ACDG6: Operations

[vyeh]

The captain of the GPS Lucky was unsuccessful in finding a materials pod and hoped you will be satisfied with a resupply pod containing manufacturing supplies worth 100 energy credits.

He was very concerned about his ship being renamed "Flotsam." He said his crew is very superstitious.

We have the following decisions to make:

(1) How do we spend the credits?

(a) We should go planned. We have enough credits to rush recreation commons at 2 bases. We can use doctors at other bases to keep them from rioting and to stop their growth.

(b) We should consider spending credits to hurry probe teams.

(c) Once we're in a state of pop boom, we should consider building another colony pod to take advantage of the nutrient bonus forest and river to the east of Purini.

(d) We want to hurry a missile (A2) squad prototype when we discover military know-how next year.

(e) Do we want to build a missile foil at Genesis (20 minerals; same as a gun foil)?

(2) With our probe team on a river and nothing currently between it and the Templar base, should we go for infiltration or tech theft? I believe that infiltration is automatic, although we might lose the probe team. The chance of tech theft will not be good since we are at -2 probe.

I believe we have to pop boom since growth is our faction's advantage over the other factions. Since Cytosino is in the middle of the jungle, we should be able to grow it to size 5 once we build a recreation commons. Uracil can also achieve size 5 with a recreation commons.

Growth at Cytosino and Uracil will increase mineral production, which will allow more formers, which will allow us to have jungle forests (2-2-1), which will further increase mineral and energy production.

[Hydro]

GPS Lucky it is!! That little foil is the best investment Genesis has made, and a terrific explorer.

Energy allocation: Planned for 40 credits, followed by rushing RCs at bases with high growth and/or subject to riots due to low efficiency or # bases seems like an energy good allocation. Obviously we’d do planned first to take advantage of the industry bonus. I’m not sure I’d rush military units (which is more expensive than facilities, as I recall) unless we truly must do so. If there is some left over, having a bankroll is not a bad idea.

Pop boom: We should pop boom ASAP, allocating resources to keep stability up as we go. This alone will massively increase our resources production, which is a major long term advantage.

Future techs: Considering that we will soon be in pop boom so growth/development isn’t an issue I think we should shoot for High Intensity Laser (A4) and its prerequisite Fission Reactor (speeder).

Unit construction: I’d like to see a few missile infantry built, as we can. They aren’t very expensive, and right now my major concern would be the increasing support costs against our production. An extra offensive probe and defensive probe is a good idea, too. Note that because of the pop boom and the Jungle that a rec tanks isn’t as critical, but it would be nice to have. I think there are other priorities right now. I’d like to see at least 1 former per base.

Probe actions: Infiltration first since information is power. If the probe survives then send it to another base to steal tech. Building another probe and defensive probes is a good idea and should rank pretty highly in our priority list.

[vyeh]

Since SMAniaC allows for free switching between facilities and units, we'd set the base to a facility, buy the number of minerals we want and then switch to the military unit.

Once we switch to planned, we'll be in a pop boom, since we already have anthropocentric and hatcheries (children's creches) in every base.

We might also want to consider industrial base, for kevlar armor (D2), mines and the lifting of mineral restrictions. (There is this nice bonus mineral on a rocky square next to Cytosino -- a road and mine would turn it into a 1-7-0 and Cytosino is on a jungle so it can afford to work that square and still grow!)

The fission reactor gives us artillery, speeders and command centers.

Let's make prototyping the missile (A2) infantry a priority as soon as we discover military know-how.

In addition to missile infantry, we may also want to consider some scouts to help support our ogre. It just ran into some colony pods.

For the first tech we steal, we can go back to the base we infiltrate. It is only when we attempt to steal a second tech from a base that the odds drop.

I agree with building another offensive probe. Given that a defensive probe cost 2 mineral rows and a standard probe cost 3 mineral rows (and our mineral rows will only be 9 minerals under planned), it might make more sense to build a third standard probe for the greater flexibility.

My thought would be to spend 40 credits for planned, and create doctors in all the size 2 bases. Next year, when Cytosino and Uracil are size 2, we can decide whether it makes sense to hurry recreation commons or to create a doctor in them. We'll also want to hurry a missile (A2) prototype at Cytosino.

Once we have the missile prototype, we'll probably want to send it to the monolith for promotion. Then send it along with a scout to deal with the new base (after infiltration, we'll know if that is enough).

I hope we will have enough credits to buy recreation commons for both Cytosino and Uracil (there are enough 2-1-0 and 2-0-0 squares around for both bases to reach size 5) and prototype the missile infantry. We may consider moving the SE slider to produce more credits.

We will be able to get some research from probing the Templars.

While I'd like to have more formers, it may make more sense to build probe teams, missile infantry and scouts. Because of the river 2 sq. NW of Cytosino, we're in a good position to take that Templar base with one or two missile infantry and a scout after we've infiltrate that base and attempted to steal a tech (if the probe team survived infiltration).

Meanwhile, the ogre and scout (with perhaps a second scout and a probe team) can stir things up and split any Templar reinforcements.

[Hydro]

Remember that we'll likely get Resonance Armor (A2r) from the Templar, so Ind Base (A2) may be less important.

It would be good if we could meet another faction and trade tech. I'm suspicous the AIs have already done so, giving them a big lead. If you're late to that game you have nothing to trade.

Hydro

[Hydro]

I see that there are two Templar CPs on a rocky tile near the BO, scout and probe team.

We need to till them. Is there any chance our scout would not to win against an undefended CP on a rocky tile? I don't think so...

[vyeh]

The two Templar colony pods are on rolling tile. In SMAniaC, elevation matters. The scout is fighting downhill so it gets a 25% bonus. The colony pods are noncombat units so they get a -50% penalty. The scout is disciplined so there is no morale bonus or penalty. So the odds are 1.25 - .5 * colony pod morale factor. Worst case, the colony pod is elite, in which case, the odds are 1.25 - 1.

[vyeh]

Tech Choice between MY 2129 and MY 2130

Between 2129 and 2130, we will discover Military Know-how.

We started with Biogenetics.

We will have researched Centauri Ecology, The Exowomb, Polymorphic Software, Renewable Energy Sources and Military Know-how.

We received from Delan Centauri Hydrology and Information Networks.

We recovered from a data pod social psych.

What are our choices for the next tech?

Which techs do we have the research prerequisites for?

Tech (Conquer/Discover/Build/Explore) t

Long Range Missiles (C) 8
The Fission Reactor (E) 22
Military Doctrine (C) 43
Industrial Base (B) 45
Secrets of the Human Brain (D) 48
Gene Splicing (B) 49
Ecological Engineering (E) 60
Progenitor Psych (E) 78

Following the procedure:

n = 9
s = 1
b = 1 (biogenetics; getting a tech in return for a demand does not count as a trade)

Tech (Conquer/Discover/Build/Explore) t, n + t + s - b

Long Range Missiles (C) 8, 17
The Fission Reactor (E) 22, 31
Military Doctrine (C) 43, 52
Industrial Base (B) 45, 54
Secrets of the Human Brain (D) 48, 57
Gene Splicing (B) 49, 58
Ecological Engineering (E) 60, 69
Progenitor Psych (E) 78, 87

The joker tech is the Explore tech nearest the beginning of the list, the fission reactor.

Since industrial base, secrets of the human brain, ecological engineering and progenitor psych have values of t+n+s-b that is divisible by 3, they will not be available.

So we will be asked to choose from (ordering by ascending explore techs, then ascending discover techs, then ascending build techs and finally ascending conquer techs) the fission reactor, gene splicing, long-range missiles and military doctrine.

[vyeh]

The Ghost colony pod has moved north.

The 2 Templar colony pods have moved north east into the base at (0,28).

A mindworm has appeared next to our recently promoted scout.

This is our best opportunity to gain some planet pearls despite our abysmal (-3 planet) circumstances. The scout has been promoted. The mindworm is a hatchling. The scout is on a monolith so if it is severely damaged, it can repair in one year.

There is another scout that can move to block the mindworm from the base in the event the first scout loses.

Since the scout is the cheapest unit we have, it seems worth the risk (and if we don't attack the mindworm, the mindworm will attack us and we won't have the +50% bonus for being on attack; on the other hand, we won't have the -45% penalty for -3 planet).

[Maniac]

Why has the unity pod on (56.40) never been popped?

Also, are there any plans for the scout on (3.37)? It could go pop the pod on (8.40). You never know the Ghost pod heads in that direction.

[vyeh]

Hydro preferred waiting to establish a base nearby (to eliminate mindworms) before popping the pod.

We could use another scout to help the battle ogre. If we push the scout currently at Cytosino north, the scout on (3.37) could replace that scout. If Hydro doesn't have any problems, I don't have any problems with sending the scout at (3.37) out for further exploration.

[Hydro]

I'm generally shy about popping pods. Now that we are Anthro (-3 Planet) I'm even more leary with worms since attacking them is about 50-50. Popping a pod and getting a lot can wreck our bases and destroy a lot. Even one worm (which we see now) can cause problems.

For the lone worm, we may want to retreat to the base and see if the worm goes after the Ghost CP. Did this worm randomly generate or perhaps it was stirred up when something tried to move through? Regardless, it shows we need to be careful around fungus, and planting forests is the best defense.

More scouts are OK since we'll be pop booming, getting us more resources. They are good for exploring (which we need to do), supporting our BO, and giving us interlocking defense against worms and Bad Guys.

Hydro

[vyeh]

I think retreating is much too timid. Since the scout has been promoted by the monolith and the mindworm is a hatchling (equivalent to green), the odds are slightly in our favor (the -45% from the -3 planet is slightly more than offset by the +50% psi land attack advantage and the scout is hardened, +1 morale from anthropocentric and + 1 morale from the monolith, while the mindworm is as weak as they come).

If the scout is severely damaged, it spends another turn at the monolith and is fully recovered. If it loses, the adjacent scout can be moved onto the monolith. Meanwhile, the scout at Cytosino can be moved to Uracil to prevent the mindworm from moving into Uracil via the fungus (one of the formers will be moving into Cytosino this year so Cytosino will not be undefended).

If we defeat the mindworm, we get 10 credits and a possible promotion. If we don't, we're protected.

The chances that the mindworm will go after the Ghost CP when there is a nearby base seems remote (it won't be any more than 50%).

The mindworm came from the fungus to the west of the mindworm's current location. U doubt it was stirred up by another faction's unit.

I don't think it is a good idea to leave the mindworm running around. It will tie down at least two units (one to garrison Uracil and another to counterattack if the first unit is lost).

I don't see much advantage to the mindworm attacking the Ghost CP. It would free up a mineral for the Ghost and the mindworm might get a promotion and then harass Mutatio.

Note: we're only earning 7 credits per year, so 10 credits from planet pearls is significant.

[Hydro]

We need to be somewhat careful on using the Monolith for promotions and repair. There is a small chance it will dissapear each time it is used.

What I don't want to see is an attack on the MW without backup in case it fails. If we have a scout that can protect the base then fine. Otherwise hold off.

When running Anthro trance is very useful, as is empath. Those techs currently aren't in our near future, unfortunately.

Hydro

[vyeh]

The chance of the monolith disappearing only occurs on promotion, not on repair (there is no script for repair and the monolith disappearing, only for promotion and disappearing).

We have two scouts that can move into Uracil. Besides the other scout that is adjacent to Uracil, the scout at Cytosino can also move into Uracil (and one of the formers will protect Cytosino).

[vyeh]

Several opportunities arose this year:

(1) We gained 20 credits from the planetpearls. We now have a total of 79 credits. I think we should hurry a recreation commons at Cytosino. Where do we want to prototype the missile (A2) squad?

(2) We've identified the two Templar bases that we inferred from the borders, Faralia and Aurora.

(3) We've infiltrated the Templar and our probe team returned to Cytosino. I believe we should build a second probe team and send the two probe teams to Faralia and Aurora to steal tech. The following are Templar techs we do not have: high intensity lasers, the fission reactor and field modulation.

(4) Faralia currently has one missile squad (with a second in production) and 2 colony pods. We have the forces to capture it over three turns.

(5) Mutatio explorer discovered a Unity pod. Should we investigate it? (There is a defender at Uracil in case it is a mindworm.)

We still need to either build recreation commons or create doctors in Cytosino and Uracil.

Genesis could build a scout for next year. And Purini has more than 10 minerals. How about the following builds:

(1) Genesis builds a scout for next year.

(2) Purini hurries a probe team for next year.

(3) Cytosino hurries a recreation commons for next year.

Alternatively, we could prototype a missile squad at Purini or at Cytosino (but then Cytosino would take 4 years to accumulate 10 minerals).

Current power graph: