Part 62: Episode VI: 2450 - 2475

Episode VI: 2450-2475




Still competitive but not even in technology. Our fleet is increasing but not much faster that the rocks' is. I think we are improving the situation ... but I'm honestly not sure. Still just shy of where they are in production. The planet edge was bigger though; they've lost a couple, we've gained a couple.




It looks like Jinga will return to the fold thanks to the Meklar, who bombed it out from orbit. That's the white one in the nebula, center-left. We have a Colonizer en route, but the cybernetics could still get there first. Very chaotic map but it looks like the rocks are losing a little more than they are winning overall.

I switch to Espionage in our spying campaign. That's generally more effective, and might be able to make up for the fact that we aren't researching much right now.




The absorption shields will help with the ground troops that we haven't been able to use yet. Nothing else soon though. If we could just get over the hump and take a couple of their systems, we'd be able to beat them both diplomatically(in the Council) and militarily(with the increase in salvaged tech and economic production). We're just not 'quite' there though, and it's not at all certain that we're going to get there anytime soon.




We re-colonize Jinga in 2453. Although our top-line agreements remain intact, trade had to be re-established. All are max agreements, including a re-up from the previous 475BC level with the Meklar. This will gradually boost our economy and make us a little more competitive on that front.

I also note that we've dropped into last on the tech front now. That's not good. Fleet as well. There isn't a huge difference anymore between the races overall; rocks still a strong #1 because of their size only.

I definitely want to overprotect Jinga for a while. I'll send as many ships there as I dare; the Silicoid attacks are not as frequent now, but it looks like it's already too late. They are inbound with another fleet.




The next year. Right back where we were. Until we get a critical mass of ships up there, this is not going to be resolved.




The rocks are getting desperate. This bribe was a plea to break our Alliance with the Mrrshan. Not going to happen, no matter what you offer. The next year the Alkari settle Jinga. We'll retreat our ships and see if they are able to hold it. I have my doubts.




Our first look at the human spy. As crappy as this is, it's our first ECM. So that's something.




The Silicoids attack here and at Aquilae in 2457. We win this one easily ...




But not here without the support of missile bases. Our few remaining corvettes are scrapped.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDsjarLf9es



A couple years later we destroy what's left of that fleet and resettle, but the damage is already done. This is a good example of an even combat numbers-wise; we've got the better ships and we win. The problem is that this is about half of our fleet right now. We just can't match them numerically, and are falling further behind in tech during this war.

2460: The Alkari have lost Jinga, and contact is broken there again.




Meanwhile both us and the rocks are sending a lot of ships(everything we've got, in our case) to Aquilae. If we ever get the darned thing up and running, it would be a 4th rich system to supplement our economy.

A couple more small attacks are repulsed. We are definitely giving a lot better than we get in terms of ships lost, but the biggest one is still coming.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkToX7sFhjs



That first alpha strike hurts, but we still take out more than we lose here.




Tough choice here. Ulimately though the shields will help more -- the decider for me was basically the fact that they will make our bases tougher. The Silicoids try to bribe us out of the Mrrshan alliance again, and are refused again.

Virtually nothing is incoming. I've got a ship headed to Jinga to scout out the situation there. We're at 14% expenses on ships, which is a little over halfway to the max. I want to hit with bases also at 11%. I switch back to 50-50 research and shipbuilding, as we've got about 70% or so of the Silicoid fleet strength now. We might be wearing them down ... or they might have just scrapped a bunch of ships to make room for more. Likely the latter, as one class of ships disappeared from that last attack wave when it was almost here.

Either way, we can't afford to fall too far behind in research. They've upgraded their computing and have Merculite missiles now. So much for the bases being easy pickings. We could run into some beefier ships soon, and need to improve our capabilities to match.




Argh. We're starting over on our Reajax II project. It's only a range increase, but still aggravating. Decades probably lost here, not years. Then the report comes in from Jinga; unoccupied, only a handful of Silicoid cruisers there. Half the fleet will head up to retake it. We need the trade income that we can only get by having that vital link with the other three races. The Meklar are nice enough to show up and clear out the enemy fleet first. Thankfully not bringing a colony ship with them.

The Alkari settle it first, however. Doggone it you stupid bird-brains. With our fleet nearing max, it's time to shift more into research then.




Another High Council. Same story, different verse. This time the rocks are 1 pop over the minimum they need.

Bulrathi and Mrrshan are up to 8 votes each, while we have 9 ... we might not even be the second nominee soon. Silcoid outnumber us, their closest rival, more than 2:1. 34-19 is the final count, two votes shy this time.

What an aggravating game.