AAR 5 (Morgan): Aliens are bad for business.

[Green1]

The survivors form Morgan Sea Platform.

Sea levels raise yet again. One of our few remaining needlejets destroy a full Exterminatus transport.

[Green1]

More missiles from Procyon making it hard to keep garrisons. We will have a gas copter if it ever gets done that may even the odds.

We may be getting a reprieve. I just saw half the Exterminatus airforce take off south towards the lines with Procyon and Anihilators like they were in a hurry.

[Green1]

With that, I think I will call it for this installment.

Things, if I must say, look pretty grim.

Till next time.

[Sigma]

So question: are the Procyon really that strong on their own, or has this game simply presented them with a perfect storm of advantages?

I'm also loving the fact that they've gone and created global warming to flood the planet. It's perfectly in-character!

[Green1]

So question: are the Procyon really that strong on their own, or has this game simply presented them with a perfect storm of advantages?

I'm also loving the fact that they've gone and created global warming to flood the planet. It's perfectly in-character!

I just rechecked the .txt for Procyon. They are getting +2 to growth, so my apologies. But do not go back in to "balance" them. This AAR has nothing to do with balance.

As far as their success, it is a perfect storm. For one, SMAX's AI is weak when dealing with naval civs. Another, is there is a decent amount of water on this map. Combine that with a lot of rather large bases and a lot of secret projects being able to be gained without feeling much pressure, you have the situation we are in now.

For instance, I gassed Memory of Home from a size 16 base to a size 3 before Exterminatus came calling and things started going downhill. But, now it is back up to size 14 in no time. Procyon is like a plant we have in the south called Kudzu. Impossible to kill, grows like wildfire, and is everywhere.

[Green1]

Speaking of which, as this AAR I feel may be winding down, I wanted to discuss future AARs.

We are coming closer to the release of Civilization : Beyond Earth. While I realize that Civ:BE is not the Alpha Centauri we know and love, the initial LPs and reports out show that it has a lot of depth and interesting gameplay in it's own right. Now, I do expect a blitz of you tube videos to be out by everyone and their brother on release. But, I think a lot of folks have no time for hours long videos and there will not be a lot of text AARs. After all, if someone has video editing talent and voice and subscriptions, beer money can be made while forum posts and blogs are more a community service even if videos are inconvenient for this kind of thing. Shortly after release, though, I plan to put one up for whoever wants to read it. It will be newbish gameplay, but then again we will all be newbs.

I am also debating a final AAR 6, but we may run out of time. PMs have been kicked back and forth between me and resident forum Communist Jarlwolf on either a "comp stomp" type deal or a scenario edited save passed back and forth dealing with multiple sides of a conflict. It would be a proper send off for a game that has been on our hard drives all these years and I do not think has been done. But, do not cross your fingers. With Comp Stomps, you are dealing with MP and all the pains and bugs and long times associated with it and coordinating nerds across timezones and continents. Even a "succession" type deal has a high chance of failure given we occasionally get lives. Both jarlwolf AND myself unfortunately already have failed/ unfinished AARs. This one almost ended up one. I do not want more of those.

I even may forgo such coordination and do a standard AAR by myself, factions and theme to be decided.

But anyways, I am glad folks enjoy reading these things as much as I enjoy playing them - win or lose.

[Sigma]

So question: are the Procyon really that strong on their own, or has this game simply presented them with a perfect storm of advantages?

I'm also loving the fact that they've gone and created global warming to flood the planet. It's perfectly in-character!

I just rechecked the .txt for Procyon. They are getting +2 to growth, so my apologies. But do not go back in to "balance" them. This AAR has nothing to do with balance.

As far as their success, it is a perfect storm. For one, SMAX's AI is weak when dealing with naval civs. Another, is there is a decent amount of water on this map. Combine that with a lot of rather large bases and a lot of secret projects being able to be gained without feeling much pressure, you have the situation we are in now.

For instance, I gassed Memory of Home from a size 16 base to a size 3 before Exterminatus came calling and things started going downhill. But, now it is back up to size 14 in no time. Procyon is like a plant we have in the south called Kudzu. Impossible to kill, grows like wildfire, and is everywhere.

I have no intention of rebalancing them. I built them for you to kill yourself with in this AAR, afterall.

And I'm familiar with Kudzu. I'm rather proud that I may have created the Kudzu of Alpha Centauri.

[ete]

I've played a bunch (7+) of transcend games with Procyon, and yea, they have amazing growth. Like no other faction, except maybe the Bree. But they kinda ended up being.. a very large wet sponge in late game. They have a LOT of units and a LOT of big bases, but very rarely mount much of an attack, and their units tend to be low tech and low morale so with some careful tactics you can slaughter the unlimited waves.

Of course, if you get blown apart by a bunch of other monsters early on, it's harder to do that :p

In the hands of a human, they're probably horrifically overpowered, but as an AI.. they look scary and big but lack teeth compared to other power factions.

Though to be fair, I never let them get to lategame without severe harassment or outbuilding them dramatically, so maybe they'd start doing more dangerous stuff then?

[Green1]

Unfortunately Ete, I was not able to breathe much less take anything out much of the game. The second start was in a very mineral poor area and I could not rebuild fast enough.

[Green1]

By the way, while at work, I was contemplating Morgan's situation.

I have decided to cede and call this a very spectacular loss. With the current production rate, missiles destroying anything I put out, and Exterminatus sending waves of transports, I believe the situation to be untenable and do not think it would be worthwhile for the readers if I feel there is almost no hope of pulling it out.

I am going to call victory, though debatable, for Sigma's Procyon.


But fear not... there probably be an AAR 6 before I get Civ BE and start showing me getting owned there. I will start new new thread discussing possibilities for that shortly.

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed.

[sisko]

Thanks for writing it, Green1.

[ete]

Well played, capitalist.

[Buster's Uncle]