Turns of Democracy in Peril

[johndmuller]

2116.

Well, I probed back Banana Republic, but if Yang keeps hitting it, it will disappear. He is playing rough!

Before I mind-controlled BP, I stole ProgenPsyche from Yang (at the cost of a lost probe); too bad I didn't get Applied Relativity, but at least I didn't waste the opportunity by getting Superconductor either (or so I thouight at the time). When I went to offer it you you, Knowhow2, I discovered that you already had it and that I had lost my probe for nothing - please try to keep up with what you are getting from the Datalinks, if that is where it came from - to give us a chance to get them too if we want them.

Knowhow2, what are you plans for Phi Lumiere - are you looting it and starving it out? I realize it might be hard to defend, but don't we want the datalinks?

Darius, it would be nice to get OrbitalDefensePods (SelfAwareMachines) to fend off the PBs that will be coming soon, unless you like getting your best bases picked off, which I doubt. To get to that, we first need MonopoleMagnets, NanoMiniaturization, and IndustrialNano (they are all in sequence, but we can always double-team them). Alternatively, CentauriMeditation (for CentauriPreserves and IODs) would be another worthy goal IMhO, and could be followed by CentauriGenetics (for Locusts). HybridForests (PlanetaryEcon) for which we first need AdaptiveEcon might also be helpful, although they are expensive to build. As always, NoneOfTheAbove is an additional choice.

Darius, I also offered the ProgenPsyche to you; you probably shouldn't take it until after you have started you next tech - if you want to go the AdaptiveEcon route toward HFs, you can start researching Progen Psyche yourself and then switch to AdaptiveEcon. Strategically speaking, although not much fun, it could be for the best for us to keep you at the top of the Tech Rankings, so that Knowhow2 and I, who have much the better research rates, don't get hit with the TechLeader penalty on the Tech Cost. Oh yeah, and the PhotonWave would be nice too (perhaps it can resist a missile if otherwise enhanced with Aerospace Cplx, AAA, etc). I guess you might as well give me the Applied Relativity so I could research the Photon if I want.

I took a pot shot at the nearest of Santi's bases Ft Survivalist, and cleared it out, but when I went to drop my probed Yang drop infantry into it to remove the base and get rid of the Uggh Green unit, I discovered that I wasn't allowed to do a drop with it (although I could seemingly have taken a regular move, I suppose due to Yang having already done a drop with it this turn - do we actually know the true turn sequence for all the factions anyone?).

[knowhow2]

2216 to darius

I just got the message- global warming!!! sealevel rising!

also got my first 3 fungus-pops. tough crowd.

I don't have more tech than those I offered to you both.

phi lum- I thought I starv it down a bit (if I put military in there yang missile them to death) to manageable size.

forgot to pronounce vendetta on you this turn darius.

[Darius]

I decided to go with Monopole Magnets.

2217 to John.

[Darius]

Dumb Question

Warning Warning Warning
Dumb question coming up! Those of you with weak constitutions, please avert your eyes. OK, here it comes:

There's a TechLeader penalty for tech cost?
How does that work?
What if all three of us had the same techs?
Why would it be less fun if I were tech leader?
Why is the sky blue?

OK, that was more than one.

[johndmuller]

2117.

Banana Republic III is toast, but the South Will Rise Again!! (Just not right away.)

I got a >pop< too (only one fortunately), and batch of 7 MWs just outside of M's Onshore Bank. Two volleys of Artillery and a chopper and an infantry shell were all the offense I could get over there and I only got 1 MW with the chopper (5 heavily wounded MWs at least). I guess I'll survive them, but I'll probably be on defense and get no $$$ for my troubles. Hey Guv - what's with all that pollution over there - is that supposed to be a good example, or what.

Darius, Congrats on being back on the Yang mainland; good luck

[johndmuller]

Darius, I think that the leader and probably the last-place factions in various areas, like tech, sometimes get handicap adjustments. I think I got this notion about tech costs about the same time we were starting up this game, perhaps from a thread started by cbn (I tried to search for it, but no joy - it looked like only the newest threads were being searched). In this game, at one point your tech cost were higher than mine or TMS's, despite having the same techs; at the time, I think I wondered if it were a double dip on your factional research penalty, another possible adjustment mechanism. I have noted stuff that seems to support this theory, but its hard to know all the relevant information. So, I don't know any of this for sure, but various handicapping adjustments are said to be scattered around and I have no trouble believing in this one albeit based on very imperfect data.

As to what if we are tied - in a game where we play 2 factions each, my team is in the tech lead and when things are exactly equal between my factions, the one who is first in the turn order, Yang, gets the who's who listing instead of Zak, who does most of the discovering. At present, the Hive's tech cost is substantially higher than the University's, but that is a least partly due to Yang having just experienced one of his rare breakthroughs; when Zak next changes over, the numbers may be more revealing.

If this theory about tech leader penalties is true, it would be less fun for you if you were the tech leader because it would slow your research down even more than usual and you would miss out on some of the fun of discovering and starting out new techs, while knowhow2 and I would get more of that fun than we otherwise deserved. I think I made that strategy harder to follow by taking the Superconductor from knowhow2 last turn; since I am the 1st of us in turn order, ties should stick me with the tech lead, although if it only recalculates at the beginning of a MY, then if you or knowhow2 had just acquired a tech which I had not yet received . . .

The sky is blue . . . . . Because.

[johndmuller]

Posting turn 2117 here as there seems to be an unknown holdup and as I seem to be having trouble with hotmail - perhaps knowhow2 is as well.

[knowhow2]

turn 2217 to Darius

..... busy busy... sorry

[Darius]

I tried to post here a while ago when I sent the turn, but it didn't work.

If you guys want to make me the tech leader, that's fine with me. Actually, that would make it easier for me, to not have to think about which techs to accept or not accept from you.

Nothing else to report. 2218 to John.

[johndmuller]

2118.

Nothing special. Santi built a sea base near me thats gotta go before it is Royal Yang Air Force Central. Yang took out an old sentry transport of mine, but I probed his ship away making us kind of even.

Darius, there's a Yang transport near you at (26,44) near Manufacturing Warrens.

Knowhow2, I'm trying to sneak a probeship in to infiltrate Zak down off your SE shore; if you can see it in the fungus, I'd appreciate some cover and suggestions as to which base to try.

[knowhow2]

turn 2118 to darius

...sorry john, I lost two needles trying to kill off that thing..... but I failed

A volcano exploded up nearby...... talk about **** happening

[Darius]

I took another Hive base, and plunked down 200 ec to rush a probe. But then they missiled all of my units and dropped into the base.

2219 to John.

[johndmuller]

2119.

I've been having a little target practice across the straits with Santi, but I have to actually go there to get rid of her bases. I'm not really ready to do that yet; maybe I'll just send over suicide cheap drop units after I kill all the defenders. I think I'm going to close and/or take over her impinging "Fleet Base" in my territorial waters next turn, unless she somehow ships a lot of force into it in the meantime.

Darius, tough luck with Yang; getting and keeping a foothold over there is going to be difficult. You might be able to use up his missile supply with cheap cannon fodder of some kind; if there are enough men in the base, he will end up eliminating it if he kills them all and then drops into it; that wouldn't be all bad for us. Also, the missiles are reasonably expensive, even for you and Yang, so he can't make more than 5 or 10 a turn, can he?

Knowhow2, My SpyBoat didn't get attacked by that IoD right next to it, so it is now at (83,73), nearer to Library of Planet and Nadazjda Hope - are either probe free - is fungus still in 2 of the 3 harbor tiles?

I guess someone was lucky not to get hit by a disaster last turn; are you guys running a lot of ED? My clean mineral limit is around 35; its not too confining, but if I am able to grow some more, I would like to produce some more mins. Good of you to do the Centauri Meditation, knowhow2. I haven't decided what I will do next turn; do we have an urgent requirement or other preferences?

[knowhow2]

turn 2119

I guess I have too much ecodamage... but then again those are pretty much my first......

that volcano... is nice place to make a energy park...

building up my copter-fleet

[Darius]

I have some significant ED at a couple of bases. I'll be putting up treefarms there after the current builds are done. Meanwhile, I think I just got a pop.

I think I've changed my mind about giving away that former Cyborg base. It makes a cool place to snipe at the Hive (got 2 formers and an outdoor unit this turn), perhaps distracting them from their eastern front, where I will concentrate my efforts. Besides, my chopper there is within range of the base THE HIVE, where they have a PB and 2-3 missiles. Just waiting to complete a prototype fusion chopper so I can upgrade.

2220 to John.