Nato Unravelled

Misotu · December 4, 2000, 15:09

The Canadians (big_canuk and Googlie) have pulled out of the NATO alliance, and have challenged the European nations for supremacy on the colonized planet, Chiron.

Building on their impressive unionized labour force, run by Foreman Domai, and fuelled by the research of Silicon Valley North, chaired by Academician Zakharov, the Canadians are confident of victory.

Meanwhile the Europeans retain their sang froid. Duke Tau Ceti's mystical ability to walk with Planet, combined with the acclaimed humanitarian initiatives of Commissioner Misotu lead the Europeans to believe that the upstart Canadians will soon be returned to the NATO fold.

The players in this game:
Big Canuck (kckhnsn@MNSi.Net) Drones
Googlie (googlie@mybc.com) University
Tau Ceti (larsheg@sensewave.com) Gaians
Misotu (misotu@hotmail.com) PK

Settings:
Huge world with abundant fungus but otherwise average. Transcend difficulty, all victory conditions enabled, no AI factions, random events on, spoils of war off, blind research off.

Thanks to our CMN Basil (Michael_Carney@mindlink.bc.ca) for setting up this game!

Please post your messages here ...
[This message has been edited by Misotu (edited December 04, 2000).]

Tau Ceti · December 4, 2000, 16:41

The Europeans seize the initiative and take the first move.

2102 to Googlie.

Googlie · December 4, 2000, 23:04

2102 to Foreman big-canuk

Googlie · December 5, 2000, 19:22

And I just want to add my thanks to Basil for setting us up

G.

big_canuk · December 5, 2000, 20:49

I got NU1 and NU2 from Googlie. NU2 was and invalid zip file. Please resend.

Will wait a few minutes (for the resend), before I send both turns along to Misotu.

big_canuk · December 6, 2000, 11:14

NU1, 2102 and NU2, 2103 to Misotu

Misotu · December 6, 2000, 11:58

2103 sent to Tau ...

Tau Ceti · December 6, 2000, 20:36

...and to Googlie...

Googlie · December 6, 2000, 21:02

and posted on our xdrive for big_canuk

big_canuk · December 8, 2000, 22:48

And both games on to Misotu

Misotu · December 9, 2000, 00:47

2104 sent to the ravishing Lady Tau

Tau Ceti · December 9, 2000, 11:03

Hey, Lady Tau Ceti has been in action before!

Just check the old ACT007 thread.

There is nothing really gender-specific about the name anyway, and judging by the pictures, it would be a very feminine-looking man...

2104 to Googlie.

Googlie · December 9, 2000, 11:23

2104 to big_canuk

big_canuk · December 9, 2000, 22:34

04 and 05 to Misotu

Misotu · December 10, 2000, 00:08

No offence intended milady

2105 is on its way to the Gaians ...

Googlie · December 10, 2000, 18:41

2105 on big_canuk's xdrive

big_canuk · December 10, 2000, 20:46

05 and 06 to Misotu

Tau Ceti · December 11, 2000, 01:10

None taken.

2105 to Googlie.

Misotu · December 11, 2000, 12:38

2106 to Tau

Tau Ceti · December 11, 2000, 17:49

2106 to Googlie. NA2 is nowhere to be seen.

Googlie · December 11, 2000, 19:05

2106 to BC via XD

(Mis, didn't he send both at the same time - his post above indicates that)

G.

big_canuk · December 11, 2000, 21:45

NU1, 2106 sent to Mis. NU2, 2106 resent, just in case.

Misotu · December 12, 2000, 12:18

Sorry gang - I had played and sent NU1, then got hit with a really tedious RL crisis and didn't get back to the PC until this morning

My fault, not BigC's.

Misotu · December 15, 2000, 00:37

2107 is finally off to Tau, with humble apologies to all for messing up several times this week ...

Googlie · December 15, 2000, 10:21

2107 loaded on the xdrive for big_canuk

big_canuk · December 15, 2000, 18:55

2107 to Misotu

Misotu · December 15, 2000, 21:15

2108 off to Tau.

Tau Ceti · December 15, 2000, 23:10

2108 to Googlie.

Googlie · December 16, 2000, 02:23

We may have the same problem that we have encountered in Chiron Winter I and AXT029 - unstable settings.

We should be on transcend level, yet my SE change costs are 24 credits, indicating librarian level (for the Uni at least)

I've sent the turn on to big_canuk (by e-mail again) on
the offchance we are all Librarian (unlikely) but have e-mailed you all and asked Tau Ceti to contact Basil to walk him thru the CWI/AXT029 problem and solution

G.

Misotu · December 16, 2000, 02:42

Well ... if we're looking at a re-start, then I think we need to arrive at a concensus on start positions and the kind of game we envisage.

My position is absolutely terrible in this game (again). I wasn't going to raise it separately, but since it looks like we have a serious problem anyway, it's probably worth mentioning.

I wonder whether Basil realised that we wanted to get dug in for a bit and have a *serious* conflict mid to late game? It's just that I don't think that the start positions in either game have been considered in that light and balanced out.

Random start simply won't do for this game - it has to be very carefully balanced or it won't work out right.

I am on an island the size of a tea leaf. One base, that's all I can fit there. That's fine ... I was given a transport foil. But I'm also right beside my pact mate, so I can't expand to his island. And the next land mass is also the size of a tea leaf - literally one-base-sized again

If one or other of the opposing team is not similarly afflicted, then this is a very serious disadvantage in the early game. I have to build a pod, then transport it to another land mass, then send it on its way to the site. In turn advantage terms, it's a disaster.

To be honest, unless we are all playing an aquatic game, I simply don't think that this is the kind of set-up that will lead to a really great game

I wonder whether Basil realised that we were looking for a very *seriously* balanced start position? Like, no-one starts in the jungle ... unless someone on the other side starts in the Flats with the Geothermal Shallows round the corner. For example.

In a team game, balance and start position are extremely important. It's a hard thing to get right, I know, but I'm not sure that our original two starts really achieved it?

Sorry and all that - I don't like to whinge - but I'm looking forward to this game and I'd like to have a really serious challenge between two fairly balanced teams ... not a walkover for one or the other

cheers
Mis