ACDG5: The Wardroom

[vyeh]

Good job on diplomacy. Congratulations on the diplomatic pact with the Gaians!

Could you edit your report to include the map the Gaians gave us?

Note that we are now producing 19 labs/12 credits per turn. If the slider were at 50%/50%, we would be producing 17 labs/15 credits.

So the trade off between labs and credits is 2 labs for 3 credits.

From Deidre's map, we know where the Hive and Gaians are. We can infer that the University is located in the unknown area of the map.

BETWEEN 2125 AND 2126:

(1) Zoom out so you can see both the Believing plasma hoverboat and the Spartan laser squad. See where Spartan laser squad goes. Since we have units near the Spartan, I'm not worried about losing track of this unit.

(2) See where Beliving plasma hoverboat goes. Keep your eyes sharp. If this one gets out of range of our gun foil, it will stop appearing on the map.

FOR 2126:

(3) Move damaged South gun foil to monolith and investigate.

(4) HQ (independent) former droids move 1 sq. SE and plant forest (this is for South's second worker).

(5) HQ crawler 1 sq. W of HQ moves to 3 sq. NW of HQ and waits.

(6) North crawler 1 sq. S of North moves to 1 sq. W of HQ and crawls 2 min for North.

(7) HQ crawler 2 sq. SE of North with 1 movement point moves to North, re-homes, moves 1 sq. S of North and crawls 2 min for North.

(8) HQ crawler 2 sq. SE of North with 1/3 movement point crawls 2 min for HQ.

(9) Seaview recon rover moves 3 sq. E and 1 sq. N.

(10) BRCM recon rover remains 2 sq. away from Spartan laser squad (if laser squad has moved away, move 2 square; if it hasn't moved, move 1 square; if it has moved closer, remain at current location; we don't want to contact laser squad until we have both recon rovers and plasma sentinels concentrated).

(11) East plasma sentinels move 1 sq. N.

(12) BRCM former moves 1 sq. NW (to prep a square for BRCM's second worker).

(13) Seaview gun foil moves 1 sq. S and moves so it ends up next to the Spartan laser squad if possible (we want to keep an eye on the Spartan laser squad's movements).

(14) Undamaged North gun foil moves in an easterly direction.

(15) Damaged North gun foil rests.

(16) Westernmost South gun foil moves 1 sq. W, then 1 sq. SW (to uncover every possible unexplored square).

(17) Move East worker to farmed canyon square.

(18) Hurry Recreation Commons at HQ for 38 energy credits (full payment; otherwise we'd have to turn a worker into a doctor to avoid a drone riot).

(19) Rename North to "Drydock."

Notes:

(1) Remember pod popping rules.

(2) Between turns, if you look close enough, you can see AI units moving.

(3) In moves (5) - (8), the three crawlers switch places to enable one HQ crawler to re-home to North. Note the same crawler is involved in moves (5) and (8).

(4) In moves (9) and (11), we're moving up two units to join the unit closest to the Spartan. In move (10), we want the forward unit to end up 2 sq. away from the Spartan. If it ended up next to the Spartan without being stacked with the plasma sentinels, the Spartan could attack at 2-1 odds.

(5) The Seaview gun foil wants to end up next to the Spartan. Since it is a sea unit, the Spartan can't attack it. It is an observer.

(6) The westernmost South gun foil can reveal more squares by going to the limit of its movement. Depending on elevation, it can see up to two squares inland.

(7) The farmed canyon square SE of East is a 2-2-0 square, which is as good as the freshwater mineral bonus nutrient.

(8) We need to hurry the recreation commons at HQ or change a worker to a doctor because HQ will increase in size. HQ already has a drone at size 2 even with a garrison and the Human Genome Project. At size 3, it will have two drones, which will put cause a drone riot.

[vyeh]

Take a look at Gaia's landing. For some reason, Deidre switched from a secret project to a synthmetal.

Does Yang have combat troops nearby?

Should we give Deidre High Energy Chemistry or should we save it for a later trade for either Planetary Networks or Ethical Calculus?

[vyeh]

Techs the Gaians have that we don't: Ethical Calculus, Planetary Networks, Centauri Empathy, Gene Splicing, Advanced Military Algorithms

Techs that we have the Gaians don't: High Energy Chemistry

Techs Morgan has that we don't: Planetary Networks, Industrial Automation

Techs we have that Morgan doesn't: High Energy Chemistry, Optical Computers

Morgan is currently researching Ethical Calculus; Deidre is not currently researching anything (I guess she was researching Industrial Economics, which we just gave to her).

With Deidre and Morgan as pact mates, I suggest that after The Virtual World is built, we will try to trade for Planetary Networks and Ethical Calculus. If we can get those by trade, how do you guys feel about Supercondutor? It would give us Gatling lasers (weapons strength 5).

As far as future diplomacy, I would like to pursue a pact with Zakharov, although as the leader in everything but Wealth (that belongs to Morgan), it might be tough.

If we can get Planetary Networks, we'll be in a position to probe other factions for more techs.

If we get Planetary Networks and Ethical Calculus, we can go for a pop boom.

Areas we need to balance: military production (plasma hoverboats), colonization, former production, facilities production (recycling tanks, recreation commons).

[Nahkrinoth]

I'd like to rename North to Drydock.

How many boats do we need patrolling the channel for transports?

I'd like to get that sea colony pod at South done as soon as possible(right on the turn that it grows) so we can start extending our sea power.

I'd rather not give Deidre tech for free especially when she already has such a tech lead over us.

Superconductor is fine. Consider Gene Splicing for the nutrients cap.

[vyeh]

We need two boats to block the Believers, one at Judgment Seat and the other at the south channel to block of He Walked on Water.

We need at least a pair of boats patrolling the Spartans.

The South pod will be expensive to rush early. Keep in mind that it will cost roughly 25 credits per plasma hoverboat if we want to spend one turn per hoverboat rather than two turns.

[Nahkrinoth]

Those boats are more important than a slightly earlier sea colony pod.

All of our bases are small. If Morgan won't trade for Industrial Automation we need to steal it for crawlers. We need to pop boom as soon as we can too.

[vyeh]

I did the calculation for North:

There is currently 13 minerals accumulated. South will grow to pop. 2 in two turns and will have accumulated 27 minerals, leaving 43 minerals.

The cost to hurry 43 minerals is 43 * (2 + 43/20) = 43 * (4.15) = 178.45. So it will cost 179 credits to fully rush it. Assume we don't rush the last 9 minerals, it will still cost (34/43) * 179 = 142 credits to rush it. Note that it cost 4.15 credits per mineral. Compare that to the 4 credits per mineral it would have cost us to complete the Human Genome Project.

South is currently producing 7 minerals per turn. We're planting a forest; in two turns South will be producing 9 minerals per turn. So it will produce 45 minerals in 5 turns after it has gone to population 2.

Turn after reaching pop 2/Minerals left/Cost to full hurry/cost to partially hurry

1/43/179/142
2/34/126/93
3/25//82/53
4/16/45/20
5/7/17/-

To save 1 turn, it would cost 20 credits; 2 turns 53 credits; and 3 turns 93 credits.

To pop boom we need Planetary Networks and Ethical Calculus. We'll need to have formers to prep the squares. We need to have garrisons, recreation commons, hologram theatres to help with drone control. We need to have children's creches in every base.

I don't think it is a good idea to steal techs from our pact brother. I see our pacts as very valuable.

[Bodissey]

We might want to partially rush the plasma hoverboat in Drydock (formerly known as North). It would cost us a mere 16 credits.

[vyeh]

Good suggestion about hurrying the Plasma Hoverboat.

BEFORE ENDING 2126:

(1) Hurry Plasma Hoverboat at Drydock for 16 credits.

BETWEEN 2126 AND 2127:

(2) Keep an eye on Sunken City and see if you can spot the Believing Plasma Hoverboat.

(3) HQ will build Recreation Commons. Switch to Recycling Tanks.

(4) Drydock will build plasma hoverboat. Leave on plasma hoverboat.

FOR 2127:

(5) Move Drydock plasma hoverboat toward Sunken City.

(6) South gun foil at Sunken City moves south west (will continue exploring north of He Walked on Water).

(7) East former droid moves 1 sq. NE, attempts to move 1 sq. N.

(8) Spartan welcoming committee advances on Spartan unit.

(9) Seaview gun foil stays close to Spartan unit.

(10) BRCM former cultivates farm.

(11) Undamaged Drydock gun foil explores east coast following our rules.

(12) Damaged Drydock gun foil rests.

(13) Westernmost South gun foil moves 2 sq. E (will continue exploring north of He Walked on Water).

(14) Drydock crawler 1 sq. W of HQ moves 1 sq. E, 1 sq. SW and crawls 2 mins for Drydock.

(15) Drydock crawler 1 sq. S of Drydock moves to 1 sq. W of HQ and crawls 2 mins for Drydock.

(16) HQ crawler 2 sq. SE of Drydock moves into Drydock, re-homes, moves 1 sq. S and crawls 2 min for Drydock.

(17) Move Drydock worker from 2-1-1 square to 2-2-2 monolith.

[vyeh]

Plans for plasma hoverboats:

All will be promoted on Sunken City

(1) First one will blockade Judgment Seat.

(2) Second one will move to South to escort Sea Colony Pod and move to Spartan waters to patrol.

(3) Third one will move to Spartan waters to patrol.

(4) Fourth one will blockade He Walked on Water.

(5) Fifth and sixth one will move to Spartan waters to destroy terraforming.

If Deidre tries to extort us to keep the peace, we should refuse. I expect to lose one recon rover (the one with higher morale), but the second one should finish the Spartan unit off if Deidre declares vendetta.

At end of 2126 turn, all crawlers will be working for North and all North and HQ workers will be working monoliths.

Existing gun foils will move North (after area between us and Morgan has been explored) to explore. We'll want to pass through Spartan waters quickly (we can see if there are still pods where our map says there are).

[Nahkrinoth]

Looks like a solid plan. I would've liked more time to crawl that rec commons at HQ, but we need the hoverboats.

The Spartans are very vulnerable to sea attack.

That jungle on our northern border would make for a nice base.

[vyeh]

We hurried the rec commons when we needed it; it is cheaper to hurry facilities than units, so it makes more sense to augment a base that is producing units than one that is building facilities.

I think destroying terraforming improvements is the way to go. Can a sea base unit destroy a land unit with direct fire? If so, look out Spartan formers!

I'd propose attacking transports and letting the Spartans attack our plasma armor with lasers.

Okay to jungle base, but is there a non-fungus path to it?

[vyeh]

Let's talk to the good colonel.

I see no reason to give in to any demands for energy credits.

If she declares vendetta, then instruction (8) becomes

(8) Welcoming committee gives Spartan unit a Spartan-type welcome.
(a) Seaview gun foil uses long range fire to attack Spartan unit (use long range fire in action menu; there is no risk to gun foil and it might be able to knock off a hit point)
(b) BRCM (hardened) recon rover attacks Spartan unit. (Because it was a prototype unit, it started as a disciplined unit and was promoted to hardened by the monolith; it will have 12.5% better odds than the other recon rover; if it wins, it will have a chance to heal, which the Spartan unit won't.)
(c) If BRCM recon rover loses, Seaview (disciplined) recon rover attacks Spartan unit. (This unit started out as a green unit and was promoted to disciplined by the monolith.)
(d) If both recon rovers lose, East plasma sentinels attacks only if the odds are around 3-1.

I expect to lose one recon rover. We have a hardened unit going after a commando unit. The recon rover is in a rolling or flat square so it will get an attack bonus, so the odds should be close to 1-1. It will cost us only 20 mins to replace the recon rover, so it is a cheap unit and it is well worth 20 mins to clear our next expansion site.

[vyeh]

Due west of our gun foil is land. Do you mean due west of where the gun foil began the year?

90% damaged shows the odds were close to 1-1. Congratulations to the victorious recon rover.

Note at 60/40 we're producing 22 labs/13 credits; at 50/50 we're producing 21 labs/16 credits so an extra lab is costing us 3 credits. Is this worth it?

FOR 2127:

(1) Move South worker on 1-2-1 to 1-2-2 2 sq. W by NW (labs will go from 4 to 5).

(2) Move East worker from 2-2-0 to 1-2-1 forest (labs will go from 2 to 4).

(3) East plasma sentinels remain to guard former.

(4) Seaview recon rover moves 2 sq. N to explore.

(5) Drydock crawler 1 sq. W of HQ moves 1 sq. E, 1 sq. SW and crawls 2 mins for Drydock.

(6) Drydock crawler 1 sq. S of Drydock moves to 1 sq. W of HQ and crawls 2 mins for Drydock.

(7) HQ crawler 2 sq. SE of Drydock moves into Drydock, re-homes, moves 1 sq. S and crawls 2 min for Drydock.

(8) Move Drydock worker from 2-1-1 square to 2-2-2 monolith (labs go from 4 to 5).

[Bodissey]

Yes, at this time I meant one tile west of the gun foil position before its move.
For the social choices, I guess we could change it back to 50/50.