Part 54: Epsiode V: 2400 - 2424

Episode V: 2400-2424




I think we are gaining a bit in research compared to the non-Psilon races now, and the production situation is steadily improving at a competitive third. I expect we'll surpass the Psilons by the middle stages of his century in population as well. Overall basically tied for third with the Humans.




Our size is clearly becoming a problem. Even the Humans, with a NAP, are no better than neutral. The latest comings and goings state they have allied with the Klackons again. Still Psilons against the three minor races, with the Mrrshans on the eggheads' side but not actually allied. I'm still going to try to milk that for all it's worth.

Hard not to think of what might have been without the sabotage framing(almost certainly Darlok in origin).




The trade deficit is a fraction of what it was, and we've got a half-decent reserve built up now. Military costs are pretty negligible as you can see.




Three projects about midway through, and all of them combat-related. A clear turning point has reached, and the midgame has arrived. The current conflict that the Psilons have waged for much of the last century without much changing is but a prelude, a distraction from the real war that will be coming before too long.

Granid therefore puts forth the following plan:

** Time is on our side. Every year that we can maintain peace with most of the others is a year that the Silicoid Empire grows stronger. Over a third of our systems are at half capacity or below, and many are new with one yet to be settled soon. In accordance with the need for peace, a regular bribing campaign of straight cash or non-essential technology will be conducted anytime another race drops below Neutral in relations. Right now that's the Psilons(and Mrrshan, but they won't talk to us yet so that's a moot point). Improved Industrial Tech 9 did the trick with the eggheads. The point here is to stall. The war is coming, but we aren't going to be ready for quite a while. We want it to be on our terms.

** The rich planets will invest as much as possible in the planetary reserve; the status of that fund will be closely monitored. Aside from the usual investment in growing colonies, keeping an adequate balance for any 'foreign aid' needs that may come up will be necessary. As the money is available, research planets will also get transfers.

** The missile base buildup needs to be accelerated. All planets in need of them will divide their resources evenly between that and research. No fleet will be built up yet, but that situation will be re-evaluated once the next set of tech projects are finished.




There it is, the last one for now. There is an inferno in the upper-central part of the galaxy, but it's not worth the expense and aggravation of getting an extender-range colonizer there.




2404, and it looks like we may be about to have the Humans and Darloks get in a tussle here. These transports look like they are headed for Thrax. Meanwhile our initiatives are going along swimmingly, with no further diplomatic problems.




Mk. IV Battle Computer is in, and the only option is to get the next one. The Mrrshans are also willing to speak. We bribe them with Industrial Tech 9 and Nuclear Engines. This improves relations, but not enough to get peace. They were also interested in the battle computer we just got, but it would be +2 to their current level and they are already fantastic gunners. That's not an edge I'm interested in handing over. Things now stand at 'Tense', about a quarter of the way up the scale. Maybe in a little while some currency will sway their mood.




A few years later, Duralloy armor is in. That leaves us with an interesting choice here. The repair system would be nice for fleet combat, but right now I'm far more interested in defensive operations and the battle suit is far cheaper. That means we'll get to the next tier(better armor and/or cheaper factories) sooner. Both of those would be quite useful. Battle Suits it is.




No problem: there's nowhere else to expand! The Darloks had a similar, less polite message. Relations are holding, for the time being. It's 2408, and we've nearly caught the Psilons in population. Production and overall we're even with the Mrrshans for #2. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain ...




Class III Shields showed up in 2412, and this was an easy choice: the Planetary option. The million-dollar question is whether to start building a fleet yet. It's tempting not to and just keep trying to leverage our size advantage, but I don't want to get caught without one and we've advanced enough that I think what we can make now would be useful against anyone except perhaps the Psilons.




The Manta is a destroyer-class, with no shielding but our best computer and four neutron pellet guns. Only the Psilons have a better computer; the Klackons recently acquired it and the others are inferior. Against non-Psilon ships this should be a reasonably effective weapons system.




This stupidly-named cruiser is similar, but has more weapons of course and a Battle Scanner. The Laser is on there just because, as it's the only thing there was room for at the end. More importantly, this one actually has a bit of shielding.

This won't be a crash program or anything, but as they are able I'll have the rich worlds start putting together something resembling a fleet. The archaic Piranhas are finally put out to pasture.




2415: 10 years to the next vote. We haven't been able to move the needle on the Mrrshan; money apparently isn't worth much to them. I haven't had to do anything with the others though to keep relations decent either. Trade Balance is +4%(137 BC), and the economy has grown by nearly 50% in the past decade and a half. Missile bases are finished in the majority of locations, though that's something that always needs to be periodically increased. And here, we've got a new set of advances that will be here before too long. The first one, Dotomite Crystals, will give us the range to attack if an opportunity should present itself ...

The Psilons added the small inferno system Toranor a few years back, but I can barely rouse myself to care.

The following year, the Mrrshan randomly came to offer a peace treaty. We agreed, and signed a big 775 BC trade deal. We also re-up to 850 with the Psilons, double the current amount. That'll sink hundreds annually for the time being. If we can butter up the Mrrshan enough though, a protracted struggle may not be necessary ...




Merculite missiles were actually the next one of the new set to come in, very early in the prototype phase. That gives us a much better defensive position. Graviton Beam is the cheaper of the last two here that will move things forward, and will also help quite a bit against the swarms of Mrrshan ships should a conflict with them become necessary.

Six years till the next vote, and the Darloks are another wild-card now, having made peace with the Psilons.




Our first ECM Jammer upgrade, to match the Mk. V computer just acquired.




At least it's not us.




We haven't expanded in over 20 years fellas. Nonetheless, everyone's opinion of us was shifted downwards. I'm sure it's just coincidence that it was the year before the Council vote. We bribed the Psilons and Darloks with tech worse than what they already had. Seemed to do the trick.




We were the top candidate this time around, but the Psilons took 2 of the 5-vote increase here. One short of a veto bloc.




In a bit of a surprise though, the cats chose us! Darloks are no longer at war with the eggheads, so they are the wild-card. If they support us though, we should have this ...

Humans(still 3) and Klackons(still 2) come our way. That's 10 for us, 11 for Zygot, as the Darlok ambassador steps forward ...




Muwahahahahaha! Eat it Psilons!!




Our 11 votes are just enough to get us over the top. In a reversal of our last attempt, the Egghead Menace is foiled as the galaxy unites behind us and against them. All their pretty, shiny toys are of no use to them anymore; the New Republic has spoken!

This game could easily have gone against us. The early war with the Psilons was quite nerve-wracking, and I don't no that I've had such a tense, action-packed start before. Every year it seemed there was something else important happening. Ultimately it wasn't really anything I did that turned it. The rest of the galaxy was content to fight itself, particularly with Xengara constantly changing hands, and that gave us the time -- and bad relations between rival empires -- we needed. Better lucky than good?! I put the Silicoid Empire into a position to take advantage of the luck, but it was still luck that put us over the top.