MY-2181 - Planning & Execution thread

[Googlie]

WOW - turn's up!!

[Googlie]

A couple of early observations:

Angels have played along and left the last PK base without any of their units in it - ripe for us to take

but

They also have placed a couple of their probes (drop probes, no less) onb the continent, ready for action against us. See screenie below

So we must wait until we can get probe defenders in place before taking that last base

[Maniac]

Looks like a good enough excuse to build the Ascetivc Virtues to me.

Btw, personally I'd recommend gifting the bases closest to the Angels to the University, to make us less vulnerable to infiltration. Which this incident proves we are.

[Googlie]

Some other quick observations & comments:

• Arcadia University: Cloud cover event - loss of 1 energy per square per turn for ten turns. Crippled psych contribution to the base resulting in another drone, so have changed 2 workers to doctors
• Gythium Harbour - maxxed out now at seven population (1 of them a drone). Is producing a former (1 turn) now, but we could use its mineral crawler plus some credits to MM a hab complex there if we want (or just stabilize at size 7 for the time being)
• Bunker-112 - we can rush a Crypteia there for 12 credits - I suggest we do
• Messena - likewise has reached size 7 and needs a hab complex for further growth
• Rio Grande needs a Creche - it's size 3 with nut surplusses
• with those Angels probes nearby, I finished moving the Crypteia en-route to ARC into the base to take up covert defense duties there
• do we go ahead and instabuild (MM'ing) the Hybrid Forest at Fort Soup, using the flying gin freighter? (or save that for an eventual SP)?
• the Gaians have started the Longevity Vaccine - that'd have been a nice one for us (2 less drones at every base when running Planned) - we're getting left behind in those mid-game SP's
• the PK colony pod is right next to UN High Commission (but we don't have a probe team within range) I suggest that we rush the Crypteia there (13 credits) and try to subvert it next turn - that'd mean postponing the capture of the last PK base for 1 turn, but I think we need to do that anyway to give us time to get probe defenders in place
• the PK's have changed from the Neural Amplifier to a Penetrator (overbuilt, so it'll commission next year) - dare we send the longstrider at Health Authority to sabotage production? (if successful, he'll be returned to Health Authority anyway, but if unsuccessful then that leaves the base vulnerable to Angels' actions
• I suggest that we send the 3 noodles that are around Temple back home by roundabout routes to see what other nasties the Angels might be hiding

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Maniac
Looks like a good enough excuse to build the Ascetivc Virtues to me.

And this raises a point - do we now care what our reputation is? (assuming that we're role playing, and that any animosity doesn't carry forward into other PBEMs by the Angels' team members against us)

Technically, their probes are in neutral territory - and they didn't provoke us by landing their noodle in the PK base

And do they feel strong enough to take us on? I mean, if we do instabuild the Ascetic Virtues, is that cause enough for them to declare vendetta on us?

But back to the "do we care?" question. I'm thinking that we've been ostracized by the other 3 teams - no one is talking to us and no-one will trade with us, so why not a "what the heck" attitude. We're the bad boys so we might as well act in character.

I say we just instabuild the AV. We'd catapult to +2 POLICE which means that 3 cdf's could quell 6 drones in a base, and for those with the infrastructure already, could go to size 9 with no problem

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie [*]the PK colony pod is right next to UN High Commission (but we don't have a probe team within range) I suggest that we rush the Crypteia there (13 credits) and try to subvert it next turn - that'd mean postponing the capture of the last PK base for 1 turn, but I think we need to do that anyway to give us time to get probe defenders in place

I don't understand. Why mindcontrol a colony pod when it's much cheaper to build one?

[Googlie]

what's the cost of mc'ing a CP? (I've never done it, so was assuming it'd be like a scout - 50 credits or so)

If it's over 100, then I agree - but the advantage of that one is that's in a great position for instabuilding a new base - versus the time it'd take to get one built and moving into unoccupied territory

[Maniac]

IIRC colony pods are always expensive to MC, even when far away from the HQ. Anyway, could easily be tested in the simulator of course. Just set the PK cash reserves up to date, and remove their HQ.

[Modo44]

I say build the Ascetic Virtues.

As to the Colony Pod, we simply have the cash to pick it up, granting us a new base that much earlier.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
As to the Colony Pod, we simply have the cash to pick it up, granting us a new base that much earlier.

We also have the resources to build one ourselves, and use the cash we saved for something else.
Even if mindcontrolling a CP would give us a base a few turns earlier, would the resources gained by having that base a few turns earlier outweight the extra cost of mindcontrolling the unit?

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Maniac
Even if mindcontrolling a CP would give us a base a few turns earlier, would the resources gained by having that base a few turns earlier outweight the extra cost of mindcontrolling the unit?

If you want to cout the dollars, no, not very soon. Over time they would (remember the build that would not have to be delayed somewhere).

But that is beside the point, which is: We are ranking in cash. I find it better to spend it, instead of holding that ridiculously big treasury, even if the things bought do not give big immediate gains. Do we have any necessary rushes/upgrades that would take the cost of controlling that Colony Pod? I suppose the answer is "no".

[Maniac]

If you want, I could take a look at the save and identify some things that we can hurry and will give us immediate gains?

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Maniac
If you want, I could take a look at the save and identify some things that we can hurry and will give us immediate gains?

I wouldn't mind some observations

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Maniac
If you want, I could take a look at the save and identify some things that we can hurry and will give us immediate gains?

I do. I think we should burn 3/4 of our reserves, but even 1/2 would be pretty good.

[Googlie]

I agree that we should burn up some reserves - some suggestions wouyld be:

• upgrade some crawlers to synthmetal ECM Trance
• rush Crypteia wherever we have one in build - the Angels' drop probes aren't going to go away
• rush facilities like creches, rec commons and hab complexes
• upgrade all our airforce to missile
• upgrade our navy to missile syntharmour