Gufnork's Rumble

[Darsnan]

This is the turn tracking thread for the PBEM Game "Gufnork's Rumble". Rules for this game have already been determined, per the below. Turn has been sent to Chip.
Good luck and have fun!

Here's the settings and rules accepted by the Players:

Settings:
- SMAC version 5.0
- Transcend difficulty
- Standard map size; average everything
- All victory conditions enabled, including co-operative. (No more than two players may participate in a co-operative victory)
- Do or Die
- No random events
- Directed Research
- Look first
- No Unity Survey
- No AI boost (normal AI)
- Probe Cruiser availabe for the AI upon Doctrine: Initiative

House Rules:
- You may not restart a turn without good reason. Specify the reason if you are not able to avoid reloading the turn.
- You are not permitted to establish contact with another faction prior to having met them in-game (or you have the Empath Guild).
- If you perform a probe team action other than to infiltrate against another player with whom you are in a truce, treaty or pact, you must inform the probed player what it was you did and what you stole/sabotaged. You must also choose the 'declare vendetta/cancel pact' option when you perform the action.
- You are not permitted to make more than one social engineering change per line, per turn.
- You are not permitted to use the demand withdrawal feature against another player.
- You may not accept a bribe from another player's AI during council sessions.
- You may not perform multiple airdrops in a single turn with the same unit using the right-click menu. Use the 'I' shortcut key instead.
- You may not use the F4 screen when infiltrated to change an opponent's workers to specialists.
- You may not insert stockpile energy into the build queue after the production of a military unit.
- If a player declares vendetta upon another player, either directly or indirectly, you must not accept a pending diplomatic agreement between the two factions in the same turn.
- You may not upgrade a particular type of unit using the design workshop, and then attack with that unit in the same turn.
- You may not use colony pods to exceed the hab limits of a base.
- You may not upgrade crawlers intentionally/directly for Secret Projects rushing.
- You may use reverse engineering except with the rover chassis from Planetary Networks.


D

[Chip_Buckner]

And we're off. Turn to the Hive.
CHIP

[Gufnork]

Turn sent to Rubin. What's the point of these turntracker threads anyway?

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2101:
Finally, the Morganites made planetfall. CEO Rubin immediately dispatched a tracked expedition of more than a thousand colonists in search of a new home. Moving at 8 km/h the enormous prefabricated hydroponics platforms slowly disappeard on the horizon. An independant scout patrol were ordered to search for any survivors of the other factions.

Morgan Defence Officer, M.Y. 2101: ...we've somehow lost our design plans for the modified chobham coating. We need to prototype a new unit to see if our new design plans work. I'll advice immediate production of the Synthmetal P-01 Unit. Our energy reserves suggest a quick completion of the unit...
End of report

Gufnork: If anything goes wrong (turn not recieved etc.), we're able to backtrack here. E.g. Chip doesn't recieve the turn I just sent him. Chip can see here in the thread that I already passed the turn - but somehow something went wrong, and he'll tell me to resend. Apolyton was down when HongHu sent his turn to you, so he informed me instead.

Turn 2101 complete. Turn passed to Lord Chip of the Gaians.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Gufnork
Turn sent to Rubin. What's the point of these turntracker threads anyway?

+1's perhaps?

But Rubin is right. This is for the purpose of tracking where the turn is for other players. Especially later in the game one might not get his turn for a few days. He could come here and see who has the turn and be prepared to receive it when it is his turn.

[Snowflake]

Deleted

[Snowflake]

I have not received my turn from Chip yet. I'll check my email again in another hour or so but I may not be able to stay till midnight today, just letting everybody know.

[Chip_Buckner]

A leaflet distributed throughout the as yet unnamed Gaian community, grandly titled "Gaian News Network" or "GNN" reports that although exploration has begun, the Gaian Council has determined that this planet's principal need is "trees". Gaian engineers are working on terraforming equipment to fulfill the Gaian dream of heaven on Chiron.

Turn 2102 to HongHu.

* * *

Sorry about the timing. I'm doing some theater work. Tomorrow night is the last night of the run, which means I'll be home during more reasonable hours.

Can we talk about the "stockpile energy prohibition"? I like to specify a unit and then stockpile energy so that I don't end up building multiple copies of the unit. Why don't you want me to do this?

[Gufnork]

Well, apparently on the turn your unit gets built minerals goes both to complete the unit and to make money from stockpile energy. Just change it manually, I generally do it when it's the built units turn to move.

[Snowflake]

I tend to agree with Chip that we should allow it. I actually proposed to allow it earlier. The way we are doing it now sometimes cause one to produce multiple military units if you forgot to check.

Oh also I emailed my turn to Gufnork early this afternoon around 2pm I think. Poly was done so I wasn't able to post.

I also want to say that Chip's effort for the turns is really commendable. We all know how tired you could be after the threater work each night. We really appreciate your doing the turns that late in the night.

[Chip_Buckner]

Thanks for your kind words. Of course, it doesn't take much to move a single unit a single square.

We closed last night, struck most of the set and partied. I know I'm getting old, as I skipped the afterparty so that I could get home by 2:00.

2103 to HongHu.

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2102:
C-1187 Hydroponics One, Colonize Expedition [incoming transmission]: ... we've spotted a strange cluster of what seems to be ... [static] ... it seems to be spreading or at least heading towards the ... [static] ... what the ... [static] ... arming and prepare to def ... [static] ... OH MY GOD!!! What are those things?!? Evasive procedure initiated. We've lost ... [static] ... request for search team ASAP. This place is crawling, and one of ... [static] ... interference, the readings are way out of ... [static] ... [End of transmission]

Morgan Security Officer, M.Y. 2102:
- Message to all personel -
We seem to have landed in what looks to be extremely hostile territory. We've lost all contact with Hydroponics One. Do not wander off into unknown territory unless escorted by military personel. Stay with your group and excercise extreme caution. Any sightings of unusual native flora/fauna is to be reported in immediately. Our researchers are currently studying these hostile phenomena. No further data currently available.

This is terrible!, CEO Rubin was caught completely by surprise. We've suffered a major setback in our efforts to establish a colony on this planet. Jeneba, I want to assign you to two important tasks: Find a way to protect the citizens against the hostile native life... And secondly, I want you to covertly try to see if we are able to profit on the native life. Make sure this does not become public. It shall be our little secret for now.

*End of M.Y. 2102 Public Announcement*
By M.Y. 2103 it is now possible to convert excess production into EC's. Hence, the possibility of stockpiling energy at any given time.
End of Report

Turn 2102 complete ... and passed to Lord Chip. Chip: You're too fast on the keyboard

(Edit: Chip, I'm sure the good CEO is interested in buying shares in the Gaian News Network )

[Snowflake]

Report of The Peoples' Liberation Army of the Hives (PLAH), 2103:
Effort of searching what is believed to be unity scattered pods turned out to be strange planet native live forms. Scout accompany colony 1 was attacked but the brave soldiers won the battle. The people celebrated the establishment of the first colony base of the Human Hive. The Marshal had directed more military units should be prepared immediately to protect the people from this hostile planet.

P.S. The Morganic Public Announcement reached the command center too late for us to benefit from the possibility of stockpiling energy for the new PLAH unit.

Turn 2103 to University.

[Gufnork]

Both bases are up and running. The planet appears to be similar to Earth, with the exception of a strange fungus spotted near Monitoring Station. The scouts had reported nothing of great interest and the lack of knowledge of my surroundings disturbs me. I am eager to send out more scout patrols but realize that I need to stay calm. It is of more importance to make the current area inhabitable. If we are to be able to stand up to the other survivors we need not only superior knowledge, but superior manpower as well. I shudder at the thought of the fanatic Miriam being in control of the planet. Atleats the planet itself doesn't appear hostile, something I don't expect from some of my friends from Unity.

--Provost Gufnork
"The Search for Tomorrow"

Turn 2103 to CEO Rubin.

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2103:
M.Y. 2103, MorganLink 3dVision News Flash reported an increase in drone activities at Colony Headquarters. However, official sources denied this. CEO Rubin appeared in a broadcasted interview encouraging citizens to remain calm. The terrible news about the missing contact with Hydroponics One dealt a severe blow to the happiness of the people. The thought of the loss of more than a thousand colonists seemingly froze the entire population into a state of fear and grief. CEO Rubin ensured the public that a full investigation was in progress and that all hope was not lost. Critics claimed that the CEO just wanted productions to increase. Rumour also had it that the Morganic Defence Officer had been relieved of his position.
End of Report

Turn 2103 complete and sent to Lord Chip of the Gaians.

[Snowflake]

PLAH Report, 2104:

Brave PLAH scout continues its effort in searching the Unity remains, only to find another pod infested with more native life forms that are now named mind worms. It was expected that the upcoming battle could be treacherous because the scout has not recovered from the previous battle. Colony two had to retreat because the massive fungus strip where it was headed was determined too dangerous for it to pass without escort.

People in the new established base are struggling because the surronding land is bare and dangerous. Chairman HongHu was furious about the fruitless effort of the PLAH and the unhabitability of the planet.

Turn 2104 to University.

[Chip_Buckner]

GNN - 2104

COMMENTARY: The barren landscape and the absence of evidence of any other Unity survivors has taken its toll on Gaian morale. Lord Chip's claim that we are surrounded by abundant building materials and his pronouncement that "on this rock we build our civilization" are met with derision in the habitation compound. The sentiment that "You can't eat rocks" is on every set of unofficial lips throughout the settlement.

* * *

2104 to the Hive.
(How ironic is it that the Hive and the Corporation are under mind worm attack and the Gaians can't even SEE any fungus?)
(And I didn't get to stockpile energy at the creation of my first unit, either.)

[Gufnork]

Fumbling in the darkness. Entering a new door. Travelling across a barren landscape. The unknown. What more is there to fear? All our fears are indirectly a fear of death, a fear of death is the fear of the unknown. Thus entering a great unknown is as frightening as diving head first from a cliff. After all, who says that death is worse than what lurks around the corner.

-- Provost Gufnork
"I Think, Therefor I Am"

Turn 2104 sent to Morganites.

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2104:
CEO Rubin, Personal Voice Diary Excerpt, M.Y. 2104: I just got a message from Security Ops. The search team dispatched following the last transmission from Hydroponics One had come across a field of what initially looked like the final resting place of the remains of Hydroponics One. As the search team approached they found the discovery to be only some remains of the U.N.S. Unity. I foolishly ordered the team to proceed and investigate the crash site. It was horrible. I turned off the commlink before the transmission ended... They were all young and green recruits... Addendum: Finally some good news! 20 minutes ago we got an incoming from the search team. They somehow managed to withstand the horrid native fauna lurking within the Unity remains. They are on their way back to base. I intend to promote the unit. They showed tremendous courage and should be set as an example for other new recruits. ML3dV reporters and a science team are on their way to base perimeter. This is our opportunity to boost the morale of the citizens. Note: I tracked the transmission and found out that the search team was actually traveling in the opposite direction of Hydroponics One. Hmm, there's no need to go public with this, however.
End of Report

Turn 2104 complete - Turn sent to Lord Chip...

[Chip_Buckner]

Four years. We continue to forage for bits of indiginous vegetation from our harsh surroundings, but have yet to see anything move on the horizon. No local fauna. No Unity survivors. Just rocks and--but for the sounds of waves breaking on the coast--silence.

Silence may be golden, but only when it serves as a respite from the chaos of "normal" life. This planet has nothing from which we need a break. Except monotony. We are truly alone.

The formers are breaking the rock into a more usable terrain, but it will be many years before we can expect any return from the investment of time and materials we are making today.

Lord Chip: Personal Journal - 2105

2105 to HongHu

[Snowflake]

Lord Chip, the turn you sent cannot be played by me because it asks for Gaian's password. I guess you have not pressed end turn when you saved it. Could you do it and resend it to me? Thanks! (I've also emailed you.)

[Snowflake]

PLAH report 2105

The entire nation is mouring for the lost of our brave scout. He will be forever remembered as one of the earliest explorers who pave the way of the future success of the Human Hives. Colony two settled down in a grave spirit. People vow to work harder to make this planet inhabitable.

Turn 2105 to University.

[Gufnork]

2105 sent to Rubinites.

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2105:
In the fifth year after first arriving on this new and hostile world the Morganites experienced the first significant breakthrough in good news. The entire Morganic population is ecstatic.

Transmission transcript:
- H.Q.: [incoming transmission]
- C-1187: Headquarters! This is Hydroponics One. Do you copy?
- H.Q.: We read you Hydroponics One! We read you!
- C-1187: [coordinate transfer initiated] ... I have good news! We've succesfully set up a base of operations, and obviously communications have been restored. It's been two and a half long years, but the base is now fully operational. We're transfering our position, scientific report and request for basic supplies now.
End of Report

Turn 2105 complete Turn sent to Lord Chip of the Gaians

(Edit: Gufnork, the Morganic faction is still mourning the loss of our founder Nwabudike Morgan. Nwabudike didn't survive planetfall. Our escape pod hit some nasty turbulence and the landing was far from being gentle. As I'm sure you understand, this tragedy is still a sad rememberance among our leaders. Therefore, it'll be at least 5 more years until the Morganites are ready to call themselves the Rubinites.)

[Chip_Buckner]

GNN - 2106

The Gaian community is abuzz with the discovery of extraterrestrial fauna. The First GEF (Gaian Expeditionary Force) encountered what appeared to be debris from the Unity. Upon investigation, however, something moved. The life form is unlike anything found on Earth or, heretofore, upon Chiron. Gaian scientists speculate that the lifeform is either native or--because it has only been seen in remnants of the Unity core--something grown from spores the Unity picked up in deep space on its way to Chiron. Gaian officials insist that further exploration is warranted.

Sadly, the life form exhibited hostile tendancies, attacking 1-GEF. Gaian socio-environmentalists hope that greater efforts will be made to communicate with the new life form.

2106 to the Hive

[Snowflake]

PLAH report 2106:
Inspired by the sacrifice of the brave scout, new green scout marched forward for further exploration. Special terrain was discovered with potential of aiding nutrition production. The marshal recommended the next colony base should be planned around the nutrition resources.

2106 to University.

[Gufnork]

Turn 2106 to Rubin

Ok, this is getting boring. One pod, no worms, no action. Gah, give me some pods!

[Rubin]

Morganic Report, M.Y. 2106:
The Morganic faction reported an unexpected lack of new discoveries this year. A lone Scout unit decided - against direct orders and for no apparent reason - to explore the route back to Colony Headquarters! Minute planning currently prevents serious inefficiency, but predictions only suggest a minor delay in the inevitable.
End of Report

Turn 2106 complete. Turn has already reached Gaian HQ.

[Chip_Buckner]

GNN-2107

The year 2107 will be recorded as the year of discovery.

At the beginning of the year, terraformer operators happened upon a piece of terrain that differed from the usual Chiron rock outcroppings. Upon investigation, headquarters staff determined the zone to be unusually rich in nutritional resources. This revelation bodes well for Gaian survival and growth.

Later in the year, the 1st GEF (Gaian Expeditionary Force) encountered yet another new kind of life. The pink fungus-like growth is the second form of apparently indiginous life found upon our new planet. Gaian exo-botonists believe that they may be able to derive nutritional supplements from the fungus to further vary and enhance Gaian diets. Exo-zoologists, on the other hand, urged further study, as we do not yet understand whether the new life is animal, vegetable or something altogether unique to Chiron.

As the year concluded, while members of the 1st GEF was exploring the newly-discovered "fungus", they found another instance of the "mind worms" that attacked them earlier. Having found mind worms in a location apart from a Unity pod suggests that this may be indiginous life, rather than something that the Unity picked up in space.

The most intriguing aspect of 1st GEF report is the omission of any reference to casualties. Optimists hope that the initial contact may have been a rogue mind worm colony that differs from the more typically benign variety. Pessimists warn that it is at least as likely that this docile specimin is the exception. Radicals exo-linguists, on the other hand, speculate that we may have learned how to communicate with the local life form. Official sources remain mum.

2107 to HongHu

[Snowflake]

PLAH report, 2107:
It is an uneventful year. However, Gree scout No 2 reported encountering with mind-worms. Result of the battle is expected next year.

2107 to University