Information should be free and all that [Data Angel spoilers]

[Maniac]

Change of plans. Spectres aren't "always hostile" like spies, or don't have a "can move on rival territory" bonus like the stealth spec ab, so they can't walk in territory I don't have open borders on. Meaning I can't use a Spectre to spy on the Consciousness right now, and I might as well wait until I have probe teams to use my currently only spy unit slot.

This stresses once again the importance to me of getting open borders with everyone, if I want to spy effectively.

I've also changed my mind on where to found my third base. A reason to found it on the brown algae was to gain a trade connection with the CyCon and Pirates. However because both factions already researched Algaculture, I already have a trade connection with them. In addition I saw a CyCon colony pod move northwards from Alpha Prime. So Sareln doesn't seem in a rush to settle the territory between us. In that case neither am I.

I've chosen to settle instead on the "angelic colour"-encircled plot indicated on the map below. It has a food and mineral resource in its first ring, it has freshwater, and it has +2 planet from four fungus plots. What's not to like?

Other plots of interest:

Encircled in Pirate blue is the plot which connects my and the Pirate trade networks.

Encircled in white are plots with fungus on ridges. Normally fungus can't exist on ridges, so spellman must have placed it there. This of course make me curious why that was done, what's behind that ridge. My rover will explore there next.

[Maniac]

I'm assuming Deirdre may have researched Centauri Meditation. This may be in my benefit. The Gaian AI may place higher priority on researching Centauri Empathy and founding the Concordat than Mardoc would. Thus giving me a bigger chance of getting an Acolyte by concordat motion.

[Maniac]

Screenie MY 2160:

Hurray! I researched Superconductor. Next turn I'll offer open borders to Sareln and Mardoc. Until I birth a Datajack in 4 turns, I'll run max credit slider.

Sareln founded his third base near me after all. Makes me wonder what his other colony pod(s) are up to. There's one in Alpha Prime again. Is that the same one I saw leaving north a while ago, or has he just built yet another one, meaning he could soon be at five bases?? Anyway, Consensus will soon be visited by a probe team.

Ergonomia's build queue is Biolab->Network Node for the Planet Attitude and Librarian slot.

I have finally reached +2 Planet Attitude. This means Gargoyle Garden will expand its border, and include the Crystals resource within, 13 turns earlier.

Alas, I may soon have to say goodbye to my Planet Attitude again. Soon I need to make the choice to go for Free Market or not. The extra happy from the credit slider would mean extra potential for population growth, but that would mean removing fungus, building farms... ruining my current Planet Attitude. I guess that's inevitable eventually. Still sad I can't eat my cake and still have it too.

[Maniac]

As expected, Deirdre found the Voice of Planet, and has already found the Concordat. As a consequence I gained contact with her. Lal's also part of the Concordat, meaning I now officially have contact with him. I signed open borders with both of them.

I'll focus my espionage versus Dee now. I'd like to now if she's researching Centauri Empathy, to be able to judge if I can expect a free Acolyte resolution soon, and as a consequence if it's worth keeping a positive Planet Attitude for now.

[Maniac]

I'll need to steal Algaculture from Sareln to allow my own plotgroup to cross over oceans.

[Maniac]

MY 2165! The first majorstep in my master plan has been achieved. I birthed a Datajack. I bulbed Planetary Networks. I hurried a Probe Team in Data DC. I started construction on the Planetary Council in Gargoyle Garden (GG). I switched to Democratic.

I decided not to switch to Free Market. I think I'll be able to prevent my workers in Data DC and GG from working suboptimal tiles just to avoid growth. For this reason Data DC is currently building a Colony Pod, and after that will build a former.

The Planetary Council will take a little less than 20 turns to complete. Hopefully I won't be rushed in that time. The fact that Mardoc is researching Factionalism has me a little worried. He could attack GG with choppers without warning. Hopefully he's mostly researching it for the Police State civic.

We all love a good screenshot:

Meanwhile I've reached the extent of my exploration in the west, as I've bumped into the Hive's borders. I'll need to settle the area in between us before he does. Indicated on the screenshot are my next two planned base locations:

Reasons for those spots:
1) Spot nr.1 gives +4 Planet. This will allow my other bases to grow while keeping my Planet Attitude (PA) positive.
2) The combination of those two bases will create a canal for my ships to pass through.

As an aside, note the fungus in that lake. Fungus can't spawn on lakes normally, so this is another indication this part of the map has been edited for whatever reason.

[Maniac]

MY 2166

I do love my graphs. Deirdre's been added to them.



Of course I had to get stuck with Yang as a neighbour. :mad:

[Maniac]

It's been a couple days since I last updated. I've only done two things in the meantime I hadn't already announced though:

1) I've sent a small military expedition to destroy the spawning spot north of my territory. Killed 5 natives. Lost one flamethrower in the final assault.
2) I built a couple military units. An impact trooper and two flamethrowers IIRC.

Now as you've read in the planetary council thread, Sareln seems to be gearing up for war. He has produced 4 siege tanks in Alpha Prime:



Not exactly the ideal unit for garrison duty.

I have a probe team stationed in Alpha Prime. Once it has the -50% cost bonus for being stationary, she intends to steal Factionalism, for two reasons:
1) it enables choppers. Choppers get +25% vs siege tanks, so an ideal counter against Sareln's siege tank heavy build. In addition choppers could threaten both Alpha Prime and Consensus at once, as they can ignore the cliff (ie ridge<->lowland) movement restrictions.
2) it's a prereq for Memetics, which Sareln's researching right now. If Sareln does go to war, I can steal Memetics for the Genites, and keep technological parity for military techs.

Now what's happening on the homefront?

Gargoyle Garden is still busy building the Planetary Council. This is of course annoying, as it means I can't produce military units in my most mineral heavy base.

Data DC is building units. After the current impact trooper is finished, I'll produce a rover to be upgraded to a chopper. Data DC is suffering from an unhappy citizen right now, but I'll hook up Crystals for the +1 happy next turn.

Ergonomia started on a maintenance bay when I saw Sareln starting to build siege tanks. When it's finished I'll be able to hurry/build siege tanks there.

I'll build my fourth base next turn.

Screenshot of what I just said:

That's about it for the update. I'll keep you posted.

[Maniac]

No non-hostile probe teams wandering either, nope.

They're stationary.

[Maniac]

MY 2181 status update:

I've finished a probe team in Ergonomia. It's gonna explore CyCon territory provided it gets there before Sareln has his probe defenses up. He's researching Superconductor namely. Could be to sign open borders with Mardoc, and/or as a prereq to Planetary Networks.

It's good Sareln doesn't go for PlaNets through Holographics. It means he can't pick the AAA Tracking spec ab for his units, which would give him +25% vs my choppers.

Ergonomia is building a gun foil now for a couple reasons:

• It increases my power rating, and unlike a land unit it's a unit I can actually use...
  
• ..to explore the southern coast towards the Pirates. If I become Planetary Governor, I'll gain an extra trade route per base, but I need to gain line of sight of another faction's territory to be able to have trade routes with them. At the moment all those extra routes would just give +1 credit.
  
• It can threaten Sareln's Cyan Algae resource near Consensus. Might delay the point Sareln goes to war a little, as he might want to build a gun foil to prevent pillaging.

Despite Sareln's assurances in the diplo thread, his military buildup continues without pause. So war still seems inevitable. Further diplo is pointless if he doesn't see this will lead to MAD. Or has already led to MAD, as we both have diverted early game resources which could have gone to colony pods.

I have a probe team stationary in Consensus. It intends to steal Memetics right before Sareln researches PlaNets. Though I wonder if he has actually researched the tech, and not stopped one turn before it. I mean, he hasn't switched to Knowledge yet, and isn't building the Cybercore in Alpha Prime.

Gargoyle Garden is still finishing up the Planetary Council. Really soon now.
A Datajack was born in GG this turn. I forgot to add code that increases the probe team limit when a Datajack infiltrates another faction. My number of probe teams is the biggest bottleneck to spying now, so I decide to settle the GP in place.

Nanominiaturization still researching along. If I can delay the war until that tech is researched, I can spend all my credits on production. There's no other tech I urgently need. Time is in my favour.

Data DC is building a Perimeter Defense. That should weaken any Genites Sareln sends against me. Siege Tanks are immune to Perimeter Defense collateral however. So after the Perimeter Defense it's back to producing choppers. I may hide most of my choppers and parade some siege tanks before Sareln's eyes instead. May cause him not to build up an anti-chopper force.

Let's try out that new tag. Click on it:



I also met Morgan this turn. I don't know where though. He hasn't said anything yet. I won't either. There are no surplus resource I can trade to him, and I don't have sights on him, so I can't profit yet from open borders. I immediately spent espionage on passive info though: