Part 64: Episode VI: 2500 - 2525
Episode VI: 2500-2525
So the fleet sucks, but the recent tech push has gotten us back into third barely and regained some of the lost ground. Really not that far behind there; the issue is that our economy(production basically tied for 5th with Alkari) isn't good enough to keep pace on both fronts so we are kind of continually hopping from one foot to the next to keep from getting overrun one way or another.
With our missile bases less effective against the latest Silicoid ships(although the recent shield improvements help), things seem to be slipping away just a bit. Otherwhise it's a real stalemate here. The other races are growing though, and if the Meklar could take a few systems from the rocks it could tip things in our direction. Not too many though, because then we wouldn't be up for the vote in the Council. It's really a tightrope in multiple directions here.
Everyone loves us except the Silcoids, who hate us. And vice versa.
Not surprising to see them having better Computer tech than us. They've also got both of the ship auto-repair techs, but thankfully no robotics yet(keeping their economy from stomping us). More terraforming, they've got second-tier biologicals now and first-tier protection. Propulsion is virtually the same and somewhat better weaponry for them also. Shielding is virtually identical to ours also. It's still the size that keeps them on top.
We're crashing planetology as mentioned to get Terraforming +50M(40M better than we have) and then go for whatever the best antidote is almost certainly after that. That'll both grow the economy and give us better protection against their biggest threat right now -- killing all our people before we can destroy their ships. The Guava strategy ... and I'm seriously considering using it against them. It would seem to be poetic justice, and avoid the problem of getting through their bases.
First though we need to upgrade with the new robotic controls, a process that is just begun. Somehow we need to hold them off while that happens, while recolonizing Palladia(ship on the way) and building up Helos(after curing the plague that's been hampering that colony the last couple of years). It's not all bad news as we did get a couple radiated worlds, Aquilae and Maretta, taking the former from their control over the past quarter-century.
If we can hold on a little while longer, the next wave of research, though it will take some time, will enable us to make some sort of offensive play either against the rocks directly or against Orion.
We were never able to build the bombers from the last generation of ships, and as you can see here we don't have much. The ship maintenance bill is just over 7% -- I don't know if we have enough to keep them going. With enough range to maintain permanent contact, we should see a significant boost to our trade income(currently at just a third of the maximum, 1.3k per year). It's ridiculous how much we could potentially have; calculates at 3.9k max while our total production is 3.78k. We could potentially have as much coming in from trade as we do from industry! There are still considerable long-term hopes here -- but we need to survive the short-term without losing and having to fight for/resettle more worlds. It remains to be seen whether we will get out of this rut.
Right away we have another diplomatic problem: the Bulrathi demand that we stop our alliance with the Mrrshan. We refuse, but now our agreement with them is on thin ice. The Alkari sign an alliance with us, but we may have to go to war with the bears soon as well. They have made peace with the Silicoids, and that's exactly the kind of thing that could be trouble for us -- the rocks don't need any help, but right they have a de facto ally if not yet on paper.
That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen with regards to the Bulrathi. We're allies, yet they hate us.
Meanwhile the Mrrshans have taken Paladia. It may become the new Jinga -- battleground between species. It was a nice rich system, and while the cats are a good ally it would be better as part of our empire than theirs. After just three years, most of the industry buildup has been finished as well.
The next year, the colony is destroyed by the Silicoids. Yep, it's the new Jinga all right. We'll need to keep as many ships as possible in that direction to prevent them from establishing a permanent presence. If possible.
And thus the unity of the galaxy against the vile space rocks is torn asunder. We cannot maintain an Alliance with two empires at war. The Mrrshan are stronger. They further demand that we declare war on the Bulrathi. I don't like it -- but I like the alternative less. In order to keep things from getting any worse ...
The alliance now includes Humans, Alkari, Mrrshan, and Meklar. Both sides are now in conflict with de facto allies Bulrathi and Silicoids. I suppose it was too much to ask for the warlike races to stay friends with each other indefinitely ...
It's just 2503. An eventful start to the century. With no incoming ships, the last of them having been defeated at Rigel just recently, the entire fleet, such as it is, is headed for Paladia. If we mass our ships we may just be able to retake it.
The very next year, the Meklar are at war with the Alkari and Mrrshan. Freaking great. We are siding with the Meklar, but this could go south in a hurry.
Just one more year. The Bulrathi also captured Paladia ... and we incinerated that infestation.
Sure, why not.
0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lrosNztK7A
Well that sucked. Only was able to defend it because I saw it coming a couple years out and shipped everything there I could.
Meanwhile it looks like we are the ones who get to deal with this latest invader. The systems close by were considered safe from attack; now they are building shields and bases as fast as they can.
2508, and the next phase of our current strategy finally presents itself(about two years late). In terms of biologicals, we can research the Doom Virus(second of the three weapons) and the Bio-Toxin Antidote(first of two protections). We go for the antidote, naturally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nlplJJWD1E
We survived with significant loss of life at the same time on Rigel, but we lose Helos. Again. We really need that antidote, as in yesterday.
In 2512 we recolonize Helos ... but lose Exis. And contact with the Mrrshan and Alkari. Pretty obvious this is turning against us, quickly. We just don't have the resources to do everything we need to do, in the time we have to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0PlTclXn0g
Then, the space amoeba strikes at Morrig. We'd built up a few bases, but I didn't expect to defeat it.
Splendid. Freaking splendid. That was one of our better systems. The next year Rigel is destroyed by more Doom Virus, despite our fleet being there(and being crushed). Right afterwards, we get bio-toxin antidote, which would have saved it.
With enough firepower we could quickly rebuild, but we may never get a chance to do that again. Protecting what we have by increasing our base defenses is next on the priority list.
Again. Meanwhile the Amoeba is on the move again, having sated itself on whatever it was looking for in Morrig. A couple years later, it eliminates Phyco, our smallest and most useless system. We have but seven worlds remaining, and in a few years the Council will reconvene ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MgOMTi5jFg
Our most fortified world, Aquilae, easily beats back the Silicoid threat with the aid of the Antidote. Nearly 20 million lives were still lost though, and the rocks' ships seem un-ending ...
We meet for a 7th time. I am astonished to still be the #2 race in population, doubtless due to the recent terraforming, but still. Also, Granid's total has not improved, though there are two less votes overall. The others ...
** Meklar(6) -- votes for us as our one remaining reliable ally.
** Bulrathi(8) -- votes Granid. They have been doing well on the other side of the galaxy, leveraging their strength to expand.
** Alkari(5) -- Stays with us.
** Mrrshan(5) -- Does as well.
We have eight as well, narrowly keeping the #2 spot over the Bulrathi. They'll be nominated next time for sure at this rate. 27 for Granid, 16 for us as we abstain, and the Council is deadlocked once more.