive in their own territory? There questions are paramount in discussions regarding any actions against the Hive.

Whatever the decision, we need to be certain that first of all, we can execute it effectively, and second, that we are prepared for the consequences of our decision.

[GeneralTacticus]

Furthermore, can we launch an effective assault against the Hive in their own territory?

YES! It won't be easy, but we will have to do it sooner or later.