Clash of Titans, Pirates vs Usurpers (SMAX)

[Vendetta]

Must... find... SMAC/SMAX CDs!


See what you did? Now I will waste another week or two on that game

I think you mean "Invest valuably" instead of "waste" in that sentence.

[haard]

Must... find... SMAC/SMAX CDs!


See what you did? Now I will waste another week or two on that game

I think you mean "Invest valuably" instead of "waste" in that sentence.

Ah, that does make it all better.... also, introducing my wife to Spore has magically increased the available time for gaming anyway, so I might as well do some quality gaming with that time.

[Academia Nut]

The only thing I can think of to explain the sudden spike and crash of the aliens is if they were suddenly beset with some disaster like say a hailstorm knocking out the solar collectors around their best econ base, triggering a massive collapse of their economy, or some other such problem.

[Adrian Laguna]

The only thing I can think of to explain the sudden spike and crash of the aliens is if they were suddenly beset with some disaster like say a hailstorm knocking out the solar collectors around their best econ base, triggering a massive collapse of their economy, or some other such problem.

That would only explain the crash, not the spike. Also, the entire thing happened over the space of a turn. I have a pictures of the power comparison graphs from 2239 and 2240:



One turn there's no spike, then the very next turn there is. You may notice that the net change is just a very slight decrease in Usurper power on the line graph, with no change in the bar graph. The Pirates and Believers both have slight increases in both the line and bar graphs.

[Pablo Sanchez]

I'm finding this very interesting. Are there are any forums on the internet where SMAC or SMAX AARs are posted (like the Paradox Forums for their games)? I couldn't find any with a quick google search but then I wasn't sure exactly what to look for.

[Academia Nut]

Weird. I guess maybe the Usupers hit some sort of weird limit bug in the game about showing power comparisons due to just how ridiculously advantaged they are. I can't think of anything that would simultaneously trigger a jump and a crash that isn't just an error with the graph.

[Adrian Laguna]

I'm finding this very interesting. Are there are any forums on the internet where SMAC or SMAX AARs are posted (like the Paradox Forums for their games)? I couldn't find any with a quick google search but then I wasn't sure exactly what to look for.

I've been looking for the same thing, since AARs would be a good way to learn how to play the game better.

I can't think of anything that would simultaneously trigger a jump and a crash that isn't just an error with the graph.

That's because it probably is an error, which is what I said in the first place, the program had a hiccup.

[Adrian Laguna]

The year is 2254, the place is Planet (Manifold Six) in the Alpha Centauri System, and the event is the shit starting to fly.


But before that, look at me settling Mount Planet and the island to the south-west. I'm thinking Shanty Town might not be an appropriate name given that I hope this city will be fairly productive, yet more places that need renaming, ah well.




OH SHIT! MARR HAS AN AIRFORCE, AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO USE IT!
At least Meergard appears to be just outside his engagement range, so he can't bomb me just yet..




The Believers have finally been defeated and Sister Miriam captured, so much for "tough nut to crack", they died several turns sooner than I was expecting. In the two images below the power graph can be seen adjusting accordingly.





Crossbone Way, I like it, the Pirates totally have all the awesome names. You may notice Mount Planet island looks a bit different. One of the UNS Unity pods accidentally triggered an earthquake, raising a bunch of land. It has slightly improved the terrain around Shanty Town, and made the terrain north of a bit less hospitable. It has also given me more land to exploit. I think it was a lucky break overall. Also, despite losing trade with the Believers, my economy grew.




The Usurpers followed-up their air attack with a Skimship squadron which had better weapons and was better protected than my own vessels. Being at a defensive disadvantage, I pressed the attack, and was rewarded with sweet victory, only 50% damage to my ships.




I also assaulted a fungal tree, though not a large one. That fight was really close, my infantry unit suffered 90% damage, but the threat was eliminated.




****** ****** ****** ******
EDUCATIONAL SPOT: I felt like talking about morale levels. They provide combat bonuses in normal combat and artillery duels, and are the chief determining factor in psychic and probe (spec-ops) combat. There are six levels for non-native units: Very Green, Green, Disciplined, Hardened, Veteran, Commando, and Elite. Each level provides a 12.5% combat bonus over the previous level: Very Green is -25%, Disciplined 0%, and Elite 50%. The baseline level is Green, social engineering and specialized buildings can bring this up or down. Native units have life cycles instead of morale levels, each life cycle corresponds to a morale level and has the same bonus, it also has its own sprite: a larger version of the previous life cycle.
****** ****** ****** ******

Here you can see my exploratory naval squadron and all the parts of the southern seas it has explored. I actually intended to explore further south along the western part, but a Unity pod triggered a tidal wave that swept it east. I upgraded it earlier with Resonance 3* armour, the (trained) doesn't do anything when upgrading a unit, but any new versions I build will have an extra experience level. The name I gave it was an attempt at descriptive naming, but it looks so stupid that I will stick to more generic names from now on.

*Resonance armour provides a defensive bonus against native life.




Due to recent Usurper attacks, I decided to use my Alien Artefacts to close the technology gap. They don't advance Secret Project construction by all that much anyway. I plugged two of them into my Network Nodes and uncovered High Energy Chemistry and Synthetic Fossil Fuels. I'll be moving the third one to a node equipped base soon.




My warships encountered an Isle of the Deep, it attacked me and was sunk without causing serious damage. Unfortunately any damage presents a potentially crippling disadvantage in enemy territory, I will be retreating the squadron soon.




I'm sending a transport with my one Spec-Ops team to infiltrate the Usurper Datalinks at the outskirt outpost Risks of Flowering. It should be poorly defended and thus open to infiltration. An Usurper squadron seems to be moving to block my exploration squadron's escape route, extracting them successfully is looking unlikely.




Oh look, they sunk my ships, with contemptuous ease I might add, the attacking unit wasn't damaged at all.




I had sent my Isle of the Deep, two Spore Launcher battalions (artillery units are battalions), and an Impact Squad brigade pod-popping near the Manifold Nexus. I decided to leave the infantry on-board the ship, which proved to be a bad move when an Usurper naval unit showed-up and sunk my IotD. With the other loss, my attack capable naval forces have now been cut in half. My Isle did put up a tough fight, though, so the enemy warships are heavily damaged.




I retaliate with one of my Spore Launchers, and sink the enemy squadron. Revenge is sweet, but unfortunately the wider Usurper industrial base means they can afford losses more than I can. If I keep breaking even, I will be defeated, and I didn't really in this case.




****** ****** ****** ******
EDUCATIONAL SPOT: Artillery combat is conducted with units capable of bombardment. This would be land units with the Heavy Artillery special ability, or any attack-capable naval unit. Land based artillery is incapable of normal combat, while naval artillery (ie, any warship squadron) can bombard or attack normally. Bombardment makes it possible to attack units one or two squares away with impunity. It cannot cause more than 50% damage to land units or grounded air units, but sustained bombardment will keep them from effecting repairs.

If the square being bombarded contains another bombardment-capable unit, the bombardment will be cancelled and the two units will instead engage in an artillery duel. This type of combat ignores armour values, and there are no limits to how much damage can be inflicted. Artillery duels can destroy naval or artillery units.
****** ****** ****** ******

My Special-Ops team successfully infiltrates the Usurper Datalinks, but is captured in the process. They will probably die horrible deaths, but no matter, I am finally able to gather intelligence on the Usurpers.
In other news, my economy stopped growing but my infrastructure did not, which means that maintenance costs are now murdering my budget. Not good, not good at all, the only way to make-up for it is to reduce research spending to boost the economy, but Nautilus is still behind in the techonology race.




I will discuss the at length the intelligence that has been gained from infiltrating the enemy's Datalinks, how that affects my appraisal of the strategic situation, and just how fucked I am, in the next update. For now, I will just address my dire economic situation.

Six years prior, on 2260 Nautilus scientists completed research into Adaptive Economics, this gave the Pirates access to the Planetary Energy Grid Secret Project. It gives a free Energy Bank at every base, with no building or upkeep costs. Energy Banks, in turn, improve a base's economic output by 50%. Thus, the Planetary Energy Grid is vital for the economic stability of Nautilus, and by extension its continued existence. I cannot afford to lose this project, so imagine my reaction when I found this while examining Usurper build queues:



Mother. Fucker. This is bad.

Fortunately, the Citizen's Defence Force Secret Project costs the same amount of minerals, the one being built at Port Svensgaard only has four years to go before it's finished, and there is no penalty for switching construction between one SP and another. I ordered the base to make the change. There is really no other option, Perimeter Defence buildings are cheaper than Energy Banks and require no upkeep costs, so not having them in every base for free is not a great loss. Furthermore, a strong infrastructure is a better defense than any fortification, so the Energy Grid is now priority number one.




BTW - Those two last screenshots show humanity's most productive base, and the alien's most productive base. I'm not doing too bad in that respect.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I'm finding this very interesting. Are there are any forums on the internet where SMAC or SMAX AARs are posted (like the Paradox Forums for their games)? I couldn't find any with a quick google search but then I wasn't sure exactly what to look for.

Madness!

http://www.octopusoverlords.com/phpBB2/ ... &sk=t&sd=a

[Quetzalcoatl]

We have a found a mysterious monolith
-Investigate it
-Leave it alone
-Always investigate monoliths
-Make a three-hour movie about it that no one will understand

[Karza]

Bombardment makes it possible to attack units one or two squares away with impunity. It cannot cause more than 50% damage to land units or grounded air units, but sustained bombardment will keep them from effecting repairs.

That 50% damage restriction only applies to units inside a base (and maybe in bunkers, not sure about that), units out in the open can be bombarded to something like 90% damage. That level of damage does require either a considerable tech gap or multiple units blasting the target per turn, but it is certainly possible.

As an aside, I usually engage isles of the deep with bombardment whenever I get the chance, because the isle typically dies with just one barrage, and doesn't get to harm the attacking unit at all. Works with both ships and land-based guns. Land natives are good targets for artillery as well, since their physical defense is pathetic, though they of course require some unit to mop them up afterwards, unlike isles.

[Adrian Laguna]

Strategic Analysis of Balance of Power as of M.Y. 2267

The Pirate nation of Nautilus is behind the Alien Manifold Usurpers in technological advancement, but not by much. The key technological breakthrough permitting the construction of Needlejets was made by Humanity in 2267, so we are capable of defending ourselves should the enemy establish a base within range of our holdings. Nautilus's research rate is apparently 50% larger than the Usurpers, so the technological gap should close eventually.






Nautilus's energy reserves are larger than the Usurper's, but the Usurpers have greater energy income. Therefore our economic situation is inferior, since should our reserves be depleted, and infrastructural costs are, in fact, depleting it, we have a lesser ability to replenish it. This neatly illustrates the vital importance of establishing a Planetary Energy Grid before the Usurpers do.

Interestingly, the similar maintenance burden on both factions suggests equal total infrastructure. They have more bases, but the level of development in each is less than the level in our less numerous bases.






These images show the oldest 10 bases belonging to each faction, as well as the best bases in several categories on the lower left. Not shown for the Pirates is "Infrastructure: Port Svensgaard", and not shown for the Usurpers is "Minerals: Liberty Plant". Interesting to note that Humanity focuses on infrastructural projects, and the Aliens build engines of war and expansion. History shows that top-heavy States tend to succumb before States with more sophisticated economies, so while the Usurper armed forces are scary, resources will likely be better spent on in continued infrastructural and economic enhancement rather than in trying to match them.






That said, the Usurper military is simply huge. They have, between infantry brigades, armoured brigades, and artillery battalions, 86 land combat units built, and a further 15 in the pipeline. Their air arm consists of 34 operational air wings, with 6 more in the works. The only area where Nautilus matches them is the naval arm, a measly 2 flotillas*. All of this is backed-up by 31 civilian units, most of them (27) engineering brigades (Formers). By comparison, the entirety of the Pirates field less than 50 units civilian and military.

*Note about terminology, I've been calling skimship/foil units "squadrons", this is incorrect, that term is reserved for larger ships, they are properly "flotillas".




Conclusion:
Nautilus posses a clear and expanding infrastructural advantage, and a comfortable lead in research rate. It's economy is floundering, yes, but the impending completion of the Planetary Energy Grid should not only reverse that, but put it in a stronger economic position overall. Pirate military is, however, hopelessly wanting by a wide degree, which means all Usurper positions are unassailable, and any expansion into the main continent simply impossible while a state of war persists. Fortunately, the lack of Usurper naval presence means Nautilus is itself unassailable, and while its own Navy is no larger, the greater number of naval capable bases means it can be expanded far faster.


At the end of 2267, the third Alien Artefact was plugged into the Network Node at Parrot Landing, allowing scientists to make progress in the field of Environmental Economics. This removes previous limits on energy harvesting, stabilizing the economic situation even without the Energy Grid. It also makes it possible to build Tree Farms: they make forests more productive and reduce environmental pollution, which has become a slight problem lately. Finally, this advancement helps close the overall technological gap between us and the Usurpers, not the least because this technology is one they do not have.




New base established in 2269, Ulrik's Hidaway, as in Ulrik Svensgaard, he reportedly enjoys skiing down the volcano's slopes in winter. This is the third and final base established on skirts of Mount Planet itself; however, two other bases are planned for the western side of the island.




On 2270, Port Svensgaard finished the Planetary Energy Grid. The subsequent results are readily visible on the economic status summary screen, adding an Energy Bank (+50% to base economy) to every single base has caused net energy income to go up by 467%.

The Hab Complex that Port Svensgaard builds afterward is an expansion of the base which doubles its population capacity: from 700,000 to 1,400,000. Several other bases are building or have built Hab Complexes.

The Usurpers, unable to finish their Energy Grid, switch to the Empath Guild, which is finished the next year. Unfortunately this allows them to automatically infiltrate our Datalinks.




Most of the 2270s are peaceful and uneventful. In 2279, an Usurper Missile Skimship ([6],3r,4)* flotilla appeared on Crossbone Way, headed toward the Western Great Northern Ocean. The Pirate Navy was mobilized in response, deploying its three Missile Skimship ([6],3r,4)* flotillas from their stations at Parrot Landing, Port Svensgaard, and Meergard. The light blue line shows the projected path of the Meergard flotilla, it will be used to intercept any Usurper units that make it past the the first two.

*Brackets indicate bombardment capability, forgot to include it in previous entries.




Land Lock came under bombardment from the interloping Usurper flotilla, but fortunately the Pirate's best flotilla had been stationed there previously and was able to reply in kind.

"BATTLE STATIONS! BATTLE STATIONS! ALL PERSONNEL TO BATTLE STATIONS!"

Alarms blared throughout the many ships of the Pirate Navy's 1st Attack Flotilla, anchored at the misnamed port of Land Lock. In the flagship, Commodore Karen Grimshaw briskly entered the command bridge, "Report!"

"On going multiple missile launches, 200 km south of us, still tracking... coming straight at us, ETA four minutes!"

The Commodore did not bother ordering the point-defense systems to track the inbound ordnance, nor did she ask for a fix on the attacking enemy. The Pirates had been on alert, so their warships responded rapidly and without further orders. She could see, in the screens before her, point-defense and targetting computers already establishing tracks on the inbound missiles and solutions on the launching warships, while well-drilled crews tasked counter-fire batteries and warmed-up the missile launchers.

"Sally the Flotilla and move away from the port. Start counter-battery fire as soon as all targeting solutions are in, first wave only, point-defense may engage at will."

Three and change minutes later, they did. Chattering cannon sent up flurries of ammunition, and lasers ionized bright paths through air as they lanced up to intercept the inbound missiles. Ephemeral flashes filled the skies for a few moments, then great gouts of water rose from the sea and ships vanished in fierce fireballs as surviving ordnance found its mark.

Unfazed by death raining around her, Commodore Grimshaw, arms crossed, eyes fixed upon the tactical displays, calmly ordered her flotilla to scatter, "all ships, adopt formation pattern Xi, and prepare to launch third wave." The second had already been fired, just before the PD engaged.

On the screens the Pirate's own first wave entered the Alien's point-defense range and missiles started to vanish. She gave herself a moment to look at the ships of the Flotilla slowly becoming more distant, then looked back down in time to see the Usurper warships blinking off and hesitantly copying her scattering manoeuvre, causing a tiny sneer to decorate her lip. A glance at another screen showed the Usurper's second wave was almost on top of the 1st Flotilla, and their own point-defences lit-off again, "Launch third wave," the Commodore ordered.

Scattering a flotilla like she had was a generally bad idea, each ship's PDS would have difficulty supporting or being supported by the other ones. That the incoming ordnance had been fired while the First was still stationary, and that a scattered formation offered more room for evasive manoeuvres, helped offset this somewhat, but not entirely, and that was not the point anyway.

"First Attack, adopt Eta formation at flank speed and begin continuous missile fire now!"

Heedless of the rolling explosions amidst them, the skimships rapidly came together, all their launchers flew open, and hundreds of silver arrows rose upon pillars of fire, rapidly shooting toward the southern horizon across the boiling sky. Then hundreds more followed suit, then more and more, not bothering to correct fire at all, the 1st Attack Flotilla emptied its magazines in one continuous barrage.

This was the moment of truth, if the Usurper commander two hundred kilometres away reacted like she expected him to... there! The poor inexperienced fool panicked and rapidly brought his fleet back together, just as she had, but lacking her veteran Captains and crews, the abrupt manoeuvre created extensive confusion, and a few collisions, just as her own missile wave was arriving.

Commodore Karen Grimshaw smirked, tangled-up like that, the enemy flotilla was about as challenging a target as a kelp farm, and the Pirate's missiles were exacting a heavy toll on them for that mistake. It would not matter whether they sorted themselves out or not when the massed barrage arrived in less than four minutes, they would be more or less in the same place and lacking the PDS to stop all of it. It was all over but the fireworks, so the Commodore sat back on her chair, and, keeping an attentive eye on the tactical displays, allowed herself a deep breath.

After a fierce long range battle, the Usurper attack was defeated and their ships sent to Davy Jones' Locker. Only moderate damage was sustained by Pirate forces.




The other two Pirate flotillas arrive in the vicinity just in time to challenge the Usurper's follow-up assault.




Surprisingly, instead of waging war Conqueror Marr instead offers to negotiate peace. His price is steep, he asks for Environmental Economics, a vital technology, since it makes it possible to fully exploit Planet's energy resources. After some deliberation, the deal is made, as it is concluded that Nautilus is inherently stronger at peace-time building. Then Marr asks for Adaptive Doctrine as well, perhaps realizing his technological lead is ebbing. Adaptive Doctrine allows for Marine Detachments to be posted on naval units, they can board and take over enemy ships during combat. The Pirates get the Marines for free on every naval vessel they own just by having the technology, the Usurpers have no such advantage, so despite the outrage at this betrayal, it is handed over as well, and Blood Truce declared.




After negotiations are concluded, Marr makes his displeasure with our Green economic policy known to us.




Six years after the last look at the Usurper's forces, their Army and Air Force have had significant increases, and they have consequently lowered the rate of new unit production. The Nautilus forces remain about the same, but the Navy is being expanded bit.






In 2287 Cyberethics is developed. Other developments over the previous dozen years include: Bioadaptive Resonance, which makes it possible to build Resonance Lasers and equip units with Soporific Gas Pods; and Doctrine: Initiative, an important naval technology which will be discussed more in a bit. Suffice for now to say that it gives Nautilus a free Naval Yard in every sea and coastal base, and other factions the ability to build Naval Yards (+2 naval unit morale and one turn naval unit repair)




Cyberethics opens up the possibility of adopting Knowledge as a social value. This has obvious research and economic benefits, at the expense of making the society a bit more vulnerable to espionage due to freer flow of information.




Here are the other two advancements that come with Doctrine: Initiative. First is the Maritime Control Centre Secret Project, being built in Deadman Tavern. It gives a free Naval Yard at every sea and coastal base and +2 movement points to all naval units. While the Pirates stand to gain only the latter advantage from building it, the Usurpers stand to lose much from it being denied to them. With the Maritime Control Centre, Nautilus' mastery of the seas is virtually guaranteed. The second advancement is the ability to give land units Amphibious Pods, which allow them to attack directly from Transports. Here, the selected Transport contains a brigade of Elite Invaders equipped with Resonance Lasers and protected by 3 Resonance Armour, and it is being sent to destroy that Fungal Tree so the area can be settled.




Before and after shots of the assault. It was no contest, this same brigade destroyed another Demon Boil Fungal Tree without the benefit of resonance weapons, with R-Lasers the operation was a walk in the park. The UNS Unity pod on the islet did not have anything special in it, just 50 energy credits.





EDIT - Cleaned-up the Interlude

[Karza]

History shows that top-heavy States tend to succumb before States with more sophisticated economies, so while the Usurper armed forces are scary, resources will likely be better spent on in continued infrastructural and economic enhancement rather than in trying to match them.

As long as "infrastructural and economic enhancement" means "assload of colony pods to every goddamn nook and cranny not already claimed by Usurpers" . Since you can't quickly destroy/conquer his legion of small bases, a few decades of peace and he'll be completely unstoppable if you don't expand like mad. Also, switching to planned economics might be prudent, since the aliens like that system and growth and industry look like way more important stats right now than planet and efficiency. But you probably know all this already .

I'm really interested in seeing how this turns out.

[Adrian Laguna]

As long as "infrastructural and economic enhancement" means "assload of colony pods to every goddamn nook and cranny not already claimed by Usurpers" .

I am continuing to expand, and indeed should probably do so more vigorously, but I will not do the "every nook and cranny" thing. The micro-management load gets progressively more annoying with a larger empire, and this is supposed to be a game not a job. Generally speaking, for me a strong infrastructure and economy means a core of highly improved and terraformed bases: I already have like a dozen Thermal Boreholes planned, Planet's going to hate me for that.

Since you can't quickly destroy/conquer his legion of small bases, a few decades of peace and he'll be completely unstoppable if you don't expand like mad.

I wouldn't bet on it. Marr is running Fundie and Planned, this means shit research and shit efficiency. I am already researching at a higher rate (+50%) than he is, and when you add in the fact that he has a gigantic spread out Empire, you can start making bets on how long until Drone riots paralyze his economy.

Also, switching to planned economics might be prudent, since the aliens like that system and growth and industry look like way more important stats right now than planet and efficiency. But you probably know all this already .

High income makes me feel all warm and fuzzy in a way that legions of babies doesn't, so it breaks my heart to switch from Green to Planned for the sake of population growth. However, what really pains me is the inability to run Police State, due to the Pirates -1 Eff and -1 Pop Growth, I was forced to mount a Democracy to offset one or the other if I run Green or Planned. Dammed Proles, always voting and making me do what they want instead of what I want, who gave them permission to have opinions? In any case, I might switch to Planned after I have a respectable energy stockpile to rest upon. And no I'm not running Free Market, ever; Wealth is possible, but I'd rather have +2 Research.

I'm really interested in seeing how this turns out.

I'm pretty good at reading the meta-game against the AI, so I already know how this ends, I just don't know the details.
I am hoping to drag it out long enough to throw Planet Busters around, nothing brightens the day like 296 GT of instant sunrinse.

[Ford Prefect]

Is it just me, or is Maar angry that you aren't prospering enough? What a nice guy.

[Adrian Laguna]

Is it just me, or is Maar angry that you aren't prospering enough? What a nice guy.

He is angry that I'm using Green economics, since he doesn't like anyone cozying-up to the Sixth Manifold, but since he's a fairly decent diplomat, he couches it in terms of being concerned about my welfare. Not having the Usurpers randomly declare war on me might be a good reason to switch to Planned economic policy.

[PainRack]

I can't help it.... I'm diverting time away from my own CIV IV and Oblivion game just to camp here and read your AAR Adrian:D Yours was always one of the best and most funny reports, and instructive too:D

[KlavoHunter]

Oooh... Alpha Centauri. I've always wanted to play it.

I just wish I'd had games of Civ II that were actually challenging, the way this one seems to be for you!

[PainRack]

Oooh... Alpha Centauri. I've always wanted to play it.

I just wish I'd had games of Civ II that were actually challenging, the way this one seems to be for you!

SMAC isn't challenging, it just that it took until Civilisation IV for the game designers to FINALLY incorporate the same lessons SMAC taught gamers:D An interesting civics and customisation of civilisation, UNIT customisation, prototypes, a sandbox game that had a story content and last but not least, intelligent advancement. The diplomacy was also engaging, and traits/likeness made alliance and diplomacy fun.

Wished I could had played AX though, I always had problems installing the game. But I understood that SMAX meant that each faction isn't the "same", unlike Civilisation II where each faction was just different vanilla. Civ III attempted to differentiate each faction again, but uniques wasn't as effective as what SMAX did by free techs and unit customisation

[Adrian Laguna]

On top of being late, this update may be a bit thin I'm afraid, it's mid-terms week and Calc II is somewhat higher priority. Still, the saga continues:

In 2298 Safe Heaven finishes the Citizen's Defence Force, every single base in Nautilus now has the Perimeter Defence building, obviating any need to spend time building it. You can also see all of the improvements that have been built in this base, darker lettering indicates the improvement exists because of a Secret Project. Note that I have Naval Yards simply from being the Pirates and having researched Doctrine: Initiative.



After exploring some bits of the main continent, I moved my two Spore Launcher boils close to the Usurper border, destroyed a couple of sensor arrays, and then released them into the wild to troll Marr. They probably got destroyed by air strikes in short order, but I didn't feel I had anything better to do with them.




Marr, for his part, trolled me, and more effectively too. He wanted Cyberethics, which I handed over after contemplating just how much I would love to tell him where to get off, then the bastard added insult to injury and asked for Planetary Economics too. Damn him, only the knowledge that I do the peace build-up thing better than him keeps me from declaring war and sinking every one of his pitiful ships.






At least the Blood Truce was renewed, which gives me 10 or 20 (forget which) years of him not bothering me. Stinky Alien or not, I am reasonably certain that Marr is good on his word.
A look at the power graph may suggest, contrary to my claims, the Usurpers are building better than I am, since they are getting more powerful at a faster rate than the Pirates. I stand by my analysis, while a superficial look at the situation may not seem favourable, the fundamentals are, in fact, on my side.




The end of M.Y. 2300 marks two centuries since we arrived on Planet. Consequently, to mark the beginning of the third century, we well see how far we've come from our humble beginnings.

Nautilus has expanded to 18 bases, housing a population of 13 million inhabitants. Since they are in the image, I note that the Usurpers have at least 30 bases, a significant portion of which where captured from various human factions, and a population of 19.7 million.




Considerable scientific and technological advances have been made in the past two centuries.




The economy has become strong and bountiful. (Note, the energy reserve figure is for before I spent about 3/4 of it to upgrade my garrison units.)




Our bases, arranged here in descending mineral production order, build infrastructural, scientific, and social improvements for the betterment of the citizenry and society.




Of the eight Secret Projects constructed on Planet, four of them belong to Nautilus. The Weather Paradigm doubles terraforming speed and unlocks all terraforming abilities, The Virtual World makes Network Nodes count as Hologram Theatres (+50% base psych, less drones), The Citizen's Defence Force adds a Perimeter Defence in every building, and The Planetary Energy Grid adds an Energy Bank (+50% base econ) at every base and makes mineral-to-energy conversion 50% more efficient. The Usurpers have the other four Projects. The Genome Project adds an extra Talent at every base, The Empath Guild gives an infiltrator at at every faction and +50% more votes in Planetary Governor and Supreme Leader elections, The Command Nexus adds a Command Centre (+2 morale to land units) at every base, and The Merchant Exchange gives +1 energy in every square of the base the built it.




This is a slice of the Pirate's active units, the 3-Res Sentinels (1,3r,1) are my newest garrisons, all Synthmetal Sentinels were upgraded to the new standard.




Finally, a comparison of the Pirate and Usurper scores.






Increased industrial activity and pollution triggered a significant fungal bloom; containing boils of Mindworms, Spore Launchers, and a new flying threat; south of Crow's Next and U.N. Headquarters. The brave men and women of the latter's garrison sallied out to assault the incoming worms before they attacked the city, and successfully wiped out the infestation.




Meanwhile, in Crow's Nest a wing of Needlejets armed with Resonance Lasers is rush built to deal with the swarm of flying Mindworms dubbed the Locusts of Chiron*. The devastation they could wreak should they wander into a population centre would be fearsome indeed, so they must be destroyed as soon as possible. Even if it means having to swallow the 25% prototype costs for the aircraft chassis.

*Chiron the Planet's official name




The construction of Nautilus' first air wing is a landmark event, and is commemorated accordingly. It says Svensgaard is behind the construction of "the first air unit on planet", I suppose this means the Aliens don't count.




The gallant First Attack Wing flies out from Crows Nest and valiantly assaults the new threat.
It didn't go quite as well as expected.




In lighter news, a base called Drunktown was established on Mount Planet Island. It is no coincidence that Drunktown is on the Arctic Sea and near Ulrik's Hideaway, strong drink keeps men warm during the long hard winter, and like all Pirates our dear Captain loves his rum.




Technological breakthrough in 2306, Advanced Military Algorithms are developed. It is now possible to outfit land and naval units with Triple-A Tracking, which renders them able to better defend against air attacks. This technology also allows for Power as a social value, and the construction of Bunkers. That last bit will set plans in motion among the more hawkish members of the Nautilus Parliament.




A follow-up attack on the cloud of Locusts went much better and successfully eliminated the threat with only moderate losses.




An Usurper missile flotilla has been continuously bombarding a Fungal Tree in Mount Planet Island for some time, presumably to train their gunners and for want of anything better to do. Seizing the moment, a rover unit was sent to destroy it while it was week. The battered tree proved to be no match, it was easily annihilated.



EDIT - Fixed incorrect link on last image.

[Coalition]

One stunt I do with my aircraft, is to fully armor them. They do cost a bit more, but the vastly increased lifespan maes up for it.

Of course, you are dealing with psionic combat, so regular armor isn't that much good. It will help when you dogfight against the aliens though.

[Adrian Laguna]

One stunt I do with my aircraft, is to fully armor them. They do cost a bit more, but the vastly increased lifespan maes up for it.

Of course, you are dealing with psionic combat, so regular armor isn't that much good. It will help when you dogfight against the aliens though.

I might start putting synthmetal on them to make them a bit less vulnerable (also, shiny blue) but I don't really do the full armour thing. I use my aircraft primarily for as interceptors and air-superiority, bombing is what whirlybirds are for, and those I don't need to armour either because I never let them get caught in the open.

[Karza]

Armor doesn't really do much good on aircraft anyway, since armor strength is always about a half of the equivalent tech weapon strength. With no terrain bonuses in air combat, the defender always gets shot down anyway unless it is an interceptor, in which case the combat is resolved with weapon values only (so armor is even more useless). Also, later on the cost of armoring aircraft balloons ridiculously. While a 6-3-X needlejet costs maybe 10 minerals more than an unarmored one, the later tech levels bump the armored craft's cost to something like triple the cost of its unarmored equivalent.

[Coalition]

I might start putting synthmetal on them to make them a bit less vulnerable (also, shiny blue) but I don't really do the full armour thing. I use my aircraft primarily for as interceptors and air-superiority, bombing is what whirlybirds are for, and those I don't need to armour either because I never let them get caught in the open.

I've found helicopters too short-ranged for my taste (darn taking damage at the end of every turn). I'll admit aircraft have to return back to a base when finished, but their radius of operation is incredible (it also lets me move them around an enemy territory, striking from the other side after the computer transfers defenses to one side). Still, if you've found helicopters useful as bombers, go for it.


As to the price bumping it up to triple, I've been darn glad of that armor when I ran into an enemy SAM unit defending a city. It also lets me repeatedly send my aircraft on strike missions, even at 50% health levels (though I am sweating those, and tell a couple cities to build more aircraft ASAP). With low armor, building more/replacement Fighters would get expensive.

Still you do raise a good point. Three times the aircraft means three times as many targets hit. Good for cleaning out colony pods, Formers, Supply units, transports, and bombing terrain modifications.

[Karza]

As to the price bumping it up to triple, I've been darn glad of that armor when I ran into an enemy SAM unit defending a city. It also lets me repeatedly send my aircraft on strike missions, even at 50% health levels (though I am sweating those, and tell a couple cities to build more aircraft ASAP). With low armor, building more/replacement Fighters would get expensive.

I don't think I follow you. The armor/weapon relation doesn't change even if the attacker is a SAM and not an interceptor, ie. against an equivtech enemy the craft probably gets shot down anyway. And armor doesn't increase a unit's hitpoints, those are based entirely on its reactor type.