Alone as Miriam

[cbn]

I generally use standard-size random worlds with random factions but decided to give large a whirl. Miriam came up as my random faction (transcend, double-blind research). The believers are alone on a large continent with the jungle and the sunny mesa on the far ends of the start position.

Strat to date was to expand aggressively into the jungle and also to do EVERYTHING possible to get the WP. ( I still remember my last time getting stuck alone on an island with Miriam and no boat tech). I had just started terraforming up to try to attach to somebody when Dee built the empath guild and I got all the human faction comm frequencies.

The other factions are

1. Dee- governess, 3rd in graph, Vendetta with me
2. Lal -- pacted but at war with Spartans
3. Spartans-- pacted but at war with Peacekeepers
4. Usurpers -- 1st in graph -- never met
5. Caretakers -- close 2nd -- vendetta
The conciousness are eradicated

Its about 2215 and with 16 bases (IIRC) on my continent I still have room to expand on my own continent up the Mesa. Techs are PAINFULLY slow and I have only seen ONE enemy faction unit (a Caretaker IOD). I am currently running FM (the only SE choice I have the tech for) but am wondering if the added energy is worth the police minus as a Rec Commons is needed to quell the first worker. My two pact mates will not give up any techs by trade or purchase (perhaps because I am pacted with their enemy) but do not hesitate to demand my meagre techs. I may have to go to "war" with one to see if the other will give me some tech. War with either should be no problem since they share a continent about 10 squares away and should remain focused on each other.

The current plan

1. Continue to expand across the continent despite the fact that the first worker is a drone.
2. Continue terraforming like crazy even though some of the added production is lost since restrictions are not lifted
3. Build an impact rover for every base

4. Pray for the probe ability SOON and when it comes build a swarm of probe skimships, going for the aliens and Dee if possible, but with a willingness to hit the pact mates if necessary (I at least know where all their bases are).

5. Also pray for Ind Auto since there are already far too many good squares that are not being worked.

6. Build some boats(just got the tech) to pod pop and scout out probe targets
7. After probing, build infrastructure and pick SE choices as needed to support war, pick a victim and go clobbering (I hope)

Overall it is somewhat depressing to see the other factions building SPs that are so far beyond my current tech ability. The only consolation is that I appear to be far from anyone else and my defenses are pretty solid against ground assault . Although I would almost be willing to empty a base to be retaken just for the tech (Spoils are ON). Also, being low on the powergraph has some consolation LOL as pactmates should eventually be more amenable to trades. So the idea is to lay low (the homeland provided by God is bountiful) until probes can rain down on the unbelievers and get some key techs.


Any thoughts?? What else cam Miriam (alone without the boat tech) do? I struggle with this since it was not even possible to attack anyone up to a few turns ago when the boat tech came-- and "building" is difficult without the right techs. IIRC I had impact weapons and high energy chemistry before I even got the ability to build the Tanks. Through it all I remain hopeful that the probes shall be my "salvation". Gods will be done.

cbn

[senatus]

CBN: Despite having the jungle, you're in a fair bit of eventual danger. Given the Progs and ONLY a Large world, I predict you're going to be hit by needlejets
long before you get Air Power or AAA yourself, tearing
your formers and the supply crawlers (if you get them)
to bits. I would concentrate on forests, because they
will be able to heal themselves, and you're still on
the resource limits anyways. I agree; you're going to
need probes soonest. Also, if they won't trade for
tech, maybe they'll trade for maps? That will give
you an idea of where to go.

[senatus]

Yeah... I often play as Miriam (the builder factions
are too easy even on regular maps) at Transcend, and
I very regularily get mashed by Yang's needles. It
just takes too damn long to get your land forces in
range; and your double-blind really makes that worse.
I often wonder how well she fares in MP; I'd be curious
to see some of the "greats" like Vel describe how
they'd play the factions whose styles are most in
opposition to their own. My instinct is since MP
rewards the rush to crawlers, Miriam is really at a
disad and UoP and Morgan are really in the lead.
Just a peeve of mine.

Snow? We've got a lot, but nothing like Nfld. I
think you need a Former to clear snow, BTW.

[cbn]

Senatus

Your comments reflect my concerns that I will be eating chaos needlejets while still far from AAA or SAM abilities. Its this very danger that is the reason I seek advice. My only solution is a probe swarm. As for building its a catch-22. The research rate is low meaning you can't get to the techs to eliminate energy restrictions to enhance the research rate. I am still building everything I can as the techs come but it is slow going.

I do have the maps of my pactmates. They always seem to give them automatically each time we speak when pacted. So I know where the Spartans and Peacekeepers are. Their maps and my limited exploration (hard to explore without a boat) leads me to believe that there are no bases within 8 squares of mine. Also despite 2 vendettas no one seems so seriously PO'ed at me that they are making a serious attempt to get me.

Off-topic

Is there much snow up in Ottawa? We are socked in so bad here (170 cm in Dec.) in Newfoundland that I have begun to seriously consider hovertank transport. What do you mean AC has no snowblower unit ???!!!!

cbn

[cbn]

So far no one came up with any Miriam double-blind tips but I will update the situation in case anyone does have any advice.

Its now 2245 or so and the situation has changed dramatically. There are now only 5 factions left

1. Usurpers munched the Gains and are now huge --vendetta with me but haven't come around at all
2. Caretakers are a lot closer than I thought and are in second -- vendetta and their boats were killing my terraforming until I took them out
3. Spartans-- still pacted and about the same size as me-- want to keep them happy since they are just North of the Usurpers bases and I want the launching point in the future.
4. Lal -- pacted with the Usurpers so I went into vendetta to deny his nearby seabases to the aliens and to steal some tech-- Lal is down to 4 land bases and 2 seabases and my ships will take those shortly.
5. I am the governor but techs were still painfully slow running Demo/Green/nothing

In the last 30 years I probed and probed and probed some more. When the caretakers attempted invasion I emptied a city so that I could probe a tech and then take the city back (lost 3 or 4 pop points but gained 2 techs. I am alone on my continent (19 cities-- 17 on land and 2 captured Lal seabases) and have probed everyone close. As for key techs I do have airpower and SAM abilities, food and mineral restrictions are lifted, 6r weapons and 3r armour are available. BUT I do not have IND AUTO or the energy restriction tech.


I recently switched to 100% Econ and 0% Labs. This goes against my nature but I know I am behind in tech (2-4 techs behind each alien, at par with the humans) with a slower research rate. Current plan is that I cannot outresearch them so I will probe them some more. But the boat probes need air cover so planes and boats will be rushed to cover the invasion but for now morale enhancing facilities are being rushed.(hence the money requirements). Fundy seems inevitable.

The Caretakers continent is within 2 squares of mine at one point. The plan is to terraform a link and go probing by land . The planes that cover the boat probes can head up here in short order. Then I will be in for one heck of a war. The Usurpers are the bigger long term threat but I am hoping that they will be hitting the Caretakers on the other side (they are close there). In any event, I feel I cannot engage in a long range attack on the Usurpers while the Caretakers are a powerful and very close neighbor.


It somehow feels wrong to forsake research but being near tech parity it feels like time to attack. A decent research rate may be decades away if the techs are unlucky (still only 2 energy a square and no crawlers !!!!) .

So
1. Is there any other option than to fight?
2. Would you abandon research ?? My thought is I will get tech quicker by stealing it. This approach would only change if probes get the believers to tech parity and once energy restriction are lifted.
3. Bigger picture-- Would you leave the Caretakers alone (try for truce or pact) to take on the biggie Usurpers. (Note that the caretakes are in needlejet range while the Usurpers are 14 squares away at the closest with no intervening land)

Overall is there any way to play Miriam as a non-fighter given double-blind research (and without Industrial Auto for so long. Any hints or tips appreciated