ACDG6: Operations

[Hydro]

I don't see much point in contacting the Templar. Our intention is the crush them, right? Accepting a truce (for a price) and then attacking them anyway caries a diplomatic penalty, which at this point we need to be careful about.

For Cha Dawn we may have options. If we call up he (she?) may ask for a truce, with payment to us of course. The next time we call Aki she'll ask us to declare vendetta, which I think we can do without a diplomatic penalty since we're asked to do so by our ally (not quite sure this is correct). Cha Dawn won't trust us afterward, but who cares?

In my experience the Ghosts are highly temperamental so calling them is risky, especially if they are higher on the power chart. We might be able to get a trade treaty (not too likely since they have a -2 eco rating), or maybe trade some tech. Or he could summarily declare war, which could lead to bombarding our coastal improvements or landing of troops. I’d rather not have another war since we’ll be hard pressed against the Templar, much less a random number of Ghost troops by one of our coastal cities (with a scout defender). Note– the AI is typically horrible at sea landings, so after we’re established the threat of a sea invasion is pretty minor.

Lastly, we need to be somewhat careful about trading comm frequencies. As soon as the leading AI has a shot they'll call elections, and I don't think we're in the running to be a contender. But, if we aren’t likely to be a contender for a while then the tactical decision can be reasonably made to sell whatever we can for a decent price. Cash and tech is always a good thing!

Hydro

[vyeh]

I agree there isn't much point in contacting the Templars. We're going to steal their tech anyway. With the two aquatic factions growing like weeds, we have to have the jungle.

Since the Ghosts are highly temperamental and we do not want a fight with them, let's not call them.

I figured the Atlanteans would have gotten Cha Dawn's frequency pretty soon since the Atlanteans are an aquatic power and pretty close to Cha Dawn. So we might as well profit.

[vyeh]

Tech Choice between MY 2131 and MY 2132

Between 2131 and 2132, we will need to choose a tech to research since we acquired The Fission Reactor from the Aki Zeta-5.

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 received from Aki Zeta-5 Industrial Base and The Fission Reactor.

We received from Elevea Ecological Engineering.

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
High Intensity Lasers (C) 17
Military Doctrine (C) 43
Industrial Automation (B) 46
Secrets of the Human Brain (D) 48
Gene Splicing (B) 49
Progenitor Psych (E) 78

Following the procedure:

n = 12
s = 1
b = 1 (the trade with Aki-Zeta 5 hasn't reset the counter)

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

Long Range Missiles (C) 8, 20
High Intensity Lasers (C) 17, 29
Military Doctrine (C) 43, 55
Industrial Automation (B) 46, 58
Secrets of the Human Brain (D) 48, 60
Gene Splicing (B) 49, 61
Progenitor Psych (E) 78, 90

The joker tech is the Explore tech nearest the beginning of the list, progenitor psych. Note that if progenitor psych were not the joker tech, it would not be available since it has a value of n+t+s-b that is divisible by 3.

Since secrets of the human brain has a value of t+n+s-b that is divisible by 3, it 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) progenitor psych, industrial automation, gene splicing, long-range missiles, high intensity lasers and military doctrine.

[vyeh]

We contacted the Cult. They ignored our transmissions.

Cytosino switched production from missile squad (2-1-1) to missile infantry (2-2-1).

[Hydro]

Seeing the full map it is clear the Templar have to go so we can get a decent slice of territory, especially the Jungle. The Jungle plus the land to the southeast should give us enough room to establish an interlocking and productive network of bases.

But would we accept a very small and subservient Templar? If they are too small they are likely to be picked on by the Cyborgs and Angels, and therefore being a constant millstone for diplomacy (and the chance they'd take a base near the Jungle).

We also need to think about our SE objectives since as Maniac mentioned they will define our likely friends and enemies.

After the Templar are largely subdued (e.g. down to two bases) we should consider SPs before the AI scarfs them up. Speaking of which, are any SPs started yet?

Hydro

[vyeh]

A subservient Templar can be a source of trade income and research; we'll see what the situation is. Let's not count our conquests yet!

Our income is so small that we can't afford to switch out of our current pop boom.

The Consciousness have started the rejuvenation vats (human genome project) at Alpha Prime with 9 years to go.

[Hydro]

The penalty for an early war is losing out on early SPs. **sigh**

Subservient factions are only useful occasionally at the Planetary Council. If they are only a base or two they frequently are more trouble then they are worth. Unfortunately there really isn't anywhere for a subservient Templar to expand since they're boxed in by the Cyborgs and Angels. Building them an empire so they're useful is way beyond our capabilities now.

But first thing first. We have to sheath our swords in the beating hearts of our enemies...

[Mart]

I checked 2132 start.

Templars have 2 useful techs, (2r) armor and laser (4). There are 2 probe teams, I guess they can do the steal? And in 5 turns Mechanical Resonance would be for probing, possibly if not delayed.

Bases are relatively close, how about an infantry probe team? 0-1-1, costs only 2 rows, now 18 minerals. The base close to Templar Adonia is like only 2 tiles away, such infantry probe would make attempt the very same turn it is built.

And how about land troop transports? basic 0-1-1 is also only 18 minerals, and I think capacity 2 units! Great stuff for mobility of our military.

[Hydro]

Stealing the Templar blind sounds good to me. Suitable punishment for a war monger. In fact, not having a military is good since that will give them time to get Mech Res in time for us to acquire it!

I think that we will have our hands full building a military to take out the Templar. Once they are secured I'd suggest consolidation (Rec Commons to keep bases stable), getting some basic defenses and reaction groups (like 4-1-2 squads), decide what short of SE we want, and fill out our bases. Remember that we'll have 10 after we absorb the Templar, depending on if a base or 2 isn't destroyed because it is too small (not likely in the Jungle) or we allow them to exist as subjects.

I like infantry probes at sea bases to prevent the Ghosts from using their nasty sea probes against us. In previous games I saw lots of them wandering around, and my sea foils would occasionally defect to the Ghosts. Grrrrr.

SMAniaC transports are more useful than in SMAC since they are faster (spd 4) and carry more units (I think 3 instead of 2). I like shuttling probes around, popping land pods that are by the sea (jump out, then retreat if it is bad), and infiltration as we can.

Choices...

[vyeh]

We don't have to worry about our pactmates fighting each other. They've signed a treaty of friendship.

Too bad about that Atlantean gun foil. Like our gun foil, it was disciplined and it suffers from -3 planet. Since the IoD is a hatchling, we can only surmise that it came from a pod or was generated by the gun foil's movement through fungus. For some reason, the Atlantean gun foil chose to attack the mindworm at less than 2-3 odds.

A couple of build decisions:

(1) Cytosino could build a scout next year if we changed its production.
(2) Mutatio will build formers next year unless we change its production.

A terraforming decision:

(1) After the formers build a road on the bonus mineral near Cytosino, should they continue the road network to Faralia or should they build a mine? A mine would increase the squares production from 3 minerals to 7 minerals.

There is a probe team on its way to Faralia. Once it is there, it can reach any of three Templar bases (it is 2 squares along the road to Adonia; 3 to Sands of Time; and 5 to Illuminatus).

A land transport at Faralia is a good idea.

Let's not count the Templars out prematurely. With the battle ogre, we can hold Faralia, but it will take several turns to prototype laser (A4) unit and then we will be able to upgrade a scout on the front line (with two probe teams and a 100% chance of stealing tech/50% chance of survival, we can get laser as soon as we can move the probe teams to the enemy bases).

During this time, the Templars are building laser units. And in 5 turns they will have mechanical resonance (A6).

Please note that the Ghost sea base, Virtual Ocean, has become a land base.

2131:


2132:


We should consider building a probe team and infiltrating the Ghosts.

[Hydro]

My opinion is that our bases should be producing defenders, missile infantry (2-2-1), or perhaps formers so we can connect our bases. Roads are a priority so our troops (primarily infantry?) can make it to the front in a timely fashion.

We can also accumulate mins so an assumed prototype of Laser comes off the line ASAP.

Stealing tech from the nearest Templar base seems like the way to go as long as there is a clear shot into the base (e.g. we can go in one turn from two tiles away). After we steal the Templar blind we can infiltrate the Ghosts.

Hydro

[vyeh]

The scout at Faralia destroyed the 2 Templar colony pods. The odds were between 6-5 and 5-4. Since the ogre can guard Faralia, the scout was expendable and better than even odds to destroy 2 colony pods risking only a scout is a good deal.

There are two ways for the probe team south of Aurora to approach Aurora to steal tech:
(1) via the Unity pod (2 years) or
(2) via the two rivers (3 years).

The tradeoff is risking a bad pod pop versus an extra year. Which way do you want to go?

[Hydro]

I'm generally a bit risk adverse unless we have a backup plan to deal with worms. If we have a scout or two nearby that can defend bases or if the MWs will go toward Templar holdings then I'm fine with it. The probe is a goner, though. The pod will be popped sometime so the risk of an earthquake (destroying the Jungle, as happened at the Ghost sea and now land base) is neither here nor there.

Good job killing the CPs. That takes out 60 Templar mins (less since the AI gets a big bonus at Transcend), but gives him back support.

[Maniac]

Earthquakes can occur even inside a base radius. At least I remember this occuring to me.

[Maniac]

I would have chosen Industrial Automation as our next tech.
Reason why Gene Splicing strikes me as less important now:
We already have Ecological Engineering, and thus can build condensers. Condensers already automatically ignore the nutrient limit. So the only reason why we'd need Gene Splicing (besides leading to RetroEng that is) is to build farm-solar collectors or kelp farms. But farm-condensers can do the job as well. And kelp farms... we're more or less getting surrounded by the Ghosts, so I'm not sure those will be of much use. Besides, I assume we can't really spare the minerals for a sea former in the near future anyway.