OSG-33 The Beautiful Brains

[Dark Savant]

Impulse drives double the speed of transports you send to a planet that you don't have air superiority over.  That halves the damage they take from defenders, so they can make it actually practical to send ground pounders to a planet without destroying all its defenses first.

Thanks. I'd not considered that as much of a mainstream tactic, at least not without the late-game tech (combat transporters?) that makes it easy. Always good to add another technique to the available options.

It doesn't happen often, but we may actually have a good setup for invading without bothering to bomb in this game:

• The Silicoids have some planets right by our core, which makes focusing troops and followup defenders easy.
  
• We already have those systems scouted, so we can send troops whenever.
  
• Those planets don't have a high pop limit, so they will have relatively few missile bases, and I don't think the rocks have a lot of ships there either.
  
• We will soon have top-of-the-line armor technology for both transports and troops (good armor helps if you try this).
  
• Last I checked, the rocks have squat for missile tech (this is a bad idea if the opponent has good missile tech).
  

[haphazard1]

Examining the state of our empire and the galaxy, I make some adjustments here and there. We are actively spying on races which have superior computer tech -- this is not likely to succeed and could get us caught, harming relations with our neighbors. We do need better tech, badly, but risking a hit to our relations with a council vote coming up in 5 years does not seem worth it to me. I shift to passive spying and reduce spending for now, except on the Bulrathi where we have an edge in computer tech. They do not have as much stuff we want, but they still have some useful items and maybe we can actually get them.

I also find we have numerous worlds with idle factories. We can shift spending priorities until our pop growth catches up to what we have already built.

Nothing else needs immediate adjustment. Hopefully some of our research projects will complete and we can start on some new priorities and projects soon.

2421

Speaking of which, Zortrium Armor and Class V Deflectors complete.

Our new construction options:

Sadly, we are missing Reduced Waste 40% which we could have really used. IIT5 is also missing. Only Armored Exoskeleton will advance the tree, but is gropo tech what we need most right now? After some wavering, I decide that advancing the tree is important and we could use better gropo -- we may need to invade some worlds to capture better tech in the not-too-distant future. Armored Exoskeleton it is.

In force fields we at least have more options:

More gropo or a better planetary shield? I go for Class X Planetary to help protect our worlds. We almost certainly are going to have some serious warring in our future, and being able to defend ourselves will be important.

2422

A quiet year, as some planets finish industrializing while others work on defenses. I send a scout to the far north beyond the cats to check out an unclaimed system there.

2423

Another quiet year.

2424

More of the same. Several planets finish their shields and a missile base, to give them some protection.

I take a look at the diplomatic situation before the council vote: the Sakkra alliances have dissolved, but the Silicoids are allied with the Mrrshan and Bulrathi. The rocks have also added Battle Computer 5 and the Auto Blaster to their known techs.

2425

The High Council meets. The Sakkra and Silicoid leaders are nominated. 57 votes total, so 38 needed for victory.

Humans (7 votes) - Sakkra
Sakkra (13 votes) - themselves
Mrrshan (6 votes) - Silicoids
Bulrathi (4 votes) -Silicoids
Silicoids (15 votes) - themselves

With the vote split 25 rocks vs 20 lizards, our 12 votes will not be decisive either way. As with the previous election, I abstain to avoid angering either race. It is interesting how close we are to being nominated ourselves.

2426

Fusion Beam research completes. We have a lot of options in this tree:

Tough decision here. We just got a beam weapon so mega bolt cannon is less attractive. We have fusion bombs so Omega-V is less urgent. I am not a big fan of anti matter torpedoes when we just finished an up to date beam weapon. A missile upgrade is a possibility, but I decide to go back for the relatively cheap ion rifle to improve our gropo tech. We did not have hand lasers, so this will be +10 for our ground troops which will be very useful for a modest price.

Our scout arrives at the unclaimed system north of the kitties:

Explains the lack of an AI colony.

2427

Battle Computer 5 completes. Our new choices:

Hmmm, we have Improved Space Scanner so this would only be a range upgrade. Still useful to scout planets and see enemies coming sooner. Or we could grab a big ECM Jammer upgrade. ECM jammers are not the most critical things, but they do have some value. But it costs almost as much as the better scanner. I decide on Advanced Space Scanner so we can know more of what is happening around us.

Some more planetary shields and bases finish.

2428

Atmospheric Terraforming completes. Our new options:

I decide on Terraforming+50, as this will give us 30 million more pop on each of our 14 worlds while advancing the tree. Controlled Radiated would open only one planet to us, which is worth a lot less.

I begin transforming our hostile worlds into something a little more hospitable.

2429

Lots of eco spending, and the beginnging of a new wave of growth.

2430

Fusion Drives completes, boosting our transport speed significantly. New options:

Rather than going for slightly more speed, I pick Range 9 for a large boost in range.

That brings my turnset to an end. Notes for the next player:

Our hostile planets have all been transformed to minimals. Some are still finishing soil enrichment; a couple have already finished and are growing nicely. With these increases to our population plus terraforming+50 being researched, we may pass the Sakkra in population. Their IRC4 puts them way ahead in production still, but maybe we could pull out a council victory? We have 20 turns before we need to worry, at least.

Most of our border worlds have a class V shield and one missile base, but one or two still need some defense spending. Our diplomatic relations are pretty good all around, but we do not have much in the way of military strength.

Our tech situation has improved a fair bit, although we still have some major holes. Our economy is growing with this new burst of planetology tech and we can add a bunch more factories.

I have built up our reserve fund from our rich planets, so we have about 1500 BC on hand.

The backfill Ion Rifle project is nearing percentages, everything else has a ways to go yet.

Dark Savant (UP NEXT!)
Ianus (on deck)
haphazard1 (just played)
shallow_thought (traveling, currently unavailable)

Good luck!

[Dark Savant]

Looks good.

I wonder how much longer this peaceful galaxy can possibly last?  We might be the one to break the peace, if our rivals don't vote us leaders of the galaxy.

I have the save now.  I'm not sure I can play and report tonight, but I'll try.

[haphazard1]

Is is kind of surprising how peaceful the galaxy has been, given the nearly even split between the Sakkra and Silicoid factions and the wide spread of the rocks' empire pushing everyone's borders. Even the cats have not attacked anyone, just peacefully sitting in their corner of the galaxy.

There have been quite a few alliances among the various AIs, with numerous changes in who is allied with whom. The minor races have re-shuffled their allegiances more than once.

[Dark Savant]

I started to play/write the report; I'll finish sometime this evening.

[Dark Savant]

PB39 is moving quickly right now, so that and this game are taking up all my gaming time at the moment. 

Year 2430 (Pre-Flight Check)

Did I mention that this is a really peaceful galaxy?  Yes?  Just checking. 

We actually traded for Hand Lasers, but I approve of the backtrack to Ion Rifle anyway, because Fusion Rifle is not in our tree.

Let's see what I can get in trade.

• The Sakkra will offer Improved Robotics Controls IV for Atmospheric Terraforming.  Ooh, hmm.  I pass, because I don't want the Sakkra to become even more powerful, but it's on the table if needed.
  
• The Mrrshans ... ah well, they have Inertial Stabilizer now.  Well, I can get Neutron Pellet Gun (not in our tree) for Merculite Missiles (they already have Pulson Missiles ... typical Mrrshans).  Done!
  
• The Silicoids will offer Hard Beam (not in our tree) for Soil Enrichment, which they can't use.  Done!
  
• The Bulrathi will offer Anti-Matter Bombs (not in our tree) for Inertial Stabilizer.  They offer level 16 tech, we offer level 10 tech.  Done!
  

I'm going to throw some of our planetary reserve at our least-developed planets in the far west.

[Dark Savant]

Year 2431

Development ensues.

Now that the +1 bonuses from last turn are in, it's time to phase in a new fighter: the Killer Bee, which fits a Neutron Pellet Gun and max maneuverability plus Inertial Stabilizer onto a Small ship.  And Reserve Fuel Tanks, because they fit.

It's still not much, but it replaces our dated laser fighters.

Year 2432

We get a report on production rankings.



Huh, the Humans are doing well despite not having many planets or colonists -- they must have good Improved Robotics Controls.

The first Killer Bees roll out of our factories.  I retire our ancient Gnat fighter design, along with the Scout 2.

Year 2433

All of our planets anywhere near a rival planet now have a Class V Planetary Shield and one missile base.

Whoa, what's this?



Okay, so it's not going to be a completely peaceful turnset.  I have some Killer Bees from Pollus that will arrive in time, and I'll throw some reserve spending at Trax to build as many missile bases as possible.  I'm not going to retire the Gnat 2, since there are a couple dozen at Trax.

I realize that getting Range 9 will put us in contact with the Humans, so I push that above the trickle level.

Year 2434

Ion Rifle comes in.




There's nothing urgent in the next tier of Weapons, so I'm going to clean up another cheap Weapons technology.  (In case it isn't clear by now, I like doing this.)

I can have six missile bases, 14 Killer Bees, and 27 Gnat 2's at Trax next turn to greet the incoming Bulrathi fleet.

I get in a spy into the Sakkra again this turn.  They have Advanced Soil Enrichment.

[Dark Savant]

Year 2435

The Bulrathi fleet attacks us at Trax.




They don't have great weaponry, so I focus all missile fire on the Death Spore-armed Teeth.  (Tooths?  Who knows how bears pluralize words.  )

I lose all our Gnat 2's and some Killer Bees, but I blow up the entire Bulrathi invasion fleet.

That was easy, but that's also a reminder to build some more missile bases near the Silicoids in case they get any funny ideas.

I retire the Gnat 2 since a majority of those were just blown up.

Year 2436

We get a spy penetration against the Bulrathi.




Force Fields are not an option, which is what I want (they have Repulsor Beam), so I just go for Computers for better spying technology.

Our planetary reserves have recovered enough that I'm going to have our two Rich planets start on Huge Auto-Repair ships.

Year 2437

Armored Exoskeleton comes in (at a 40% chance).




It's high time we got enhanced Improved Industrial Tech, so I go for the one that's leaps and bounds better than IIT9, still our best in that category.  It's about 80% likely that Improved Robotic Controls V shows up in the next tier of Computers.

[Dark Savant]

Year 2438

Aww, all three of our spies on the Bulrathi got caught.

Year 2439

The Sakkra aren't done with Planetology, and show up with Complete Eco Restoration. 

Year 2440

We get lucky, and Advanced Space Scanner comes in at a 22% chance.  Hyper-X Rockets also come in at 67%.




I hold my breath to see what's up next in Computers ...



Yay, better Robotics Controls!





I also order up Megabolt Cannon, as the best weapon in the top tier of Weapons.

Our new Advanced Space Scanner scouts a ton of planets for us.

[Dark Savant]

Current Overview

Map of the galaxy:



Racial stats overview:



Latest spy reports:






Notes to the next player

• I know we're all excited to finally get a Robotics Controls technology, but Improved Industrial Tech 4 should come first.
  
• Force Fields, Planetology, and Propulsion are all due to mature soon.  Advanced Soil Enrichment is not in our tree, so I think we should probably backtrack to Enhanced Eco Restoration, Cloning, and Controlled Radiated Environment before pushing Planetology higher.
  
• Our two rich planets are working on Huge ships.  Be sure to update the design to your liking before they complete.
  
• The Sakkra still do not have any engine technology.
  
• The Silicoids still do not have any missile technology.
  
• None of our contacts have any Planetary Shield technology!
  
• You should contact the Humans soon, once Range 9 is in.  I wonder what they have for trade?
  

The Save


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