Alpha Centauri 2 Forum Community Succession Game

[binTravkin]

We should be picking up our tech rate soon

Tech costs will only grow.
We're building infrastructure, which costs maintenance, which means we will have to scale down labs from 80 to 70%.
Nodes don't help that much, because the base inputs they are working are yet so low that they add very little.

If we decide popboom, it will take some 15 turns to start paying back.
Similar, maybe slightly sooner with raising land + ICS, but not much.
We will get some bases from PKs, but this will not be immediate, and they will not be usable immediately (reccomms).

So, I wouldn't expect tech rate picking up anytime soon. I'd say notable improvements 15 turns at the soonest.

We're currently "lagging" in tech because we got several techs that significantly increased our tech costs and didn't use opportunity to get D:Flex from Lal.

[Bodissey]

For our next quest achievement let's try to field choppers of our own design before 2300.

[Geo]

Bit late to play my 5 turns now. It will have to wait 'til tomorrow.

[Vishniac]

We can at least start several boreholes with 1 former each and then raise terrain with others. Otherwise we'll never be able to pack them densely enough. You okay with that, guys?

I'm okay with that.

And I'd say getting the Planetary Energy Grid should be first building priority.
More formers would only deplete the mineral capacity; network nodes would need energy to work efficiently.

[Geo]

I haven't found the time to play. Next in line can take over if he wishes.

[binTravkin]

No worries. You can play today or tomorrow, but if you want to skip, let us know.

[Kurvivor]

Can i have a go at it now? )

[binTravkin]

If Geo intends to do it later, then you're 3rd in line, after me.
If Geo wants to skip, then 2nd.

[Geo]

If Geo intends to do it later, then you're 3rd in line, after me.
If Geo wants to skip, then 2nd.

I'll skip. So go ahead and play.

[binTravkin]

Ok, I'm doing it now.

[binTravkin]

---
MY 2201:
17th January 2201
With great celebration the first new advanced terra-forming project enabled by The Weather Paradigm has opened near Blackroot Palace. Named “condenser” this massive structure produces water for nearby agricultural establishments. While the facility is just starting up, scores of tourists visit it to see it for themselves and hear a lecture about it’s inner workings. The project creates much enthusiasm for technology among Gaian people and as a famous writer puts it “The drumbeat of progress is once again resonating within our society. I was born on Chiron, but I think I can now understand the optimism our terran ancestors felt during Industrial Revolution.”

2nd February 2201
A wide-sweeping anti-corruption probe has been launched against the previous cabinet of Gaia (2196-2201) after activists and scientists determine that the massive facility near Blackroot Palace is in fact a desalination plant in disguise and is thus not producing water by condensing atmospheric moisture. The scandal rips through Gaian official circles as a giant shockwawe as first confirmed case of embezzlement on mass scale since Planetfall.

7th February 2201
In an attempt to calm the media storm surrounding condenser project, Gaian government announces that another massive infrastructure project, called “borehole”, is to be finished ahead of schedule.

8th February 2201
Parliament opposition proposes extending the anti-corruption probe to the borehole project. Coalition is falling apart and fails to prevent the notion passing in parliament. The probe is extended.

11th February 2201
A video is published on Gaian network containing an interview with famous ecologist, leader of environmentalist “Harmony with Planet” movement. He claims that, according to unofficial insider info, borehole project is not only not ready for launch, but the technology to fully utilize it is experimental at best, thus limiting the efficiency of facility to about one third of the promised. The video quickly goes viral.

February-March 2201
Widespread protests in all native Gaian cities.

24th March 2201
The probe preliminary results are published. Conclusions include phrases like “embezzlement of unprecendented scale” and calls for the major perpetrators to be tried for criminal offenses.

26th March 2201
Two of the ministers from previous Gaian government are declared missing and wanted by Gaian High Court. Rumour is, they have left to Peacekeeper territory.

29th March 2201
After two teenagers die in a clash between environmentalist organization and local police, an unheard of incident since Planetfall, curfew is announced in Blackroot Palace. At midnight 30th March a nationwide curfew is announced on Gaian state TV.

2nd April 2201
By a narrow vote, curfew is approved by parliament and extended “until security situation improves”. Massive MP bribing suspected. Opposition restrains itself to oral disapproval without taking political action.

3rd April 2201
Several famous scientists and industrialists speak in support of the condenser project during a government-sponsored ad campaign on all major media channels. The message of campaign: “At least it works!”.

5th April 2201
A report surfaces claiming military build up near the borders of Peacekeeper territory. Report contains blurry espionage images of large tanks which supposedly contain chemical weapons.

13th April 2201
Government announces a massive modernization program of Gaian Armed Forces citing “the growing Peacekeeper threat”. Peacekeeper ambassador dismisses claims of Peacekeeper threat as “pure fantasy”..


12th January 2202
Reports coming in of shelling by Peacekeeper forces of a small farming settlement near Garden of Paradise. Pictures of a killed family are broadcast across Gaian News Networks. Widespread outrage follows. Corruption issues fade away from day-to-day news..

---


2202
Traded 50 ECs for Lal’s commlink from Morgan.
Morgan wanted Eth Calc, refused.
Declared war on PKs.
On moving up unit, Lal offered first truce, then his research.

END Turn:
Our probe destroyed by PK probe @ 123,15

2203
PK HQ captured.
Lal wants to be our slave. We don’t want him.

2204
UN Equality Village captured. Lal threaten’s us.
UN Information Agency captured. Lal threaten’s us.
We download Adaptive Doctrine from U.N. Planning Authority.
We capture AA from U.N. Planning Authority.
We capture U.N. Planning Authority.
U.N. Commerce Commitee’s (last remaining base) support screen shows that there is still an Impact Skimship roaming around somewhere. Got to kill PKs quick!
We got first B-Drones, in Resplendent Oak. This base can go max 3 until further drone control.

Sister Miriam is leading in pop.
I’m beginning to suspect she’s landed in some particularly fertile place..

END Turn:
Solar flares, all bases produce x3 energy next turn!

2205
We successfully drain 4(!) energy from PKs.
50 credits traded from Santiago for Yang’s commlink.

---

I spent 320 credits on upgrading our rovers and artillery to impact.
I thought you'd bury me for this, but I got some very good luck with pods, popping a total of 350 (I think?), plus I got some credits from PKs too.
Please note the units on the top line that are on autoexplore. I did this because I can not click that top line - SMAX either becomes extremely slow or crashes.

We have 389 credits.
Could spend them on boosting infrastructure where it's most needed - reccomms in PK bases after they have finished starving.

Initially I thought I'd raise land and thus started 2 boreholes with 1 former each.
I then reconsidered, but left those working to not lose their former-turns.
I started building condensers instead.
This should be continued with the goal for every of our "old" cities to have 1 condenser to work on, preferably, on food resource or flat land.
Part of our former force should also be sent to PKs, as there is lots of unimproved territory with potential.
We could also re-home those formers to PK bases, 1 per base, so that our support costs are reduced.

I also produced 3 colony pods. These are meant to "cover" the unused lands in the freshly conquered areas.
I did not decide where to put them, so you are free to look around and choose best spots.

Finally - PK cities should be garrisoned as soon as possible.
Likely the artilleries can be assigned to this task as they cannot keep up with rovers.
Otherwise they are dying out very fast due tu hunger.

Intellectual Integrity may actually be very helpful due to Police special ability - many of our bases would now benefit from extra worker.

[binTravkin]

Kurvivor, you can now take over.

[Mart]

I spent 320 credits on upgrading our rovers and artillery to impact.
I thought you'd bury me for this, but I got some very good luck with pods, popping a total of 350 (I think?), plus I got some credits from PKs too.

As for me, that was a good move. It is difficult to calculate exact value of units, but certainly, they will attack more efficiently, so we gonna get this investment back.

Morgan switched to PEG, so this SP can be close to completion. I can see, there is a probe foil going in that direction. It would be very interesting to infiltrate Morgan soon.

[binTravkin]

Retrospectively, the 200 credits to upgrade rovers were good investment as it allowed to completely overrun PKs.
However, the 120 credits to upgrade artilleries were almost wasted.
Each of them only got to bombard once and then they were not able to keep up with rovers anymore.
I felt intuitively before upgrading, that arties would not be worth it, but I still decided to do it. 

[Mart]

Retrospectively, the 200 credits to upgrade rovers were good investment as it allowed to completely overrun PKs.

Exactly, this is bonus we get immediately, as we have these bases sooner. And we never know, how many laser units would be lost.

However, the 120 credits to upgrade artilleries were almost wasted.
Each of them only got to bombard once and then they were not able to keep up with rovers anymore.
I felt intuitively before upgrading, that arties would not be worth it, but I still decided to do it. 

That is, cause we have to upkeep them now for some time. But they will be useful during next campaign. And they actually can start to sail there already. For that, it is difficult to put a price tag on. We will get some benefits sooner.