nuking the humans

[bvanevery]

Details Data Angels plagued and gassed

Data Angels plagued and gassed

Mission Year 2356.  I am the Caretakers playing my SMACX AI Growth mod version 1.37.  As an Alien faction, I have systematically eXploited the lack of any penalty for using chemical weapons against the humans.  They get a +50% attack bonus but count as an Atrocity.  This is expressly against the United Nations Charter, but as an Alien faction I'm not a member.  When used against cities, chemical weapons inflict mass casualties and soon wipe the city completely off the face of the map.  This is good if you're an Alien, because human cities will depopulate to 1 when you take them over anyways.  It seems we don't eat the same food, although oddly, we do use the same farmland, go figure!

In the early game I took on the Believers, the Pirates, and the Peacekeepers all at once.  I used mere Recon Rovers and Laser Skimships with Nerve Gas attachments, the weakest weapons of the game that still get the bonus.  The eXtermination of their cities was gradual but compelling.  I cleared out essentially a supercontinent for my own empire, keeping only the human cities that had built Secret Projects.

Oh, I wiped out the other Alien faction, the Usurpers, so long ago that I completely forgot about them!  Yes, I suppose the humans were untroubled for a short time.

This left only the University and the Data Angels.  The University managed to complete the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm, as the powerful Secret Projects are quite expensive in my mod and one must choose what one is going after.  I've been unable to steal their tech, and consequently they've been ahead of me in tech the whole game.  I've left them alone to be my last victim.

The Data Angels were distant and not particularly strong.  I thought of sparing them in a brief period of post-genocidal peace, but they were soon up to their probe team hijacking antics!  They stole one of my ships, so I declared war and sealed their doom.  It's been a very slow process of merely using old units to clear out their few scattered sea bases.  I learned how to inflict Genetic Plagues meanwhile and have used them to good effect.  You are about to see the last of such tactics before the final showdown.

The main worry when nuking an opponent, is not what they're going to do about it.  It's the global warming, the flooding, and the vengeance of Planet itself for performing such a dastardly deed.  The piles of mindworms that show up can completely wipe you out.  The drownings aren't any fun either, in such a carefully crafted empire such as I have built.  The answer to these woes, is to wipe out everyone in one turn and achieve a Conquest Victory.  Can't suffer catastrophes when you've just declared yourself the winner!

It is easier and more impressive to do this with Singularity Reactors.  Their blast radius is so large, that it becomes a game of destroying 3 cities at a time!  But that's near the end of the tech tree and I have no interest in waiting that long.  Simple Fusion warheads will have to do.  I've used my productivity to prepare for this day for quite some time.  This is arguably a pretty short timeframe for me to have prepared such an apocalypse, at least in my mod, which doesn't allow factories until the late midgame.

Details completed 31 Planet Busters

completed 31 Planet Busters

This is a notable year!  I've completed my 2nd wave of Planet Busters, a quasi-nuclear weapon that leaves literal giant craters in Planet's surface.  The technical term for what you're about to see is NUKE PORN.  It's not quite enough to wipe out every University city, but it's probably enough if I attack outlying settlements with chemical weapons as well.  Certainly, the University has no chance of surviving my first strike.  They have 2 nukes to my 31.  I've also got 9 Orbital Defense Pods to their 2.

I've also completed the Space Elevator, which allows me to perform orbital insertions anywhere on Planet's Surface, should I want to keep the occasional human city.  I've already completed Genejack Factories in my major cities and am working on Robotic Assembly Plants.  This will allow me to quickly prepare a 3rd wave of Planet Busters if I think I need them.  Probably, I do not, but this is not a strategy of subtlety!

[bvanevery]

Details stalking the Supercollider

stalking the Supercollider

MY 2357.  I land a Heavy Drop Fusion Hovertank Transport next to the one Data Angel city containing a Secret Project.  It's a nicety that I don't want these things falling into enemy hands or getting nuked, although I could do it.  I brought a modest older generation defensive unit and a Super Former.  I will build an Airbase so that my Drop Transport can jump back into orbit.  If anyone comes out on the fungal patch to bother me, I should be able to wipe them out with my air force already in theater.

Details overindustrialization

overindustrialization

I've not built more Drop Transports because I've now got a bit of an eco-damage problem.  I have a +4 PLANET rating, the maximum possible with my faction, and the Pholus Mutagen, but Genejack Factories + Robotic Assembly Plants will still do some damage.  In most games I typically forego the latter for that very reason.  I don't really need my plan going south prematurely, so I'm implementing an obligatory round of Centauri Preserves.  It's ok, I haven't finished wiping the Data Angels anyways.

[bvanevery]

Details high tech defense

high tech defense

MY 2358.  The University got rid of the 3-Pulse Probe Teams defending the large Data Angel sea base.  However I've only brought my old X Fission Impact Needlejets, preferring to keep anything vaguely modern in reserve for the University.  Even with wounds, a Fusion Probability Garrison can shoot that down.  I have a remedy though: plagues from my waiting Fusion 3-Pulse Cruiser Probe Teams!

Details pustules in the canals

pustules in the canals

Just look at the horrific damage that plague did!  Those units are now barely alive, and the population dropped by 10.  Dropping population isn't so exciting when you're Aliens fighting humans or vice versa, because the opposing side is going to drop to 1 on your victory anyways.  But it's still impressive to contemplate the level of damage these things do.  In human vs. human warfare, legalizing chemical weapons is one of the easiest paths through the game.  And with Aliens, it isn't even necessary.

Details cough syrup

cough syrup

Even on its last legs, the difference in tech is so large that it could conceivably have a chance to live through this.  Sometimes the odds calculator lies, or just isn't accurate.  We'll see!  Damn.  I actually lost the plane.

Details expectorate this

expectorate this

I bring up the one and only X Gatling Battleship, expensive and mighty scourge of the erstwhile Pirate empire.  I was really parsimonious about my units earlier in the game, just waiting for them to gradually wear inferior forces out.  Had better things to do, like beat the Peacekeepers and terraform everything.  No grand navy for me!  Did build some Isles that I'm still using.  They have a nice way of shocking their way through anything without explicit Trance defense.  Anyways, this shouldn't pose any further problem, and it'll reduce the base size yet again.  I take some wounds and drop it to size 2, leaving only that almost dead Transport for their final defense.

Details take it with a full glass of water

take it with a full glass of water

I have 1 non-wounded plane left.  It reduces the base to size 1.  I have no units left in range to finish off the base, as my Isles are sloooooow.  It might actually live until next turn as they're rushing a Clean Trance Scout.  The University might decide to pick it off though.  At least I've accomplished the primary purpose: preventing the University from taking it over, so that I won't have yet another sea base to clean out when the time comes.

Details a rousing tribute to Davy Jones

a rousing tribute to Davy Jones

A Carrier functions as a mobile airbase.  I wanted to know if I could launch my Drop Transport off of one.  When I first moved onto the Carrier, it did (L)oad and seemed to be working!  However when I tried to move the Carrier 1 square to get a slightly better position, it didn't move with the Carrier the way a plane would.  Moving the Carrier back to the original square, the Drop Transport isn't (L)oading on it anymore.  I fear it may sink next turn.  However it may have worked fine if I just hadn't tried to move again.

[bvanevery]

Details nukes can prevent eco damage

nukes can prevent eco damage

MY 2359.  The University is not being a good Eco Citizen.  I'm going to have to terminate them soon with eXtreme prejudice, if I want to prevent my nice empire from getting flooded.  In the worst case, in 4 more years I'll have Algorithmic Enhancement capability.  No more Hunter-Seeker Algorithm to stop my probe teams!  You just saw what my plagues can do to human cities, and I've got a team in every base.  All I'd need is a rail connection and it's goodbye University.

Details well at least I eat better

well at least I eat better

The University has also suddenly and surprisingly pulled a lot of Orbital Defense Pods out of its hindquarters.  I can probably outproduce them, as the Space Elevator lets me build them twice as fast, and I've got plenty of industrial capacity.  It's going to prevent me from making any new nukes though.  ODP warfare is horrible attrition, sometimes taking as many as 3 attackers to bring down 1 defending satellite.  It's actually a much better bet to just fire Conventional Missiles and make the enemy expend ODPs on them, then follow up with nukes when they've exhausted their supply of ODPs.  However again with the Space Elevator I can produce these things even more cheaply than CMs, so from an attrition perspective, a pure ODP fleet may be the way for me to go.

The AI can be downright obsessive about ODPs if it makes it to this point in the game though.  In the past I've often had to intervene on the ground to stop it.  I suppose the turning point in the University's capabilities, is they recently completed the Cloudbase Academy.  That means they can build satellites in any base they want.  I have that capability too, courtesy of the Space Elevator.  Only recently did I realize that's one of its capabilities.  The reason the University got one Secret Project and I got the other, is we're pursuing different research paths, and SPs are exceedingly expensive in my mod.

Details an A for effort

an A for effort

Good news is my Drop Transport didn't sink!  Bad news is a carrier deck isn't good enough to do an orbital insertion from.  Bet I can't do paradrops off a carrier deck either, which is a pity.  I've almost never needed carrier tactics over the years, since I'm a fan of rails and raising land to link continents together.

Details the finest logicsticians that Aliens can buy

the finest logicsticians that Aliens can buy

Oh well, next turn I'll just launch from my newly completed Airbase.  Problem is, it's gonna sink!  Thank you University.  I really didn't have "University are a bunch eco-Morons" on my planning ledger.  Seriously, aside from a volcano going off a n umber of years ago, it's the first I've heard of their coal burning proclivities.

Details never heard of guided bombs

never heard of guided bombs

The base I want to take is guarded by 2 Sensor Arrays.  They put up a big defensive penalty in my mod, so it's worth getting rid of them before trying to take a city intact.  Of course, both my planes miss their bombing runs.  I didn't get the memo on how I'm still fighting WW II.

Although I could try to take down the Perimeter Defense with my few remaining probe teams, the attrition rate for targeted probe team actions is horrific.  I'm likely to get them all killed without actually doing the job.  "Just stirring things up in there" is much less risky, but not helpful for taking bases intact.  All the bases I've liquidated and obliterated in this game, have generally been preceded by probe teams blowing up everything in them, eventually taking out the Perimeter Defense.  It will require more delay and cleverness to get past things this time.

I've completed another Drop Transport, so I bring up 2 mindworms to help break down the gates.  It won't be enough, unless the University weakens the base first.  I've got 2 more Drop Transports completing next turn, so I'll be able to bring in 4 more units.  If my patch of land doesn't sink before I launch my strike, it should be enough.

I have an uneasy feeling that I should keep my navy where it is, even though there are no Data Angel sea bases to liquidate anymore.  I don't know how the University's behavior is going to change once I eradicate the Data Angels.  I've have sucked up to them with the choice of Knowledge all this time, which is actually helpful to me as in my mod it gives +1 PLANET.  But who knows how the AI thinks, especially when I have so many nukes.

Details fluids are awesome responsibility

fluids are awesome responsibility

Thinking more about floods, I check if any of my cities are threatened.  Some are, so I rush their build queues to finish up the factories they were working on.  Pressure Domes begin next year.  This interferes with my ability to rush the Living Refinery, although I don't really need more SUPPORT.

[bvanevery]

Details the prudently obsessive AI

the prudently obsessive AI

MY 2360.  The University added a lot more ODPs, gaining an almost 2:1 advantage over me.  I've got 9 in production myself, and I'd like to believe they'll complete faster than the enemy's, due to my Space Elevator advantage.  However I haven't actually surveyed their industrial capacity, nor considered the AI's inherent +3 INDUSTRY advantage.  I really didn't expect this After Action Report to be something I'd have to fight for.  I thought I was just summarily ending the game.

Well, if it comes to that, I've got some Drop X Chaos Needlejets in production.  Plenty of Amphibious Hovertank Probe Teams once I get Sentient Machines and complete the Nethack Terminus.  I'm also ready to storm the Data Angels' last worthwhile city next year, then liquidate the rest.

[bvanevery]

Details before a plague

before a plague

MY 2361.  I have finally bombarded the Sensor Arrays into oblivion and am ready for my main assault.  I am thinking the city's population is large enough, that I can afford 1 plague hit, without it depopulating so small as to be wiped out by my final assault.  Human cities depopulate to 1 when Aliens take them over anyways, so there's no loss.  Provided the city doesn't get knocked down too far.  As a precaution, I will save scum this turn.  After all, the last city I plagued lost 10 people.

Details and after

and after

Perfect!  Look how effective it is.  This has now become a complete cakewalk / move-in special.  Demon Boil mindworms are going up against this.  As a precaution I move my mindworms onto high ground before attacking, in case the North Pole sinks next year.  The conquest is uneventful and all my units move into their new northern home.

Details watch out for Sensors

watch out for Sensors

The +50% defense bonus for a Sensor Array in my mod is no joke.  I already hit this city with 1 plague, and I lost a Demon Boil mindworm to a mere wounded Trance Scout.  I had just come back from an interruption to my game and wasn't thinking much about the situation.  Only that the last scrap of a Datatech city was south of me and I wanted it gone.  I stop my attack in order to deal with the Sensor.  I shell it with my X Gatling Battleship and it blows up.

Details why we get rid of them

why we get rid of them

With the Sensor gone, my odds are improved and I should prevail.  Oh good grief I don't, I just barely die!  Well I do have some more mindworms yet, but that was annoying.  I brought those Demon Boils up from little grubs, and slowly destroyed all of the Believer and Peacekeeper empires with them.  Never had lots of them, just enough to destroy a city or two at a time.  So it's like losing my little grubby children, all grown up and ready to die!

I could have used yet another Cruiser Probe Team, but I've only got 1 left in theater and there's always a risk of losing it after the mission.  Didn't seem worth it, since the city was already knocked down to size 1.  Well, 2 more mindworms finished off the city without incident.  Mission accomplished, it's one less city the University will own on doomsday.  The Data Angels have only 1 city left now, and the University has been trying to soften it up.  I drop 2 old school fission Probe Teams into my newly acquired city, to finish the job off next year.

[bvanevery]

Details she had it comin'

she had it comin'

MY 2362.  Only the University remains.  Roze should never have stolen that ship of mine.  She could have had the honor of being in the endgame!  She could have even been my ally.  Well no one said humans are smart.

Details our cold war

our cold war

I feel it important to point out that the University is not beaten.  We're at Orbital Defense Pod parity.  It may take as much as a 3:1 advantage to risk a launch.  My industry is working on it, but they're still keeping up.  They have at least 44 cities, judging by the number of Network Nodes they have.  I have 37.  They have 5 techs that I don't.  On paper, we're fairly evenly matched.  On the graph, I'm slightly stronger than them.  I also still have my 31 Planet Busters ready and raring to go, against their 2.

Details I am Electric Eye

I am Electric Eye

My ace in the hole is I can direct my research and they can't.  I've been pursuing a different tech path than they have.  One that will end their research advantage, and make their bases completely vulnerable.  Next year, it's showtime!  Chemical attacks aren't going to trigger any vengeance by Planet, and I don't think the University can do anything militarily about me.  I will wear down their industry until I finally have ODP supremacy and can nuke the rest.  Once a hot war starts, they might even do me the favor of trying to attack my ODPs with theirs.  They're certain to lose more of their own than they take out, which would give me my launch window sooner rather than later.

[Geo]

Details Data Angels plagued and gassed

Data Angels plagued and gassed

It seems we don't eat the same food, although oddly, we do use the same farmland, go figure!

Why, yes, naturally, its not the resource but the processing of the harvest that does the trick!

[bvanevery]

So there you have it.  The Aliens eat a quantity of soy sauce so excessive, it would kill a human.

And perhaps they find the bark of trees delicious.

You know if you take captives, there are alternatives to simply starving them to death.  Particularly if you have the cropland handy.  It's not like when a city drops to size 1, that the Aliens need all that land immediately for their own produce.

When will these Aliens embrace low-sodium cuisine?  They're draining our oceans, I tell you!

 

MY 2363.  Belatedly I realized that my existing Fusion Probe Teams will not be algorithmically enhanced until I actually complete the Nethack Terminus.  It's expensive and I can't do that instantly.  Supposedly I have an income of -2 energy credits, but I have trouble believing that because I have 1821 credits in my account.  Perhaps that's some wild mindworms I killed though.  I have diverted all ODPs that would take 2 turns to complete into Supply Crawler production.  8 of those should complete next turn.  I'm not sure if that's enough to complete the project, but it'll get me closer.  I still have 42 ODPs to their 30, and 6 more will complete next turn.

Meanwhile I'll build 1 Algorithmically Enhanced probe team in my capitol, where I keep my one Covert Ops Center.  That will be good enough to sneak around with, although I don't think I can frame anyone at this point?  I've also used this lull to move all my old non-amphibious X units to the northern captured city.  They should be able to make a right mess of the University's conquered Data Angel territory.

Details a species of suicide troops

a species of suicide troops

I've designed some cheap suicide squads.  Notably the Banzai Brigade: its purpose is to leap off a cliff, enter an empty enemy city, have enough movement remaining to Obliterate the base, and drown!  The Drop Frog is essentially the same thing but can be orbitally inserted.  If a base is only size 1 and adjacent to my rail network, I can send the even cheaper Banzai Flea to do the job, as I don't need any moves remaning.  It's basically a marine scout and only costs 10 minerals!  But my industrial capacity is high enough that I have cities that can easily produce a 30 or 40 minerals unit in 1 turn, without being able to produce more expensive things as quickly as I'd like. 

[bvanevery]

MY 2364.  My Elite Algorithmically Enhanced probe team didn't do much of a job against the University.  It was summarily compromised and Zhakarov declared war.  I'm tempted to take defensive actions only, as he doesn't seem to be keeping up with the ODP race.  I haven't committed any atrocities against him yet.  Can he be lulled into a false sense of security?

I don't really have enough offensive forces for conventional war.  Wasn't what I put my industry into.  I do have some units coming next turn.  Also the Nethack Terminus will be completed.  My Supply Crawlers got me almost all the way there, and it seems I do have some kind of unreported income, despite what the budget says.  After rushing the project I still have a 2125 credit reserve.

Details walk in

walk in

I don't have remotely enough amphibious units, let alone suicide units.  I take an undefended base, hoping to negotiate an immediate Truce afterwards.  Unfortunately I get the error where the enemy tries to make contact with you, but nothing is said and you can't respond.  Now he's ignoring me.  So, I'll have to kill his stuff and take another base.  I think I only have 1 more amphibious unit though.

Details silly party

silly party

It took a ridiculous number of Spore Launchers to sink 1 enemy Sea Colony Pod.  I'm not sure why they're so ineffective.  Perhaps conventional artillery works better, but this is what I've got.  I didn't want to waste a plane on the job, and what navy I bothered to make is all up north.

I killed a few more units in a few sea bases on the shores of my supercontinent.  I did not commit my "serious" air force to anything, they are waiting on the ground.  That was a pretty meek opening move by world conquest standards!  Maybe it will lull them into building the wrong things?

[bvanevery]

MY 2365.  Somehow in my tiredness and being interrupted by real life, I actually forgot to rush the last 2 turns of the Nethack Terminus.  Consequently, I do not have my algorithmically enhanced probe teams ready to go this year.  I could just replay the turn, but I'm not enthusiastic about that.  That's part of being tired.

The University did not make much in the way of grievous attacks.  They did steal a tech from one of my newly acquired and unprotected sea bases.  That's not completely necessary as I do have amphibious probe teams, but I don't have any conventional units to prevent conventional attacks.  In short, this has been a long game, and my endgame plan is now fairly piss poor.  It's like, can we just end this already??  This was supposed to be a short writeup with a bunch of nuke porn, and I can't even launch yet.

The good news is the University is not making all that many ODPs all that rapidly.  I think I will eventually win that contest.  Then it's all over.  Meanwhile I guess I'm plunking with conventional conquest for a turn!

Details humans are fools

humans are fools

I finally take a base that doesn't generate escape pods.  So I'm able to have a conversation with Zhakarov about a Truce.  Which is perfectly convenient for me until the Nethack Terminus is finished next year.  I don't even need him to honor it, as it won't make any difference.  It's not that I'm untrustworthy.  In fact my Reputation is still Noble, for aesthetic reasons that exceed my limited Alien brain's capacity for reason.  It's that I've built an arsenal to destroy the planet a certain way, and that should be obvious.  I don't mind taking out some weak bases conventionally beforehand, as it saves missile costs.

Details dirty rotten polluting humans

dirty rotten polluting humans

The poles disappeared this year.  It may actually make some things easier, having the water access.

[bvanevery]

Details an expensive heist

an expensive heist

MY 2366.  It took 4 probe teams to steal that tech.  I was beginning to think that algorithmic enhancement didn't actually work!  I mean, I only have a +3 PROBE rating.  Still a Knowledgeable Thought Control Green Police State.  Still buttering up Zhakarov to think of me as reasonable, still haven't committed any atrocities yet.  I will try to exhaust my inventory of probe teams before offering peace this time.

Well, using up the amphibious and maritime probe teams wasn't hard, but Speeder teams need a land connection that I don't have.  I used a Drop Transport to put 2 in my northern city, but their movement ended when they landed, so not so helpful this year.  After beating on Zhakarov I did get him to sign a Truce again, so I'm not quite done milking him for easy conquests.  I might as well drop more Speeder probe teams up north for next year.

All the size 16 cities are taking a break from ODP production to build Habitation Domes.

[bvanevery]

Details a bigger KABOOM!

a bigger KABOOM!

MY 2367.  Although my probe team losses have been horrific, I've managed to steal Quantum Power.  This would be a serious situation if the University had enough brains to manufacture the units needed to stomp me, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  I merely continue to whittle away at the poorly defended sea bases on the shores of my supercontinent.  As of this year I've stolen everything he's got.  And once again, he signs a Truce after I suicide into one of his size 1 sea bases.  It's all about avoiding the dialogue bugs!

Details the cost of multiple deaths

the cost of multiple deaths

For a mere 300 credits apiece, I can upgrade my Fusion Planet Busters to Quantum.  This would increase the blast radius to 3.  That's only useful if cities are within 3 squares of each other.  By the time I actually get to launch, I don't know that they will be.  I will avoid upgrades for now.

Details the spreadsheet of power

the spreadsheet of power

Looking at my available intelligence on the University, I believe they only have 34 cities now.  That means I pretty much have the nukes to obliterate almost everything. If only I could launch.

Details guiding the people to a better world

guiding the people to a better world

My problem is I'm afraid to spend my reserve of money, because I don't have any money coming in.  I can fix that by going Democratic, and maybe some other changes.  I'm not going to need Knowledge much longer.  Once I start committing atrocities, there will be no fooling Zhakarov at the end of every turn.

[bvanevery]

Details for once an easy gig

for once an easy gig

MY 2368.  Zhakarov came up with a new tech, so I stole it.  Didn't lose a probe team this time.  I don't have any easy conquests in reach of my supercontinent anymore, so I start expanding from my northern city.

Details actual opposition

actual opposition

I took 3 weakly defended northern cities before running into a Quantum unit.  My Demon Boil was not going to be able to penetrate its 3-Res armor so I didn't engage.  I was unable to avoid the dialogue bug so no Truce trickery at the end of this turn.  Zhakarov will be able to counterattack.

Details give me money or give me death

give me money or give me death

None of Zhakarov's remaining cities are small enough to avoid colonists escaping.  The dialogue bug is always going to be triggered, so I figure hostilities will be permanent.  Ergo, I have no need to butter him up with Knowledge anymore.  I don't actually need to fight well or conquer anything conventionally.  I need to make money, finish the Hab Domes, build a few Temples of Planet to prevent further flooding, and build ODPs or Conventional Missiles to wear out his reserve of ODPs.

Confident in my new income stream, I rush Clinical Immortality.

[bvanevery]

Details some growth

some growth

MY 2369.  For once Zhakarov doesn't have any new tech.  I've got everything he's got, and maybe a few of my own.  I switch my budget to make more money and start growing those unlimited cities.  Every time a city's production gets high enough that I can bang out an ODP in 1 turn, I've met my goal.  I take 3 more poorly defended northern cities.  I'm almost at my logistical limit of what I can garrison without making new defensive units.  I don't wish to do that, I wish to light 'em up and win!

Zhakarov is probably down to 31 cities.  More importantly, he's not making any ODPs.  Taking some of his poorly defended cities, and creating a substantial northern front, may have gotten the AI to feel pressure that it previously didn't feel.  Well good, all I should have to do is wait!