STGOD: A Dead Art?

[Academia Nut]

Hee hee hee. I can't see a destroyer opening fire at a battleship. Amusing thought and image though. You can see why I'm nervous about your fleet, though. We're natural enemies, and on top of that yours is fully, and efficiently organized, and quite capable of attacking. Mine is spread, because of head-in-the-sand stupidity, throughout the colonies, and not organized to be offensive. If you bum-rush me, I lose. Please don't?

While there is a somewhat active hawk lobby present, the Straltoc Federation has little interest in starting religious wars. Of course, if the mods were to be so cruel as to place us near one another, border tensions could easily be sparked as the Federation is looking to expand. Plus somehow I don't see your goes holding back much if there were a bunch of demonic aliens claiming to be gods right next door.

[SirNitram]

Here's a thought to put on the table for SirNitram, in regards to FTL and interdictors. Let's say I invest 4 points into an interdictor, and the fleeing ship invests, say, 6 points in interdiction-beating. If the 6-pointer could just effortlessly escape, then the 4 points would have been wasted. Would it be fair to say that fairly close scores would allow the interdiction-breaker to escape, but with greater difficulty, requiring a longer time to "spin up" the jump engines or whatever to deal with the interference? And vice-versa, how about interdiction fields won't completely block another ship's escape, simply force it to take longer (if there is a great disparity in points, perhaps a lot longer) to escape?

One can always simply retreat out of the interdictor's way; the intention is to make hit-and-fade attacks costlier against a foe with interdictors, not trap them totally. I'm open to the 'The better the interdictor, the longer they trap even better engine'd ships' if it's not abused.

[HSRTG]

While there is a somewhat active hawk lobby present, the Straltoc Federation has little interest in starting religious wars. Of course, if the mods were to be so cruel as to place us near one another, border tensions could easily be sparked as the Federation is looking to expand. Plus somehow I don't see your goes holding back much if there were a bunch of demonic aliens claiming to be gods right next door.

They wouldn't, but the problem is organization. They'd have to bring ships together, hash out who commands what, commission a suitable number of troopships, and train the troops necessary for an invasion. You'd have warnings beyond belief that something was about to happen, to say nothing of "Oh hey, the troops are getting on the null-grav transports". That'd be something of a tipoff right there.

Let's also make mention of "We haven't had an external, or internal, enemy for a damn long time", so there'd be a lot of inexperience, incompetence, and heavy political games to play too. To say nothing of the "We're God's Chosen, he won't let us lose!" factor. I may have a bigger fleet with bigger guns, but without good leadership it's worth squat.

Now do you see precisely how badly you can stomp me in the early game?



No matter what happens, it'll be fun, though. No hard feelings if you smash me into the ground.

[Duckie]

Hey, Thirdfain and other Earthern powers, here's a thought:

I had an interesting idea involving an Imperial German Government-In-Exile. (Do not ask how Imperial Germany came into existance, it's just too cool not to have ein Sternkaisermarine, and it's either Space Kaiser Bismark or Space Nazis. I'd prefer Gustav Anderman to Das Gottkaiser in terms of originality.)

Naturally in the chaos of the war, the treacherous Poles conquered Das Neu Reich, but the meticulously prepared Germany forsaw its downfall and basically picked up their country and fled (perhaps before FTL was invented, by generation ship? or by regular FTL) to the stars.

I doubt they take Polish puppetry of the Ursprünglichvaterland very well.

[Covenant]

My question got lost in the shuffle. I want to play a non-earth, non-human power:

Could we get some idea about what the nature of this "Empire" was? If I wanted to be a member of the disaffected lower class, angry after the oppression of this massive offworld absentee landlord Empire, would that be feasible?

Or would I be a new neighbor? Bitter Vengeance would work well for my concept, and allow me to attack people all over, and satisfy my desire to be a catalyst for warfare.

[Dahak]

Hey, Thirdfain and other Earthern powers, here's a thought:

I had an interesting idea involving an Imperial German Government-In-Exile. (Do not ask how Imperial Germany came into existance, it's just too cool not to have ein Sternkaisermarine, and it's either Space Kaiser Bismark or Space Nazis. I'd prefer Gustav Anderman to Das Gottkaiser in terms of originality.)

Naturally in the chaos of the war, the treacherous Poles conquered Das Neu Reich, but the meticulously prepared Germany forsaw its downfall and basically picked up their country and fled (perhaps before FTL was invented, by generation ship? or by regular FTL) to the stars.

I doubt they take Polish puppetry of the Ursprünglichvaterland very well.

But please, please don't massacre the German language while I'm around

[Academia Nut]

Heh... yeah, looks like this could be the counter to the Earth centrism, in that while there are four factions on Earth, thus making it nigh impregnable to outside forces, if somewhat unstable internally, it looks like there are several factions that will have beefs with Earth. Aside from Covenant, my own guys have some interest in Earth as it is where their ancestors came from, and it looks like White Haven's corporate AI faction will have some old scores in need of settling.

[rhoenix]

Heh... yeah, looks like this could be the counter to the Earth centrism, in that while there are four factions on Earth, thus making it nigh impregnable to outside forces, if somewhat unstable internally, it looks like there are several factions that will have beefs with Earth. Aside from Covenant, my own guys have some interest in Earth as it is where their ancestors came from, and it looks like White Haven's corporate AI faction will have some old scores in need of settling.

Same with my faction - as far as the Golden Sky is aware, they are the last humans left. Encountering other humans, or in Academia Nut's case, encountering what looks human would be a cautious joy for them. No parades and open arms, but the Golden Sky would at least be willing to be cautiously diplomatic.

As for Earth, I'd say some members of the Golden Sky have a yearning to see the legendary blue-green World of Origin again.

[Duckie]

But please, please don't massacre the German language while I'm around

Oh come on, they've had enough time to butcher it themselves even if we figure they traveled at high C-fractions.

Babelfish is probably too kind.

[Academia Nut]

It definitely looks like there was once a united Earth government that was expanding into the stars and was imposing a reasonable amount of stability on the local area when everything went pear-shaped, resulting in a general fragmentation and diaspora of humanity.

Oh, and rhoenix, the Straltoc will be very interested in examining the evolutionary path the Golden Sky has taken. Very interested indeed.

[Thirdfain]

I've updated my OOB, with an unecessary ammount of detail. I've also re-done my nation points a little; so those of you who are writing little comprehensive guides to kicking my ass should revise them

[Thirdfain]

Heh... yeah, looks like this could be the counter to the Earth centrism, in that while there are four factions on Earth, thus making it nigh impregnable to outside forces, if somewhat unstable internally, it looks like there are several factions that will have beefs with Earth. Aside from Covenant, my own guys have some interest in Earth as it is where their ancestors came from, and it looks like White Haven's corporate AI faction will have some old scores in need of settling.

I have no intention of being friendly with all the other Earther powers, if for no other reason than it would be boring.

[Academia Nut]

Well, yes, but if someone shows up with a giant invasion fleet capable of munching the whole damn planet, it would be stupid for the Earth powers not to go for a temporary truce to deal with the bigger threat to them all rather than continue fighting. Of course, there's always the potential for one power to cut a deal with the invaders and backstab the others, but one would expect there to be something of a local ceasefire in effect in the Sol system, if not out in the colonies, if only to prevent them from all blowing up their capitals.

[Thirdfain]

Anyone who takes a "Big Evil Horrible Monster Faction" and just blinly rushes in screaming "EXTERMINATE" WILL get their asses kicked by a coalition, whether they hit Earth or fucking Space Alabama or whatever. Check out Nitram's Machines or *ahem* my own Ousters from STGOD4 for an example of how to do Evil right- turn people against each other, establish yourself as a useful and manipluatable resource, offer people power and influence, and make sure that when the hammerblow lands, you'll have some help

[Academia Nut]

True, although there are a couple of factions that might have a beef with Earth and gang up to counter the high concentration of power there. Then the Earth powers have the choice of countering the alliance against them or see if they can't gain some territory by cutting a deal.

And, as I said, just because you've agreed not to nuke your mutual capital world doesn't mean you need to like one another, or even necessarily be at peace. I could see the Earth powers battling for control over colonial assets while just glaring at one another on the ground, waiting to see when the best time to strike at the heavy fortifications will come.

[Thirdfain]

I made no such agreements not to nuke my capital world (or at least other parts of it!) I have already worked in some nasty inherent religous differences into my OOB, particularly in regards to Adrian's suggested Space Spaniards, including a fuckin' Polish Pope in Krakow (or Antipope, many would say..)

[Academia Nut]

Bah, whatever, not my planet, I just have interest in it and any internal strife that may weaken its defensive capacities in the event of war between my faction and any of the terrestrial factions.

[Thirdfain]

Bah, whatever, not my planet, I just have interest in it and any internal strife that may weaken its defensive capacities in the event of war between my faction and any of the terrestrial factions.

Then when the game diplomacy starts, spend some time trying to convince terrestrial powers to sign on to a Terran demilitarization pact

[Academia Nut]

Then when the game diplomacy starts, spend some time trying to convince terrestrial powers to sign on to a Terran demilitarization pact

Well, we are very friendly, and the lot of you are a bunch of children running around with things you could use to hurt yourselves, so of course you should leave the defence of the origin world up to us

[consequences]

Anyone who takes a "Big Evil Horrible Monster Faction" and just blinly rushes in screaming "EXTERMINATE" WILL get their asses kicked by a coalition, whether they hit Earth or fucking Space Alabama or whatever. Check out Nitram's Machines or *ahem* my own Ousters from STGOD4 for an example of how to do Evil right- turn people against each other, establish yourself as a useful and manipluatable resource, offer people power and influence, and make sure that when the hammerblow lands, you'll have some help

Pfffttt, getting your ass kicked by a coalition is half the fun. The other half is watching the coalition fall apart trying to grab the best bits afterwards.

[Thirdfain]

Then when the game diplomacy starts, spend some time trying to convince terrestrial powers to sign on to a Terran demilitarization pact

Well, we are very friendly, and the lot of you are a bunch of children running around with things you could use to hurt yourselves, so of course you should leave the defence of the origin world up to us

Over my smoking, radioactive corpse!

Pfffttt, getting your ass kicked by a coalition is half the fun. The other half is watching the coalition fall apart trying to grab the best bits afterwards.

Indeed

[White Haven]

...awww man, an Antipope. Now I can't get the idea of a Pope/Antipope reactor out of my head.

[Academia Nut]

Over my smoking, radioactive corpse!

As with all children who dare their elders to discipline them, your proposal is acceptable.

[SirNitram]

The Enclave Comes. OOB posted. A prime example of a tech and defenses heavy nation.

[Thirdfain]

Hmmm, hmmm. Interesting choices. I think I understand your intentions and tactical strategy, too