Part 128: Episode XI: 2350 - 2373

Episode X: 2350-2373




Mutually, but not equally benefiting.




Even this is reasonable. It is, after all, first contact. Kinda of amusing that we meet these races, but not the Bulrathi, who are much closer to Altair.




We can see right away that the Klackons got off to a slow start. I'm hoping then for a Human-Silicoid rivalry, because otherwhise it could be a runaway for Sol's children.




Humans are sort of spread out everywhere, but headquartered exactly opposite us. They have seven systems, just two for the Klackons. We have three, but could reach seven ourselves. Which isn't enough(10 is more like it) but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Both races agree to 50 BC trade deals. The Humans are bog-standard Honorable Diplomats, while the Klackons are Erratic Expansionists(great). We'd better do everything we can fortify Spica. And they are allied with the Silicoids; Humans claim Darloks as their ally. Which leaves only the Bulrathi, isolated over by us, out in the cold. Using the Human systems as a guide, I conjecture roughly middlish territory for the Darloks, lower-right being the Silicoid domain. That's how it looks anyway.

Klystron immediately began sending colonists to Spica, 7M at first and then 1-3M for a few years after that. Some resources were also diverted there to trickle out a few more Recons, as we barely have enough now to get to all of the systems now within range using Spica as a refueling station. I don't expect to get anything more in that direction, but it's still worth taking a look.







That sounds like a load of 'Bullux'. *stares at the sky*. But yeah, the plan continues to proceed well, with our fourth system in 2353.




If the Bulrathi and Klackons stay as they are, we'll look fine by comparison.




Ursa, Trax, and that's all. Bullux is an Erratic Diplomat, making both of our neighbors Erratic. Yep, we'll be needing those ships. 75 BC trade agreed to, and I probably should have gone for a lower deal. I usually do minimums with Erratic leaders. The one saving grace here is we might just hold them off ... maybe ... if they stay small. But one destroyer at each system probably isn't going to do it, yet I can't afford more than that yet.




Not where I expected to find the rocks, but they tend to spread anywhere. Xudax. pop. 45, already 13 missile bases. Cool, have fun. Also ...




That, uh, didn't take long. You just met us two years ago. That trade deal wasn't worth the iPad it was printed on. I thought you were a diplomat, Bullux!! In all seriousness though, this isn't even an 'Erratic' message. We've painted them into a corner. Only way out is through us.




This would be quite nice. It's also quite far away, and six parsecs from Spica which means we can forget about it anytime soon. If I can ever spare them, it'd be good to send ships out that way. Or not, as the Klackons send a pair of escorted colony ships which arrive the next year.




Well, that explains why the Bulrathi didn't expand here. Two uninhabitable systems in our quadrant and the Guardian. Not exactly the best of fortune.




Not who I expected to find down here. Looks like our scouts had the same idea. Maretta, a jungle planet(max 75M, Poor) was the prize.




Or, a poorer sister world to Hyboria, settled the same year. Surprisingly, Maretta is now just within range, despite the dark-space gap. A long journey, but one worth the effort. Like at Nordia however, the thought was stamped out the next year. This time the Humans arrived, with three destroyers and a colony ship.




Finally. Another project overstaying it's welcome in prototype phase.




Somebody keep the Silicoids away from this place. Somehow. Someway. Time to go to general research priorities now. Altair will also get out of the research business entirely; Klystron takes over temporarily with a small investment.




That's a half-dozen. Better than either of the Sakkra starts, but that's not saying much.




The Humans hold ten systems, and definitely are looking like the early favorites. Stopping them in the early Council voting could be ... problematic. I also am able to turn Improved Eco Restoration into +10M Terraforming(from the Klackons) and Nuclear Engines(Humans).




Chasing us off from Thrax(the Toxic one over by the Klackons), we get another piece of the picture from these familiar guys.




Only the Darloks remain to be met. It's actually possible that I'm doing second-best here in terms of territory. That's hilarious. Aggressive Technologists. We sign a 100BC trade deal, and up our existing deals to that amount.




Scattered about as usual with five systems. What I'm most concerned with though is the Bulrathi ships headed towards us.




The forces of Bullux passed us by, off to parts unknown. I almost don't care ... unless it's Spica. Meanwhile we finally bother grabbing this.




It's a good galaxy for Toxic. Advantage Silicoids.




Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got a late start and can't afford more. Another tech trade: Nuclear Engines to the Silicoids for Industrial Tech 9. A small, but possibly important acceleration of our buildup. And it also allowed just enough space to build the Sky Hawk, a version of the Falcon with Nuclear Engines.




It's 2371, and a point of transition has come. Altair has finished the final Colonizer that can reach a system within range(Moro, Barren). I think it's too late to bother with a faster Recon ship, but I would like to try to guard a few worlds and keep the others away long enough for us to bash our way up the tech tree to be able to get them. If it doesn't work, then we'll have wasted resources that could have gone towards research. I've got to do both the tech investment and the shipbuilding. A third path would be to pump money into the reserve and accelerate development.

We have seven systems, and are about to get an 8th. I decide to try to do all three. Altair will throw enough reserve investment to boost the growing colonies, and then focus into research/shipbuilding. We have Recons over two Toxic(both rich/ultra), an Inferno(Rich), and a Radiated world. It's a race now. Can we build up our economy, our fleet, and our technological know-how in time?

Probably not. But if we can, I could turn this turd of a start into a rose.




Boo.




Actually, it hasn't been the slightest strain at all. But sure.




Screw you.




#8. They are generally of low quality, but with time and terraforming that will matter less.




Yep. We're nominated in the first Council vote. After losing our colony ship to the Guardian. Sure.




Watch them all vote for Farseer.




Ummm ....





Fantastic. He's three votes from victory and veto-capable.




I WASN'T BEING SERIOUS!!!




You suck. Every last one of you SUCK.

And three votes for us. Vote for ourselves just to spite them.




One year faster than the LP's previous quickest defeat, which the Humans also inflicted(Ep. II, Klackons). This time, I rise from the uber-crap start to get nominated and lose 17-3. I think I did well to rally like this after losing the first colony ship.

MOO doesn't care. Lasitus is potentate. Lasitus is deity. Lasitus is Life. Lasitus can kiss me rosy bum. Of course one could say, 'well you should have bribed the others'. Maybe, but that might not have been enough, and then I wouldn't have been able to do the tech trades I did, without which I was much more vulnerable to a Bulrathi/Klackon erratic attack, etc. I still think in the future though I definitely need to go the bribe route whenever the Humans are a clear Council nominee.

This is the first game in this LP that legit has had me upset(though only briefly, it is just a game). I mean, I thought I had pulled this together enough to have a chance. Nope, sorry, better luck next time.

The Alkari will rise again.