Part 131: Episode XII: 2375
Episode XII: 2375 -More good news to start out as Laan joins the research party in 2376. All aboard the Tundra Train!!
It'll take a while to get any population up here, and half of forever to develop this system. More taxpayers and voters though, as always. With all the Poor systems we are collecting, I forsee a research focus.
First contact comes in 2378 ... with an initial trade deal of 225 BC. That's hefty. Aggressive Expansionists, allied with the Sakkra. They have no interesting discoveries to trade.
At least they've slowed down after their quick start. But yeah, that tech situation is worse than usual. Which is saying something.
Spreading their tentacles everywhere it seems. A dozen systems, while we hold nine now.
Looks like Tundra will be our last environ for a while. Terraforming is next, and finally we will settle in to the standard research distribution. Meanwhile, we've got some Colonizers to build.
You don't say. I have other priorities right now, so this will have to wait.
We had to wait for an armed Bulrathi colony ship to leave. I doubt we'll get this, but maybe we can delay the others grabbing it.
2383. Let's take another look at the picture.
Doesn't look like they'll be much trouble.
Sandwiched by us and the Klackons basically. If we do get those Tundra systems -- and the first Colonizer just got sent out for them -- we'll really box them in. Pacifistic Ecologists, allied with the Mrrshan but no longer the Klackons. I see little reason to be concerned, and sign a 225BC trade deal. We hand over Improved Eco in exchange for +10M Terraforming. It'll be a while before we get the bigger +30, and we can use the boost now.
Now we should be able to scout out those planets in the very upper-left, and see if somebody got stuck out there.
Time is of the essence in settling some of these newly-reachable systems. The merchants can go sit in the corner and be patient.
Uh huh. Pacifists. Sure.
So far so good -- this is the first of the next wave. Four more Colonizers are on their way to various destinations, and we're starting to get missile base defenses up. It's 2390.
Another year, and the slow climb up the tech ladders begins with ECM I and Industrial Tech 9 arriving. You know I have to go with Robotics III here, and Industrial Tech 8 shows up next. Also ...
Good grief. This is a lot more concerning. When we get the chance we'll try to bribe ourselves back into their good graces. We have something to do it with now, a little too late. Getting ganged up on at this point could really sideline the progress we're making. Sakkra and Klackons are allied -- along with the Mrrshan and Bulrathi. Another danger here is simply that we could have enough population to get voted against in the first High Council, since basically everyone is turning against us.
The long-term picture looks good ... IF I can stabilize the diplomatic situation. Also worth noting is that the pirates remain in Altair, disrupting trade. Even though there isn't any to disrupt anymore. I'm not sure exactly how that's even possible, but whatevs.
Nothing.
Somebody blew up a few factories on Altair the same year. Things are really heating up.
Looking more and more like we're the only real rival to the Klackons.
It seems these dorks have some nice range tech. No allies or wars, Xenophobic Ecologists. No advances worth getting, but we sign a 325BC trade deal. Hopefully this one lasts a bit longer.
The Sakkra sent a couple cruisers at Berel and seized Aurora the same year(2394). We did at least learn that they have missiles, but they took down some of our Falcons due to sheer numbers. They only have a few ships at Berel though, so I'm building more ships in the hopes of driving them off there.
This kind of thing we can survive for quite a while. Nuclear Engines come in, with Sublight the only option to continue.
This should do a lot better job of defending our territory than the Falcon. The anti-missile focus is a response to Sakkra deployments. Unfortunately I found a few years later that this was ineffective against their Titan cruisers. Perhaps in huge numbers, but we aren't going to be able to accomplish that. Tech is just too low.
2398. The Sakkra seized Cygni the same year, so that pretty much locks us in to 13 systems right now, if we can hang on to Berel. Which is only going to happen if I can get peace soon. That's a passable number. It's clear our current efforts are useless, so shipbuilding is halted except in Altair where I want to clear out the pirates.
A full century passes without a Council vote, a first for this LP. That's a sign of just how disjointed this galaxy is.