Part 169: Episode XVI: 2475

Episode XVI: 2475 -




Basically caught up in tech now, and once the factories are built we should be back on top of the economic situation. We had a bigger fleet, but most of our destroyers were lost at Zhardan a few years back. Had almost enough, but not quite, to stop the Mrrshan. Who, by the way, are basically just give the galaxy the middle finger and daring us to collectively stop them. We will, but at least they are making things interesting.




That recent space battle with the Mrrshans is keeping relations in check. We're big enough that it's becoming harder to stay on good terms with everyone, so the challenge here is make everyone happy until we're ready to wage a more substantive war. Nobody's economy is big enough to double the trade deals again yet. Well, ours is, but none of the others are.




Better fuel cells and the bioantidote are coming soon, but this is going to be the most important one. Normally we have about 2.5k(and more soon) going into research, but for now it's all about the factories. The plan from here on is simple but will still take a bit to achieve;

** Keep the peace with everyone else
** Finish the industrial expansion with the recent Robotics IV acquisition
** Build more bases and get the planetary shields up so that our defenses are secure
** Terminate the Mrrshan with extreme prejudice, using the additional votes and goodwill built up to hopefully end this thing in the Council. If not, kick anyone's arse who objects.




This is similar to the Sentinel, except it has 3 Megabolts instead of 2 Fusion beams and a lower-level computer. I could have a Mk IV but then I'd need to take one of the weapons off, and I think the extra weapon is more useful.




It didn't take long to max out our worlds, but the Mrrshan were hatching new plans as well. I don't think our bases have a chance of taking out this many, but I did a crash program on Kailis to boost their numbers as much as possible.




We now have two ECM advances. We've gotten both of them the same underhanded way. Meanwhile I send our first Gladiators to Zhardan. I don't want to take it back yet, but I figure it might distract them and they have some transports incoming that we can eliminate.


Kailis



Lost about half our bases, but the buildup worked! I estimate that was about 20-25% of their fleet, knocking them back to merely having one of the largest.


Drakka



They didn't give up. 2481, the very next year, they sent another task force including a couple of the their latest, the Puma-class battleship, at Drakka. I had only a year of warning, but it was enough. Even without the shields, we are holding. And we snag another tech from the Klackons, which is always nice.




Same year, and it's time to start fighting back. They'll got a handful of destroyers incoming, but we have almost 40 in position(and we don't want the Psilons to take it, just as importantly). The reason I waited until we have a half-decent chance is that I only want to do this one more time; if they just take it back soon after, I'm just donating tech to them.

The Mrrshan fleet is now only average, and while we're still near the bottom the Sakkra have been busy and lead that race by a goodly margin. Things are changing quickly.




Troops from Toranor easily capture the planet(losses were about equal on both sides), but it wasn't nice of them not to leave any blueprints lying around for us. Let's hope this is the last shot of Zhardan changing hands.




17M Meklar somehow failed to beat 3M Mrrshan here. Tao is definitely our next target, but for now I don't think we're ready to strike out further. Shandra continues to send more attacks our way.




This isn't quite a doubling, but it's close. We're blowing up cat-corvettes often enough that I think we'll be able to keep the peace.


Ursa



The latest defense of our homeworld in 2485. We'd almost equalled the Mrrshan in fleet size, but then they built some more. That was definitely not perfectly done, but once again our defenses prevail. When you get them begging for peace like that, you know you are doing well.




We're actually not going to take this right now ... because if you look just above it, you can just barely see Meklar transports incoming. But it's nice to have the option. I'm not sure who destroyed it, but it continues to be something everyone wants to fight over.

In 2490, a significant Mrrshan fleet arrived at Zhardan. Most of our ships were there as well. It was time to throw down, and see if we were ready to match their fangs. The planet wasn't nearly ready to get bases going, so once again the fate of this system hung in the balance.


Zhardan Battle



I don't really have a good answer for countering that Mrrshan first strike. They're really tearing up our destroyers with it, but here we had enough to absorb the blow. It did take down the majority of our fleet though. This is becoming a grind. In terms of ships, that hurt us worse than the Mrrshan.

Also, with everyone else bored with Tao, we do colonize it this time.




We're doing a lot of framing these days. This is actually a nice thing to get right about now. I plan on eventually getting a bomber going, and this would really help in the speed department. Soon the biggest fleet I've yet seen, 4 Puma battleships and 250 destroyers, hit Ursa. I added more bases while they were en route, but it still wasn't enough. We only did fairly minor damage.




This and Andrium Armor came in after the battle. Too late. Tritanium Armor and the only next shielding option, the Cloaking Device, are chosen.




Ouch. We don't have enough ships right now to fight off that size of a force. For the moment we won't be bulding any more either, so we can divert to building the shields. Once they are up, our planets should be basically invincible to the Mrrshan beam weapons.

We steal Industrial Tech 7 from the Klackons, while the cats target Vulcan for a bit of factory sabotage. Also the Fusion Rifle arrives soon after, which should make our troops once again the bane of the galaxy.




We'll move forward with the Pulson Missile. We're fine on bombs and it's time to push higher.




That's not good. Our relations are still fantastic with them, so this is basically an empty threat.




Dang. I'm just rolling in the stolen(and mostly useless) techs this game. Nice to poke these guys though.




We had almost no population left ... but I'm profoundly ticked that they got this kind of a tech haul when most of our factories were destroyed.

This is a dark day for the Bulrathi. This will not be allowed to stand. When we do eventually go on the offensive, it's going to be more painful due to the armor and missile techs here. They didn't have jack for missiles. Oh, and the Klackons destroyed Tao. Just to add to the fun.

At the same time, four rich systems finish their planetary shields. That underscores our determination that this will not happen again.




I couldn't care less about our improved range, but getting Star Gates is nice. In a couple years the Mrrshan fleet foolishly abandoned Ursa. Did they think we'd forget about it? We wasted no time ...


Ursa Invasion



Oh sure, you get six techs for taking it, we only get four for taking it back. They are decent ones, nothing I want to use right away though. But still irritated. The fleet will be divided between Ursa and Zhardan for the time being, the only two systems with no defenses. Hilariously, a single, ancient Warcat cruiser is en route ... 7 years out.

Having one of our best rich systems, Guradas, struck by an industrial accident is a rough blow as well. Fortunately, the damage was minimal. And the espionage successes continue with Controlled Inferno(who cares ... Mrrshan). The Psilons made peace with the felines ... until we called them up and told them that was in no way acceptable.

Going into the vote that will conclude the 25th century, the Sakkra and Mrrshan look dead-even to me on population. I smell the chance for a possible win here if it's the Mrrshan, so I bribe the Sakkra and Meklar to make them more likely to support us. Didn't have to give up anything too valuable to push them to Relaxed.




I was right!! It was worth it. This could be it ...




It's not much, but they are reliable. They have truly been Honorable allies for a century.




We can count on the bugs joining them, but if we get everyone else that should do it.




8 for Shandra now. That's not even close to enough. The lizards and cybernetics will tell the tale.




M5-35 properly shows his gratitude.




And so does Sauron! An amphibian puts Bullux's Bears over the top. With all our bad blood and history, this is most precious.




Our 15 make it a landslide. We don't even have to conquer Shandra's felines -- we can have the New Republic mop up any vestiges of resistance for us. It took a while, but the Mrrshan just couldn't help themselves. Their attack on us, though they had their moments to be sure, ultimately spelled their doom. Diplomatically they painted themselves into the corner. The friendly starting situation and the Klackons ticking everyone else off at first were also mightily helpful.

The Bulrathi are victorious! This leaves only the shadowly Darlok waiting to complete the journey ...