Part 88: Episode VIII: 2375 - 2400

Episode VIII: 2375-2400




I feared the Psilons were just going to explode -- and they still might -- but I haven't seen them push into the border territory at all. That's encouraging. The lead colonizer just reached Primodius, and I sent it on to Stalaz having seen no threats as of yet. We should have both in a few years, with a third en route to hopefully snag Lyae and more or less seal off the border. Now it's time to 'fill in'.




The Sakkra are making a push along the top, but I really can't concern myself with that. The lizards making themselves respectable isn't worth comparing to the threat that a runaway Psilon freight train would be. The priority is preventing the latter.




Only Meklon is close to being done with the factory process, but a number of others have a respectable start. The population base is looking good.




Surprised to see the lizards spread to the right this quickly. This is the only planet along the top that I wanted, but I already knew I was probably not going to get it. Now that's certain. In the meantime ...




and




The Sakkra are up to six, but we've got eleven. I'll live with that.




Best remaining and close by when I sent this ship out. Next in 2381, we double-up with the Psilons to 300BC trade. Another two years and Meklon reaches it's peak of 400 factories. Starting to pick up momentum now ...




I think this is the last one we'll scout maybe for the whole game. Another couple cycles and we spot a Mrrshan ship, top of the map again. Anecdotally it looks like it started with Sakkra at the top middle and Klackon/Mrrshan top left with Humans a little below them. Psilons were the lowest so that got free hand in the lower-left, and then we had the right side.

In other words, another death match with the eggheads. I've seen this movie before.




2387 GNN Report. Guess who really doesn't care??




A stepping-stone, but we also had to get around to it eventually.




The border is now as closed as we can make it -- with a human colony ship not far behind. That could mean an invasion will be coming soon. Our grip here may not be at all secure .. but any help they add will have to come from far away. They only got here with the help of allies adding to their range. The next year our final Colonizer(for now at least) is finished at Meklon and we start dumping into the reserve from the industry there. It's only been a nearly 70-year focus on new colonists being sent out as fast as possible. Anything is a change of pace.

Also ...




This will go a long way towards speeding development. Too late, but I'll take it. Finally we switch into 'normal' research mode, 'just' 91 years in. Controlled Dead or Death Spores next. Easy choice -- Dead gives us more colonies. Sorry Guava.




GNN also wishes to inform us that the Mrrshan now have the biggest fleet, while ours still sucks. WE KNOW.










All three come into the fold in 2395, leading to ...




Psilons, still at 8, appear to be in the #2 spot. I'm calling this right now; I'm a disgrace if I don't win this game. Better than a 2:1 territorial edge with Meklar should allow me to win by sheer force of numbers if nothing else. Easy Mode enabled here. And just to put the cherry on top ...




Now this is a bit of a surprise. I thought the Psilons would be second. Clearly the Humans have more of the left side than I thought, almost certainly doing me a favor by restricting and competing with the eggheads. Problem is, they have allies already. It's not out of the question I could lose this vote.

** Psilons(6) -- Abstain. They were allies, must have broken that recently. That should be plenty to survive this.
** Humans(7)
** Sakkra(4) -- QX-537. Surprised here but I can rely on them to be unreliable.
** Mrrshan(4) -- Bladrov IV.
** Klackons(2) -- Bladrov IV.

Ahh, the old standby of the bug empire that never gets going. As for us, we lead the way already with 10. We abstain, it would have been 14-13 in our favor with the Psilons on the fence had we favored ourselves. Almost a veto bloc with 33 total votes, but there's one more Council in five years. If we survive that, I think we can get enough population to be immune.

I start spying a bit, and Dynalon agrees to this:




With our rapidly-expanding economy, trade is also boosted to 650BC with them. Keeping the Psilons on the fence, at least for now, should be enough. I'm considering bribing them also. With the Humans opposing us in the Council, we can't be too careful. A seemingly-sure victory could still easily go sideways here.




ECM I arrives, and we'll happily snag the first Robotics option.

New Council, same nominees, one more total vote -- and a small bribe(ECM I) to the Psilons ensures they abstain. 6 votes again. The others ...

** Humans(7)
** Sakkra(4) -- QX-537.
** Mrrshan(4) -- Bladrov IV.
** Klackons(2) -- Bladrov IV.

We get 11, +1 as everyone else's totals stay the same. The Council is once again divided, just the way I wanted it.