Democracy in Peril (3) - Turn Thread - Page 7

Tau Ceti · December 11, 2001, 12:44

2157 to Qantaga.

Flubber, could you check the AIs and see if any of them are close to building the PTS? I would quite like it, and think I can build it in about 4-5 turns.

Q, strange. I believe I just get the "Maybe we should dispatch a military unit to investigate" message. Was your probe armoured?

Qantaga · December 11, 2001, 13:11

2157 to Flubber.

Flubber, the Peacekeepers have erected a memorial in UN Headquarters to honor the brave Apache crew who were destroyed trying to defend our lands.

Tau, it is strange. You know, the more that I think about it, I don't know if I have ever tried to take a damaged probe to a monolith before. I know if the probe is at full strength, when it gets to a monolith, I get the "perhaps we should send a military unit to investigate" message, but maybe it's because it was 50% damaged. Oh, and it was not armored, just a standard probe team.

Flubber · December 11, 2001, 14:17

2158 to tau

The PTS is only being built by the UNI and at the moment they are 18 turns away

Decent turn . . . I stole superconductor and prog psych and continued preparations for an assault on the Hive in 2165 or so. I should complete the CBA next turn and then will switch to Fundy/Planned and leave wealth (might even go knowledge for the small efficiency boost)-- With the trained abilility I should have off the shelf elite air units while ground units will get a monolith visit. I scouted out a decent site for a seabase and am prepping a couple of transports to go with a chopper and drop force. . . but I am considering dropping a CP on that little island off the Hives coast so I can use drop troops more effectively. I think the Hive is in for a suprise. They still have no probes and their defenses are generally a single 1-3p-1 troop.

Any techs you folks need just holler-- you will note that I have almost abandoned tech-- My choices are designed to maximize war and cash. On the probe front, another one died, leaving me with just one sea probe-- I will start some land ones to get all the Hives tech and more importantly his map

Q, my chopper will scout for you once it is fully recuperated . . . provide details where you want it to go and it will be done. the cyborgs have no transport ships at the moment so that threat is nullified-- Their navy consists of a single laser skimship .

Cheers

Flub

Tau Ceti · December 11, 2001, 17:20

2158 to Qantaga.

Qantaga · December 11, 2001, 18:07

2158 to Flubber.

Thanks for whittling the Cyborg navy down for me, Flubber.

Flubber · December 11, 2001, 19:44

2159 to tau

The CBA is done .

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The Free Drones today announced the issuance of war bonds to fund their conflict with the Hive. The allocations to the Drone population were fully suscribed in hours and they are now inviting the Morganites and Peacekeepers to aid in the "quest to preserve democracy"

Tau Ceti · December 11, 2001, 20:25

2159 to Qantaga.

At the moment, all the Morganites' resources are allocated to the effort to construct a massive new Planetary Transit System. However, once this task in finished (estimated in about two years), Morgan Industries will be happy to set aside part of its annual surplus to help the war effort.

Qantaga · December 11, 2001, 20:57

2159 sent to Flubber.

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The citizens of the Peacekeeping Forces have rallied across the land and have unanimously pitched in to purchase Free Drone war bonds. We have seen those noble forces in action protecting our shores against the Cyborg hordes, so we are happy to support the QtPD (Quest to Preserve Democracy) in any way we can.

Flubber · December 11, 2001, 22:20

2160 to Tau
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The foreman spoke on the issuance of war bonds "We really appreciate the assistance of our allies in this. The funds are very helpful. Without this funding the war against the Hive would take longer"

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Top secret war communique

Re Operation Beecatcher

It is estimated that the necessary forces will be marshalled in their home bases by the end of 2161 and should be in the forward attack base (to be established in 2161) by 2163. The estimated jump off date for the attack is 2164.

Initial estimates project 1 Hive base captured and another destroyed in the initial assault with following forces occupying the captured base being available to assault further bases in 2165. Projections indicate that without the intervention of the University, Cyborgs or Spartans, the bulk of Hive territory should be under Drone rule by 2185.

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I wonder how close I will come to my projections

Qantaga · December 12, 2001, 16:38

2160 sent to Flubber.

Flubber, the early Vegas line says you will have the Hive under Drone rule by 2191. I'm betting the under.

Tau, please send OptComputers as soon as you get it. I am only one turn behind you and I am hoping to switch over to a new choice as soon as you send it. Thanks.

Flubber · December 12, 2001, 18:11

2161 to tau

Any cash you can spare would be appreciated on this turn so I can rush a bunch of units. It should be the last I'll need since I'm hoping my initial rush built force should be enough with normal reinforcement and rushing available from my own cash flow

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Newsflash

Drones christen an group of ELITE MISSILE PARAGUYS. One of their unit said " its such a hoot to parajump 8 units and then double time the road for 6 more"

The ministry believes that their range and versatility will be a key in any future conflict

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Guys here's the force I see jumping off with in 2164

5 chaos choppers (3 of them elite)
2 impact choppers ( cheap and for hitting annoyances)
2 missile paraguys (elite 6-1-1)
2 drop shells (elite 1-1-1 ready for upgrade)
1 chaos rover ( 8-1-2-- I built a boat for the initial plan so I'll use it for SOMETHING)
1 drop rover (elite 2-1-2 for upgrading)
2 cheap aircover ( for ZOC-- road destruction etc)
1 drop probe ( I wanted more but the Hive has 0 probes)

3 chaos and 2 impact choppers should follow every 3 turns or so with 2 drop shells every 2 turns and a missile paraguy every two turns

My tactics are designed a lot around their total lack of airpower or anti-air abilities. I figure my planes are immune and I will use them to interdict but not necessarily attack Hive ground troops. Despite the Hives lack of probes, I plan to be very careful and only take what I can hold. I don't know if the Hive is reading the board but they are obviously paying attention to something since they are militarizing in a big way-- unfortunately for them they are constructing about a dozen 8-1-1s which will be fodder to the choppers

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The Consciousness landed a troop and a probe on my homeland. They and their transport are now dead but a warning, the cyborgs are up to 4 probes and they have a couple of transports again-- so vigilence is the watchword. I think that the chopper after next from Free drone Central will head over the PK way again to harass those cyborgs.

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The more I am seeing, the more I see the benefit of hitting the Hive hard and soon. While their tech is not that impressive, there is no doubt that industrial capabilities are and if they had airpower now, well we would probably be fighting a defensive war rather than planning an offensive one.

Tau Ceti · December 12, 2001, 22:53

2161 to Qantaga. 90 credits to Flubber. PTS built.

Qantaga · December 13, 2001, 11:47

2161 to Flubber.

Congratulations on the PTS, Tau.

The proceeds of more war bonds forwarded to Flubber. Best of luck behind enemy lines.

Flubber · December 13, 2001, 12:28

2161 done -- 2162 to tau

Thank you for all the cash-- it was more than I expected/hoped

Let me know if I can do anything for you

Tau Ceti · December 13, 2001, 15:04

2162 to Qantaga.

Decided not to send OptiCom immediately, as Q will not discover it next turn and does not have Adaptive Doctrine yet (nor Flexibility, its prerequisite). Flubber, if you send him both AdapDoc and OptiCom (which you got, I assume, from the Datalinks when I discovered it), Q can switch to AMA on his next turn. Please send me AdapDoc too.

Qantaga · December 13, 2001, 15:29

2162 sent to Flubber.

Tau, a very wise decision on your part. Thanks for looking out for me! I have backed my labs up to make sure we can pull off the necessary swaps, but I will bump it back up next turn if all goes according to plan.

I knew that I was going to learn a lot in this game from the two of you. Thanks for all the great advice.

Flubber · December 13, 2001, 16:07

Q problem with the turn-- I need a resend please

Tau -- must have been the datalinks--perhaps I'll get a message when I open the turn

Flubber · December 13, 2001, 17:32

2163 to tau

Adaptive doctrine to you both and opt comp to q.

I think I might jump off the attack a turn early since I have a lot of forces in "Forward Attack Base" -- That and the uni is two turns away from Advanced Military Algorithms. I figure I can capture 2 bases on the first smack before the Hive can build any AAA units. Hopefully I can steal AMA in the next few turns. With that and cyber ethics you can both go for pre. alg. and fusion

Q I have a chopper just north of UN equality base-- let me know if you spot any cyborgs.

Tau I will send you my next chopper.

Tau Ceti · December 13, 2001, 20:55

2163 to Qantaga.

The Datalinks never really give you a message. The only time you would see anything at all is if you get something as the result of a discovery of an AI between you and the next human player in the turn order. Even then, you would just get the "Our researchers have made a breakthrough" screen.

Qantaga · December 13, 2001, 23:43

Thanks for the techs. I was able to choose AMA and readjust my labs so that I will get it next turn.

2163 to Flubber.

Flubber · December 14, 2001, 01:46

2164 to tau
superconducter sent

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Military Communique from Colonel Buckley to central Command

Initial attacks were successfully concluded with the capture of Social Artery and Unity Lair and the destruction of a small Hive military base. Second-wave troops are now in position to move forward while the Assault troops recuperate. I have ordered a period of airstrikes through 2164 to degrade the defensive abilities of the Hive in a cluster of urban centres in the centre of the lines with major ground troop assaults to take place in 2165

Tau Ceti · December 14, 2001, 10:12

2164 to Qantaga.

Good news on the war effort, Flubber. More credits have been sent.

Flubber · December 14, 2001, 11:58

I have an idea that I am ready to implement. I have a drop unit ready to be dropped into a PK base. I would gift it to Q and Q could then drop his way across my territory to the Hive lands in time for THAT unit to be the one to take the capitol of the Hive and the empath guild-- That single unit could be used to capture some of the Hive's bigger bases while I defend prior conquests. It would require a little coordination between us but I think with even one unit we can get a few bases in PK hands. Next turn I will check to see if I can drop a unit up Morganites way to do the same thing

Good idea?? Q, you will have to deal with one base with p-drones but I figure thats relatively minor for the payoff

and Tau, thanks for the cash -- Every bit means another rushed or upgraded unit

. I am hoping my current forces are sufficient but each extra chopper shortens the war

. The AI are very close together and if I have success against the Hive, I could be able to push on against another AI. . . might need a navy against the borgs though-- they seem to favor seabases

Qantaga · December 14, 2001, 12:17

Gentlemen,

I am at a customer site today on a last-minute, one day trip. I will not get home and be able to play the turn for about 12 hours or so.

Flubber, I am very interested in your plan. I would love to play a role in the takeover of the Hive cities and would welcome the drop unit. And, you are correct, the drones would be a very minor problem indeed.

Flubber · December 14, 2001, 12:31

No problem qantaga-- we all have jobs etc.-- I will look for the turn tonight

the good guys should get the governorship within 10 years if we do this right

Flubber · December 15, 2001, 01:47

2165 to tau

The Hive troops are being stubborn-- I have not lost anything yet but decided to take a turn to "degrade their command and control facilities"-- essentially I wiped out their sensors, formers and took out a number of troops but made no move to take a base. Next turn I should take 3-4 bases depending on how the attacks go

Flubber · December 15, 2001, 10:44

Quick question-- how do you go about gifting a unit to a human player. I was looking through the menus last night and did not see it but I know it CAN be done-- I know I would find it if I looked hard enough but it just seemed easier to ask

Qantaga · December 15, 2001, 11:44

Flubber, the unit has to be inside the other player's territory. Then, when you choose "Action" for that unit, you will have a choice to "Turn Over Unit Control".

I didn't get a chance to post last night, but I wanted to say what an impressive first strike you have made against the Hive.

AMA has been sent to both of you.

Tau Ceti · December 15, 2001, 13:18

2165 to Qantaga. I will not be able to play more turns tonight.

The shortcut for gifting a unit is Ctrl-Shift-U. However, I think you may run into some problems, at least if you try to give a unit to me. I cannot see your borders - which means the game does not consider us to have "met", and we then cannot give units to each other either. We may have to arrange a rendezvous of ground or naval units before it works.

Flubber · December 15, 2001, 13:36

really tau-- My unity chopper in your base does not count ??

I went back to the turn and tested this and see where I went wrong. When I looked at the available " action"choices it was not there initially but if I moved the unit to use up its available movement points, then the option appeared

and tau, the problem should not be that huge since to gift you a land unit, I have to drop it over your way in any event.