Turn Thread for MY2111 thru 2120

[Makahlua]

I'm in favor of the extra schooner at 'Rita too - we need a vessel to head north, looking for other factions (not to mention pods )

[johndmuller]

If I'm getting everyone's opinion right, I see it as:

• Cap'n Flubber: 2 Schooners, then Colonies
• Cap'n FlameFlash: Exploration (I take that to be Schooner(s);
• Cap'n Mark123Jansen: (Sea) Colony Pods
• Cap'n Foolish_Icaarus: Colonies/Formers; then Gunships
• Cap'n Makahlua: Schooner at Rita

I am going to take this as a consensus to do a little of each, as in sneaking in a quick Schooner at 'Rita (to head North/NorthWest following whatever seems interesting) before building a SeaColonyPod - to take to the proposed site a little North of 'Rita; continuing to build the SeaFormer at Liar's, followed by a Schooner/SeaColony; and at Tripoli, finishing the CP then building a Schooner/SeaColony/RecComm, probably in that order, depending on consensus, population growth pressures and whatnot. The new base on the Boot, I see as building a Former, then a Scout, then perhaps a CP/CmdCntr/Rover/CP/RecComm sequence, or something like that.

Don't forget our negotiations with the Borg; so far, it looks like we could be Treatied and trading Doc:Mobility for InfoNets (The Cuspidore would be in favor of Social Psych as the replacement research target to enable bulking up Tripoli and/or 'Rita to take advantage of all their resources).

[johndmuller]

Here is the end-of-turn file; if I have time later, I'll add in any details that are lacking in the narative and update the chart at the beginning of the thread.

[johndmuller]

2115 Turn

Well Mateys, things are going along more or less as planned; just faster than usual this year.

The CyCon gave us the InfoNets; I didn't accept it during the pre-turn so that we wouldn't have to decide on our next tech right away - I didn't think we were ready. In fact I haven't accepted it yet (although I will have before the end of the turn) as I am a bit unsure what happens if I were to accept it, then save the game - would it make us choose then? - I don't think so, but I don't really feel like taking that chance. Anyway, we will need to choose at the beginning of the 2116, so that means soon. I believe we will be offered these techs:

• Progen Psych
• Planetary Nets
• Industrial Base
• Social Psych

There is an outside chance that BioGenetics and/or AppliedPhysics will appear instead of some of those, but I give that a really low propability. . . because . . . I created a scenario with our 7 factions and played a couple of beginning-games. The offerings matched for the offerings we have already seen and I choose the same techs to research. In the first game (playing all the factions), I happened to meet the CyCon first and they were in a position to trade me InfoNets, so that scenario was exactly right on, and led to those techs above.

I'm going to start a poll with all six options in it, but from what I've seen in our threads so far, I think it is going to come down to Social Psysh versus Planetary Nets. Now Drogue (or whomever played their turn), offered to trade us Planetary Nets for our precious Doc:Flexibility, so they clearly have it already and so we could trade them for it at some point down the road if we want to keep Doc:Flexibility close-to-the-vest. In fact, I think I will use his proposal as an excuse to counter-offer by giving them the list of 3 other techs (ProgenPsych, IndustBase & SocialPsych) I think will be available and seeing if they would trade the Planetary Nets for any of them.

In other matters, there are two new Unity Sea Pods, one discovered by each warship and the ships positioned themsellves to pop them at the beginning of next turn, which fortuitously will be when both 'Rita and Tripoli (the bases which might benefit from an instabuild) will have new builds going, so they could be tinkered with to get a big freebie (question: do we want to take a flier on NetNodes, Sea(Colonies/Formers) or CommandCntrs for the temporary builds?)

I'm about to start a Forest at (55,61), so now is the last chance to offer an alternative (that would probably be to Farm/Solar it instead). On the western terraforming front, I am planning on moving the Treasure Islet former south one tile next turn and hitching a ride a ride on the Transpoort to (42,66) to start building a Forest & Sensor on the Nut special there, probably with the help of a new former from the new base.

We rushed the Schooner at 'Rita and the CP at Tripoli to be ready next turn. The Transport will be picking up the new CP at Tripoli next turn and starting west with it toward the Boot; the new Schooner will go off to the northwest, fisishing the exploration of the island west of the GeoShallows and off into the unknown.

The almost-end file is right here. Ill probably finish off the turn sometime in the (early??) afternoon EDT.

[johndmuller]

Copy of our message to Prime Function Drogue:
Ahoy Prime Function:

Thank you for sending over the InfoNets technology; Goog knows we need some book lernin an maybe one a those NetNodes will do the trick (not quite as much fun though as a HoloTheater we here).

Well we got yer proposal ter trade yer Planetary Nets for Our'n Doc: Flexibility; thank you very much for the offer, but the Cap'n's Council has instructed me to resist trading away that tech for the time being - I'm sure ya unnerstand where they're a comin from on that one. It is a tempting offer though, and we might accept it some time down the road when we feel a bit more comfortable with each other. Part of the problem is that you would probably be wanting to trade it to others if you got the chance and yer probeships would be sailing around in the ocean scarin the fish and all; not to mention some of our more trigger happy Cap'ns.

Anyway, we were researching InfoNets, so after we accept your InfoNets later in the turn, it will then make us re-select techs at the beginning of next turn and we will get it in a few years IIRC 2118. Perhaps you would be interested in trading the Planetary Nets for our soon-to-be arriving next tech. I think that the choices we will get are going to be (aside from Planetary Nets), Progen Psych, Industrial Base, Social Psych. If you were to be interested in trading the Planetary Networks for one of those, we might be persuaded to select it so as to be able to make the trade. Feel free to suggest alternatives as well.

Whether or not we trade one of those to you for PlanetaryNets, we would be interested in avoiding any duplicate research with your scientists, so if any of those would be something that you already have or are currently researching, we would appreciate knowing of it so that we can coordinate our researches better.

We plan to finish our turn within 12 hours from now, and who knows how long the next round will take, but if we have to think about whatever you might come up with next, we would of course, need as much lead time as possible so as not to be slowing down the game too much.

This PM mechanism seems to be working OK, but email might be just as good if not better (no 4K size limit for one thing). If you prefer, my email is John's EMail.

Thanks (and I'll try to stay more in character in the future).

Cuspidore BrownBeard,
, his mark

[johndmuller]

It turns out that we are now scheduled to finish researching (whatever) in 2217 rather than 2218; I don't think it will revert when Tripoli builds its CP, but . . . In any case, we will have a much increased tech cost thereafter relative to the modest increases in energy (and hence lab) production we experience. Should we find another deal with the CyCon to our liking, we should try to remember to delay its consumation until after researching our next tech (whatever) and locking in the next tech cost.

Speaking of (whatever), those of you who haven't weighed in on the replacement for InfoNets, please express yourselves in the poll at http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...1#post2117361.

Speaking of the CyCon, PF Drogue has only just recently received the PM we sent last night, but nevertheless sent us this reply:

Greetings Cuspidore, this is the Prime Function of the CyCon.
We completely understand you wanting to keep Doc. Flex. If it would sway your mind, we would happily sign an agreement not to trade it with another faction, and would possibly be able to offer the very special technology of Applied Physics, meaning you can start building laser foils. However we understand that this is probably a futile attempt, and understand not wanting to trade.
With regards to the other techs, we would happily trade for Industrial Base or Social Psych, whenever you get them. We have been discussing our newly found friendship with your glorious faction, and so far, the consensus seems to be for as deep a friendship as you would be willing. At some point in the future, we believe it would be logical to sign a Pact between our factions. With your sea power, and our technology, it could be very beneficial to us both. While it may need some time, we would appreciate if you would consider it for the future.
I thank you for the technology, it will go to great use.
- Prime Function Drogue Beta-8

It seems like we are on a reasonably compatible course - with this in mind, we should almost certainly go ahead and research Social Psych as our replacement tech and then make that exchange for PlanetaryNets (assuming that they will make that specific trade; we will pursue that with them) with them in 2117 or 18 (unless I hear a strong groundswell for Industrial Base or Progen Psych - or see it in the poll).

The final turn is essentially the same as the one I posted earlier, so since I'm emailing it out anyway, I won't post it again. Those of you who are not on the mailing list, please sign up here and/or in the Missing Mateys thread.

If someone would take it upon themselves to email out the original turn to those who need it, as Cap'n Hercules was doing before his trip and I have occasionally done, I would appreciate it; I'm having enough trouble dealing with all the other filesand postings.

We need a Diplomatic Specialist; I have on occasion been too much of a hardass in these kind of negotiations in other games, sometimes alienating would-be allies; it is also another time consuming task, not so much with the actual negotiations, but with engaging in and monitoring the communications with them as well as with us internally.

We will need a new Fleet Operations Cap'n soon; I will volunteer some Cap'ns if not enough come forward.

Please help in whatever ways you can, this is getting to be too much like work, and its only the beginning of the game.

The orders chart is a little out of date; I'll try to remember to update it from my master copy later.

[johndmuller]

2116 Turn

2116 Turn

According to our supposed deal with the Borg, we selected Social Psych as our new tech - Please Note that there is another tech selection coming up next turn.

This year in the pod lotto we got (from the Schooner in the NE - Montezuma's Revenge) a free Sea Colony Pod at 'Rita (a big score since we had just finished the build af antother Schooner there!), and (from the Gunship in the SE) another treasure chest (with 75 ecs) - not bad, it makes up a little for some of those sonar pods. The warships expanded the map a bit in each direction, but nothing special to report, just another UnitySeaPod to be popped by the NE Schooner.

The Transport arrived at Tripoli and took on the just finished Land Colony Pod for the Boot, switching production at Tripoli to a Sea Colony Pod for (59,73). The Mine under development at (55,69) will be completed soon (in 2117) and coming on-stream for 2118; that will diminish our stream of Nuts, but I plan to move 'Rita's Sea Former from (59,65) to the Nut Special at (56,58) when it is finished. I think that we should then build a SeaProbe at Tripoli; then a RecComm so that we can grow the population to take advantage of the (by then) 4 good producing tiles available there. It is also possible that we could start the growing process sooner instead of building the SeaColonyPod and/or the SeaProbe, but the Cuspidore senses that the Council prefers population expansion and the always popular espionage at the moment.

At 'Rita. I plan to start (temporary) production of a NetNode (or possibly a SeaFormer) next turn as a potential pod freebie (another pod poised to be popped in the NE), to replace the free SCP we will be finishing, but then to switch to a SeaProbe when we get the PlanetaryNets from the Borg, presumably on the following turn. The new Schooner, which is tentatively named The Colonel Corazon Santiago (see the registry below) set sail to the NW, still in familiar waters.

Nothing of Note at Liar's Lair.

So, we need to think about The Next Research Target and also some thought about The Next Builds at both 'Rita and Tripoli and soon at Liar's as well. We'll probably need a discussion thread at least about the tech as that seems to be a difficult issue for us. If the Special Ambassador to the Cycon gets the chance to discuss this with the CyCon, that might be helpful. My best guess at the offerings is:
6th Tech Choices:
-BioGenetics, IndustBase and AppliedPhysics should definitely be offered;
-at least 1 out of these 2 should not be offered - ProgenPsych, PlanetaryNets;
-EthicalCalc, enabled by SocialPsych,may or may not be offered; odds are it will be.


The Registry of Ships (PMS = 'P.e.a.c.e. Military Services' or 'Pirate Merchantile System')

PMS-001 Unity Gunship 'Unnamed'
PMS-002 Unarmored FoilTransport, BootyBoat 'BootyCheck'
PMS-003 Gun-Unarmored Foil Warship, Schooner 'Montezuma's Revenge'
PMS-004 Gun-Unarmored Foil Warship, Schooner 'Colonel Corazon Santiago'

The end-of-turn save is here.

[FlameFlash]

Looking good.

Update my preferences from just general exploration to exploration and expansion. (Like I really need to say anything.)

[foolish_icarus]

Neutral in tech choices at this point

[johndmuller]

2117 Preliminary

We received Social Psych (research) and Planetary Networks (trade with Cycon). We selected Progen Psych as our next research target (see poll thread). Our research rate is rather poor at the moment - 7 tech points per turn - project estimated completion in 17 years (2133); the Cuspidor can't help but think about NetNodes (". . . whatever the #@!! NetNodes are", he says to himself). Things will get a little better in a few years when the forest is built at (55,61), tidal harness at (59,65) and the two new colonies start up, but not that great; we're gonna have a low tech rate for a while, all the more so the more successful our trading becomes.

Hmmm. . . , the Cuspidor seems to have developed strange psychic powers (perhaps all those "Psyh" techs being talked about). We have just gotten a free NetNode to be built at 'Rita next turn compliments of a pod popped by [i}the Revenge[/i] in the NE. Of course it is not going to net us very much in the short run (only 1 PoE per turn now and a couple when 'Rita gets back up to strength and finishes the terraforming projects in a few years), but every bit helps.

Cap'n/Ambass'dor Flubber - Please respond to this: Did we agree to pay the Cycon 20 PoE to supplement our side of the PlanetaryNets/SocialPsych trade?? The message accompanying the PlanNets tech requested the return of SocialPsych and 20 ecs. Not that I would mind terribly much personally, but I know that you were not particularly in favor of that yourself and I didn't see an agreement to that effect in the Bravenet site, in my inbox or on a note dirked to my door, so I just want to make sure that PF Drogue is not pulling a fast one.

What do we want to build at Tripoli? A SeaColony pod (to be located at (59,73)) is currently in production; we are at the end of the free-switch window; it will cost us 2 PoE to change next turn and so on up. The Cuspidore is content with that build, but those who aren't should speak up soon, before they have to dig up their treasure chests to pay for any switching.

Speaking of switching, the ability to go "Planned" is now available and we can easily afford the 40 PoE. I will see if I can evaluate the effects of the efficiency hit, but you all can also do that; it could be that the efficiency hit will impact us more when we have the two new bases, so it could be worth waiting to see what will happen til those bases are there. If necessary, we could mostly rush a RecComm into any base whose 1st citizen was now a drone (requiring a RecCom to have (2 or 3) workers); I would think that we would still be OK with 5 bases (in a test scenario, I got the 1st warning level after 10 bases (while building #11, with no SE mods), but perhaps getting close anyway.

On the SE, we met one of Miriam's CP's just across the narrows from the 'Borg - too bad we hadn't met them before we got Social Psych, but perhaps it didn't matter 'cause she wanted Doc:Flex anyway. Since the Council has forbidden that, I told her to invoke the UN Sanctions (and added a gratuitous "Ha Ha Ha . . (and a YO HO hO . . . )"); she was not amused, but we are not at vendetta. She also declined to friendship/trading as we are "already too powerful" (yeah right). If we want, we could probablly become friends by giving/selling Doc:Flex, but I doubt that we will do that.

I believe that RL is calling; I'll check back later to see if anything is happening.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by johndmuller
On the SE, we met one of Miriam's CP's just across the narrows from the 'Borg - too bad we hadn't met them before we got Social Psych, but perhaps it didn't matter 'cause she wanted Doc:Flex anyway

Yeah - when I did the checking rounds last turn she was offering Plan Nets for Doc Flex (this was before you and the CC had agreed to trade Plan Nets for Soc Psych)

Cap'n/Ambass'dor Flubber - Please respond to this: Did we agree to pay the Cycon 20 PoE to supplement our side of the PlanetaryNets/SocialPsych trade

yes, Flubber did agree to the 20 ec's

G.

[FlameFlash]

I say, once we get our infrastructure goin', it might be a good idea to take over miss Mariam's island for some good land bases... arrr....

[Mark123jansen]

Good idea, het tech is probably worse then ours, so she wont be of much use to us anyway

[Googlie]

...... but she did have Plan Nets to offer .......

[Googlie]

I posted the Pirates ... Drones 2117 turn, as requested (but Buster would have got it by e-mail anyway)