Group AAR #2 - Signups / discussion

[ete]

Let's do another with similar rules to the last one, since I think we all want more fun (and less being eaten by Annihilators)

No monsters this time (for humans at least, not promising there won't be AI), but balanced custom factions are welcome. If you're not sure a faction is balanced, pick a few for a shortlist and I'll review them for balance.

Either I'll make a map and set roughly equal start locations, or we can do a random start. Either way I reserve the right to make changes to the map and any AI factions if I feel they will make the game more interesting.

Since this is for fun and not highly competitive, and everyone will gain information on everyone else anyway, I will be playing despite being kinda the CMN.

3 days per round time limit, skips to next player if missed but the skipped player can jump queue and rejoin as next player at any point.

Players may agree political deals in this thread and request they be implemented even off-turn (e.g. if Jarlwolf's and Green1's factions declare war on each other during my round and both of them post agreeing to a ceasefire, I must implement that via faction editor as soon as I see the posts. Similar deals can be agreed about tech trading and other things.). This allows for more complex diplomacy and opens up lots of fun negotiation. Contacting the AI directly is still permissible.

Hoping for 3-5 players, with probably 10 turns for 5, 15 for 4, and 20 for 3.

Post your shortlists for factions to use, suggestions for rules/maps/stuff, and excitement!

ete - Technocrats
BlueFlux - Creche Union
JarlWolf -
Yitzi? -

[Flux]

I will participate if you will have me. I'm going to try and roleplay more. Gonna do something like the rise of the creche AAR if I can.

Faction list:
1. Creche Union (good at research, very balanced) - Would play as this one
2. Red Unit (very balanced) - Use it if you want

[Yitzi]

I might want to, but I'd like a sense of what everyone else will be playing so I can pick (or make) something that complements them thematically.

[JarlWolf]

Ignore this, post mistake.

[JarlWolf]

I am interested-

faction lineup suggestions:

Blueflux's creche or red unit
Sigma's House Satori
My Sons of Oceanus
Ariete's Populist police state faction
Sigma's Authority faction
My Valhallans
And as for a 7th faction we can either have Shaggy's for a joke or for more serious, Sigma's pilgrims.

Thoughts?

[Yitzi]

Links and stats for each of those, please?

[Buster's Uncle]

Shaggy.
http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip

It's a joke faction, but nicely playable.

[Yitzi]

Shaggy.
http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip

It's a joke faction, but nicely playable.

Honestly, it looks like it might be a bit overpowered.  No police is somewhat of a strong downside, but those fungus resources allow for a strong midgame and stronger lategame, and between PLANET and a native MORALE bonus, it's got a very strong native military and fairly strong conventional military.

[Buster's Uncle]

Probably a bit OP, yes - I was playing the SMAniaC mod when I worked on it, and added + to the planet rating to compensate for SMAniaC's - to planet.  Turning it back down by one would blunt the fungus bonuses a little.

[ete]

I will participate if you will have me. I'm going to try and roleplay more. Gonna do something like the rise of the creche AAR if I can.

Faction list:
1. Creche Union (good at research, very balanced) - Would play as this one
2. Red Unit (very balanced)

Creche seems mostly fair, though I am quite worried about starting with level 4 weapons.. They've got strong development, and their penalty is morale, but morale is much less important than extremely early impact near the start and may let them have both an incredible rush and late build. I'd be much more comfortable with lasers as start.

Red unit seems fair as documented, but you have several major undocumented bonuses in the text file (mind control immunity, and two forms of +1 morale leading to an actual effective +2 morale most of the time and a 50% (!!!!) hurry bonus). Drop the undocumented bonuses and it'll be fine.

I might want to, but I'd like a sense of what everyone else will be playing so I can pick (or make) something that complements them thematically.

Okay, makes sense.

I am interested-

faction lineup suggestions:

Blueflux's creche or red unit
Sigma's House Satori
My Sons of Oceanus
Ariete's Populist police state faction
Sigma's Authority faction
My Valhallans
And as for a 7th faction we can either have Shaggy's for a joke or for more serious, Sigma's pilgrims.

Thoughts?

I was imagining everyone would pick a few factions they'd want to play as? Which of those would you want to use? I'd be quite worried about either of your factions in human hands, Oceanus just get so many facilities and crazy growth, and Valhallans have a rush vastly more powerful than any normal faction, though at least they could plausibly stagnate.

Shaggy.
http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip

It's a joke faction, but nicely playable.

Honestly.. way too powerful in that state for a balanced game. Amazing fungal bonuses and free rec tanks=huge bases scarily quickly, +2 Planet and +1 morale=always have a good army,  and though there are some penalties it's not likely enough to hold them back at all in the hands of a skilled human. Also you have 14 of the bonuses you can only have 8 of, so I'm guessing half of them don't work? And missing alien interaction text, though maybe no one will use aliens so it won't matter.

If you're serious about playing and want that faction.. we can try and rebalance it, but I'd suggest picking something else.


I'm currently liking the idea of sigma's technocrats.

[Buster's Uncle]

Naw I just posted a link because Jarl mentioned them and Yitzi asked.

[Flux]

Creche seems mostly fair, though I am quite worried about starting with level 4 weapons.. They've got strong development, and their penalty is morale, but morale is much less important than extremely early impact near the start and may let them have both an incredible rush and late build. I'd be much more comfortable with lasers as start.

Red unit seems fair as documented, but you have several major undocumented bonuses in the text file (mind control immunity, and two forms of +1 morale leading to an actual effective +2 morale most of the time and a 50% (!!!!) hurry bonus). Drop the undocumented bonuses and it'll be fine.

Hm. It probably seemed more balanced in the face of Annihilators and Exterminatus.
I don't see myself going to war in the AAR without someone else starting it. But I can't speak for the AI. (I mean, we're supposed to be kids. If I want to RP then I better have a good reason for war). Don't forget the -1 growth though.
Of course, you're probably all better at the game than me.
It goes as follows: "TECH, Chaos, FACILITY, 2, SOCIAL, -GROWTH, SOCIAL, ++RESEARCH, SOCIAL, --MORALE, SOCIAL, +PROBE, COMMFREQ, 0, MORALE, 0, "
Research is penalized by morale, probing by growth. Which one of these you want me to nerf/change? I'm assuming it's required since your going for balance.

[ete]

Naw I just posted a link because Jarl mentioned them and Yitzi asked.

Okay.

Creche seems mostly fair, though I am quite worried about starting with level 4 weapons.. They've got strong development, and their penalty is morale, but morale is much less important than extremely early impact near the start and may let them have both an incredible rush and late build. I'd be much more comfortable with lasers as start.

Red unit seems fair as documented, but you have several major undocumented bonuses in the text file (mind control immunity, and two forms of +1 morale leading to an actual effective +2 morale most of the time and a 50% (!!!!) hurry bonus). Drop the undocumented bonuses and it'll be fine.

Hm. It probably seemed more balanced in the face of Annihilators and Exterminatus.
I don't see myself going to war in the AAR without someone else starting it. But I can't speak for the AI. (I mean, we're supposed to be kids. If I want to RP then I better have a good reason for war). Don't forget the -1 growth though.
Of course, you're probably all better at the game than me.
It goes as follows: "TECH, Chaos, FACILITY, 2, SOCIAL, -GROWTH, SOCIAL, ++RESEARCH, SOCIAL, --MORALE, SOCIAL, +PROBE, COMMFREQ, 0, MORALE, 0, "
Research is penalized by morale, probing by growth. Which one of these you want me to nerf/change? I'm assuming it's required since your going for balance.

Oh, sure, vastly more balanced than monsters like those. -1 growth is more than compensated by the free creches, and +2 research is a great bonus. I guess unless you start quite close to someone you probably would not be able to take advantage of the powerful rush. May change the game a fair amount if the AI decides to trade it.. but okay. You can use the creche, though it does seem a little out of place for that faction to have such powerful weapons way before anyone else.

[Flux]

 

[Sigma]

If you're going to use House Satori I have a slightly modified version that I will upload.