ET Phone Home - SMACX AI Growth mod 1.19

[bvanevery]

Details my missionary work

my missionary work

MY 2178.  I discover New Jerusalem.  Miriam has a map of Usurper territory which I buy for 50 credits.  We sign a Treaty.  Unsurprisingly she has no tech to sell.  Next turn I will infiltrate her.

Details the pusilanimous wimp of this world

the pusilanimous wimp of this world

Roze wants to have a chat with me just before I was going to steal her map.  Since it's not that important for me to have map info, I acquiesce to her Truce.  Perhaps my recently completed Particle Impactors gave her pause.  Will she give me the commlink of the Cyborgs?  Nope.

[bvanevery]

Details earn this

earn this

MY 2180.  While trying to pop a coastal pod with a Rover, I run into the Consciousness.  She wants war with Svensgaard.  Am I the only one who doesn't?  Well, Marr's not on his case yet either.  She won't sign a Treaty with me and signs off.

Details not in Kansas anymore

not in Kansas anymore

Then my Rover goes on a wild ride! 

[bvanevery]

Details is it like never

is it like never

MY 2181.  My wild riding Rover captures my 2nd mindworm.  This is really late compared to a usual Caretaker game, I suppose because I started on an island.  I haven't captured an Isle of the Deep yet, nor a Spore Launcher.

[bvanevery]

Details I am a goody two shoes

I am a goody two shoes

MY 2182.  Time to put a little Democratic in my step!  Giving up police is a hit, but that always happens with Democratic anyways.  I can have 1 military unit per city out in the field before people get upset.  I think I'm going to go Free Market, as my +1 PLANET isn't doing me any mindworm good in the real world.  I've adjusted my budget to 30-40-30 to make people happy in the interim.

[bvanevery]

Details call pest control

call pest control

MY 2183.  Pesky Usurpers land at my capitol.  I almost don't notice it.  They have a Gatling gun.  I blow it away with my Battle Ogre.  Maybe it would have been worth capturing, but I didn't have a probe team on that side of the island.

[bvanevery]

Details have Isle will travel

have Isle will travel

MY 2186.  I finally capture an Isle of the Deep, complete with a Spore Launcher. 

Details gobbling Artifacts

gobbling Artifacts

Last year one of my mindworms fell through a dimensional rift into Consciousness territory.  Roze has an unescorted Artifact which I hope to nail next year.

[bvanevery]

Details lets make a deal

lets make a deal

Morgan bothers me for some reason.  Wants war again, whatever, who cares.  Field Modulation for Centauri Genetics is a more reasonable offer than I've been made in the past.  I'd get the ability to make my own mindworms, and a nutrient on fungal squares, not that that helps much.  He doesn't want to trade though.  He wants to sell it to me for 575 credits and that ain't happenin'.

Details gimmie

gimmie

I tag Roze's Artifact!  Now I just need to drag it home.

[bvanevery]

Details whatever dont care

whatever dont care

Roze decides to bother me.  Well I guess her personality is Erratic.  If I march across her territory, maybe she'll teleport my units home.  Then again since she's Seething, maybe she'll just attack to take her Artifact back.  Guess I'll arrange my own shipping.

[bvanevery]

Details hello my brother

hello my brother

MY 2189.  I steal Superconductor from an isolated Usurper sea base.  I would have had him infiltrated next year as well, but a slip of my finger sent my other foil into some fungus.

[bvanevery]

Details oh so thank you

oh so thank you

MY 2193.  Twist my arm!  You've saved me some slow boating.

Details so eco daft

so eco daft

I researched Industrial Base on my own, a pity since I could have stolen it from Marr.  I go Free Market, dropping my PLANET rating to 0.  I've already got some independent mindworms prowling about, it's sufficient.  I will need to bring regular units home, as with -4 POLICE my citizens get a bit upset at my adventures.  Sitting around waiting suits my geographic disposition though.

[bvanevery]

Details let go of artifice

let go of artifice

MY 2196.  I run into the Consciousness.  They complain about wanting war as usual and we have a non-negotiation.  They have an Artifact but it's being escorted.  Maybe they'll mess up and leave it vulnerable. 

Details where is pest control

where is pest control

The Usurpers bother me again.  I kill their Gatling unit but the artillery remains.  I'm bringing up my own artillery and an Impact Speeder.

[bvanevery]

Details decisions decisions

decisions decisions

MY 2201.  I research Adaptive Economics, which gives Planned economy and Hologram Theaters.  Cheaper Hologram Theaters that don't cost as much to maintain, are a new feature of version 1.19.  Now I need to decide what to do with my civ, which is essentially passive with limited exploration.  I decide on Gene Splicing, which in my mod gives the Human Genome Project.  Morgan has built the Weather Paradigm.  Otherwise, nobody has built anything, nor is anyone trying to.  So I think there's a good chance I could get it.  I have 5 Artifacts piled up in my capitol as insurance.

Details hi Morgan

hi Morgan

I infiltrate the Morganites.  The only one I haven't is the Consciousness.

Details freeeeeeiiiind

freeeeeeiiiind

Morgan is pretty enthusiastic about my Free Market, so I touch him with my glowing finger.  He sells me Centauri Genetics for 100 credits, a remarkable deal!  Still wants 200 on Synthetic Fossil Fuels.  Give it time, Morgan, give it time.  He's got quite the wad of cash, 1700 credits or so.  I hope I fixed the "corner the energy market" problem; that's one of the things this game is testing.

[bvanevery]

Details wonderful projects

wonderful projects

MY 2020.  I complete the Human Genome Project.  With that and the Hologram Theaters, I'm finally able to adjust my budget to 40-20-40.  I'm now working on the Planetary Transit System.  I can build mag tubes now, but living on an island with no threats, I don't feel the need.

The rest of the politics are uneventful.  Most everyone hates me, but nobody goes to war with me, because they're all at war with each other.  I've got enough Foil Probe Teams to fill an ocean, for lack of anything better to build.  They gradually steal techs from Marr.

I saw the Consciousness lose Xi Ellipse to the Data Angels, just as I was getting ready to infiltrate it.  So I still don't have infiltration of the Consciousness.  They are rated as Pathetic, so maybe switching their personality to Passive really has hurt them.  Time will tell.  Maybe I've merely succeeded in strengthening the Data Angels.

[bvanevery]

Details they are so violent

they are so violent

MY 2221.  I steal Advanced Military Algorithms from the Usurpers.  This gives the Command Nexus, so I start to work on that.  The Usurpers aren't working on it, must be too busy fighting.  They keep getting their sea bases taken by other factions though, possibly via Foil Probe Teams.  I haven't been paying much attention.  I know the Usurpers are fighting a land campaign against the Believers and will presumably crush them.  The latter didn't start with any kind of land advantage and they're sharing a large continent with the Usurpers.  That would happen to just about any human faction, I don't think it's an indictment of Believer weakness.  Yes I defanged the Aliens, but directed research is a powerful ability, and the Usurpers are still dangerous.

[bvanevery]

Details everybody must get tech

everybody must get tech

MY 2223.  The Morganites complete the Planetary Datalinks.  It's given by Optical Computers and I didn't even try to research it.  I'm after the Xenoempathy Dome.

Details pesky alien scientists

pesky alien scientists

I just realized that Marr controls the Manifold Nexus, and he's got Doctrine: Air Power.  I might have to take him more seriously.