Invasion plans for University/Lal Axis

[Googlie]

here's the full text of the Command Center discussion when the Invasion was underway6

Preswent were Lt Col Maniac, Lt Col Googlie and Major Kassiopeia

[Googlie]

Arcadia University

[Snoddasmannen]

Hey great job on the invasion! A pity I missed it, though I enjoyed reading the transcript.

It was a shame we couldn't get Koppernigk Observatory (Koppatory?) this turn, I guess Warwag simply doesn't have the same discipline as the Castor Horsemen

I'm not sure, but isn't the AI usually very ... creative about rush-building defenders when their garrison is destroyed? Worst case scenario is that he spends a whole wad of cash building something nasty, forcing us to destroy it, the base and damage another rover, not to mention us losing that cash from the [strike]plunder[/strike] Arcadia restoration fund.

Just a thought, why not build a 1 row scout unit in UniBase? That's what I generally do, it's pretty cheap to rush one right away (I think something like 40 ec's) , and then it can easily be upgraded. No need to send off Spartan Kel to kill the mindworm if we have a new unit garrisoned at UniBase.

[Modo44]

Nice work. I see my boys did good, bringing the invasion force to it's destination.

I think we should still be able to kill whatever they rush next turn. Even if we have to destroy the base, I think it's better than alowing them to rush some counter-attackers close to us.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
Hey great job on the invasion! A pity I missed it, though I enjoyed reading the transcript.

It was a shame we couldn't get Koppernigk Observatory (Koppatory?) this turn, I guess Warwag simply doesn't have the same discipline as the Castor Horsemen

Holding off was intentional - with the base being reduced to size 1 pop it'd have been destroyed had we moved in. This way it grows in 2152 to size 2 and (hopefully) the defender isn't completed, so Warwag can waltz in, get healed, and we capture the base with its network Node intact.

I'm not sure, but isn't the AI usually very ... creative about rush-building defenders when their garrison is destroyed? Worst case scenario is that he spends a whole wad of cash building something nasty, forcing us to destroy it, the base and damage another rover, not to mention us losing that cash from the plunder Arcadia restoration fund.

He already changed from their current production (rec tanks) to a synthsentinel

Just a thought, why not build a 1 row scout unit in UniBase? That's what I generally do, it's pretty cheap to rush one right away (I think something like 40 ec's) , and then it can easily be upgraded.

That was our first plan - but on looking at what we can build, and how soon, we can send cheap Hoplites over from our mainland in the Mwercury, but we're short of Crypteia (they'll be in our next series of builds) AU can produce a Crypteia in 2 turns (10 minerals a turn) so that seemed to make so much more sense

No need to send off Spartan Kel to kill the mindworm if we have a new unit garrisoned at UniBase.

Shinsengumi will enter the base next turn and thus free up Kel for Operation Mindworm. We'd still need to convert a worker to a Doctor even with 2 units in the base. Plus, with our +1 Morale, CN, Fundy and the Creche there, any defender would be instant Elite, so no mindworm kill boost is needed even if we did go the home Hoplite route.

[Snoddasmannen]

Ah it all makes sense, thanks Googlie
It was very cold and calculating waiting for KopObs to fatten up like that. Can you imagine what was going on inside the minds of the poor citizens?

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
Plus, with our +1 Morale, CN, Fundy and the Creche there, any defender would be instant Elite, so no mindworm kill boost is needed even if we did go the home Hoplite route.

Just for the record, children's creches give no morale level bonus to factions with neutral or positive SE Morale. So our units will be commando.


On another note, I'm beginning to fear conquering Monitoring Station might become very difficult, with their perimeter defence. They've got some disciplined/hardened synthmetal sentinels, with a +25% base defense, protected by a sensor array and perimeter defence, and further boosted by a children's creche. All this together means the odds of an elite rover against one of their defenders are almost equal. If we tried a direct attack we could lose a big part of our invasion force...

Therefore I'm wondering, how about sneaking past Monitoring Station and first striking at their less protected bases? Something like on the picture below:

[Modo44]

But is it safe? If they catch our rovers in the open, they'll kill them. Or don't we expect any counter-attacks from Zak?

I assume we can be certain they will build that Perimeter Defense now (or rush it)?

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
But is it safe? If they catch our rovers in the open, they'll kill them. Or don't we expect any counter-attacks from Zak?

With our 3 MPs, hopefully we can take the initiative to kill any opposition in our neighbourhood. If not, normally our rovers should always be able to retreat due to their higher movement points.

Anyway, there aren't many University units we don't know the location of. Most are located in their bases. IIRC only one or wto scout patrols, some formers and of course their two ogres are unknown.

I assume we can be certain they will build that Perimeter Defense now (or rush it)?

Yep. Monitoring Station had already accumulated a whole bunch of minerals towards building an energy bank. Previous year they switched to perimeter defence, keeping all their minerals, so the perimeter will be operational next year.

Sorry I can't show a screenie. I left my floppy drive at home, so I can't transport files from my laptop to my faculty's computer room.

[Modo44]

Ok, so we can move rovers fast, and relatively safe. That's good.

So you suggest we go for what we can get, then return with more forces. If we can bring in infantry, or artillery, then it makes sense to wait before attacking. I like that.

Otherwise, we'll have to commit at some point anyway. Then halting their unit production would be more important, even with losses. And just look at the production potential of that particular base...

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
Otherwise, we'll have to commit at some point anyway. Then halting their unit production would be more important, even with losses. And just look at the production potential of that particular base...

Indeed... With 2 boreholes and a minerals mine in the base radius, it would be thé big prize of this war, even more than Arcadia University. It's a pity they decided to build a perimeter defence in exactly that base.

If they for example had only one defender, I might argue it could be worth losing a rover if we can capture the base next turn this way. But they have 3 synthmetal sentinels present, so this would probably mean losing several rovers...

[Googlie]

I concur with the endrun to the east coast, and leave Monstat and Buddvor till the end (maybe we could minc-control Monstat away from Zak?)

I agree it's the prize worth having - 2 boreholes plua a mine (would be 3 boreholes but the Uni seems to have been able to build on one - no mineral or energy advantage to it, though)

We'd need to take out the sensor before attacking - and maybe attack via the monolith for instant turn-end repairs

Or we syntharmor our rovers? (or plasma?)

Here's the base screenie:

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
We'd need to take out the sensor before attacking - and maybe attack via the monolith for instant turn-end repairs

Sounds good. Destroying the sensor array removes a +25% defence bonus, and if we'd attack with Spartan Kel, that turns the odds back more in our favour.

Another option would of course be try to destroy the perimeter defence with some crypteia's. Downside is that destroying perimeter defence is a difficult probe action, so who knows we could some probes in the process.

[Googlie]

I posted this in the Morgan Embassy:

Posted in the Morgan Embassy by Googlie

No big deal, but as the Uni plays its turn before you ................

To allow us to do some advance turn planning, could you advise us if the University completed the synthmetal garrison at Kop-Obs? We waited last turn before entering the empty base, as with 1 pop that would have destroyed it (it was 1 turn away from growing to size 2) It had no minerals (supporting a former and a colony pod with its 2 mins from the base) and when Zak changed from Rec Tanks to a garrison unit, he was a bunch of minerals short of completing it.

Thanks in advance

[Maniac]

Sounds good.

Btw, a fourth option I thought about to allow us to conquer Monitoring Station:
Just wait until Lal finishes research on Synthetic Fossil Fuels, upgrade some units to missile launchers, and attack!