Turns 2141-2160 - Page 4

johndmuller · December 22, 2003, 14:18

Agree that any agressive behavior by the Cycon is quite possibly aimed at us (despite the fact that it would not be in their best interests to get into a war with us - obviously they don't care about the logic of their interfactional affairs).

Re the governorship, have we any offers from either of them or anyone else? Which of them is closer to us? ... to the Cycon?

Hercules · December 23, 2003, 00:29

No offers but I understand from Honghu that the Cycon have offered a Pact to the Hive.

That would pose us and them difficulties if we are attacked and we ask the Hive to ally with us .

johndmuller · December 23, 2003, 14:42

The Hive would be asking for a lot of frustration if they try to make nice with the Borg, but there's probably nothing credible that we could do to discourage them if they weren't warned off by the earlier episode (that shouldn't stop us from making a friendly 'warning' for them to watch their posteriors).

Hercules · December 23, 2003, 22:35

Ok from Maniac's post it looks like this:
AI = Abstain
Drones: 49 (their own yet to vote) + 30 from PUT = 79
Hive 61

Next to vote Cycon = 23
Then us = 33
If Cycon vote Drones its over
So what do we do
looks like we're with the Hive, but negotiate ecol eng. and try to survive

If Cycon vote Hive then we're in a driving seat.

foolish_icarus · December 24, 2003, 00:25

I believe the potential still exists for a human player to bribe the AI to change their vote. Thus even if Cycon vote Drones we can still possibly manipulate the Hive/Drones to pay us to bribe one or both of the AI, given our location in the voting order. Or if we were to successfully bribe Miriam or Roze could the Drones then rebribe them?

Googlie · December 24, 2003, 01:44

Quote:

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
Or if we were to successfully bribe Miriam or Roze could the Drones then rebribe them?

No - they would then get the message from the AI "This is too important a matter for me to change my position" (or whatever those words are)

Makahlua · December 24, 2003, 11:10

&^$(&^$(*$(!!!!!

At first I thought Maniac was just being cute with the turn name - but not so. A Borg 'Love Boat' is just outside 'Rita which is now completely defenseless

#2 the Borg have voted for the Hive in the governorship; Uni has thrown their vote behind Buster.

Now what?

ETA: I hit abstain for the time being, will reload when we make a decision - Alexandria was also lost as well as the party Boat headed to Borg waters. All I can see available is the PB @ Tripoli; the Borg forces are apparently Amphibious - 1 imapct marines, 1 imapct speeder + probe team and cruiser sport @ ALex. Our other warships are a few turns to the wrong side of our waters or needing repairs :/

Happy *^(*^ Christmas to them too

Hercules · December 24, 2003, 16:05

First don't panic.

Second await out come of negotiations with Hive and PUT.

Because of the unprovoked attack by the borg, the AI equivalents of the Hive and PUT have also declared vendetta.

Our vote is crucial. ie in the belief that the Drones will vote for themselves, our 33 votes can swing it either way.

From the Hive we would want them to deliver Ecol eng. and to continue their vendetta status with the Cycon. We will need to set a time limit, however because of Christmas and the declaration of War , I am sure we will be allowed extra time.

Next, if we choose, we can buy Non linear from Miriam. It will take us to contact her, she will ask for Gene Splice . we will ask for non linear. She will say no. We will then contact her with a proposal and offer to swap research. She will offer Non Linear for 100ecs. Accept. We will have 18 ecs left.

We might need to sell Rec Coms in Rita. We might also care to change build to Boy Scout 1~1-1 from Sea Colony. we might also move sf into Rita to buy us time.

In Tripoli, once again we have a non used worker.

If we buy Non Linear. Go to design workshop and design 4-1-2 tank and 4-1-4 coastal.

Suggest build Impact coastal proto type in Tripoli. (we might then be able to upgrade our other craft in due course.

Alternatively the party Boat in Tripoli, could head towards Rita, with the view to probe the 4-1-2 cutter from the Borg. But risky and we don't know what else is out there. Their craft can move 6.

Start PEG and make sure every Crawler on land is crawling some resource.

Transport crawler from Liar's Lair to near monument on HMB and land crawler.

The transport with two crawlers, move three spaces closer to HMB.

Alternative Alternative. Resign from the game, destroy all our bases as protest against behaviour of Borg towards us re non deliver of HEC. ie Dishonourable game playing. Not a cheat just dishonourable.

Also I am not happy with Archaic's reneging on deal struck with PUT via GT.

The deal was struck with PUT as then and should be honoured in my view. However if Hive refuse then we might remind Archaic (and should anyway that it was his idea in the first place that we should work together).

I find it difficult playing an ACDG team game when the factions do not adhere to diplomatic deals made.

I will be back late 26 Decemeber.

Meanwhile Flubber hopefully can communicate with the Hive and PUT. If I see no such as action has happened by end 26th, I will contact Honghu.

Anyway Happy Christmas all pirates.

foolish_icarus · December 24, 2003, 17:24

Would it be worth it to switch out of wealth a few turns down the road to get our morale back? I am inclined to say no, what with the cost and industry loss, but it will become an option if we build up some cash.

The sea former outside of 'Rita gives us a chance to build a garrison. However, if a prototype Synthmetal Coastal is built at Tropoli [1 (1) turns] will a Synth Coastal at 'Rita [2 (1) turns] be ready next turn? This would be advantageous, though it means we would have to offset riots at Tripoli.

Sealurk Channel, Liar's Lair, HMB and Lil' Accident are all candidates for war industries (especially HMB with its command center). Which will be used for the PEG?

(I come up with 28 [not 18?] EC after Miriam tech purchase for possible use in rushbuilds.)

Its an even bet whether or not Uni would actually execute a war against the Cycon, even if they remained technically at war with them. The potential certainly exists fo them to go after us. Likewise it looks like the Hive isn't very interested in deploying forces for a war, so our diplomat has to make it seem necessaryfor Hive to help us, maybe even secure a promise for a definite number of troops, whereas the semi-casual "it's really in your best interests" approach will probably work better with the Uni, though i don't know their turn player.

And is anyone here up to writing some propaganda? Perhaps some strirring rendition of the fall of Alexandria, photoshop some propaganda posters, etc.

Googlie · December 25, 2003, 22:25

I have okayed an extension due to the Christmas holiday - I've suggested until midnight PST on the 27th.

Will that be enough?

G.

Hercules · December 28, 2003, 20:09

Ok you guys you have been very silent. Let's hear it

Hercules · December 28, 2003, 21:27

Sorry Googlie

Emperor

Quote:

But this might predispose other factions against us based on your 'neutral observation.

I could well believe the Cycon have been slagging us: that's propoganda. But there is no justification for you to join the furore and adding a credibility to the accusations by posting such a thread at this time.

Makahlua · December 29, 2003, 03:39

#1 - What's the vote on Nonlinear? if we can get it, we could prototype some units, but we might could spend those PoE better beefing up what defense we've got....

#2 - Possible moves:

Both sea formers near 'Rita could be moved in to delay the damaged cruiser from taking it over next turn; if we don't buy nonlinear, I can rush a prototype synth garrison for 37 PoE.

If I move the foil probe out between Tripoli and Googlie Monument, I can block the CyCon transport from drawing alongside to launch their marine units - the other 'love boat' down south would not be able to reach it and attack this turn.

I could also swap Casablanca to a proto laser/synth skimship (barque?) ad rush that for 19 PoE adding to our defense, but even with the seaformer moved to block them, the cycon should still be able punch throuch and take Casablanca

(If they don't go right for Tripoli...)

For the PEG we've got 4 crawlers on the Boot and 3 inbound, which puts us @ 120 mins for the SP, which is about half of the needed

Most of the Schooners are at least 7+ turns out, between repairs and distance from home :/

I just realized that proably the CyCOn -might- leave the imapct infantry to guard Alex, but that's iffy

I'm also for some serious pod popping with the rover on Yardarm, in the hopes of EC's for the war effort

Hercules · December 29, 2003, 11:03

Yes to serious pod popping. But also try putting a impact coastal in the build somewhere just in case it gets completed.

We need more views. Hope Flubber and Cuspidore can weigh in.

foolish_icarus · December 29, 2003, 13:39

Definitely get Nonlinear.

I would lean towards postponing (abandoning if we have to) the PEG until we are doing better with the war.

Quote:

if a prototype Synthmetal Coastal is built at Tropoli [1 (1) turns] will a Synth Coastal at 'Rita [2 (1) turns] be ready next turn?

does anyone know the answer to this?

johndmuller · December 29, 2003, 14:37

Dire straits indeed; how did we let ourselves get so vulnerable to the *(&^&%in' Borgs, of all people.

Here's a few ideas, although not having been too much in touch lately, I could be missing something important.

--Switch out of Wealth immediately (as in especially before calculating rush costs for any units we need) - this will restore our morale to a more suitable one for fighting the #&*(ers and make the new units stronger (especially sea units built with our free Naval Yards).

--Design a SynthLaser Foil (having both the level 2 weapons and armor costs the same as just either one by itself so why not?). Switch the build at 'Rita to one of these and rush it for 18 to just bareley finish or more to have something left over as a head start for the next build. Also, move that adjacent seaformer into the base to give us an additional turn to see that build through - if they attack the seaformer, it should weaken them a little more and we may even be able to destroy (or capture) their warship on the following turn.

--Switch production at Tripoli to another one of those SynthLaser foils and rush it also for 12 or more

--Cancel the former activity at (59,71) and (59,75) and move them to the West to (57,71) and (57,75) respectively and cancel Seaformer activity at (56.78) and move to (56,76) - all this to block the movement of their transport and/or landing of their troops if they plan to invade Casablanca from Alex/Athena.

--Rush the RecComm at Casablanca for 14 or more to clear the decks for another warship unless unable to complete blocking manouvers above for some reason - OTOH, the more I think about it, the more sensible it seems to retool for yet another SynthLaser Foil and rush that too for another 15 or more, but use your judgement (consider all the possible routes and landing tiles for their potential invasion).

--Continuing my obsession with the Synthlaser foils, I would cancel the Creche's and rush them also at Liars (5 P of E) and SeaLurk (free)

--If you have rushed the minimum necessary to finish all five of those foils, there should be 28 P's of E left in the treasury.

--I don't have strong opinions about Calico, Atlantis or Pamplona, but I'd be inclined to switch to land crawlers at Calico and Atlantis.

--Screw the roads at (39,69) and (39,69) - neither of those seem necessary, if you must build a road, try one at (36,68), but not right away - and move them somewhere else to build more forests, like (37,69) and/or (40,64); Lil Accident needs a sensor also at some point. In general, I'd be using these bases to generate as many mins as possible to support the war effort. I would finish building the currently ongoing crawler builds and then switch HMB to a InfProbe, then boats of one kind or another and Accident to a CmdCntr to be able to make good land units and/or defensive probes while HMB makes boats - maybe additional crawlers when the formers have made a few more forests (or mines if desired).

All this is very well and we could have a large fleet of lousy ships, but we still need to have some defensive probes to stop them from mind controlling our bases and some probeships to get some tech and/or money and to possibly kill or capture their probeships or land units - I don't know where they are going to come from in the short run, as we may need to keep building and losing the cheap boats in our core bases until we can build something better (in 22 years apparently) and sieze the offensive. Eventually we will also have some cannon fodder when our schooner fleet returns

I would suggest voting for Buster unless the Hive has offered us something or someone else has.

Please spit on the Black Spot for me before you send it off to Drogue and Maniac.

Makahlua · December 29, 2003, 16:47

Plans look doable - now we need an answer from the Hive ASAP

johndmuller · December 29, 2003, 18:53

I took the liberty of contacting Buster on the occasion of sending another PBEM's turn to him and told him that he could possibly end up as governor if he acted promptly (and of course was able to come to some understanding with us in the short time available). Note that he is in Europe (probably an hour ahead of GMT), so aside from our midnight GMT deadline, there is also his personal deadline if he is an early to bed early to rise type. I told him to contact Cap'n Maki (and also Cap'ns Herc and Flubber),

Hercules · December 29, 2003, 19:25

Maki: Follow Cuspidore's advice and leave no crawler or worker unworked.

I have emailed and Pm'd the Hive and no response to date. Therefore do as Cuspidore advises.

If after all that, you still have 100ecs from pod pops, buy non linear from Miriam.

Hercules · December 29, 2003, 19:57

As of 23.54pm, still no response from the Hive.

I am going off line now for a while. will be back 2/3 hours maybe sooner.

Maki do what you have to. You can maybe squeeze 3 hours more allowing for time zones before playing the turn as suggested by Cusp.

I will be back with Dip update if any.

Makahlua · December 29, 2003, 20:11

Well, we've offically voted for Buster - whichi is very satisfying to me somehow; as I got the feel everyone expected us to bow to the 'glorious' Hive

I kept us in weatlh until the end of the turn because rushing stuff was cheaper that way; and saved the last 4o PoE to switch back to survival (so all the new units will have good morale). A fleet of Barques (the cuspidore's beloved synthlasers) is currently under construction; Casablanca is protoing some new Dock Patrols(synth garrison); Liar's is working on a cruiser probe (but that will be a few)

I've turned the explorer fleet around and headed them home; so far pod popping on Yardarm has just made it bigger ........ (%$($(^# earthquakes......

See the save for any other specifics - now I'm off to dinner and non computer things!

...stupid fanfic in my head that won't let me do anything other than write......

johndmuller · December 29, 2003, 20:21

Is the deadline midnight PST, midnight GMT or midnight EST?

As Googlie pointed out, GST is not exactly a real time zone (at least not one that I know about), so which did he mean? I thought it said GMT somewhere in there (which might already have happened), but apparently Cap'n Herc (who is actually living with GMT at the moment (I think) seems to believe there are several hours to go (???). like it is supposed to be midnight EST or PST. Hopefully Cap'n Maki knows what time it is (I'm pretty sure that midnight CST isn't one of the options, but who knows?).

Anyway, Googlie, if you read this, I believe we are about to play the turn in one time zone or another - BTW, it would help if some of the people in the other factions would deign to answer PMs and/or other messages instead of leaving us holding the bag.

Makahlua · December 29, 2003, 20:46

Postign the turn shortly so we're not too far over GMT if that's what Googs meant

GST......Galactic Standard time? But this isn't Trantor.......

johndmuller · December 29, 2003, 21:30

I don't think that you can have it both ways - save money on rushing and end up without the morale penalty on the new units - that was why the first thing in my list was to switch out of Wealth Immediately - before doing the calculations for the rushing (which was nevertheloess affordable under the more expensive regime). I fear that changing back at the end of the turn will have left the builds short (as they will suddenly cost more and you wouldn't have been able to add more) so unless you spent extra money to get some more build-mins, they will not finish next turn (did you check the builds again after the switch?). OTOH, AFAIK, Switching out of Wealth next turn will only get us back part of the morale penalty - I think we want the whole xeno-banana if we are actually going to use these things; they're weak enough as it is without the penny-wise / pound-foolish number. Well, maybe there is something I'm missing and you have some cute way of doing this; hope so.

============

Well, I looked at the end-turn, and at least 3 boats are going to get built whatever you did, .... but unfortunately, if they know what they are doing, they still have a pretty good shot at taking Casablanca (especially if they have a spy in our midst and know the setup and our defenses) as we didn't seem to be able to move all the (sea)formers into the right places to fully block them; they will have to take some chances with Alex if they go all out to get the next base, however - let's hope they guess wrong.

Hercules · December 29, 2003, 22:12

In the end thanks for your contributions you guys.

Hercules · December 29, 2003, 23:01

For the record there has been no known response (as far as I am aware to our dip message).

Makahlua · January 5, 2004, 15:31

Well it's true, they did take Tripoli - some damage to the Impact Rover, andthey lost/used up their probe team; the transport and love boat remain.

We have 2 barques still available to move from SeaLurk and 'Rita; schoonerfrom Cailco is enroute to SL, the Barque from Atlantis is headed toward the south, not sure specific destination just trying to get it near the battlezone.

They did leave Alex unguarded, however? Odd, but I guess they expect to win

I can assume fromt hat they will go after Casablanca or Rita next. Or possibly Liar's now that I think on it. Casablanca just got a Dock patrol (synthgarrison) I'm thinking use the barques to sink the 'sport next time it's loaded up and worry about the love boat later.

Thoughts, anyone?

Hercules · January 5, 2004, 22:17

A consequence of us losing Tripoli is we also lost our HQ. This gives rise to inefficiencies and therefore our income is shot to pieces.

In Tripoli they have the 4-1-2 rover the 4~1-1 unit and an infantry defence.

I would leave our SF beside Triploi where it is, this means if the want to move north they have to go around the SF.

I would move that transport from Rita into Liars Lair. ( it also acts another base unit. Their love 2-1-6 can reach Lair's Lair I think.

Re Rita: it's in Drone riots so if we want that Barque next turn we will have to change the SE balance to 30% psych.

Look at sending the Barque from Rita to 59, 69. It looks like a blind spot. It gives us the opportunity of regaining Alex. But if attacked, by the love boat or the 40% damaged Impact craft, we have veteran rating which might help us.

The Barque from SL, look at placing it on tile 54, 62 a distance of 3 mp but 4mp to Tripoli, next turn

Yes get that Barque from Atlantis to the war zone as quick as you can.

The transport with the supply crawler continue to move towards HMB and it stops on that nut square. (Now here's something I never knew before: first in HMB move the worker from the sea nut sqaure and put the worker on the empty forest tile ( near the monolith), now the supply crawler on board the transport can collect from that tile). For one turn at least.

From Casablanca (you will have to use a doctor btw, riots again), move the boy scout towards Alex Maybe just maybe.

We will have to decide where we should build a New HQ. Even if we regain Tripoli, it will have lost that status. ( I think)

Hercules · January 5, 2004, 22:36

There's also one other thing worth a try. Contact Miriam and see if we can get a loan. It didn't work for me but I tried to trade techs first. She 's not very cooperative. I wonder if we just gave her Gene Splice, would that put her in a better mood.

There's no rush to play the turn just yet. I'd like some other's to contribute their ideas.

foolish_icarus · January 5, 2004, 22:50

don't we have just 1 hour?

I'm not at my comp so I can't offer any specific advice. Just start building stuff. Anything that will help us survive. Colony pods, probes (steal energy), maybe we can start planning for an invasion of their home bases--burn the damn thing to the ground if we can. We're pirates damnit, if nothing else we should make sure this costs them the game.