Smothering The Enemy - SMACX AI Growth mod

[bvanevery]

Details factions at planetfall

factions at planetfall

Lady Deirdre of the Gaians will undertake, in Pacifist fashion, the coralling and indirect suppression of every other faction in the game.  Without actually killing or enslaving any of them.  The Gaians will never declare Victory.  Rather, they will permanently suppress AI activity, channelling it, hopefully reaching some kind of "interesting" steady state.  The Gaians will garden Planet in a long term sandbox style.  They will achieve technical supremacy over everyone else, and they will brook no rival.

I am currently working on version 1.14 of my SMACX AI Growth mod.  I have put 3 person months of full time work into it.  It probably needs very little additional work, before finally calling it "done".  This vision of late game activity, is the final test that proves the mod is bug free and feature complete.  I've never really undertaken a game of SMAC like this before, it is a final frontier for me.  In nearly 20 years of play, I've spent the vast majority of my time winning the game, not sandboxing the game.  The attempt here will be to create an aesthetically satisfying sandbox, a terrarium, using late game tech.  But the AIs will not be so lucky!

This is played on an Enormous 80x160 map, 30%..50% land mass with the mod's tweaked world generation parameters, average settings, Transcend difficulty, and 6 random opponents.  No Aliens happened to show up in this game.  The Pirates, who in my mod are Passive and pursue Wealth, are guaranteed to be the primary threat to Deirdre's hegemony.  They sit back and Build.  Previous games have demonstrated, they can even outpace me in late game technical progress.  The Spartans, the Cult of Planet, the Cybernetic Consciousness, the Data Angels, and the Free Drones all have plenty of potential to disrupt Deirdre's agenda as well.

Notice that compared to unmodded SMAC, the Gaians do not have a MORALE or a POLICE Penalty.  In my mod, most faction penalties were removed, unless there were strong thematic reasons to keep them.  Making factions better rounded, helps the AI.  It also helps me now.

Details safe from the Pirates

safe from the Pirates

Radar echoes aren't a perfect tool, but I seem to be in the middle of a crinkly, water channeled southern land mass.  A vast ocean exists in the north.  I'm willing to bet the Pirates will live there, and if so, they will never be any military threat to me.  Equally, they will be difficult to control until late game.  Perhaps I can Launch Solar Shades and drain their oceans.  Perhaps I will drop a lot of Tectonic Missiles on them.  Perhaps I'll simply build so many Super Formers ever turn, that I raise vast mountains around them, leaving only little frog pools.

All good megalomania starts at the very beginning.  I Am God!

[bvanevery]

Details I own a small pond

I own a small pond

Mission year 2127.  I claim the Garland Crater immediately north of me.  I fish Datajak Roze's frequency out of the water.  She puts me in touch with Cha Dawn.  Roze and I trade a tech, and I buy a tech.  She signs off before I can secure a Treaty.  Cha Dawn starts off Ambivalent, but becomes Magnanimous when we trade techs.  He signs a Treaty but won't ally.  I ask for comm frequencies of the Pirates and the Consciousness, but he doesn't know them.  He signs off.

[bvanevery]

Details I love the smell of mindworms in the morning

I love the smell of mindworms in the morning

Mission Year 2128.  Joy.  A heavily modded Spartan Battle Ogre that's mindworm resistant.  Fortunately my mod didn't amount to much and they're not that tough.  That Ogre has probably been in only 1 mindworm battle and is already half dead.  I already possess the means to destroy it if need be, but I could stand to have my larva leveled up some.  I shouldn't be such a pessimist, this situation could go well.  But having the Spartans as my next door neighbor, might derail my containment plan.  Or at least make it more of a challenge than I expected.

Details go fungus yourself

go fungus yourself

Creep.  The good news is, I've already acquired all the military technology I need to put her in her place.  I just need to build a Recon Rover, that should pretty much be the end of it.  In one of my cities I change a colony pod to a recon rover and rush it for 56 credits.  In another city I rush a colony pod for 22 credits, so that I can get started on more Recon Rovers next turn.  That's the end of my money.

Details ogres have layers like onions

ogres have layers like onions

I got my wish on leveling up my mindworm larva.  Ran into another one.  Killed it; now of course mine is almost dead, and 2 squares from the Ogre.  Fortunately I have fungus to fall back on.  Shouldn't be a problem as long as I don't run into another one blocking my retreat.

I don't think I'll talk to the others about Santiago just yet.  If I give them her frequency, I can probably get a map of her territory, but she will probably gain military techs from such an exchange.  Not worth it.  I'll scout her out myself.  I can already see one of her cities to the east.  She is close.  I had a sinking feeling this crinkly land would have a near neighbor on it, but I didn't expect it that close.  Well, it can happen.

[bvanevery]

Details f337 mah powr

f337 mah powr

I just want to brag that I'm militarily better than everyone else, including the Spartans.  And oddly, the wounded Ogre didn't seem fit to destroy my Scout.  It should have.  I guess the Spartans are all a bunch of chickens.  Bwock!  Bwock, bwock, bwock, bwock, bwock!!  I will retreat my larva, heal it, then search and destory with a combined force.  I can't have that Ogre wandering around in my back country; especially, it threatens the west of the Garland Crater.  The colony pod I just completed, I'll put on the other side of the pond for safety.

I actually stirred up a mindworm trying to retreat my larva, so it had to go north.  It can probably still heal there without running into trouble.  The mindworm might provide a temporary obstruction to the Ogre, which is probably going the other direction anyways.  My Scout can give me warning of anything approaching my cities.  My newly minted Recon Rover, goes east to investigate Spartan territory.  Formers are pulled back to make Forests for production, and Sensor Arrays for warning and defense.

[bvanevery]

Details we love the easy ones

we love the easy ones

Mission Year 2130.  The Spartans settle a new city to the north, changing the border between us.  My Recon Rover meets an undefended colony pod and has 1 move remaining to kill it!  Sweet.

Details eat it just eat it eat it eat it eat it eat it

eat it just eat it eat it eat it eat it eat it

[bvanevery]

Details save scumming the artifact

save scumming the artifact

Mission Year 2133.  Hommel's Citadel contains 1 Scout and 1 Alien Artifact.  Time to strike hard and fast!  The Gaian's lack of a MORALE penalty in this mod is going to help here.  I reserve the right to save scum this combat until I actually gain the Artifact.  I'm not sure why it sometimes gets captured and sometimes gets destroyed.  Smells like a bug.

It worked first try!  I have the Artifact and am 30% wounded.  We'll see if she rushes another Scout next turn.

Details where is my Flash Gordon music

where is my Flash Gordon music

She did not rush, so Hommel's Citadel is mine.  Their unhappy citizens will be a source of my colonists.  I will try to walk the Artifact back to my main cities unescorted.  I do have another Recon Rover completed this turn, so I can keep up the momentum.  Ordinarily at this point, I'd be asking her if she wants to surrender.  But I said I was going to sandbox everyone, so I won't do that.  Maybe she will be my first runt weenie sandboxing exercise?

Details whaddya want wimp

whaddya want wimp

Walking my Artifact south, I run into another colony pod.  At least now I know which way to send the next Recon Rover.  This is a shooting gallery, she's got the wrong posture.  I'm not even gonna talk to her!  I'm not slowing down, I have the momentum. I want this weed pulled. When she's got 1 city left to the north, out of my way, then we'll talk.

Details no use crying over spilled artifacts

no use crying over spilled artifacts

Didn't know a Colony Pod could do that.  I'll get it back soon enough.  Except... it's not in the same square as the Colony Pod now.  Maybe it has vanished.  Maybe it has mysteriously teleported itself to a different Spartan city.  These Artifacts!  So unpredictable.

[bvanevery]

Details gimme

gimme

I said I would get it back.  The AI isn't too bright about marching Artifacts around.  This time I'll tuck it away in the base and stay put, until a Former arrives with a proper road.  My Recon Rover spam will continue to cover and consolidate my small empire.

[bvanevery]

Details another one bites the dust

another one bites the dust

Mission Year 2136.  This is their punishment for stealing my Artifact.

[bvanevery]

Details tightening the noose

tightening the noose

Mission Year 2137.  My larva is next to a Spartan Scout that just popped an Artifact.  I'd attack if it was on open terrain, but it's on Rocky terrain and their high morale is likely to kill me.  So I will forbear and pop the pod next to me.  I've got 2 Recon Rovers closing in, thanks to a pod popping that completed my production.  Knock on wood, but I think I've go the Spartans under my thumb.

[bvanevery]

Details moron

moron

The AI is so stupid.  Good thing I restarted my last turn and moved my mindworm onto this opportune bit of fungus.  I got distracted while writing my last post and moved incorrectly.  Now I'll have my cake and eat it too!

Well, drat.  It didn't really work out that way.  The unprotected Artifact was immediately seized by the Scout standing next it, between turns before I could do anything.  You win this one, Sparta.  I'm popping that pod.

Details I cannot count that high

I cannot count that high

Wow.  Santiago has got quite a scouting industry going with these things.  Is that 3 she's snagged?  It almost begs me to let her keep doing her thing, so I can keep taking them.

[bvanevery]

Details mo artifacts

mo artifacts

Mission Year 2341.  Her 3rd Artifact is about to be mine.  I could wipe out her city and make her flee in an escape pod.  I could make her my slave.  Or I could corral and garden her.  I said I was going to do the latter... now the moment of truth is upon me, way sooner than I expected.  What will it be?  I suppose, if I remain at war with her, I can cut her territory down to an arbitrarily small size by settling on it.  If we remain at war, she cannot get in my way.  So I will corral her, until I finally determine how I want my own empire to be situated.  She will become Part Of The Plan.

Details you were holding out on me

you were holding out on me

Joy!  One of my 2 larvae fell through a dimensional gate.  Transported to the east, it discovered that she has another city.  So I can wipe that one to the north.  It's very much in my way, I need water access to deal with the Pirates.  Next turn I hit it with 2 Recon Rovers standing right next to that 1 Scout in the city.  Can't lose.

[bvanevery]

Details all your tasty artifacts

all your tasty artifacts

Mission Year 2143.  The Battle Ogre returns to view, much worse for the wear.  There was a Scout nearby as well, hope I don't run into it, but that Ogre is dead regardless.  Sparta feeds me yet another Artifact.  Her only known city is Sparta Command, although I haven't explored east so she could have more.  I'm firmly in control though, with Recon Rovers searching in all directions to secure my borders.  I'm not producing any more Rovers, I'm starting Colony Pods again.

I found the Scout.  I'm safe this turn, don't know about next.  One of my own Scouts fell through another dimensional gate and is now far to the southwest.

[bvanevery]

Details seppuku is good for you and you

seppuku is good for you and you

Her Scout attacked a fungal tower and died.  Her Ogre walked right into my Recon Rover and will now die.  Life is good.  Death is good - for Spartans.

Details boy I am doing well

boy I am doing well

I discover the USS Unity crash site!  What a gift.

Details Marco Polo reaches China

Marco Polo reaches China

Far to the east, I fish a Unity Rover out of the water and discover Cha Dawn's border.  We have a Treaty already, I just haven't talked to them in a long time.  They used to be Magnanimous but now the sidebar says they're Obstinate.  I don't think I'm talking to anybody until I know the full extent of Spartan territory.

Details for those about to die we salute you

for those about to die we salute you

Do Spartan colonists make a suicide pact before strapping supply bubbles to the backs of their cars?  I'm afraid this isn't much of an advertizement for my modding prowess.  Most of my tricks are about giving the AI more land so it can build up before humans get to them.  Doesn't work if they start right on top of me, not even when they're the Spartans and I'm the Gaians.  Maybe an Alien faction would have done slightly better against me, but I have my doubts.  I've defanged them pretty hard.  I suppose this would have been a great faction if they were farther away.  Lotsa colonists and cities definitely makes sense if you have no nearby competition on an Enormous map.

Details slowly sail slow slow ahoy

slowly sail slow slow ahoy

Far to the west, my teleported Scout survives a pod popping and gains a Unity Foil.  I crash it into a sea pod and live to tell the tale.

[bvanevery]

Details ogres have two layers like two onions

ogres have two layers like two onions

Hm, that must be the original Ogre I met at the beginning.  Maybe it never moved.  Maybe Spartan combat sense is dumb as rocks.  Or maybe it was waiting for me to settle the west of the Garland Crater so it could ambush me.  Don't know, don't care.  I may lose my Rover, but I'll have another one along shortly to finish the job.

It didn't attack me the next turn, so yes, "dumb as rocks".  Since it's sitting on Rocky terrain, I'll decline to attack it.  I'll wait until it goes somewhere and makes itself more vulnerable.  I've got better things to do with my Rovers, like scout for more Spartan Artifacts!

[bvanevery]

Details looky looky at little dots

looky looky at little dots

Mission Year 2147.  I know everyone's disposition now.  The Pirates are exactly where I predicted they would be, right in the middle of that vast ocean.  I gain a 150 credit reward, as the crash site hasn't sat long enough to increase in value.

Details whatever your fungus headedness says

whatever your fungus headedness says

While exploring Cha Dawn's coast by leaping on and off of it with a Unity Rover, he pesters me.  He's in an obstinately chipper mood and we trade techs.  Then he Magnanimously offers me a Pact, but only if I go after the Angels.  Not interested.  I ask for commlink frequencies but he doesn't have any.  I sign off.

I talk to Roze for old time's sake.  She doesn't have any tech.  I loan her money and we sign a Treaty.  I ask for comms but she doesn't have any.  She signs off.