New Game - Medium, Hard, 5, Random; so you can have fun and tell me how to git gud

[Berkobob]

Hi Mirnaia, have been enjoying this report so far, thanks for sharing!

The tone to me has been light hearted and fun, it seems to me like you're enjoying talking about what's happening and the thought processes behind decisions - which I enjoy immensely.

I also agree the 'blown up' galaxy images (where you can see the whole galaxy, like in your last image above) are great for us to get a sense of what's going on.

Your expansion has been really solid, to me you had a good overall plan and adapted on the fly appropriately. No game is played perfectly, unfortunately.

As for some comments on the game, here are some things I would consider:

On the whole growth thing, I'd not claim to be a Silicoid expert, but I like leaving Cryslon at 1/2 pop and slowly seeding other colonies up to 1/3, then using excess production to churn research along to key techs.
Then, you can gradually get them to 1/2, and later, 2/3 full, again, using excess production to fuel research. I will admit, I build a lot less factories than many posters here though.

In this specific game, it seemed a priority to grab those two Terran planets to your north, so this leads us to wanting the first two colony ships out sooner than normal. Without playing the map, it's hard to say what the correct balance of population levels, factories and colony ship building is.

I'm curious if you considered researching ECM1 over Deep Space Scanners, to see whether you had Robotic Controls 3 a few turns earlier, and if you did, unlock the tech sooner?

On your war options, I'm curious how much tech the Meklar have, and if you could snatch Crius, ideally full of factories, from them easily?
The other option seems to be glassing a whole batch of Bulrathi planets - you'll never be able to invade them cost-effectively until the late game.

But that seems far away, you have no weapons or forcefield research, if I read correctly.
So you're probably best to just build up some more and see how the galaxy develops?

Lastly, is spying or trade an option, to try and get more techs?

[Mirnaia]

Hi Mirnaia, have been enjoying this report so far, thanks for sharing!

The tone to me has been light hearted and fun, it seems to me like you're enjoying talking about what's happening and the thought processes behind decisions - which I enjoy immensely.

I also agree the 'blown up' galaxy images (where you can see the whole galaxy, like in your last image above) are great for us to get a sense of what's going on.

Your expansion has been really solid, to me you had a good overall plan and adapted on the fly appropriately. No game is played perfectly, unfortunately.

As for some comments on the game, here are some things I would consider:

On the whole growth thing, I'd not claim to be a Silicoid expert, but I like leaving Cryslon at 1/2 pop and slowly seeding other colonies up to 1/3, then using excess production to churn research along to key techs.
Then, you can gradually get them to 1/2, and later, 2/3 full, again, using excess production to fuel research. I will admit, I build a lot less factories than many posters here though.

In this specific game, it seemed a priority to grab those two Terran planets to your north, so this leads us to wanting the first two colony ships out sooner than normal. Without playing the map, it's hard to say what the correct balance of population levels, factories and colony ship building is.

I'm curious if you considered researching ECM1 over Deep Space Scanners, to see whether you had Robotic Controls 3 a few turns earlier, and if you did, unlock the tech sooner?

On your war options, I'm curious how much tech the Meklar have, and if you could snatch Crius, ideally full of factories, from them easily?
The other option seems to be glassing a whole batch of Bulrathi planets - you'll never be able to invade them cost-effectively until the late game.

But that seems far away, you have no weapons or forcefield research, if I read correctly.
So you're probably best to just build up some more and see how the galaxy develops?

Lastly, is spying or trade an option, to try and get more techs?

You seem to have hit quite a number of nails on the head - I'm currently in the middle of playing/writing my next instalment and a lot of the future stuff you mention are relevant there.

I'm glad you like my documentation of my mind (that's the part I love the most about others' reports), and as you can see, I try to tell it as "real-time" as possible, hence you can see as I keep double-guessing and overruling myself. Silis are the race I'm the least comfortable with.

IMO this galaxy is a very good advanced tutorial one. Not outrageously Sili-friendly or -hostile, but offering just enough opportunity to make some key expansions if the player is fast enough. Note to self again: I SHOULD SAVE THE STARTING STATE OF EVERY GAME and back it up. Unfortunately, as RP50 mentionet, 1oom uses its own save format (you can import MOO saves but I believe not the other way around.)

I find it reassuring that you approve of my thinking of this rather experimental game. As you can see, I still only dare to play on "just" Hard difficulty. I can feel that it's getting too easy for me (I played one where I was with the cats and where I made a ton of serious early mistakes and still won handily.) I just need to gather the courage and not be afraid of losing, and then I should probably be ready for the hardest difficulty.

About growing to 1/3, then 1/2, then 2/3, I agree that those are the milestones you can safely aim for and rest at. I am a factory builder. I try to approach it from the point of view that I need a good reason to be doing anything else.

I did consider ECM1. The reason I decided against it was that 

• I wanted to see more of my surroundings, with a thin empire.
  
• I'm good at computer research, so the cost difference isn't that severe, it's 110 v 440 to get to percentages. On the one hand, it's 4x (2^2 v 4^2), but on the other, 440 is still very cheap.
  

But I see your point, and in different circumstances I might have decided to go for the cheaper option.

You'll see Meklar tech in the next post, not getting anything done in that direction any time soon without causing major destruction. At this point, I'd take a planet for the possible tech, and not for having one more planet. The Meklar would make a fine first target, them having +2 robotics by default and only having 2 planets.

An aside about the Meklar, which I haven't really seen mentioned. They DON'T PAY FOR FACTORY REFITS. They can go straight for more facts whenever they get better robotics. I think that's huge. After the first couple crucial techs they have the option to just spend on Computers and Planetology and basically play a Darlok game (at least that's how I like to roll with the nazguls.) 

Espionage not yet, but trade is very much an option, as you'll see.

[Mirnaia]

I wrote before, in a spoiler tag, about my nerve-calming Klackon game with explosive colony ship production, and realise I'm doing the exact same thing here - with the difference of twice as many planets but way worse (less than half AFAIK) overall production and thus, tech.

If they don't kill me in say, two decades, it's all over. The time for some serious chiseling (I think this is what I'm going to call Silicoid pop purchases) is nigh.

Here's to hoping I get to live in uninteresting times for as long as possible.

- 2382 -

Something I have a tendency to forget - take a thorough look for incoming as I get no warning. Nothing suspicious so far.

I need 3 more colony ships for the time being, that's 1 more from Paranar and Cryslon, both due next year, and then one more from Cryslon.

Tao can produce 10 +1 Rubies per turn. They'll guard Celtsi as it's only a Tundra and also a nebula planet. Anraq will be able to dispatch 18 the moment it's colonised, without ruining employment.

I want the third factories per population on my core planets, but I also don't want to go above 1/2 pop's worth because of feeding. I need to make sure I transport excess off of the planets, then put the excess into IRC then chiseling, forgoing tech for the time being. For now, it's a loss, but since I'll have to stand a lot of colonies up it should be beneficial in the longer run. This does not apply to the tiny planets, those are going max straight.

- 2383 -

   

Not surprised at all, and moderately happy.

   

This screen was long overdue. My seemingly big fleet energy comes from all the colony ships.

Escalon, Darrian and Gion go just over 1/2 pop, and they go chiseling for 2 turns until Esper is established. Just an example of guidelines, I'm sparing you every detail thankfully.

- 2384 -

   

Whew. The newly deployed scanner picks up absolutely nothing, good news. 17 transports are on their way (ETA 11, will have 1 natural growth.) So Tao's putting a tiny amount into reserves to help RR Celtsi, rest into rubies.
The remaining two northern planets, Exis, 60P and Toranor, 15R, will get colonised in 7 and 6 turns, respectively. Anraq can smuggle some IRC in, and send >1/2 towards Tao for later redistribution.

Then I have a thought. Those things are bloody dangerous. Is this all worth it? This is as much an emotional as an economical issue. A half full Silicoid planet can have the most productive power out of any race at this point in the game. My lack of care for the environment is an asset, and I want to use it. Go go go on factories and don't artificially curb growth, just chisel out the population for the new planets, they take forever to reach their destination anyway. It also makes management a lot easier. It also makes taking a turn off to assemble a defensive fleet for a newly founded fawaray planet easier. I'll have so many weak planets soon it won't hurt to have my core as strong as possible shoud attackitude stuff happen. It might be ever so slightly inefficient, but offers more security. I'm more than willing to accept it, screw my population micro at this stage. The rock of all rocks has spoken. It's big factory energy all the way.   Is that a feather or a rod of dynamite in the hat (and thus, is it a cap or a hat in this figurative case?) I'm reminded of Colonel Cathcart of Catch-22 fame, who measured every one of his actions taken as either a feather in his cap or a black eye. He also had a hilariously zero grasp of reality.

I feel so much better now.

With everything rearranged, it's time to move ze on.

- 2385 -

A Sakkra Juggernaut (only large, in spite of the name) and colony ship pay me a visit at Dunatis. I stay long enough to see the Juggernaut launch a missile, and then I'm off. I DO see that they colonised the planet, that clears things up. I lose my chance at a far eastern outpost. Fine, this was their space anyway. Deads aren't safe any longer.

I found R30P Esper, my third rich, good times. I can send 25 transports right now from planets at a "reasonable" distance, take that as 8-10 turns for arrival, quite a stretching of the concept of reasonable.

Anraq has finished its IRC business for the time being and is on to facts.

Settling Esper opens up the rest of the southeast for exploration. I recall it's three more systems, and there are four, before I remember that the westernmost one is Orion. Scouts dispatched, Gion builds 3 more to round things out.
Only the northeast and the extreme north remains unexplored, but most of it has to be Psilon and Alkari space. The only remaining unexplored yellows are Altair and Mentar, Alkari are 1 or 2 PE (they had 2 votes, they have at most 200 pop, 201 is 3 votes) in all probability. Psilons, somewhat more.

The 25 enterprising Alkari transports are due next turn or the turn after at Stalaz.

It's a long time since I checked (spies are inbound in ~3 years), I ask each of the three races I'm in contact with for a tech exchange. Interesting things are Hyper-X (Bulrathi&Mechs, not right now), and the Sakkras' T+30! Since so many of my planets are tiny, it's an interesting and powerful proposition. Predictably, they're asking for IRC III in exchange (tier 3 for a tier 2, how often does that happen!) OK, IRC III is a fantastic computer tech, it hurts to give it away. T+30, say, doubles Tao's current population, gives Celtsi a max of 50 instead of the current 30, gives me increased natural growth, and propels me one tier ahead in Planetology with 0 RP loss, something hugely important for Silicoids. I still won't be researching anything for a good few years, and I was planning to rush this tech before equalising out the six fields.
I think that's a strong argument for going ahead with this (unfortunately, mutually) beneficial trade. Enjoy your two snatched planets and factories, Hissa. And don't worry about our increased crystallisation rate - dragons love precious stones, don't they?
I forgot it also makes terraforming cheaper (4BC/pop instead of 5.) I set the priorities as facts > T-form > IRC, with chiseling as required.

Only way forward is Bio Toxin Antidote, 12640 RP. (Cloning is at the next tier.)

After I realise I checked my planets about 18 times over by now, let's get on with it. On to a gem-eat-dragon world!

- 2386 -

A Meklar Nexus-class that I've been tracking for a while even if I haven't mentioned it, is bound NNW, not sure which planet, but I can't rule out R Tao. We have a non-aggro. Should they attack, it's their fault even if I shoot the ship down, right? It's warp 1. I start a base on Tao, just to be safe.

- 2387 -

Drakka, 50P, to the south gets a colony, which triggers the 12 planets news.

6 Alkari Foxbats (smalls, probably just laser ships) appeared on the radar last turn, and also seem to be headed roughly in the Tao direction.

- 2388 -

Arietis, 10U is colonised. That concludes the southern expansion for now, depending, of course, on what we find in the very SE.

The closest SE system has no planet, two to go. A Psilon medium Star Wing is in the area, and the Sakkra are going for colonising the northernmost of the cluster, one of the two which I haven't explored yet.

   

   

   

Scouting reports are in!

The Nexus is almost definitely going for Tao, due next turn. Tao'll have two bases up, that's 6 nukes per volley, with a Mk I comp in addition to the natural +1 base bonus. The Nexus is maneuver 1. Assuming no ECM, and no shields, that's ~14,5 damage a turn. With shielding, it gets rapidly worse. I don't feel safe. My base has A point of shielding. Hyper-X is double base damage and another +1 to hit, more than double damage if they have shields. The bears want T+30 for it. Their two planets that I have explored are still at the same max size as when I discovered them (ahem, now that I have it I could have just looked at the spy's report to confirm the same.) They're an 8PE. That's a horrible trade. The 'borg are asking for T+30 or Death Spores. I choose the latter. Yes, they're dangerous, but it also gets them less ahead in Planetology, something they're naturally bad at. The other option gives them a Planetology tier and 300 factories. My next step in Planetology is the antidote anyway.

I forgot the threaten option exists, and that I should have tried that first. In any case, I don't think it's a horrible trade, and I'm also at tier 2 weapons without having opened the field.

Since I was asked about Crius, it has 7 bases and the full 85 population, 3 shields, ECM I and Hyper-X rockets.

Once all that ridiculous fighting is over, Tao needs to remax asap, I could use reserves now more than ever.

Rather extreme amounts of chiseling going on to stand up the new planets, but it should be over soon.

Even with the obscene costs, starting with industrial waste elimination immunity really shows its power here. Paranar, with 63 pop is building 17 IRC III facts right now.

- 2389 -

The Nexus just moved past Tao as far as I can tell. That means the only reasonable destination is RR Celtsi. Tao goes full facts even though it's barely past 1/2 pop (transports are incoming) and maxed for the time being, to assist as soon as it can. There's a Sakkra Juggernaut also headed there, something I haven't noticed and might very well pay the price for. 26 +1 rubies in orbit, plus a scout 1. No chance for an emergency base.

I route the colony ship that arrived at Bootis (which the Sakkra snatched) to the last possible planet I could get, the southeasternmost one, which I haven't scouted. The other two colships' ETA is 1 and 2 turns, after which I'll have the option to scrap the class. I hope the Juggernaut spent a lot of design space on shields (nebula fight) - I know it has nukes (and nothing better - they have only researched hand lasers and ion cannon, and the Juggernaut is probably a pre-Ion design).

Should the Jugg manage to get into orbit, the invasion will probably come from Stalaz, with Duralloy transports, and arrive either one turn earlier or at the same time the 17 colonists do, probably the latter, Jugg ETA looks more like 2 than 1 turn.

Other than that, I'm done with my turn, after setting Tao to Ruby production and feeling bad about it. It only has 63 facts of the maximum of 120, so reserve money is still far away, I think shipbuilding is the right choice. If I have to retreat from Celtsi, it's 4 turns to Stalaz and back, enough time to catch transports.

   

[WingsofMemory]

Between the hyper-x rockets, the ion cannons, and the auto-repair system, the Meklar are looking like they can field a really strong ship if they wanted too, I'd be a little worried lol.

The Sakkra having such good fuel cells and controlled radiated planets is not great news for you, but that was going happen sooner or later, and it looks like you made out okay.

Yeah, it's a good idea to use feeder colonies to send population to systems that need them. For other races poor/ultra-poor planets are great for that purpose, for Silicoids every colony is eligible. Since Silicoids still (barely) get natural unstimulated population growth, it's a good idea to skim a little off of the top from most systems to feed into a new one.

Well, good luck with the next installment!

[Mirnaia]

- 2389 -

Tao sets the relocation point to Celtsi, thankfully before I press the End Turn button.

- 2390 -

My scout reaches the SE planet at the same time as the Psilon destroyer. I try and wait it out, no missiles, then try to juke it (asteroids) to no avail, I get shot down during the retreat.

Toranor, 15R is founded. That puts me in contact with the Alkari, who offer a friendly greeting. Ariel is a pacifistic diplomat with 3 planets to their name, and we're green side neutral. I sign them up for 100/year, a middlish option, I don't trust galactic peace to last. They offer Hand lasers or ECM I for trade, this was just checking what they have. Spy's inbound in 8 years.

A Psilon Star Streak (also medium) is inbound to Exis 60P, the last northern planet I haven't colonised. Colony ship ETA 1 turn, I estimate the Psilon's ETA at 2. Celtsi's rubies can get there in 3, but of course need to stay in place now for next turn's Jugg encounter. I believe the correct move here is to NOT establish a colony, wait for the Star Streak to leave, then come back and get the colony up later.

A single new system (along the northern edge) opens up, which I anticipated, and the scout 2 at Toranor moves to investigate, ETA 4 turns.

A Sakkra colony ship and the Meklar main fleet are bound for Arietis 10U, so that's going to get invaded, not a big loss. I'm happy if they spend resources, and more importantly, time, grabbing my worst planet, as opposed to, say messing with my RR.

NOW I send a threat to the Sakkra, with whom I have high Amiable relations.

To Her [my arbitrary decision] Excellency, the most respected, prodigiously breeding, bluest-throated, most graciously slithering Squishiness,

Do not touch the exhibits, or be squished by our shiniest, preciousest, accuratest gems over our shiniest, preciousest, marbleous planet.

Respectfully,

Her [I'm a guy but Mirnaia's a she, ever since her old World of Warcraft days back in 2007-8] shiniest, most prismatic Empress Mirnaia of the perfect covalent configuration, Overseer of the Diamond Council, by the power of her little friend, the omniscient Obsidian's Impeccable Chisel, affectionately called SCALPELLONE CINQUANTA MILLE.

   

I guess that went well  They're only allied to the Meklar and Psilons at the moment  (Should have asked to break them before, obviously.) They recalled their ambassador, but did not declare war.

- 2391 -

The Battle at Celtsi commences.
First batch of rockets hit, destroying 4 rubies (I thought I had it.) The second volley peters out, and the Juggernaut retreats.

The "Battle" at Arietis consists of me retreating from the beam-armed Sakkra colony ship, which now orbits the colony. I have 3 transports inbound, sorry guys! I now hope they send transports from a very big planet for many of them to perish. Not that it matters, they're the Sakkra.

I decline to build a colony at Exis (Psilon ETA next turn), and route the colship to Xendalla (no habitable planets), 2 turns there and 2 turns back. 

I explore the SE planet of Volantis, 10I, that the Sakkra colonised a few years ago.

Tao stops shipbuilding, by the time the Nexus gets to Celtsi it will face 42 +1 rubies, a good number if there ever was one.

I try and re-scout the SEmost planet, hoping the Psilon ship leaves in the meanwhile.

Paranar has caught up with triple factories to its current population. It's on to chiseling instead of tech, I'm now pushing for maxing out unless I MUST get tech on my own.

Still 0 wars, just probing attacks all around. Still stroboscope alliances. This is a politically weird galaxy.

I then reassign Paranar to shipbuilding. I don't want to fall too far behind on statistical fleet strength, and Paranar is at the best part of the growth curve.

- 2392 -

The Star Streak arrives at Exis. Five rockets run out of fuel, but there is a heavy laser installed - my scout retreats. And it gets shot down whilst doing so.

   

No surprises here.

I feel like I'm pushing my luck, if that's even an expression. It's pressing, isn't it? In any case, I'm very exposed until I can have defenses going, but my planets that could build a reasonable amount of defense are not immediately in danger.

That is, until I notice a Meklar colony ship just dispatched from Crius headed in my direction. Again I'm terrible at judging where it's headed, maybe Paranar? That planet can get ~ 1 1/3 bases a turn, and the ship is far away, I really hope that is indeed the destination.

What I did not notice until now are the 6 Alkari Foxbats (small lasers in all probability) due at Anraq next turn. I feel like I'm not very good at this. The closest Alkari world is 12 pc away, but still, it's embarrassing   Now, Anraq can NOT build a base in 1 turn, and could churn out 9 +1 Rubies, and they would LOSE to the Foxbats (estimated 20% v 5% hit chance.) Paranar rerouting would also take 2 turns. So I'll take 2 turns to build a base, and will have 6 turns to deal with the invasion.

   

By now the map is cluttered enough that such slip-ups will inevitably happen.

The Sakkra just got Sub-Light (Warp 3) drives, and sent 65 transports to my max 10 planet from Sssla (figures, half of 130.) Sssla-Arietis is 7 pc, that's 4 turns ETA. The Meklar will get to Arietis before that, or at the same turn, not sure, and therefore, send their own invasion force, so a lot of interesting things are bound to happen at that planet. Meklar-Alkari 0-10 in terms of current gropo. They could still get an alliance until that point, of course.   In any case, I transfer 1 pop of the 2 to R Esper.

- 2393 -

The Foxbats are either moving past Anraq to the uninhabitable system (more likely) or were 1 pixel short of arriving. In any case, Anraq is finishing its base with enough leftover to quickly build a second if necessary.

The Meklar colship might also be headed for the no-planet system.

Now, there's a Bulrathi-Meklar and a Bulrathi-Alkari alliance currently. I'm curious as to what the state of affairs be in 2 turns when both the birds and borg reach Arietis.

Tao's maxing out on facts next turn, which is going to be extremely helpful if it doesn't end up having to produce something else YET AGAIN.

I re-route my colony ship to Exis, which still has the Psilon ship in orbit, but I want to give it a try.

- 2394 -

The Meklar Nexus arrives at RR Celtsi, and is greeted by a scout and 42 +1 Rubies. The epic battle consists of it launching two sets of missiles at the Rubies from too far away and then warping out.

I discover the uncolonised Mobas, 25U, at a red star at the northern fringe. Now, do I make a play for it? Of course. Say goodbye to 395 BC (plus maintenance costs) with no return in all probability, but I hate not even trying. Paranar gets on the job, ETA 11 turns all things considered.

Both Psilon ships I wanted to depart seem to have departed - I'll have a colony up at Exis next turn, and I'll get to scout the southeasternmost system in the galaxy.

Alkari Foxbats are confirmed and Meklar colony ship all but confirmed to be headed for Draconis, the uninhabitable system to the far west. Have fun staring at curiously-shaped asteroids and planetary dust!

The Meklar main fleet has moved past Arietis, in fact - that means they're going for that very SE planet I'm about to discover next turn.

Everywhere else, I'm going for broke to stand my economy up.

- 2395 -

After that Psilon juke, I establish a colony at Exis, 60P - besides my core terrans, that counts as a LARGE planet.

The SE planet is Obaca, RR25P!!!!111! My colony ship that I routed there because there was nowhere else to go and I couldn't yet scrap it is inbound in 1 turn. I can't see, of course, if there is anything else inbound. Other than the Meklar SoD, naturally. They can't land there, and we have a NAP - more interesting times incoming.

The 65 Sakkra transports invade and take Arietis (casualties: 1-1.)

I finally have some (126) money in the reserve, most of which I promptly spend on planetary development. The rest are going to end up spent as my fledgeling colonies start growing.

Crazy alliances still. The networks spans all 5 other races. Bulrathi -> Meklar, Alkari, Sakkra. Meklar -> Bulrathi. Alkari -> Bulrathi. Sakkra -> Bulrathi, Psilons. That probably means losing the council vote if it remains so. I feel like it's pretty please time.
I get the Bulrathi to cancel their alliance with the Sakkra (the most important one.) They refuse to do the other two.
So I get the Bulrathi-Meklar alliance cancelled from the other side.
The rest, I'm not nearly on good enough terms with to even try.
I feel like this is dangerously close to exploiting the diplomacy system, but at least it beats spectator wars.
Now of course they could remake the alliances next turn, but I didn't want to wait until '99.

An I really don't know where my eyes are. The Meklar SoD entered Arietis orbit (I really really thought they were going past it) and 50 transports are inbound, which are going to lose unless they get serious gropo out in something like 2 turns.
Since this happened before I ended their alliance, the Sakkra colony ship is also in orbit - yes, they casually sent all those transports against their ally.

- 2396 -

Mu Delphi, in northern Sakkra space, is a R10R, with no base, hence the info.

My 3 transports bound for Arietis are wiped out by the 10 (now 9) Sakkra defenders. This, of course, means war in Hissa's book. 

I establish the RR Obaca colony, and of course there's a Sakkra colony ship headed there, which I cannot stop.

I check the races screen and the Sakkra have NOT declared war nor have they recalled their ambassador. At this point I'm really tempted to threaten them AGAIN. 

I consider the ethics of it. It's again, one of the game features that works too easily. Their navy is about twice as strong as mine on paper. On the other hand, they just threatened me, and should I fail again, that definitely means war. I'm undecided, and would much appreciate input.

   

[WingsofMemory]

Holy moly that's a tough call. The Sakkra look like they'd be quite the threat in combat, so risking their ire isn't exactly a great option. But what is at this point? It seems to me that the expansion phase is pretty much over, and now it's coming to a head where was is becoming inevitable.

The Meklar seem a tempting target with how small they are, but I am pretty sure that you'll get a diplomatic penalty with everyone after eliminating a species.

Honestly I think that getting either the Sakkra or the Bulrathi (maybe even the Meklar if possible) on your side would be the way to go. Taking pressure off of one of your flanks will adding it to theirs might make for a successful invasion.

In this so far peaceful galaxy, as we scheme plans for war, are we the bad guys? : P

[Berkobob]

I agree with WingsOfMemory, you need to get one large empire on side, then pick a target.

Your empire is extremely scattered, and I see no real way you can defend the northern colonies, if the Bulrathi decide to come after you - they have Merculite Missiles already. I would try to trade with them, maybe even gift them a cheap tech and ask for a NAP.

I expect the Sakkra to declare if you threaten them again, based on relative fleet strength.

With Nuclear Engines, and no weapons or forcefield tech(?) I dont see a way to prosecute an offensive war against anyone except the Meklar.

If you want to try and buddy up with the Meklar, you might need to content yourself with glassing the Sakkra planets nearby to buy time for your worlds to get stood up, and your tech to catch up, as there's no way to mount an effective warp 1 invasion against the Sakkra or Bulrathi without absolutely crippling your population totals.

[Mirnaia]

Thank you for engaging with and providing critique to my thought process.

Immediately after I posted my reply, my next thought was that now there is a very real chance of Final War in 2400, and I need to solve that problem before thinking about anything else. Yes, that means I need friends yesterday. Actually, my best friend is running against me in a few years, and I just convinced my other best friend not to like my first best friend so much.
To be clear, I'm not planning an offensive any time soon. Expeditionary operations are right out - I'm not getting through missile bases even with dedicated bombers at any reasonable price - not to mention defending against the counterattack. The only real offensive weapon I have is the Hyper-X missile, and a missile boat currently costs 80 BC (medium, Mk I cpu, 2/2 speed.) Invasions are a utopia, rocks with 0 gropo do not stormtroopers make. What would now happen in an ideal world would be that I max every planet and begin teching, adding bases as necessary. I really have no tech, it was a conscious choice to sacrifice research except for the absolutely crucial techs in order to expand and grow. The real reason I considered a threat against the Sakkra was that I'm sad to lose an ultra rich.
I do have a NAP with the Bulrathi and the Meklar, and I'm Affable with both of them.

   

That looks like me v Bulrathi (Silicoids leading in population…) - I don't think the Sakkra can outgrow them in 3 years, can they? Not an expert here.

Current alliances:
Bulrathi - Alkari
Alkari - Sakkra
Sakkra - Psilon

If I were up agains the Sakkra, I could just ally with the bears. Alas, as I said above, I'm not. The problem is, I'm much better friends with the Bulrathi than with the Sakkra, but I'll be running against Bullux.
The Alkari will vote against me no matter what. I expect the Sakkra to do the same. I'd need the Meklar to support me and the Psilons to abstain and then I should be safe.
It looks like I'd need to ally with the Meklar to be safer (so much for their juicy facts.) They are about to take Arietis (50 v 9) from the Sakkra who took it from me, which again points to a war with the Sakkra, and then I could try and draw the Bulrathi in and play for buying time to consolidate. That would probably put me, bears, mechs against the lizards, birds, brains, with a chance that I can turn the Alkari to my side if the cards and dice play right.

To add to my headaches, a Bulrathi Tooth class cruiser is "investigating" Drakka in 2 turns. I'll rally ships from Drakka and Esper and see what I can do (Drakka can build a base with max reserve support in THREE turns, of course.)

Since the expansion phase is over - thanks for reminding me, it somehow didn't click in my brain - I can go ham on NAPs.

To sum my thoughts up, I need a formal alliance with the Meklar to survive the vote, and as soon as the Meklar-Sakkra war breaks out, I need to convince the Bulrathi to participate. It might even be appropriate to sign the bears up for an alliance. Anything to get my strength up as I basically have the Western Silicoid Empire, the Northern Silicoid Empire, and the Southern Silicoid Empire, and the latter two are more like ragtag  starving hamlets than empires.

This is the longest I'm-not-feeling-safe period I had in any of my games so far. On to serious experimentation with diplomacy. I'm playing this to learn, after all. Serves me right for playing as greedy as a pelican*.

Oh, and we are DEFINITELY the bad guys. 

Another note to self: I need to beg, steal or borrow FORCE FIELDS.

*
A wonderful bird is the Pelican.
His beak can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week!
But I'll be darned if I know how the hellican?

And now for something completely the same.

- wrapping up 2396 -

Time for even more diplomacy… with the I don't wanna do it penalties adding up for multiple actions a year. 
I trade T+30 to the Meklar (brrr) for class III shields. Warp 2 fleets are still slow. I'm planning for a long friendship with the mechs, and I need more protection. It will also tell me if I have the possibility of researching the first planetary shield.

   

That's the spirit, INT-986, in whatever base that number's supposed to be, go rox&mex! Now just please don't re-ally with the Bulrathi.

   

That's the spirit, Bullux! Now just please don't re-ally with the Meklar.

I up my trade agreement with the 'borg&bear to the max; 450 and 300 from 50 and 100. And that puts all my planets' eco spending into waste, oh wait.

Neither the Sakkra nor the Alkari believe that a non-aggression pact is a good idea. Can't blame them.

Cryslon is getting its final population next year, maxes facts for now, builds a base and I OPEN UP FORCE FIELDS. I can see cracks appearing in the Diamond Council members.

Can't do squat about RR Obaca, the lizards will have it. I couldn't even get the first year's worth of fighters (10 in total, should I try) there before the invasion force will arrive, not that they would matter.

Those planets that can will build a token base.

Definitely a year for the history books!

- 2397 -

   

Yes yes yes yes yes!! Our salvation is soon at hand.

The most insidious of computer viruses destroys 0 points of my computer research.

The Sakkra colony ship chases my scout away from RR Obaca.

Cryslon is maxed! I forgot how research looks like. It's all the way to Planetary Shield V, and then I'll spread to all the fields. Now all I need to be safe for the time being is a battle computer, and, well, time.

No new or broken alliances this turn.

I switch to only supporting my unmaxed R and RR planets, as I will run out of funds if I don't. They're absolutely top priority to get going, so they can support the rest faster.

- 2398 -

I get to explore one more planet to the very north due to the bear alliance. Scout dispatched.

The Sakkra allied with the Meklar. I convince them to stop that silliness.

The invasion force against Obaca is 50 transports. I'm happy I wasn't trying to stop it. We'll still have two rich planets and one ultra rich.

- 2399 -

I take a look at the population graph, it's Bullux and Mirnaia running for High Master.

One more attempt to get the Bulrathi-Alkari alliance cancelled. And it works!

Don't see any incoming, but by now you already know how reliable that estimate is.

Major facts and chiseling and feeding everywhere. At this point the 40/pop is just a penalty I have to live with. Cryslon's the exception, as I need to get that shield.

---

New Year's Party time! (I win the jewelry contest.) Heavy stomach.

Mirnaia v Bullux
Round 2
FIGHT!
An unstoppable paw against an unbreakable rock!

25 votes - 17 required

Bulrathi - 5 for themselves
Meklar - 2 for the Silicoids
Alkari - 2 for the Bulrathi
Psilons - abstain with 4 - I'm SAFE! The leaders of the galaxy are now aware how a rock sighing sounds.
Sakkras - ABSTAIN with 5
Silicoids - 7 for the Bulrathi

Bullux - Mirnaia 14-2
Inconclusive.

---

- 2400 -

   

That was quite the ride, and the result couldn't have been better (well, except for me winning, but that was not going to happen, and I wouldn't have taken it anyway), I was able to vote for Bullux! Other interesting fact: mex&rox together had veto power - I did not technically need either of the two abstentions. My political shitstorm was super effective.

In 2382 Mirnaia confessed to her most trusted and well-configured councillors that the rest of the galaxy has about two decades to kill the empire, or it's all over. Now it looks more like three, but so far only a few contested fringe planets have been chopped off, of which only one hurt. Given the current state of affairs, if I reckon maxed T+30 planets + shield, at which point I can start teching comfortably = win. Even with the Hard difficulty bonuses and the Silicoid penalties, I should be able to develop faster. Hope I won't have to eat those words.

An Alkari Warbird class cruiser is cruising around the northwest - keep an eye on it!

In other news, I get a NAP with the birds. The lizzies still decline.

The unexplored northern planet comes into scout scanner range - it's a Psilon colony, Tau Cygni.

- 2401 -

Tau Cygni is 60 pop 120 fact - lazy or no IRC?

The Sakkra take RR Obaca, I take one with me, 24 other transports perish because of planet size.

The Sakkra have just colonised Mobas, the last planet I had a colony ship approach. That means I can scrap it for a bit of reserve money, which is very very useful right now.

The Warbird is cruising towards Exis. It just got its first instalment of 5 colonists (so it's at 7/60+ pop), I need ships. The 42 fighters at RR Celtsi depart, and Celtsi will spend 1 year's worth of supported production to produce 46 more. Ultra riches. Not even maxed on factories.

This puts Celtsi at 0 defense for a turn. It will be targeted, I'm sure, so more defense production will be in order probably. It's a nebula planet, remember. I decide to only send half of the garrison, should still be enough against the intruder. It's large and warp 1, so I'll actually be able to hit it.

R Esper is maxing next turn, a R60 feeding reserves is not too bad a thing to have.

- 2402 -

Two Spirit class Sakkra destroyers are up to no good, heading in my core's direction, can't tell where they're moving towards yet.

I currently have the strongest Production (well, I can't see how the Psilons are doing) and I'm not planning to look back.

Esper can finally begin to feed the reserves - development is really going to speed up. Even with the ship production detour, Celtsi is also very close to max.

- 2403 -

The Sakkra Spirits seem to just be transferring to Stalaz, the Sakkra exclave in the far west.

My rich planets have maxed out. They're building bases and feeding the reserve.

I up my trade with the Alkari to the max. I'll try to sway them to our side.

RR Celtsi begins the ultra rich feedback loop. Is this considered exploiting the game, by the way? As in, should I stop doing it?

- 2404 -

The battle at Exis commences. Sending a lot of ships was warranted, I win the fight with 23 out of 68 fighters remaining. They stay at Exis, Celtsi has bases and can build a lot in a hurry.

Planetary shield is at 11%.

- 2405 -

I get a NAP with the Sakkra. That's 2 alliances and 2 non-aggros, not something I ever had in any previous game.

- 2406 -

Planetary shield V is at 46%. I open the other fields up (10% each), bringing the shield to 39%.

- 2407 -

The shield is in! I can choose between Repulsor, which I generally find to be too situational, and Class V shields, so I choose the latter (17500).

Weapons tech is more interesting. The way forward is either Scatter Pack V (5290), Ion Rifle (6300) or Merculite missiles (8570), and I'm genuinely uncertain which one to pick. After some consideration, I choose the SPV. It's the cheapest, it offers safety, I can always bum Merculites off the bears if really necessary, and while I'm hurting for gropo, I'd rather defend my planets from orbit, and attacking is still very very off the table.

For now, I set research to Computers 16%, Construction 18%, FF 14%, Planetology 24%, Propulsion 14%, Weapons 14%. My usual nothing special's going on distribution. Research funding is at 1257 BC. Improved Space Scanner, Battle Suits, Class V Deflector Shields, Bio Toxin Antidote, Dotomite Crystals (Range 7), Scatter Pack V.

Planets that can reasonably afford to do so go on big planetary shield energy. Colonies are finally coming along nicely.

   

Not displayed are Paranar 130 and Gion 75, both maxed on facts. The Tao +20 are transports that came from Anraq and departed towards Exis.

   

   

[WingsofMemory]

lol I do wonder what the sound of a rock sighing is.

I think it was a mistake to get an alliance with Bulrathi and a NAP with the Sakkra. Goal should've been alliance with one, war with the other. I don't think you are setting yourself up well for future conflicts. I think that they will be able to turtle harder than you can, I don't think you'll keep up in research with them.

Allying with the Meklar I think was a fantastic move however, having a little attack dog at the go will either take pressure off you in your first war, or put pressure on them should they choose to ignore the Meklar.

I could be wrong however, let's see where this goes!

[Berkobob]

Great job on avoiding a council loss, it wasn't clear to me this was possible, based on your last report.

I don't hate an NAP with the Sakkra, it's definitely better not to have one in light of your alliances, but you seem to be ~20 turns away from having a real offensive fleet, and they are difficult for you to reach. Consolidating a fleet to take down their worlds still seems like it would take quite a few turns, after which, the situation might have changed significantly.

Using the UR trick to me is fine, you're sacrificing giga ship production at that world to make it happen.

The position still seems strong overall. Looking forward to the next instalment!