Thinking about Pirates

[bvanevery]

Details Yang declares war

Yang declares war

MY 2187.  Yang's been milling around at sea, establishing puny bases near my waters.  Now suddenly he gives me a piece of his mind.  Of course I'm not going to knuckle under to him, having been preparing for this for quite some time.

Details keeping up

keeping up

This is the same year that I completed the Planetary Datalinks.  My exploration has been cash rich but Artifact poor.  I blew the 1 Artifact I had on it, as well as all the plain Scouts that I had brought into my capitol.  I decided they didn't have enough military value to keep on paying SUPPORT for them, and this SP was more worthwhile.  It's possible that the sudden reduction in my nominal forces, increased Yang's confidence in bullying me.  Or it could be coincidence, and this was going to come anyways.

Details one big city against you

one big city against you

It doesn't matter as I've been dumping all my money into my capitol.  It is fully developed and that's the only reason I even worked on a SP.  I had the cash to burn.  I've got Plasma and 3-Res armor available, as well as Particle Impactors.  Looks like the Hive must have recently acquired Plasma armor as I see a couple of such units here and there, but mostly he's defending with Scouts.  I've got the decided weapons advantage for now.  He's spammy, but I've got an even spammier friend next door to call on.

Details restore your pride Morgan

restore your pride Morgan

Yang is still only Police State and hasn't gone Planned.  But don't worry about it Morgan.  He would have gotten around to it!  Morgan is Democratic Free Market Wealth, so I'm not really sure what he's going to do.

My 3 well heeled allies all collectively have the techs I need, except perhaps Adaptive Doctrine.  Hopefully I get my stuff soon enough.

[bvanevery]

Details expensive safety

expensive safety

I don't like having to spend so much money to buy off a unit.  But only my capitol was really ready for this fight.  The rest of my empire is a lot of bases with Trance Scouts and Perimeter Defenses, just trying to hold on and get Hologram Theaters together to keep people happy.  The Hive is incredibly spammy and they've already caught up with the Impact weapons somehow.  When they get to have all this production and I don't, it's a problem.

So far, no evidence that the Hive can even touch me on land though.  It's the sea, where I'm starting to think my "up the coast" spread was actually a bad idea.  But, maybe I've got enough money, enough allies, enough tech, and enough flanking from Morgan, that I'll be laughing about this later.  If I've made a mistake so far, it's that building a defense is overwhelmingly slow, when you don't have spam production behind you.

Oh, and Santiago is in the water with unarmored Impact Foils too.  Fortunately, in waters fairly far away from me as yet.  It adds to the danger and necessity of home fortification.  I really could use Doctrine: Initiative, which the Cyborgs have, but they want to build the Maritime Control Center themselves of course.

[bvanevery]

Details pest

pest

This is very uncool.  That mere Laser Foil somehow bypassed my awareness, probably because the Hive can spam new sea bases indiscriminately around me.  It emptied my base, and it's only because of my other bases and finishing my production, that I now have a defense.  I thought this was my version of a "fast" empire, but clearly it isn't.  The speed of the Hive spam is overwhelming.  Going up the coast was wrong.  Splitting my colonists at the beginning was wrong; I'm effectively fighting with half an empire.  The Deadman Tavern capitol on the jungle was right, and that's the sort of thing I should do in future games.

I think I'm probably going to have enough to fend Yang off, barring further serious incidents.  Like a bunch of Impact Foils showing up from some new angle.  If I lose a bunch of bases I'll just quit this game.  Guess I have to call these jerks Mr. Spammer.

Another lesson here is that the Pirates actually have no special defense on the ocean, until they get their Doctrine: Initiative bonus.  I have done everything correctly as far as pursuing the techs.  There's no way I would have ever had time to produce Network Nodes etc.  Either my allies give it to me, or I get it from the Planetary Datalinks, or after a long time I finally research it myself.

Well, I suppose technically I could turn an ally into an enemy and go steal it.  But I don't think that's even slightly wise.  And I haven't been fortunate enough to have an enemy, that's a research powerhouse, that I could simply steal the tech from.  Actually the tech spam of some of these factions is overwhelming as well.  The Cyborgs are pretty ridiculous.  Morgan's no slouch either.  They've sold me plenty; that's where some of my exploration money went.

[bvanevery]

Details infiltrations complete

infiltrations complete

MY 2193.  My ally was the most remote faction.  Now I have infiltration with everybody.  Which is good, because another ally the Cyborgs have begun working on the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm.  At least I will not be flying "blind" this game like last time.  I also seriously overproduced Foil Probe Teams, fearing this.  Since Santiago had nothing to steal, they're mostly wandering the waters, doing the job that cheaper ships should be doing.

That will make it easier to transition to Free Market at some point, but given that I'm still exploring elsewhere, I don't know when that point will be.  I would say that, however great it may be for Morgan, Free Market simply isn't a good early game choice for an ordinary human player's level of productivity.  It's something to go for, after you're sure you don't need those supply pods anymore.

[bvanevery]

Details the value of the allies

the value of the allies

MY 2197.  I mean they really, really can do all kinds of stuff, that I'd never be able to do, as an ordinary human player.  There is another version of farming your allies or conquests in the vanilla game.  Conquer another faction very early.  Then let it spread like crazy.  Not that you really need to do anything, it'll just do it.  It'll give you all kinds of troops and stuff.  If you're really determined to win the stock binary in 200 years, that's how you do it.  A beeline to the nearest AI faction, that's going to "feed" you.  Then on to the next one.  Not so doable on a Huge map, but certainly works on a Standard map.

Details the beginning of my dominance

the beginning of my dominance

I've already been on an enormous shopping spree this turn, simply because the Empath Guild got completed.  It freed up all sorts of tech to be traded.  That's another problem: it's a bit much, for 3 high powered research factions, to be my friend.  Well, the Data Angels aren't actually as high powered, because unlike my mod and WTP, their infiltration of other factions isn't automatic.  The stock binary AI never gets around to doing it, which is why we made that change.  Looks like whatever Thinker's probe team prowess, it hasn't got the Angels in everybody's networks either.  So they're not a powerhouse, but they did have Centauri Empathy to give up.  I just blew off waiting to get it through the Planetary Datalinks, as I figured a flurry of tech trading would be way faster.  I was very, very right.

Details sweeping the ocean

sweeping the ocean

I've already begun seriously harming Yang at sea.  It's less about me bringing a force, and more that Yang let the guards down in some places.  There was at least 1 defender in one of those southwest sea bases at some point, but for some reason they just emptied out.  I think Yang's had some trouble keeping people happy down there.  This would say that, the "long reach" spamming strategy of the AI is somewhat wrong.  It only works if other factions leave you alone.  If they don't, then you're just giving away bases to them.  And it should have been pretty clear from my posture, that I wasn't going to leave the Hive alone.

My defensiveness has basically worked.  I've made my gains mainly with Trance Plasma Laser Foils, and that 1 expensively bought Impact ship.  It hasn't even shot at anything seriously important yet.  It just sailed right in.  I've been limited mainly by the time it's taken to spew out these simple defensive ships.

I did finally get to use my home Foil Probe Teams to steal Gatling tech from Yang.  I completely forgot that I already had Missile tech that I hadn't prototyped.  For some reason I had "design units automatically" turned off, so I didn't remember it, in between real life interruptions.  I also didn't need it.  I've still only been garrisoning my nearby sea basses with Trance Plasma Infantry.  I had the 1 Impact gun that sailed up from down south, but Yang finally killed it, before I could bring it to bear against his land bases.  Points for that... but points for me, for unleashing Morgan on his flank.  It must be keeping him a little bit busy.

Details why people mod

why people mod

These things are way too cheap in the original game.  A 3-Pulse Trance Impact Foil costs 40.  I'd be a chump not to take advantage of the exploit, given that Thinker's AI, is all about maxxing the exploits.  What's Yang gonna do?  He doesn't have AAA capability yet.  Soporific Gas Pods are even available already.

Pretty silly that I'm gonna be an air power before I'm a sea power.

[bvanevery]

Details defended empire

defended empire

MY 2203.  100 years of progress on the rematch, and boy is it going well.  I've made piles of Trance Impact 3-Pulse Foils to secure my waters, even without Doctrine: Initiative yet.  That would already be enough to clear out the last few of Yang's sea bases.  I've got Missile Artillery in my capitol, which eventually will result in a serious land push.  If that wasn't enough, Fission Missile Penetrators are fairly cheap in the mostly unmodded rules that Thinker uses.  I'm starting to make a bunch of them, because I really don't need any more ships.

Details Yang is so dead

Yang is so dead

And if that wasn't enough, Aki gives me this.

Details it is so ridiculous

it is so ridiculous

And if that wasn't enough, I cranked up the design workshop.  I discovered that Fusion R-Laser Needlejets don't cost any more than Fusion Missile Needlejets.  So if anyone's got any mindworms out there, goodbye.  Fugetaboutit!

The technical term you're looking for here, is...

CAKEWALK

So, here's the provisional answer to the aggressive nukes problem.  Use Thinker against itself.  Make allies that are really good at research, which is exceedingly trivial to do.  Let them bestow tech magic upon you.  I could never cough this stuff up myself.  And just go to town!  Did you know I was the first faction to make a plane?  I couldn't get a screenshot of it at the time, because of how dodgy Windows' Snip & Sketch screen capturing tool is.  Let's see if I can get a screenshot from my monument:

Details thee pleeene boss, thee pleeeene

thee pleeene boss, thee pleeeene

I say 'provisional' because I don't know what the world is going to be like, once the "nuke tossing" factions are reduced to servitude or eradicated.  But none of my allies are bad apples that way.  Can't speak for Domai.

[bvanevery]

Details brutalization

brutalization

MY 2212.  Yang's AI thinks it can garrison bases with various unarmored speeders, but that clearly doesn't work when the enemy has planes.  I just avoid attacking anything armored, going from base to base blowing up my victims.  This also trains up my untrained planes.  My navy shells the coasts, getting rid of any Sensor Arrays within reach, and then starts softening up the cities proper.  There's nothing Yang can do about it.  I have Trance Scouts slowly advancing forwards to take over cities that have been devastated by my air power.

If I had either Marines or Drop troops, this would be even simpler.  As is, I'm not very interested in investing in more ground troops than I already have.  I'd rather just keep making more advanced facilities in my capitol.  So, I currently regard it as a war of attrition, and I'm the one doing the attriting.  The higher Yang's body count gets, the worse off he is.

Details productivity

productivity

I have overwhelming numbers of planes, destroying things at will, so I've stopped making them.  I'm making Energy Banks in cities that haven't reached size 7, and Hab Complexes in those that have.  I'm not even bothering to pester my allies for new techs.  I have plenty to destroy Yang with, and they're not going to hand over what I really want, which is Doctrine: Initiative.  Rather than spend any money going on shopping sprees, I'll just wait for the Planetary Datalinks to give me whatever.

Details circuses

circuses

Recently I started spending money on PSYCH.  I'm surprised at how happy only a Hologram Theater level of civilization has kept most people.  This turn I went to a 40-30-30 budget, as with my allies and existing tech, I don't really need RESEARCH.  This game, I did a sea minerals first build policy.  Now I'm building Tidal Harnesses, as clearly I've got my minerals sufficiently situated.  I have my eye more on what it's going to be like to compete with my allies, than on my current enemies.  Santiago is no longer doing well against Roze, and will probably be summarily crushed when I finally intervene.

Details keeping the alliance happy

keeping the alliance happy

I think Morgan declared war on Aki recently, although I can't imagine why as she's Free Market.  This is another good reason not to talk to my allies right now.  When they finally pester me, I'll try to settle them down.  And see if they want to play catch-up on giving me free stuff.  I don't feel like paying for anything anymore.

There can definitely be some competition once the "nuke lobbers" are vanquished.

[bvanevery]

MY 2213.  Aki insisted on talking to me about Morgan.  I declined the war.  She begged for 50 gold and I told her to shove off.  She apologized for being presumptuous.  I asked her to knock off the war with Morgan, and she complied.  That seems to indicate that she must have started it to begin with.  That makes sense because Morgan shouldn't have a motive to go to war with a Free Market faction.

Details well at least it's my benefactor

well at least it's my benefactor

And then, catching up on the begging like I promised... she gave me nukes.  I'm a little disturbed that they're in play so early.  I'm doing the right thing, smashing up an aggressor faction before it can start lobbing them.  But it makes the whole game feel unsafe and really volatile.  If it came down to the point of being random, like 100-ish years go by, nukes are suddenly everywhere, and there isn't a darned thing you can do about it, well I'm not sure I'd consider that playable.  In the present instance, I seem to have it under control.  But it does beg the question, what if Yang had been on the other side of the map, where I couldn't easily intervene?

[bvanevery]

Details nuke for me

nuke for me

MY 2227.  If I made a bunch of Planet Busters, and I gave them to Yang, would he toss them willy nilly at various people?  It's moot point because I don't have the production for it.  At least not now.  The world is a bit scary with these superpowers, and I'm only a power.  Maybe this is what it's like to be England after WW II.

So, if the rematch was against Yang, I've prevailed.  If the rematch is against Thinker, well the show's not over yet.  The Spartans are going to go down pretty soon though.

The logical outcome as I see the game right now, is someone Transcends, and there's nothing I can do about it.  Or I spend the whole rest of the game struggling to prevent an eventual Transcendence.  The rate of faction tech progress is silly fast.  At this rate there's not going to be much of a game to play.

Details probe me

probe me

I finally choose Knowledge, for the EFFIC rather than the RESEARCH, and because it won't harm either my war effort or my facilities building.  I'm no longer worried about the PROBE penalty.  I think my air umbrella is so strong, that the risk of a probe team trying to take one of my cities is pretty minimal.  I just keep hitting enemy cities before they can produce a probe team.

I'm way behind my 2 main allies in tech.  Nobody else seems to be finding out their techs either, so the Planetary Datalinks aren't doing me much good.  I'm not using my own probe teams for anything because only my allies have good tech.  If I really wanted their tech, I'd pester them.  But I'm a bit tired of that exploit.  If I have to beat Thinker just by polling allies over and over again, well I just don't want to play that game anymore.  It was fine for getting to the point of beating up Yang, although I'll be perfectly happy if that loophole of Thinker's thinking is closed in some future release.  It pretty much makes it a baby game.

Maybe I could save up enough Singularity Planet Busters to nuke everybody in 1 turn.  The odds of doing that before someone Transcends aren't that good though.

Maybe I need to get this planet flooded.  I am the Pirates.

Details I never pull this off

I never pull this off

Cities are getting beyond the radius at which I want to deal with incorporating them into my empire.  I wanted to know if I'm going to have to bother.  I suppose I could just bleed the Spartans and let the Data Angels actually take the land cities.  Roze is not powerful enough for me to be concerned about that.  Morgan, on the other hand, I somewhat regret cooperating so well with him.  It made Yang collapse fast, but it also blimped Morgan up.

Maybe I wait for sunspots and dastardly wipe one of my allies out.  Like with plagues.

[bvanevery]

Details it came too early

it came too early

MY 2230.  I'm simply not ready with some big plan against my allies.  I could upgrade all of my planes to X weapons though.  Really wipe out the Spartans.

Details goodbye Santiago

goodbye Santiago

I thought about how if I get them to surrender, I'd have another vote in my pocket on the Planetary Council.  But I'm just not motivated to wait until the end of sunspots for that.  Call it a failing!  The game is easier when you don't have to tend to stuff.

Details anti mindworm chemicals

anti mindworm chemicals

I didn't have the money to upgrade my planes to the new Fusion Laser and X weapons at the same time.  That design costs 50.  The X R-Laser design costs 40.  I'm sure it'll do just fine, as I've rarely lost a plane.  I've got 18 of these things!  The great thing about the total design upgrade exploit is you can immediately use your units, instead of having to wait a turn.  It makes a pile of cash a huge weapon, instantly turning peon troops into dangerous troops.  Pity that pile of cash has taken me a long time to accumulate.  Well, Free Market can come after I get rid of Santiago.

Details eXterminate

eXterminate

I completely wiped out 3 cities this year.  More to come.

[bvanevery]

Details am I doing it

am I doing it

MY 2233.  I've got fungal pops, which I keep ignoring in my joy at slaughtering Spartans.  I'm surprised that I could be a majority contributor to global warming, since I haven't even chosen an economic model.  But I can't deny the reality of my fungal pops for much longer.

[bvanevery]

Details is nothing sacred

is nothing sacred

MY 2237.  The one time I actually manage to gain a tech that one of these superpowers doesn't have, they just up and steal it from me?  That's gratitude for ya.  I was probably wrong to get Aki to stop her war on Morgan a number of years ago.  It would be completely rational to gut the Cyborgs, since they are most likely to transcend first.  And after that, to take over Morgan, since they are closest.  Well I hope I can get them into war with each other now.  It may not take much, in fact I may not need to do anything at all, since they've gone at it before.

[bvanevery]

Details I've done my work

I've done my work

MY 2240.  Sunspots are still in effect.  I have succeeded at taking advantage of the window of opportunity, and this is the last Spartan city.   I fully expect Roze to wipe it out next year.  If she doesn't, I will.  All of my planes are flying home, where they will be upgraded to Fusion Interceptors.  Then I'll go Free Market, and not have to worry about the planes making people unhappy.

Details left less for Roze

left less for Roze

I tried not to leave many Spartan cities for the AIs to take over.  I don't think I need to be feeding those beasts.  I captured some sea bases at roughly the flight distance of a Penetrator, so that I could advance my air umbrella without relying on allies.  In the future, allies could turn on me, and I might need to wipe out more stuff up here.

Details they're gone

they're gone

MY 2241.  If I ironically free them at some point in the future, will they still hate me?

[bvanevery]

Details shall we communicate

shall we communicate

MY 2243.  Even though I can, I really don't feel like talking to anyone!  Maybe I should see if we can vote Aki out of office though.

Details yep

yep

I am the kingmaker.  Welcome to the postwar era.  How long is it going to last?

[bvanevery]

Details uneasy politics

uneasy politics

MY 2245.  I'm allied with everyone but the Cyborgs.  Roze recently went to war with them.  I could jump in on that any time I want to.  Having trouble getting motivated for it.  The big war effort against the "nuke lobbers" put me way behind on infrastructure, and I'd rather try to catch up.  I'll go along with a war once it's forced on me, but I don't feel like being an instigator.  For all I know, it could get me some really nasty immediate attacks.

I wouldn't mind seeing Planet sink some either.  I still haven't gone Free Market.  I've still got planes trying to get home.  Some of them, I tried shooting at mindworms.  They didn't do so well.

Morgan and Aki are in a Truce.  Eventually, that will expire.  Then I'd expect them to come to blows.  Also if I asked Morgan to join a war, he'd probably do it.