Part 115: Episode X: 2675 - 2700
Episode X: 2675-2700If this update doesn't end the game, and I very much doubt that it will, we will have set a new LP record for the longest contest. Yay?!?
Tech levels continue to equalize, but look at that Mrrshan fleet level! I don't know how they maintain their level of production with the size of their empire. Hard to believe even with superior planets.
The Bulrathi have gained enough with their recent activity that there's a real risk of them steamrolling, esp. with the Mrrshan helping them. But it's a real catch-22 there, since I was in significant danger without them resurging also. There are no safe answers here.
** Silicoid -- 23(-3)
** Bulrathi -- 19(+3)
** Sakkra -- 10(+2). Developed worlds remain at 7, no change there.
** Mrrshan -- 9(--)
** Meklar -- 1(-2). All but dead.
** Alkari -- 1(--)
I expect a Bulrathi steamroll at this point. I'm hoping enough of the gains go either my way or the Mrrshan's way to keep them from completely running away with this. As the fourth century of this galactic age draws to a close I'm still very much playing for time.
The HEF will of course fit very nicely with the Death Ray I hope to acquire. The Hand Phasor is next up in Weapons, and nothing else is coming anytime particularly soon.
In terms of our buildup, I want to go as soon as I can. Targets are 35% combined military maintenance(we're at 20.6%) and 150 cruisers based on previous experience(we're at only 80 with the losses from the two Mrrshan attacks at Whynil). So we have work yet to do. I'm hoping to be ready to go in 15 years.
The big Toxic Rich world they took from us long ago. I don't think I've ever been happier to see something bad happen to an ally.
Back up to eight developed worlds. It's no Altair, which is in the hands of the Bulrathi now, but it's something.
Up and up we go. Some really cool stuff is now available, partly due to another tech trade we did(useless combat transporters, but they are high-level). Two more drive types, Thorium Cells(unlimited range) we will definitely want, Inertial Nullifiers(Stabilizers only better) are excellent ... but right now the speed is really the biggest thing. So Interphased Drives(Warp 8) it is.
2684. This was most unfortunate. The Silicoids are starting to fight back a bit which is good, I just wish it wasn't here. We had terraformed this nice ball of rock to over 200M, but we can't take down 20 capital ships. Probably can't take down 2 of Silicoid quality. We've just reached the 150-cruiser mark, but we have enough room in the budget that I'm going to press on to 200. That really should be plenty, but I don't want to just barely fail here. Better safe than sorry.
We've reached the top of the Planetology tree now with Complete Terraforming in, and will now go back for the skipped options. Hand Phasor arrived at the same time, leaving a choice between the Neutronium Bomb and Hellfire Torpedoes. Both are nice but I want the bomb at this point. It's not going to be long before we need to crack some hardened targets.
I also switch up our spending, now that there's nothing particularly noteworthy coming out of Planetology anymore. I'll refocus on other areas that still have more valuable projects to finish. Right now, Robotics would be the most valuable.
2690. I decide that it's time to go. 182 cruisers here and more coming in. This really should be plenty. I'm going to feel stupid if it isn't, but endless preparation isn't a great idea either.
Good news and bad. With really bad timing. The fleet is halfway to Orion. I ain't calling em back now. The answer is of course yes.
And then it was time ...
https://youtu.be/1QPE2qW4Ldo
Tense at the start a bit. We survived the Scatter Pack onslaught well enough though, and after that it was just wearing the thing down. Took about the right size fleet for this I think. The toys found were:
** Death Ray(always)
** Improved Robotic Controls VII(so much for researching VI!)
** Terraforming +60(obsolete)
** Improved Industrial Tech 2(we have 3, so ok)
Just because we haven't seen it in a while.
I expect the Silicoids to take Orion from us, but I sent in a colonizer just in case anyway. More important for the moment is figuring out what our fleet needs to look like now. Switching most of the funding into Construction and delaying that call until we get Advanced Damage Control seems like the right move.
ADC is one goal, maxing out production now that we have the best robotics and terraforming is another. Then we can start switching over from delaying tactics to really fighting for our place in the final conflict.
This will slow things down some. Or maybe not. It was easily cleaned up in a year's time and the 'environment was permanently damaged'. Radiated as always, with the population reduction from 245M all the way down to ... 242M. Oh the horror. Still the biggest planet we have.
2695: Our latest unimpressive espionage success. Still, we're at the point where it's useful to fill in our tech tree with everything we can possible find, so I'll take it.
Class IX Deflectors are the next to come in. I want better ones of course, but I go back for the Personal Absorption Shield here. It'll help our ground troops some and is about 30% of the cost. Barrier Shield is better of course but also a lot more expensive.
The same year, the Silicoids showed up to take Orion from us, same year as the colony ship got there. I didn't think we'd be able to keep it, and they are actually the race I'd like to have it at the moment. Keeping them strong is important. But then I looked ... and they didn't colonize it! Not sure why, but I guess we'll stick around if they don't want the best planet in the galaxy.
The Meklar have two systems and almost no fleet. This, the artifacts world, is the best. No reason not to at least try to take it. The losses were 57 on our side, 42 on theirs. They've added the Battle Suit recently, but we've got the Hand Phasor which more than balances that out. It's not even yet but it's closer.
It's taken a lot longer than usual, but it looks like we've finally reached that traditional point when the Mrrshan have ticked everyone off. And they also have a number of 32k bugged stacks -- I should have known that's why their fleet is so big. Still, they won't be able to hold up against the rest of the galaxy, and right now they are at war with all of us. Which means I need to make sure we take as much of that territory as possible.
https://youtu.be/1h4H3kMIkxc
Whynil, 2697. I had abandoned the planet(in terms of ships), thinking it was lost. For some reason I'd forgetten we had a fair number of bases up and that the Silicoids were so inept at taking on planets(they crush our current ship designs). With the latest shield upgrades they now can barely scratch us with the one capital ship and their Monitors are totally ineffective. The Moreys didn't even try.
These kinds of battles are just annoying because of how long they take, but being able to be basically invincible to our most powerful enemy once we get bases up is very, very nice. That's one of the big differences with the Human game and this one; in that game planetary defenses had no chance due to the bioweapons and other bombardment tools the Silicoids developed. Not so here.
Here's a new one. We took over Kulthos again and the Silicoids wrecked the environment. For some reason, even the initial two million colonists have died. So we have a colony ... but there's nobody actually there. A ghost town -- err, planet. Later, when I sent transports in, I got the 'establish a new colony' cutscene. Except it wasn't. I didn't send a colony ship, despite the graphical display of the landing of one.
And here, because it happens so rarely. The Mrrshan fleet incoming is just a colony ship, which will be quickly dealt with. We may well lose it but I'm going to do what I can to hold on, including doing reserve transfers to get it up and running more quickly, just because of how much of a difference it'd make if we get this thing up to full production and pumping out the research. A sneeze from Rigel can give it double production for years.
Gotta hand it to them. Well played, well played. I feel like the game can sense the tide turning and is trolling me. 20 million colonists are already on their way from Whynil, two years out. Another shipment or two will follow, so this will be a short-lived situation.
Incidentally, I tried doing more tech trades with the Bulrathi, and they were like sure! You can have Inter-Phased Drives, Class XX Planetary Shield, whatever you like. And I said, um ok ... until they said 'Just hand over the plans for that Death Ray or Robotics VII'.
No thanks. Nice try, but no thanks.
A nice pilfer here from the Meklar before they go away. Surprised it hasn't happened yet to be honest. Orion is recaptured from the rebels, and then it's time to vote.
For the first time in centuries, Granid no longer commands the largest empire. Five votes shy of a veto here.
Smurch isn't being all that aggressive right now, but he knows how to pick 'em. Meklon and Altair have been big additions. Right now the constant use of colonizers to steal away his expansions is working, and it's the only reason he's not doing a lot better than this.
+1 this time from their usual number, and they flip back to Granid.
A big jump for us up to 19(+5). We're finding it easier and easier to hold on to new holdings these days. Partly due to the other races getting pounded by the Bulrathi I think. The Mrrshan change of mind lets us vote Smurch again, who leads 62-50.
The Sakkra are now third! A very distant third, but still. For the first time I think I can say we are very much in this. In fact, while much can certainly still go wrong, I think we're going to win it. After the gang-up on the Mrrshan phase that is coming, we need to take care about what happens when we surpass the Silicoids in population and become the other Council nominee.
We enter the 28th century for the first time, and there is still a lot left to do.