Domai Dominates - SMACX AI Growth mod 80x160 map

[bvanevery]

Details bribery gets you everywhere

bribery gets you everywhere

This is a test of my SMACX AI Growth mod, version 1.10, on an "Enormous" 80x160 map.  I'm off to a good start!  As I have crushed many bugs and gameplay misfeatures in previous releases, I'm likely to finish this AAR.  The question is, how will I win?  There's no clear path to victory at present, but maybe I'll raise land and railhead other factions into oblivion.  I could do it on mindworm and industrial power alone at this point.  If I were connected to anybody, which I'm not.

Mission Year 2250.  I pay Miriam 300 credits the turn before the election, to secure her vote this turn.  I dislodge Cha Dawn as the Governor.  Everyone except Miriam is at war with me, and most have been for quite a long time.  That pretty much kept me from having any chance of winning the Governorship, as blocs would vote against me.  Miriam, however, has had her own issues.  So awhile ago she agreed to a Truce.  Now we have a Treaty, and we even made a tech trade.  Although she can't stand my liberal democracy, I think she knows I'm stronger than everyone else.

Details mah guvmint

mah guvmint

Nowadays I'm a Democratic Planned Knowledge government.  That's because with all the Genejack Factories, I really couldn't afford the -2 PLANET penalty.  Way too much eco-damage.  I can't go Green but I can at least go Planned and not do gratuitous damage.  I was far richer as a Democratic Free Market Wealth society.  The early part of the game, I utterly dominated the graph readouts.  Nobody could even slightly touch me.

I was shocked when Cha Dawn, who had basically no showing at the beginning of the game, caught up and equalled me.  In this mod I've been trying to make them an actually threatening faction, instead of just being the butt of everyone's jokes.  I started by getting rid of all of their penalties, but that wasn't enough.  Then I gave them + 1 SUPPORT and they were still brain dead.  Perhaps giving them no penalty when choosing Fundamentalist politics finally did the trick.    I figure they are not deluded about how mindworms work, so they shouldn't be backwards at least in the biological sciences.  I wonder if there's a dialogue option I can change somewhere for Fundamentalist factions, so they aren't all talking about "the Good Lord" during diplomacy?  That's not what Cha Dawn believes in, nor various others when they opportunistically adopt Fundamentalist ways.

Details fewer bonuses and penalties

fewer bonuses and penalties

In this mod, the Drones do not have any research penalty, but their INDUSTRY bonus is not as dramatic either.  Like all the other factions, they are better rounded.  I think the INDUSTRY bonus is quite powerful judging by how well I did at the beginning of the game.  I spread like wildfire, especially after I got a Planned government.  I had a starting position somewhat like "if Australia were a superpower".  The Pirates took over one of my sea bases once, that was my only mishap.  That simply became an excuse to infiltrate and steal from them, before taking my base right back.

Details the knowable world

the knowable world

I still don't know the extent of Cha Dawn's empire or what triggered his remarkable growth.  Perhaps he found the Monsoon Jungle.  The known world as it is seen, is the result of many many foil probe teams sulking through the water for a long time.  I managed not to run into too many enemy ships and most did not get killed.  I used a lot of spare Transports as sacrifices / bait to screen my foil probe teams.  Even with fairly good exploration and infiltration by foil, I still haven't infiltrated the Hive, nor stolen several important world maps.  If I don't get more map info soon, then I will finally send some land probe teams eastwards to Cha Dawn.

Details democracy of drones

democracy of drones

I've only recently completed a rail network linking all my cities.  I also just completed a land bridge to a seemingly empty western continent.  My 2nd western city will shortly have rail access.  I could have built the land bridge east instead of west, and invaded Cha Dawn directly, but this configuration is closer to my capitol.  Even without a research penalty, my research is slow enough that I really don't have anything useful to build anymore.  I'm waiting on hab complexes and the Ascetic Virtues, which come midgame in my mod.  Maybe the delay is still too long, I'm not sure.

Details admire my bad builder self

admire my bad builder self

I have dominated the Secret Project races.  The Planetary Transit System slipped past me, no doubt due to my earlier focus on Discover techs, and the exceedingly long distances to steal anything from anybody.  The exception is the Xenoempathy Dome, whose tech I stole from Cha Dawn and pretty much insta-completed with a pile of Artifacts.  I could cash my remaining 5 Artifacts any time now to pull ahead, as I think I have tech supremacy now.

[bvanevery]

Details cut me some trees

cut me some trees

Mission Year 2258.  I cash all my Artifacts and get a pile of technologies, including nukes and many Secret Projects.  Hab Complexes still elude me, making me think my mod still has them too late in the tech tree.  I got Digital Sentience and go Cybernetic.  That's considered anti-Planet in this mod.  Eudaimonic is the mildly "organic" future society.

Details mindworms for the stinking rich

mindworms for the stinking rich

MY 2266.  I decide, in characteristic Drone fashion, that I don't need new technology.  I need to bring what I've got to some victims.

Exploration of the western continent with Formers really isn't working out, due to the many "8 mindworm" rings that pop up.  I need to get other units out there, and a less negative -3 POLICE rating is helpful for that.  Eventually I end up using spare mindworms for the task, which were built for defense back when I was more of a polluter.  I can afford 1 exploring mindworm per city without unrest, essentially the style of a Civ II "Republic".

I'm not sure who my 1st victim will be, but I'm making a bridge to the northern continent.  There are plenty of pods to pop and I know the Hive is up there.  They are the only faction whose territory I've not managed to map out, they are so remote.  I've been using a Conventional Missile to scout the unexplored areas, using its very long movement range to cover lots of territory.

Details wondrous wonderments

wondrous wonderments

MY 2267.  I complete The Pholus Mutagen.  Witness my Secret Project authoriah!  My Planetary Energy Grid is not shown, it's on the next scrolling screen.  Yep I've got them outnumbered 16 to 1.  I guess this game is not that hard, or else the Drones are near optimal for an Enormous map.

Details just a few detours

just a few detours

MY 2271.  I finally complete the northern land bridge.  I simply couldn't drive straight north without creating resources I didn't want to ruin.  I've got Super Former capability now but I don't want to upgrade my units yet.  I'd rather spend the money on Hybrid Forests and Hab Complexes.

Details missile flights reveal

missile flights reveal

MY 2273.  Witness the disposition of my nearest competitors, the Cultists.  Making a land bridge would be the most straightforward way to invade.  It's not that much more of a project than bridges I've already built, considering how off-course they went.  On the other hand, I could initiate the spendy gambit of a forward sea base, some drop troops, and a lot of Conventional Missiles.  However that's probably more mouse clicking tedium than just building a land bridge.  The advantage of a bridge is ultimately one can move troops by rail, which is way easier on the mouseclicks than any other form of movement.  Even orbital insertions have so much hit-and-miss with enemy Aerospace Complexes getting in the way, that rails are often strategically easier.

[bvanevery]

Details shiny happy people holding hands

shiny happy people holding hands

Mission Year 2278.  Having gone Eudaimonic, I have a frightening level of industrial productivity.  Also piles of money, so much that I've changed my budget to 30-40-30, giving the profits to the People.  With the extra cash I've upgraded my 1-movement Formers to 1-movement Super Formers.  I have taken a circuitous northern route to get to Cha Dawn, because it's faster to push rails across existing land than to raise land.  It also brings me nearer to the Pirates.

Details you want how much for the halfling child

you want how much for the halfling child

MY 2279.  I ran into an unexpected difficulty.  Raising distant land is exceedingly expensive!  I'll have to put a base there.

Details 800 credits to raise this dump

800 credits to raise this dump

MY 2282.  I've bridged to Cha Dawn's continent, but I'm not near her main cities yet.  I wanted to raise this one out of the water, but it's too expensive, so I will bypass it for now.  I sent ships to take it over.  I've stopped making Mindworms and am instead making more Super Rover Formers to speed up my rail laying.  I'm also upgrading my old Rover Formers.

[bvanevery]

Mission Year 2286.  The battle is joined.  I have connected my civilization to the Cultists.  They had 2 planes which killed a couple of my units, but then I destroyed them on the ground.  No need to build an air force, I will overrun them.  I stole an Artifact while I was at it.  I'm advancing with mixed forces now.  Despite my productivity I don't have enough offensive units.  Probably building too many Foil Supply units to harvest energy from the oceans, but eh.

Details mindwormapalooza

mindwormapalooza

I want to grow more and fight better, two things that Wealth hinders.  So I've changed to Fundamentalist Simple Power Eudaimonic.  With +4 Growth and Children's Creches, I should start pop booming now.  My Efficiency is 0 but my people are so happy with the 30-40-30 budget, nobody cares.

I just remembered that switching to Simple, I get no benefit from The Longevity Vaccine at all. 

[bvanevery]

Details I am the Donald [Sleezebag] of this world

I am the Donald [Sleezebag] of this world

Mission Year 2288.  Sunspots end.  They thought they could outvote me.  You can't outvote me!  I haven't even discovered the Empath Guild yet. 

Details you are so cute I want to squeeze your cheeky cheeks

you are so cute I want to squeeze your cheeky cheeks

Maybe my Fundamentalist charm brings this response from the boy.  I admit, I'm a softie for resolving things peacefully.  My cities are growing so fast, nobody can even hope to stand against me.  I can destroy Cha Dawn at any time now.  I'll go build a rail to my next victim.

Details well I did want your other sea base

well I did want your other sea base

What a weenie!  Dude, free clue.  If you're going to make a surprise attack, wait until it's actually going to be a surprise.  Attacking right now, you're only doing exactly what I expected you to do this turn anyways.  We could have skipped that whole diplomatic sequence, I wouldn't have known any better.  All you've done is throw away your reputation.

Details you are pretty when beaten and bruised

you are pretty when beaten and bruised

MY 2289.  Santiago doesn't wanna get whupped anymore.  Ok, I'll try the Believers.

Details a bushel of carrots for your kingdom

a bushel of carrots for your kingdom

Miriam is intimidated too.  Good.  What about the Pirates?

Details you thought I would pay you to grovel

you thought I would pay you to grovel

I declined to pay him 325 credits for the privilege of not crushing him like a bug.  Having called his bluff, he capitulates.

Details I knew you could figure it out

I knew you could figure it out

The Consciousness rationalizes a Truce.  Then they engage in special whinging:

Details cyborg blah blah blah stuff it up a tree

cyborg blah blah blah stuff it up a tree

How often have you heard a factional complaint about a Eudaimonic society?  I love having the future societies available much earlier in the game!  So I can hear this.

Details troops donated by the Hive

troops donated by the Hive

Yang isn't talking and still wants to be clobbered.  I keep mind controlling his units as I find them in the fungus.  Eventually my probe teams, mindworms, and captured units will reach his distant bases.

[bvanevery]

Details 14 completed projects

14 completed projects

Details 6 more and a dead city

6 more and a dead city

Mission Year 2293.  I complete the Empath Guild and the Cloudbase Academy, which are both late game projects now.  Sky Hydroponics Labs, Orbital Power Transmitters, and Nessus Mining Stations come even later.  I do have Orbital Defense Pods available, and Flechette Defense Defense Systems, so I'm making an anti-nuke screen.  Nobody actually has nukes yet, but Cha Dawn is building one.  He lobbed a Conventional Missile at me this turn.  The AI isn't spammy with missiles because they're more expensive now, but nowhere on Planet is safe from them.

Details trying to do nothing badly

trying to do nothing badly

All my core cities are size 16 now, so I don't need to grow anymore.  All these penalties really add up!  I don't want a negative PLANET rating because I don't want to fight stacks of mindworms.  I don't want my POLICE to go any lower than -2.  It wouldn't affect my war with the Cultists, but I have a lot of mindworms and captured units in the hinterlands.

Details you just want my mindworms

you just want my mindworms

MY 2294.  I'm really shocked at this result.  I know I'm far more powerful than everyone else, but notice that Cha Dawn's rating is actually FORMIDABLE.  Well ok, I'll take it.  No need to belabor my supremacy if I can get this game over with fairly soon.  Onward to Yang.

[bvanevery]

Details but I wanted more mooneeey

but I wanted more mooneeey

MY 2297.  Cha Dawn ceded dozens of troops to me, leaving me absolutely without fear of mindworms.  I sent all of the R-Laser troops back to my home territory as a reserve.  I went Free Market, wanting to use that to pay for a Police State.  I'm hoping that Political choice might induce Yang to surrender sooner.  I've only got -1 PLANET because of Eudaimonia, and I will soon take the Manifold Nexus from Yang.  I forgot about the possibility of Global Warming.  Hopefully the Centauri Preserves I'm building will stop the flooding.

Details I am like you just better

I am like you just better

The destruction of the Hive is imminent.  I was able to eliminate all his screening troops in front of the city, and blow away his artillery, but I didn't have enough left to actually shell him.  He's got a lot of defending forces, but I've got massive numbers of units due to Cha Dawn's donations.  I've got Chaos lasers and Demon Boils to crack open his defenders.  Just for good measure I threw my last 3 Elite Probe Teams at his Perimeter Defense, but they all died.

Details surrender any time you are ready

surrender any time you are ready

I had a Conventional Missile that I don't need for scouting anymore, so I threw that at him first.  My Elite Chaos units alone blew most of his good armor away.  Lesser Chaos units destroyed his mediocre armor.  Impact peons destroyed his Rovers.  I even captured an Artifact!  The Manifold Nexus is mine, and my PLANET rating is now 0.

Details I knew you could do it Duffy Moon

I knew you could do it Duffy Moon

What a pushover.  Now all I have to do is put a couple of cities around the Nexus so that the Hive can't reclaim the land.  I count 550 + 131 + 111 = 792 votes under my control.  209 + 82 + 42 + 37 = 370 opposing, so not enough for Diplomatic Victory yet.

[bvanevery]

Details I am tuh Donald

I am tuh Donald

Mission Year 2299.  I have sent all my units to their home cities.  I have chosen an Explore research focus.  If I get Habitation Domes, voting wise it's game over.  I've gone Democratic Free Market Wealth Eudaimonic, so I've now got the maximum +5 ECONOMY.  My vassals and I have enacted a Global Trade Pact.  With a 40-20-40 budget I'm making 2323 credits/turn, so an Economic Victory is also possible.

Details our children would not be good factory workers

our children would not be good factory workers

MY 2300.  The Consciousness is griping about the Pirates.  They've been griping about my Eudaimonia for quite some time as well.  If I don't side with her, I'm expecting this to trigger war.  The Pirates believe in Wealth so ideologically, I'm a better match for them right now.  I don't have any problem wiping out the Consciousness, it's just a question of getting a rail line to her.  I've got enough of an existing fleet to slowly sail to her by water as well.

Details your children will be good furnace fuel

your children will be good furnace fuel

Details drive that rail east

drive that rail east

I am building a new generation of Clean Formers to make my rail laying faster.  Some of the Consciousness sea bases are right next to the Hive, so I can attack those quickly.  However there is no straight land path to their main island, unless I take over a Pirate base.  I wonder if Svensgaard will simply trade bases for it?  Or I could buy it legitimately, as I do have piles of cash.  A problem: he's ignoring our hails.  I will have to bring a Probe Team over to get his attention.  I might as well build a Covert Ops Center and make it an Elite team in case he balks.

[bvanevery]

Details save scumming is my friend

save scumming is my friend

Mission Year 2301.  I didn't realize Chiron Stigmata was 10 meters above sea level.  Whether one can save a city by insta-building a Pressure Dome, depends on weird inter-turn order of evaluation rules.  Selling off a Tree Farm seemed to help matters.  Another city I did know was at risk, I solved the problem by raising land until the city was at higher elevation.  This works well in new settlements without much development.  It often has disastrous consequences in old developed settlements, and I had to cancel a similar raising at one of my home bases.

Details a bull market for dunebuggy futures

a bull market for dunebuggy futures

The flooding had disastrous ecological consequences for Smokestack Hill, which reverted to Great Dunes.

Details we do not need no stinking retrovirals

we do not need no stinking retrovirals

At the end of this year I started playing with the version 1.11 rules.  This doesn't have any substantial effects on my empire, although it does make The Cloning Vats gratuitously available to me.  I will refrain from building them until I've actually researched the missing prereq.

Details the wealthy fight fine

the wealthy fight fine

I do get slightly less of a net MORALE Penalty, now only -1.  My net PLANET penalty is the same.

[bvanevery]

Details you fight like a cowrie shell

you fight like a cowrie shell

Mission Year 2302.  One city conquered and Aki Zeta5 summarily surrenders.  I won't need an eastern rail or that Pirate base after all.  I wonder if a Conquest victory would be a mere formality at this point?  I count 564 + 136 + 109 + 36 =  845 votes under my control.  Opponents have 218 + 86 + 42 = 346 votes.  I still don't have Diplomatic Victory, but it's getting close.  I just completed a Covert Ops Center.  I will send out some Cruiser Probe Teams and buy some enemy cities.

Details I would have tried giant inflatable tents

I would have tried giant inflatable tents

MY 2303.  With Hab Domes available, this game is all but over.  I may have the votes before my Cruiser Probe Teams even arrive at their targets.

Details you are in my way

you are in my way

MY 2304.  Miriam settled a sea base right next to one of my cities, blocking my western port access.  I'm not having it.

Details I meant to say cockroach

I meant to say cockroach

She didn't react well to my insect comparison.

Details maybe you should have offered yourself to me to begin with

maybe you should have offered yourself to me to begin with

Sailing into her size 1 unoccupied sea base brought the expected result.  I don't think the AI is thinking very hard about diplomacy.

Details bureaucrats

bureaucrats

Based on my last calculations, that tips the voting balance in my favor.  Perhaps I should thank Miraim for her transgression?  Except that, I can't actually call the Council right now.  It wasn't that long ago that we all signed the Global Trade Pact.  I think I will make Santiago capitulate next.

[bvanevery]

Details my missing tech

my missing tech

Mission Year 2305.  I feel authorized to start The Cloning Vats now.  Other factions already did so, taking advantage of the reshuffling of techs in the version 1.11 rules.  I am more circumspect.

Details get out of my water

get out of my water

Santiago settled this base just north of me a long time ago.  It's still annoying and most importantly, nearby.

Details mayfly yes mayfly

mayfly yes mayfly

Look at least I didn't call you a cockroach.

Details I think you meant woman

I think you meant woman

Well she's got pluck, for all the fat good it will do her.  The rest of my fleet is approaching her 2nd nearest sea base.

[bvanevery]

Mission Year 2306.  Santiago didn't surrender when I took her 2nd base.  I can hit a 3rd base with my Cruiser Probe Team next turn.  I think she's going to fight to something close to the bitter end though.  She may hate me for having taken a couple of her bases earlier in the game, and for being Wealthy.  I was actually quite surprised how quickly the other factions folded.

Details it is only money

it is only money

Out of curiosity, I wondered how close I was to cornering the global energy market.  Surprisingly, I'm there!  So I'm doing it.

Details nothing excellent about it

nothing excellent about it

I didn't realize it takes 20 years to win that way.  I will have Diplomatic Victory before then anyways, and possibly even Total Conquest victory.  Well I'm made of gold bars so this won't hurt me.  That's all surplus cash with nothing to use it on.  I even have enough credits to insta-complete The Cloning Vats next turn.

[bvanevery]

Details I am actually surprised

I am actually surprised

Mission Year 2307.  I know the Pirates are allied with the Spartans, but Svensgaard's got some chutzpah to even try a stunt like this.  You'd think being a minor governor in my Wealth empire would be good enough for him?  I guess our Truce did expire recently, so maybe this was to be expected.  Although, I thought he could do better than attack one Former with a Unity Chopper, then run out of fuel and die.  That's it, that's his big offensive.

Details the lost cause

the lost cause

So she held out for 3 summary base takeovers rather than 1.  She will go down in the annals of military history as some great general, I think!

[bvanevery]

Details for the kicking of pirate booty

for the kicking of pirate booty

Mission Year 2309.  I don't need money anymore, so I have shifted my social engineering choices to be more combat oriented and less detrimental to Planet.  I have also upgraded my weaponry to R-Bolts.  I attack the 1st Pirate base next turn.

MY 2313.  I have noticed a bug.  Even though I control the Manifold Nexus, I have a Planet rating of 0.  I have the Network Backbone, which should give me no penalty for choosing a Cybernetic future society.  I think I'm getting a -1 PLANET penalty applied for Cybernetic, then the +1 PLANET for the Nexus, then the penalties for Cybernetic are removed.

Meanwhile, my campaign against the Pirates is slow, and they show no sign of surrendering.  At this rate I will declare Diplomatic Victory in 2319.

[bvanevery]

Details make me a space tomato

make me a space tomato

Mission Year 2314.  I obtain Sky Hydroponics Labs etc., which come late in this mod.  I have long since worked all my tiles and don't need satellites.  Still, I'll chuck out space food until the end of the game.  Playing against the feeble AI, would I ever need these?  Same with Fusion engines, I don't miss them.  The game has about twice as much tech as needed.

Details death from above

death from above

Before growing vegetables I'm going to drop a load of Marines on Svensgaard's head.  They can't land directly in the water, but coastal sea bases are vulnerable.  I can land next to them, then attack.  Aerospace Complexes may get in the way of my drops, but I only have to find enough points of weakness to trigger their surrender.

Details like I care

like I care

MY 2315.  Every Secret Project is mine.  This was the only thing anyone else ever built.

Details so boldly sacrificed

so boldly sacrificed

MY 2316.  The Drop R-Bolt Marines are a failure.  They come down wounded, and then don't even have enough firepower to take out a Plasma defender.  I took a couple of bases with heavy losses but it will not bring the Pirates to heel.  I'm preparing a more traditional invasion of rails along coastlines and piles of Marines.