External Affairs Function's Office

[GeoModder]

Or the Foil Probe in Thermal Tassagrad could attempt to sabotage production in Pampalona.

CCS Love Boat to 57.61. Any specific reason? Defense Thermal Tassagrad?

TT Impact cruiser: bombard Pampalona, or one of the sensor arrays (I prefer Pampalona, to weaken defenses there, so the sensor arrays can be saved for after conquest)

[Maniac]

Alternate use of the Mammoth task Force might be to Capture Pampalona as that would prevent a Barq from being completed

I would have preferred that as well. But (IMHO) unfortunately a majority seems in favour of keeping Atlantis instead of Calico as the last base to attack. So if we would now attack Pamplona, we couldn't attack Atlantis the turn after. Henry Morgan's Boat would have to be captured first. That means an extra two turns to move back CCS Mammoth from Pamplona to HMB, and then again three turns to move Mammoth Task Force from HMB to Atlantis. Very inefficient.
This would not be a problem if we designated Calico as the base to be obliterated. Then the task description would be much easier: CCS Mammoth goes for Pamplona and Atlantis, CCS Impaler goes for HMB and Little Accident, and Calico will be obliterated. The war would be over much sooner, possibly in three years.

CCS Love Boat to 57.61. Any specific reason? Defense Thermal Tassagrad?

Attack Calico Island I suppose.

Or the Foil Probe in Thermal Tassagrad could attempt to sabotage production in Pampalona.

Doesn't that have a low chance of succes? I should check.
Anyway, another possibility is going to infiltrate the Believers. That would take four turns travel though.

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by Maniac
Anyway, another possibility is going to infiltrate the Believers. That would take four turns travel though.

Perhaps building a probe foil in one of the harbours close to the believers will be done sooner.

I would keep that probe foil in the area of Thermal, just in case there is a concensus for infiltrating the other factions in the north.

[Impaler[WrG]]

I agree building a new Probe Foils nearer to the Belivers (posibly Aurora) would be better then moving the current one their.

Do you belive the CCS Impaler has sufficient firepower to take Little Accident and Henry Morgans Boot in a reasonable time frame? It only has half the punch (2 attacks vs 4) of the Mammoth, their are also considerable numbers of Crawlers near Little Accident that could move in and defend the base.

This might make a mind Control attempt vs Little accident very profitable though as it could steal everycrawler adjacent to the base plus the current defender which is a rover. It will depend on our Credit avalibility ofcorse. Likly the price will be too high, anything over 150 is too much (asuming we could even scrap that together in time).

Another idea, move the Boy Scout in MBV North West on to the land the PEACE Crawler is on so that we can attack and destroy it next turn. This will slow down Pampolnas mineral collection and alow us to work this desirable 1/4/1 tile in the nera future. And incase your wondering No this will not trigger a Drone Riot as the Boy Scout (as I have repeatedly pointed out) is not contributing any real Riot Control to the base.

[Maniac]

GeoModder:

Perhaps building a probe foil in one of the harbours close to the believers will be done sooner.

In Aurora one can probably be completed MY 2160.

Impaler:

I agree building a new Probe Foils nearer to the Belivers (posibly Aurora) would be better then moving the current one their.

If we're gonna build probes to perform many actions overseas, would it be better to send transports filled with probe teams instead of probe foils?
To compare:

One probe foil costs 5 mineral rows, and has a movement of six.

One unarmoured cruiser transport costs 4 min rows and has a movement of seven. It can contain four 0-1-2 probe teams, each costing 3 min rows. So the cost for a full task force is 16 min rows. However it can perform four times as many probe actions as a probe foil, it has faster movement, and if an action fails and the probe is captured, only 3 instead of 5 mineral rows are lost.

Do you belive the CCS Impaler has sufficient firepower to take Little Accident and Henry Morgans Boot in a reasonable time frame? It only has half the punch (2 attacks vs 4) of the Mammoth, their are also considerable numbers of Crawlers near Little Accident that could move in and defend the base.

IIRC from what happened when I attacked Margarittaville, crawlers are destoyed just like probes when the last normal defender is destroyed. However you are right CCS Impaler's firepower is limited. One option could be to move a marine from Mammoth to Impaler. Or otherwise just stick to the current EAF orders and attack HMB with Mammoth. That way we're sure. Hopefully Pamplona's Barque could then be intercepted by one of the impact cruisers currently in MBV, though that again would most likely delay the capture of Calico Island. It's rather interweaved.

This might make a mind Control attempt vs Little accident very profitable though as it could steal everycrawler adjacent to the base plus the current defender which is a rover.

If the cost isn't too high, that would be great! We'll certainly need to check MY 2156.

Another idea, move the Boy Scout in MBV North West on to the land the PEACE Crawler is on so that we can attack and destroy it next turn. This will slow down Pampolnas mineral collection and alow us to work this desirable 1/4/1 tile in the nera future.

Sounds great. I suggested it as well last turn IIRC, but no one commented, so I assumed no one liked it. One problem though could be Pamplona's Barque. An empty MBV would be a very attractive target.

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by Maniac
If we're gonna build probes to perform many actions overseas, would it be better to send transports filled with probe teams instead of probe foils?

I suppose, but let them be made in a base with a command center. I prefer stronger probes for such tryouts. Also, more probe teams can be convenient to keep at home in case Drones/Hive try the same to us
Probe foils can be made everywhere with the MCC.

[Impaler[WrG]]

I have been considering if we should make Probe attacks against the Hive if they get MMI before us.

Out Marines could destroy the single scout garrison causeing all the defence Probes to die, then our Probe foils could move in unmolested to infiltrate or steal tecs.

With the PEG we might even wish to go All Econ and let the Hive and Drones do our research for us (their rather good at it). We would instead focus on our strong point Energy Credit Production in a FreeMarket to pay for base stealing, Probe making and Facility hurrying.

Also recomend that we move one of the Cruisers in Thermal up to the area of Kew Gardens, being shure to keep out of range of the PEACE ships in Atlantis or Pamalona, this would be a good point to strike at Calico or to hunt down anything that moves out of thouse bases.

Think the Love Boat should move north into Uni waters ASAP.

[GeoModder]

With the many developments from the last 2 days, my recommendation for EAF:

Conquer HMB with mammoth force, and take the Plasma Steel garrison with it, but leave one of the impact marines in Liar's Lair! I suppose I don't need to remind to search and destroy the barque that left that base earlier?
Impaler force redirect to Liar's Lair (just 5 tiles away) and bring the plasma steel garrison to Liar's Lair. Next turn north taking Pamplona with 3 impact marines on board then (the one left behind by Mammoth included).
Just in case we decide to take Atlantis afterwards, bring then (when Pamplona is attacked) the 2 impact cruisers to Pamplona.

That way 3 attacks in both task forces, and the impact rover is handy for attacking Little Accident later on while the plasma steel garrison is good enough to defend HMB from possible counter attacks out of Little Accident.

[Maniac]

I suppose I don't need to remind to search and destroy the barque that left that base earlier?

The pirates have in their superb friendliness left the HMB barque in the naval yard. A sitting duck in other words. They now do have 3 defenders in that base, so we need to bring sufficient units along to do the kill: only CCS Mammoth can do it in other words.

Next turn north taking Pamplona with 3 impact marines on board then (the one left behind by Mammoth included).

That could be a problem I'm afraid. IIRC one of the marines in CCS Impaler is 70% damaged. So we won't have enough healthy unit to take Pamplona with CCS Impaler. The only ways I can see to heal that marine fast is either moving it to that monolith east of Little Accident (which has now become unadvisable with that laser squad...) or let it be the unit that captures HMB (and thus reheals).

Therefore, how about letting a mix of Mammoth and Impaler units destroy HMB's defenders, let the damaged marine take the base, move both transports in HMB, and let all remaining units that haven't attacked yet either attack the crawlers or move two squares SW (not 3 to remain out of range of the laser squad) to conquer (or probe - let's not forget that option) Little Accident MY 2156?

[GeoModder]

Damn, forgot to check the HMB defenses. Ok, it is best as you suggest then. Back to plan B.

[Impaler[WrG]]

Actualy I had an Idea

First off we can send the Love Boat to pop that Pod in the Sea to the east of Athena, Switch the nearest base to a good facility first ofcorse!

Second we might want to take the Plasma Garrison out of Lair and use it to perform the Capture of Boot, this will alow us to keep all the other units in the transport and get going asap.

Third, its still a good idea to land the Impaler transports forces at the Monolith, the Plasma Garrison will be upgraded and healed enough that the new laser unit will not be a threat to it. If Peace dose attack they just loss one of the defenders and make our job easier.

Lets move the Cruiser in Lair north and hide in the fungus south of Atlantis or if we think we dont realy need anymore navel forces in the area then lets starte moving it towards Uni territory.

Lastly we can use the Probe Foil to sabotage production in Pampolona or if we get some Credits from the Pod and scrap a facility of some kind for 40 Credits we could go for a Mind Control attempt, it cost 233 dose anyone think thats worth it or would it be better to send thouse Credits to the Univeristy.

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG] First off we can send the Love Boat to pop that Pod in the Sea to the east of Athena, Switch the nearest base to a good facility first ofcorse!

That's a good idea indeed!!

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG] Second we might want to take the Plasma Garrison out of Lair and use it to perform the Capture of Boot, this will alow us to keep all the other units in the transport and get going asap.

I don't have a clue what you mean 'Capture of Boot'.

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG] Third, its still a good idea to land the Impaler transports forces at the Monolith, the Plasma Garrison will be upgraded and healed enough that the new laser unit will not be a threat to it. If Peace dose attack they just loss one of the defenders and make our job easier.

There is also a probe team in the Impaler, why not try to sabotage the new laser unit production in Little Accident when it arrives on the monolith? Simply don't upgrade the probe there. Then there ain't no problem anymore with the laser unit if it works. I take it then that you favour the mammoth force attacking HMB? And leaving the plasma garrison in Lair?

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG] Lastly we can use the Probe Foil to sabotage production in Pampolona or if we get some Credits from the Pod and scrap a facility of some kind for 40 Credits we could go for a Mind Control attempt, it cost 233 dose anyone think thats worth it or would it be better to send thouse Credits to the Univeristy.

Off course I agree for a probe action in Pampalona. I prefer sabotage, but a mind probe is good for me to.
And about transfering energy to PUT. Please don't, we don't know if the Drones don't have probe teams around (the transport foil or even on land) so letting PUT have energy is risky. I prefer to transfer all cash that PUT doesn't need anymore this turn to the CyCon.
That would help with a mind probe of Pampalona I guess?

[Maniac]

Off course I agree for a probe action in Pampalona. I prefer sabotage, but a mind probe is good for me to.

Personally I wouldn't advise sabotage. IIRC there's about a 50% chance that expensive probe skimship would be captured and lost. Is that worth sabotaging the production of one barque that can be easily destroyed by an impact cruiser next year?

About mind controlling Pamplona, that would be possible, but it would deplete our entire energy reserves, not allowing us to do any other rushes (such as the crawler in AP or the rec commons in Athena). Is that worth it?

If it is, ok. If not, where should we send the probe skimship? Together north with an impact cruiser that can attack Calico next year?

Lets move the Cruiser in Lair north and hide in the fungus south of Atlantis or if we think we dont realy need anymore navel forces in the area then lets starte moving it towards Uni territory.

Couldn't it be spotted then? Why not keep it in Lair this year and attack Pamplona's Barque next year?

[Impaler[WrG]]

Capture of Boot means the unit that moves into and captures Henry Morgans Boot after all the defenders are killed.

If the Mammoth leaves the Plasma Garrison in Lair then we will need to use one of the offensive units in the transport to perform the Capture. Inorder not to leave the unit behind we would then want the transport to enter the base and load all the units their so they move out the following turn with all their movment points.


About UNI energy reserves, I agree we should send all unused Uni energy to Cycon. Infact we should do that EVERY turn so the energy is usable for the Cycon empire, and what ever we feel Uni will need on the following turn we will send to them at the end of the Cycon turn. The energy credits will be "in-transit" when the Drones and Hive play their turn and they can never steal it from either faction!!!

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG] Capture of Boot means the unit that moves into and captures Henry Morgans Boot after all the defenders are killed.

Got it!

[SIZE=1]About UNI energy reserves, I agree we should send all unused Uni energy to Cycon. Infact we should do that EVERY turn so the energy is usable for the Cycon empire, and what ever we feel Uni will need on the following turn we will send to them at the end of the Cycon turn. The energy credits will be "in-transit" when the Drones and Hive play their turn and they can never steal it from either faction!!!

Isn't that bending the game rules? There is already talk in the main forum from members of the other factions. But I suppose we have to wait how the Powers That Be look upon it.