What I hate most about the Pirates

[wheathin]

I like Sven. I really do - I think he's got a great faction, and he's a fun opponent. Except for one thing.

He always steals my Jungle!

Never fails. I've got a good start, two bases humming along, and the Jungle is REALLY close to me. So I found bases 3 and 4 in the Jungle and I'm off! (I might even notice the wide flat expanse on the Unity Survey and put my second base there)

And then Sven shows up with two sea bases off my coast, before I even get DocFlex, and starts stealing my Jungle! How can I stop this short of war?

[Yxklyx]

How can be stealing your Jungle with sea bases? He should only be getting the sea squares. Does he have a land base too?

[NorthSwordsman]

Re: What I hate most about the Pirates

Originally posted by wheathin
And then Sven shows up with two sea bases off my coast, before I even get DocFlex, and starts stealing my Jungle! How can I stop this short of war?

Assuming Sven does not have any land bases in the Jungle, you can choke his access to the jungle off with bases- just push his borders back to the sea.

Place the bases 2 squares in from the coast, and just wall that thing off from Sven, leaving the interior empty for expansion when you can scare up a Colony Pod or two.

If he wants access to the Jungle, he's gonna have to land a colony pod, which is next to impossible if you have bases between him and that jungle (or Drop pods, which I have NEVER seen the AI use) or take one of your bases. He's more likely to attempt a base snatch sooner or later. Crawlers all along the coast pretty much prevents him from getting a good foothold without taking some severe punishment if you set things up right.

[Yxklyx]

Maybe wheatin doesn't have the latest patch? Wasn't there a change with how sea/land bases claimed territory? As I recall you used to be able to claim land with a sea base.

[NorthSwordsman]

I have no idea... I didn't play smac until after the 4.0 patch, and got smax shortly thereafter with the 2.0 patch... so that area is out of my knowledge.

IIRC, through, the only way a seabase can claim land territory is if there is no other claim to that territory from a LAND base. 'Course, I could be wrong on that last point, but that is what I remember.

[wheathin]

I was unclear. He does not take the Jungle itself. But his coastal bases mean that I cannot build adjacent to him, or raise land, and he sucks up all the water squares where I want to put kelp and tidals (as well as any bonuses), not to mention that I don't like having Sea Formers real close to his bases.

He cramps my Style.

[NorthSwordsman]

There is really nothing you can do, except to take his bases and destroy them. Otherwise, you are stuck.

[wheathin]

Well if a drone's gotta do what a drone's gotta do...


Thanks

[NorthSwordsman]

You are very welcome, Wheathin.

[Yxklyx]

He does not take the Jungle itself. But his coastal bases mean that I cannot build adjacent to him, or raise land

Warning, I believe raising or lowering Jungle squares removes the Jungle.

[wheathin]

Yes it would remove the jungle. Instead, you have to start at one end of the Jungle and raise a new coast line two squares out. At most you lose one square, and usually zero (unless your whole island is jungle). It creates a Jungle-free coastal region, perfect for boreholes and bases.

[NorthSwordsman]

Hmm.. that gives me some ideas I hadn't thought about for awhile.

Another way to get rid of Sven. Just raise the blasted coast, then use your rovers to capture them. Instant bases!

[wheathin]

Yes, but then you have to go to war. And that means breaking the treaty... I'd rather be able to keep the peace, and just say "please don't build there."

But, if I have to raise it to take it, well, i hope he likes being a landlubber.

[Yxklyx]

How about building a bunch of Isles of the Deep and releasing them into the Wild next to the Sea Bases. That avoids war. In one of my games I had each coastal base stationed with 1 Isle of the Deep. As soon as someone built an offshore base I moved it next to the base and released it into the wild - no more base.

[NorthSwordsman]

That's using your brain. Apparently, mine isn't working today.

The cost would be prohibitive to build, unless you had a base that could crank them out quickly. They would have to be of a good morale level or the simplest trance-equipped scout would turn them into sea jelly.