Part 148: Episode XIII: 2525

** Note: It hasn't happened often in this LP, but I need to get my butt in gear and play more MOO soon. I'm less than 40 years ahead of the end of this update right now.

Episode XIII: 2525 -




Only a 10M boost, but we only had to give up Bio Antidote to get it. The same price gets us the Inertial Stabilizer, which most of the others have but we do not, from the Humans.




Here you can see the pressure that the war is putting on the Alkari. Their fleet isn't nearly as good as it once was as we're regularly blowing up their ships(and the Darloks, but not as many). Technologically we're pulling ahead as well -- it's turning our way, slowly. Ryoun, the one system we did lose, is back under our control and very slowly rebuilding. Their attacks gradually become less and less of a threat, which allows more ships to be sent to Thrax - we're taking more of a bite out of their transport fleets lately.




Humans and Bulrathi love us attacking the birds, giving us stable but irrelevant peace here.




New deflectors and then a while later the Disruptor are the next toys here. Once the new gun comes in it'll be time for a new ship design. After a couple of years, we get the new shields and the Alkari offer peace. Not interested, but it is the latest sign that they are wearing down.




Not good news to be losing our best 'friend'. Thrax is going better though. In 2532 we incinerate the second consecutive convoy of around 25M Alkari troops with either none or close to that getting through. Meanwhile the population is under 10M again and getting lower every year.




A few years later, and the roughly 20-year effort that seemed twice as long finally ends. What do we get for our trouble?

** Battle Computer MK III(*yawn*)
** Class III Deflectors(same)
** Tachyon Beam(worse than what we have)
** Controlled Toxic Environment(now that's what I'm talking about!)




The next year, as we move on to Morrig, a tiny Toxic world nearby. A new toy is here. Proton Torpedoes are next, which would make our ships a threat to any planet. But for now this will definitely do.

I designed a new ship(Leopard) to take the place of the Panther. And then didn't save the shot of the fleet specs . The Leopard is basically a faster, harder-hitting version of the Panther, featuring the disruptor and the latest engins. I thought about putting some shields on it but they wouldn't help that much against missiles which are about the only thing we get hit with regularly. I would have had to take a disruptor off and I didn't think it was worth it. Still going with Battle Scanner and Repulsor Beam for the specials. We've also got started on building some Toxic Colonizers. We could make a better bomber design as well to replace the Bobcat, but it looks like that is going to be enough for the Alkari campaign. If not, I'll slap something together.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXUkMVSLpiM



Our first look at the Sakkra ships, though they quickly ran away. I am highly unimpressed.




Only open one right now, at least in range. The Darloks are coming, so I sent the bulk of the fleet here to make sure they don't hang around.




We've taken their best shot at containing us. Worked for a little while. Frankly there is now little if anything the galaxy can do about it. Humans and Bulrathis add in more toothless warnings.




A third of the troops shown here, plus a few more million, died of exposure. Morrig only has a 10M maximum. Not enough factories for us to get anything of value, so the same grind continues. As much as I'd like to go for the jugular at Altair, I'd like to get some ground combat tech from a smaller system first so we can limit how many Mrrshan have to get poured into the meat grinder. The birds still have four systems.




Good luck with that. Last I saw the Darloks had 60M transports incoming to Obaca, and control of the orbit. I'd say you have problems of your own.




The Humans were true to their word, sending ships to both Centauri and Whynil. The latter had defenses up, but this is a new system. Had a few Panther cruisers there, but their battleship, which they brilliant named Battleship class(literally), had enough missiles(11 5-rack Pulsons) plus one heavy beam weapon. We did about half damage to it. So I had to send in reinforcements, which will take a few years to get there, particularly with all our ships headed the other direction. I'd have used that thing to try to retake Obaca ... but what do I know.




While our primary fleet destroyed the defenses at Incedius, our next target, the Alkari finally sent a fleet strong enough to Ryoun and glassed that system again. It was about up to half population. Was. Isn't anymore obviously. We'd repelled literally a dozen or so attacks with just two Panthers, but they kept trying; this time they had about 20-25 of them, and enough missiles to do the job.

The Humans have left Centauri, distracted by matters elsewhere, but still a larger garrison must be sent there. We'll retake Ryoun as well, but there's only so many places the fleet can guard at once. If this keeps up it could really hamper our invasion.




There are 230 factories here, many more than on our previous couple of conquests. Probably a quarter-billion Mrrshan will eventually be required to conquer this, but the rewards should be significant.




Haven't seen this in a while. In other news, the first, big invasion wave to Incedius cut their numbers to 27 million, a little less than half. Then it was back to the grind, cutting them down little by little. The reduced workforce also ballooned maintenance costs to over 34% -- they had been at 30% or so for some time anyway -- so the old 'only rich systems build ships' rule was implemented again.




Been trying ever since the wars started, but 2548 was the first success. What do we want here ... I'd like the Fusion Rifle more than anything they have, so I go Weapons.




Nope. Hey look it's a 'black cat'. A third peace offer from the birds is rejected. This one's to the bitter end.




Sabotage has become fairly regular, but no more than a minor annoyance. Still, this is just here because I haven't shown our homeworld in a while.

High Council

The last two votes had 34 total. This one has 35. And it's never been anyone but Nermal and Sauron. Shall we yawn away together?

** Alkari(3) - Sauron. We've taken a vote away from them at least.
** Humans(1) - Sauron. They're down to the minimum because of the Darloks
** Sakkra(10)
** Darloks(6) - Sauron. Well that sucks. Must have made peace with them.
** Bulrathi(1) - Abstain.

20-0 against us. I'll abstain just because with our 14, which is two more than we need for the veto and it's with half our planets half-empty. We're basically in 'undeclared Final War' territory here now. That's a lot better than a declared one since they aren't pooling their tech.