Operation Pusillanimous Wimp

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Maniac
So how about upgrading the undamaged disciplined B-4 in Iaci Base to a B-6?

Done (see turn thread)

I noticed the PK missile needlejet is in Temple of Sol. Assuming it stays there, it could counterattack UNHQ after we captured it. To prevent that, how about flying out our F-6 this year already, so it's in range of UNHQ and can land there next turn?

Done (you can just see it to the bottom right of the pic above, astride the main road between the 2 bases)

Question: Will the Tiger's Claw (?) transport land its unit at UN Planning Authority after its capture, or invade UN Great Refuge?

I'd thought that after transferring its units to the cruiser, they'd dock at Planning Authority and proceed from there

Another question: will the two rovers in UN Planning Authority be attacked by B-4s or land troops?

I'd say by the B-4's

Which begs the further question ... should we start our Strategic Air Reserves (3 of the four B-4's currently at MT) on their way to Iaci? They'd take 2 turns to get there, so wouldn't be operational until the 2178 year. But that's the year that the entire invasion airforce will be standing down as they return from their 2177 mission, so we have some flexibility to counter attack - or choke access - if Lal doesn't cave in immediately

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Googlie
Which begs the further question ... should we start our Strategic Air Reserves (3 of the four B-4's currently at MT) on their way to Iaci? They'd take 2 turns to get there, so wouldn't be operational until the 2178 year. But that's the year that the entire invasion airforce will be standing down as they return from their 2177 mission, so we have some flexibility to counter attack - or choke access - if Lal doesn't cave in immediately

Yup, bring them in.

[Googlie]

Another question: will the two rovers in UN Planning Authority be attacked by B-4s or land troops?

I'd say by the B-4's

We need to be careful here: Attacks by air on the last defender destroy the AA in the base. If we want to capture that, we'll need to take on the last Rover from the sea, with an amphiunit (of which we have 2 in the invasion force)

[Maniac]

I compiled the suggestions together in an attack plan suggestion:

• If Lal doesn't declare vendetta by our request to withdraw his troops, we open the war by letting TH's probe team openly mind control the nearby PK rover, provoking a vendetta while keeping the Angels out.
• The veteran B-6 attacks the hardened plasma sentinels in UNHQ.
• The three other B-6s available in Iaci Base deal with the weaker green plasma sentinels in UN Planning Authority (UNPA).
• Attack UN Commerce Committee (UNCC) with the fully healthy veteran B-4. Attacking the base with a land unit seems difficult: they'd only have 1/3 movement points left when the troops arrive at the gates of UNCC. Googlie noted that air attacks might destroy artifacts. While I've also had that happen sometimes, other times I do get the artifacts transported to a base. Eg we got that artifact currently in Tegea Harbour by attacking it with a B-6. So I guess we'd have to count on some luck.
• Will we use those two damaged B-4s in IB for attacks??
• Move the Tiger's Claw next to UNPA and greenlight an amphib missile rover for attack (unless the B-4s mentioned above will deal with it of course).
• Oh I just figured out: we definitely DO NOT want to attack the last UNPA defender with a land unit on that transport: the artifact will disappear instead of being transmitted to the (full) transport. So to answer my earlier question: perhaps attacking the last defender with the 40% damaged B-4 might be advised.
• Capture UNPA with the amphib missile rover (R-112?) that has one MP remaining.
• Move both the Tiger's Claw and the Pegasus in UNPA. Now we have three rovers (Janissaries, Steppenwolfs & Jaded Jaguars) in there with their full movement points left, meaning they can reach UNHQ & UNCC if they encounter no further opposition.
• This leaves us with no forces to attack UN Great Refuge though as far as I can see.
• Empty UN High Commission (UNHC) with the B-6 in TH. Perhaps let the B-6 fly towards its target along the road, and drive the mind-controlled rover (if it has MPs left of course) under the B-6, so it can reach UNHC without zones of control troubles.
• Use the probe team to steal Neural Grafting.
• Capture UNHC.

[Googlie]

Hmm - I wonder what the cost would be to mind control UN Planning Aithority itself? Even if ~500 credits it'd be worth it, IMO, as we'd get a super standing army (and all units within the base radius as well, so there might be formers or other military units around that we currently can't see)

One downside, though, is that we'd need then to swiftly research silksteel alloys so that we could continue the MM's using silksteel armor for the prototypes (as we'd have control of 3 plasma armored units, and thus couldn't prototype it any more)

But definitely worth it, I think, if we can afford it, even if it almost depletes our treasury to zero (we'll get some energy credits when we conquer additional bases, and a whole lot more when Lal finally surrenders)

[Modo44]

Good idea. Slowly but surely, the Worm-hunting project becomes useful.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
Hmm - I wonder what the cost would be to mind control UN Planning Aithority itself? Even if ~500 credits it'd be worth it, IMO, as we'd get a super standing army (and all units within the base radius as well, so there might be formers or other military units around that we currently can't see)

One downside, though, is that we'd need then to swiftly research silksteel alloys so that we could continue the MM's using silksteel armor for the prototypes (as we'd have control of 3 plasma armored units, and thus couldn't prototype it any more)

But definitely worth it, I think, if we can afford it, even if it almost depletes our treasury to zero (we'll get some energy credits when we conquer additional bases, and a whole lot more when Lal finally surrenders)

Sorry to sound critical, but:

• With what probe team?
• What super standing army?
• When could we get silksteel?

[Googlie]

the northern task force has a longstrider on board - he could disembark onto the forest tile north of the monoloth and commence probe action with his second mp

the "standing army" would be the 3 plasma sentinels and 2 unity rovers in the base, plus any other units within the base radius

We need AST before even getting offered Silksteel Alloys - we'll prolly have chaos weapons to prototype sooner than we get silksteel anyways.

(And per the simulator, it'd cost 632 credits to mc the base itself)

I say we discuss it fully - pros and cons - that's a whopping army to get immediately and could prolly let us overrun all our 5 intended targets (maybe more) in one fell swoop

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Googlie

(And per the simulator, it'd cost 632 credits to mc the base itself)

we currently have 477 credits, and will get another 17 next turn from commerce plus 25 from the stockpile energy bug. If we do go ahead, then maybe we should sell a tech or 2 to lal first, as well as tapping Zak for some credits (we can recoup 40 by selling off the perimeter defenses at PA and HQ - they don't get destroyed in bombing raids)

[vishniac]

2 ideas:
- Can we attack another base first and then get the credits from its conquest (UNGR)?
- Instead of stealing Neural Grafting this turn, use the probe team to steal money.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
the "standing army" would be the 3 plasma sentinels and 2 unity rovers in the base, plus any other units within the base radius
...
(And per the simulator, it'd cost 632 credits to mc the base itself)

Those five units together are worth 100 minerals. Even if we could get another 100 minerals worth of units parked just outside UNPA, is that worth paying 632 credits?

If we wanted extra units, wouldn't building them ourselves cheaper and give higher morale?

I also don't see how they could immediately help capture more bases. The plasma sentinels are defensive, and the rovers are neither good for offense or defense until upgraded (which costs more money).

We need AST before even getting offered Silksteel Alloys - we'll prolly have chaos weapons to prototype sooner than we get silksteel anyways.

I agree we'll probably get Chaos weapons sooner. Eg Yang is currently researching that. But what if he's unwilling to talk to us or trade to us? By mind controlling plasma units we could loose the best method we currently have to hurry production and boost our economy for a looooong time.

[Googlie]

Good points, V

here's a nice touch (using maniac's simulator):

sim, as set up, has th4 PK reserves at 629 credits, so the cost to mindcontrol PA is, as stated, 632. If successful, we get 1536 credits transferred from the nets to our account!!!!!

If i set the sim to the actual PK reserves (629), then the cost to mc the base grows to 728, but if successful, our bank account swells by 2516 credits (and lal's drops to zero - he doesn't even go into deficit)

Definitely worth doing, even if we have to steal from lal beforehand (we get 62 credits if we steal energy from High Commission) and extort from Zak (he'll give us 100 credits) and sell a facility or two if this is an exploitable bug in the game (it might, of course, just be a bug in the scenario editor)

[Googlie]

Here's the simulation updated with our units in position (except for the three B-4's in transit - they'll just be landing next turn - and also the slow trannie with the Crypteia and impact infantryman aboard)

There's a scenario (.SC) version as well as a straightforward .sav (which starts with the Longsrider flashing)

[Googlie]

LOL - I played with the .sav version, and straighaway called Lal, and sold him PE for 25 credits.

he wanted to pact, but i said no, then asked him for a loan - he gave me ~200 credits. then i extorted 81 from Zak, and engaged mind control to get the Planning Authority base - and got over 1500 credits from thin air!!!

[vishniac]

It seems the others have played fast this turn: we'll get the turn wednesday noon CET at the latest.

It means we must:
1) be ready with all beforehand questions.
2) agree on when we'll do the Live Invasion (depends on the speed of Morgan)