Zakharov.....

Velociryx · November 4, 1999, 14:59

Well, I began a Transcend game last night (left Ironman off for a change, because my intent was to fiddle around with the armored probe team thing, and I thought it'd be convenient to NOT get kicked out of the game for saving...lol). Anyway....I got....distracted, but it's such a good map that I could not resist:

It's a shade past 2200 right now (2207 if memory serves), I'm on a really big continent, sharing a small portion of it with Morgan (who has all of five bases). We fought a brief and unfortuate war in the 2145-2150 timeframe (okay, so it wasn't much of a war....I popped a pod, got a unity rover, explored til I found him, he told me that Chiron wasn't big enough for both of us, so I killed two colony pods and he ZOC-trapped my rover (pinned him to the coast) and killed him.....a few turns later, he sauntered a laser rover to my border and I gave him fifty credits to go away. A few turns later (right after I switched to Market), we signed a treaty and have been on friendly terms since.

I'm pursuing a classic ICS-Builder approach, with bases evenly spaced 3-squares apart. I've got an impressive list of SP's under my belt....the only three I've missed so far have been the Weather Paradigm (DRAT!), the Merchant Exchange (Yawn), and the Empath Guild (DOUBLE DRAT!).....other than that, I've snagged them all....VW, Command Nexus, Planetary Transit, Neural Amp., Genome, Maritime Control Center....it's been an amazing game thus far!

As mentioned, I had the good fortune to begin the game on a VERY big continent (25 bases so far, and I STILL have plenty of room for future growth before taking to the sea), and when I found Morgan, I directed my expansion efforts that direction to choke him off. Eventually I'll buy four of his bases out from under him, but for now he's okay.

My army consists of Clean Trance Scouts (1 per base), and each base has a former and a sea former (or two formers, if the base is not coastal), who are all busily scurrying around....terraforming. The effect of this (I have not yet switched to Dem, 'cause I'm still founding bases) is that none of my bases have to pay any support cost at all, which has speeded the development of my infrastructure.

Additionally, my build order has been somewhat changed for most recent bases. I am now doing this....mostly, because the empire has gotten big enough that I can afford it:

Base Build
Rush a Former
Rush a Trained Scout
Upgrade Trained Scout to Clean Trance
Begin work on Pressure Dome (Skipping Rec. Tanks)
Second Former or Rec. Commons, whichever is most needed.

Save for the most recently founded bases, the vast majority have everything up to treefarms and are currently working on Hybrid Forests. I saved the game just before I make the changes necessary for a boom. I'm already unsurpassed, and leading the field in population, and when the boom hits, I'll be so far ahead of the pack it won't even be funny....well, actually it will, but....hehehe...

All that to say that this is probably the most efficient game I have played to date.....it is true that I've played other games where I've been able to build my treefarms earlier than I did in this instance, but mostly, I am referring to scale....and in this game, having 25 reasonably well developed bases in just over a hundred years, and prepping for a population boom which will nearly triple my population.....a stunning position indeed.

Save at 2207(?) available if you want it, and I'll prolly save every 10-20 turns from here out.....

-=Vel=-

Capt Dizle · November 4, 1999, 17:55

What I would really like to have is the starting position. Then I could play to 2207 and swap with you.

Actually I would like to play it twice, once as a builder, and once in a more aggressive style.

It would be interesting to compare.

Of course, you don't have the file, right?

Scott Johnson · November 4, 1999, 19:10

My two cents' worth:

Now, I really am more of a Hybrid player, but my Hybrid style is pretty Builderesque [Buildery? Builderacious?]. I love playing Zak using the ICS close pack and rapid expansion, but a word to the wise: DRONES. After those first six bases, you may expand to the point where a one-citizen base is Droning. I prefer to race [run, don't walk] to Industrial Automation, start pumping out Supply Crawlers, and use them to construct both Human Genome Project and Virtual World as soon as humanly possible. I haven't done the math, but once you pass a certain number of bases, even the high cost of these special projects is less than building and maintaining Rec Commons in every base. And with those two projects I have yet to find a practical limit to my expansion.

Rynn · November 4, 1999, 21:30

Builderisky?

Rynn

RedFred · November 5, 1999, 00:26

Velociryx - it sounds like I overdefend my cities big time. I'd be really sweating without my (at least) two defenders. Have you lost any cities to the natives? How about airpower? The AI must be getting close, if they don't have it already.

It still takes me about 80-90 years for my first air units to come off line. (Considerably longer in SMACX) Usually the AI isn't far behind.

Scott - tell me your secret to getting crawlers so quickly. Blind=off? By the time I've got crawlers Genome is long gone. For the early SPs I'll generally use cash & AAs to overcome the AIs production advantage.
[This message has been edited by RedFred (edited November 04, 1999).]

Wrath Child · November 5, 1999, 01:10

Read Vel's strat guide if you havnt yet. Its helped me a bunch getting a nice jump early. I've taken his advice in forgoing the free unit to guard and rush building a former. Even after that you really dont need more than one defender per base till later in the game, and then only on the front lines. I've yet to see the AI rush early with a sizable force, and one defender in a base can hold his own against any single attacker that isnt considerably stronger, and has no problems repelling the worms. Even later in the game I only have one garrison per base in the center of my realm, with two max at the others. Defensive bonuses for a base are exceedingly potent. I've only occasionally lost undefended bases to worms or opposing factions early, and its not a terrible loss. Consider this: If you are moving full ahead with expansion, you will be able to replace that base in no time, and since its a pop 1 base, if an opponet takes it they wont be able to claim it, only destroy it.

Capt Dizle · November 5, 1999, 02:54

I have prepared a game challenge for Velociryx.

"CAG" Comparative Analysis Game

Huge random map, 50-70% water, dense cloud cover, weak erosive forces, average indigenous life forms.

All victory conditions enabled. No random events. Look first.

Faction: University of Planet.
Difficulty Level: Transcend

Stipulation: No cheating, ACOL PBEM rules are in force as applicable. Standard alpha.txt file must be used.

Goal: Transcend before jimmytrick

Method: Starting position to be mailed to
Velociryx. Both participants play from the same starting position.

Projected Outcome: (jimmytrick's odds)

Vel is a 7-5 favorite, expected margin of victory, 8 mission years.

Anyone prepared to make a wager.

I'll put a hundred bucks on myself just to make it interesting, who wants to hold the dough.

Lt. Col. jtrick
Confederacy of Chiron

Capt Dizle · November 5, 1999, 03:50

May have to revise the odds. AnnC of the CoC is going to play as well.

Mandatory saves every ten mission years starting at 2140. Please. For comparison.

Anybody else want to play? Open challenge.

Everybody has to agree that you only get one pass at this. Okay. No restarts.

Velociryx · November 5, 1999, 09:22

WOW.....I love it! And I accept! Got your sav file in the maile for starting position, and I will begin this evening!

-=Vel=-

PS: We should prolly open a new thread and post our event logs on....whatcha think?

Capt Dizle · November 5, 1999, 12:05

Well, I think we should be careful about posting details that might give away stuff like map locations for AI factions.

Otherwise sure. I kinda hate keeping a log, but I'll jot down a note or two.

Just so you guys can learn a thing or two.

Capt Dizle · November 5, 1999, 21:30

MY 2140

Ten techs in hand, eight researched, one from a data pod, one acquired in a trade. Two factions contacted. Six base, eight pop, and Gene Splicing in 3 turns. One SP underway.

Alpha Centauri score of 18.

I have not yet seen an artifact.

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 01:33

This is my inaugural post at Apolyton. Testing.

Velociryx · November 6, 1999, 07:31

Vel's Event Log:

The First Forty:
2102 - Founded University Base

2103 - Founded Baikonur

2108: Tech Advance! Biogenetics

2112: Tech Advance! Social Psych

2117: Tech Advance! Secrets of the Human Brain - Freebie tech taken: Planetary Networks

2125: Tech Advance! Industrial Base
Also founded Relativity School

2127: Founded Zarya Sunrise

2130: Switching to Planned

2136: Tech Advance! Industrial Economics
Also founded Zoloto Gold

2139: Founded Mir Lab

Stats at 2140:
6 Bases
Income - 4 per turn
Techs coming every 9
# of Techs: 7
Score: 18
Pop: 10

No contacts

Ranking = Unsurpassed

Active units:
6 Formers
3 Scouts
2 Trance Scouts

In Production:
3 Colony Pods
2 Trance Scouts

Lost in Action:
None

Segment # 2 - Game to 2150:

2145: Tech Advance! Industrial Automation
Adding Wealth to the SE Equation
Met a faction and traded Industrial Automation for a treaty of friendship

2146: Founded Monitoring Station

2148: Founded Otkrietia Discovery and Koppernik Observatory

2150 Stats:
# of bases: 9 (my max for the moment)
# of techs: 9
Score: 24
Pop = 15
Income = 11/turn
Techs coming every six

Active Units:
9 Formers
3 Scouts
5 Trance Scouts
2 Unity Rovers

Production:
2 Trance Scouts

Still Ranked unsurpassed.

[This message has been edited by Velociryx (edited November 06, 1999).]

Velociryx · November 6, 1999, 07:50

Game to 2160:

2151: Tech Advance! Centauri Empathy

2159: Tech Advance! Ethical Calc.

* No other significant game events.....began three SP's this segment, but it'll be a while on them.....

Force Totals:
Holding at 9 bases
Pop = 21
# of techs = 11

Income = 9 per turn
Techs in 8
Score = 32

Active Force Total:
9 Formers
3 Scouts
2 Unity Rovers
7 Trance Scouts

In Production:
2 Supply Crawlers

No losses to date.

Next Segment to 2170:

2161: Switching from Planned to Market

2164: Tech Advance! Gene Splicing!

2167: Founded Budushii Dvor & Climactic Research

2168: Tech Advance! Eccological Engineering

2169: Founded Mendelev College

2170: Founded Gagarin Memorial

Game Stats:

# of Techs = 13
Income = 31/turn
Score = 36
Techs coming in 5

****Additional Information****
Force Totals for the 2170 Segment:

Active:
9 Formers
3 Scout Patrols
3 Supply Crawlers
2 Unity Rovers
7 Trance Scout Garrisons

In Production:
2 Formers
4 Supply Crawlers
3 Trance Scout Garrisons

Killed in Action (vs. Marauding Mindworms)
1 Trance Scout Garrison
1 Former

-=Vel=-

[This message has been edited by Velociryx (edited November 06, 1999).]

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 11:09

Report from the Lt. Colonel:

MY 2150. I finally found an artifact...now I have to figure how to get it home.

My stats in Vel format:

2150 Stats:
# of bases: 7
# of techs: 13
Score: 26
Pop = 13
Income = 12/turn
Techs coming every 13

Active Units:
8 Formers
2 Scouts
5 Trance Scouts
1 Unity Rovers
3 Colony Pods
1 Transport
1 Artifact
1 Gun Foil

Production:

3 Colony Pods
1 Sea Former

Human Geonome in production

I am only running second in my game.

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 11:39

Report from the Lt. Colonel:

MY 2160. My artifact is stuck on top of Mt. Planet...I still haven't figured how to get it home. The stupid game won't let me research Industrial Automation, so I am researching Enviromental Economics instead.

I am playing this game so differently than I would a PBEM game, it feels funny.

I have contact with five factions, 2 pacts, 2 treaties, and one vendetta (hey, I didn't start it.)

My stats in Vel format:

2160 Stats:
# of bases: 12
# of techs: 15
Score: 73
Pop = 20
Income = 18/turn
Techs coming every 11[next breakthrough in 6]

Active Units:

11 Formers
2 Scouts
8 Trance Scouts
2 Unity Rovers
1 Transport
1 Artifact
1 Gun Foil
1 Sea Former

Production:

1 Colony Pods
1 Sea Former
1 Trance Scout
1 Former

Human Geonome built in 2158
2 other Secret Project started

I am still running second in my game. But the leader changed and the former leader dropped to third.

Breakdown of Alpha Centauri Score:

Pop 30
Commerce 3
Tech 15
Secret Projects 25

I can't find my best buddy. I don't know where he is.

I am running Frontier/Simple.

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 14:34

Oh please don't tell me I have to report this much detail. I'll be back . . .

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 18:27

Report from Ann the Academic:

2140 Stats:

7 bases, 2 colony pods
Pop: 9
Income: 9/yr
Score: 19

10 techs (1 from a datapod, iirc)
Now researching Ecological Eng, next breakthrough 10 yrs
Tech cost = 270, Tech/turn = 26.4

Security Nexus:
6 Formers
2 Unity rovers
1 Trance Scout

Production:
5 Colony Pods
1 Former
1 Trance Scout

No SPs initiated yet. Highest power bar, highest tech ranking, but Deirdre is ahead in every other category. Contact with one faction, Believers, treaty.

Lost my independent scout to a worm, but had the good fortune to acquire 2 Unity rovers from pods. No artifacts so far.

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 19:14

The Spartans were the early leaders in my game but the Gaians soon grabbed the lead.

I have e-mailed the starting position to two other people. If anyone else wants to get in this game please e-mail me at:

michaelfour@lexcominc.net

Velociryx · November 6, 1999, 20:13

Field Report: to Mission Year 2180:

Event Log:
2171: Project Complete: Human Genome Project

2173: Tech Advance! Environmental Economics!
Project "Moneybags" initiated (Goal: Treefarms and Energy Banks everywhere)

2174: Tech From Pod! Doctrine Mobility

2177: Alien Artifact! Cashed in, got Applied Physics

2179: Alient Artifact! Cashed in, got Doctrine Flexibility

2180: My first TreeFarm is in place.

Game Stats at 2180
# of Bases: Holding at 13
Income: 42 per turn
Techs in 8
# of Techs: 18
Score: 75
Population: 31

Force Totals:
Active
13 Formers
3 Scout Patrols
8 Supply Crawlers
2 Unity Rovers
11 Trance Scout Garrisons

Killed in action:
1 Former
1 Trance Scout Garrison
(No change from Prev.)

Still Ranked Unsurpassed.....the next segment will be the crucial one.....

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 20:16

Report from the Lt. Colonel:

MY 2170 Oops. The stupid game wouldn't let me research Industrial Automation, so I am researching Planetary Networks. Maybe that will help.

No change in dipolmacy.

My stats in Vel format:

2170 Stats:
# of bases: 14
# of techs: 17
Score: 88
Pop = 28
Income = ?/turn
Techs coming every 6[next breakthrough in 3]

Active Units:

14 Formers
2 Scouts
10 Trance Scouts
2 Unity Rovers
1 Transport
1 Artifact
1 Gun Foil
3 Sea Former
1 Colony Pod
Production:

2 Colony Pods
1 Trance Scout

Human Geonome built in 2158
4 other Secret Project started

Breakdown of Alpha Centauri Score:

Pop 39
Commerce 7
Tech 17
Secret Projects 25

I still can't find the sixth faction.

I am now running Dem/Green at 20-80%.

Nobody is required to post anything. If you want to play and not post that is fine. If you want to just comment on your game without displaying the stats, that is just dandy.

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 20:18

Darn, now I have play ten more years!

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 20:24

Report from Ann the Academic:

2150 Stats:

10 bases, 3 colony pods
Pop: 14
Income: 15/yr
Score: 25

11 techs (1 from a datapod, iirc)
Now researching Centauri Ecology, next breakthrough 7 yrs
Tech cost = 308, Tech/turn = 37.2

Security Nexus:
10 Formers
7 Trance Scout
2 Unity rovers

Production:
2 Colony pods
1 Former
1 Trance Scout

No SPs initiated yet. Highest overall, but lost highest tech tank to Lal. Contact with one faction, Believers, treaty. One artifact.

Velociryx · November 6, 1999, 20:26

Field Report: Game to 2190:

That delicious, heady feeling of Empire has most definately arrived! Project "Moneybags" is approximately half-way to completion (with 6 Tree Farms and 7 Energy Banks completed), and my income is beginning to spike up. Additionally, I got a good amount of defensive prototyping work done, so things are beginning to shape up and fall into place!

Event Log:
2180: Project Complete: The Virtual World

2186: Prototype Complete: The first Trance Scout Skirmisher (1-2-2) rolls off the assembly lines!

Project Complete: The Empath Guild

Tech Advance: Neural Grafting!

Contacted all factions individually, beginning with Morgan, whom I have most in common with via the SE table. Results of those communications:

3 rival faction world maps, which revealed the locations of all but one faction to me

Tech!: Polymorphic Software
Tech!: Doctrine Loyalty
Tech!: Nonlinear Mathematics

General Elections called, Morgan votes for me, enabling me to squeeze Lal out for the Governorship.

Diplomatic Status:
4 Formal Treaties
2 Truces (Santiago and Lal)

2187: Gave a troublesome faction (who will remain nameless) 125 Energy Credits to keep the peace, so I am not interrupted in my work.

2190: Prototype Complete!: Trance Plasma Garrison now in place.

Game Note: I will have Bio-engineering in 2 Years, and will begin saving my cash to upgrade all combat forces to "Clean" as soon as possible, to re-coup some minerals currently tied up in support costs. This should speed my infrastructural development, adding some 15 Minerals to the Empire as a whole, per turn, and enabling me to further increase the size of my garrisons without eating into my mineral suites at each base.

Game Stats at the end of Mission Year 2190

# of Bases: Holding at 13, but with 4 new base sites prepped and ready to receive colony pods.

# of Techs: 22

Population: (Formerly incorrectly listed as 57 - That's my council votes. Actual pop is 38)
Game Score: 177

Income: 92 per turn!!
Techs coming in every 6 years

Force Totals:
Active:
14 Formers
3 Scouts
11 Supply Crawlers
1 Trance Scout Skirmisher
1 Trance Plasma Sentinel
3 Sea Formers
11 Trance Scout Infantry

In Production:
1 Transport Foil
2 Sea Formers
2 Supply Crawlers

Killed in Action:
1 Former
1 Trance Scout
(No change from above)

-=Vel=- (Back to the game!)

PS....JT, I e-mailed your starting position to one person, so unless I'm mis-counting, we've got 6 people currently participating.
-V.
[This message has been edited by Velociryx (edited November 07, 1999).]

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 20:28

It would appear that I'm at least 20 years behind. I'm gonna have to get crackin'.

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 21:10

Ann, I have actually played to 2204.

I am just playing out my stats in ten year increments as a teaser.

I just e-mail the start to Akron. That makes seven playing.

Everyone please do not give away map positions of factions and other critical information. Not yet.

I think this is cool.

AnnC · November 6, 1999, 21:21

Correction to 2150 report: researching Centauri Empathy.

Velociryx · November 6, 1999, 22:07

Field Report: The Big One Century Mark!
Happy 100th, Zak!

Event Log:
2192: Tech Advance! Bio-Engineering

2193: Selective unit upgrade to Clean nets me a total of 7 minerals per turn thus far.

2197: Founded Academgordok
Founded New Azaramas

2198 Tech Advance! Intellectual Integrity

2200: Founded Zvedny Gordock
Founded Tsiolkovsky Institute (Gawd I'm hating these Russian names!)
Founded Planetary Archives

Game Stats at the Century Mark:
# of Bases = 18
Income = 129 per turn
Techs coming every six years
Total # of techs = 24
Now researching Planetary Economics for the big lockdown (expected in 2204)

Ranking: Unsurpassed (leading in Tech, population and overall)

Population = (Formerly incorrectly listed my council votes, rather than population. Council votes are 72 - Population = 48)
Game Score = 206

Force Totals:
Active:
14 Formers
13 Supply Crawlers
2 Unity Rovers
1 Clean Plasma Sentinel
1 Clean Plasma Defensive
6 Clean Sea Formers
(total of 8 mineral per turn savings)

In Production:
1 Colony Pod
1 Former
1 Clean Sea Former
1 Trained Scout

Killed in Action
(No Change from last report)

Style Notes: JT, as I expected, you took the early lead from me, but I'm hoping that as my "Moneybags" project draws to a close, the benefits from those investments will start to close the gap in tech.....we shall see....

-=Vel=-
(off to continue the quest)
[This message has been edited by Velociryx (edited November 07, 1999).]

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 22:32

Report from the Lt. Colonel:

MY 2180

I finally cashed an artifact and got: Industrial Automation! The heck with tree farms, time to build mines and crawlers, mines and crawlers. Actually have quite a few mines in place and I will build many more. I love this rock we started on.

I am starting to get hit pretty hard by the indigenous life forms. Losing naval units.

No combat with AI factions. At all.

And, BTW, I was elected Governor during this period. Can't recall the date. Bad notes.

Dipolmacy: 2 Pacts, 2 Treaties, 1 Vendetta, 1 Truce

Stats:

# of bases: 15
# of techs: 20
Score: 169
Pop = 37
Income = 3/turn
Techs coming every 4[next breakthrough in 2]
Neural Grafting in 2 turns

Active Units:

14 Formers
2 Scouts
10 Trance Scouts
2 Unity Rovers
2 Transports
3 Sea Former
2 Colony Pod

Production:

2 Colony Pods
6 Crawlers

Secret projects:

Human Gnome
Empath Guild
3 other Secret Project running

Breakdown of Alpha Centauri Score:

Pop 49
Commerce 50
Tech 20
Secret Projects 50

I am now running Dem/Green/Wealth at 10-90%.

Capt Dizle · November 6, 1999, 23:08

Report from the Lt. Colonel:

MY 2191

Yeah, I forgot to save 2190, sorry. I was racing to beat Deirdre to complete a couple of SPs and got distracted. The Empath Guild is great for tracking the AI build queues, but Deirdre has a tendency to rush build so you have to be aggressive. I probably do more rush building of Secret Projects than most folks. In order to get three built this time I had to cash in about a half dozen crawlers as well.

I am behind on my base facilities due to extreme crawler production. But the combo of mines and crawlers might help me catch up quick. It does wonders for small bases. I think I have a borehole or two already dug as well.

I expect the indigious life to get pissed and come calling pretty soon. I think I will build some 1e-1-1, clean infantry to cash them in.

The mines are starting to kick in.

Just starting to build the tree farms. I upgraded my scouts and trance scouts to clean units cause the formers cost way to much to upgrade. Everything I build from here out is clean unless I get in a pinch. No AI combat yet. I have taken the lead from Deirdre.

Now, for the bug/feature report: Since when does the Planetary Transit System increased the population of existing bases to 3? I thought it only applied to bases founded after the project is built? Is this a bug or a feature? I don't have a clue cause I almost never build it. Am I, again, going to be the last to learn something the rest of the world already knew? Anyway, I got a big pop boost out of that.

I have not prototyped any weapons or armor. Wimpy AI.

Dipolmacy: 1 Pacts, 1 Treaties, 1 Vendetta, 1 Truce. (Miriam decided I was a godless so and so and broke our pact)

Stats:

# of bases: 18
# of techs: 24
Score: 288
Pop = 61
Income = 82/turn
Techs coming every 6[next breakthrough in 3]
Doctrine Inititive in 3 turns

Active Units:

14 Formers
16 Clean scout infantry
2 Unity Rovers
5 Mind Worms
3 Sea Former
1 Colony Pod
1 Clean Former
16 Crawlers

Production:

1 Colony Pods
4 Crawlers
1 Clean Former
2 Clean Sea Formers

Secret projects completed:

Human Gnome
Empath Guild
Planetary Transit System
Virtual World
Citizen's Defense Force

Breakdown of Alpha Centauri Score:

Pop 73
Commerce 64
Tech 24
Secret Projects 125

I am now running Dem/Green/Wealth at 40-10-50 and have 8 bases in Golden Age thanks to the Virtual World.