Advice for SMANiaC Morgan

[Hydro]

Another update.

It is now 2169 and the Templar have now conquered the Peacekeepers. They gave up without a fight. So the Templars control the Republic and Peacekeepers and will be erradicating the Hive (with 2 bases and 6 pop) soon.

My population is stuck less than 20, while the Ghosts and Templar are closing on 30. Running Private/Protectionist means I really can't grow my bases beyond 2 or 3 max without disorder. Most bases produce zero to 2 minerals a turn.

I wonder if trying to energy and tech myself out of my troubles was an error. I have no military at all and don't have any weapons tech even if I had the minerals, so if the Templar show up I'll have to capitulate, too.

Boy, I'm getting pretty gloomy...

Hydro

[Hydro]

MY 2180 update.

The Ghosts are growing like weeds – spreading bases all over the place and then growing fast due to kelp. Ack! Their attitude toward me ranges from seething to noncommittal. The last time I tried to chat he told me to declare vendetta against the Templar or else. I declined, which really set him off. He did allow me to buy Military Know How – my first combat tech! Wheeeee! I also bought the Peacekeeper’s comm. channel, which is also good. At least I kept my friendship treaty with the Ghosts for now, which gets me energy. Let’s hear it for Morgan’s commerce rating when my Eco is +3!

I contacted Lal, got a treaty. He had no tech, so I gifted him Polymorphic Software for his world map. It turns out Lal has 2 bases and is trapped on a peninsula. The Templar have his 3rd base – I know they demanded it because of the dialog MasterBuilder and I are keeping going. So the PKs are boxed – not good for them.

It turns out the Templars only demanded a base from the PKs, but did not subjugate them. That’s good. Yang has lost one of his two base to the Templar, so he’s doomed. The Templar have finished the Weather Paradigm, HGP, and will finish the Command Nexus soon. They are also working on the Energy Grid Project.

As for my Morgan, since my last post I’ve lost 2 more terraformers and a few scouts to worms, am having a base pounded by 2 spoor launchers that I can’t do anything about (until I get another defender there). My population is stuck at ~23 and not likely to go higher – my bases riot at size 3. Anyway, I’m so mineral poor I’m utilizing forests above all else, so growth isn’t a problem anyway. My best base produces 6 minerals (most produce 2 or 3) a turn so it takes forever building anything, and what I do finish I have to rush. So it’s small wonder I have no hope of finishing a Project, although I’ve stared the Polymorphic Defense System (aka Citizens Defense Force).

My only bright spot is that I now KNOW I am nowhere near the Templar, which is good – otherwise one transport full of their 6r-2-1 troopers or 6-1-2 rovers would be able to wipe me out. I build my first 1-2+-1 unit, so at least I have some armor. I’m prototyping a 2-1-2 rover now.

Energy production is pretty good, but without increasing my population I’m not going to get much more. Most of my bases now have rec commons and recycling tanks, which are absolutely necessary for me to grow to size 2 or 3 and have any production. I may have to build holo theatres if I want to grow to size 4, but I don’t have to worry about that for a LONG time.

My strategy is still to Go Green as a counter to the Templar’s conventional strategy. The efficiency of Green will really help, and it may also call of the worms a bit. Capturing worms and particularly IoDs would be great – always a help for someone who is struggling in third place (after the Templar and Ghosts).

A quick summary:
#1: Templar (MasterBuilder) – 34 pop
SE: Unitary Democracy/Subsistence/Junta/Antropocentric
At war with Hive, Ghosts; truce with Morgan; no treaty with PK; Republic submissive
#2: Ghosts (AI) – 44 pop
SE: Unitary Demo/Planned/Technocrat/Frontier
At war with Templar, Hive, PKs (not very friendly, are they?); treaty with Morgan
#3: Morganites (Hydro) – 23 pop
SE: Unitary Demo/Private-Protectionist/Technocrat/Frontier
Treat with Ghosts, Hive, PKs; truce with Templar
31 extra energy a turn; 50.4 tech points, with breakthrough every 9 turns
#4: likely Empaths – no one has met them yet
#5 Peackeepers (AI) – 12 pop (double to 24)
SE: Unity Demo/Planned/Technocrat/Frontier
#6 Republic (AI, submissive to Templar)
I haven’t met them yet
#7 Hive (AI) – 4 pop (1 base left)
SE: Unity Police/Subsistence/technocrat/frontier

Anyway, if anyone is interested my turn is attached. The password is Money. If there are any other suggestions I’d love to hear it!

Hydro

[Hydro]

It's 2199 and I've finally gone Green. Here's a quick summary:

* Yang: 1 pop (almost wiped out by Templar, I gifted them a base); pacted with me
* PKs - 14 pop, treaty with Morgan; about to be smashed by the Templar
* Ghosts - 65 pop, treaty with me, Plantary Governor (I betrayed a deal with the Templar to elect them instead)
* Empaths - 35 pop, in Monsoon Jungle, Pact with me, built CDF
* Templar (other human player) - 47 pop, treaty with me, has build SP, CN, and HGP, the Republic is their slave
* Republic - 7 pop, vendetta with me
* Morgan - 26 pop

I'm still holding the tech lead. All the treaties and Pacts is getting me lots of energy. I'm VERY lucky to keep the treaties, but that may be helped by the fact I am a middle weight power at best.

Now, the problem is that the AIs are NOT building anything other than 1-1-1 defenders and maybe 2-1-1 attackers. They have the tech but don't do anything. This means the Templar simply roll over them. The Templar's next traget is the PKs (who only have 2 bases) and then the Empaths. Once the Templar control the Jungle (currently in the Empath's control) it is all over but the crying.

Through tech trades, Pacts, and purchases I now can see most of the map. My game file is attached, and the password is Money.

I'm not sure what else I can do but Go Green to get natives (and take the edge off the constant worm attacks), build a few more bases now that my efficiency is up due to Green, and get ready for creating trouble for the Templar as they crush the Empaths.

Hydro