Turns of Democracy in Peril

[Darius]

2196 to John. The liberation of the Hive base will commence next turn or the turn after.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

[johndmuller]

2196

I cut off my research so as not to finish Presentient - waiting for Robin Hood Darius to liberate those techs from the Hive. Are you really going to get 3? I thought you were worried that the sea base already had the interlocks. Well as long as you get Presentient, it will give me a free tech - if you keep me informed as to what the AI has, I can presumably research something that won't cause unwanted stealing complications. Meanwhile, I'm going to get spoiled with all the income from 90% econ.

I delivered a Drop 3A Plasma Guard (although it changed the name) to Craftsman Keep, a probe is almost there (next turn).

[knowhow2]

turn 2196 to darius

I'm being harassed by Hive Jets. Losing formers and crawlers in great numbers. meanwhile my own airfleet is blowing the Cyborgs away base by base. I'm soon up to a 25 plane airfleet. I'm tempted to go Power. But we need to coordinate our battleplans. Just empty enemy bases without taking them doesn't seem so effecient.

[Darius]

Are you really going to get 3? I thought you were worried that the sea base already had the interlocks.

I have two destroyer probes and three land probes mustering with the fleet at Craftsman Keep, with more arriving next turn. As long as I don't have trouble probing with land probes, I intend to liberate the three three techs that the Hive has, plus their world map. If Sea Collective is equipped with interlocks, I will simply capture that base and use it to stage probe raids on Unity Lair on the next turn. Thanks for the drop garrison and the probe.

By the way, John, is that a drop transport unit in my territory?

Just empty enemy bases without taking them doesn't seem so effecient.

I agree. I will start to send some ships over that way as soon as I can. Then I can capture the bases as you empty them out.

2197 to John.

[johndmuller]

2197

Darius, I turned over the probe unit at Craftsman Keep; good luck on the expedition. Yes, that is a Drop Transport, I used it to bring over the probe; it's sort of useful - some things are too expensive to build drop shell versions of and then upgrade, and it is easier for moving already built units - but the rover base is a waste - it only gets 1 turn anyway; I'm going to experiment with an infantry version next. I was hoping that a probe would be able to get a move after the drop that way, but apparently only non-probe units get to do that.

I'm holding off on techs until the dust settles on the Hive tech raid, although I think I would like SilkSteel when it arrives so as to be able to build better garrisons as soon as possible. So, Knowhow2, just offer me the maps until further notice.

Viz-a-viz the Consciousness, I have ideas about their Northern bases such as Pi Complex, which is more or less within my range. Once I had a foothold there, I could supply garrison units at some of their other bases as knowhow2 conquers them - I do not as yet have any navy to speak of, so I would be pretty limited as far as helping with their sea bases - I suppose I could make drop amphib units, but they might be expensive and would need support too. Knowhow2, if you want to send some of that Yang-sized airforce up to Cote d'Or and/or 3rd World Trading Co. I could focus more on the necessary ground units to take/occupy the land part of Cyborg territory while you took care of the northern Cyborgs defenders.

Knowhow2, wouldn't a few SAM choppers help your defense against the air raids? Where are you being attacted and do you know from where the attackers are coming?

I could use infiltration data about Pi Complex and Iota Station and as much of that whole area as you all can see through the base windows or whatever sources, particularly the road leading west from Pi Complex to that sensor as I would likely start along there. If it is wide open, I could drop some units there and start a buildup, or at least get my own infiltration.

[knowhow2]

turn 2197 to darius

I think I need all avaible technology to build more flexible troops (i totally forgot that I had choopers ) trained, police, amphi - I need them all.

Pi complex is at the moment out of range but once I captured Alpha Prime (mext turn if all goes well) with me single Drop rover I will be able to use Alpha Prime base as a landing spot.

UoP have Fusion AAA troops (my missile jets have no chance against them one-on-one).

There are those seabases just south of Alpha Prime that are bugging me. If I just have amphib ......

[Darius]

Do you guys know exactly how the security interlocks work? I have been assuming that after you probe an AI base, it would have interlocks starting on the next turn. Hence my previous comments. But something I read in Vel's guide last night suggested (but did not come out and say) that the interlock might be put up immediately, within the same turn. I can't remember ever trying multiple probes at the same base within the same turn, so I don't know for sure. Do either of you know?

John, I'vd copied my map of Cyborg territory, attached below. (You can see this anyway, no?) In addition to the map, I have the following intelligence on the two bases you requested.

Pi Complex
Population 6
Producing Maritime Control Center, to complete in 19 turns
Chaos Infantry 8-1-1 Disciplined (+)
Missile Artillery (6)-1-1 Disciplined (+)

Iota Station
Population 3 (Currently running at -1 nutrient)
Producing Drop Chaos Squad Mk3, to complete in 5 turns
AAA Chaos infantry 8-<3>-1 Disciplined (+)
Trained 3-Pulse Garrison 1-3p-1 Hardened (+)
Transport Foil

Sorry about the reload. While capturing the screen for the attached file, my display got messed up and I had to reload.

I got Silksteel and offered it to both of you. I can't remember what we were supposed to choose next. I picked Applied Relativity, because I love the Suppercollider. Let me know if you have a better plan.

Operation "Robin Hood" has commenced. Two transports are enroute, with destroyer escort and under air cover, and should arrive at Sea Collective next turn.

2198 to John.

[johndmuller]

2198

Regarding the interlocks, I think I read a recent thread that described the interlocks pretty well. I don't know if it was in the thread or not, but I think that the interlocks are activated after the first time anyone steals tech from the particular base. The interlocks don't make it impossible to steal tech, they just lower the odds from very likely to midling, so you should save your best probes for then, using the lesser morale ones for the first time(s). BTW, we could harden each others bases that way if we wanted to spend the time and make sure that we had techs to steal in the one faction and wanted the techs in the other faction (like knowhow2 right does now - feel free to steal the techs from me at my southern or western bases before you accept the trade offers).

I can see the map pretty much as much as you can, except I can't see into the bases to see what troops are there, etc., nor can I see the base map where one could see 3rd (or 4th) party units if they were there - just a little bit of extra intel; none of us can see the indigenous troops outside the bases unless we have units in the neighborhood. Sorry for the tampering warning from my turn - I had to reboot - system resources bottomed out and I couldn't see most of the graphics, even after closing everything else - don't know whether it was just leaving the computer on too long without rebooting or that dreaded bitmap file; I usually run the game on NT, should have taken the resource degradation problem on regular Windows more seriously when I saw it was a bit pokey. Knowhow2 is going to think we are both cheating .

Darius, if you offered SilkSteel to me, it must have been before your crash as I didn't get the offer; please reoffer it. I don't have a tech chart with me, but one thing we need to think about is getting the Orbital Defense Pods as quickly as possible especially after PBs are available as our friends will no doubt be building and using the PBs. That suggests we go after all the prereqs of ODPs.

[Darius]

You're right; I think I forgot to offer Silksteel when I replayed the turn.

Regarding the interlocks - RATS! I may have to recall the fleet for a couple of turns to ready more probes. I'll scope it out when I get the next turn.

[knowhow2]

turn 2198 to darius

My Friends, I have captured Alpha Prime! Lets hope that I can hold on to it. Any Assistence will help!

Also I seem to have captured an AA and cashing it I got Retroviral Engineering which I offered to you, darius but not you John (since you don't want tech from me for now), let me know if you want it.

I have disclose some of the unknown UoP territory. I 'm certain that the Hive jets is coming from that direction but I can't attack since their fusion AAA sentinels are hopelessly overpowering against me Missile Needles. My Airfleet is also reduced by Hive tacticals so the war is not going well at the moment.

ODs are important but I think it would be more sufficient to concentrate on attacking now with full power so that Hive don't reach Orbital (rather hopeless I know....)

[Darius]

I have captured Sea Collective, as well as Fusion Power, Superstring Theory, Pre-Sentient Algorithms, AND the Hive world map! I have offered all of these techs and the map to you both. (John, I did not offer you Superconductor.)

Knowhow2, for what it is worth, I have a 4-1-4 foil and two 6-1-1 rovers on the way to Alpha Prime. Be aware that there is a hostile probe team north of Alpha Prime. Better get one of those jets out there.

2199 to John.

[johndmuller]

Just to let you know, I won't be able to get to the turn until tomorrow (Tuesday), probably in the morning (your afternoon knowhow2); sorry fo the delay.

Congrats on the conquests.

[johndmuller]

2199

Sorry it took so long; the switch to Fusion required a lot of MM, but now I'm cool with all that new tech. I am now researching Biomachinery (mostly due to a dyslexic misclick) after which (next turn or the one after) I will research something more useful.

Darius, I guess everything worked out very well probe-wise; what happened?

Knowhow2, after a few turns prototyping SilkSteel and Chaos, I should be ready to launch a minimal invasion of Pi Complex - estimated 4 or 5 years. Once I have that beachhead, I can funnel troops through there to your later conquests. To get started, I could use your help in recon and taking out any random units lurking in the bush. Given that they don't have any defense in the base to speak of (especially if the units there are not fusion, it might be best if you don't attack them there as it will only stimulate them building AAA units. Perhaps a cleanout just before my attack if their turn is before yours (i.e. between our turns) so that they don't have time to rebuild before my turn comes around - Does someone know whether the Borgs come before or after knowhow2 in the turn order?

[knowhow2]

turn 2199 to darius

a rise of a new centuary

john, I just sit tight and wait.

[Darius]

Yes, the probe raids were a complete success. I'll give you a rundown later. Right now I have to get ready for work.

I seized another Hive base which happened to be unoccupied.

2200 to John.