Democracy in Peril (3) - Turn Thread

[Qantaga]

2165 sent to Flubber.

[Flubber]

2166 to tau

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Military communique eastern chopper force to central command

we continue search and destroy missions between Cyborg bases and that of our homeland and our allies. In the past year we destroyed 2 cyborg transports and their cargoes totalling 3 military units and 1 secret agent. Intelligence reports indicate that the cyborgs again have no transport vessels but are building more.

In addition an attack chopper squadron has been dispatched to morganite territory and is just off their coast. After a short period of refit, it will commence active operations at the directions of the Morganites.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Military Communique
To: central command
Re: Operation BEECATCHER

We are pleased to report success in attaining all of our stated objectives in the last attack. Four Hive bases have been liberated and all defenders have been eliminated in a fifth. However we refrained from occupying this base until our flanks are secure.

Also as ordered, elements of the 14th Chopper Squad flew deep into Hive territory to destroy any offensive weapons gathered for a counterattack. We can report that through their efforts the Hive will be unable to mount a counterattack in the coming year but, unfortunately, the chopper squad was lost

[Tau Ceti]

2166 to Qantaga.

Flubber, no, and apparently neither does the fact that the council has been called (although that lets me see all the AI's borders. Hopefully the drop unit itself will establish contact.

Good news on the war. Looks like the game is pretty much over already - which could be considered something of a disappointment.

[Flubber]

Tau i will have to look again but the only problem I saw was that your lands are just outside my drop range-- next turn I will look to see if a quick airbase is sufficient to get to you

It would be something of a disappointment but I won't be too confident until I have more probe defenses in place . But my assessment seems to be similar to yours: if the AI doesn't come up with a suprise pretty fast, this game is pretty much ours

Zak is only 3 turns from pre-sent alg and has all the prereqs for fusion so in 8 turns or so the AI could have fusion. Too bad the Hive won't survive that long

[Qantaga]

2166 sent to Flubber.

Flubber, thanks for the drop unit! It is now hopping its way across your territory and is in Whipsaw Base. It will take a 2-3 more turns to get over near The Hive.

Thanks for D:Mobility. I was given some less than stellar choices as a replacement tech, so I chose RetroEng. That should open up Biomachinery as my next tech choice, so I thought we could make a run for the Cloning Vats.

I was glad to see that Tau was able to choose PreSentAlg.

I am also a little disappointed that the game is virtually over, even though, as Flubber says, there is still a lot of clean up work to do. I feel like I have learned a lot from you both and I was really looking forward to a long-term game where we could experiment with some of the more advanced units and facilities.

If the two of you are interested, perhaps we can ask Googlie to dip into his creative scenario skills and come up with a little stiffer challenge for us.

[Flubber]

2167 to tau

Captured nothing this turn as the Hive has a couple of 8-2-2 rovers too close to the next targets. They are toast next turn as 3+ bases should go down on the next attack. I killed maybe 15 troops with the loss of one helicopter.

Tau, after my attack chopper in your base has a 1 year rest, it will be able to attack as you direct. For example do you want that Spartan base off your coast??



I got notice that the UNi has started the HSA after I hit "turn complete.

Q,

-- 3 turns should be just right to take the capital
-- I would team with you two anytime for any challenge
-- I think we ALL learn all the time from these games where you have infiltration on other players--
-- I was suprised that pretty standard tactics seems to be taking out the AI in short order. The Hive will be down to scraps by 2172. Then I will turn my attention to the UNI as their fast research rate makes them the next threat IMHO-- But I could hit anyone as the Hive has bases close to everybody-- let me know who the next victim should be

[Tau Ceti]

2167 to Qantaga.

That Spartan seabase is not my favourite city in the world, but I also do not particularly want to provoke a war with them. So unless you have a ship or marine nearby to take it as well, leave it there. Sinking any transport you see will be useful though.

[Flubber]

2168 to tau

I took a bunch of Hive cities but goofed -- a Hive probe team managed to subvert back a base I captured. I actually saw the risk too late to prevent the subversion but he also got an 80% damaged chaos chopper (that was one square outside the base). So I anticipate the Hive trying to build a few choppers in the next turn or two

Interestingly I did not think the base in question was even building a probe team at the start of the turn. My recollection may be faulty but I thought i hit at the only base building a probe team causing it to switch to a garrison-- Could the AI have been smart enough to switch elsewhere as well?? Anyway it was disheartening to actually watch a base be subverted back

The AI used its uncanny radar again as well--when i saw the probe risk (after moving most things) I managed to block all but one route to the base at risk-- The probe found it even though one wrong square on the most direct route would have made getting there impossible. Oh well

I don't think it will matter much since they did not get the chopper tech and I should decimate the Hive before they can build any amount of choppers. In fact, next turn, every base they have should be completely emptied of defenders and I am preparing to wipe their 3 puny northern bases as well

[Tau Ceti]

2168 to Qantaga. Fusion power in 7.

[Qantaga]

2168 to Flubber.

Tau, great news on Fusion.

Flubber, the drop unit is in Forward Attack Base and will drop onto the old Hive continent next turn. I am a couple of drops from the front lines. You will need to give me some specific instructions about which base to head for, since I do not have Hive infiltration (although I will be able to see the non-bold base population numbers if they are empty).

Also, the Cyborgs brought another ship into the channel. It came at the end of the turn, so I do not have the exact coordinates, but it should be NNE of UN Equality Village. If you can take it out, I would be grateful.

Also, I am trying to force a fungal "pop" in UN Planetary Trust, so I will let you know if I need any worm help. By the way, I love the name of your "Cheap airpower B4".

[Flubber]

2169 to tau

Q
I killed the cyborg ship plus two units on land. I think finding the Hive base will be quite easy. Look for the only one they have left by the time you get there


I built the HSA on the theory that I am doing the offensive work and am the most likely to get probed. I will target the uni next as well as the consciousness seabases. Q we can coordinate so you can take some of the Uni bases with your unit after you get the Hive one.


Folks, does getting one of us elected supreme leader count as a victory in this scenario -- since if it does, you both could try to trigger immediate pop booms-- ignore pretty much everything else -- while I reduce the opponents pop through conquest--

I believe we could win this thing before 2180 with this method.

While I do like playing with the higher end units, there is little fun or challenge in artificially extending a game against a beaten AI so I am in favour of ending this as soon as possible and perhaps trying some different cjhallenge if you are both up for it

[Qantaga]

Originally posted by Flubber
While I do like playing with the higher end units, there is little fun or challenge in artificially extending a game against a beaten AI so I am in favour of ending this as soon as possible and perhaps trying some different cjhallenge if you are both up for it

I agree completely!

[Tau Ceti]

2169 to Qantaga.

A pop boom is quite unrealistic for me in the short term. My cities need Children's Creche, Hologram Theatre and Tree Farm to achieve it, and Hab Complex to get any benefit. Most cities have some of these, but none have all.

What I could do, though, is build lots of colony pods and make a number of worthless new cities. They will all start at size 3.

It will take quite an advantageous starting position for the AI to put up a strong enough fight to defeat several cooperating human players. Though in the Dune games, set up by DilithiumDad over at ACOL, 2 AIs defeated 5 humans.

[Flubber]

Tau

It actually should not even be that necessary-- PTS boom if you wish but perhaps it makes more sense to send Q some cash so he can boom -- I mean double votes plus 50% is a lot more than you or I could ever do

I am actually rethinking my attack plan -- The uni is building AA defenders so I am thinking it would be easier to take out the consciousness- so I think I will split my forces with half going for the consciousness and half for the uni.


. . . I never really expected the AI to beat us but I did expect them to put up a stiffer challenge

2 beat 5 eh-- now that sounds like a challenge-- maybe you and q play 2 factions each and I play the fifth . . .

[Qantaga]

2169 to Flubber.

I am not too far away from being able to begin a decent boom. I just got my first fungal "pop" this turn, so I am beginning Tree Farms in many bases. Those bases already have Creches and NetNodes (with the Virtual World).

Flubber, the drop unit is ready to move into The Hive if you would kindly empty it out this turn, or let me know when you are ready for me to take it.

I am up for either a Dune game or another 3 humans v. 4 AI if we want Googlie to dip into his imagination to set up a stiffer AI challenge for us.