Game Discussion, Turn 2121 - 2140

[Googlie]

Pre-2129 turn discussion

The turn is almost on us, so some direction is needed.

Sector CraterSouth will be founded in 2129, and a former will be rushed there for 25 - 29 ec's (we should have over 30 in our kitty)

The new prototype recon rover will roll off the assembly line at Santiago Citadel, and is earmarked for garrison duty at Sparta Command for when its pop grows to 2 in 2130. After that? (and it needs a name - it's Dissident's choice, I believe)

What do we want SC2 to start on now - a probe team?

Do we want R-112 to try this turn to enter the fungus and scare up a mindworm to kill, or just move it back west into the forest tile it came from then south down the land bridge we see there?

Should Rolling Thunder escort the AA down to Olympus Academy, or finish mapping the north and let Shinsengumi go north to intercept the AA and usher it home?

Where should Chiron Knights go now that it's healed at the monolith? Open up those last few dark squares to the southeast? (ie, towards where Invincible is currently)

Where do we want to send Invincible? South? or east to get Zakharov's territory identified?

And this turn, or next, do we want to try and borrow any money from Lal (who has the wealth lead, so is flush)

[Dis]

I'd say move Invincible either south or East to pop pods and find out exactly where other factions are located (for future military operations). I favour south. But east would be nice as I'm fairly sure the University is to the east of us (and probably not very far)

Ciron Knights exploring those last few dark squares sounds nice and popping that pod.

do you think that AA will be safe? I'm kind of picky about leaving unexplored areas inside my territory. So I would like to finish up the northern edge of our continent.

everything else looks good.

[Dis]

As for a name, I nominate: Warwag. It's actually from a series of post apocalyptic action books I used to read when I was younger. They were essentually wheeled vehicles with armour (though some may have had tracks- I can't remember). Either way I like the name.

[Dis]

I missed a few turns, but whatever happened to our plan of buying comm links and having the hive declare war on them? It's risky I know, but it has its advantages. it weakens our neighbors the hive, and weakens another human faction. I don't think it's that great to have them grow unchecked. The main risk is all the human factions suspect us and band together against us. But that risk is small. I'd imagine many have already met the hive, and really anyone could have done that (that's even if they suspect human influence)

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
Sector CraterSouth will be founded in 2129, and a former will be rushed there for 25 - 29 ec's (we should have over 30 in our kitty)

Hurry cost is 25. So 2.5 credits per mineral. SC4 would produce 4 minerals, so 6 minerals would be sufficient to hurry => 15 credits.

The new prototype recon rover will roll off the assembly line at Santiago Citadel, and is earmarked for garrison duty at Sparta Command for when its pop grows to 2 in 2130.

I always assumed the unit would be elite right from the start, but I just opened the turn and realized the unit is only commando: it first has to visit a monolith of course. This has as a consequence the unit has only 2 instead of 3 movement points, and only has 1/3 chance of reaching SC1 this turn.

May I therefore suggest to let Warwag move to Sector Craterwest instead? SC3 grows in three turns and thus needs a garrison too. That base Warwag would definitely be able to reach on time.

As for Sparta Command if this suggestion would be followed, I see two options:
a) nerve staple the base
b) use a doctor for this turn, but move Shinsengumi south to SC1, so it'll reach SC1 next turn and can garrison.

And this turn, or next, do we want to try and borrow any money from Lal (who has the wealth lead, so is flush)

Sounds great!

Could someone who isn't going to play the official turn please test in a parallel turn if this is possible? (allowed according to AI diplomacy rules)

Originally posted by Dissident
I missed a few turns, but whatever happened to our plan of buying comm links and having the hive declare war on them?

Lack of money mainly I think. There always came other things up: Applied Physics, contacting Lal, going Planned...

To get more money to do the things you mention, my preference is to set economics energy allocation at 60%. That would mean reducing labs spending, but we won't be ready to invade anyone in 10-12 turns anyway, so IMO we have no use yet for Nonlinear Mathematics.


Edit: Forgot to add a suggestion. In case Shinsengumi would pass through Olympus Academy en route to Sparta Command, may I suggest to rehome Shinsengumi to Olympus Academy? That way Santiago Citadel would no longer have to pay a mineral for support costs as it does now.

[Googlie]

Maniac - are you going to play this turn (and the balance of August/Sept?)

[Maniac]

I'm going to bed shortly. And tomorrow I have to go to the dentist and after that to work in the afternoon shift, so I probably wouldn't be able to play the next 20 hours or so.

[Zeiter]

What do we want SC2 to start on now - a probe team?

That has my vote.

May I therefore suggest to let Warwag move to Sector Craterwest instead? SC3 grows in three turns and thus needs a garrison too. That base Warwag would definitely be able to reach on time.

Then when shall we monolith-upgrade it to elite?

To get more money to do the things you mention, my preference is to set economics energy allocation at 60%. That would mean reducing labs spending, but we won't be ready to invade anyone in 10-12 turns anyway, so IMO we have no use yet for Nonlinear Mathematics.

Yeah, I would try to get as many ECs as possible at this point. Rushing things is going to do us much more good than researching quickly.

As for Sparta Command if this suggestion would be followed, I see two options:
a) nerve staple the base
b) use a doctor for this turn, but move Shinsengumi south to SC1, so it'll reach SC1 next turn and can garrison.

My heart tells me to vote for nervestapling, but my head tells me that that could be bad. How much commerce (if any) are we taking in right now, and when is it expected that our bases will be large enough to take in more? If we will lose more than 10 ECs from nervestapling the base, then I vote against it. And if we are going to buy commlinks soon, will we be receiving any commerce from those relations?

The nervestapling would fit in just right, though! It would give us a fun newspaper story, and we could tie it in with Lemmy's joining our faction.

I agree about borrowing from Lal.

Edit: Forgot to add a suggestion. In case Shinsengumi would pass through Olympus Academy en route to Sparta Command, may I suggest to rehome Shinsengumi to Olympus Academy? That way Santiago Citadel would no longer have to pay a mineral for support costs as it does now.

Definitely.

[Googlie]

Well - I coulod use my turn for AI research (I had retty much played it, but had screwed up on the former rush cost (again!!) - plus, had moved the new former to build a road between SC and OA, when I saw Maniac's post with some comments on the orders.

I have a midturn save, which we could use as the official one (albeit with the rushed former costing 1 ec more than needed) or I can use it as an AI diplomacy simulator. Whichever the team prefers. (No nervestapling would be necessary)

[Maniac]

I'm home now and I see the turn hasn't been played yet, so I could continue later today if wanted (after eating my pizza ).

[Maniac]

Midturn Battle Report MY 2129

• Sector Cratersouth established. Former production there hurried with 15 credits.
• SC2 production set to probe team. SC1 production set to something random: pressure dome. We've got three more turns before we have to decide what to build there.
• SC1 worked changed to a doctor for this turn. Or will we nervestaple?
• New SC1 former (Tomcat-2?) moved north as suggested by Googlie to build a road between SC1 and OA.
• Chiron Knights moving east.
• R-112 moves one tile west.
• SCC Invincible first moved a bit east (to explore a bit more than we would have by directly moving south) and then south as suggested by Dissident. On its last move it encountered an Isle of the Deep in a fungus tile. Battle odds are 32 to 35 against us. May I suggest fleeing one tile east for that reason?
• Not yet done:
  Contacting Lal to see if he's willing to give us a loan. Has anyone tested this?
  Changing the economy energy allocation sliders to 60% or keeping them at 50%?
  Haven't moved Shinsengumi, Warwag, Rolling Thunder and the Alien Artifact yet, as I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. Was is this?:
  -> Move Rolling Thunder north to explore.
  -> Move Shinsengumi south to SC1, rehoming to Olympus Academy in the meanwhile
  -> Move Warwag west to SC3.
  -> Move the alien artifact to a base on its own.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Zeiter
Then when shall we monolith-upgrade it to elite?

Dunnow. When SC3 shrinks back to size 1?

My heart tells me to vote for nervestapling, but my head tells me that that could be bad. How much commerce (if any) are we taking in right now, and when is it expected that our bases will be large enough to take in more?

We currently have no commerce at all. Second question is hard to answer. Personally I don't think we could get lots the next ten years, but opinion is based on little of course.

The nervestapling would fit in just right, though! It would give us a fun newspaper story, and we could tie it in with Lemmy's joining our faction.

Originally posted by Googlie
Well - I coulod use my turn for AI research (I had retty much played it, but had screwed up on the former rush cost (again!!)

Strange. How did you calculate the cost?



Btw, Googlie will go to UK/Ireland soon, and I still have a job, meaning little free time, so I think none of us have the time to make in-game screenshots. Would someone else be willing to take over this task for the time being?>

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Maniac
Battle odds are 32 to 35 against us. May I suggest fleeing one tile east for that reason?

I agree - while we may survive, no point in taking more damage than necessary

Contacting Lal to see if he's willing to give us a loan. Has anyone tested this?

I can't get him to talk to us, so rather than try every turn, just skip it this one

Changing the economy energy allocation sliders to 60% or keeping them at 50%?

You know my thoughts on this - I [b]hate[/i] giving up tech turns

Haven't moved Shinsengumi, Warwag, Rolling Thunder and the Alien Artifact yet, as I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. Was is this?:
-> Move Rolling Thunder north to explore.
-> Move Shinsengumi south to SC1, rehoming to Olympus Academy in the meanwhile
-> Move Warwag west to SC3.
-> Move the alien artifact to a base on its own.[/list]

Yes to all (given that we may/may not get Warwag into Sparta Command in 1 turn

[Googlie]

But Zak will talk to us - all we need are 100 ec's !!!:

[Maniac]

Okay, turn further played. With no nervestaple and energy allocations not changed. OK to send?

Great to hear about Zak!
What do you think about a deal like this? We buy Morgan's commlink and offer him a deal: "you give us x number of credits and we can give you Gene Splicing a turn later." Would they accept such a deal?