Keep Your Mindworms Close - Turn Tracking

[Leon Trotsky]

2135 is here.

[binTravkin]

While the way you took advantage of your starting position to maximise turn advantage was creative and unexpected, I need to know if I should avoid replicating the circumstances in future CMNing.

I think you should avoid.
The fact is, Im not good at Spartans, but Im doing my best - look at my bases, they're mostly put to have maximum output, but still they fail to keep up with Believers.
I would even say that with current disbalance growth rate it will be 3vs1 in 20yrs.

And I certainly didn't took what Mart calls 'Brother Rufus' as a sign of balance..

[Senethro]

Send me a save then binTravkin.

As for Brother Rufus, he began at 10% health and beside a spore launcher.

[Ouro_827]

2135 on.

[binTravkin]

As for Brother Rufus, he began at 10% health and beside a spore launcher.

When I met him, he was at 100% and there was no sign of spore launcher chasing him, rather him chasing my scout rover to get to my location.

I understand you thought that I'm a good player and would ruin the game for others and my answer is yes I could, but not with Pirates or Spartans.
I just wanted to be weak this time (to play on the same level as others) thus took my worst faction..

You will now say things about the good terrain around me and that was exactly my thought from the beginning that maybe you put good terrain for me and needed to balance out with extra units for others, but giving a plenty of rainy rolling tiles and even condensers (I have one of them too yes, but it's too far and in too bad location to make any difference, not even mentioning it had a pod near and is now covered by fungus) to an ICS-able faction..

It now looks like Gaians and Spartans are both out of competition seeing how Believers are growing as mad and seemingly cooperating closely with PKs.

You will get the save once I get home.

[Mart]

Originally posted by Senethro
Send me a save then binTravkin.

... and beside a spore launcher.

Interesting, that I did not know.
Spore launcher in smac? some pre-defined unit

[Senethro]

Ok, I must have been thinking of the guys I previously designed the map for. There was a Believer there who I was going to do the same thing for.

Considering you all got additional free units of one kind or another and that Believers are typically not a strong faction I don't believe I made a mistake. All thats happened is that mart has got sickeningly lucky with his pod popping.

Edit: and if Rufus was chasing your rover you should have killed him!

[Mart]

2135 to Pk

Brother Rufus is extremely peaceful person. He is no threat to anyone. Assaulting him would be a great mistake

[Senethro]

Please send my personal apologies to the good Brother. My point was that if considering practicality apart from morality, it might have been useful to remove such an asset from your service.

[binTravkin]

Considering you all got additional free units of one kind or another

IIRC I got 3 colony pods, 1 rover and 1 scout patrol.
Is there anything additional in those?
I take rover for granted (as faction bonus), but scout patrol as you probably gave 3 CPs and 2 scouts to everyone else.

Believers are typically not a strong faction

I think you made mistake here.
Read SmackSims writeup about ICS with Mim.
Mart7x5 seemingly has read it.
Also consider fact that Believers usually output a bunch of scout patrols early as they have very little other things to build, plus Brother Rufus and they had a significant pod popping advantage even vs Spartans, thus it was not a 'sickening luck' as you describe it.

[Mart]

I got too many nutrient bonuses.
Now I have too much of this stuff and wish they were like mineral ones or else.

[binTravkin]

2136 to Mart7x5

[Senethro]

Originally posted by binTravkin

IIRC I got 3 colony pods, 1 rover and 1 scout patrol.
Is there anything additional in those?

Did you not get a second rover? My original scenario file suggests you did.

I suspect the tables will turn as tech costs increase.

Can I just say now that I balanced your starting positions using the following:

1. A river for early fast movement.
2. Counting rainy squares in an 8 square radius.
3. Counting unity pods in an 8 square radius.
4. Spacing you out equally to avoid rushes.
5. Increased the connectivity of some of the land so that you will all have a major border with 2 players and contact with a 3rd assuming equal expansion rates.
6. Removal of overpowered landmarks. Some of these were resited an equal distance between two players starting positions.
7. Close to your HQ will be a pre-made rocky/minerals bonus square and a high tile with an energy bonus/river.
8. Removal and thinning of fungus.


I didn't try to second guess the way the game would develop or who would be the strongest player and balance for that. I did try to balance based on faction choice. All factions received an extra independent unit. 2 players had units more in the flavour of the faction and 3 players had their extra unit reduced to a very low morale and/or health state.

There is nothing more sinister at work here other than that Mart is hauling more nutrients than you and has a better growth rate.

[Ouro_827]

2136 passed on last night.

[Mart]

2136 to PK