Part 135: Episode XII: 2475

Episode XII: 2475 -




It's looking like the Klackons and Meklar will continue to consolidate their power against the Bulrathi/Sakkra/Mrrshan, while we wait in the wings and prepare to take on that power couple. We continue to be among the economic leaders and make slow-but-steady gains on the technological front.




A new wave of advances is coming soon. Along with the engines will be Class IV Deflectors, which gets us reasonably close to the current galactic standard of Class V for some decades. Radiated Landings will get us another system almost certainly, and further off is a much-needed armor improvement.

These kinds of situations where we've nearly won strategically are kind of frustrating to just grind things out to the point where you can actually strike, but we really aren't close to being ready yet. Planetary Shields are up almost everywhere but we continue to add more bases, some systems aren't yet maxed out, and few are ready to build ships. The reserve is still just above halfway though a modest amount is getting funneled in from Exis every year, and what little shipbulding is available is pretty much at Altair, which continues to get more Colonizers out there.

I must be patient until I've fully prepared, strengthening our position against all potential for counterattack. Then, and only then, Redwing and the Alkari will strike.




** Alkari -- 15(+1)
** Klackon -- 13(+1)
** Meklar -- 10(+2)
** Mrrshan -- 9?
** Sakkra -- 5(-3). The lizards have been marginalized and removed completely from the central territory that formed the original core of their empire.
** Bulrathi -- ??

Aside from us, only the Mrrshan have any hope of standing against their foes ... and even that is questionable as they've lost a couple of systems. I don't know exactly how they are doing since we are out of contact.




Very nice. Good news is that when we get Radiated landings, we can target this also. Bad news is, not really -- because it's no longer in range since losing Sssla and Rotan, so the ship I sent there can't refuel and was lost. Eventually though, that should be ours since nobody else has the capability to settle it. Pretty good size for a rich world.




2476: time to start building a fleet I think. I was hoping to go with a destroyer-sized ship, but a couple of our rivals have Repulsor Beams and I couldn't quite fit the heavy weapon here along with maximum engines and computers on that size. So I went with the cruiser. Could have put on a Class II shield, but then I would have had to shrink the loadout to three blast cannons.

This is most definitely a place-holder design, but I'm hoping it will allow us to start contemplating defense of some acquisitions. Only two or three systems will be tasked with these initially, so we won't get many ... but you have to start somewhere.




I immediately upgraded the Warhawks to take advantadge of our new Impulse engines; they were also able to add a Class I shield. New Colonizers will wait for the advanced environmental gear that is coming soon. Here we'll go Trilithium, moving the ladder forward and doubling our range.




Previous deal was 550 BC. First re-up in a while and should eventually make up for losing the Klackon deal.




Bulrathi 'colony ships' are here. Until I get at least a Warhawk or two in position I can't do much of anything about this. Meanwhile, we get Class IV Deflectors in. Repulsor Beam is the only choice, but I'm not complaining.




That's a little too close I'd say. 33M Sakkra, we lost 41M. I need to be more careful. Meanwhile we are starting to get hit with sabotage efforts so I put funding back into security.




2482. Looks like it's starting to hit the fan.




Now we're in business ... time to expand again. At least a bit. Soil Enrichment is up next, and Atmospheric Terraforming awaits after that -- I think it's the first time I've hit both of those without stealing them. That'll be a quality boost.




Zortrium Armor arrives next, finishing the current wave of advances and getting us up to a point of being vaguely competitive in armor. Armored Exoskeleton for the ground troops seems to be clearly the most useful next step.




A couple useless techs and most of our reserve is required to achieve this. The Meklar still won't talk to us, and they've signed an alliance with the Klackons, so it was the only way to forestall a two-front war. It's vital to fight it on our terms and at our timing. A 1200 BC trade deal will take a serious bit out of our profits, but it will also help solidify the truce.




I've been trying for the whole Klackon war and failed. Then I forgot to turn it off. And this is basically worthless. I take the spies off espionage again after this because I don't want to risk the war starting up and then the Meklar getting dragged in.




2491. This is pretty much all we've gotten a shot at because the war has dried up in our vicinity; Aurora is secured now and the Klackons/Meklar really have things pretty well controlled. I need to shift gears and invade one of the weaker empires, but the fleet is still growing at a painfully slow rate. Eventually Maretta will help that, but right now I just don't have the firepower to take on even a somewhat inferior empire.




ECM IV arrives. I definitely want to go for the scanner here.




A 25% damage upgrade from the current neutron beam. We could use a bomb improvement -- right now I'm building some ships that use the ancient, starting nuclear bomb -- and we have three to choose from. I'll go back just a bit to get the middle option, Anti-Matter bombs. That should improve our capabilities plenty for now without spending a ton of time doing it.

I don't think it's worth actually deploying the fusion beam due to size and cost considerations.




This is what we were planning to hit first; the Sakkra colony of Omicron. But the Meklar got there before we were ready.




I think the bugs may be permanently on the side of the Meklar.

** Sakkra(3) -- Redwing
** Bulrathi(4) -- Redwing
** Mrrshan(4) -- Redwing
** Meklar(11) -- INT-986

We could see the Klackons as the rival soon. Either way, the two of them form almost half the galaxy, so unless I can flip the second one I won't be able to accomplish victory peacefully. We'd hold a slim 25-21 edge if our 14 votes went to ourselves. Still two votes shy of veto, but the support of the smaller races is quite stable.