Part 136: Episode XII: 2500

Episode XII: 2500 -




The Klackons have expanded considerably even as our fleet gradually ramps up.




Attacking the Sakkra(the only option within range) should help get our relations improved with the Klackons and Meklar. The twin bonus of extending the time of peace and increasing our holdings makes it a no-brainer.




Base maintenance was near 12% and has declined slightly. Trade is nearing it's high point(was 700+ BC at the most) and the reserve is recovering ever-so-gradually.




The impact of the next couple of advances will be considerable. We'll be able to snag that other rich planet with the enhanced range, as well as scouting out other potential possibilities. Then Soil Enrichment will give our economy a boost once implemented. The Repulsor Beam won't be of immediate benefit; I haven't seen any designs that convince to deploy it just yet, so that figures to be less immediately valuable.




** Alkari -- 16(+1)
** Klackon -- 16(+3)
** Meklar -- 10(--)
** Mrrshan -- 8?(-1)
** Sakkra -- 4(-1).
** Bulrathi -- ??

Klackon size and Meklar industry remain a threat. I've got to seize what I can of the Sakkra scraps ASAP.




Our current array of ships here. I need to build some of the better Colonizers and get rid of the old ones, but haven't had a chance as yet. I also want a new primary combat ship to take advantadge of some miniaturization. Right now though the main focus is getting up to 50 bomber-destroyers, which we are close to. The Sakkra don't possess planetary shields, so even nuclear bombs should suffice against them.

The Meklar left Omicron, and both we and the Klackons had the same idea to seize it. The Meklar have Toxic Environs, but just acquired it fairly recently so I don't think their colony ships have been upgraded for it, and Omicron is Inferno. This rich world was definitely worth fighting over in my opinion.

They weren't even willing to put up a fight. That was only part of the battle though, as that colonizer I brought along only is Tundra-capable. I'll need to hold orbit long enough to get one of the newer ones here. Instead, the Sakkra got there first, doing the work for us. In response to us tearing up the Non-Aggression Pact, they intoned that our empire would 'crumble under the weight of our own broken promises'. I doubt that.




2503. We maintained orbit over Omicron, and transports from the research world Draconis(ultra-poor) were incoming to seize it. Now though it was time for a second Recon Rush, almost exactly two centuries after the first one. Most systems would be occupied of course, but any radiated ones are probably still out there, and we might run into Orion as well.

The HEF is up next.




Your bluster is predictable, useless, and foolhardy in light of your lack of relevance. Mrrshan contact was re-established as well. Trade deals are inked with both. I hesitated a bit on those because I don't know how long they'll last. More likely I'll want to take out these bit players before dealing with the real threat. But we'll see, at least it keeps things calm for now.




We're actually slightly more advanced than they are.




There aren't nearly as many places that I need to go scout out now: only one in fact. I was hoping for a bit more opportunity than that. Those two blue stars along the very bottom must hold Orion by process of elimination. The Bulrathi hold five worlds, similar to the Sakkra.




Another year, and Omicron becomes our 17th and second rich world.




And GNN notes the development. The Sakkra declare war, promising to 'cure the galaxy of the Alkari madness'. Their Bulrathi allies probably join soon, though I could care less really. And events elsewhere break contact with the Mrrshan once again. We have now officially joined in the galactic conflict that has raged for nearly a century, though really this is just a precursor conflict. Once the minnows have been gobbled up the real fun begins.

Most important is that we improve our share of the galaxy to get over the Council veto minimum. Or, failing that, swing one of the Klackon/Meklar pair to our side. The minor races are certain to oppose us now that we've shown our hand.




This is trouble if it comes into our territory. I don't think we've got the firepower to effectively handle it yet. I'll need to watch closely for its approach.

Something happening every year; the Sakkra come for Proteus, our smallest and first colony, in 2506.


https://youtu.be/sAks6qeSLnk



One base lost and we didn't do much damage to them, but our defensive capabilities appear to be sufficient against the lizards.




We're not ready for it, but we've now found Orion if we need to go for that treasure later.




Still the same year. 18 systems, 3 of them rich.




And we still aren't done. Don't make me fry your circuits, Meklars.




Extreme upper-right corner. I'm pleased to let others deal with this. I decide we can afford to scrap the other recons and the pair of Warhawks, our oldest cruiser design.




The one on the bottom is our latest design. Now I can fit a heavy blast cannon on a destroyer with all the most important other components, though I did have to forego the battle scanner which I hate doing. Still it gives us more bang for the buck in terms of getting the weapons out there, and increased defensive capability over the Wareagle.

Soil Enrichment shows up the next year. Atmospheric Terraforming will be next, but this should already give us a significant boost, including population that we need for the next vote. Nine systems are converted immediately, at an estimated gain of about 150M population eventually. Essentially it's the equivalent of adding another max-size planet(max for current tech, that is) to the empire.




The Repulsor Beam allows for a trio of new choices. Continuing the fortifications-first strategy, I select Class X Planetary. We're doing well for now, but we've got bigger fish to fry than the Sakkra and I want to make sure we stay secure. It'd be really nice to have a better missile than Hyper-X Rockets to choose from also ...




Our economic, and as a result technological, parity with the other powers is clearly slipping. I think we can turn that around, but in 2510 I tried another round to tech trading. I didn't see much that was useful, but this definitely will help -- a 40% reduction in waste cleanup costs for us. Repulsor beam was the price. We also acquired Hyperspace Communications for the lesser Improved Eco Restoration.




2512. I sent the remaining cruisers and all the bombers, leaving the new destroyers behind at Omicron for defensive purposes, three years previous. In the interim defenses were gathered here, but despite the speculative and risky nature of the attack I thought it was worth the risk. Firma is a fairly good-sized ultra-rich world, the only prime industrial real estate that I've discovered which I don't control yet. It's the one Sakkra system that I covet and somebody else is going to take it eventually if I don't.


https://youtu.be/QW0aLmm3mfk



Close, but not quite enough. Just need more firepower against their bases. With the defenses weakened, transports could probably get through -- mine or someone else's. Problem is there's a nebula in the way, so it will take some time to get there. I also built more bombers in case that didn't work. I definitely don't want to be softening the system up for the Meklar or Klackons if I can help it.

The next year the Sakkra redirected more ships there, basically ensuring that the 90+M transports I sent would be dead on arrival. They also retaliated against Omicron, giving our destroyers their first combat look.


https://youtu.be/lFgfVALHOkM



The end result of all this is pretty much maintenance of the status quo. A whole lot of sound and fury signifying not much in that fight, with a lot of firing going on but neither side able to inflict much damage. The Firma campaign results in us losing a sizable portion of our fleet, over half the defending missile bases being destroyed, but no territory changes hands. Yet.




This is still an exaggeration, but it was a legit threat. I can't see details but I do think it was around long enough to menace a planet or two. Meanwhile a small fraction -- 11M out of 91M -- of our transports did make it through on Firma, not nearly enough to take the planet though.

In 2517, dual Sakkra strikes at Proteus and Draconis were both repulsed. Which is to say, they ran away like cowardly fools, but I don't think they would have found any success if they hadn't. With planetary shields being built now on Omicron, my goal was to sally forth to Firma as soon as that was completed.




Armored Exoskeleton is the first of the next wave to complete. Cheaper factories is the only thing moving the ladder forward and definitely serves our interests. That'll cut the cost in half, and I'm expecting/hoping for more robotics soon which will make it useful.




Good luck with that. I expect the Bulrathi to join soon as the three minor races have banded together once again. The latest reports indicate their beam weapons are a little better than ours, engines a little worse -- overall a wash between us and the Mrrshan in a fight.




The Anti-Matter Bomb arrives in 2521. Only the last two here will move things forward. I'll take the Fusion Rifle, gambling that the latest acquisition will be enough for a while. I think it will be.

A turn later, we were back at Firma for Round 2.


https://youtu.be/_kI8jiJoTQ4



Well that sucks. Sakkras have upgraded their shielding in a big way. All of our current ships are useless against them. And the Bulrathi join the war. Ok then. I get rid of the last of the cruisers and the current, useless bombers, and design a new bomber line.




The Space Gull is the same as the other destroyers, just with a battle scanner crammed in. I'll make a second version of it as well. Anti-matter bombs carry plenty of payload to get through the Sakkra shielding at least most of the time(10-40 damage, 15 shields on their planets) so we should be ready to roll again once I can get them in service. The lizards went from no planetary shields to Class X recently it seems. Good for them. Not good for us.




I decide to frame the Sakkra here on the espionage success(Bulrathi). I'm just hoping to split up the alliance here really. High Energy Focus comes in at the same time. Time to improve our engines again with Anti-Matter Drives.

I'm very nervous ahead of the next Council vote. It's going to be us against the Klackons, the three minor races siding with them because of our war with the Sakkra ... the Meklar are the swing vote. Right now I don't think we've got the necessary population to survive without them at least abstaining, so I throw the kitchen sink at them in terms of bribes.

** Soil Enrichment -- good enough that I'd prefer not to, but it's all they are interested in.
** 4.7k cash -- almost all of our reserve. They didn't want any other tech.

This gets them up to Relaxed ... they also agree to sign a new NAP. I'm hoping that's enough for them to at least abstain. INT-986, after being our longtime foil in the High Council, literally holds the fate of the galaxy in it's silicon grip.




The lizards start off the voting in what is the first real threat I've faced in a long time.




We have more votes than them, but not enough more. Probably 17 I'm going to guess. We'd need 19.







All as expected so far, the only thing I wasn't sure of was the numbers. What say you, Meklar ambassador?




Bribery FTW!! If they'd voted Kaxal, the bugs would have won with two votes to spare. I probably would have defied the ruling ... but I also probably would have lost.

We have 16, pretty much keeping pace at nearly, but not quite, a veto bloc. Three votes shy in this case. I need to sort that ASAP.