Group AAR #2: Fight for the Future

[Flux]

BlueFlux PMed me saying he's not going to be playing, at least for now, so.. I'll take my next turn, should be up this evening but I've got some talking first.

And now I can do this!
*pokes ete*

[ete]

I awake earlier than expected, apparently half the players leaving improved technology has reduced the time I must spend in an artificial coma significantly. Let me review how the custodian AI has taken care of my civilization this time..


At first glance.. not too bad. Something odd with those scout patrols though, I wonder what the military information screen says.




...


It built 45 trance scout patrols, and tried to launch an invasion against a technically advanced foe across hostile terrain with them!? It's a wonder there have not been more casualties. Full retreat. Bring as many as we can home, and reassign them to more useful projects.

I want new orders sent to all bases producing more trance patrols, refocus on formers and facilities. Disband all but one defensive unit at each base. Let's sort out this mess before the year is out.


WHAT? It made religious practice mandatory, at the expense of research?

Have it dismantled. Start from scratch.




And contact Ron. I hear he's withdrawn his support in the fight against the Imperium, and whether we can get him back in or not he may have some tech to trade.










Alright, that's better. Now let's see what Domai has to say.












I will not attack the aliens until they prove hostile, the situation as I understand it consists of minor skirmishes, where they've been relatively cooperative with us.

He traded us some useful technology, but was trying to get his hands on the tech required for a secret project I'm hoping for and seemed.. somewhat oppositional. Let us hope our diplomacy is not too strained by my move to Free Market which analysts are suggesting may be more beneficial to our economy.

[Yitzi]

Roleplay-wise, the Imperium is enough of an enemy that the Drones would side with pretty much anyone against them, so we can use the "scenario editor to end vendetta" rule if necessary.)

[ete]

A scouting mission is surprisingly effecting thanks to a freak tidal wave, collecting a unity scout copter close enough to fly home.




Sepsu called just to taunt, while he killed my men sent into battle by an insane AI.. This is a dark day for me, and the Technocrats.



At least overseeing the initial work on the Virtual World project is a good distraction. There is yet hope for a bright technological future.




Atsumi demands my technology, but has nothing to offer in return. I would consider credits as payment, but until she's willing to join me in the war against Sepsu she'll get no gifts from me.

I have sent spies to both my nearby allies. Even though they are friendly now, and the Children are already providing us with reports, I am in a firm believer in having as much information as possible from a direct source.


I knew it, she's playing every major faction off each other and profiting spectacularly from trading with them all, even investing in slave labor.. She'd do anything to benefit her "family".

I want a small team of our top strategists to prepare a *top-secret* cost-benefit analysis on the mid-long term options for actions against the Satori. She's sitting on a lot of resources, and if we're able to gain control of them with minimal bloodshed it would greatly assist us in the wider war. Allow no hint to reach the ears of her spies, and only use highly loyal personnel who will not be easily moved by bribery or her other known infiltration techniques.


Already known, but worth verifying he was sending correct information.


Sepsu is harassing our retreating forces.. but at least most of the troops made it back safely. It's very fortunate I did not awake later or we'd have lost thousands of men to a futile attack.


One base does need forces concentrated in it, and I've brought two attack rovers there.


Another artifact has been discovered, this time at sea. The scouting party's first priority is now bringing it back for study.


Oh, this is big..

and may be good for us in the long run.

The Valhallians were spoiling for a fight, it's in their nature, and them being at war with the Drones is much better than them hitting our exposed western flank. The Drones can hold their own with our Impact technology, and may even gain ground against the poorly equipped vikings.

I wonder when Domai will contact me.


Blast! Satori captured and sent back three probe teams I was sneaking through her territory to infiltrate and steal technology from the Imperium when they'd almost made it..


Excellent, it's arrived. Go ahead, link it up and let's see what this one contains..


Third artifact report abstract

The artifact contained what appeared to be a design for a laser without an effective power source. We built it and performed several unsuccessful attempts to activate it before one bright researcher had the idea to place the weapon in the same room as the artifact. The artifact activated and, using an advanced form of the newly discovered resonance fields, applied a semi-permanent field to the researcher. From what our instruments can detect it draws biologically wasted energy and uses it to power and focus the laser weapon.

Field tests of the weapon show significantly higher yield, and an unusual effectiveness against native life forms (see attached holovids). The field appears to be possible to develop in new subjects by interaction with the original researcher and certain mental states, especially meditation (see appendix C).


The Bree have apparently developed a form of telepathy which allows them to access the information of all factions.. I'm beginning to reconsider my neutrality policy towards them.


Send in the rovers, clear out that Spore Launcher before it destroys any more of our roads.

Ah, the Bree..







I will not abandon my stalwart ally over your unimpressive threats, alien. Nor shall I gift you my technology. If you wish for conflict, you may have it.


Yes, I see the situation. Two Imperium units by a Creche Union base spotted by our unity copter, backed by the fungal defensive bonus the copter has poor odds even against the very weakened infantry unit.

We can't let them take Fawai Software, they'd share a border with us and we'd be next in the firing line. I'd like to direct this battle myself.

First send in the Probe Team, see if we can convince those overworked drivers and soldiers to switch to someone who'll pay and treat them better.



61 credits? Excellent. Mission approved. Then turn them on the infantry unit.




That had gone better than I'd dared hope. For 61 credits, approximately two years income, the Imperium had lost three units and the Technocrats had gained one. Perhaps now was the time to take the initiative..

WHAT?



They have Air Power? Again, success tempered by a new threat..



And a new technological development.


The next priority will be improving our ability to work with the fungus. Building the Xenoempathy Dome would allow us to fight wars much more quickly during my awake periods.

[ete]

Roleplay-wise, the Imperium is enough of an enemy that the Drones would side with pretty much anyone against them, so we can use the "scenario editor to end vendetta" rule if necessary.)

Noted. I think I'm enough of an ideological foe of the Valhallians to be almost like that with them, except for pragmatism and long-term thinking trumping other desires. I will not rest until his barbarians are destroyed, but it will happen when the time is right not when it puts my people and our future at risk.

[ete]

Excellent. Most of the troops brought home from the AI's foolish attack have been put to work as programmers for the VW and their equipment repurposed for servers and communications. It's now close enough that one burst of cash should have it operational.



Satori really does not like my secret service on her lands.. which is very unfortunate, since if she allowed it I'd be able to probe Sepsu dry. One more thing for the analysts to take into account..



With Network Nodes installed in all bases by default, this will help us greatly.



Both I and the Creche seem keen on the same projects.

Ah, finally he calls.








hmm.. Domai wants us to fight the Valhallians. I'm no friend of them, but a war on two fronts is not a risk I can afford right now. Both Domai and Maxis are somewhat.. blunt, but at least Domai has his heart in the right place even if he does not understand that fundamentally it's technology, not industry or revolution, that will improve the lives of the common man. I'll take his side if forced, but the long view suggests my resources are best spent improving my infrastructure to prepare for the long war against Sepsu rather than rushing into battle against highly trained troops.

I will, however, support him by providing state-of-the-art weapons technology based on the artifact found at sea, which his factories can mass-produce.




"So... she has a backbone after all. Let's make sure she's incentivised to continue to work towards our shared goals, even if her contribution is selfish."


"Take us into Free Market. Let's go with the societal model proposed by our best economic models. It'll make war harder, but right now we need development, not immediate conflict. Atsumi will like it too, and I feel like a pact with her is advisable."


The Bree are working on another major project.. I wonder how long it'll be before we can bring significant force to bear on them, and stop their spread.

[Flux]

I must say, I am enjoying this.
It's great that we have all the saves. After the canon timeline is complete we can do alternate realities.

[ete]

Switching to Free Market has payed off very quickly. She'll of course skim off most of the profits from our increased trade, but as long as she's fighting the Imperium I'm willing to accept that. Those credits will be put to good use..



Rushing an advanced military training center, just before my next enforced rest.










Reviewing the maps and military information.



I am glad of the progress, we are catching up with the Imperium and the alliance has never been stronger, but I fear for what the AI will do in my absence after last time.. The programmers assure me it won't make the same mistake again, but how will they avoid it falling into some other failure mode and optimizing for the wrong things?

[ete]

I must say, I am enjoying this.
It's great that we have all the saves. After the canon timeline is complete we can do alternate realities.

Glad you are . Yep, that'll be fun. You could even just start an AU thread like I did for final doom, if you'd prefer to do that than join in here again.


Also, that did take me a bit more than a couple hours (about 3.5-4 overall, roughly 2/3 playing+saving images, 1/3 writing). But I did include 94 pictures and did a bunch of roleplay stuff, plus I have a bigish empire now with a fair amount going on.

[Sigma]

I knew it, she's playing every major faction off each other and profiting spectacularly from trading with them all, even investing in slave labor.. She'd do anything to benefit her "family".

I want a small team of our top strategists to prepare a *top-secret* cost-benefit analysis on the mid-long term options for actions against the Satori. She's sitting on a lot of resources, and if we're able to gain control of them with minimal bloodshed it would greatly assist us in the wider war. Allow no hint to reach the ears of her spies, and only use highly loyal personnel who will not be easily moved by bribery or her other known infiltration techniques.

I am always amused at how the AI plays Satori. It's always able to get her into treaties and pacts with every faction on Planet, exactly as you describe.

[ete]

Indeed. Even when she attacked it was perfectly in character, bribing a base with plenty of rivers away from her foe.

Also, I considered trying for Governor, but am just a hair behind Atsumi in population now she's stolen that imperium base. Technocrats have 33 votes, Drones 32, and Satori 35. Sepsu is waaay out in the lead with 64, but all the other major players hate him.

[Yitzi]

(That news that the Drones are at war with the Valhallans is not good; the Valhallans are fairly powerful militarily.  Still, they've got weak tech, so when it's my turn if I can probably use tech+production to overwhelm their morale advantage, and then have more to throw at Sepsu.)

[ete]

The good was an in character thing from Federov's point of view. He suspected that the Vikings were bristling for a fight, would either have attacked him or the Drones sooner or later, and made the calculation that the Drones would be better able to defend themselves. He also considered that the Vikings currently have very poor weapons technology, and with the R-Laser specs provided by him the Drones would be able to push them back and either destroy them or weaken them to the point they are no longer a threat to his interests.

It also all but eliminates the risk of advanced weapons technology leaking to the Vikings, which could be disastrous.

[Mart]

I have some thoughts on this kind of game.
Scenario editor allows you to set two major things: faction leader personality and faction strategy (these are two options in the "scenario" menu).
A player could at the end of his/her 15 turns set some of these in order to "appoint" suitable governor/substitute leader. That would possibly stream faction behaviour into desired direction. Maybe be more predictible, but still it is not the same as govern a faction yourself.

[ete]

Good idea, I had not considered that option. Perhaps next round, though I'm unsure how reliable the effects of some settings is.