Turn Update

[Snowflake]

One more suggestion regarding new base site. Instead of the base on Sunny Mesa, maybe we should build a new base in the vellay east of Sunny Mesa, specifically the river square between the nut resource and mineral resource. The road from Voltairgrad to Sunny Mesa is too long for a colony pod to travel and we'll again lose turn advantage over that. On the other hand, after we build a base beside Sunny Mesa, we could produce another colony pod very quickly by switching the worker working on the nut and mineral specials alternatively.

One question, what is our base limit when the first structural drone appears? People please discuss the game strategy a little more.

Another thing we may need to discuss, is that when we finally meet other people, what tech we would like to gain, what we could give out, what we definitely will not share, etc.

I would not be able to be this active starting next week. One of the companies is expected to file a rate case so I'll be busy work again.

[Snowflake]

I've been reading Vel's strategy guide again. According to him, the former's first task should be aiding growth by 1) ensuring a 2+ nut square (build a farm in rainy square or other means), 2) build road to new base site, and 3) build sersor array in new base site.

The Komm city has got a working square, I feel that the former should move to build roads to new base site after it finishes its current task. Looks like the Komm City doesn't have a 2+ nut square, so we really do need a farm. (Is the former currently building a farm?) But after the farm it needs to go build roads. The new former that Komm City builds should also be working on roads so the colony pod that the Hive builds could arrive the new base sit a little faster. And if we have time after the roads they should build a censor array at the land bridge base site because of its strategic position.

An alternative way is to set a base just south east of the monolith and min resouces. This way we can set up the base really soon and put the second monolith into use also. This may mean that the bases are a little too tight but as the Komm City's current growth rate it will not really become crowded very soon anyway. And if the Komm City's growth rate improves after the farm being build, then it can be shifted to produce a colony pod, and we can set up the land bridge base pretty soon if we have cash to rush build.

What I don't understand is why we always let the colony pods travel very far and then end up in a place that doesn't have a lot of benefits. Komm City would be better off if it was on the energy square since it then will be able to work the monolith. But I understand that this is hindsight and before we get the area explored we didn't know what exactly was around the base. But the new one we are founding next turn, wouldn't it be better if it stoped one square down? It can then work the monolith in addition to save one turn's time ... I think we really need more discussion on every little details. Come on, comrades, focus your energy and help out our nation!

[Snowflake]

One more thing we need to plan ahead. If we are going to lead the Hive produced colony pod to the land bridge base site, it certainly will have to go through some fungus. We will not be able to detour this time, plus I really don't think we can afford the detour. In addition to building some roads, I suggest we build a new scout that would be able to escort it to the new base site.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Kody
The scout, last I heard was already heading for the southern land bridge. Another reason why I suggested the rover head towards the north.

The scout is damaged too. I'm not sure we want him to explore the new land all by himself. He could be easily terminated. If it was a rover, at least it could auto disengage and ran away. But the scout, we'll have to considered it dead if it encounters any unfriendly force.

[Kody]

This arrangement will make sure both directions (north and south) get 1 rover and 1 scout. I really hate to put all the eggs in one basket.

The thing is there's actually three directions I can see.
The west, the north and the south.

I'm thinking
*1 scout 1 rover to the west.
*1 rover to the north.
*1 scout to the south.

Kody

[Vev]

I suggest the proposed costal base site be shifted to either of the adjacent nutrient bonus squares. Either have a non coastal city or a canal.

Also the nutrient bonus to the east of the sunny mesa is a good spot too and the nutrient bonus north of Voltariograd looks promising.

My suggestion for scout movement would be for the one south of Kommie city to continue exploring south, but only one scout required. The others will explore land north of the sunny mesa and north of Voltariograd.

[Vev]

The new colony pod will do well in that fertile valley west of Voltariograd. The nutrient bonus, and the rainy squares and the mineral bonus will make that city churn out colony pods.

One of the formers should link up the three river systems, so that we can take advantage of the movement bonus.

[Kody]

So the next colony pod from voltariograd should head for that fertile valley and place itself on that nurient bonus. Then that particular base can help colonise the surrounding area.

Will the hive grow in 3 turns?

Anyway after the hive finishes that colony pod would it be useful for it to start producing scouts? The scouts can then move into new bases and you can set scouts be supplied from the new base. The new bases will then be able to start producing colony pods immediately, rather than producing a scout first.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Kody


The thing is there's actually three directions I can see.
The west, the north and the south.

I'm thinking
*1 scout 1 rover to the west.
*1 rover to the north.
*1 scout to the south.

Kody

When I said north I meant west. The north that Kody talked about to me doesn't look like there might be large land. In other words the scout in the new found base may very well be able to walk out for two or three turns and found the seashore. The rover however, will take at least 7 turns to reach there. That said, if everybody insists that this should be the way, I will not insist on my opinion. (Now if it turns out that I was right, next time I'll probably insist more. But let's hope that the majority is right because I will hate to see our exploration doesn't return much profit. )

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Vev
I suggest the proposed costal base site be shifted to either of the adjacent nutrient bonus squares. Either have a non coastal city or a canal.

Also the nutrient bonus to the east of the sunny mesa is a good spot too and the nutrient bonus north of Voltariograd looks promising.

Glad to see we are in agreement in base site selection. For the land bridge base site, I agree that eithor nut bonus square will do but I prefer the non coastal one if simply for safty considerations, as well as for distance of travel (turn advantage).

Also agree that the velley east of sunny mesa is a good spot. I would pick the square bet the nut and mineral bonus squares though, because the nut bonus on a rainy square with a farm will give you 5 nut pre-tech it is too wasteful if it is not a working square.

The nut bonus north of Voltarigrad can be the next candidate for a new base site also. Good suggestion!

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Vev

One of the formers should link up the three river systems, so that we can take advantage of the movement bonus.

Yes, yes, yes!!!

[Vev]

I hope we are not the only ones discussing about plans for the hive.

[Snowflake]

I hope the Chairman will at least look at what we have discussed here before he plays the next turn. Will you able to meet him in turn chat?

[Kody]

If you look closely, there seems to be more land connected diagonally in the northern part. I think the water you see turning around the land in the northern part might be just a small cove.

Also don't forgot to walk the scout guarding Kommunizma City one south then back to the city, so we can see if there's anything connected directly south of our Kommunizma.

Kody

[Snowflake]

Alright, you may be right. We should check it out. I don't disagree that the scout in Komm city could come out one south square. It will be nice to know even if there is not much to it.

[Kody]

When our next turn approaches someone should do a summary of all the things we've discussed in these posts.

Kody

[Kody]

Summary:

Check growth on Hive happens before colony pod.

Kommunizma City and Voltairograd keep current productions.

After Hive finishes the colony pod, what will be the future production?

Unit guarding Kommunizma City heads 1 south, then heads 1 north next turn.

Units moves:

• Old Colony Pod - New city at its location called "CyCon Pact"
• New Colony Pod heads - nurtient resource three west, 1 south-west of voltairograd
• western scout - keeps exploring north
• damaged rover - heads towards monolith
• undamaged rover - follows scout
• scout near bases - heads south
• New Former heads - towards nurient in voltairograd (to forest or farm) and will road the mine that's being built on the way.

Suggested adjusted base sites.
- sunny mesa base is shifted north-west by 1, so can borehole the energy later, and have more growth
- the sea base near the sea energy shifted 1 south, so more growth and we have a sea link there.


--------------------------------------------------------
Got bored and decided to have a look at the turn.

We finished researching applied physics
- choices for next tech are

• Mobility
• Progenitor Pysch
• Biogenetics
• Plantenary Networks
• Nonlinear Mathematics

I suggest plantenary Networks so we can changed to "planned"
--------------------------------------------------------
The new city needs formers to increase production (the one built this turn).
Perhaps switch to former and pay 15 energy to rush a former. Then switch to scout. The former will then build a forest somewhere.

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Hive is now either running even with drones or maybe 1 point ahead.
The university seems to have lost a unit or something as there's a dip in their power graph.

Data angels are now first - looks about 17 points
University 2nd - looks about 15 points
CyCon 3rd - looks about 14 points
Priates 4th - looks about 13 points
Believers 5th - looks about 11 points
Hive & drones 6th - looks about 8 points
(We look pretty screwed)
------------------------------------------------------------
Who's Who
Tech: CyCon
Military: Believers
Population: Angels
Wealth: Priates
Terrority: Believers
Overall: Angels

The data angels look like they've got the monsoon jungle.

Kody

[Octavian X]

Agreed - a planned economy would be best at this point. Research Planetary Networks.

[Kody]

Octavian X,

Can you take the turn. I don't think I have the clearance.

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Drones are busy building the merchant's exchange. I think that's why they're lagging in the power graph. I think they're going for a super science city + trawler combo. We don't seem to have an excuse for lagging at all .

I was looking at the faction profiles. It looks like we can get extra information from there. Although I have no clue why we have the comm frequencies of the other factions since we haven't met them yet.

Economic Social Models:
The University is running free market.
The Cycon are running planned.

Captial Cities
University: University Base
Cycon: Apoloyton Prime
Pirates: Tripoli (I have no idea how they came up with that weird name)
Drones: Free Drone Central

Populations:
Hive: 3
Cycon: 5
University: 5
Pirates: 7
Drones: 7

I think the reason why we're lagging so much is because we haven't grown our population as much as the other players.

Kody

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Kody
I was looking at the faction profiles. It looks like we can get extra information from there. Although I have no clue why we have the comm frequencies of the other factions since we haven't met them yet.

In scenarioed PBEMs there is no way to block off commlinks. However, the faction leader's name is all that's there, indicating that you have nor yet made contact. When you first make contact, youy'll see Truce appear next to the name (or Treaty or Pact if you have agreed to either)

Also, when you do make contact, you'll find that now you can offer that commlink to a third party.

hence the PBEM rule "No contact till in-game contact or commlink acquired"

And it's a common tactic to bring up a faction, open the diplo box, and "offer all tech" just to see what you have that they don't - there's absolutely no way of policing that, so PBEM rules just accept that people will do it (the corollary is that if you forget to blank them out before closing the diplo box, that other player next turn will now see what techs you have that they don't have)

And you always could right click on a faction leader's name to see what their SE choices, population, etc are.

And when you are pacted with someone, if they have infiltration on another that you don't have, you can click on that other faction, then select your pactmate's symbol from the bottom of the page, and get additional infiltrator info that way (energy reserves, current tech being produced, etc)

G.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Kody
Summary:

After Hive finishes the colony pod, what will be the future production?

Somebody suggested it build a scout to go with the colony pod? Or did we decide that Komm City is going to do that?

[*]Old Colony Pod - New city at its location called "CyCon Pact"

Are we sure we want this name?

[*]New Colony Pod heads - nurtient resource three west, 1 south-west of voltairograd

Not sure where is it. Are you talking about the velley site? I'm all confused about directions now.

Suggested adjusted base sites.
- sunny mesa base is shifted north-west by 1, so can borehole the energy later, and have more growth
- the sea base near the sea energy shifted 1 south, so more growth and we have a sea link there.

Not sure about the sea base. We probably don't want many coastal exposure right this moment. The sunny mesa site is better at the energy square than the nut square since the monolith would be wasted if you choose the nut square. Definitely don't want to do that.

We finished researching applied physics
- choices for next tech are

• Mobility
• Progenitor Pysch
• Biogenetics
• Plantenary Networks
• Nonlinear Mathematics

I suggest plantenary Networks so we can changed to "planned"

Looks like we got a concensus to research PN here.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Kody
Octavian X,

Can you take the turn. I don't think I have the clearance.

Kody

Whoever is going to do the turn, please contact the Chairman first. We wouldn't want to surprise him would we?

[Kody]

Not sure where is it. Are you talking about the velley site? I'm all confused about directions now.

It's the nuturient in that valley which has access to those two mineral bonuses.

Quote:

Suggested adjusted base sites. - sunny mesa base is shifted north-west by 1, so can borehole the energy later, and have more growth - the sea base near the sea energy shifted 1 south, so more growth and we have a sea link there.

Not sure about the sea base. We probably don't want many coastal exposure right this moment. The sunny mesa site is better at the energy square than the nut square since the monolith would be wasted if you choose the nut square. Definitely don't want to do that.

Well we can also put another base somewhere else that uses the monolith.
If I remember correctly we're going for infinite city crawl. It's very unlikely the monolith will be wasted. The Energy on the Mesa site looks to be a great place to put a borehole, and it would be excellent for energy trawling too.

If you're worried about sea bases just get some formers to raise the land. At the moment I think that putting a base where I've indicated would allow us a sea canal. It might prove to be of high military significance later in the game. It really depends how far down the land goes to the south.

Kody

[Snowflake]

I think it may not be a good advise to use a crawler on a monlith, or a borehole, for that matter. It is too wasteful.

[Kody]

HongHu,

There's nothing wrong with crawlering a borehole. As for a monlith my suggestion was building another city nearby.

PS: new turn of industry game is up, for the turn after that will have to wait for vev to make a move. He usually ignores these boards on weekends. Also HongHu you're writing in the wrong turn number. Put turn 2 in your next edit.

Kody

[Rokossovky]

Hey all,

I am back. The turn was sitting for 12 hours, so HongHu, Kody and I played it. We built the new city, named it St. Voltairesburg (hope our glorious comrade chairman doesn't mind). We took the new former at kommieville and are building a road on the mine we are constructing. We are building another former there now and a colony pod at voltairograd. We got applied (YAY!), and started Planetary Networks. Anywho, I will post the turn chat tomorrow, it is late here, and I need to go to bed before work tomorrow.

- Rokossovky
(Jesus Christ it is late, I almost put "Love, Josh" there.... *smacks self*....Poly is NOT my girlfriend)

P.S (not concerning the rest of you guys) Oh, and in answer to your question HongHu, the fungus Lal was on gives a defensive bonus (as long as it's not a mindworm attacking).

[Vev]

The Drones construction on the Merchant Exchange may switch over to Weather Paradigm due to the non-penalty of switching between secret projects. Once they get the appropriate tech. As for the city name, somehow I don't think Cycon Pact sounds right and coming form the Cycon's point of view, they may regard it as sucking up by the Hive, especially with the current status of the Hive in the powergraph.

As for crawling a borehole, it seems wasteful if done on the long run. That unused monolith is still bothering me. I suggest The Hive builds a former to road up the cities?

[Kody]

Well if you have a super science city with all the bonus +labs it's very worthwhile. Also the city that has access to the borehole might be in need of nutrients rather than minerals.

Of course there are times when it's better to let the borehole be used by the city. However, I believe there are times when crawling a borehole is useful.

When you mentioned the drones not having the needed tech. I tried that thingy googlie suggested with comparing techs. All the human factions have the tech required for the WP.

Kody

[Kody]

Googlie said
Was surprised to see the decision re: the current colony pod. In all my verifications of recent turns I moved it down the Voltaro River (to just below the fungus patch in the bay) - base is established in turn 2 after completion, and can work the adjacent nutrient tile and also the mineral tile in its radius

Okay next colony pod heads there.

Kody

____________________________________

That also reminds me of the other reason I wanted the next base to be built on the nutrient rather than north-east of the nutrient (as the good marshal indicates on the map).

With the base on the nutrient we can send colony pods along the river setting up our bases faster. Also with a single extra road we can connect those two rivers together. The placement of the base will assist in travelling time of our units. And there's alot of river connected to that nuritent!

(The main reason for placing on the nutrient being that the hive is lagging far behind in population. Placing on the nutrient will speed up growth and hence colony pod production.)

Kody
______________________________________
Trying to keep the spam down....

a lush valley with squares so green it makes my eyes hurt, and a river

I couldn't have phrased it better. Aside to state I usually drool when I look at that valley.

Kody
______________________________________
Sometime in the future I think it would be a good idea to supply some of those formers from Kommie city at Voltairograd.

Kody

[Rokossovky]

Okay next colony pod heads there.

Well, I see where he is going with that idea, but the base site by the two mineral deposits, the nutrient resource, a bit of sunny mesa, a lush valley with squares so green it makes my eyes hurt, and a river, is simply a better base site. We will get higher growth and quicker production a lot sooner. Don't forget growth is really something we need to catch up on. We can afford to wait the extra 2 turns to establish the new base in a position where it will contribute to the good of the people in a more beneficial way in the long term.

- Rokossovky

P.S. Oh, and Googlie God... I am done my finals.... as soon as Jamski comes back, you still good for our multiplayer fun?