Part 14: Turns 240-268

An endless sea of bugs (spawning inside the sun) Lets Play Sword of the Stars 2: Hiver Imperium

Update 13. Turns 240-268
Dreadnoughts and Diplomacy


Right. Lets start this off with combat.
Wait, neither Braal nor Orcus have a fleet, never mind. The other two battles are pirates.
Spoilers - I suffer 1-4 pirate attacks per turn for the rest of the game.


This was literally the only thing stationed at Braal.
While we're talking about textures sort of, it turns out that the reason my Heavy Missile cruisers lack pre-order textures is because the Heavy Missile section was released with End of Flesh, and they never made the pre-order textures for the new design.


Sadly, I am unlikely to get a maximum ridiculousness gate capacity. I'll have to settle for a mere 960 that I will never come close to using.


The fleet breach of contract come upon some Liir colony ships.


And quickly get in amongst their vulnerable dolphin filled bodies.


Colony ships - no match for warships still.


This is a kind of neat tech. Means that traits won't be quite so surprising, since we get them once we've spent 2x the cost prototyping, rather than when we've dropped a whole fleet into battle.


Since I have that, it's high time I actually started building some dreadnoughts. Most DN designs can mount a few extra modules not seen on cruisers. For my beam and torpedo DNs, I just fit the similar modules. For my Armour DN though, I decide to go with a pair of Kingfishers.


I also equip it in general for close combat. Mass Shotguns and Stormers abound. Meet the Bad things can happen.


Kingfisher modules can only mount Scout class Battle Riders. I design a new rider to fit.


I also create several other designs. The Runtime Error, a Heavy Laser ship. Which would be more impressive if I ever got around to researching Lancers and beyond.


And the Battle Rider carrier, the Astounding Sense of Understatement.


The Liir send another Colony fleet to explode at us. In which I also learn that Disruptor torpedoes can shut down shields. Handy!


Some handy new tech gets finished too. Admirals need dreadnoughts too.


I fit my command ship with energy cannons, just to mix things up a bit. Not shown: The background sound effect of the ship plays when you pick the section in the design screen. It can get kind of annoying.


Also, the perceptive among you would've noticed the Hannibal section is available for combat DNs. This module is only to rescue Admirals. There's nowhere to put one on the C&C section though. GAME DESIGN!


We complete our carrier, and get the trait right out of prototyping. A feature that actually works, how novel.


As for the rest of the first set of ships. Of course the Armour, already the fastest ship in the fleet, goes faster.


When I researched Armada C&C, I got access to another technology to increase fleet sizes. 50% odds isn't too bad.


When it completes, we get a nice increase to the command limits of our old cruiser fleets. Another 2 cruisers in combat is nothing to sneeze at.


After I got Holo-tactics at 50%, I decided to test if we could get a 1% technology. It turns out that we cannot unless we steal it now.


I'm sick of microing the aftermath of pirates, so I approve spending on trade funding.


And get some new technology to keep fleets well supplied. If I ever need to.


I also commission the DN fleet. Thanks for having speed accurate to 4 decimal places, Kerberos. I'm sure that will come into play all the time.


Since I've got some command limit left, I also design a new ship.


I was playing with the map view when I ended turn. More pirates. More bugs.


It is time to show the Dolphins our newest weapon.


Our Dreadnoughts close on the enemy. I order all riders launched.


Bad things happen. Someone in the thread DID mention that Kingfisher sections are bugged. Turns out, they are RIGHT. The scout riders are stuck and unselectable. Oh well, I'll just refit them off later. It's still an Armour DN in a fleet of 5 DNs!
Also look at those lighting effects. That's their anti-matter engines lighting up the front of the dreadnought there.


So pretty.


Oh right. There are dolphins to murder. Also plasma cannon lighting.


The main guns still fire fine.


I'm not sure why those bits are pink. I think it's anti-matter pink rather than no texture pink though.


Guess who got ahead of the fleet!


That's either a Liir heavy Burster. Or a ship exploding. I'm not sure looking back over the shots. Pretty either way. I'm guessing a ship because I don't remember seeing any more.


Turns out Mass Shotguns are hard to see and screencap. A shame.


Also, here's the Trade Stimulus, now that it's seen combat. A REALLY good trait, considering.


Remember how I said I could just refit the Kingfisher modules off? HAHA NOPE. Normally when checking other modules, it brings up the module select window. Not so with Kingfishers. Once you have them, you have them for their entire ineffective life! :iamgay:
I didn't think to check if that applies to the other DN only mounts. I'm guessing no though.


Our command ship tells the Liir that we have Anti-matter torpedoes too!


Turns out rushing ahead of everyone is dangerous!


Not as dangerous as getting between two DNs though. Also, I swear they use point defenses on my Battleriders, which I thought was a bit harsh.


They are smoking, but they should manage fine.


Our Dreadnoughts clear the enemy navy out and start bombing stations.


We also learn how to put robot parts in people!



Who says Imnpactors have to be long range weapons.


Speaking of long ranged ballistics.


We finished our supply ships, too.


Also, our Command DNs give us 112 points of fleet at present. Which 6 DNs don't quite fill up.


Just clearing a system does let me get a screenshot of mass shotguns in action!
And destroy your retinas with bloom.


We salvage these, hurrah. Pay careful attention to the wording, because it will come up later.


We also finish these. Time for a new fleet I think!


HEY GUYS. HEY. REMEMBER HOW MECRON WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT GAME THAT WAS GOOD. THIS GAME IS GOOD TOO. REALLY. WE'RE PROFESSIONALS.


18 ms with a top speed of 140 before.


And the same after. It does increase power generation, true. But you promised me MORE THRUST. MORE SPEED. MORE...something besides being a better Reactor. Which I could also get just by swapping out the Goop modules on the side.


Also, see this name box here? It's unclickable. You can't name your retrofit anything different.


Also, for spreadsheet purposes I renamed the second siege driver. Then built carriers and an impactor to round out the fleet.


In other fun bug news, I raced the Tarka for colonisation of Tully. Except I forgot to change the world I was going for in the colonisation menu. So it FLEW to Tully. But Colonised Thundara 1. All my support fleets are still based at homeworld. So it gates from Cragg to Tully. To colonise Thundara 1. That is some skill it has.


When a pirate raid happens, your freighters attempt to flee towards the nearest colony.
Regardless of where the pirates are.


I was preparing to deploy my new fleet here! Tarka, what gives. Damn KSers.


Their victory makes them like us more. I wonder. Would they accept an alliance, do you think?


Well, finally! How about that.


I just want to point out that I finished my enemies with a TREATY.
Okay, I killed the last worlds of Kerberos Interactive and Online Retailers with warships.


Then we get dropped back to the title screen as if nothing happened.

THE END.
Well, besides trying to claw my way back in SOTS1.