ACDG5: The Wardroom

[vyeh]

Actually, with the repositioning of workers 50/50 yields 22 labs/18 credits and 60/40 yields 25 labs/13 credits, which translates to a one turn difference in research. Is it worth 25 credits to research Nonlinear Mathematics in 5 years rather than 6 years? 25 credits will rush a plasma hoverboat saving one turn.

It makes sense to rush East. If we rush now, we'll end up with a pop. 2 base and 2 nutrients in reserve. If we wait until East has pop. 3, we will end up with a pop. 2 base and 4 nutrients.

BEFORE ENDING TURN:

(1) Switch to 60% labs/40% economy.

(2) Rush East CP for 34 credits.

BETWEEN 2127 AND 2128:

(3) See if you can spot the Believing plasma hoverboat.

(4) East will build CP. Switch to former.

FOR 2128:

(5) One HQ former droid moves 1 sq. NE (to build forest for Drydock crawler).

(6) Other HQ former droid moves 1 sq. NW, 2 sq. NE.

(7) Seaview gun foil moves 1 sq. N, 1 sq. NW, 2 sq, W (trolling for mindworms).

(8) Seaview recon rover explores in northerly direction.

(9) Undamaged Drydock gun foil explores eastern coast.

(10) Damaged Drydock gun foil rests.

(11) East former droid builds road.

(12) BRCM recon rover moves 1 sq. S.

(13) Plasma sentinels remain in place guarding former.

(14) Drydock plasma hoverboat moves to Sunken City and investigates.

(15) Eastern South gun foil heads in southwesterly direction.

(16) Western South gun foil moves 1 sq. NE and then moves to explore black squares and east.

(17) Rush Drydock plasma hoverboat for 22 credits (full payment).

[vyeh]

BEFORE ENDING 2128:

(1) Contact Morgan and see if he'll trade any techs.

BETWEEN 2128 AND 2129:

(2) Look for Believing plasma hoverboat.

(3) Drydock will produce plasma hoverboat. Rush next plasma hoverboat for 25 credits (full payment).

FOR 2129:

(4) Drydock plasma hoverboat (at Drydock) moves toward Sunken City.

(5) Drydock plasma hoverboat (at Sunken City) moves 1 sq. W, 1 sq. NW and holds.

(6) South gun foils head toward He Walks on Water (they will go past that base to explore).

(7) Undamaged Drydock gun foil continues to explore (note it is too far to pop pod this turn; we want it to have 3 movement points just before popping pod in case there is a mindworm).

(8) Seaview recon rover heads south to explore our continent.

(9) East plasma sentinels and colony pod move 1 sq. N (it is more important to protect colony pod than former).

(10) BRCM recon rover moves 3 sq. W and investigates monolith to heal.

(11) HQ former on monolith moves 2 sq. E, 1 sq. SE (will build solar collector).

(12) HQ former SE of HQ builds road (later it will build forest).

(13) Seaview gun foil moves 2 sq. E, 1 sq. S, 1 sq. SE (so it will end up next to the expansion site).

(14) Damaged Drydock gun foil rests.

Note:

I propose naming the East expansion base site "Suez" since it links the Freshwater Sea to the outside ocean.

[Nahkrinoth]

1 lab for 3 credits sounds expensive. What's a good spending ratio on labs? 1 credit for 1 lab?

[vyeh]

Depends on what else you can do with those credits. Since we're popping pods, we have a surplus of credits. What is the best use of the surplus?

[Nahkrinoth]

Formers and colony pods!

Also, if our recon rover gets to elite status I'm naming him Rick.

[vyeh]

We'll see about building and rushing more formers. For that jungle site, we need to clear one fungus square. With that site exposed to the Believers and Spartans, we'll want a road between it and the rest of our bases.

[Nahkrinoth]

Let's call up Deidre and Morgan and get some tech.

[Bodissey]

Deirdre and Morgan are trying to complete the Virtual World. This means a "no" to any tech exchange before this project is achieved.
And I expect Deirdre to ask us to join her war against the Hive, something we do not want. Our reply would upset her.

[vyeh]

Lt. Bodissey, could you add a screenshot to your report?

BEFORE ENDING 2129:

(1) Rush HQ Recycling Tanks for 38 credits (full payment).

(2) Rush East former for 22 credits (full payment).

BETWEEN 2129 AND 2130:

(3) Look for Believing plasma hoverboat.

(4) HQ will build Recycling Tanks. Change to Network Node (will boost labs by 3).

(5) East will build formers. Change production to colony pod.

(6) Drydock will build plasma hoverboat. Rush next plasma hoverboat for 25 credits (full payment).

FOR 2130:

(7) Contact Morgan (Virtual World should have been built). Try to trade for Planetary Networks.

(8) Contact Deidre. Try to trade for Ethical Calculus and any other tech.

(9) Drydock plasma hoverboat at Drydock moves toward Sunken City.

(10) Drydock plasma hoverboat between Drydock and Sunken City moves to southernmost monolith and investigates (this one will go to South to escort sea colony pod).

(11) BRCM recon rover moves 2 sq. E, 2 sq. S, 1 sq.SE and continues exploring the south.

(12) East former droid 1 sq. SE of East builds solar collector.

(13) East former moves 1 sq. SE and builds solar collector.

(14) East colony pod builds "Suez."

(15) Change production of Suez to 1-1-1 scout.

(16) Re-home East plasma sentinel to Suez and hold.

(17) Suez former droid 1 sq. S of Suez attempts to move 2 sq. N.

(18) Seaview gun foil moves 1 sq. SE (into Suez) and 1 sq. E into the open sea!

(19) Seaview recon rover moves 3 sq. S, 1 sq. SW (will explore around South).

(20) Undamaged Drydock pops pod (set Suez production to 0-3t-4 Trance Sea Former in case of materials pod) and move NE (will go into Spartan waters to get those pods). Put Suez back to scout if no material pod.

(21) Rest damaged Drydock gun foil.

(22) South gun foils move toward the waters NE of He Walks on Water.

Notes:

(1) Now that the Virtual World is complete, we may be able to get Planetary Networks.

(2) Even if Deidre is upset about us not joining in her vendetta against the Hive, our relationship is good enough that she shouldn't break the pact.

(3) The damaged Drydock gun foil will have full movement points next turn. It will continue the mission of exploring the waters between us and Morgan.

(4) Seaview gun foil will travel to Sunken City for promotion and then go to Spartan waters.

(5) The undamaged Drydock gun foil will go into Spartan waters and beyond (the sooner we get those pods the better).

[vyeh]

I'm calling for a vote on entering into a vendetta with the Hive, which is in a vendetta with our pact mate Deidre.

I'd recommend against entering into a vendetta so that we can finish exploring the Hive waters with our gun foils.

[vyeh]

When ImageShack is responding, can you insert the screenshot for 2129?

So Morgan wants us to research Advanced Military Algorithms. And Deidre gifted us Advanced Military Algorithms.

We should go back to Morgan after he researches Gene Splicing in two turns and see if we can make a trade.

Democratic
- support only 1 unit
- no free minerals for new bases
- growth rate +20%
- 40 credits upheaval cost

Planned
- inefficiency will reduce us from 14 credits/11 turns research to 12 credits/13 turns research
- growth rate + 20%
- minerals - 10% (good)
- 40 credits upheaval cost

Power
- support 4 units
- +1 morale (+ 2 on defence)
- mineral + 20% (bad)
- 40 credits upheaval cost

Note: if we change to two of the above in the same turn, the upheaval cost is 135. For all three, it is 320.

Since we only have 20 credits right now, we can't switch social models this turn.

Children's Creche
- costs 50 minerals and 1 credit/year
- + 2 growth
- + 2 efficiency

Punishment Sphere
- costs 100 minerals and 2 credits/year
- no drones or talents
- reduces lab production by 50%

Hologram Theatre
- costs 60 minerals and 3 credits/year
- reduces drones by 2
- increases psych by 50%

We don't need punishment sphere or hologram theatre right now. Human Genome Project plus garrison plus recreation commons will give a size 4 base 1 talent, 2 workers and 1 drone even if the base starts out with 4 drones. Our largest base is size 3.

Children's Creche is a possibility with the greater growth rate and efficiency. However, I think there are better builds in HQ, East and Suez (the only bases with 10 or less minerals accumulated).

So we can continue the turn and discuss social engineering and children's creche for future turns.

FOR 2130:

(1) In design workshop, select 7. Plasma Hoverboat. Add deep radar special ability to produce Plasma Coastal. Hit Apply. Upgrade all future Plasma Hoverboats to Plasma Coastal.

(2) Still in design workshop, select 1. Plasma Sentinels. Add hypnotic trance special ability to produce Trance Plasma Sentinels. Hit Done.

(3) Drydock plasma hoverboat at Drydock moves toward Sunken City.

(4) Drydock plasma hoverboat between Drydock and Sunken City moves to southernmost monolith and investigates (this one will go to South to escort sea colony pod).

(5) BRCM recon rover moves 2 sq. E, 2 sq. S, 1 sq.SE and continues exploring the south.

(6) East former droid 1 sq. SE of East builds solar collector.

(7) East former moves 1 sq. SE and builds solar collector.

(8) East colony pod builds "Suez."

(9) Change production of Suez to 1-1-1 scout.

(10) Re-home East plasma sentinel to Suez and hold.

(11) Suez former droid 1 sq. S of Suez attempts to move 2 sq. N.

(12) Seaview gun foil moves 1 sq. SE (into Suez) and 1 sq. E into the open sea!

(13) Seaview recon rover moves 3 sq. S, 1 sq. SW (will explore around South).

(14) Undamaged Drydock pops pod (set Suez production to 0-3t-4 Trance Sea Former in case of materials pod) and move NE (will go into Spartan waters to get those pods). Put Suez back to scout if no material pod.

(15) Rest damaged Drydock gun foil.

(16) South gun foils move toward Great Zion.

(17) Move BRCM worker from 1 sq. NW of BRCM to 1 sq. N of BRCM (for an additional nutrient).

Notes:

(1) The damaged Drydock gun foil will have full movement points next turn. It will continue the mission of exploring the waters between us and Morgan.

(2) Seaview gun foil will travel to Sunken City for promotion and then go to Spartan waters.

(3) The undamaged Drydock gun foil will go into Spartan waters and beyond (the sooner we get those pods the better).

(4) I think Network Node is the best build for HQ. It will produce 3 labs for a cost of 1 credit. Children's Creche would increase growth rate by 20% (it wouldn't do anything for efficiency because headquarter bases don't have inefficiency). A former would help in our expansion. A colony pod wouldn't have the support of a former to build a road toward the expansion site.

(5) I think colony pod is the best build for East. I'm looking at the river square bordering on the open sea 3 sq. from Suez for the next expansion site. After that, the jungle square on the northern border that Lt. Nahkrinoth wants.

(6) We can upgrade our existing plasma hoverboats to plasma coastals for 20 credits each.

(7) We can upgrade our existing plasma sentinel to a trance plasma sentinel for 20 credits.

[vyeh]

Could I still have a screenshot for 2129 for historical purposes?

BEFORE ENDING 2130:

(1) Change production in Suez back to scout.

BETWEEN 2130 AND 2131:

(2) Be on the lookout for the Believing plasma hoverboat.

(3) Drydock builds plasma coastal. Change to former. (We're discovering Nonlinear Mathematics next turn. Besides, if we're going to popboom, we need more terraforming.

(4) Suez builds scout patrol. Change to Recycling Tanks.

FOR 2131:

(5) Suez former droid builds road.

(6) Suez plasma sentinel moves 1 sq. N and protects former droid.

(7) Suez scout patrol holds.

(8) Seaview gun foil goes to Sunken City (for promotion).

(9) Seaview recon rover moves 1 sq. SW, 1 sq. S, 1 sq. W, 1 sq. S (to explore territory around South).

(10) HQ former droid plants forest.

(11) BRCM recon rover moves 1 sq. W, 1 sq. E.

(12) BRCM former builds solar collector.

(13) Drydock plasma coastal (at Drydock) moves toward Sunken City.

(14) Drydock plasma hoverboat between Drydock and Sunken City goes to middle monolith and investigates.

(15) Drydock plasma coastal on south monolith heads to South to meet the sea colony pod.

(16) South gun foils head toward The Lord's Gift.

(17) Undamaged Drydock gun foil goes toward Spartan waters to pop pods and explore.

(18) Damaged Drydock gun foil goes to Morgan Distribution (to fully heal).

[vyeh]

Lt. Bidissey has asked for a debate.

(1) probe team capability. We can build
(a) infantry probe teams. These cost 20 minerals and are useful for defending a base from probing.
(b) standard probe teams (speeder chassis). These cost 30 minerals and are useful in a military campaign.
(c) probe foils. These cost 50 minerals.

I don't see much use in (b). There is some use in probe defenders for bases that are close to the enemy. At this point, that is Drydock and to a limited extent Suez. Probe foils are a major investment. Infiltration is important. I would recommend that South or North build one and we use it to infiltrate the Believers and the Spartans.

(2) AAA - there is not much point until we are dealing with an AI with aircraft.

(3) Deep radar - I like this. It is free for the plasma hoverboats. It allows our units to see further (it also allows units to see into adjacent fungus squares). We can upgrade existing plasma hoverboats for 20 credits.

(4) Power - Only Drydock is supporting four or more units. The 20% mineral penalty would hurt. I'm not in favor of Power at this stage.

(5) Democratic - I think it is too early. We lose one free unit of support and the ten free minerals a new base gets.

(6) Planned - This might be worthwhile since our bases will grow faster and produce quicker. We might be able to compensate for the research hit by building children's creche and network nodes.

(7) Children's Creche - eventually we'll want creche for popbooming. They also give a growth bonus and the efficiency gain might pay for their upkeep and contribute a lab.

(8) Punishment Sphere - I don't see it as useful at this point.

(9) Hologram Theatres - I don't see it useful until one of our bases is on the verge of going to size 5.

Once we have enough ships to protect us (I think 4 is the minimum, 2 to blockade the Believers, one to blockade the Spartans and one to destroy terraforming around Sparta Central and transports) we should be thinking about where we want bases before we start popbooming, we should have plenty of formers (2 per base), and children's creches.

[Nahkrinoth]

Let's build a forest next to Drydock so it's crawler can get off of the monolith and let a worker have it.

After South finishes that sea colony pod it should make a sea former. Our sea former that's about to be built is landlocked.

We don't have to colonize that jungle yet, but it's in a good spot strategically as a forward base near the Spartans and it'll grow just fine.

[Nahkrinoth]

I think going Planned is a good idea. We could use the growth and minerals.