"Upon arrival in the Alpha Centauri System, the U.N.S.S. Unity had the grave misfortune to stumble into the middle of a battle between two hostile alien factions. Captain Garland ordered early launch of the landing pods moments before the Unity suffered crippling hits. Alien firepower destroyed several pods before the survivors reached the surface but the human distraction allowed the losing alien ship to maim its rival, forcing both to land on Planet."
- Gayle Nambala
The Early Years
Time for yet another game, with a full seven human controlled factions: ;domai; (MercantileInterest), ;cha;, ;yang; (Pierce Ji-Yang), ;caretake; (Auriga), ;marr; (Nevill), ;miriam; (Funbot) and ;santi; (Maeldun) ;aki; (Keiko). We will use this thread to post propaganda, data charts, host planetary councils, etc. Spectators, feel free to chime in.
The rules are as follows:
A player may not:
1. Reload the game multiple times or load the game into the scenario editor
2. Conduct diplomacy prior to having met in-game
3. Use colony pods to increase a base beyond its maximum population limit
4. Use build queue manipulation or other exploits to hurry production at reduced costs, or build something that could not directly be built
5. Take advantage of the stockpile energy bug by adding it after units in build queues
6. Upgrade crawlers to more expensive designs before adding them to secret projects
7. Connect multiple artifacts to the same network node (supposedly possible if you rename the city)
8. Set the home of a unit to the base of a pacted AI faction
9. Start a terraforming task in one square, cancel it, move to a different square and then finish it there (in case of combat terraforming)
10. Perform an act of aggression against a player and complete pending negotiations in the same turn
11. Reverse engineer custom units to gain undiscovered abilities, weapons, armor, etc. Reverse-engineering from other factions is allowed (i.e. capturing a unit and making new units from it in the workshop, even though you lack the tech).
As for probe teams, PBEM games are bugged in that the person using the team gets to decide how the faction should react upon discovery. For this reason, exposed probe team actions must always result in the harshest reply (dissolve pact/treaty).
Finally, Planetary Council information must be fully shared with all players upon request (the game doesn't properly show how the factions voted to all players, only the result).
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exbHYq9y78Q#)
My fellow laborers,
We've come to a new world and we're going to build a new tomorrow. The oppression, the prejudice and the tottering class structure of old Earth have all been swept away. This is our world and no one can take it from us. We're going to fill our future with hard work, sweat and grime. The system will favor the workers. Each man will be his own master. Life will be worth living. Let's have a cheer for a tomorrow worth living for!
- from Foreman Domai's address
To arms!
Foul xenos forces have assailed us! Under the pretense of friendship and "the universal fellowship of sapients," scabrous Progenitor forces scouted out our fair land with advanced scanning technology. Then, the devils launched an unprovoked assault upon our undefended base, burning down the Union hall and barbecuing our citizens. Elements of the Unpaid Community Volunteer Corps rolled out improvised explosives, thereby allowing hundreds to retreat.
Foreman Domai, with the full support of the Union Hall, has reactivated our previously latent science program and ordered our specialists to devise countermeasures. The ingenuity of our kind will lead to victory.
We are the last survivors of man. We must prevail!
The aliens had the nerve to blame us for their equipment failures. Not my fault they didn't get their planetary scan.
In other words, I got contacted by a human faction. However, we haven't made contact via units as far as I know, and the game bugged out, where I couldn't contact them back - I simply don't have their frequency. Did they find mine in a pod? Anyway, there is little I can do here. If you want, you can just contact me again. You know who you are.
Recovery Location: Equatorial Belt, Invasive Species Nest Ruins
Format: Silicon/Magnetic Digital Encryption
Translation: BEGUN
+++Opening Personal Journal - Jonah Merkel+++
May 1st, AD 2120
The cities have fallen. Only ashes remain. The abominable alien onslaught slaughtered our peaceful people. None one else is still alive. I don't know whether the evacuation convoy escaped before the bloaters moved in. The shuffle of the invaders and their weird warbling echoes have finally faded away. The smoke has mostly cleared. I'll include a photo:
(http://img05.deviantart.net/95e8/i/2016/048/2/5/destroyed_city_by_fantasyart0102-d9s2qrf.jpg)
Two nights ago they were smashing through the hab complexes, tearing off doors, skewering citizens and roasting them over open fires. The bloaters can breathe Planet's air without any filtration. Makes you wonder. Anyway, as they blasted holes in the walls and tore out the pipes, men started to choke and collapse. They'd already overwhelmed the surviving security forces but a few scattered details kept up return fire, not that it did any good. Didn't see a single bloater fall, although we'd heard a couple hours before about some blokes blowing up a few of them by overloading a few hydrogen cells. I've been scavenging life support components from the bodies of dead Security Corpsmen. Been carrying one of their weapons too. A little ridiculous but it makes me feel better.
(http://marathon.bungie.org/story/terms/m3/10008.gif)
I'm holding out hope of finding other survivors. Even if the evac convoy did make it out, I haven't the equipment to follow them. They'll have covered their tracks as best they could too. It all comes of tinkering with the monoliths. Must have upset the xenos, like throwing rocks at a beehive. After the bloaters moved out, I found the main transmitter and spooled back through the logs on battery power. Turns out the Nautical Strike Force rammed an alien transport and drowned more than a thousand bloaters. Bad news is that this one wasn't a retrofitted Unity foil, so they've got the resources to build boats. Better and better. The Strike Force radioed back the discovery of Progenitor structures at 16S° 38E°. Some sailors went ashore and bashed a piece of enemy equipment. They haven't reported in since then.
(https://media.giphy.com/media/E4TSmW93guHmg/giphy.gif)
That's probably the xenos homeland. Oh, corks. If the convoy did escape, they'll need to know the coordinates. The Foreman has got to know. I need to reboot the transmitter and amp the power up to max for a wideband signal. The bloaters will notice the power spike. They'll come back. It's not like I even know the convoy made it away. Why should I risk my life? The Foreman has got to know. Fine! Those bug-eyed squealers want to mess with me, I'll give 'em what for. Prepare things right, plan out my escape, set a few traps... Yeah, that could do it... and if they do try to catch me, to hell with them!
+++No Further Entries+++
Translation: Complete
Update: Invasive Species Nest: Cleared (100%)
Ecological Balance: RESTORED
(https://i.imgur.com/lJP1aFC.png)
Molotov: Hi, I'm Simone Molotov and you're watching the Drone Daily Bulletin, source of Planet's most accurate info. I'm a member of the Council For Mutual Trust and Understanding, a nonprofit organization based out of The Crucible. We're all aware of the Alien Crossfire which has taken so many promising Progenitor lives, a grave tragedy when we consider the scope and antiquity of the xenos civilization. For some years now, our organization has been striving to arrange peace talks between the sundered branches of this species. At last, we've succeeded in establishing contact with Ghoolagg Barsh, a high ranking Usurper official. And, here is his signal. Barsh, we're very pleased to speak with you.
Barsh: Emotions: irrelevant. Data relating to disposition of hated Caretaker forces: begin transmitting immediately.
Molotov: Actually, we want to talk about peace today. What can we humans do to help end this regrettable conflict?
Barsh: Vital organs of each extant Caretaker: forcibly extract through nasal passage.
Molotov: We prefer a negotiated solution.
Barsh: If so: humans: weaklings. Alternative proposition: humans feigning indecision. Nerve gas stockpiles: secretly accumulating? Desire of Planetary Council: destruction of exalted Judaa Marr and interruption of flowering? Aerial surveillance: precursor to maximum scale attack?
Molotov: No, no, no. Our species has come to realize the greater value of cooperation over conflict. If you opened your mind, you could do the same with your fellow Progenitors.
Barsh: Caretakers: abandon path to godhood. If live in fear: not true Progenitor. Emotion only: derision. Action only: extermination.
Molotov: Look, you can't all be feel this way. Can I ask your precise position in the Usurper hierarchy?
Barsh: Possibility: this interrogation: attempt to discern secrets. Risk: unacceptable. Simone Molotov: variation from standard human phenotype: substantial. Possibility: belongs to specially bred intelligence gathering caste. Further evidence: planned human assault on Usurper.
Molotov: That's not how it is at all!
Barsh: Direct denial: unconvincing. Warning: from Progenitor. Result of interference: total human extinction. Ceasing transmission.
Molotov: Well... uhhh... that went well. For a first time negotiation, that went... uhh... very well. We'll analyze the discussion after these important messages.
(https://i.imgur.com/zAIQAXD.png)
Igor Stravinsky +++ Initiating Transmission+++
Workers and laborers!
How long must we suffer under the alien yoke? We have watered this land with our tears and raised these cities by the strength of our own arms. Now, the bloaters strut around as if they were masters and we but slaves. We have suffered nerve stapling and confinement to sleeping tubes so small it would have been thought inhumane to house even a chicken on old Earth. All the while, these creatures (they call themselves Usurpers or Caretakers but they are all the same) parade their rovers through our streets and whip us while we toil on repairing their barzhas in the docks which should house our shipping fleets. Anyone who does not slave away fast enough, they devour.
No longer, my friends! I say we overthrow these corrupt governments which collude with the xenos. Nothing can deliver us but a stronger Union. Out with the quislings. Up with Foreman Domai! Up with the man of the people. Let us drive these sveena alienisma out of our lands so that we may rule ourselves once more. Doubtless, the long suppressed Drone Science Program will roar back to life, the re-purposed facilities will house tens of thousands and the resources which now go to these parasites will instead rush us into a new era of glory!
Out with the alien. Up with the Union of Steel Driving Men!
+++ Ceasing Transmission +++
UNION OF STEEL DRIVING MEN
(https://i.imgur.com/lxnx0br.png)
Map is a few turns old. By now, most bases have reached size seven, bringing my total population up to fifty-three. The populace primarily subsists on fungus at 2-1-1. We have tree farm tech but haven't built any yet. Citizens have undergone soothing nerve stapling to help them transition through this difficult growth process. Believers to the north. Auriga's Caretakers to the south. Nevill's Usurpers occupied the east and even squeezed onto my rightfully claimed island to the west (Eta Sector). Planet Cult also hogging space to the northwest.
The turn wasn't sent because... well, because there isn't much of a game left to play. But more on it later.
The sequence of events went like this. I was preparing this for the last 3-4 turns, since I achieved what I could with the short switch to the Planned Economy. Further staying there would only bring diminishing returns. So I finished my brief detour into getting my own house in order and started pumping out units. Units that I knew would become Elite the moment I switch to Power.
I counted the tiles that it would take them to reach port cities and mobilized transports when they didn't. I took care not to leave them sitting at bases so that their location couldn't be pinpointed. Then on the day of the attack I would use land transports to move them to the ports, and load them on naval transports which will carry them across the sea.
By the time of the invasion, I had 4 Destroyer transports fully loaded with sixteen elite 6-2-1 and 3r-2-2 troops within immediate reach of Planet Cult bases.
I renounced my pact with Cha Dawn, and though I probably could pester AI into attacking me by demanding it withdraw Cult units from my territory, it would be boring and tedious, so I didn't. The moment I attacked them, Drones (who weren't pacted with me) declared a Vendetta.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/4x15kz56l/Drones_vendetta.png)
But I didn't move against them, since my stance is that they are not my concern unless they make it so. No Drone units were killed or stolen during Holy Cleansing.
First things first, I scouted the territory with missiles so that I knew precisely where each unit was.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/in0a7ihob/War_Screen.png)
I would try to save missiles by going after the IotDs with my Elite ships, but the results were... mixed. The chances were about even.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/sdxlxhg59/Combat_Ship_vs_Isle.png)
Those 2 lost battles? Those are the ships I lost consecutively against a single Isle. After that I said 'screw it', and would only clear the landing area with missiles.
I had enough of them to wipe out most base defences. By the time I had to unload a transport, all bases on the Cult island stood empty... which allowed me to quickly capture the Xenoempathy Dome.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/6u2h3al8b/War_Screen_1.png)
After that it was fairly trivial to take control over the rest of the island. The most difficult part was not allowing refugees impede our march, because there were a lot of the Colony Pods trying to escape.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/7ibbm8jy3/War_Screen_2.png)
On another end of the island I had a transport ship at the ready filled with 3 more elite troopers. I took care to defend my new acquisitions with probe teams so that they couldn't be bought back, but whenever I couldn't do so - say, due to the proximity of Hive borders - I had to resort to the old and tried 'pillage and burn'.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/5hks1ensr/War_Screen_3.png)
By the end of the turn, no traces of Cha Dawn remained on the island. There were a few bases left on the mainland, though.
(https://s20.postimg.cc/yip4at88r/War_Screen_4.png)
And you'd say: "Bring it on, alien scum!" But in truth, there is nothing to bring on. I have mentioned it in our first game - and very little has changed since then, - missiles are overpowered for a Tier 3 tech. They are too cheap, too fast and available too early. Oh, sure, they are individually not all that strong, and they can be circumvented by using even cheaper scouts for defence... but mass missiles can't be defended against. Every base in the opponent's empire could churn out missiles and have 20 of them sitting next door to you in a couple turns. How quickly can you produce and transport enough scouts to defend yourself? How many scouts would you need to defend all the bases the missiles could reach - and chances are, with 14 moves they can reach every last one of yours.
To add to that, they let you ignore Zones of Control, or deny mining from tiles they fly over, or bombard enemy terraforming into a stone age. They would be devastating even if they couldn't be used directly.
But they can, and you guys have no counter to it whatsoever, since AAA is not even in the plans yet. Sure, some of it may be due to the Usurpers' +25% bonus. Sure, some of it may be the Cyborg Factory giving them another +25% that they would not be able to get otherwise (since Aerospace Complexes are not yet available). But whatever the reason, they currently pack a whooping 3str+50%+25%=5.62str and there is simply no armor or defence to contest that. Even cruisers with a quantum reactor sink in a single hit! I am not even talking about native units - without being able to engage in Psi combat those are melted away instantly (which was how I eventually whittled down Auriga's units in the jungle - he'd hold pretty easily otherwise).
So my ability to conquer the planet is currently limited by only two factors: the amount of missiles I can produce, and the top speed of the units that can capture bases vacated by a missile barrage. Well, the speed of a rover is about 9 tiles if there is a road, and the Xenoempathy Dome lets me treat fungal tiles as if they were roads. As for production capabilities, most of my bases look like this:
(https://s20.postimg.cc/k710s60ot/Production.png)
I would give it about a decade before the Complete Global Saturation.
But I think that it would be a waste to let the game end because of a single unit. So I have a proposal/vote for you guys.
Where do we go from here?
a) Resume the game as is, and wrap it up. (turn is attached to the post)
b) Ban missiles, compensate me somehow for the minerals spent, let me redo the turn and continue playing from there. (exact conditions can be discussed)
c) Something else?
Should we choose to continue, I will have a separate proposal for Cha Dawn, but it'll take another long post.