Covert Operations - Morgan

[Googlie]

I think that the messages that they get when opening thier turn would reveal all (those little yellow messages that can be retirved by hitting the "M" button on the botoom middle box - most of us leave it on the "I" default, for the powerbar charts)

eg

"your disciplined synthmetal skirmisher destroyed by Sparta elite gatling amphibious rover"

[Snoddasmannen]

Ah I see. Sorry about that, I'm a PBEM virgin

[Googlie]

And that's a hint for future games (maybe even this one) - next time we have a battle like that, where we've upgraded units, let's call them something outlandish so that the message is nonsense

eg, if we attack with our 2 missile needlejets, lets rename them Second Armored Cavalry, or something, so that the message they get would then read:

your disciplined synthmetal skirmisher destroyed by Sparta Elite Second Armored Cavalry

They'll spend the first day of the next turn looking in the fungus to see where we hid them!!

[Googlie]

Ah - wouldn't work, as the noodles would still be there - and visible - after their attack

(Note that noodles don't exercise zones of control - a probe (or any unit) can go round them, just not thru them)

[Googlie]

Some thoughts on Morgan probes:

they have 6 defense attorneys (0-1-1), five of whom can be accounted for:

Red Fungus
Vander (2)
Mussels (2)

They have 9 syntharmnored probes (0-2-1), 7 of which can be found:

polymers
Vulcanology
Money Valley
Scorpi
Yoda
Hindenberg
Choke

They have 4 conventional probes (0-2-1 - our Longstriders), of which just 1 can be found:

Mead

They also have a 'Gator rover (0-3-2) and it's in Argi

Thatv leaves 2 infantry synthprobes, 1 infantry probe and 3 longstriders unaccounted for.

Their transport foil (out of Mussels) is pointing due east, presumably after dropping off 2 longstriders on the north or eastern shores of North Arcadia (it's been away from Mussels since 2156 at least - that's 15 - 18 squares of movement before it turned around) - we should try to hunt it down with the GeneralTacticus - and their 2 'Gator boats are at sea, one pointing NW and the other SW.

Their plasma hoverboat, out of Choke-on-This, is pointing due east

So - yes, I'm paranoid - I think that 2 longstriders are mulling around North Arcadia, and 2 gator boats are wending their way to one of our ports to do a gang-infiltrate on us

[Maniac]

Hmm, I always assumed it was their transport foil which met the Angels, meaning it's somewhere in the deep south. Would that be possible?

[Googlie]

You're prolly right - here's its tracks since we first infiltrated Morgan in 2149, and to our knowledge it hasn't returned to a base since (certainly hasn't ended a trun in a base):

[Maniac]

Good news! I managed to deduct the approximate location of two ships - I assume Corporate.

Have a look at the screenies included. The first one is of MY 2161. The second one of MY 2162. As you can see two things have happened.

In the upper yellow circle a unity pod has disappeared and one extra tile has been explored.

In the lower half of the picture we can - thanks to Zak's pact with Morgan - see the route a Corporate ship has followed the last couple years.

A while ago GeoModder told me he knew the location of a Corporate Gator, and was wondering whether we were interested about buying information of its location. I replied we might if they could give the exact coordinates, which GeoModder then refused because we would then also know the Angel position.

I found it kinda strange as I assumed the Corporate Gators would be somewhere in our neighbourhood in the Buster Ocean. But this new information confirms Geo's comment. Therefore I now assume that:
a) it's a Gator that first made contact with the Angels,
b) the more southern unit we detected is a Gator.

From that follows the more northern unit is probably Morgan's transport foil.


Since we know the approximate the location of a Corporate Gator, and since we have the Disco Volante in the neighbourhood (well not that close, but with 9 MPs you can get everywhere fast ), I was thinking we could perhaps send the Disco Volante up north to track down and destroy the Gator. There are also some unity pods remaining there we could try to grab before Morgan gets them.

To get there we'd have to pass close to Angel coast though, so I was thinking, if we want to send the Volante north, we might want to send the Angels a message in advance, eg:

"Confidential memorandum from the Junta
Re: Spartan war manoeuvres

A while ago the Junta learnt from a very reliable source that a Corporate Gator had been spotted near Angel territory. Naval Intelligence has been able to confirm that info, and further pinpoint the exact location of the Gator. Immediately Naval Command dispatched a battleship to take care of this little nuisance.

To reach the Gator our ship will soon have to pass through waters close to the Angel coast. As we do not want to needlessly scare Angel coastal citizens with the sight of our fearsome warship, and as we do not want to give a wrong impression to the Angel leaders, we wanted to inform you in advance of this intended operation.

We hope our action won't form a problem, so that we can swiftly deal with this threat both to your and our security.

With high regards,

Some Spartan Officer"

An extra advantage of this message would be telling them that we have a warship in their neighbourhood (it's a probe ship, but there's no need to tell them that ), so once again they might think twice before crossing us on the CDF deal.

Another option could of course be to send the Disco Volante back to the Gaian south coast, now it has had to backtrack its steps a bit due to the Isle of the Deep.


Oh yeah, if I'm correct that Corporate Gator is dangerously close to UN High Commission. Who knows the Morganites are planning to infiltrate there? Just a thought, but I was pondering we could perhaps send the Tegean probe defence to High Commission to cross a possible Morganite infiltration plan. That'll only work though if the PK former will have rebuilt that road we destroyed a while ago by next year. Otherwise the probe could never reach High Commission in time.

MY 2161 screenie:

[Maniac]

2162 screenie. Search the differences.

[Googlie]

Great sleuthing (maybe you should take over command of Crypteia - I'd never have thought of looking for those types of clues!!)

'Course the chance comment from the Angels did point you in a certain very broad swathe of Chiron, but still, great work in ferreting it out

[Googlie]

Morgan's 2163 Production

Lots of missile units now being produced!! (going on the offensive, maybe?)

[Snoddasmannen]

Having something to counter-attack with is a great thing. A lot of these could be upgraded to SAM-units if/when we attack with noodles.

[Snoddasmannen]

If Morgan is going green, as they seem to indicate, what does that mean to us? A lesser economic opponent, but a far greater military one? They could build lots of noodles for sure.

[sentry33]

Morgan at Demo/Green/Wealth:

ECON +2 (+1 energy/square)
EFFIC +4 (paradigm economy)
SUPPORT -3 (each unit costs 1 mineral to support, no free minerals for new bases)
MORALE -2 (-1 morale, +modifiers halved)
POLICE 0 (1 military unit as police)
GROWTH 0
PLANET +2
PROBE 0
INDUSTRY +1 (best morgan can get)
RESEARCH 0

This means that they have just gained stability through use of police, prepared themselves against worm attacks, and have paradigm economy - can focus on cash or research as needed. Good defensive stance.

Dropping FM reduced their commerce income and energy produced in each of bases (by 2/base). They have lost commerce income by going war with us, but gained commerce by pacting with Gaians.

What it means for us? I think they are executing delaying tactic - hoping to survive until they get Doc Air or reinforcements arrive. Perhaps a reason to not let Gaians prepare.

[sentry33]

Having something to counter-attack with is a great thing. A lot of these could be upgraded to SAM-units if/when we attack with noodles.

or self-destructed - only way to damage air units pre Doc Air.