Covert Operations - Morgan

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Googlie
They saw a chance to "get even" and being opportunistic, took it.

Originally posted by Modo44
That's a possibility, yes. A stupid move for them, but hey - they are greedy people, as we know.

It was an interesting move I think. A typical "!?" annotation in chess We would have declared war on them eventually, they just seized initiative. This was probably better for them than us showing up with impact rovers blazing.

But as for getting even ...

"No - no revenge."

"But, sir - we can't let this stand!"

"We can and we will. Revenge is a loser's game. There's no percentage in it. All that matters is profit and power".

Respect to anyone who identifies the source

[Modo44]

Which gives me a thought. Do we have a shot at the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm? Is it allowed in this game?

[Googlie]

it's allowed, but my guess is that the Hive will get it - they're the only ones on that tech tree branch

Going backwards, the HSA needs the tech PSA, which needs AMA <<< Adaptive Doctrine and it needs Polysoft. Plus from its other side it needs Cyberethics - which in turn needs Int Int

So we are 6 techs away from it, only 2 of which (Int Int for the CDF and Adaptive Doctrine for the marine detachment capability) we'd normally research

[Modo44]

I see. Well, I guess the only chance would be to get on Yangs good side. Meaning, we need some luck. It would be nice, but it's not a priority. Just a thing to look out for.

[Googlie]

Now that we are in Vendetta with morgan we can steal whatever we want from them - and frame him if needbe

If we do mount a raid on his crawler, we could maybe combine that with a steal of his maps

And in playing around with the simulation I discovered something I never knew before (prolly old hat to all of you ....)

[i]A probe team can conduct probe actions from inside a transport[/1] (what does he do - grab a megafone and yell across the water?):

[Maniac]

Neat.

The other way around works too:
A probe foil can attack a probe team on a transport. This also means that, if we want to prevent Morgan's Gators to mind control our transports filled with military units, including a probe in the cargo is sufficient.

(Though of course we'll probably want to team up a transport with a combat ship anyway, making mind control imposssible that way too.)

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Maniac
Neat.

The other way around works too:
A probe foil can attack a probe team on a transport. This also means that, if we want to prevent Morgan's Gators to mind control our transports filled with military units, including a probe in the cargo is sufficient.

Actually, in SMAC at least, it's not possible to mind control a non-empty transport.

[Googlie]

I didn't think it was possible in smax either. I know that a ship with the Marine Detachment capability can capture a trannie filled with troops, but I thought the presence of multiple troops on board a trannie was the equivalent of stacking for probe purposes.

I'll try it out in the simulator

EDIT: Confirmed - it can't mind control a transport with a unit on board

[Maniac]

That's good news.

[Googlie]

Morgan defenses in 2156:

[Googlie]

2158 Production and garrsion units:

(They are asking for drone problems with all those naval vessels - funny how our MCC ownership has fostered a naval build up - a game that Morgan isn't really suited to play)

Still easy pickings, but those plasma units will be a pain in the butt until we get all ours converted to missile weapons.

[Maniac]

All those two-MP probe teams... Makes me wonder... Why build rover probe teams if it isn't for offensive probe actions? Would it be possible their plan is to switch to massive transport production soon, load the trannies up with all those probe teams, and try - protected by the plasma hoverboats - a massive probe rape?

[Googlie]

Prolly.

I know in several MP games flying absolutely blind is crippling, so I could see them trying double - even triple - 'Gator attacks on our coastal bases and offloading multiple longstriders for our inlansd bases

Maybe we should have a flurry of Cryptiea building while we have bases waiting for production orders?

We're too juicy a target, with the tech lead as well as (now) overtaking Morgan in population - they must infiltrate us to see what we're up to (I would, if I were them) - so we should look to our covert ops defenses

Interesting, too, how their only regular defenders are in their coastal bases (that's why bypassing Mussels and stiking directly at Industries is such a great ploy)

[Kassiopeia]

I agree with the obvious, they are gearing up for an infiiltration. I wonder if they're even honestly up to peace themselves, or if it's a precaution, or if they're going to try to use the fact that they can see what we're up to as a peace bargaining tool should they infiltrate.

[Snoddasmannen]

Our probe teams are much stronger than theirs. If we put in 2 crypteias in every coastal base they would need 5 probes to infiltrate. 2 to knock out each crypteia and 1 to infiltrate. That's expensive!

So yeah I agree, we should beef up probe defenses in our western bases. Of course, Arcadia is perhaps even more vulnerable