Covert Operations - General (2150 - 2174)

[Maniac]

As you may know, I believe that if we end up in an air war with the Corporation, that we'll lose in a war of attrition, if not directly against Morgan, than against the Gaians & Angels who can peacefully outgrow us while we're fully occupied. I also believe that five years is way too little to stage a succesful invasion against the Corporation before they'll get Air Power. (Though I invite everyone to prove me wrong by playing a few turns ahead with the simulator).

However I've been thinking that we could perhaps prevent the Gaian-Morganic "Axis of Weasels" to acquire Air Power.

They can get it from five sources:

• Sparta
• Peacekeepers
• University
• Hive
• Angels

As for the Spartan sources, we'll just have to continue our excellent Crypteia defences.

As for the Peacekeepers, we have forced Lal to declare war against Morgan this turn. Also the Gaians have apparently received the PK commlink this year. And when you look at our intelligence files on the Gaians you'll notice... they're already at war with the PKs! Apparently good old Lal doesn't like the Gaian attitude either.

So in any case, it seems unlikely they'll trade DAP with the PKs. Though if we can spare one, it would be useful to send a B-4 to PK territory to patrol for incoming enemy Gators. We know they're out there somewhere.

As for the University. They're already at war with the Corporation, and we have Crypteia present. As Zak is our submissive ally, we can let him declare war on Gaia whenever we want. Safe too.

The Hive... At war with the Gaians, but at truce with the Corporation, so a possibility for trade I assume. Therefore I was thinking, how about we steal the Hive map at Socialism Tunnels and frame Morgan for it? Yang would then declare war on Morgan. To achieve this goal, we could use the brand new Mercury trannie at GH to transport two 2-MP probes (the elite Crypteia at GH and the commando probe team at MT) to Soc Tunnels. Two probes in case the first probe fails: framing is a risky operation.

Drawback of this would be a delay in a possible land invasion of Terrapeso, but if we can prevent the Corporation from gaining DAP, that's worth it, no?

That leaves the Angels, which will probably easily trade the tech with the Peacekeepers. We'd need to convince them not to trade DAP to either the Gaians or Morganites. Get them on our side in this great war...

How does this action plan sound?

[Maniac]

MY 2163 Ecostats

Between parentheses are the minerals spent on support, and to what total mineral ouput this leads.

Morgan:
minerals: 84 (+35=119)
credits: 191
labs: 62

Sparta:
minerals: 139 (+25=164)
credits: 10
labs: 18.4

Morganite energy output has hardly increased, thanks to Lal's declaration of war. Their mineral output has risen with five.

Our story is one of stagnation. Our energy output has decreased, and our mineral output only increased with two.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
What are the chances of the probe action (framing Morgan) succeeding?

For an elite Crypteia the chances of success given are "75%, 67%". For a commando probe team "67%, 60%". After some testing, I think these numbers have to interpreted like this: The chance for succesfully stealing the Hive map is 75% for elite and 67% for commando, and the chance for succesfully framing Morgan is for elite 67% of those 75%, and for commando 60% of those 67%. This means the chance a probe would be completely succesful is 50% for elite and 40% for commando. Taken together, using probes this would mean a 70% chance for success. Is that worth trying or not?

In the simulator Morgan and Yang stayed at truce though even after I succesfully framed Morgan. This may be because I was testing it with the simulator, which is a save heavily edited with the scenario editor. No reliable real in-game conditions at all in other words.
I remember succesfully using framing in the past though in single player games. But that was years ago. So to be sure, can anyone confirm they have been able to succesfully frame another faction, with a declaration of Vendetta as a consequence?

[Snoddasmannen]

What about asassinating prominent researchers? Yang, and the rest of the world, would get Doc:Air slightly later. Could we still frame Morgan?

And on a personal note - I got the job at Opera!
Thank you Junta members for your support and good karma

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
And on a personal note - I got the job at Opera!
Thank you Junta members for your support and good karma

So, can you access Poly at work?

What about asassinating prominent researchers? Yang, and the rest of the world, would get Doc:Air slightly later. Could we still frame Morgan?

To assassinate researchers our probes would have to reach their HQ The Hive. Little chance they'd get there alive.

Btw, could anyone please confirm if framing überhaupt works?? I've done some further testing, and it doesn't seem to have any effect contrary to what I remember. Is there something wrong with my SMAC install, or this some general problem?

Another option could perhaps be to ask the Angels to ask the Hive to declare war on Morgan?

[Maniac]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the reason I opened this thread.

Here's a screenie of a UN base showing that Morganic Gator about to infiltrate the PKs last year.

[Maniac]

And here's a screenie of Red Fungus Resort this year, showing that Gator teleported back home after completing its mission.

This begs the question, as the reason I suggested a change of course was that Gator being up north there somewhere, do we still want to send the SCV Disco Volante up north, or continue with IIRC was the original plan: explore the Angel south coast?

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Maniac

So, can you access Poly at work?

Well, I think they have internet access, I just hope they have a browser

To assassinate researchers our probes would have to reach their HQ The Hive. Little chance they'd get there alive.

Oh, I had no idea about that.

Btw, could anyone please confirm if framing überhaupt works?? I've done some further testing, and it doesn't seem to have any effect contrary to what I remember. Is there something wrong with my SMAC install, or this some general problem?

I have only heard that it works, don't know how to test it even (never had any PBEM experience).

Another option could perhaps be to ask the Angels to ask the Hive to declare war on Morgan?

Yes, the Angel avenue needs to be explored further

[Snoddasmannen]

By the way, it seems we can move the Crypteia from Tegea Harbor to the PK base (asking it to auto-route there suggests that it only takes 2 mp, so I guess there's a road we can't see). That way we can protect that against infiltration. Also, we could bring down the (damaged B-4) and maybe be able to strike that gator next turn.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
By the way, it seems we can move the Crypteia from Tegea Harbor to the PK base (asking it to auto-route there suggests that it only takes 2 mp, so I guess there's a road we can't see). That way we can protect that against infiltration. Also, we could bring down the (damaged B-4) and maybe be able to strike that gator next turn.

Great idea but unfortunately it won't work anymore. See three posts up: the Gator is back in Morganic territory.

[Snoddasmannen]

Ohh, dang. I misunderstood the timeline completely!

[Maniac]

MY 2164 Ecostats (if I didn't miscount at least )

Morgan:
minerals: 101 (+30=131)
credits: 254
labs: 3

Sparta:
minerals: 147 (+30=177)
credits: 0
labs: 33.6


And here's the powergraph. The Angels are catching up with the Corporation.

[Modo44]

Am I the only one who thinks we desperately need that Worm-cash project working ASAP?

[Maniac]

No. I fully agree with you!

Rolling Thunder at the Great Fungal Wall had too many success, and killed two worms, forcing Rynn to retreat to Minas Tirith for repairs.

As for Arcadia, now we have the non-lethal methods ability, we have a unit free that can start worm-hunting. However it will still take a while before it takes effect... To speed things up, may I suggest building one or two police units in Arcadia? Besides making an extra unit free for worm hunting, it will free up Raoul's Rangers and Skanky's Sileni to be sent to Terrapeso in the future. Now they're bound by garrison duty.

[Modo44]

Ahh, I see we are hunting already. As to the new Non-Lethal ability and the "free" units - why not make more of them walk on Fungus? They could take longer routes where speed is not the issue (I know that is rare, but it does happen, right?), adding a small chance for Worms. The idea is to get one or two captured, at which point we can stop using built units for this.