Part 163: Episode XVI: 2325

Episode XVI: 2325 -




I'd hoped it would take longer. A single Lynx-class destroyer escort, and the Mrrshan claim this system. Nothing we could do.




I ... do not think so. They are the Mrrshan-typical Ruthless Militarists, which means we can count on them hopelessly attacking someone early on. I'd prefer it isn't us. Emperor Shandra(don't recall seeing that name before) agrees to 75 BC trade. Hopefully that will calm things a bit. It will also slow down our colonizing efforts a bit of course.




Dang. Could the Mrrshan be a serious player for the first time in forever(excluding our game as them)? On the other hand, they might form a nice shield against others for us, and anything they take is something a more capable race doesn't. I think I like this. First contact is 2330 this time.




Two years later, and definitely a first. The next year, I do our initial tech investment. We're about to claim another colony, and Talas is nearing enough factories for half it's population. It'll be a long time before I keep more than that there, so it's time.

** Computers: ECM I/Deep Space Scanner
** Construction: Reduced Industrial Waste 80%
** Force Fields: Class II Deflectors
** Planetology: Terraforming +10/Controlled Barren
** Propulsion: Hydrogen Fuel Cells
** Weapons: Hyper-V Rockets

Lots of really good news here. For once I'm not going range first: I want the quick Terraforming +10 for the economic boost and to get a handle on whether we are going to get Tundra/Dead/neither in the next tier. Then I'll know how to handle getting to Firma, for which I'll eventually need the fuel cells. In Computing, I go with the Scanner as always.




That's three for us now. Two excellent and one decent. I wonder how Mrrshan quality compares ... Talas will be spending on research regularly now, along with shipping out colonist transfers. Ursa of course is full steam ahead on more Colonizers. Proteus, that arid on the left, is indeed within range. The danger right now is that a quickly-developing Mrrshan empire could claim Firma first. I think our chances of fighting them off are virtually nil, so it's all about getting there before they do.

In 2338, the final Colonizer departs and Ursa joins the research effort. Meanwhile the Mrrshan are up to seven systems. Not resting on their laurels for sure. The next year ...

Bwahahahahaha!!! I forgot the image here. The next level of Planetology revealed both Tundra and Dead to be available though. Well, my plan has worked to perfection so far. We're crashing Tundra next, and the ship we build from that will be able to settle two more systems, starting of course with Firma. Then we'll need the range to get there.




And this a bit further up. A future possibility.




Still the same year.




Five systems occupied in 2341. All of them 60M or more naturally, three 90 or more. That's a fantastic start ... and the Mrrshan have stopped at seven for the time being. No sign of them encroaching on our plans ... yet. There are growing pains as well; the early terraforming forces a delay in getting transports out to the newer colonies Proteus and Vulcan. So their growth will be slow. I like these kinds of problems though, and Kailis is near half population so it won't be a long-lasting problem.

Between our holdings and the Mrrshan holdings and the systems we are currently picketing, over a third of the galaxy is accounted for. There isn't a huge amount of room for the others to blow up. Let's hope the Psilons and Klackons are locked in a mutually destructive blood feud. Unlikely, but ...

2343: A red Meklar scout shows up at Drakka. Looks like they are possibly the ones the Mrrshan are boxing in the upper-left. That would mean the right side belongs to Klackons, Psilons, and the fast-starting Sakkra. You know, the eggheads couldn't be bracketed by a better pair to limit their growth ...




You don't say?!? Goodness gracious, sound the alarm! Call SCOTLAND YARD!!! Oh wait ... there weren't 100 points to lose. There weren't any ... because we have yet to invest in it at all. Even the bad events are being gracious.




After spending four years in prototype, which was a bit unlucky; should have been a year less on average. This comes in right on the dot at 2350. And so the Firma Plan moves to it's next phase. It will be completed soon ... and there is still no sign of any outside interference.

It'll be quite a while before we get it most likely, but Toxic Environments are next on the hit parade. Inferno is also an option but we don't have any of those around.