OSG 26 - The Bearperor Returns

[RefSteel]

Primodius or Cryslon seem like the only logical explanations based on star geometry.

Not Primodius. They won't send a fleet to a world we already own without officially ending the NAP. I'm definitely assuming Cryslon; I was just hoping to make plans based on how soon it would get there. I'll know next turn anyway.

I'm guessing that the Psilon fleet won't be glassing Cryslon anytime soon. They might kill a couple of million and destroy 20-odd factories per turn, unless the large designs are just loaded up with bombs. I doubt it.

It'll be worse than that, I think. Four cruisers, 14 destroyers, and 2 colships, with much better tech than the Silis. The 'coids were killing 1M bears plus 5 facs per turn with just two ion-cannon--armed colships twenty-plus years ago. If we don't rush the invasion and they're moving at warp 3, they'll have at least four years to bomb the place before our transports arrive. Still probably won't be able to glass it unless they're bringing dedicated high-end bombers, but they could wreck a lot of factories. I'm much more worried that they have Death Spores and repulsor beams or something, since once they're in orbit, they're likely to stay. (And sporing the Silis to death will kill our transports too....) But yeah, I'm planning to get a scanner up there by the time a fight actually materializes. (So not for 6 more years....)

Also, going back for controlled radiated immediately after soil enrichment will probably be pretty important.

I definitely agree with this, but there's no way it happens during my turns. We've barely even started Soil research! I ... might make it a bit of a priority.

As for surviving the birds...once we get battle computers IV and scatterpack V, I'll feel pretty good about being able to shoot down any death spore fleets, unless they gather up just a ridiculous number...in which case it doesn't really matter what we do, militarily.

Among other options, one repulsor cruiser, if we live long enough to get the tech, can hold them off (as you noted). There's always something we can do if they don't come in too hard and fast. If we do end up at war with the birds, I'm most worried that they might come in with 6-shield ships that are immune to our bases, with Scatters or without. (I'm not worried about AI missile boats; their targeting decisions are terrible, and we can probably take them with fighters - or at least force them to retreat. It's bombers, spore boats, and heavy beamers that worry me. But yeah, the answer to those if they're not highly shielded, is lots of bases with Scatters and good targeting.)